April 24, 2008
- Sad News: Cameron Argetsinger: Cameron Argetsinger, the founder of racing at Watkins Glen, died Tuesday after a long illness. He was 87. Argetsinger’s death comes at a time when the Watkins Glen community is celebrating the 60th anniversary of the first road race through the streets of the village, organized by Argetsinger, in 1948. That event eventually led to the construction of the Watkins Glen Racetrack and the community became world famous after Argetsinger succeeded in attracting Formula 1 races to the track in 1961. Argetsinger, a lawyer by profession, left Watkins Glen Grand Prix Corp. in 1970 to head up other racing organizations. He returned to the area in 1977 and became a partner in a local law firm. He remained passionate about all types of auto racing right until the end, said longtime track historian Bill Green. Argetsinger was a driver, a race promoter and organizer who did more than anyone to put Watkins Glen on the map with his vision for the future, Green said.(Elmira Star-Gazette)(4-24-2008)
- Northern Tool + Equipment to Sponsor Travis Kvapil at Talladega IMAGE: Yates Racing announced that Northern Tool + Equipment, a leading supplier of high-quality tools and equipment for more than 27 years, will sponsor the #28 entry with driver Travis Kvapil for this weekend’s Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 27th. Sunday’s race will mark the first time Northern Tool + Equipment has been a primary sponsor in NASCAR’s most elite division, the Sprint Cup Series. Northern Tool + Equipment has been a sponsor in the Craftsman Truck Series since 2006.(Yates Racing)(4-22-2008)
added an image of the scheme to the Paint Schemes gallery.(4-24-2008) - Career start #300 for Dale Jr: #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. is scheduled to make his 300th career start in the Sprint Cup Series this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway. In 10 years at NASCAR’s elite level, Earnhardt has recorded 17 wins, eight pole positions, 79 top-five finishes and 127 top-10s. He has completed 85,378 laps, and his 5,842 laps led is fourth among all drivers since 1999. In 16 starts at Talladega, Earnhardt has five wins, seven top-five finishes and nine top-10s. He has led 21.23 percent of the laps he’s run on the 2.66-mile superspeedway (570 of 2,684 laps).(HMS)(4-24-2008)
- Talladega Rookie Notes: #77-Sam Hornish Jr. was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race at Phoenix. Hornish Jr. scored a 20th-place finish and took top rookie honors for the third time this season. Hornish Jr. leads #01-Regan Smith by three points (78-75) in the Raybestos Rookie standings entering the April 27 Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway. Hornish Jr., Smith and #00-Michael McDowell are the only members of the Raybestos Rookie class with a guaranteed starting spot at Talladega. Two Raybestos Rookies entered in this weekend’s race at Talladega do not have a guaranteed starting positions: #40-Dario Franchitti and #10-Patrick Carpentier. The late Davey Allison is the only Raybestos Rookie to win the Aaron’s 499 at Talladega. Allison remains 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 38 previous spring races at Talladega: Jimmie Johnson (2002). Johnson won the second pole of his career and posted a seventh place finish in the race. The most recent Raybestos Rookie to win a Sprint Cup Series race is Juan Pablo Montoya. Montoya captured the 2007 Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon (Sonoma, Calif.) Raceway, crossing the finish line 4.097 seconds ahead of second-place Kevin Harvick (28 races).(Camp & Assoc/Raybestos), for more notes, standings and history, see my 2008 Rookies page.(4-24-2008)
- Edwards Tests in Iowa: Carl Edwards already owns three Sprint Cup Series wins this season, but continues to look beyond the immediate horizon. This weekend, Talladega. Next weekend, Richmond. So it made sense for the #99-Roush Fenway Racing driver to conduct a closed test today [Wednesday, April 23rd] at Iowa Speedway in Newton, a 7/8-mile asphalt track similar in terms of specifications to Richmond.(Des Moines Register)(4-24-2008)
