April 16, 2015
- #31 team appeal to be heard April 16 UPDATE 2: David Higdon, Vice President, Integrated Marketing Communications for NASCAR tweeted Tuesday afternoon that the “National Motorsports Appeals Panel will hear RCR appeal of #31 team P5 penalty on April 16. Fine, suspensions deferred until then.”(4-7-2015)
UPDATE: Statement from Richard Childress, “Our appeal is scheduled for Thursday, April 16. We feel confident we have a very compelling case to present to the appeals panel. We strongly believe in the intent of the rules and the integrity of our own teams while following those same rules. Out of respect for the appeal process, we will have no further comments until after the hearing.”(RCR)(4-9/16-2015)
#31 RCR Team Appeal heard, points & fine penalties reduced: National Motorsports Appeals Panel Statement: The National Motorsports Appeals Panel today heard and considered the appeal of a P5 penalty issued on March 31, 2015 to Richard Childress (owner), Ryan Newman (driver), Lucas Lambert (crew chief), James Bender (tire technician) and Philip Surgen (race engineer) relative to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series vehicle #31 at Auto Club Speedway. The penalty concerns the following sections in the 2015 NASCAR rule book:
12.1: Actions detrimental to stock car racing
20.16: Wheels and tires
A. Any device, modification, or procedure to the tire or wheel, including the valve stem hardware, that is used to release pressure, beyond normal pressure adjustments, from the tire and/or inner shield, will not be permitted.
20.16.2: Tires
F. Modifications to the tires, by treatment or any other means, will not be permitted.
12.5.3.5.2: Minimum P5 Penalty Options (includes all four points below):
A. Loss of 50 championship driver and owner points, regardless of whether the violation occurred during a Championship race or not
B. $75,000-$125,000 fine
C. Suspension for the next six series Championship Races, plus any non-championship races or special events which might occur during that time period, for the crew chief and any other team members as determined by NASCAR
D. Probation through the end of the calendar year for all suspended members, or for a six-month period following the issuance of the penalty notice if that period spans across two consecutive seasons
12.5.3.5.3: P5 Level infractions detected during post-race inspection:
If the infraction is detected during post-race inspection, then the following penalty elements will be added to those listed previously in this section:
A. Loss of an additional 25 Championship driver and owner points; regardless of whether it was a Championship Race or not
B. Loss of an additional $50,000
The original penalty assessed included a $125,000 ($75,000 plus $50,000) fine, six-race suspension and probation through Dec. 31 to Lambert; six-race suspension and probation through Dec. 31 to both Bender and Surgen; and the loss of 75 (50 plus 25) championship car owner and 75 (50 plus 25) championship driver points to both Childress and Newman.
Upon hearing the testimony, the decisions of the National Motorsports Appeals Panel are:
1. The Appellants violated the Rule or Rules set forth in the Penalty Notice and it is a P5 level violation.
2. The Panel amends the original Penalty levied by NASCAR because there is no written explanation of what constitutes a post-race inspection. Therefore the Penalty elements added under Section 12.5.3.5.3. are removed and the Penalty adjusted to:
-Loss of 50 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship Car Owner points for Richard Childress.
-Loss of 50 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship Driver points for Ryan Newman.
-$75,000 fine. Suspended for the next six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship Races, plus any non-Championship Races or Special Events which might occur during that time period. Placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31 for crew chief Lucas Lambert.
– Suspended for the next six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship Races, plus any non-Championship Races or Special Events which might occur during that time period. Placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31 for Tire Technician James Bender.
-Suspended for the next six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship Races, plus any non-Championship Races or Special Events which might occur during that time period. Placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31 for Race Engineer Philip Surgen.
The panel consisted of the following three individuals:
Mr. John Capels, Mr. Hunter Nickell, Mr. Dale Pinilis.
