April 14, 2009
- Subway on the #99: The Sprint Cup race at Phoenix will mark the first time Subway appears on the #99 Ford of Carl Edwards. See an image of the scheme on the #99 Team Schemes page.(4-14-2009)
- Haas Automation back on the #39: In 267 Sprint Cup starts, Newman has collected 43 pole positions and 13 wins. He returns to Phoenix this weekend with his new Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) team and the #39 Haas Automation Chevy.(Stewart-Haas Racing PR) See an image of the scheme on the #39 Team Schemes page.(4-14-2009)
- Jim France stepping down as CEO of ISC: Jim France will step down as chief executive officer of International Speedway Corporation effective June 1 with Lesa Kennedy succeeding him in that role. Jim France is the son of NASCAR founder Bill France Sr., brother of former NASCAR chairman Bill France Jr. and uncle of current NASCAR chairman Brian France. Brian France is Lesa Kennedy’s brother. Jim France will retain his role as chairman of ISC’s board of directors. Lesa Kennedy will remain vice chair of the ISC board. John Saunders, currently the executive vice president and chief operating officer of ISC, will take over as ISC president – the title previously held by Lesa Kennedy.(Charlotte Observer)(4-14-2009)
- 8th Annual Dale Earnhardt Day Set for Friday May 15: Jeff Steiner, executive vice president and general manager of Dale Earnhardt, Inc. announced plans for the company’s eighth annual Dale Earnhardt Day, celebrating the life of seven-time NASCAR Champion Dale Earnhardt, for fans and friends. The celebration will be preceded with a special birthday commemoration on April 29, 2009 from 11:30 a.m, to 1:30 p.m., a preview event for the day-long fan celebration on Friday, May 15, 2009 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., the day before the Sprint All Star Race at Lowes Motor Speedway. Behind-the-scenes tours, dining in Dale Earnhardt’s private dining room – The Trophy Room as well as a unique First Look Dinner on May 14, are all part of this year’s events. Festivities will be held at the company’s headquarters in Mooresville, North Carolina. Follow plans on Twitter at www.twitter.com/daleday09. A complete schedule of events and additional information is available at: www.daleearnhardtinc.com/content/legacy/daleday.aspx.(DEI PR)(4-14-2009)
- Kentucky lawsuit resolution not likely in time to secure 2010 date: The likelihood that Kentucky Speedway will be awarded a 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup race has become even more remote because an antitrust lawsuit by the track founders against NASCAR and International Speedway Corp. now likely won’t be resolved until July at the earliest. The case, which is in U.S. Court of Appeals in Cincinnati, is not included in the hearing calendar finalized Monday for a two-week session beginning April 20. Although the court could still add the case to the schedule, that would be rare in a case such as this one. The next two-week hearing session begins June 8 – the Monday prior to the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at the track. NASCAR Chairman Brian France has said that NASCAR will not consider a realignment request for a Sprint Cup date from current owner Speedway Motorsports Inc. until the case is resolved. NASCAR typically begins the sanctioning process in April or May, and France has said that the track is running out of time to begin the realignment process.(Scene Daily:)(4-14-2009)
- Petty to be grand marshal at Iowa Speedway event: NASCAR legend Richard Petty will be grand marshal of an event next month at the Iowa Speedway in Newton. Petty will serve as grand marshal for the NASCAR Camping World East/West Series race May 17. It will be the first of four NASCAR races at the speedway in 2009. The Iowa Speedway opened in 2006.(Associated Press/USA Today)(4-14-2009)
- Sellars announces product sponsorship of Tommy Baldwin Racing: Sellars announced their product sponsorship of Tommy Baldwin Racing. Sellars and TBR joined together as teammates in their shared pursuit of innovation, efficiency and speed. Tommy Baldwin, co-owner of the Crew Chief Club LLC, and John Sellars began their relationship several years ago when Sellars shop towels became an official sponsor of the Crew Chief Club. Now Sellars has jumped on board to show their support of TBR. In exchange for product the Sellars logo will be placed on the #36 entry for the remainder of the season. They will also be placed on the TBR website as one of the official sponsors of TBR. Sellars is a leading manufacturer of shop towels, disposable wipers, and sorbents that are made with recycled fibers.(Everest-Mareting / TBR PR)(4-14-2009)
- Sad News – Chuck Gaa: Charles ‘Chuck’ Wilson Gaa, 63, passed away at his home in Marshall, N.C. on Saturday, April 4, 2009. Chuck owned GAACO Enterprises in Atlanta and was contracted by Buick and Chevrolet to design and build a series of radically different NASCAR race cars for owners such as Junior Johnson and Travis Carter while serving as GM’s suspension and chassis consultant. Chuck became involved in stock car racing with Jim Welty in USAC while still a teenager and served as chief mechanic for A.J. Foyt’s USAC Championship winning Ford for Jack Bowsher while still in college. Following graduation, he worked for two years for Petty Enterprises designing and fabricating cars and later he worked with Cotton Owens and Jim Ruggles before starting GAACO. In his years in NASCAR, Chuck worked with drivers such as Richard Petty, Pete Hamilton, Neil Bonnett, and Harry Gant, and owners such as Jr. Johnson, Cotton Owens, and Travis Carter. In addition to his work in NASCAR, Chuck was