The Entry List for the Aaron’s 499 Sprint Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway is posted, 44 teams/drivers [for 43 spots] are listed, including: Not in top 35 of owners points:
#21-Trevor Bayne (40/3)(2011 Race Winner)
#23-Robert Richardson (45/9)
#26-Josh Wise (39/9)
#30-David Stremme (37/9)
#33-Tony Raines (36/9)
#49-J.J. Yeley (38/9)
#87-Joe Nemechek (42/9)
#97-Bill Elliott (52/1) (Past champion)
#98-Michael McDowell (41/9) In the event that qualifying is cancelled:
the eight who would make it [8]: #’s 21,97,33,30,49,26,98,87
missing the race would be [1]: #23
See the full entry list at my Jayski’s Talladega Entry List.(4-30-2012)
Mayfield giving up on lawsuit against NASCAR: Jeremy Mayfield said Monday he likely will not pursue any additional appeals in his lawsuit against NASCAR over a May 2009 drug test the sanctioning body said was positive for methamphetamines. Mayfield has until June 25 to file an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, but he said Monday he likely will move on from the case that has lasted nearly three years. The lawsuit started less than a month after the May 1 drug test, which Mayfield claims was a false positive for the prescription medication Adderall and the over-the-counter allergy medication Claritin D. A U.S. District Court judge ruled in favor of NASCAR in January 2010 before the case ever went to trial. The U.S. Court of Appeals upheld that ruling in March. “We’re probably going to move on,” Mayfield said. “They won on a technicality, a paper I had to sign to participate.” Mayfield was speaking after a court appearance in North Carolina Superior Court in Caldwell County. He faces four felony larceny charges stemming from a Feb. 27 indictment that states he was in possession of stolen goods. The case was continued until Sept. 10. Mayfield would not blame NASCAR for what was scheduled to happen later Monday-as a result of foreclosure, his property in Catawba County is scheduled for auction Monday afternoon. He said he plans to move once the sale is finalized.(Sporting News)(4-30-2012)
Energy Transfer Partners to merge with Sunoco: Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. and Sunoco, Inc. announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement whereby ETP will acquire Sunoco in a unit and cash transaction valued at $50.13 per share, or a total consideration of approximately $5.3 billion, based on ETP’s closing price on April 27, 2012. This combination will create one of the largest and most diversified energy partnerships in the country by expanding ETP’s geographic footprint and strengthening its presence in the transportation, terminalling and logistics of crude oil, NGLs and refined products. By acquiring Sunoco, ETP will also own Sunoco’s general partner interest and the incentive distribution rights (IDRs) in Sunoco Logistics Partners, as well as Sunoco’s 32.4 percent interest in Sunoco Logistics Partners’ limited partner units and Sunoco’s branded retail business, which generates additional stable cash flows from a portfolio of approximately 4,900 retail locations in the U.S. Sunoco’s logistics and retail businesses will continue to maintain headquarters in the Philadelphia area consistent with their current operating presence. In addition, under the merger agreement, Sunoco will continue its plans for exiting its refining business as previously announced, as well as continue its plans for the proposed refinery joint venture being discussed by Sunoco and The Carlyle Group. The transaction has been approved by each company’s board of directors and is expected to close in the third or fourth quarter of 2012, subject to approval of Sunoco shareholders and customary regulatory approvals.(in part from a pdf PR at sunocoinc.com), no word on how or if this will affect the sponsorship of NASCAR and use of Sunoco Racing Fuel in NASCAR.(4-30-2012)
Mike Ford replaces Irwin as Almirola’s crew chief: Richard Petty Motorsports asserted its commitment to winning with the hiring of Chase-proven Mike Ford as crew chief for the #43 team and driver Aric Almirola. The veteran crew chief joins the team after leading Denny Hamlin’s #11 team to six straight post-season appearances in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Ford will join the team immediately and will be atop the pit box in Talladega. The 42-year-old Morristown, Tenn., native spent the past six seasons with Joe Gibbs Racing as Hamlin’s crew chief. In that span, he led his team to 17 wins, 66 top-five finishes and 108 top-10 finishes and never missed a Chase appearance. The 12-year Sprint Cup veteran also previously held crew chief roles for Dale Jarrett at Robert Yates Racing and Bill Elliott at Evernham Motorsports. Ford replaces Greg Erwin, who joined the team in mid-2011.(Richard Petty Motorsports)(4-30-2012)
Some post-Richmond stats:
• #18-Kyle Busch’s victory snapped a 21-race drought that dated back to Michigan last August. The win was his fourth Cup victory at Richmond, all of them scored consecutively in the Cup Series’ last four visits to Henrico County in the spring.
• For those keeping count, Stewart-Haas Racing has three victories, two with #14-Stewart and one with #39-Ryan Newman. Joe Gibbs Racing now has three victories, two with #11-Denny Hamlin and one with Kyle Busch. Roush Fenway Racing has two wins, one with #17-Matt Kenseth and one with #16-Biffle. Penske Racing has one win with #2-Brad Keselowski. That’s your totals, overall in just nine events. Richard Childress Racing and Hendrick Motorsports are still posting goose eggs in the win column in 2012.