The Appellants have the right to appeal the decision of the National Motorsports Appeals Panel to the National Motorsports Final Appeals Officer in accordance with Section 15 of the NASCAR rule book.(NASCAR)(4-16-2015)
POINTS #31-Ryan Newman regains 25 drivers points and moved from 24th in the points standings to 20th. The #31 team regains 25 owners points and moves from 26th in owners points to 22nd.(4-16-2015)
Statement from Richard Childress, Chairman and CEO of RCR: “I’d like to thank the Appeals Panel for taking the time to hear our appeal today. While they decided to reduce the penalties to the minimum penalties for a P5 violation, I am disappointed that the entire penalty was not overturned given the facts we presented. In order for the team to move forward, and focus our efforts on the upcoming races, Luke (Lambert), Phil (Surgen) and James (Bender) will begin serving their suspensions this weekend at Bristol. Veteran crew chief Todd Parrott will fill in as crew chief for this weekend’s race. We are still discussing our options and have not yet determined whether to appeal the penalties to the Final Appeals Officer.”(RCR)(4-16-2015) - Vydox Plus sponsoring Premier Motorsports at Bristol: Vydox Plus has partnered with Brendan Gaughan and Premium Motorsports for the NSCS Food City 500 support of Steve Byrnes at Bristol Motor Speedway on April 19, 2015. The new “purple pill” can offer the same results as leading Rx pills, but without the side effects and high cost. Also endorsed by PGA tour winner, Brian Gay, former British Open Champion, Mark Calcavecchia and 2013 Senior PGA Charles Schwab Cup Winner, Kenny Perry. Vydox Plus, is available for purchase in pharmacies and online at www.vydoxplus.com.(Premium Motorsports)(4-16-2015)
- Texas TV Ratings UPDATE: NASCAR on FOX continues to struggle on Saturday nights. NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Texas drew a 2.9 overnight rating on FOX Saturday night, down 17% from 2013 (3.5) and down 19% from 2012 (3.6). Last year’s Texas race was postponed due to rain, earning a 2.3 overnight in its scheduled Sunday afternoon window. Excluding rainouts, the 2.9 overnight is the lowest ever for a NASCAR Sprint Cup race on FOX (dates back to 2001), falling below the previous mark of 3.0 for coverage from Richmond last year. Nine of the ten lowest rated NASCAR on FOX telecasts in the metered markets have taken place on a Saturday night. The 2.9 is also easily the lowest ever for NASCAR from Texas, again excluding rainouts. The previous low was the 3.5 in 2013. Saturday’s record-low overnight continues a recent stall in NASCAR’s momentum. After the season’s first three races had increases in overnights compared to last year, the past four (including one on Fox Sports 1) have either been flat or declined.(Sports Media Watch via Sports Business Daily)(4-13-2015)
UPDATE: For the first time in 14 years televising NASCAR, FOX slipped under a 3.0 rating for a Sprint Cup race. NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Texas drew a 2.9 final rating and 4.8 million viewers on FOX Saturday night, down 24% in ratings and 23% in viewership from 2013 (3.8, 6.3M) and down 28% in both measures from 2012 (4.0, 6.8M). Last year’s race was postponed due to rain, earning a 2.4 and 3.8 million in its scheduled Sunday afternoon window. Excluding rainouts, the 2.9 rating is easily the lowest ever for a NASCAR Sprint Cup telecast on FOX (dates back to 2001). The previous low was a 3.3 for last year’s Richmond race. Of the 18 lowest rated NASCAR telecasts on FOX, 13 have taken place on a Saturday night. Again excluding rainouts, the 2.9 is also the lowest rating in the history of the spring Texas race (dates back to 1997). The previous low was the previously noted 3.8 in 2013. Prior to moving from Sunday to Saturday in 2011, the race had never dipped below a 4.7 rating.(Sports Media Watch)(4-16-2015) - Testing at Kentucky UPDATES: Eight NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers and teams are scheduled to participate in the April 15 open test at Kentucky Speedway ahead of the track’s Quaker State 400 in July. The open test will be preceded by a closed Goodyear tire test on April 13 and 14 with one team each from the following organizations: Chip Ganassi Racing, Michael Waltrip Racing, Richard Childress Racing and Roush Fenway Racing. On April 15, #16-Greg Biffle, #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., #20-Matt Kenseth, #22-Joey Logano, #1-Jamie McMurray, #10-Danica Patrick, #31-Ryan Newman and #9-Sam Hornish Jr. are scheduled to participate in the open test with April 16 serving as a rain date before the Sprint Cup Series heads to Bristol Motor Speedway next weekend.(NASCAR.com)(4-10-2015)
UPDATE: #16-Greg Biffle, #1-Jamie McMurray, #55-Brett Moffitt and #31-Ryan Newman are taking part in a Goodyear tire test Monday and Tuesday at Kentucky Speedway. There will be an open test there Wednesday. Each Sprint Cup organization can have one car test there. This is the second of three Goodyear tire tests this month. Teams were at Richmond International Raceway last week. The month’s third tire test is scheduled for April 27-29 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Teams that will have one car at that tire test will be Hendrick Motorsports, Furniture Row Racing, Richard Petty Motorsports and BK Racing.(NBC Sports)
