May 3, 2011
- Crew changes for Truex: #56-Martin Truex Jr. will have new tire carriers and tire changers this weekend at Darlington. Steve Hallam, MWR’s Executive Vice President said: “We’ve seen significant improvement in the overall performance of the #56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota in 2011. With our impressive speed comes the added pressure of the entire team to perform. As we know, the #56 has experienced several challenges on pit road and we feel the need to intervene. Pit crews are professional sportsmen and as such, they understand that sometimes changes need to be made. The team will have new tire carriers and changers beginning at Darlington this weekend. Two of those four athletes we’ve added come from our Nationwide program and the other two from our back-up squad. Our organization is fortunate to have the flexibility and depth of experienced crew members to make adjustments from time to time that benefit everyone involved.” The new crew members are Front Tire Changer: Eric Maycroft, Front Tire Carrier: Ricky Coleman, Rear Tire Changer: Daniel Rankin, Rear Tire Carrier: Jake Brzozowski.(MWR)(5-3-2011)
- NASCAR Chairman Brian France Visits ESPN: Brian France, chairman and chief executive officer of NASCAR, visited ESPN on Monday and appeared on NASCAR Now, ESPN2’s daily NASCAR news and information program, and on SportsCenter.
On SportsCenter, France told anchor Kevin Negandhi that the sport has momentum. “We started off with a really neat champion in the Daytona 500, Trevor Bayne, a young kid with an old team, so we had some neat storylines. Some of the drivers that had been struggling, like Jeff Gordon, have already won and they’ve put notice that they’re going to contend for the championship. Jimmie Johnson could do something historic and get to six, and then Dale Earnhardt Jr. is running well, he’s well within our playoff structure to make it, and he’s competing at a high level, so we see a lot of neat things going on right now.”
Some more quotes from France’s appearance on SportsCenter:
What does it mean to the sport of NASCAR when Dale Earnhardt Jr. is succeeding?
“He’s the biggest franchise in NASCAR. It would be great if he continues to figure out the chemistry of the team. He’s done that, and I think his confidence is finally back to where it was a few years ago. He went through a pretty good slump, so it’s nice to see him competing at a high level.”
Why do you think Jimmie Johnson doesn’t get enough credit?
“I don’t think that’s something he runs around trying to promote and figure out. I think he just puts his game face on and wins when he needs to win. He’s a great guy, he’s represented us well, and we’ll see what he does on (championship) No. 6.”
What’s your favorite thing when you go out to the track?
“The size of it, the huge crowds that file in, the energy level when the green flag comes out. It’s just a different feeling than perhaps any other sport.”
France later joined part of the one-hour Monday roundtable edition of NASCAR Now to discuss the sport with ESPN NASCAR analyst Ricky Craven, ESPN.com senior writer Ed Hinton, NASCAR Now lead reporter Marty Smith and host Allen Bestwick.(ESPN)(5-3-2011) - Need more SAFER at Richmond? #24-Jeff Gordon was involved in a multi-car accident on lap 302 at Richmond Saturday night and slammed into the inside wall, which had no SAFER barrier protecting the drivers, sone of Gordon’s comments after the race:
Q) WHAT HAPPENED OUT THERE:
Gordon: “It knocked the wind out of me. I just saw the corner through my mirror, a car come into my left rear, and around I went in a hurry. I was hoping that I spun quick enough that I wasn’t going to spin to the inside wall. And then I hit really, really hard. I’m just so proud of these guys on the DuPont Chevrolet. We had an awesome race car tonight. I don’t know if we had a car capable of winning, but we were certainly going to give it a heck of a try and we certainly had a top-five car pretty easy. So, I hate it with the pit sequence and the pit strategy that was going on there that we lost all that track position. With 100 (laps) to go and everyone was just getting so impatient; you had to dive in there three-wide. I don’t know what happened behind me but somebody shot up and got my left rear and around we went. I must have hit the corner of that inside wall. Again, I wish they had a Safer barrier there. I seem to be able to find the ones without the Safer barrier. But what a shame, man. That DuPont Chevrolet was so strong tonight. I’m so proud of Alan (Gustafson) and these guys. I hate that we lost that track position there, you know, with all the pit sequences and pit strategies that were going on there. You know, with 100 to go, everybody is losing their patience, including me. We were all three-wide. I don’t know what happened. I just know that somebody got into my left rear and around I went.”