- Team Dakar USA/Robby Gordon Update in the Central Europe Rally:The course was once again centered around the ex-military base outside of Veszprem, which provided an emotional rollercoaster ride for Robby Gordon and Andy Grider’s. Stage five started out strong with the Monster Energy Hummer taking its first special win in the Central Europe Rally. With that strong performance the team moved to within three minutes of the top spot held by Carlos Sainz. Fortunes turned quickly on the second special for Gordon and Grider when they experienced mechanical problems with the rear wheel assembly of the Hummer. “After the special win we were pumped up because we had fought our way back into this thing. The only thing left to do was to go hard and keep pace with the leaders. I’m very disappointed after the second special. We flew a decent size jump and the truck just came down wrong on the rear and damaged the rear hub. We finally managed to get it fixed but at that point it was too late. Our chances on this rally are over but I’m really proud of this effort.” The bright spot for Team Dakar USA was another couple of strong specials for BJ Baldwin. Baldwin managed ninth in the first special, fifth in the second and seventh on the day. His showing has earned the Ronn Bailey Vanguard Hummer a spot in the top-ten in the overall classification. Once again tomorrows tracks can be found in Veszprem where there will be two specials. The first special in the morning will be 157km while the afternoon special will be 54km. From there the rally goes to Balaton Lake for the final stage in the 2008 Central Europe Rally. Coverage of the rally can be seen in the United States on DirecTV. The half hour show will be aired twice – first at 7p.m. EST and then again at 12:30a.m.(Robby Gordon PR), earlier updates about the rally are available on the #7 Team Page.(4-24-2008)
- Checkers/Rally’s no longer official burger of NASCAR:Checkers/Rally’s has been released from its position as the official burger of NASCAR, creating an opening in the quick-service restaurant category. NASCAR called the separation a mutual decision. Checkers/Rally’s, based in Tampa, also has exited its sponsorships of the Indianapolis 500, Allstate 400 at the Brickyard and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. All of the motorsports deals were scheduled to run through the 2009 season. Checkers/Rally’s confirmed the end of the sponsorships, but its chief marketing officer, Terri Snyder, could not be reached for comment. NASCAR now has turned its attention to filling the QSR category. Brian Corcoran, managing director of corporate marketing in NASCAR’s New York office, is spearheading the effort to find a brand with a national footprint. (Sports Business Daily/SceneDaily.com)(4-24-2008)
- Reutimann To Be Featured in Talladega Nationwide Series Telecast:David Reutimann will be featured as the “In-Race-Reporter” in ESPN on ABC’s telecast of Saturday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series Aarons 312 at Talladega Superspeedway. Reutimann will speak with ESPN analyst Dale Jarrett on the parade laps and during caution periods, giving viewers a unique perspective. The telecast on ABC begins at 2:30pm/et.(4-24-2008)
- Hall of Fame induction tonight: The International Motorsports Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be top-heavy with NASCAR characters. Tonight’s program includes three stock-car men who helped push their sport into major-league status. The NASCAR banner will be carried into the Hall of Fame by Robert “Red” Byron, Everett “Cotton” Owens and Ralph Seagraves. On the other half of the program are Art Arfons, Bill “Grumpy” Jenkins and Frank Kurtis.
The following men will be inducted into the International Motor Sports Hall of Fame tonight in Talladega, Ala.:
Art Arfons (1926-2007): Set the unlimited Land Speed Record three times in the infamous Green Monster.
Robert “Red” Byron (1926-60): Won the first NASCAR-sanctioned race on the Daytona Beach & Road Course in 1948.
Bill “Grumpy” Jenkins (1930- ): Built engines for 61 NHRA eliminators, producing five titles and three ARHA crowns.
Frank Kurtis (1908-87): Built five Indy 500-winning cars, and his midget-car package dominated the sport for 20 years.
Everett “Cotton” Owens (1924- ): Scored 41 NASCAR wins and 38 poles as driver and car owner.
Ralph Seagraves (1929-98): Helped initiate R.J. Reynolds’ sponsorship of motorsports, including NASCAR, in the 1970s.