AND Jamie McMurray provided a glimpse of NASCAR’s new high tech dashboard during a test at Kentucky Speedway. The Chip Ganassi Racing driver sent out a series of Tweets on Monday while taking part in a Goodyear tire test that gave a couple views of what the new dashboard might look like when it’s implemented. The dashboard has the ability to monitor a variety of data including lap times and tire pressure as well as keeping drivers informed on other items during pit stops. NASCAR has stated at some point the information gathered through the new system would be available to fans and offer an interactive way to monitor a car’s performance. In fact NASCAR rule book states the a digital dash display “may be used at all Events after August 5, 2015. Digital dash display use will not be permitted before August 5, 1015. Effective January 1, 2016, a digital dash display must be used at all Events.”(Motor Racing Network)(4-14-2015)
UPDATE 2: Brad Keselowski was testing with the #22 team of teammate Joey Logano instead of his own #2 squad at Kentucky. Logano was originally scheduled to participate but was unable to attend. Also taking part in the open test were #16-Greg Biffle (Roush Fenway Racing), #31-Ryan Newman (Richard Childress Racing), #1-Jamie McMurray (Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates), #55-Brett Moffitt (Michael Waltrip Racing), #21-Ryan Blaney (Wood Brothers Racing), #20-Matt Kenseth (Joe Gibbs Racing), #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Hendrick Motorsports), #10-Danica Patrick (Stewart-Haas Racing) and #9-Sam Hornish Jr. (Richard Petty Motorsports). Wednesday’s test was the fourth for teams in 2015 under the NASCAR National Series Unified Test Schedule. Open tests have been held at Atlanta, Charlotte and Richmond. The next scheduled test is set for April 29 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In the day’s only mishap, Moffitt sustained damage to his #55 Toyota during the morning session after contact with the wall, requiring the team to bring out a backup entry for the remainder of the day.(NASCAR.com)(4-16-2015) - Auto-Owners Insurance makes first appearance of 2015 on #51: Auto-Owners Insurance returns to Allgaier’s #51 Chevy this weekend for their second season, and first 2015 race, with HScott Motorsports. The Tennessee-based Griffin Insurance Agency will be on the #51’s TV panel to represent an independent Auto-Owners Insurance agency. Auto-Owners will also be on the #51 Chevy at Talladega II and Martinsville II. Several North Carolina independent Auto-Owners Insurance agents spent Tuesday at the HScott Motorsports shop in Spartanburg, S.C. for a private tour given by Justin Allgaier and lunch.(HScott Motorsports), see an image of the car on the #51 team paint schemes page.(4-16-2015)
- PhilMor debuts with Annett at Bristol: This month, Pilot Flying J is debuting its PhilMor travel mug, available in two sizes (20- and 24-oz.) and $1.99 each in the month of April with a MyRewards card. Customers can receive up to a 60-cent discount on each drink refill. PhilMor will adorn the hood of Michael Annett’s #46 Chevrolet SS this weekend at Bristol, Pilot Flying J’s “home track,” roughly 115 miles from its Knoxville, Tenn. headquarters.(HScott Motorsports), see an image of the car on the #46 team paint schemes page.(4-16-2015)
- Evernham and Sheheen join NBC Sports: NBC Sports Group dded three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion crew chief Ray Evernham and seasoned broadcaster Ralph Sheheen to its growing lineup of motorsports experts. Evernham and Sheheen will handle coverage of NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour Events on NBCSN. 2015 marks the 30th Anniversary season for the northeast-based NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, which traces its roots back to the very first NASCAR-sanctioned race on the beach and road course at Daytona Beach, Fla. in 1948. Evernham, who began his remarkable career in motorsports working on short track race cars at age 15, will first team with Sheheen to cover the 41st running of the Icebreaker from Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park in Thompson, Conn., airing on Saturday, April 18 at 12:30am/et. NASCAR’s Whelen Modified Tours, the association’s only open-wheeled division, compete at historic short tracks spanning from New Hampshire to North Carolina. The southeast-based NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour was established in 2005 as a sister tour to the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.(NBC Sports)(4-16-2015)
- Richard Childress voted in as NRA Second-Vice President: Richard Childress, CEO and Chairman of Richard Childress Racing, was elected as the Second-Vice President of the National Rifle Association during its annual meetings in Nashville, Tenn. this past weekend. Childress has already been a two-term member of the NRA Board of Directors and also serves as the Chairman of the Hunting and Wildlife Conservation Committee for the organization. He has held that position since 2010. His two-year term is effectively immediately. Childress served six years on the Board of Directors of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation and remains as an Honorary Board Member. He is also currently on the Board of the Boone & Crockett Club and is a member of the newly-formed Blue Ribbon Panel for Wildlife Conservation.(Richard Childress Racing)(4-16-2015)
- Bristol Motor Speedway Notes & Facts – Thursday – history:
· Groundbreaking for Bristol International Speedway, as Bristol Motor Speedway was originally known, took place in 1960. The track was an exact half-mile.
