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April 23 – Today in Jayski’s NASCAR history

April 23, 2020 at 5:34 AM

April 23, 2009

  • NASCAR officially moves Cup banquet to Vegas; Nationwide and Truck Banquets combined: NASCAR announced that Las Vegas formally becomes the “Official Host City of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion’s Week.” NASCAR’s annual NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Ceremony will be held at the Wynn Las Vegas on Friday, Dec. 4, 2009. The move to Las Vegas provides for greater flexibility for driver and fan events. The NASCAR Nationwide Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events will be combined and held at the Loews Miami Beach on Monday, Nov. 23. The Grand-Am Rolex Series banquet will be held at the Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood, Fla. on Monday, Oct. 12. NASCAR had held the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event in New York City every year since 1981. After exploring several options, NASCAR formed a partnership with Las Vegas Events, making the change of venue a reality. “I can’t say enough about the warm reception from Las Vegas,” said NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France. “Las Vegas really made it a priority to get the awards ceremony moved there. We were able to come to an agreement on reasonable room blocks, banquet facilities, and approvals to hold fan activities on the famous Las Vegas Strip.” Activities being planned for the days leading up to the Awards Ceremony include the return of the “Victory Lap,” a procession of the top 10 NSCS drivers in their race cars, the NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Media Luncheon, the Pit Stop Tour and the NASCAR Street Tour to include stock cars and mobile marketing units placed throughout the city. The awards ceremony for the NASCAR Nationwide Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will be consolidated in south Florida. This is designed to provide another great venue for the ceremony as well as help save NNS teams from making an additional trip following the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The top-five finishers from the NNS and NCWTS will be honored at the combined banquet celebration.(NASCAR PR)(4-23-2009)
  • Yarborough shows Logano around Darlington Raceway: The learning curve in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is steep and on Wednesday at Darlington Raceway class was in session for one of the most heralded rookies in series history. The student, Joey Logano, got a one-on-one tutoring session with one of the most legendary names, not only in Darlington history, but NASCAR history, Cale Yarborough. Yarborough invited Joey into his classroom, in this case a 3,400 pound stock car, and took him for a ride at the track “Too Tough to Tame.” Yarborough is no stranger to Darlington Raceway. The Timmonsville, S.C. native reminisced about sneaking under the fence during his younger days just to catch a glimpse of the action on the track. Sneaking in would eventually pay off, Yarborough would go on to win a record five Southern 500 victories making him the ideal teacher for the young driver looking to break out in NASCAR’s top touring division. “Meeting Cale, spending time with him and listening to his stories about Darlington was by far one of the coolest things I have ever done,” said Logano. “Just getting out on the track and riding with him was such a neat experience. He definitely had me on the edge of my seat a few times, but he also gave me some great tips that I can use when I get back here for the Southern 500.”
    “Joey is a great kid who has a ton of talent and potential,” said five-time Southern 500 winner, Yarborough. “I didn’t sugar coat anything, I told him Darlington would be the toughest place he raced all year. I also told him that there is no victory as sweet as winning the Southern 500.” Tickets can be purchased by calling the Darlington Raceway ticket office at 866-459-RACE or online at darlingtonraceway.com.(Darlington Raceway PR)(4-23-2009)
  • Hendrick drivers win three in a row: #5-Mark Martin’s win last week at Phoenix International Raceway came on the heels of two other Hendrick Motorsports wins — #48-Jimmie Johnson at Martinsville and #24-Jeff Gordon at Texas — and marked the third time Hendrick Motorsports has won three consecutive Cup events with three different drivers. Hendrick, the only team in NASCAR’s modern era to have three different drivers win in three straight races, accomplished the feat in 2007 — with Johnson, Gordon and Casey Mears — and in 1989 — with Darrell Waltrip, Ken Schrader and Geoff Bodine. In 1956, Carl Kiekhaefer’s drivers won three in a row twice. Buck Baker, Speedy Thompson and Herb Thomas contributed to the first streak, while Baker, Jack Smith and Thompson were part of the other.(HMS PR)(4-23-2009)
  • Pedigree colors make 2009 debut for Busch: Pedigree will make its first of three appearances as primary sponsor of Kyle Busch’s #18 Toyota at Talladega this weekend. The other events at which the Mars Pedigree brand will adorn the #18 this season will be at Atlanta Motor Speedway in September and Phoenix International Raceway in November. The first Pedigree paint scheme of 2009 kicks off the company’s “NASCAR’s Luckiest Dog” contest in which the winner of which will have his or her dog pictured on Busch’s #18 Toyota at the Checker Auto Parts 500k at Phoenix in November.(M&M’s Racing PR)(4-23-2009)
  • Said’s car catches fire during ALMS race: With only 6 minutes left in the American Le Mans Series sports car race in Long Beach, a GT2 Corvette driven by [part-time Sprint Cup driver] Boris Said burst into flames and filled with smoke. The veteran racer scrambled out of the cockpit and across the track as safety workers sprayed the car with fire extinguishers. Said was not injured. The race was won by Gil de Ferran and Simon Pagenaud.(ESPN/AP)
    AND: During an ALMS race on Saturday in Long Beach, Calif., Boris Said’s Corvette burst into flames. He got out, but not before sustaining several second degree burns to his arms and eyes.(Portland Press Herald), watching the video, Said got out of the car and ran to the wall and sat there a few minutes with safety workers looking at him and talking to him, Said got up walked away and waved to the crowd and got in a safety vehicle.
