April 13, 2010
- Kahne to Hendrick? [Stewart-Haas?] UPDATE: #9-Kasey Kahne, the hottest potential free agent in NASCAR entering the season, has signed a multiyear agreement to join Hendrick Motorsports in 2011, multiple sources close to negotiations confirmed to ESPN.com Tuesday. The details of the deal, such as which car Kahne will drive, are still being finalized, sources said. The prevailing thought is Kahne will occupy the #5 car currently driven by Mark Martin, sources said. Martin signed a contract extension last year through the 2011 season. There is room for Martin and Kahne in the Hendrick family. Stewart Haas Racing receives chassis, engines and technical support from HMS. So Kahne could be housed there until Martin’s contract was up, if necessary. In 2008 Dale Earnhardt Jr. signed a five-year deal with Hendrick. Jimmie Johnson last year signed an extension through 2015, and Jeff Gordon has a lifetime contract. Kahne is in the final year of his contract with Richard Petty Motorsports, and plans to finish the season in the #9 Ford, sources said. It is unknown whether Kahne’s sponsor, Budweiser, will accompany him to HMS [which sponsored Hendrick’s #25 Chevy for years]. Hendrick Motorsports officials had no comment. Calls placed to Kahne, who turned 30 last weekend, and to his agent were not returned.(ESPN)
UPDATE: Richard Petty Motorsports announced that driver Kasey Kahne has informed the team he will not renew his contract at the conclusion of the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. Kahne, driver the #9 Budweiser Ford Fusion, has been with RPM since entering NASCAR’s premier series in 2004. “Kasey is a very talented driver and I have enjoyed watching him race. We all wish him nothing but the best and hope he succeeds in anything he chooses to do,” said team owner Richard Petty. “Drivers like Kasey Kahne are the very reason we got into this sport. Kasey has helped us get to where we are today,” George Gillett, owner of Richard Petty Motorsports said. “We wish him well in his future however we have the rest of this season to race together and we’re looking forward to a successful remainder of the year.”(RPM)(4-13-2010) - Bliss named to the #09 ride: Mike Bliss and Tommy Baldwin Racing [#36 Checy] have parted ways, effective immediately. Bliss will replace Aric Almirola at Phoenix Racing. Bliss ran five of the first seven races for Baldwin. He failed to qualify at Bristol and last week at Phoenix. TBR is currently 38th in owner points. “Mike has been rock solid in qualifying with a Cup car,” Phoenix crew chief Marc Reno said. “We were struggling and we have to make races to keep our guys working. We’re trying to survive until we can land a sponsor. Everybody loves Aric. But we needed someone that could qualify for races. (Owner) James (Finch) has helped Aric out in trucks and if we were in a better position, we’d love to bring him up to speed in Cup as well.”(FoxSports)(4-13-2010)
- New driver for the #36 at Texas/Talladega: Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) has tapped Johnny Sauter to drive the #36 Wave Energy Drink Chevrolet for this weekend’s Samsung 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. The race will mark Sauter’s first time behind the wheel of the #36, which was driven by Mike Bliss for the season’s first seven NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races. Sauter has driven the #35 TBR Chevy in three races in 2010, including last week at Phoenix International Raceway, where he finished 41st after qualifying in the 37th position. Sauter will also take control of the #36 for next week’s race at Talladega Superspeedway. “I’m excited about having Johnny in the #36 for the next couple of races and look forward to seeing what he can do,” said team owner Tommy Baldwin. “He has been strong at Texas, especially in the Truck series, and I’m confident he can give us a solid performance in the Sprint Cup car. We will have him for a couple of races here before he will need to focus on his Truck Series team, and we hope to have a full-time driver for the #36 named here in the near future,” he added.(Tommy Baldwin Racing)(4-13-2010)