Q) YOU ALWAYS SEEM TO FIND THE SPOT WHERE THERE IS NO SAFER BARRIER:
Gordon: “I know. I don’t know what it is. I’m not trying to teach anybody anything. I really am not. I think it is pretty well known we need safer barriers everywhere. You think it is a short track and everything but man, I hit a ton and hit right on the corner where you don’t want to hit. It definitely got my attention. That is for sure. It rang my bell
AND Richmond International Raceway President Doug Fritz Statement on SAFER Barriers at America’s Premier Short Track. “The safety of all who attend our events, including the drivers, is of the upmost importance at Richmond International Raceway. We along with NASCAR and the developer of the Safer Barrier at the University of Nebraska, review the performance of the barrier and its locations and have made improvements from time to time based on recommendations from the University of Nebraska, and will continue to look at being able to improve upon it.”(RIR)(5-3-2011) - Fueling Dreams Tour Set For 2011: program aim to provide career opportunities for Nation’s youth: NASCAR announced today the 2011 Fueling Dreams Tour, a creative and multifaceted program whose aim is to identify talented drivers and provide them with the tools and opportunities to fulfill their dreams of becoming race car drivers. Additionally, Fueling Dreams introduces a cross-section of young fans to NASCAR through resources, tools, experiential engagement and career opportunities within motorsports to help develop the next generation of motorsports executives. Over the course of 10 months, the Fueling Dreams Tour will blanket the nation, touching youth and families through racing simulators, show cars, contests, giveaways and online racing. High school students can enjoy the NASCAR Fan Experience High School Outreach program brought to their schools exclusively (NASCAR). For more info, see Jayski’s Driver Development page.(5-3-2011)
- 2011 National Speedway Directory comes out in May: The source for race tracks hits the shelves in mid-May. The 2011 National Speedway Directory will list a total of 1,374 auto racing facilities. This directory is the most comprehensive and accurate listing of active tracks in the United States and Canada. Inside this handy 592-page paper-back book is detailed information on 1,000 oval tracks, 331 dragstrips and 108 road courses, including phone numbers, addresses, exact directions, nights of operation and type of racing. National Speedway Directory is the trusted information source for the motorsports industry. It prints listings of oval tracks, dragstrips, road courses, sanctions, publications, museums and race schedules. National Speedway Directory has been published annually since 1975. Track Guide is the new iPhone app, which puts race track information and directions right in the palm of your hand. Users can locate their favorite tracks, anywhere, anytime.(more info at the National Speedway Directory site)(5-3-2011)
- Darlington Racway rededicates infield media center in honor of Jim Hunter: Darlington Raceway officials have rededicated the facility’s media center in honor of former track President and NASCAR Vice President of Corporate Communication, Jim Hunter. As part of the rededication, a plaque featuring a photo of the late Jim Hunter will be installed near the building’s main entrance. “Darlington Raceway meant so much to Jim, he looked forward to coming back to his home track each spring,” said Ann Hunter, wife of the late Jim Hunter. “I am happy that his memory will continue to live on for years to come at the track that was so special to him.” The Jim Hunter Media Center was built in 1997 and has served as the hub of media coverage of Darlington’s race weekends ever since. Tickets for this weeks races can be purchased by calling the Darlington Raceway ticket office at 866-459-RACE or online at darlingtonraceway.com/tickets/.(Darlington Raceway)(5-3-2011)
- CMS Providing 1,000 Tickets For U.S. Navy SEALs and Their Families: In the wake of Sunday’s news of the U.S. Navy SEALs successful mission in bringing Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden to justice, Charlotte Motor Speedway officials are pleased to announce that 1,000 tickets will be provided by fans and sponsors to send active SEALs and their families to the Coca-Cola 600 on May 29. Started by Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2010, the Let the Troops Race program allows fans and sponsors to purchase $20 tickets to send active military members and their families to the Coca-Cola 600. A Memorial Day Weekend tradition, the Coca-Cola 600 annually honors U.S. military members and features the largest military pre-race show in the world. More than 600 troops from Fort Bragg, N.C., will assist in the large-scale military demonstration on the frontstretch and three Medal of Honor recipients will be recognized on stage prior to driver introductions. But, that’s just the tip of the iceberg, as full details of the Let Freedom Race prerace show will be released in the near future.
Fans can participate in the Let the Troops Race program and send a military member and their family to the Coca-Cola 600 for only $20 by calling the Speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS or online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com.(CMS)(5-3-2011) - Richmond TV Ratings: SPEED coverage of the NASCAR Nationwide Series from Richmond scored a final Nielsen Household Rating of 1.08 (848,000 households), up 6 percent from last year’s 1.02. Race coverage ratings peaked at 1.37 (1,080,000 households) and led SPEED to its strongest Friday night prime time performance since February.(SPEED)(5-3-2011)
- Long testing at Mobile during off-week: Johanna Long’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team is scheduled to test at Mobile International Speedway on Wednesday May 4th. Long’s #20 Panhandle Grading & Paving Toyota team will be testing from 10:00 am – 4:00pm. “We hope this is the beginning of more NASCAR teams utilizing Mobile International Speedway as a test facility. Our track surface is very smooth saving money on tires and the banking simulates a number of NASCAR tracks around the country,” said Rick Crawford Manager/Promoter of Mobile International Speedway. Grandstands will be open to the public free of charge.(Mobile International Spedway PR)(5-3-2011)
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