    AND Boris Said adds to the legend. Said suffered second- and third-degree burns in a fire during the Long Beach Grand Am race. Get better, buddy, see an image of Said on Marty Smith’s Door to Door column at ESPN
    SAID Ride plans: Carter Racing plans to return to the track for the 2009 NASCAR Sprint All Star Race. Boris Said will drive the #08 Dodge for the Sprint Showdown, his second race in the #08 this season. The team is actively searching for sponsorship.(Carter Racing PR)(4-23-2009)
  • Special look for Newman’s car at Talladega: Ryan Newman’s #39 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevy is scheduled to run a Prelude to the Dream/Haas Automation/U.S. Army scheme in the Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway.(SHR PR)(4-23-2009)
  • Dodson injured in car wreck: Former NASCAR Cup crew chief Barry Dodson suffered multiple injuries in an automobile accident on April 10 in Pawley’s Island, S.C. Dodson was taking a test drive at a dealership when he says the car’s accelerator hung. He crashed into two cars on the lot, totaling both, before he struck a steel pole. Dodson suffered neck, shoulder and closed-head injuries and remains under a physician’s care. “The only escape route I had was a busy four-lane highway,” Dodson said. “So I chose to crash into the cars on the lot rather than taking a chance on injuring someone else.” He declined to identify the dealership.(SceneDaily)(4-23-2009)
  • Different look for #77 at ‘Dega: Sam Hornish Jr. will run a Penske Truck Rental/AAA scheme on his #77 Penske Racing Dodge Charger in the Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway. Hornish earned his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series top-10 finish last weekend at Phoenix International Raceway.(PCR PR)(4-23-2009)
  • Drivers on CMT Cribs: Martin Truex Jr. will join Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kurt Busch as the featured celebrities on CMT Cribs when the latest episode airs this Saturday, April 25th. Packed with the latest in luxury living, top of the line toys and the wildest whips on the road, this season takes us to new levels of country living. Martin’s segment will focus on his new garage. Be sure to tune into to CMT (Country Music Television) this Saturday, April 25, 2009 at 4:30pm/et/pt and re-air at 7:30pm/et/pt on that same day.(EGR PR)(4-23-2009)
  • Talladega Rookie Notes: #20-Joey Logano was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the April 18 Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. Logano scored a 21st-place finish and claimed top rookie honors for the third consecutive race. Logano leads #82-Scott Speed by 13 points (86-73) in the Raybestos Rookie standings entering the April 26 Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway. The late Davey Allison is the only Raybestos Rookie to win the Aaron’s 499 at Talladega. He won the 1987 event by .78 second over Terry Labonte. Allison led the most laps in the race, holding the top spot six times for 108 of the 178 laps (the event was shortened by 10 laps due to darkness). Allison is the only Raybestos Rookie to lead the most laps in the Aaron’s 499 and holds the record for most laps led by a rookie in the spring race at Talladega. Since Allison’s win in 1987, a Raybestos Rookie has finished in the top-five in the Aaron’s 499 just twice: Tony Stewart (fifth in 1999) and Kurt Busch (third in 2001). Only one Raybestos Rookie has won the pole position in 39 previous Aaron’s 499 races at Talladega: Jimmie Johnson (2002). Johnson won the second pole of his career and posted a seventh place finish in the race.(Camp & Assoc./Raybestos PR), see Rookie history, standings, records and more on my 2009 Rookies Page.(4-23-2009)
  • RCR 40th Anniversary Announcement: Richard Childress Racing has scheduled a press conference for Saturday, April 25, at 9:30am in the infield media center at Talladega Superspeedway. The press conference will kick off RCR’s 40th anniversary celebration that will conclude at the fall races in Talladega, where Childress made his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut in 1969 in the track’s inaugural event.(RCR PR)(4-23-2009)
  • Indy tire testing MORE: Richard Petty Motorsports driver #43-Reed Sorenson says that Goodyear officials will extend their Indianapolis Motor Speedway tire test into Wednesday for four drivers because of rain that has continually interrupted their efforts. Sorenson, Roush Fenway Racing’s #17-Matt Kenseth [Ford], Stewart-Haas Racing’s #39-Ryan Newman [Chevy] and Red Bull Racing’s #83-Brian Vickers [Toyota] began testing tires at the track Monday as Goodyear officials work to find a better tire for this season’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at the track after a 2008 event in which drivers had to pit regularly because of issues with tire wear.(SceneDaily)(4-21-2009)
