April 14, 2008
- Gil Martin named the Wypall Wipers’ Crew Chief of the Race in Phoenix: Gil Martin, crew chief of the #07 Jack Daniels Chevy driven by Clint Bowyer, was named Wypall Wipers’ “Crew Chief of the Race” for his team’s second place finish in Saturday’s Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. The 2008 Wypall Wipers Crew Chief Challenge is a season-long contest that will determine the best crew chiefs in the Sprint Cup garage. Following each Cup race, a panel will vote to determine which crew chief demonstrated the most outstanding strategy and leadership during the race. It isn’t necessarily the crew chief that goes to victory lane, but the crew chief that made the biggest difference to his team. Representatives from Wypall Wipers, together with FOX/Speed television analyst Jeff Hammond, and three of NASCAR’s top crew chiefs who represent Wypall, including Todd Berrier of the Richard Childress Racing #29 Shell Pennzoil Chevy team, Bob Osborne of the Roush Fenway Racing #99 Office Depot Ford team, and Kenny Francis of the Gillett Evernham Motorsports #9 Budweiser Dodge team, make up the panel of judges. In addition to the $1,000 check, the winning crew chief will receive signage to announce the win on their pit box the following week. The crew chief with the most weekly top wins will be honored as the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Year and will be presented a $20,000 check at the season finale in Homestead, FL. The Wypall Wipers Crew Chief Challenge will continue throughout the remainder of the 2008 season and spotlight the men behind the machines. For more information, log onto www.Wypall.com.(Wypall PR)(4-14-2008)
- Harvick exploring options in drag racing as an owner: #29-Kevin Harvick and his wife DeLana have teamed with NHRA drag racing veteran Bob Vandergriff Jr. to explore the option of fielding a Top Fuel dragster in NHRA competition. The proposed Harvick-Vandergriff Motorsports will specialize in offering its sponsors marketing opportunities in NHRA, NASCAR Sprint Cup, Craftsman Truck, and the Nationwide Series. “I think we have a unique opportunity to provide unprecedented reach for companies looking to achieve their objectives through motorsports,” Vandergriff said. “As this deal evolves, we want to offer the companies aligned with Harvick-Vandergriff Motorsports the chance to use the best of NHRA and NASCAR through the same program. We’ll have the capabilities to provide something no other team can offer.” Vandergriff and Harvick plan to begin assembling a race team and all of the necessary components and people within the next two months as they prepare for a 2009 debut. Announcements regarding the driver and sponsors will be forthcoming. See full story at NHRA.com.(4-14-2008)
- Race and Commercial Breakdown of the Subway Fresh Fit 500
Total number of commercials: 106
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 69
Total number of brief promos of products/services during the race broadcast: 41
Start time to record race/commercial periods: 8:55 PM
End time to record race/commercial periods: 12:06 AM
Total minutes: 191
Minutes of race broadcast: 139
Minutes of commercials: 52
Number of missed restarts: 0
Number of ‘mystery debris cautions’: 1
Total race brdcst time 139 Total comm. brdcst time 52
See full report and more at CawsnJaws.com.(4-14-2008) - Pressley adds page to family’s GPS legacy: Asheville’s [NC] Coleman Pressley became the first third-generation driver to see the checkered flag at Greenville-Pickens Speedway. “This is my biggest win, ever,” Pressley said. “I have been trying so hard here. My grandfather won here, and my dad [former Busch and Cup driver Robert] won here, and this is just terrific. We got flames (on his car) this week, and maybe they made the difference. I’ve been trying so hard and we finally got it all together.” Richard Childress’s grandson, Austin Dillon was third. See full story at the Greenville Pickens Speedway site.(4-14-2008)
