April 30, 2004
- 10th Anniversary All-Star Kyle Petty Charity Motorcycle Ride Set to Roll This Weekend: NASCAR driver Kyle Petty will celebrate a different kind of milestone this weekend. Following Sunday’s race at California Speedway, Petty will hop on his Victory Motorcycle and travel more than 3,000 miles as part of the 2004 Chick-fil-A Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America. This year’s ride marks the 10th anniversary of the annual cross-country motorcycle journey featuring more than 200 NASCAR celebrities, sponsors and fans. “It’s hard to believe we’ve reached the ten year mark with the Charity Ride,” said Petty. “This event has become bigger than I ever imagined possible. The Charity Ride just started out as a way for friends to get out on our bikes and enjoy the country while helping children’s charities. Now, it has become a hugely popular event for race fans and – most importantly – a major fundraiser for the Victory Junction Gang Camp.”
The Chick-fil-A Kyle Petty Charity Ride will kick off in Palm Desert, Calif. on May 1 and make overnight stops in Las Vegas, Nev.; Flagstaff, Ariz.; Roswell N.M.; Oklahoma City, Okla.; Branson, Mo.; Tupelo, Miss.; and Atlanta, Ga. The Chick-fil-A Kyle Petty Charity Ride will conclude on May 8 at a private event in Randleman, N.C. at the Victory Junction Gang Camp, the ride’s main benefactor. In addition to commemorating its tenth anniversary, the Charity Ride celebrates the addition of the Chick-fil-A® restaurant chain as the event’s title sponsor. The 2004 Charity Ride marks the first of a multi-year partnership with Atlanta-based Chick-fil-A, the nation’s second largest quick service chicken restaurant chain. “We’re looking forward to being part of this unique experience,” said Chick-fil-A President and Chief Operating Officer, Dan Cathy, who will be joining Petty on the road for the second year in a row. “The Pettys have put together a very special event that’s in line with our corporate values and goals, so this partnership is a great fit. Our hope is that Chick-fil-A’s involvement will help further elevate exposure for the ride to benefit the Victory Junction Gang Camp.”
“In the past we’ve celebrated the end of the Charity Ride with a big concert, but this year is going to be a little different,” said Petty. “The Chick-fil-A Kyle Petty Charity Ride will conclude with a private event at Victory Junction. It’s an important way for us to honor Adam’s memory. Plus it will give all the riders who have supported the camp over the years a first look at the finished product.” Joining Chick-fil-A as corporate partners of the Charity Ride are Georgia-Pacific, Victory Motorcycles, Coca-Cola, Dodge, Pilot Travel Centers, Nextel and Daytona Harley-Davidson. To learn more about the Chick-fil-A Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America and many other programs the ride supports, contact Kyle Petty Charity Ride, Inc. at 125 Floyd Smith Drive, Charlotte, N.C. 28262, by email at [email protected] or by phone at 704-714-4545 or see chickfilakylepettycharityride.com.(PR), see images of the car on my 2004 Paint Schemes Page..(4-30-2004) - Truckers Blocking California Highways: A group of disgruntled truckers are blocking some California highways to protest high fuel prices. Early Friday morning, truckers parked their rigs on the #10, the #5 and the #15 freeways and walked away from them. The fuel in California is running as high as $2.25 per gallon. Should the truckers decide to block the roads on Saturday or Sunday, it could affect the ability of the fans to get to the California Speedway for the Busch race or the Nextel Cup race. You might want to check your local highway information if you’re going to either race.(Insider Racing News)(4-30-2004)
- North Carolina Test Facility Planned: The Charlotte Regional Partnership is spearheading plans to seek state money to help build a $50 million motorsports test-track complex near Charlotte, the Charlotte Business Journal reports. The group hopes the facility will cement the area’s status as the home of most of NASCAR’s top-tier teams in the wake of new and expanded programs in Virginia and South Carolina. Reporter Ken Elkins writes that organizers are looking for up to 150 acres within 30 miles of Lowe’s Motor Speedway for a facility that would include super speedway, mid-length oval and road-course tracks. No grandstands would be built. Teams could save money, the story says, by not having to travel to facilities such as Kentucky Speedway to conduct non-sanctioned tests.(NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter)(4-30-2004)
- ChevronTexaco Announces $1 Million Birthday Bash Consumer Promotion: ChevronTexaco Global Lubricants today announced plans for The Racing for a $1,000,000 Birthday Bash promotion to celebrate the 100th birthday of the Havoline brand. Three lucky consumers will win a VIP Experience trip to the Checker Auto Parts 500 in Phoenix, November 4-8, 2004, where each can win $1 million. The Checker Auto Parts 500 is one of the most highly coveted West Coast races in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Race Series. From May 1 through July 31, 2004, U. S. consumers of Havoline Motor Oils, as well as Havoline XpressLube and Havoline Installer services, have a chance to enter to win the VIP Experience. Consumers who purchase quart bottles of Havoline Motor Oil will find a special promotional code under the cap of the product bottle. They will be directed to www.havoline.com where they can enter the contest by inputting the code and their contact information. Consumers who have their oil changed at a Havoline XpressLube or by a Havoline Installer will be given an entry form that can be filled out and submitted at the point of purchase. At the end of the promotion, all online entries will be combined with the in-store and mail-in entries. Winners will be selected at random in August. The lucky grand prize winners of the VIP Experience can go on to win $1 million. Once in Phoenix, each of the grand prize winners will randomly draw a number representing the potential starting position of Jamie McMurray’s No. 42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge. Each grand prize winner that selects the starting position number which corresponds to Jamie McMurray’s actual starting position as determined by the pre-race time trials will each receive $1 million if McMurray subsequently wins the race. If the correct starting position is not selected and the #42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge still wins the race, each grand prize winner will receive $100,000.
