April 28, 2005
- Home Depot and Gibbs to build Playgrounds: Home Depot today announced a partnership with Joe Gibbs Racing and the nonprofit group, Kaboom!, to build playgrounds for at-risk children who live in NASCAR race communities. The Racing to Play program is designed to build a NASCAR-themed playground in a single day just prior to a scheduled weekend NASCAR race. Tony Stewart, whose JGR Nextel Cup entry is sponsored by Home Deport, is scheduled to take part when the first playground is built June 16 in Jackson, Mich., prior to the Michigan 400 at the Michigan International Speedway. Plans call for additional playgrounds in Daytona Beach, Fla.; Joliet, Ill.; Indianapolis, Ind.; Fontana, Calif.; Richmond, Va.; Talladega, Ala.; Kansas City, Kan; Atlanta, Ga.; and Phoenix, Ariz.(NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter)(4-28-2005)
- Geoffrey Bodine to attempt some Cup races: Geoffrey Bodine said he plans on driving in three to five Nextel Cup events this year with Rick Ware’s #52 Dodge, starting with next month’s Nextel Cup All-Star Challenge at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte, NC.(Elmira Star Gazette), Jose Luis Ramirez recently tested for Ware at Infineon Raceway, but crashed, supposedly will still try to attempt to make the June race.(4-28-2005)
- Honor for Woody: Staff writer Larry Woody of The Tennessean is the 2005 recipient of theInternational Motorsports Hall of Fame’s Henry T. McLemore Award, which recognizes outstanding motorsports journalism. Woody will be honored during ceremonies tonight at the hall in Talladega, Ala., along with 2005 inductees Darrell Waltrip, Nigel Mansell, Chip Hanauer, Joe Amato and Bob Glidden. Woody is the 25th person to receive the McLemore Award since it was first awarded in 1969. Previous recipients include Chris Economaki, Ken Squier, Barney Hall, Eli Gold, Bob Jenkins and Ned Jarrett.(Tennessean)(4-28-2005)
- Jeff Gordon, Newman and Kenseth to test at Indy UPDATE 2: #24-Jeff Gordon is scheduled to begin preparations today for what could be a historic victory in August at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The four-time Brickyard 400 champion is representing Chevrolet in a closed two-day tire test at the Speedway. He’ll be joined by Ryan Newman (Dodge) and Matt Kenseth (Ford) as Goodyear checks to see how its new, softer tire compounds fare on Indy’s newly paved surface. All the teams can be expected to test at the Speedway either before or after the Nextel Cup race July 10 at Chicagoland Speedway. The sessions are scheduled July 5-6 and 11-12. Rain is in the forecast for today, which could disrupt a test already postponed once. It was pushed back to allow for grinding of the track after a Firestone test in preparation for the Indianapolis 500 produced unusual tire wear. A subsequent Firestone test indicated the grinding had done its job.(Indianapolis Star)(4-26-2005)
UPDATE: Goodyear will attempt — again — to hold its NASCAR tire test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway today after Tuesday’s session was rained out. The tire manufacturer postponed a similar session earlier this month when the track’s surface was being grinded. Today’s test is closed to the public.(Indianapolis Star)(4-27-2005)
UPDATE 2: On-track preparations for the Brickyard 400 began Wednesday. A Goodyear tire test, shortened to one day by rain Tuesday, was completed with Jeff Gordon (Chevrolet), Ryan Newman (Dodge) and Matt Kenseth (Ford) running laps.(Indianapolis Star)(4-28-2005) - Batman Returns with Martin, to sponsor MIS Race UPDATE: #6-Mark Martin will run a ‘Batman Begins’ scheme at the June Michigan race. See the scheme on my #6 Team Schemes page.(4-22-2005)
UPDATE: NASCAR, Warner Bros. Consumer Products and International Speedway Corporation announced that Batman Begins*, the highly anticipated film from Warner Bros. Pictures, will take center stage at Michigan International Speedway on June 19 for the running of the NASCAR Nextel Cup “Batman Begins 400.” The film opens worldwide on June 15. Roush Racing legend Mark Martin will get a little extra Batman power to help him get to Victory Lane, as his Ford will feature a special Batman Begins paint scheme for the race. Martin’s fellow Roush Racing driver, Ricky Craven, will also be sporting a Batman Begins scheme during the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event on June 18. Race fans will have a front-row seat for a one-of-a-kind celebration of the film’s launch when the Batmobile from the film leads the pack of 43 race cars off of pit road to start the battle for the checkered flag.
