May 4, 2009
- The Entry List for the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway is posted, 46 teams/drivers [for 43 spots] are listed, including:
Not in top 35 of 2009 owners points:
#09-Sterling Marlin (2009 Race Winner as owner)(38/10)
#13-Max Papis (48/3)
#25-Brad Keselowski (2009 Race Winner as driver)(49/2)
#36-Scott Riggs (42/10)
#41-Jeremy Mayfield (43/10)
#64-Todd Bodine (46/9)
#66-Dave Blaney (44/10)
#71-David Gilliland (37/10)
#78-Regan Smith (40/5)
#82-Scott Speed (36/10)
#87-Joe Nemechek (39/10)
In the event qualifying is rained out or cancelled:
the eight who would make it [8]: #’s 09,25,82,71,87,36,41,66
missing the race would be [3]: #’s 64,37,13
See the full entry list at my Jayski’s Darlington Entry List.(5-4-2009) - Richmond overnight TV Ratings: NASCAR on Fox posted a 3.7/7 for primetime racing from Richmond, off -12% from last year’s 4.2/8. FOX’s 3.6/7 primetime average was just good enough to win the night, edging out second-place NBC’s 3.5/6, CBS’ 3.4/6, and ABC’s 2.5/5. For the season-to-date, NASCAR On FOX is averaging a 4.7/10, down -15% from last year’s 5.5/11. For season and race TV Ratings, see my 2009 TV Ratings page.(5-4-2009)
- Driver wins before age 25: Only 59 of 2,220 Sprint Cup races for which the winner’s age is known have been won by drivers under 25:
1. Jeff Gordon, 15
1. Kyle Busch, 15 [still under 25 until May 2, 2010]
3. Kurt Busch, 7
(tie) Richard Petty, 7
5. Junior Johnson, 5
Tied with one each: Bob Burdick. Bobby Hillin Jr.; Parnelli Jones; John Kieper; Terry Labonte, Ryan Newman, Bill Rexford; Fireball Roberts; Donald Thomas; Brian Vickers.(5-4-2009) - Sponsor asks fans what to get Labonte: Ask.com is asking fans for help in finding the perfect birthday present for Bobby Labonte, driver of the #96 Ask.com Ford, Labonte’s birthday is Friday, May 8 and Ask.com wants ideas about what to get him. Ask.com plans to choose one gift idea and present it to Labonte on behalf of that fan. For more information visit ask.com.(5-4-2009)
- Raines expects to replace Andretti in #34 during Indy 500 conflicts: Tony Raines said Saturday that he would be surprised if he is not in the #34 NASCAR Sprint Cup car for Front Row Motorsports next week at Darlington Raceway while John Andretti attempts to qualify for the Indianapolis 500. Team owner Bob Jenkins has said that Raines would likely fill that seat for the events at Darlington and Lowe’s Motor Speedway while Andretti is in Indianapolis. Raines competes for the team in the Nationwide Series and has run in select Cup races for the team this year.(Scene Daily)(5-4-2009)
- Busch wants 200 wins: With his Nationwide Series win at Richmond thrown into the tally, #18-Kyle Busch has 50 wins across NASCAR’s top three divisions including the Cup and Truck series. When he was reeling off victories at a record pace last season, Busch said that 200 in his career was his goal. But even he knows despite flying high now that might be a lofty expectation. “It could if I can keep this pace up,” he smiled. “But I know the older I get I’ll start slowing down some way. You know, hopefully I can achieve that goal. It would be sure nice to get that. I know it’s not 200 Cup victories like Richard Petty has. It will still be a phenomenal mark for me. I don’t know how long I’ll be in the Truck Series or Nationwide Series, but hopefully for as long as [owner] Joe [Gibbs] will let me in the Truck Series, and as long as there’s a Nationwide car at Joe Gibbs that we can run, I’ll be there running races and fulfilling some duties and deals there.”(CBS Sports)(5-4-2009)
- Did Not Finish Streak and stats: #33-Bowyer has been running at the finish in 83 consecutive races, the longest current streak and the new modern era record, next up is #78-Regan Smith at 46 [but has not run all the races]. The all-time record for the longest streak of NOT having an DNF is 84 races held by Herman Beam from April 30, 1961 thru March 10, 1963 [Beam didn’t run all the races, but didn’t DNF in 84 straight consecutive races that he ran]. Kevin Harvick held the modern era (1972-present) record at 81 [he also has the 3rd longest at 58], then Jeff Gordon at 56 and Dale Earnhardt at 53 [Indy in 1996 thru Martinsville in the spring of 1998.(5-4-2009)
- SMI willing to move one of its races to Kentucky: Speedway Motorsports Inc. officials say they have made an official request with NASCAR to add Kentucky to the 2010 Sprint Cup Series schedule. SMI is willing to give up a date at one of its seven other race tracks to get Kentucky on the schedule. SMI chairman Bruton Smith agreed to pay $78.3 million last year for the Sparta track. Kentucky’s former ownership group filed a 2005 antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR and International Speedway Corp. over Kentucky’s failure to land a Sprint Cup date. The suit was dismissed in early 2008, but the case is on appeal. NASCAR has said it will not consider Kentucky for a race until the suit is dropped. Smith says he has so far been unsuccessful in trying to persuade the group to drop the appeal.(Associated Press)(5-4-2009)
- Darlington lowers concession prices: In an effort to reduce costs for fans attending the 2009 Southern 500 presented by GoDaddy.com Darlington Raceway and Americrown, the track’s concessionaire, have reduced prices on some food and beverage items and added value meals to the menu. Highlights of the new menu include:
· Reduced price on regular all-beef hot dog to $3, a 25% savings
· Hot dog and fry combo meal for $5 – a $2 savings
· Cheeseburger and fry combo meal for $7 – a $2 savings
· Kids Value Meal with peanut butter and jelly sandwich, cookie, fruit roll-up and half pint of milk for $4
· Reduced price on Dasani bottled water to $3, a 25% savings
In addition to the reduced prices fans will also notice two new signature Darlington items on the menu, the Darlington Super Slaw Dog and the Carolina Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwich with Coleslaw. Priced at $5, the Darlington Super Slaw Dog is 1/3 pound, all beef hot dog served with coleslaw and other hot dog condiments. Also new for 2009 in the Carolina pulled pork BBQ sandwich with coleslaw served on a Kaiser roll with a choice of mustard style BBQ, vinegar style BBQ or Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ and is priced at $6.