AND McMurray will be sporting a special paint scheme this weekend at California Speedway to help launch the “$1 Million Dollar Birthday Bash” consumer promotion by ChevronTexaco.
ALSO: ChevronTexaco announced today that if Jamie McMurray wins Sunday’s Auto Club 500 from California Speedway the company will donate $10,000 to the Autism Society of America to aid in McMurray’s “Drive for a Cure” campaign.(Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates PR), see a few images on the #42 Team Paint Scheme page.(4-30-2004) - Talladega TV Ratings: The 2004 Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway television rating improved 2% to a 6.3 on Sunday, April 25, up from last year’s 6.2. On average, over 10.1 million viewers watched Jeff Gordon win his 65th career NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race at the 2.66-mile superspeedway. The 6.3 rating makes Talladega Superspeedway the second highest NEXTEL Cup race telecast on FOX this year, following North Carolina Speedway’s 6.6 rating in February [the track that is supposed to lose a race?]. When the caution flag came out with four laps to go, Jeff Gordon was listed ahead of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and went on to take the checkered flag. FOX’s rating peaked at an 8.0 rating during the final half-hour of the Aarons’s 499 telecast, up 8% from last years numbers.(Talladega Superspeedway PR)(4-30-2004)
- New look for the #40:the #40 Coors Light Dodge that Sterling Marlin driver will have an altered paint scheme this weekend at California Speedway. Starting this weekend the car will sport a new paint scheme for the rest of the season [have not seen it…yet]. AND Fans have until the end of the month [April? May?] to vote for one of three different #40 Prilosec OTC paint schemes, to be run later this season, on www.prilosecotc.com.(Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates PR), see images of the ‘new’ scheme on the #40 Team Paint Scheme Page.(4-30-2004)
- #30 IMAX Scheme at California: The #30 AOL Chevrolet will again carry the special IMAX paint scheme this weekend for the Auto Club 500 at California Speedway.(RCR PR), see images of the car on the #30 Team Paint Schemes page.(4-30-2004)
- Riggs To Take Part in Award Presentation: Scott Riggs, driver of the #10 Valvoline Chevrolet in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, will have the honor of being part of the Eagle One-Shav Glick Award presentation during Sunday’s pre-race festivities at California Speedway. The award is a symbol of distinguished achievement in motorsports by a Californian. Presented by Eagle One car-care products, a division of The Valvoline Company, the award is named in honor of Shav Glick, the venerable motorsports writer of the Los Angeles Times. The 2004 recipient of the award is Les Richter, a motorsports executive whose name is synonymous with auto racing in Southern California. Other nominees were: Don Prudhomme (drag racing star), Joe Leonard (motorcycle and open-wheel champion), Chris Pook (motorsports executive and founder of the Long Beach Grand Prix) and Roger Ward (2-time Indianapolis 500 winner). Previous winners of the Eagle One-Shav Glick Award were: Dan Gurney, Wally Parks, Parnelli Jones and Rick Mears.(mb2mbvmotorsports.com)(4-30-2004)
- Miller Announces Concert Series: Miller Brewing Company announced this year’s “Rock ‘n’ Racing” concert series will kickoff with a trackside concert featuring popular rock band Live during the NASCAR Auto Club 500, May 1 at California Speedway in Fontana, California. Miller’s Rock ‘n’ Racing program combines two of our country’s greatest pastimes – racing and live music. It will feature a series of trackside concerts at select NASCAR Nextel Cup and the Indianapolis 500, including:
May 1, Fontana, NASCAR Auto Club 500 featuring Live
May 22, Charlotte, NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge featuring Live
May 27, Indianapolis, IRL’s Carb Day featuring Blues Traveler
July 9, Chicago, NASCAR Nextel Cup Tropicana 400 featuring Puddle of Mudd
Sept. 4, Fontana, NASCAR Nextel Cup Pop Secret 500 featuring TBD band
During the Tropicana 400 at Chicagoland Speedway, Rusty Wallace’s No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge will race with a special rock ‘n’ roll paint scheme featuring Puddle of Mudd to promote the July concert.(Tom Roberts PR)(4-30-2004) - Labonte Track close to completion: The North Carolina Quarter-Midget Association Speedway, which #18 driver Bobby Labonte initiated with members of the NCQMA, is nearing completion. A webcam located at www.ncqma.com provides a live look at the construction taking place in Rowan County, NC.(Joe Gibbs Racing PR)(4-30-2004)
- Mears is versatile: #41-Casey Mears has driven in four different series in two styles of cars at California Speedway. He has raced in CART, Indy Lights, Busch and NEXTEL Cup Series cars at what he considers his home track in Fontana. His most memorable race at California Speedway came in his CART Series debut when he ran a third car for Team Rahal and finished fourth in 2000.(Mearsgang.com)(4-30-2004)