· First NASCAR Sprint Cup race was July 30, 1961; Jack Smith won the event (with relief from Johnny Allen).
· In the fall of 1969, the track was reshaped and re-measured to .533-miles.
· The name changed to Bristol International Raceway in 1978.
· The first night race was held in the fall of 1978.
· The surface was changed from asphalt to concrete in 1992.
· The name changed to Bristol Motor Speedway in May 1996.
· The track was resurfaced between races in 2007, and the turns were ground down in 2012 to eliminate part of the progressive banking.
(NASCAR)(4-16-2015) - Chassis selections for this week’s race: see the list of many teams [that report or post them] and what chassis were selected by the team to run in the Food City 500 in Support of Steve Byrnes and Stand Up To Cancer Sprint Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway on the Bristol Race Info page – Chassis selection area.
- Contreras in the #15 at Bristol: Fully recovered from ligaments injuries sustained in a qualifying crash in the NASCAR XFINITY Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway in February, Carlos Contreras returns to action this weekend in time to make his Bristol Motor Speedway debut in Saturday afternoon’s Drive To Stop Diabetes 300. It’s hard to believe that through 101 combined starts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series, Contreras has never tackled Bristol’s “Thunder Valley.” This weekend though, Contreras will make his dream a reality with the support of BYBExtreme.com / Dawg-Fight.com / Pepe Billete Show on SiriusXM Radio and Global Aircraft Solutions. Following Bristol, the Mexico, City, Mexico driver is slated to compete in the next two NASCAR XFINITY Series races at Richmond International Raceway and Talladega Superspeedway.(Rick Ware Racing)(4-16-2015)
- Dale’s Pale Ale joins JR Motorsports: JR Motorsports and Dale’s Pale Ale have agreed to a multifaceted partnership. The first craft beer to be featured in a can, Dale’s Pale Ale will sponsor Regan Smith and the #7 Chevy in the NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway (Oct. 9). Additionally, Dale’s Pale Ale is named the presenting sponsor of Smith’s JR Motorsports Upfront podcast on Dirty Mo Radio. Dale’s Pale Ale is distinguished as the first craft beer in can form and brewed by the Oskar Blues Brewery from its bases in Brevard, N.C. and Longmont, Colo. Along with its flagship brand Dale’s Pale Ale, the Oskar Blues Brewery offers an extensive line of craft and specialty beers. JR Motorsports Up Front, the first Dirty Mo Radio program hosted by a driver, airs every Thursday on Dirty Mo Radio. Hosted by Smith, the program features a revolving door of guests and gives fans honest opinion, exclusive insight, and candid commentary regarding JRM and its XFINITY Series, Camping World Truck Series, and late model teams. In addition to primary placement at Charlotte, Dale’s Pale Ale will also be featured as an associate partner on the #7 Chevy for the 2015 season.(JR Motorsports), see an image of the car on the #7 team paint schemes page.(4-16-2015)
- Q&A with Jeff Gordon at Sonoma: Jeff Gordon is the undisputed king of Sonoma Raceway, and this year’s Toyota/Save Mart 350 will mark the NASCAR legend’s final visit to the challenging road course as a full-time driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. As a highlight of the NASCAR race weekend in Sonoma, Gordon will be featured in a free 20-minute question-and-answer session on Saturday, June 27. This session is scheduled to begin at 9:00am. and will take place on stage in front of the Main Grandstand near the start/finish line. Gordon, a native of nearby Vallejo, holds almost every significant NASCAR track record in Sonoma, including most wins (five), most pole positions (five), most top-five finishes (14) and most laps led (440). In 22 Sonoma starts, Gordon has 17 top-10 finishes and is the top money earner at $3,307,604. All Track Pass season ticket holders, weekend-pass holders and campers will receive a free credential for stage-front access to the Q&A. Fans who have already purchased a Sunday ticket can get a Saturday ticket for just $24, which includes access to the Main Grandstand to watch the Q&A.(Sonoma Raceway)(4-16-2015)
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