- Childress Vineyards named one of America’s Top 25: Wine Enthusiast magazine has selected Childress Vineyards as one of America’s Top 25 Tasting Rooms. In the May issue, the magazine asked its editors and contributors to suggest tasting rooms that were memorable to them for a number of reasons. Wine quality was the top criteria considered, followed by décor, staff savvy, amenities and overall uniqueness. Reporter Lynn Seldon wrote that Childress Vineyards, founded by NASCAR team owner Richard Childress in 2004, has “quickly become a stand-alone destination in the Yadkin Valley American Viticultural Area.” The write up encourages readers to “go for the Signature Tasting to reveal winemaker Mark Friszolowski’s best work to date. The Reserve Syrah and the Signature Meritage are both sublime, as is the setting – a stone and stucco building, terra-cotta style roof and large tasting room, shop and The Bistro restaurant, all reminiscent of Tuscany.” Childress Vineyards is open daily for tours, tastings and lunch at The Bistro. Tastings range in price from $10 to $15 and include a souvenir glass. Free tours are conducted at Noon, 2 and 4 p.m. each day.(RCR)(4-14-2008)
- Carino’s on the #27 at Mexico: Brad Coleman’s #27 Ford will carry the familiar black Carino’s Italian Grill theme that was sported by the Gibbs #18 last season. This is Carino’s only primary race of the early season but the restaurant group is an associate sponsor on the #27 Kleenex Racing Ford Fusion throughout the year.(Coleman PR)(4-14-2008)
- Jourdain Driving for Braun at Mexico: Braun Racing announced that Mexico City native, Michel Jourdain, will pilot the #32 Camry when the Nationwide Series heads south of the border for road course racing in Mexico. Jourdain will carry sponsorship from Visit Mexico at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez located in Mexico City.(Braun Racing PR)(4-14-2008)
- Nationwide Series Live from Mexico City on ESPN: The Nationwide Series goes south of the border this weekend for its annual event in Mexico City, and ESPN will have live, flag-to-flag coverage Sunday, April 20, beginning at 1:30 p.m. ET with NASCAR Countdown. The high definition telecast is presented by Kawasaki. ESPN2 is the home of the Nationwide Series all season, with selected races on ESPN and ABC. Ray Evernham will make his first appearance of the season in the ESPN booth as analyst on the telecast, joined by fellow analyst Rusty Wallace and lead announcer Dr. Jerry Punch. Dave Burns, Mike Massaro and Vince Welch will report from the pits. ESPN2 will have live coverage of Nationwide Series final practice from Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on Friday, April 18, at 4 p.m., and live coverage of qualifying Saturday at 11:30 a.m. The race will be simulcast on ESPN360.com, ESPN’s signature broadband sports network, and on ESPN Deportes, the domestic Spanish-language network. The event also will be simulcast on ESPN MobileTV.(ESPN PR)(4-14-2008)
- Hornaday in First Nationwide Race of 2008 at Mexico: Ron Hornaday will jump behind the wheel of the #33 Kevin Harvick Inc. Camping World Chevy for the first time this season when the Nationwide Series travels to Mexico City for Sunday’s running of the Corona 200. Hornaday has one previous start at the track in 2005, driving for KHI. He started the race from the 21st position and finished the day 12th.(KHI PR)(4-14-2008)
- Derrike Cope Inc. to run handful of races beginning with two entries at Kansas UPDATE: “I [Derrike Cope] will probably be going to Kansas for the truck race where Derrike Cope Inc. will have two trucks entered. The one truck will be #74 with Jennifer Jo Cobb driving and the other one is still up in the air, although there is a strong possibility that it could be another female driver. I plan on taking the trucks to Charlotte, Mansfield, and Dover after that. The twins [nieces Amber and Angela Cope] are approved to drive at Mansfield so that is the plan right now. I will drive one of the trucks at Charlotte and Dover and we will make a decision on the other driver in the weeks to come. The seat can be rented by some other drivers that can bring some sponsorship. We will be doing some testing with my nieces in the next few weeks as well prior to the Mansfield Truck races.”(DerrikeCope.com)(4-14-2008)
UPDATE: Jennifer Jo Cobb will be piloting the #74 Dodge of former Daytona 500 winner, Derrike Cope, and his newly-founded Craftsman Truck Series team. “I couldn’t be more excited. I love racing at Kansas Speedway, and am looking forward to climbing behind the wheel in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and kicking off Derrike’s new race team,” said Cobb. “We’re thankful for the continuing support of sponsors like Providence Medical Center and Saint John Hospital, who have been on board for more than four years, but we really need to turn some heads with this new program, and secure additional sponsorships that will allow us to race at more tracks this season.” Rick Markle will serve as her crew chief.(Diamond III/Cobb PR)(4-14-2008)
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