    UPDATE: Despite being disrupted by rain for the second day in a row, a NASCAR tire test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is providing Goodyear engineers with valuable information to help ensure against a repeat of last year’s caution-filled Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. “We feel like we’re establishing a very good baseline so that we can walk out of here with a good, solid recommendation for what to bring back in June,” Greg Stucker, Goodyear’s director of race tire sales, said Tuesday at the track. “The most important thing is we want to make sure we get everything done we need to get done, and that means getting different opinions on different combinations.” Goodyear tested three times last fall and has four Sprint Cup teams in town for the current test, which was extended to today because of the frequent rain. A final shakedown in preparation for the July 26 race is scheduled June 15-16 with about a dozen teams expected to participate. The extra testing is the result of an embarrassing 2008 race in which a record 52 of the 160 laps were run under caution because of rapid and excessive tire wear. NASCAR was forced to throw competition cautions every dozen or so laps out of concerns for driver safety. Stucker said the problem was a tire compound incompatible with the track surface and NASCAR’s new, heavier car — the so-called Car of Tomorrow — that had not previously run at Indy. Instead of the expended rubber working its way into the track, which is intentionally abrasive to provide more tire grip, the particles were so small that they turned to dust and literally floated away. Tires haven’t been a major issue at any of the first eight races this season and Stucker is confident they won’t be at Indy, either. “Three tests here last year and two this year certainly demonstrates we’re taking it seriously,” he said. “Goodyear, the racetrack, NASCAR and all the teams are putting forth the effort to make sure we don’t have anything like that again.”(Indianapolis Star)(4-23-2009)
  • NHMS to Plant Trees as Part of Earth Day and “Green Team” Initiative: In celebration of Earth Day and as a part of its “Green Team” initiative, officials of New Hampshire Motor Speedway announced a plan today to plant additional trees throughout the 1,200-acre facility. Between now and the end of the day on April 30, speedway officials will plant a tree for every ticket sold to the June 28 LENOX Industrial Tools 301 in honor of the devoted race fans who support the largest sports and entertainment venue in all of New England. A wide variety of trees will be planted including red maple, white pine, gray and yellow birch, and various hemlocks. The speedway has more than 500 acres of permanently protected wildlife habitats located throughout the property. These habitats provide natural, undisturbed environments for many species of animal and plant life native to New Hampshire. “We continue to be one of the most eco-friendly sports facilities in the country,” said Jerry Gappens, executive vice-president and general manager of the speedway. “This program is another facet of our on-going commitment to the ecological improvement and beautification of one of the most diverse and largest parcels of land in New England.” The speedway is also working with Franklin Pierce University and Waste Management Company as part of a new “Green Team” initiative that will recycle more than half of the paper, plastic, metal, and glass waste that comes onto the property. To purchase tickets to the New Hampshire Motor Speedway LENOX Industrial Tools 301 and SYLVANIA 300 weekends, please call our Ticket Hotline at (603) 783-4931 or visit the speedway online at www.nhms.com.(NHMS PR)(4-23-2009)