Be a part of history when Darlington Raceway celebrates 60 years of racing in 2009. Tickets to the 2009 Southern 500 presented by GoDaddy.com, as well as the NASCAR Nationwide Series Diamond Hill Plywood 200 are on-sale now. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Darlington Raceway ticket office at 866-459-RACE or online at darlingtonraceway.com.(Darlington Raceway PR)(5-4-2009) - Racing Resources Says…
Kyle Busch won the Lipton Tea 250 at Richmond International Raceway. It was Busch’s 24th Nationwide Series victory in his 147th start. It was his 49th NASCAR victory. He ranks 14th in all-time NASCAR wins across all series.
Busch tied Tommy Houston and Matt Kenseth for fifth on NASCAR’s Nationwide all-time wins list. It was his third victory in 11 races at Richmond.
Busch posted his sixth straight top-10 finish, extending a streak that began at Bristol.
Joe Gibbs Racing posted its 32nd series victory overall and fourth Nationwide win in 2009. It was JGR’s second win at Richmond. Denny Hamlin won this race in 2008.
Toyota scored its second victory at Richmond. Chevy leads all manufacturers with 19 wins, followed by Ford with 14. A Dodge has never won a Nationwide race at Richmond.
Busch led four times for a race-leading 115 laps, including the final 22.
Busch leads the Nationwide standings by 82 points over Carl Edwards, who finished second.
Edwards scored his fourth second-place finish this season but has yet to win in 2009. His last NNS win came at Homestead in November 2008.
Brad Keselowski (fourth) posted his fifth consecutive top-10 finish, extending a streak that began at Texas.
Joey Logano (sixth) posted his fourth consecutive top-10 finish, extending a streak that began at Nashville.
Mark Martin finished seventh in his only scheduled appearance in the series in 2009.
Michael McDowell (eighth) was the highest-finishing rookie contender of the 10 participating in this race.
Jason Leffler (10th) has scored eight straight top-15 finishes, extending a streak that began at California.
The top 10 consisted of three Chevys, three Ford and four Toyotas. The highest-finishing Dodge was the No. 26 of Brian Keselowski (21st).(ESPN.com)(5-4-2009) - Nationwide Series Racing Under the Lights at Darlington: The NASCAR Nationwide Series makes its only appearance of the 2009 season at historic Darlington Raceway this weekend, and ESPN2 will have a live, high definition telecast from the 1.366-mile track on Friday night, May 8, at 7 p.m. ET, as the series races in prime time. ESPN2 is the home of the NASCAR Nationwide Series all season, with selected races on ESPN and ABC. The race re-airs Saturday, May 9, at 1 p.m. on ESPN Classic. Dr. Jerry Punch will be the lap-by-lap announcer for ESPN’s coverage from Darlington, joined in the booth for analysis by Rusty Wallace and Andy Petree. Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Mike Massaro and Shannon Spake will report from the pits, while Tim Brewer will be in the ESPN Craftsman Tech Garage. Allen Bestwick will host the pre-race NASCAR Countdown program with analysis by Wallace and Brad Daugherty in the ESPN pit studio.(ESPN PR)(5-4-2009)
- 250 starts for Shepherd: Ageless NASCAR racing veteran #89-Morgan Shepherd will attempt to make his 250th start in the Nationwide Series this weekend in the Diamond Hill Plywood 200 at Darlington Raceway. Shepherd, who has a combined 811 starts in NASCAR’s three upper race divisions, has recorded 15 wins in the Nationwide Series, as well as 44 Top 5 finishes and 67 Top 10 runs.(Faith Motorsports PR)(5-4-2009)
- “Helping Others” campaign for Smith-Ganassi Racing with Evander Holyfield: IMAGE 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)
UDPATE: see an image of the car on the #42 Paint schemes page.(5-4-2009) - Crawford takes a ride with the Blue Angels: Rick Crawford, #14 International Truck and Engine Ford, ulfilled a life-long dream – and his need for speed – when he participated in an incentive ride with the Blue Angels at Florida’s Pensacola Naval Air Station on April 28. Flown by Lt. Ben Walborn in Blue Angel #7, Crawford experienced as much as 7.3 g’s and speeds as fast as 750 mph. “All of the adjectives you use for excitement don’t measure up to it,” said Crawford.(NASCAR PR)(5-4-2009)
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