April 12, 2016
- Texas Overnight TV Ratings UPDATE: FOX’s coverage of NASCAR’s Duck Commander 500 led a typically quiet Saturday. In primetime the race scored a 0.9 rating / 3 share (4.22 million viewers) in adults 18-49, pending updates, tying with CBS’ “48 Hours” for the top rating of the night.(TV by the Numbers)(4-11-2016)
UPDATE: NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Texas earned a 2.5 overnight rating on FOX Saturday night, down 14% from last year (2.9) and the lowest overnight ever for a Sprint Cup race on FOX. The 2.5 is also the lowest ever for the spring Texas race (dates back to 1997). In both cases, the previous low was set last year. No doubt contributing to the record-low performance was a nearly two-hour rain delay that pushed the start of the race past 9:30 PM ET. Despite the decline, the race was the top sporting event of the weekend outside of The Masters.(Sports Media Watch)(4-12-2016) - Bruton Smith interested in Carolina Panthers: With an already sold-out college football game, dubbed the Battle at Bristol, being held at his historic Bristol Motor Speedway, Speedway Motorsports Incorporated’s Chairman, O. Bruton Smith, appears ready to branch out into other sports-related genres – specifically the NFL and the possible purchase of the Carolina Panthers. During an interview with Kickin’ the Tires and Motorsports.com this past week, Smith admitted that he has always been interested in the Panthers and now might be the time for him to make a play that would bring football and motorsports closer together. “You stepped into this but it’s odd that you did because we were talking about this today,” Smith said. “Would we buy them? I’ve got some boys (his sons, Marcus and Scott), they want me to. And so we may, on a weak moment, we might would do that.” [Panthers’ owner Jerry] Richardson, who is 79-years-old, is said to have mandated that the team be sold within two years of his death, according to an article in Charlotte Business Journal in 2013. That mandate also has a caveat, which would be to keep the team in Charlotte. Smith would fit the bill since he is a Charlotte native and has historically expressed interest in the football franchise. Now that the Panthers have made yet another trip to the Super Bowl, some might suspect that the price would be too much for Smith to be seriously interested in buying the team but he countered that isn’t the case. And with thousands of people on a waiting list for the upcoming game between the University of Tennesee Volunteers and the Virgina Tech Hokies, Smith may be seeing big dollar signs. “Not necessarily … they didn’t win,” Smith said. “So, you are buying a losing team but if they would have won it would be different.”(KickinTheTires)(4-12-2016)
- Pit crew switch on the #24: Prior to the Duck Commander 500 at Texas Motor Speedway the #24 Hendrick Motorsports team slightly restructured its lineup. Front and rear tire carriers, Dion Williams and Jared Erspamer, switched positions before heading to Fort Worth. As of now they remain switched. Toward the end of the 2015 season, with Jeff Gordon piloting the Chevrolet, Williams — originally positioned on the front — and Erspamer — on the rear — swapped spots in order to improve timeliness in the team’s stops. Now the pair switch back to their original positions.(Pit Talks / NASCAR.com)(4-12-2016)
- Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award wins Cynopsis Social Good Award: The NASCAR Foundation and Nationwide were honored at the Cynopsis Social Good Awards in New York City, winning the award for Nonprofit/Corporate Partnership with a Brand for The NASCAR Foundation’s Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award presented by Nationwide. Cynopsis Media hosted the second annual Social Good Awards Breakfast April 7 at the New York Athletic Club in New York City to celebrate achievements by brands, networks and digital entities over the past year. The NASCAR Foundation’s Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award presented by Nationwide honors a NASCAR fan who embodies the ideals of charity and community that France, the foundation’s founder and chairwoman emeritus, has championed throughout her life. This year marks the sixth annual presentation of the award and NASCAR Official Partner Nationwide’s second year as presenting sponsor for the award. With a panel of judges who benchmark excellence in the area of social good in the TV and entertainment industry, Cynopsis Media’s Cynopsis Social Good Awards honors everything from sustainability partnership and PSA’s, to diversity campaigns, environmental initiatives and more.(NASCAR)(4-12-2016)
- Top 10 Driver Ratings at Bristol:
#20-Matt Kenseth, 102.5
#18-Kyle Busch, 101.3
#2-Brad Keselowski, 94.1
#4-Kevin Harvick, 93.3
#48-Jimmie Johnson, 92.7
#41-Kurt Busch, 92.7
#42-Kyle Larson, 92.4
#19-Carl Edwards, 91.7
#16-Greg Biffle, 90.9
#11-Denny Hamlin, 89.5
Note: Driver Ratings are compiled from 2005-2015 races (22 total) at Bristol Motor Speedway (active drivers only).
Formula combining the following categories: Win, Finish, Top-15 Finish, Average Running Position while on Lead Lap, Average Speed Under Green, Fastest Lap, Led Most Laps, Lead-Lap Finish. Maximum: 150 points per race.
See an explanation how the Driver Rating is calculated at NASCAR.com.(NASCAR) - Brandon McReynolds in the #24 at Talladega: Brandon McReynolds tweeted Monday that he will drive the #24 Toyota for JGL Racing at Talladega on May 1. It will be his second career XFINITY Series race.(4-12-2016)
- Pocono Raceway opening infield Bark Park: In conjunction with National Pet Day, Pocono Raceway President & CEO Brandon Igdalsky has announced the creation of the Pocono Raceway Bark Park, the first dog park at a national motorsports facility. The Pocono Raceway Bark Park will be housed in the infield at Pocono Raceway, near the Infield Fan Center along Earnhardt Road. The 100-feet by 100-feet facility will be open to all dogs in the infield and feature a secure gate, obstacles and size-appropriate exercise areas. The Pocono Raceway Bark Park is free of charge and open to all fans who have secured an infield camping spot. Fans who have purchased an infield camping spot can buy a limited-edition Pocono Raceway dog tag. The dog tag will allow fans an extra two hours of access and entry into the “Best in Show” contest. The “Best in Show” contest will be held at the Pocono Raceway Bark Park with the winning dog announced during the Infield Block Party Saturday night of each NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekend and having a photo taken with Pocono Raceway’s beloved mascot Tricky The Fox.(Pocono Raceway)(4-12-2016)
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