  • RIR offers options amd lower food prices: In a continuing effort to provide the best fan experience in motorsports, Richmond International Raceway is proud to announce an extensive list of new and unique concession items available to fans at America’s Premier Short Track during the NASCAR Doubleheader weekend May 1-2, as well as lower prices on some of the track’s well known items. After listening to its fans, Richmond International Raceway has worked to provide fans more affordable and diverse menu items, including several packaged value meals and kid-friendly meal options, at the track. The list of new items includes several options that will be available exclusively to fans at Richmond International Raceway, including the introductions of the Richmond Raceway Dog, a Crabcake Sandwich and the Raceway Rib Sandwich. The Richmond Raceway Dog features a hot dog topped with chili, delicious Richmond Relish and spicy mustard. A staple in the Mid-Atlantic Region, the Crabcake Sandwich provides a great option for seafood lovers, and the Raceway Rib Sandwich, smothered in mouthwatering barbecue sauce and pickles, provides another unique alternative to the normal concession fare. Each of the three new exclusive items carries a great low price as well, with both the Richmond Raceway Dog and Raceway Rib Sandwich available for $3. For those fans who want to stick with the traditional hot dog, that price has been lowered to $3 as well. The Crabcake Sandwich is priced at $6.
    Additional new items to be rolled out in May include a two-piece fried chicken meal with a dinner roll and cole slaw, a catfish and hushpuppy basket with cole slaw, Boardwalk French Fries and Famous Dave’s Barbeque. Several new value meals will be available as well, including a jumbo barbeque sandwich with cole slaw, chips and a drink, a cheeseburger meal with chips and a drink, the Boss Dog meal, featuring an enormous 1/3 pound hot dog, chips and a drink and a kids meal, featuring a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, Oreo cookies, a fruit cup and Capri Sun drink. The value meal options represent an average savings of $3, or 25%, per meal over the cost of the same items in 2008. Also, the Fast Franks program has been carried over to 2009, featuring four regular ready-to-eat hot dogs packaged together for $10. By offering improved and value-added concession items, Richmond International Raceway continues to work on enhancing the overall fan experience at the track. Tickets for both races can be purchased by calling 866-455-RACE (7223), by visiting www.rir.com or at the Richmond International Raceway ticket office at 600 E. Laburnum Avenue.(RIR PR)(4-23-2009)
  • 5 Hour Energy on the #62 at Talladega: This weekend’s event marks the first of 13 races in which 5-Hour Energy Extra Strength will–appropriately enough–serve as primary sponsor of the ever-energetic Brendan Gaughan and the #62. Piggly Wiggly also joins RWI’s family of sponsor-partners for this weekend’s event at Talladega.(RWI PR)(4-23-2009)
  • Buescher makes first Kansas start; Altec showcased: James Buescher makes his first start at Kansas Speedway this weekend. Buescher, however, has experience at the 1.5-mile track, testing an ARCA car there in 2007. The 19-year-old resident of Sheridan, Texas, is scheduled to compete in his sixth career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race. Circle Bar Racing is proud to display the Altec logo on the rear quarter panels of its two trucks this weekend at Kansas Speedway. Altec – a leading provider of products and services to the electric utility, telecommunications and contractor markets – is a customer of International, using its trucks as the platform for the add-on equipment.(Circle Bar Racing PR)(4-23-2009)
  • Trail Motorsport & Austin returning at Kansas? UPDATE 4 Entry withdrawn: On hold until funded: Hearing that the Trail Motorsport #32 team is planning to be back on the entry list at Kansas with Chase Austin driving. Also hearing that the team is lacking equipment on hand, and along with financial constraints [resulting from the recent lease of the Petty shop], have this team in the midst of reevaluating how many races they’ll run.(3-25-2009)
    UPDATE: Another Truck race, another absence for African-American prodigy-in-limbo Chase Austin, who was supposed to run the full season for African-American owned Trail Motorsport. What continues to be up – or down – as Austin’s name goes missing from the entry list for Saturday’s Truck race at Martinsville? “It’s because we’re still doing all the stuff we need to do to get our house in order,” Trail managing director Patrick Shelton said Tuesday in a telephone interview. Austin, 19, ran the first two races of the season, at Daytona and Fontana, and finished 13th and 23rd respectively. But that was in vehicles rented from other teams. “Everything that was originally laid out is still in place,” Shelton said Tuesday. “We had to modify, based on what’s transpired in the last month. But we still have Nationwide plans, Camping World East and then Camping World Truck series plans.” So now, with the regrouping, Austin is scheduled to run in the next Truck race, at Kansas City on April 25. Austin said he still doesn’t have a full-season contract, as had been planned, but that he has been paid for the Daytona and Fontana races. Shelton said a contract for Austin is “in the final stages,” as well as one for Johnson, and for a Nationwide driver still to be named.(ESPN Insider)(3-6-2009)