Besides the on-track action that fans will be able to enjoy during the weekend, the newly redesigned fan area behind the main grandstand at Michigan International Speedway will incorporate the Batman Begins Fan Zone, which will feature the Batmobile from the film, Mark Martin’s Batman Begins themed car, the Ricky Craven truck, and the fantasy and event cars that are part of the weekend’s Batman action. The Batman Begins Fan Zone will also include other activities and exclusive merchandise based on the film and the Batman Begins 400. While this is the first time a major motion picture is serving as the title sponsor of a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race, it is not the first time Warner Bros. Consumer Products has been involved with NASCAR or Michigan International Speedway. Just last August, Warner Bros. Consumer Products and DC Comics partnered with Michigan International Speedway for the highly successful Justice League Racing Weekend Presented by Hot Wheels, as some of NASCAR’s top drivers piloted cars emblazoned with the familiar heroes of the Justice League. Fans can still purchase tickets to the Batman Begins 400 by calling MIS at 1-800-354-1010 or logging on to www.MISpeedway.com.(Alan Taylor Communications)(4-28-2005) - Sponsor back for Lepage at Talladega AND/IMAGES: This weekend Kevin Lepage and the #37 R&J Racing Team will be sporting a new look as Patrón Tequila comes on board the #37 R&J Racing Dodge Charger for the Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, AL. The team will not only be taking their sponsor from Daytona to Talladega, but also the car that earned them a 9th place finish. Lepage and the entire crew are looking to have a strong run this weekend.(R&J Racing/Integrated Marketing Solutions PR)(4-26-2005)
AND On Wednesday, Kevin Lepage unveiled a new paint scheme for this weekend’s Aaron’s 499 NASCAR Nextel Cup event at Talladega Superspeedway and it’s sure to be a hit with the boss – “the good boss”. The bright, lime green Dodge Charger is the same car that Lepage race to a 9th place finish in the Daytona 500 earlier this year and it is again sponsored by Patrón Tequila (in Spanish, the word *patrón *means “the good boss”). “We are very happy to announce that Patrón is with us for 5 more races this year and the new paint scheme is going to look great on the track,” said Lepage. “Patrón came on board in Daytona and we had a top ten there and we plan to race the same way in Talladega. The car drafts well in traffic and that’s critical, but equally as important, we want to stay out of trouble and avoid any big mishaps.”
After Talladega, the R&J Racing #37 Patrón Tequila Dodge Charger driven by Kevin Lepage will be racing in Michigan on June 19, Chicago on July 10, Watkins Glen on August 14 and in Fontana, Ca. on September 4.(R&J Racing/Integrated Marketing Solutions PR)(4-28-2005)
IMAGES: see four images of the car on my #37 Team Schemes page.(4-28-2005) - Nextel Invites Employees at RJR to attend the All-Star Event: To honor the rich tradition and esteemed contribution that R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company provided to the NASCAR community for 33 years, Nextel gave employees of R.J. Reynolds 1,500 tickets to attend the upcoming NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge under the lights at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. The premier all-star event will take place Saturday, May 21 at 7:30pm/et.(Nextel PR)(4-28-2005)
- Sad News: Award-winning Detroit motorsports reporter and longtime friend of Michigan International Speedway, Joe Dowdall, passed away of pancreatic cancer on April 24, 2005. He was 80. The media center at MIS has been named in his honor since 1986 due to Dowdall’s tremendous support in covering races at the track since its inception in 1968. Dowdall had over a 40-year career at the Detroit Times, Detroit Free Press and Detroit News, reporting on various racing topics throughout his lifetime. A native of Detroit, he also occasionally covered the Lions, Tigers, Red Wings and Pistons. He once stated, “Luck and fate gave me a 50-yard line seat on life.” Born and raised in Detroit’s Corktown neighborhood, Dowdall attended Holy Redeemer High School and the University of Detroit before enlisting in the U.S. Air Force during World War II. Between missions as a radio operator on B24 Liberators in Italy, he got his start as a reporter by publishing a makeshift sports page of stateside baseball and football scores for his bomber squadron.