- Phoenix TV Ratings Up: NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Phoenix International Raceway earned a 3.4/7 Saturday night, April 10th on FOX. That is 3% better than last year’s 3.3/6 for the same race. The last three FOX NASCAR races to air in their regularly scheduled windows have all been up a tenth of a point over last year in the metered markets, but FOX has yet to parlay that into an increase for any races in the nationals. FOX’s race earned a 3.4/6 from 8-11pm, which was good enough to place FOX second for the night behind CBS’s 4.0/7. Fox the season-to-date NASCAR On FOX is down -4% in the metered markets (4.8/10 vs. 5.0/10). For 2010 TV Ratings and the season-to-season chart, see my 2010 TV Ratings page.(4-13-2010)
- Wheaties scheme for Bowyer at Indy: #33-Clint Bowyer is scheduled to run a Wheaties Fuel paint scheme at Indy in the Brickyard 400 on July 25th. General Mills [also makes Cheerios] launched Wheaties Fuel earlier this year, considered the next evolution of Wheaties. See an image of the scheme on my #33 Team Schemes page.(4-13-2010)
- Special scheme for Kenseth in two races: Jeremiah Weed Sweet Tea Vodka is scheduled to be the primary aponaor for #17 Matt Kenseth in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May and the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona in July. See image of the scheme on my #17 Team Schemes page.(4-13-2010)
- Jimmie Johnson ticket package at Dover: Race fans that haven’t locked in their seats yet for the May 16, 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Dover International Speedway can now take advantage of a great deal named for one great driver. The $48 Jimmie Johnson package, presented by 92.5 XTU, includes a specially priced ticket to the “Autism Speaks 400 presented by HERSHEY’S Milk & Milkshakes” race on Sunday, May 16 and admission to an exclusive question-and-answer session with Johnson in Philadelphia on Thursday, April 29. Johnson will be the special guest of a Q&A session at World Café Live, located at 3025 Walnut St. in Philadelphia, on Thursday, April 29 at 12:30 p.m. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. at the popular live music venue, and lunch specials will be available prior to the Johnson event. The exclusive April 29 event is only available to fans that purchase the $48 Johnson package. With the purchase of this package, loyal fans of the #48 team will be able to sit amongst fellow fans in designated Jimmie Johnson sections in the grandstands at Dover. Space is limited, so fans are encouraged to order soon. For more information about the $48 Jimmie Johnson package, or to purchase tickets, please call 1-800-441-RACE or visit www.DoverSpeedway.com/XTU. The deadline to purchase this package is Sunday, April 25, 2010.(Dover PR)(4-13-2010)
- Bires out at JR Motorsports; McMurray driving 9 races: JR Motorsports will undergo a driver change to its #88 NASCAR Nationwide Series team effective this weekend when the series races at Texas Motor Speedway, general manager and co-owner Kelley Earnhardt announced. The organization has released 25-year-old Kelly Bires from his contractual driving duties of the #88 Chevy. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regular Jamie McMurray, driver of the #1 Bass Pro Shops/McDonalds Chevry for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, has agreed to a deal that puts him in the #88 JR Motorsports Chevy for nine races. Those races include the six upcoming Nationwide Series events – Texas (April 17), Talladega (April 24), Richmond (April 30), Darlington (May 7), Dover (May 15) and Charlotte (May 30) – plus Chicagoland (July 9), Atlanta (Sept. 4) and the return trip to Charlotte (Oct. 15). Hellmann’s will be the primary sponsor in all but two of those races, and the Suave Men brand will be featured on the #88 at Chicagoland Speedway.(JR Motorsports PR)(4-13-2010)
- McCumbee to drive for RAB Racing at Texas: Chad McCumbee, a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series veteran, will make his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut with RAB Racing behind the wheel of the #09 Ford in this weekend’s O’Reilly 300 at Texas Motor Speedway. McCumbee will be making his eighth start at the 1.5-mile quad-oval. However, this will be his first career start in the NASCAR Nationwide Series in the “Lone Star State”.(RAB Racing PR)(4-13-2010)
