April 20, 2009
- Phoenix overnight TV Ratings: NASCAR on Fox posted a record-low 3.3/6 Saturday night for racing from Phoenix. Saturday’s 3.3/8 is an -18% drop compared to last year’s 4.0/7. FOX’s rating at the green flag was just a 3.1/6, down -18% compared to last year’s 3.8/7 when a long-running Yankees-Red Sox game drove some viewers straight into the first lap of the race. For the season-to-date, NASCAR On FOX is averaging a 4.9/10 in the metered markets, down -14% compared to last year’s 5.7/11. For the full season chart and more, see my 2009 TV Ratings page.(4-20-2009)
- Racing Resources Says …Sprint Cup Series
* Mark Martin won the Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway after starting from the pole. His victory was the fifth straight win by Hendrick Motorsports at Phoenix. Martin led five times for 157 laps, including the final six.
* Martin scored his 400th top-10 finish and became the fourth driver in NASCAR history to score 400 or more top-10 finishes. He scored his second victory in 25 races at Phoenix and is the oldest driver to win at Phoenix at 50 years, three months and nine days. Martin is just the fourth driver to win over the age of 50, joining Harry Gant, Bobby Allison and Morgan Shepherd. Shepherd was the last driver over 50 to score a victory, doing so at Atlanta in March 1993.
* Martin is the 15th different driver to win for Hendrick Motorsports, and is the ninth driver to win in the #5 car, which has won 35 times.
* This was Martin’s 36th career victory in 730 races and he remained 18th on NASCAR’s all-time wins list.
* This was Martin’s first victory with Hendrick Motorsports and first with an owner other than Jack Roush. It was his first victory with crew chief Alan Gustafson. This is the 178th victory for Hendrick Motorsports; third in 2009 and third straight (Jimmie Johnson won at Martinsville, Jeff Gordon won at Texas).
* Tony Stewart finished second, posting his sixth top-10 finish in 2009. It marked his best finish of the season and best with his new team.
* This is the third victory for Chevrolet in 2009, all in the last three races.
* Gordon leads the points standings, by 85 over second-place Johnson.
* Kurt Busch, third, posted his fifth top-10 finish in 2009.
* Jimmie Johnson, fourth, scored his sixth top-10 of 2009 and fourth consecutive top-4 finish.
* Sam Hornish Jr. (ninth) scored his career-best finish.
* Clint Bowyer (26th) extended an 81-race streak of running at the finish that began at Homestead in November 2006. Bowyer’s last DNF came at Phoenix on Nov. 12, 2006, where he finished 33rd because of an oil pump failure. This ties him for the most consecutive races running at the finish with Kevin Harvick. Herman Beam had a streak of 84 races in which he competed without a DNF, but those races were not consecutive.
* The top 10 consisted of four Chevrolets, two Toyotas, two Dodges and two Fords.(ESPN Monday Rundown)(4-20-2009) - Dale Jr. and Mears to be penalized? NASCAR officials will likely lower the boom on #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. and #07-Casey Mears for late-race and post-race antics here Saturday night at Phoenix. The two tangled several times late, bringing out the final caution that almost cost Mark Martin the win. Mears: “I didn’t mean to get together with Dale Jr. I think he was trying to save fuel and make it to the end without stopping, and I wheel-hopped the car getting into the corner and ended up making contact with him. I guess he was a little bent out of shape about it because he spun me out after the checkered flag.”(mikemulhern.net)(4-20-2009)
- #42 to car Tum’s scheme at ‘Dega: TUMS Dual Action will be the primary sponsor on Juan Pablo Montoya’s #42 Chevy from Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates for the Aaron’s 499 at Talldega Superspeedway on April 26. The #42 TUMS Dual Action Chevy will feature a white and blue fading paint scheme with energy bolts on both sides of the car. In addition to the #42 TUMS Dual Action Chevy sponsorship at Talladega, TUMS serves as a tier-one sponsor for the #42 Target Chevrolet.(Tums Racing PR), see images of the scheme on my #42 Team Schemes page.(4-20-2009)
- IMHOF Induction Ceremony Presenters and Inductees Rich In History: The list of well-known names who will be in attendance for the 2009 International Motorsports Hall of Fame(IMHOF) Induction Ceremony extends far beyond the five men who will make up this year’s class of inductees. The Class of 2009 consists of car owner and race promoter J.C. Agajanian, NASCAR Cup driver Donnie Allison, seven-time Modifieds champion Jerry Cook, longtime team owner Bud Moore and NASCAR pioneer and car owner Raymond Parks. Those inductees will be presented during the April 23 ceremony by a group that also has plenty of motorsports experience, including one former driver who is already a member of the International Motorsports Hall of Fame. Agajanian will be presented by Parnelli Jones, who drove one of Agajanian’s cars to victory in the 1963 Indianapolis 500. Longtime motorsports journalist Dick Berggren will present Cook. NASCAR’s Jim Hunter will present Allison. NASCAR President Mike Helton will present Parks. Buz McKim will present Moore. McKim, the historian for the new NASCAR Hall of Fame has spent years chronicling the history of Moore, his drivers and associates in racing. Also scheduled to be in attendance are 2009 Miss America winner Katie Stam of Indiana, and Stan Barrett, driver of the 3-wheeled Budweiser Rocket Car that attempted to break the sound barrier in 1979. Admission to the museum is $10 for adults, $5 for kids age 7 to 17 and free for kids age 6 and younger. Discounts to the museum of $1 off individual tickets are available to: adults in the military, AAA members, senior citizens, children (age 7 to 17) of a military member or AAA member. Discounts do not apply to combo tickets. The 2009 ceremony will be held April 23rd, at the SPEED Channel Dome, adjacent to the International Motorsports Hall of Fame. Individual tickets for the evening are $125 and a table of eight may be reserved for $1,000. Tickets and tables are available by calling 1-256-362-5002.(TSS PR)(4-20-2009)