He joined the Detroit Free Press in 1948 as a copy boy, and over time worked as a police-beat reporter, Sunday features editor and sportswriter. He joined the Detroit News in 1968 as its motorsports editor and covered a wide range of racing events, including many at MIS. His efforts were recognized with several honors, including two Page One Awards, multiple national and state Motorsports Writer of the Year awards, and he received the inaugural Ray Marquette Award for Auto Racing Journalism in 1979. After retiring from the Detroit News in 1987, Dowdall lived in Traverse City, Michigan, North Hutchinson Island, Florida and Grand Rapids, Michigan. He is survived by his wife of fifty-four years, Shirley, by his five children, Debbie (Deacon), David, Michael, Daniel and Kathy (Forrester), and by sixteen grandchildren. A memorial service for Joe Dowdall has been scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 5, 2005 at the St. Paul on the Lake Catholic Church in Grosse Pointe Farms (MI). Donations in his honor should be sent to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in lieu of flowers.(MIS)(4-28-2005) - #12 Crew wins at Phoenix: The #12 ALLTEL pit crew earned its second Checkers/Rally’s Double Drive-Thru Challenge Award at Phoenix International Raceway last weekend. The ALLTEL team is now tied with its teammate, the #2 Miller Lite team, as well as the #38 team for the Checkers/Rally’s Challenge lead.(Penske Racing)(4-28-2005)
- Busch and Johnson to run the #5 in a few races: Hendrick Motorsports has also engaged their driver shuffle. Rookie Blake Feese was supposed to drive the #5 Chevrolet at Talladega this weekend, but Nextel Cup rookie Kyle Busch is in the car instead. Hendrick representatives stress that the driver change has no bearing on the future, stating that the schedule was never 100% official. Although it’s subject to change, the schedule over the next five races has Busch in the #5 at Darlington and Lowe’s, while Jimmie Johnson will fill in at Richmond and Dover. Feese is expected back for the June race at Nashvillle.(BGNRacing.com)(4-28-2005)
- Fisher and Moore to run some Busch races in 2005: Sarah Fisher and Ryan Moore know they will compete in the Busch Series this year, but they can’t say exactly when. Fisher has run only a few stock car races [so far] driving for Bill McAnally and hopes to run two Busch events later this year. Moore plans on running the entire Busch North schedule in addition to five Busch events. DEI Vice President Richie Gilmore said he hopes the first race [for Moore] will be Richmond in September. Moore was scheduled to test with Paul Menard April 25 in Lakeland (FL). If his tests and races go well, he could replace Martin Truex, Jr. in the Chance 2 car next season. Fisher willl drive for Richard Childress Racing [in Busch]. (NASCAR Scene via BGNRacing.com)(4-28-2005)
- Menard wins pole at Talladega: #11-Paul Menard won the pole for the Aaron’s 312 at Talladega Superspeedway with a speed of 184.023mph, his second career NASCAR Busch Series pole. He scored his first in the #11 Menards DEI car at Kansas Speedway last fall. Rounding out the top-five are: #87-Joe Nemechek, #20-Denny Hamlin, #8-Martin Truex Jr. and #2-Clint Bowyer. Missing the race were: #7-Greg Sacks, #4-Ryan Hemphill, #72-Geoffrey Bodine, #52-Donnie Neuenberger.
See Starting lineups:
BGNRacing.com – Starting Lineup
NASCAR.com.(4-28-2005) - Missouri/Illinois Dodge Dealers To Sponsor Hamilton at Gateway, #04 stays: Gateway International Raceway announced that the Missouri/Illinois Dodge Dealers will sponsor a special paint scheme on Bobby Hamilton’s #04 Truck for the Ram Tough 200 on April 30. The Missouri/Illinois Dodge Dealers will sponsor this race for the eighth consecutive year. Last year’s race was the most exciting finish in series’ history with four green-white-checker restarts. Gateway season and individual race tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by calling 1-866-35-SPEED, or online at www.gatewayraceway.com.(GIR PR)
AND #04 Stays: Hamilton will be running the #04 Dodge for the remainder of the 2005 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season. Originally he had planned to change his number back after the first four races, but since there will be a tremendous difference at the end of the season in owner’s points, Hamilton decided that he would stay in the #04 Dodge.(BHR PR)(4-28-2005)
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