commissioned by General Motors to build a number of road racing cars for both the IMSA and Trans Am series and served as a suspension consultant for Jaguar cars with their GTP car in IMSA. Chuck also designed and built the GTP 935 Porches driven to victories in the 24 hours of Daytona, the 12 hours of Sebring, and the World Endurance Championship by John Paul and John Paul, Jr. Following his retirement, he moved to Marshall, N.C. and found a home within the community and with Builders Express in Mars Hill, N.C. In his spare time, he volunteered on the Madison County Arts Council. In addition to his mother, he is survived by his son, Adam Gaa of Opelika, Ala.; daughter, Rae Powers and husband Ian Randall of Brighton, England; brothers, John Gaa and wife Cynthia of Willis, Texas, James Gaa and wife Marilyn of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Thomas Gaa and wife Karen of Menlo Park, Calif.; and a precious grandson, Alex Powers Randall. Donations may be made to the Madison County Arts Council, 90 S. Main St., Marshall, N.C. 28753. An online register is available at ashevillemortuaryservices.com.(4-14-2009)
- Delphi on the #88 at Phoenix: Delphi will make its debut on the hood of Brad Keselowski’s #88 Chevy this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway. This is the first of six times that Delphi will adorn the hood of the #88; the others being Richmond, Darlington, Atlanta, Kansas, and Memphis.(JR Motorsports PR)(4-14-2009)
- Nashville TV Ratings: ESPN’s live telecast of the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Nashville Superspeedway on April 11 earned a final household coverage rating of 1.3, matching the rating for last year’s race that also aired on ESPN. The telecast averaged 1,539,558 viewers.(ESPN PR)(4-14-2009)
- Raybestos Rookie Notes for Phoenix:
* Scott Lagasse Jr. was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the Nashville 300 at Nashville Superspeedway. Lagasse Jr. scored a 10th-place finish and grabbed top rookie honors for the first time this season. He has racked up two top-10 finishes in six races.
* Two Raybestos Rookies led the Nashville 300: Michael McDowell (once for seven laps) and Michael Annett (once for one lap). McDowell and Annett were also the only NASCAR Nationwide Series regulars to lead a lap in the race.
* Justin Allgaier leads Brendan Gaughan by five points (63-58) in the Raybestos Rookie standings entering the Bashas’ Supermarkets 200 at Phoenix International Raceway.
* Three Raybestos Rookies rank inside the top-10 in the Nationwide Series championship standings: Allgaier (seventh), Gaughan (eighth) and Scott Lagasse Jr. (ninth).
* At least one Raybestos Rookie has scored top-10 finishes in the last four consecutive NASCAR Nationwide Series races.
* Dario Franchitti was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the 2008 Bashas’ Supermarkets 200, scoring an 11th-place finish.
* Carl Edwards owns the best finish in four spring races at Phoenix, an eighth-place effort in 2005.
* Edwards also has the best qualifying performance by a Raybestos Rookie in four spring races at Phoenix. Edwards started the 2005 event from the fifth position.(Camp & Assoc./Raybestos PR)(4-14-2009) - US Cellular sponsoring Iowa race: U.S. Cellular has been named the major sponsor for the prestigious NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Iowa Speedway this summer. The U.S. Cellular 250, scheduled for Saturday, August 1, is expected to draw the largest racing crowd in Iowa history.(Iowa Speedway PR)(4-14-2009)
- Guardsmen to get Speedway tickets: The Kansas Speedway is donating 2,000 tickets to members of the Kansas National Guard, Kansas adjutant general Maj. Gen. Tod Bunting said Tuesday. The tickets are for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 on April 25. The tickets are being distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis. “Kansas Speedway has always been a great supporter of the Kansas National Guard,” said Bunting. “Our soldiers and airmen really enjoy themselves at these events and greatly appreciate these generous ticket donations.”(Topeka-Capital Journal)(4-14-2009)
- KHI announces new partnership with Copart & #33: Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) announced today a new partnership with Copart, Inc. an online vehicle remarketing company that sells more than 1 million cars per year. Copart will serve as primary sponsor of KHI’s #33 Chevrolet Silverado driven by three-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday for five of the 25 race events in 2009. Copart, founded in 1982, sells more than 1 million vehicles each year online for insurance companies, banks, finance companies, fleet operators, dealers, the general public and others. Copart’s extensive inventory allows buyers to browse more than 50,000 vehicles each day. Sponsorship begins at Kansas; other races are Milwaukee, New Hampshire, Las Vegas, Talladega. (KHI PR)(4-14-2009)
- Braun tests at Rockingham: Braun and the #6 Con-way Freight team spent two days testing at Rockingham’s one-mile oval in preparation for the upcoming intermediate tracks on the Camping World Truck Series schedule. Although the test was shortened by rain both days, Braun and the team took a lot of valuable information back to the shop with them. The team tested two Ford F-150s, the workhorse chassis 43, and a new truck chassis 60. The team plans to take 43 to Kansas next weekend for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250. The new truck was tested for the first time, and the team plans to run it this summer at Texas and/or Michigan.(Roush Fenway Racing PR)(4-14-2009)
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