May 3, 2009
- Phoenix Racing plans car for Keselowski in all-star race: Phoenix Racing plans to field a car for Brad Keselowski in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race in two weeks, crew chief Marc Reno said Saturday at Richmond International Raceway. Keselowski became eligible for the main event when he won the Aaron’s 499 last week at Talladega Superspeedway. Although he won in a Phoenix Racing car, Keselowski indicated Friday that he wasn’t sure who would enter a car for him in the all-star event. But Hendrick Motorsports Vice President Doug Duchardt said Saturday that Hendrick would not field a fifth car in the event for Keselowski. NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp said that the team could have a fifth car since it was a non-points event and it would not count against Keselowski’s seven races for the team as a development driver. Phoenix Racing had hoped to buy a car from Hendrick Motorsports for the race, but the re-certification process would take too long, Reno said. Instead, Phoenix will use the car that it had planned to use for Keselowski at Richmond. Keselowski’s Nationwide team wanted him to concentrate on that series because it was a one-day show Friday, so Mike Bliss competed in the Cup event Saturday.(Scene Daily)(5-3-2009)
- Race and Commercial Breakdown of the Crown Royal presents the Russ Friedman 400:
Total race brdcst time 170 Total comm. brdcst time 53
Total number of commercials: 116
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 63
Total amount of time these brief promos take during broadcast: app. 6 min. 35 sec.
Total minutes: 223
Minutes of race broadcast: 170
Minutes of commercials: 53
Number of missed restarts: 1 and 3 close calls
Number of mystery cautions (debris not shown): 0
Total Digger sightings: 26
Animated Digger shots: 9
Still Digger shots: 12
Text ‘Digger’ to 7555 mentions: 1
Text ‘Marbles’ to 7555 mentions: 1
Get Digger theme at itunes.com mentions: 2
Digger.Ask.com mentions – 1
See more and selected driver focus and link to full report on my 2009 TV Commercials page.(5-3-2009) - Chrysler (Dodge) to file for bankruptcy UPDATE 3: Chrysler will file for bankruptcy after talks with a small group of creditors crumbled just a day before a government deadline for the automaker to come up with a restructuring plan, two administration officials said Thursday. The Obama administration had long hoped to stave off bankruptcy for Chrysler LLC, but it became clear that a holdout group wouldn’t budge on proposals to reduce Chrysler’s $6.9 billion in secured debt, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the filing plans are not public. Clearing those debts was a needed step for Chrysler restructure by the Thursday night deadline. Bankruptcy doesn’t mean the nation’s third largest automaker will shut down. And the privately-held Chrysler is expected to sign a partnership agreement with the Italian company Fiat as early as Thursday as part of its restructuring plan. A Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing would allow a judge to decide how much the company’s creditors would get.(ABC News), NO word how or if this will effect Dodge’s involvement in NASCAR.(4-30-2009)
UPDATE: Chrysler remains committed to the Sprint Cup series despite Thursday’s announcement it will file for bankruptcy protection and form a partnership with Italian automaker Fiat SpA. “The partnership not only will transform Chrysler into a new, stronger car company with many strategic advantages, it will enable the company to better serve our customers with a broader and more comprehensive lineup of vehicles,” said Mike Accavitti, Chrysler’s director of brand marketing and strategy for Dodge Motorsports. “NASCAR is a strategic part of our marketing plan and the Dodge brand. We plan to continue our Dodge sponsorship and relationship into the foreseeable future.” The bankruptcy filing was the first step in wiping Chrysler’s balance sheet clean and beginning the automaker’s rebuilding process. The White House forced the move after talks between the company’s creditors and the Treasury Department failed to reach an agreement.(ESPN)(4-30-2009)
UPDATE 2: At first blush, it doesn’t look like Chrysler’s filing for bankruptcy protection on Thursday will have any immediate effect on the seven Sprint Cup teams backed by Dodge. Chrysler was quick to issue a statement on Thursday reaffirming their commitment to NASCAR. But how long, exactly, is the foreseeable future? Several people I [Lars Anderson] talked to involved with NASCAR on Friday morning, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, strongly believed that Chrysler would pull its NASCAR funding in 2010. (The company already slashed its motor sports budget by 30 percent this year.) Then the question would become this: What would happen to the seven teams that Dodge supports? That is the great unknown.(Sports Illustrated)(5-2-2009)