(Daytona Beach News Journal), for more info, see the International Motorsports Hall of Fame site.(4-24-2008) - Johnson and Montoya on QVC TONIGHT: Sprint Cup drivers #48-Jimmie Johnson and #42-Juan Pablo Montoya are scheduled to appear live on QVC For Race Fans Only with QVC on-air host and NASCAR enthusiast Dan Hughes, live from Talladega, Ala. For Race Fans Only will be broadcast Friday, April 25, 2008 from 8-10 pm/et.(QVC PR)(4-24-2008)
- Stewart going for ‘a record’: Tony Stewart, the driver of the #20 Home Depot Toyota, has finished second six times but never won in 18 Cup races at Talladega. He’s tied with Bobby Allison at Martinsville and Mark Martin at Pocono for NASCAR’s record for single-track second-place finishes without a victory.(Alabama Live), Talladega is one of four Cup tracks that Stewart has never won a CUP race at: California, Las Vegas and Darlington.(4-24-2008)
- MACtac Sponsorsing Rensi: MACtac a leading provider of pressure sensitive materials, announced that it will sponsor The Team Rensi Motorsports’ # 25 Smithfield Foods Ford, driven by Bobby Hamilton Jr., for the 2008 Nationwide Series season. MACtac has been indirectly involved with NASCAR for many years as a provider of graphics materials, initiating a formal NASCAR sponsorship in 2007 as a primary sponsor for a Busch Series car. MACtac is an associate sponsor of the Smithfield Foods # 25 car. The MACtac corporate logo will appear on the car, as well as on the hauler, racing jerseys and all team communications.(MacTac PR)(4-24-2008)
- Wolfe Back at Track After Legal Dispute: Paul Wolfe is back at the race track working as crew chief for Braun Racing’s Jason Leffler after missing the trip last week to Mexico City because of a legal dispute with former employer Fitz Motorsports. Wolfe left Fitz Motorsports on March 25 for Braun, and Fitz Motorsports sued Braun and Wolfe in North Carolina Superior Court on April 11. Fitz Motorsports obtained a temporary restraining order to keep Wolfe from making the trip to Mexico City. Wolfe prevailed in a preliminary injunction hearing Monday that allowed him to return to the track, his attorney Clifton Homesley said Wednesday. Homesley had argued in court documents that Wolfe’s contract called for disputes to be decided by arbitration and not in the courts. In the complaint, Fitz alleges that Wolfe had ended the Nationwide Series team’s test session March 24-25 at Richmond International Raceway early, kept confidential testing data and used that information at Braun. Not only do the two teams compete on the track, they also have competing sponsors in Great Clips (Braun) and Supercuts (Fitz). The suit is still pending in the courts in Statesville, N.C. Wolfe’s contract called for him to get paid $130,000 in 2007 with a $10,000 bonus for a win, $5,000 for places of second through fifth, $2,500 for places sixth through 10th, $1,000 for places 11th through 15th and $1,000 for a pole. A series title was worth a $100,000 bonus, with second-fifth in points $50,000 and sixth-10th in points worth $25,000. He also got $500 a weekend when he used his motorhome instead of a hotel room. There was an owner’s option for the 2008 season that increased his salary to $156,000 and increased the bonuses by 10 percent.(SceneDaily.com)(4-24-2008)
- Free day at Kansas Speedway: There may not be any such thing as a free lunch, but there is going to be free auto racing on Friday at Kansas Speedway. Free parking and free access to the Fan Walk area, too. Earlier this year, officials at Kansas Speedway announced that they are throwing open the gates for their annual ARCA Series race. Fans are invited to drive out and walk in. In addition to the ARCA activities, fans will also get to see a practice session for Saturday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck series race.(Kansas City Star)(4-24-2008)
- Gosselin plans to compete in Kansas truck series race UPDATE Image added: Mario Gosselin, a well-known driver from ARCA and the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series, has bought trucks from now-defunct Spears Motorsports, and his DGM Racing team plans to compete this weekend at Kansas Speedway. The Quebec native, who has two Cup starts and three Busch Series starts in his career, said in a phone interview Saturday that he would also likely run the race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway next month and then put Hooters Pro Cup driver Scotty Crockett behind the wheel at Mansfield, Ohio, during Memorial Day weekend. The team will pick and choose races throughout the season. Gosselin, a two-time Pro Cup Series champion and three-time ARCA race winner, fields an ARCA car for 19-year-old Alli Owens in ARCA but has been itching to drive.Gosselin said he will be the #12 with sponsorship from crashedtoys.com for the Kansas race. His brother, Germain, will be his crew chief.(SceneDaily.com)(4-21-2008)
UPDATE: Mario Gosselin with be making his Craftsman Truck Series debut at Kansas in the #12-CrashedToys.com Chevy. Image of the truck can be seen on the 2008 Paint Scheme Gallery.(4-24-2008)
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