- Neuenberger takes leave of absence from the #77 and racing for Follicular Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma treatment: As of this time Donnie Neuenberger will take a medical leave of absence as the driver of the Moy Racing #77 NASCAR Busch Series Team due to being diagnosed and starting treatment for Follicular Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. Thanks to Donnie’s twin brother Ronnie Neuenberger being involved with the medical profession, Donnie will receive the best cancer care available anywhere. Donnie plans to keep in tact all his sponsors for Moy Racing and looks forward to getting back into the drivers seat. “I am very fortunate to have such great people around me and recognize I am very lucky. There are a lot of people worse off than I am. I want to thank my race team, friends, sponsors, and fans for their support and understanding. I look forward to getting back to the race track, the team, and driving.” said Donnie Neuenberger, who thanks his sponsors for their support BG Products, Bay Area Goodyear, Bob Bell Automotive Group, Feinberg & Associates, IHOP, Jenkins & Jenkins, Mona Electric, Plan B Technologies, RV Two-Way / Silvertop Manufacturing, and The University of Maryland. For more information about Donnie Neuenberger and DGN Racing visit their website at www.dgnracing.com. You can listen to their regular Tuesay morning shows on the leading radio stations in Baltimore, Maryland, WPOC 93.1 FM and 97.1 FM “The Eagle Grego and Brian Morning Show” in Dallas, Texas.(4-30-2004)
- Sad News: PF2 Motorsports Owner, Pamela Bickford’s father passed away on Tuesday. Everett Burke was an avid race fan. He followed racing closely, especially the Craftsman Truck Series. He particularly enjoyed watching Rich Bickle, Ron Hornaday and John Nemechek. Everett Burke served his country by joining the Navy, where he was active from 1942 to 1946. The family asks in lieu of flowers, that donations be made in his name to St. Joseph’s Church in Amesbury, MA.(4-30-2004)
- Leffler wins pole at California: #00-Jason Leffler, the 44th of 47 drivers to qualify, turned a lap at 182.223mph to win the pole for Saturday’s Stater Bros. 300 at California Speedway, his third career NASCAR Busch Series pole and first since November 2000 at Phoenix. #8-Martin Truex Jr. ended up second and #21-Kevin Harvick third. #6-Jeremy Mayfield and #23-Kenny Wallace completed the top five. Series points leader #99-Michael Waltrip starts ninth.(ThatsRacin.com)
Qualifying Results/Starting Lineups at:
ThatsRacin.com
BGNRacing.com
NASCAR.com.(4-30-2004) - Three CTS back top their roots: Craftsman Motorsports and The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company will bring three NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series drivers back to their old stomping grounds at Hickory Motor Speedway on Saturday, May 8. Former Hickory track champions and current NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series drivers Andy Houston, Robert Huffman and Dennis Setzer will compete for bragging rights in a 10-lap Late Model shootout at the track where they cut their teeth. Marty Houston, a crew member on the #46 Chevrolet Silverado, part-time driver in the Series and Andy’s brother, also will race in the Craftsman Challenge: Hometown Bragging Rights Race presented by Goodyear. Fans will have the opportunity to get autographs from each driver from 6-7 p.m. Each driver has taken the checkered flag on multiple occasions at Hickory, and all four have been crowned the track champion: Setzer (1983 and 1993), Huffman (1988 and 1989), Andy Houston (1994) and Marty Houston (1997). But none may be more important than this 10-lap match race that will give one driver bragging rights in his hometown for the entire year. The shootout is scheduled to follow the Late Model feature and will begin at approximately 9 p.m. The drivers will be piloting Late Models borrowed from current Hickory competitors. Goodyear will provide tires for the race. Admission to Hickory Motor Speedway is $10 for adults, $6 for teens and seniors, $3 for seven-12 and free for six and under; or a family pass can be purchased for $25. Admission to the pits is also $25. Gates open at 5 p.m., and the autograph session will begin at 6 p.m. For more information, call 828-464-3655 or visit www.hickorymotorspeedway.com.(4-30-2004)
- Roush drivers testing:Since the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series does not race for two more weeks, Roush Racing’s Jon Wood and Carl Edwards are going to spend next week preparing for the upcoming races. Wood and Edwards will be testing at the Milwaukee Mile on Monday and Tuesday, and then Chicagoland Speedway on Wednesday and Thursday.(Roush Racing PR)(4-30-2004)
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