    UPDATE 2: Trail Motorsport had hoped to field a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series entry for Austin for the 2009 season (as well as a Nationwide Series car for a to-be-named driver), but after two races in enlisting MRD Motorsports to field a truck for the team and Austin, the organization has missed the last two events while regrouping and getting its own trucks prepared. Austin said the Trail team believes it can get a truck ready for him to race at Kansas Speedway, the site of the Truck series’ next scheduled event. Clint Cram, whose experience includes working at Dale Earnhardt Inc., will be his crew chief. Austin admits that he doesn’t know how much momentum he will bring from the start of the season since his earlier trucks were prepared by MRD Motorsports. Trail just finalized plans to go to Kansas a couple of days ago and will have to spend several long days at the shop to get a truck ready, Austin said.(SceneDaily.com)(4-16-2009)
    UPDATE 3: Chase Austin was informed in a team meeting this past Tuesday that his Trail Motorsport team’s entry in this Saturday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series “O’Reilly Auto Parts 250” will be withdrawn due to funding issues. “We had set a deadline of Monday for the Truck to be ready to ‘shake down’ at Rockingham, and that didn’t happen,” said a surprisingly upbeat Austin. “So I knew what we were going to hear in the meeting. I’m really more disappointed for the team than for myself. I really want to race, but the guys in the shop have families to feed, and they need steady work and a steady paycheck” Austin’s future at Trail Motorsport is tenuous at best. “I don’t have a clue what Trail plans to do moving forward; I don’t have a contract at this point. I’ll just keep praying, keep digging and make the most out of any seat time I can get until the right opportunity comes,” says Austin. “And I definitely still believe it will come.”(Chase Austin PR)(4-22-2009)
    UPDATE 4: Trail Motorsport is working on getting its organization on the race track but won’t do so until funding is in place, team managing director Patrick Shelton said Thursday in a statement. The organization, which had hoped to run 19-year-old African-American driver Chase Austin in all of the the Camping World Truck Series races as well as field a full-time Nationwide Series team, hasn’t been on the track since February. Austin drove in two Truck races in a vehicle built and serviced by MRD Motorsports. Johnny Borneman III drove two Nationwide races with his family-owned team under the Trail banner. The team had announced big plans at a January news conference, but after the first few weeks, the Trail organization has had to step back, Shelton said. “”We got behind with funding and encountered several unplanned situations. … We are putting the operation on hold until all of our funding is in place. The team plans to participate this year but has no intention of using other teams’ equipment or personnel to compete.” The team owes MRD Motorsports $66,000 for the race at Auto Club Speedway in California earlier this year, according to a lawsuit in North Carolina Superior Court in Cabarrus County. How many races the team does in the future will depend on funding, Shelton said. “I’d rather do a full, partial, or limited season the right way than one race the wrong way,” Shelton said.(SceneDaily.com)(4-23-2009)
  • Samsung steps up for Billy Ballew: Samsung has taken Billy Ballew Motorsports up on its offer. After Samsung officials read a story in Wednesday’s editions of The Kansas City Star in which Ballew was making $150,000 worth of sponsorships available on his two NASCAR Camping World Series trucks for just $25,000, they contacted the race team and agreed to a deal for this weekend at Kansas Speedway. Ballew’s series-leading #51 truck, driven by Brian Ickler, and the #15, driven by Shane Sieg, will be sponsored by the Samsung Instinct, which is the company’s touch-tone phone with Sprint. Samsung is the title sponsor of the Samsung 500 NASCAR Nextel Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway.(Kansas City Star)(4-23-2009)

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