- Darlington walls go retro for Southern 500: When spectators and competitors arrive at Darlington Raceway for the May 9th Southern 500 presented by GoDaddy.com everyone will notice one distinct difference – red and white retaining walls surrounding the track “Too Tough to Tame.” “Giving the most famous walls on the NASCAR circuit a retro facelift seemed very fitting as part of our 60th celebration,” said track President, Chris Browning. “This is the first time since 1989 that the walls have been painted anything but white and it certainly reminds me of the early days of NASCAR racing.” The walls are painted in 40-foot sections alternating red and white and took nearly 50 hours and 315 gallons of paint to complete. In addition to the red and white paint scheme, a retro font was used for the Darlington Raceway signage at the start/finish line. Tickets to the 2009 Southern 500 presented by GoDaddy.com, as well as the NASCAR Nationwide Series Diamond Hill Plywood 200 are on-sale now. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Darlington Raceway ticket office at 866-459-RACE or online at http://www.darlingtonraceway.com/tickets/.(Darlington Raceway PR)(4-20-2009)
- Overnight Parks Will Be Rocking All Weekend at Talladega: LoCash Cowboys will be cranking the tunes for infield guests on Saturday night of race weekend, but they won’t be the only band appearing at Talladega Superspeedway. Six bands will perform free concerts for guests in four overnight parks surrounding track property Friday, April 25 and Saturday, April 26.
Overnight Parks and Band Performing:
Infield – LoCash Cowboys (Saturday, 9 p.m. – 11 p.m.)
West B – Who So Ever (Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m. – 11 p.m.)
West C – Cross Country (Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m. – 11 p.m.)
Reserved South Park – The River (Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m. – 11 p.m.)
Free South Park – Renaissance (Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m. – 11 p.m.)
Free South Park – Thunder (Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m. – 11 p.m.)
North Park – Trackside the Band (Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m. – 11 p.m.)
For tickets, visit www.talladegasuperspeedway.com or call 1-877-Go2-DEGA. For our hearing impaired guests, please call TDD 1-866-ISC-TRAK (1-866-472-8725). Tickets also are available in person by visiting the Talladega Superspeedway Ticket Office from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. CDT, Monday- Friday.(TSS PR)(4-20-2009) - Nationwide Series on ABC from Talladega: Races at Talladega Superspeedway are always fast, exciting and unpredictable, and the NASCAR Nationwide Series makes its only appearance of the 2009 season at the famous Alabama track this weekend for the Aaron’s 312. ESPN on ABC will have a live, high definition telecast of the race on Saturday, April 25, at 2:30 p.m. ET beginning with NASCAR Countdown. ESPN2 is the home of the NASCAR Nationwide Series all season, with selected races on ESPN and ABC. The race re-airs Sunday, April 26, at 11 a.m. on ESPN Classic. Dr. Jerry Punch will be the lap-by-lap announcer for ESPN’s coverage from Talladega, joined in the booth for analysis by Dale Jarrett and Andy Petree. Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Shannon Spake and Vince Welch will report from the pits, while Tim Brewer will be in the ESPN Craftsman Tech Garage. Allen Bestwick will host the pre-race NASCAR Countdown program with analysis by Jarrett and Brad Daugherty in the ESPN pit studio.(ESPN.com)(4-20-2009)
- Benny Gordon’s Appeal Denied: On April 20, 2009, the National Stock Car Racing Commission heard and considered the appeal of Benny Gordon Racing regarding the #72 NASCAR Nationwide Series car. The appeal concerned three penalties issued by NASCAR stemming from pre-qualifying inspection on March 21, 2009 for the NASCAR Nationwide Series event at Bristol Motor Speedway. The Appellants requested and were granted a deferral of the fine and suspension penalties until such time as this hearing could be convened. The Appellants argued that sometime prior to the Event they had purchased a supply of Sunoco fuel for testing purposes from a third-party vendor which, unbeknownst to them, contained oxygenates. Fuel from this supply was then re-introduced into the racecar at Bristol when they “topped off” the car using a dumpcan from their hauler just prior to qualifying. The Commission found that the fuel did not meet specifications and that the penalties already factored in any mitigating circumstances. Therefore, it is the unanimous decision of the National Stock Car Racing Commission to uphold the original penalties assessed by NASCAR. The periods of suspension shall be adjusted from the date of this hearing. The Appellants have the right under Section 15 of the Rule Book to appeal this decision to the National Stock Car Racing Commissioner.(NASCAR PR), for more information on the penalty, see the March 2009 Archives page.(4-20-2009)