- Lofton making first attempt of 2010: In the midst of a full-time ARCA Racing Series schedule, Justin Lofton made his NASCAR debut last August in the Nationwide Series. He started 19th and impressively finessed his way through the field, at times running within the top 10, before a cut tire forced him to the pits late in the race. He finished the event a solid 16th. After claiming the 2009 ARCA championship, Lofton and crew chief Mark Rette joined Camping World Truck Series powerhouse Red Horse Racing. This weekend Lofton and Rette will return to the Nationwide ranks with the RHR team, fielding the #71 WeekendWarriorsTV.com Toyota. The event will be the first of several runs for Lofton and the RHR team within Nationwide competition this season, with goals of hitting the track again as soon as next month at Charlotte Motor Speedway. WeekendWarriorsTV.com will grace the hood of Lofton’s black, red, and grey #71 Toyota this weekend at Texas. WWTV is an online, bi-weekly web show hosted by Lofton’s sister, Brittany Lofton, and directed by Brett Bortle. The show delves behind the scenes with crews and drivers alike spanning racetracks across the country, telling the story of true grassroots racers.(Lofton PR)(4-13-2010)
- Kenny Wallace gets Texas sponsor, UPDATE and IMAGE: #28-Kenny Wallace posted on his Facebook page, “I am honored to announce a great sponsor for the race this week in Texas…”The Chloe Duyck Memorial Fund”. This was established to support research for babies with heart disease. One out of 85 babies are born with heart defects. The fund is part of Cardiopulmonary Research Science and Technology Institute (CRSTI). 100% proceeds go to the fund. See an image of the car on my #28 tem paint schemes page.(4-12-2010)
UPDATE: The Chloe Duyck Memorial Fund has partnered with driver Kenny Wallace and the Jay Robinson Racing #28 Chevy for this Saturday’s O’Reilly 300 at Texas Motor Speedway. Wallace and the team will work hard to bring awareness, and donations, to the leading birth defect affecting our children—congenital heart defects. You can receive information on the Chloe Duyck Memorial Fund by logging onto the Web site www.hope4tinyhearts.com. The Chloe Duyck Memorial Fund was established for Chloe by her parents Michelle and Joel Duyck in 2005. Chloe was born on August 30, 2004, and lost her short battle with a congenital heart defect known as Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS), on September 3, 2004. Chloe endured two open-heart surgeries as well as several other procedures to try and save her life, but to no avail. The Chloe Duyck Memorial Fund was established to support research in the field of congenital heart disease. The fund is part of the Cardiopulmonary Research Science and Technology Institute (CRSTI), 501(c)3 not for profit organization.(Jay Robinson PR)(4-13-2010) - Ride for Dime on the #73: Dean TV will be in Texas for the race on April 17th. Dean Guitars purchased the hood of the #73 Car in support of Ride for Dime. More info to come soon but there will be a raffle of the Ride for Dime NASCAR hood at this years Ride For Dime in August. Ride for dime is a charity ride in memory Of Dimebag Darrell Abbott Dallas’s own guitarist for Pantera. Rebel meets Rebael and Damageplan! On December 8, 2004, Abbott was murdered on stage during a Damageplan performance at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio.(Stratus Racing PR)(4-13-2010)
- Stenhouse has new crew chief: Roush Fenway Racing veteran Mike Kelley has been named crew chief of the #6 Nationwide team with driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. effective immediately. Kelley joined Roush Fenway in 2002 as car chief of the #97 team under Jimmy Fennig and has since gone on to contribute to Roush Fenway’s 2004 Sprint Cup Championship along with numerous wins in the Sprint Cup Series as a car chief and in the Nationwide Series as a crew chief with Carl Edwards and David Ragan. Ben Leslie, who had served at crew chief on the #6, moves to the role of director of competition over Roush Fenway’s four Nationwide teams.(Roush Fenway PR)(4-13-2010)
- Phoenix TV Ratings flat: ESPN2’s live telecast of the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Phoenix International Raceway on Friday night earned a final national household coverage rating of 1.0, the same rating the event has earned each year since ESPN returned to NASCAR coverage in 2007. The telecast averaged 1,262,505 viewers.(ESPN PR)(4-13-2010)