UPDATE 3: Roger Penske denied on Saturday a report that Chrysler will pull its support from NASCAR after this season. The Sports Illustrated report came on Friday after Chrysler announced it would file for bankruptcy protection and form a partnership with Italian automaker Fiat SpA. “Chrysler guys contacted us and said they were going to continue to support NASCAR,” said Penske, the owner of Penske Racing and several Chrysler dealerships. “Hopefully, they can do that based on what the government allows them to do. We’re cautiously optimistic right now.’” Penske is a close friend of Chrysler chairman Robert Nardelli, who reportedly will step down after the bankruptcy process is complete. Although the manufacturer has cut some financial support, he has been given no indication that it will pull out of the sport.(ESPN.com)(5-3-2009) - Army Official says sponsorships worth money: The U.S. Army will pay Stewart-Haas Racing $11.6 million to sponsor Ryan Newman’s #39 car for 23 races this season, and the Army official who oversees it says the money is worth it. Army and National Guard (#88-Dale Earnhardt Jr.) were the only branches of the military that served as primary sponsors for cars in Saturday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Richmond International Raceway. Lt. Gen. Benjamim Freakley said the Army looks at different ways to determine if the sponsorship is worthwhile but admits it comes down to one thing. “At the end of the day, for the Army, it’s does someone join the Army or not,” Freakley said. He said 41 people agreed Saturday at the Army’s booth at the track to be interviewed by an Army recruiter. “That’s powerful,” Freakley said. Army sponsorship is a year-to-year agreement. Because Congress controls the money that goes to the military, the budget can fluctuate from year to year. That, Freakley says, makes it challenging to do multi-year deals. He said he won’t know his budget until this summer. He said he and his group have started to assess the sponsorship and what they want to do for 2010 but no decisions have been made. (Hampton Roads)(5-3-2009)
- John Andretti goes skydiving: Despite having competed in NASCAR, IndyCar and NHRA, John Andretti experienced a new type of speed this week. The driver of the #34 Window World Chevy performed a tandem skydive with the elite Golden Knights Parachute Team. For Andretti, it was a thrilling way to kickoff a month that promises even more excitement. Andretti and Window World CEO Todd Whitworth were invited to be guests of the U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team. Each individual was paired with an instructor and experienced the thrill of skydiving from 13,500 feet. Andretti still has more to look forward to. After competing in this weekend’s Crown Royal 400, Andretti turns his focus to open-wheel racing. Andretti will drive the #43 Window World/Richard Petty Motorsports/Dreyer and Reinbold Racing Honda-Dallara in the Indy 500.(Breaking Limits PR)(5-3-2009)
- Kahne, Keselowksi, and Flair selling tickets Monday at Lowe’s: Race weeks at Lowe’s Motor Speedway are only days away and to help drop the green flag on the exciting month of motorsports at the home of stock car racing, Kasey Kahne, Brad Keselowski, and 16-time World Heavyweight Champion, the “Nature Boy” Ric Flair, will sell tickets at the speedway ticket office Monday beginning at 5 p.m. Fans that come to the ticket office Monday and purchase tickets for the 25th NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race or the 50th running of the Coca-Cola 600 will receive the popular “All-Star Slugfest” poster that features several drivers’ heads on wrestlers’ bodies and meet the drivers and the “Nature Boy.” Flair will staff the ticket office from 5-7 p.m., while Kahne will be there from 5-6 p.m. and Keselowski from 6-7 p.m. At 7 p.m. PRN’s “Fast Talk,” the popular nationally syndicated radio program, will broadcast live from the front of the ticket office with host Doug Rice and special co-host, the most recent qualifier for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, Keselowski. Fans are invited to attend the live broadcast and participate in the program which will include a special guest appearance by pro-wrestling legend, Flair, and phone-in interviews from NASCAR’s top stars. Ticket packages for both events are available through the Lowe’s Motor Speedway ticket office by calling 1-800-455-FANS or online at www.lowesmotorspeedway.com.(LMS PR)(5-3-2009)
- “Helping Others” campaign for Smith-Ganassi Racing with Evander Holyfield: Smith-Ganassi Racing with Evander Holyfield announced today they will be sporting a very colorful tie-dye paint scheme to raise awareness of Bluegrass musician Barney Barnwell’s plight at Darlington Raceway during the NASCAR Nationwide Series race on Friday, May 8. Barnwell is well-known Bluegrass musician and singer with the Plum Hollow Band, who has fallen on hard times after being diagnosed with throat cancer. “The current conditions for soliciting marketing partners for the race team is certainly difficult,” said Eddie Smith, team owner. “Given the current economic conditions, we made the decision to try to get the word out about others who need assistance while we continue to work toward securing marketing partners for the race team”. Barney and his wife, Debby, will be at the race in Darlington with team principal and four-time heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield and West Coast “Custom Car Builder” Bo Huff.(Smith-Ganassi Racing PR)(5-3-2009)
- Buescher to make 2nd ARCA start at Kentucky: NCWTS Rookie James Buescher is entered as driver of the #32 Wolf Pack Rentals Toyota for Win-Tron Racing in the Drive Smart Buckle-Up Kentucky 150 at Kentucky Speedway on Saturday, May 9, 2009. This is the second ARCA series start for Buescher in 2009. He won the ARCA season opener at Daytona and is scheduled to run a total of five races this season with this this team.(ARCARacing.com)(5-3-2009)
Main Page | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997