- Copart on the #10 at Talladega: Braun Racing announces that Copart, Inc., an online vehicle remarketing company that sells more than 1 million cars per year, will serve as primary sponsor of the #10 Toyota Camry in this weekend’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Talladega Superspeedway with veteran driver David Reutimann.(Braun Racing PR)(4-20-2009)
- Key Motorsports discontinues full-time schedule; to run select races: Curtis Key, owner of Key Motorsports, has announced that he has cancelled his team’s full-time championship effort in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, and will pursue only a limited schedule with Mike Bliss behind the wheel for the remainder of the 2009 season. Key cites lack of sponsorship and his desire to focus on the team’s first full-time NASCAR Nationwide Series entry as his reasons for discontinuing the full-time truck program. The #40 Key Motorsports Chevy Silverado will not appear on the entry list [withdrawn] for this weekend’s race at Kansas Speedway, despite Key’s original intention to field a full-time NCWTS entry. The #40 will next hit the track for the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Bliss will continue to drive the #40 in the remaining races Key Motorsports runs this season. While the team’s schedule for the remainder of the season has not yet been determined, Key plans to run his team for the Charlotte race, as well as seven upcoming races in which he has sponsorship commitments with Westerman Companies and Oakland Metal Buildings. (Key Motorsports PR)(4-20-2009)
- Raybestos Rookie News & Notes – Kansas Speedway: James Buescher was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the March 30 Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway. Buescher scored an 11th place finish and claimed Raybestos Rookie of the Race honors for the first time this season. J.R. Fitzpatrick holds a four-point lead (42-38) over Tayler Malsam and James Buescher in the Raybestos Rookie standings entering the April 25 O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 at Kansas Speedway. Four races, four different faces, four different drivers have claimed Raybestos Rookie of the Race honors in the four Camping World Truck Series races this season. Colin Braun was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the 2008 O’Reilly Auto Parts 250, scoring a third-place finish. A Raybestos Rookie has finished in the top-10 at Kansas in each of the last four consecutive races. At least one Raybestos Rookie has led a lap in three of the last four races at Kansas. Ricky Hendrick is the only Raybestos Rookie to win in eight previous Camping World Truck Series races at Kansas. Hendrick captured the 2001 event by 2.841 seconds over Ted Musgrave.(Raybestos PR)(4-20-2009)
- DiCarlo solid at the Rock; back to trucks for Kansas: Gabi DiCarlo continued her string of impressive early season runs with a strong performance at the ARCA RE/MAX Carolina 200 in Rockingham, North Carolina. DiCarlo started 24th and was able to fight through the fast field to finish 14th. DiCarlo will now switch seats and climb aboard The Great Clips Racing NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Toyota Tundra and head to Kansas Speedway for the running of the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 live on SPEED April 25th at 6:30pm/et.(Stringer Motorsports PR)(4-20-2009)
- Ickler in for Kyle Busch at Kansas UPDATE 2 First series start at Kansas: Brian Ickler has been tapped by NASCAR Sprint Cup Series star Kyle Busch to replace him in the #51 truck for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 at Kansas Speedway on April 25. Ickler, who hails from San Diego, is a protégé of Kyle Busch and has competed in NASCAR’s grassroots racing series from 2005-08.(Topeka Capital Journal)(3-28-2009)
UPDATE: Brian Ickler’s schedule for the 2009 season includes ten races driving the #51 Miccosukee Resorts Toyota in the Camping World Truck Series, along with six races in the #15 Ickler Motorsports entry in the Camping World East Series, and seven races in the ARCA Series.(BrianIckler.com)(3-28-2009)
UPDATE 2: Brian Ickler is gearing up for his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start Saturday, April 25, 2009 at Kansas Speedway. Ickler 23, will pilot the #51 Miccosukee Resort Billy Ballew Motorsports Toyota Tundra. Kyle “Rowdy” Busch has piloted the Tundra in the first four events and holds the 2009 Driver/Owner Points lead after posting back to back wins at the Auto Club Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway. Due to scheduling conflicts with NASCAR national series events at Talladega, Busch is unable to compete in the fifth race of the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season opening the door for Ickler. This will be the Ickler’s first start at the 1.5-mile Kansas City, Kansas track; he has one previous start in the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2008. He has seven NASCAR Camping World Series victories, posting his latest win at Greenville-Pickens Speedway in March 2009.(Billy Ballew Motorsports PR)(4-20-2009)
Main Page | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997