- R3 donates decklid space: The owner of R3 Motorsports, Robert Richardson, Sr., and driver, Robert Richardson, Jr., donated the decklid area of their #23 Chevy to a local charity for the NASCAR Nationwide Series race this Saturday at Texas Motor Speedway. The natives of McKinney, Texas, which is about 45 minutes north of the speedway, wanted to help out a charity in their area. Through an association with the award-winning firm of Levenson & Brinker Public Relations, the charity of Limbs for Life Foundation (www.LimbsforLife.org) received the donation of the decklid space on the car to auction off during a recent fundraiser. Limbs for Life Foundation is a non-profit organization that provides prosthetic care and raises awareness of the challenges amputees face. The auction was held early this year in the Dallas area. Still without primary marketing partners, this isn’t the first time R3 Motorsports has donated marketing space on their car. For the season opener at Daytona International Speedway, Richardson, Jr. carried a Texas Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital logo on his Chevy.(R3 Motorsports PR)(4-13-2010)
- Sauter to run more Cup races for TBR: Tommy Baldwin Racing has tapped Johnny Sauter to drive the #36 Wave Energy Drink Chevrolet for this weekend’s Samsung 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. The race will mark Sauter’s first time behind the wheel of the #36, which was driven by Mike Bliss for the season’s first seven NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races. Sauter will also take control of the #36 for next week’s race at Talladega Superspeedway.(Tommy Baldwin Racing PR)(4-13-2010)
- Lofton to attempt a few Nationwide races UPDATE more info: Camping World Truck Series driver Justin Lofton has bought two NASCAR Nationwide Series cars and will compete in three or four Nationwide races with his truck team, Red Horse Racing. Lofton’s first race he’ll attempt to make is at Texas on April 17. Lofton bought the Toyotas from CJM Racing, one he drove at Michigan last year and another CJM didn’t quite finish. Lofton said he’ll also race at Charlotte in May and at Kansas in October. If the two cars survive, he said he’ll likely race them at California in October. Red Horse will be listed as the official owner and will supply crew members and its hauler, Lofton said.(NNS Racing)(4-3-2010)
UPDATE: This weekend Lofton and Rette will return to the Nationwide ranks with the RHR team, fielding the No. 71 WeekendWarriorsTV.com Toyota Camry. The event will be the first of several runs for Lofton and the RHR team within Nationwide competition this season, with goals of hitting the track again as soon as next month at Charlotte Motor Speedway.(Justin Lofton PR)(4-13-2010) - No sophomore slump for Carmichael: The American Motorcyclist Association’s all-time greatest, Ricky Carmichael (#4 Monster Energy Chevrolet), came to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series last season with one of the biggest learning curves to overcome, switching from two wheels to four. Though, he dominated the AMA circuit posting 15 championships over the years, he only posted two top 10s last season in 18 starts and finished the season 22nd in the points. But this season Carmichael has already matched his last season record with two tops 10s finishing sixth at Atlanta and 10th at Martinsville. He is currently seventh in the standings, 10 points behind Ron Hornaday Jr. in sixth and 188 points behind the points leader, Timothy Peters.(NASCAR PR)(4-13-2010) [For more of NASCAR’s Open Week News & Notes visit the Kansas Race Page.](4-13-2010)
- NASCAR suspends crew member: Ryan Sebek, a crew member for the #76 team in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, has been indefinitely suspended from NASCAR for violating the sanctioning body’s substance abuse policy. On April 8, Sebek was found to have violated Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 19 (violation of the NASCAR substance abuse policy) of the 2010 NASCAR rule book.(NASCAR PR)(4-13-2010)
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