• Kyle Busch’s win Saturday was the 24th Cup victory of his career, moving him into a tie with brother Kurt in that category.
• The top-10 finishers at Richmond piloted four Chevys, four Toyotas, a Ford and a Dodge.
• #88-Earnhardt and #48-Johnson now lead all drivers with seven top-10 finishes in this season’s nine races. Kenseth and Biffle lead the pack with five top-5 results in those nine events.
• Earnhardt’s fourth top-5 finish of the season matches his total number of top 5s scored in all of 2011. The last time he managed more such results in a year was in 2008.
• #14-Stewart led a lap (118 of them, actually) for the first time since Fontana.
• #5-Kasey Kahne’s fifth-place finish was his best of the season.
• #99-Edwards now has five consecutive finishes of 11th or better.
• #42-Juan Pablo Montoya has finished 12th for the second straight week. In both instances, his team used a carefully orchestrated strategy of not having JPM run into a jet dryer.
• #16-Biffle’s 18th-place result was his worst of the season.
• #29-Harvick’s 19th-place run matches his worst of the season. He also finished 19th at Martinsville.
• #15-Clint Bowyer’s seventh-place finish was his best since Bristol.
(Frontstretch)(4-30-2012)
NASCAR Unites Track Walk and Sunoco Free Fuel 5k Run at Dover June 2: Dover International Speedway will host The NASCAR Unites Track Walk and Sunoco Free Fuel 5k Run, benefiting Autism Speaks and The NASCAR Foundation, on June 2, 2012, after the “5-hour ENERGY 200” NASCAR Nationwide Series race. Participants will have the unique opportunity to walk or run around the concrete oval at Dover International Speedway, all while raising money for The NASCAR Foundation and Autism Speaks. Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Toyota, will be on hand to meet with fans, and other NASCAR celebrities will be announced as they are confirmed. Fans of all ages can register either online at NASCAR.COM/Unites, or at the track on race weekend by visiting The NASCAR Foundation display in the FanZone, located just outside Turn 4 of the track. Registration costs just $11 for the walk, as well as for the 5K run. All participants, including online registrants, must stop by the registration booth at The NASCAR Foundation display on race weekend to sign waivers and pick up their free event t-shirts.(Dover PR)(4-30-2012)
News from April 29, 2012
Edwards questions penalty on late race restart: That #18-Kyle Busch won his fourth consecutive spring race at the .75-mile oval was overshadowed by the fact that #99-Carl Edwards and #14-Tony Stewart both thought a possible win was ripped from their clutches. Edwards felt he was incorrectly penalized for jumping a restart with 82 laps to go. A black flag forced him to pass through the pits at 40 mph, dropping him from second to 15th. “I don’t think it’s right. I don’t agree with it,” said Edwards, who wound up 10th. Stewart, meanwhile, thought a debris caution that ultimately cost him the lead on the race’s final restart with nine to go wasn’t necessary. “When the caution is for a plastic bottle on the backstretch, it’s hard to feel good losing that one,” said Stewart, who settled for third. For Edwards, the flap was anything but welcome. He was told by his crew that his #99 Ford was the leader – something the RIR infield scoring tower (and Fox TV’s scrawl) validated in real-time – and said he reacted as such on the restart, even though he was starting on the unpreferred outside lane with Stewart on the inside. “They told my spotter Jason (Hedlesky) three times, ‘The 99’s the leader.’ At that point, I’m thinking it’s my job to start this race,” said Edwards, who at the time thought NASCAR had made a mistake in not letting him pick the inside lane as the leader. “I think NASCAR then saw the restart, they didn’t like what they saw for some reason, and they black-flagged us. Which I don’t think they should’ve done.” The Roush Fenway Racing driver, crew chief Bob Osborne and Hedlesky were summoned to NASCAR’s hauler after the race, and they emerged disappointed. What was said? “I’d rather not say,” Edwards said. NASCAR vice president of competition Robin Pemberton was steadfast about two things: Stewart’s #14 Chevy was the leader, and Edwards jumped the restart. “All of the above,” he reiterated. Pemberton said the automated scoring system probably tallied Edwards as the leader under caution, even though he said NASCAR made teams aware that the starting order wa Stewart then Edwards. Even if Edwards was leading, Pemberton said he would have been black-flagged for starting before reaching the designated restart zone, which was Edwards’ main point of contention.(USA Today)(4-29-2012)
Vickers to drive for AF Waltrip in SPA & Le Mans: AF Waltrip Racing announced its driver line up for the 80th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans on June 16 as well as the six-hour FIA World Endurance Championship race at Spa Francorchamps in Belgium on May 5. Michael Waltrip Racing owner Rob Kauffman and NASCAR driver Brian Vickers will join Rui Aguas behind the wheel of the Ferrari 458 Italia competing in the LMGTE Am class at both events. The AF Waltrip entry is a joint effort by the Italian AF Corse team and NASCAR’s Michael Waltrip Racing. Vickers replaces two-time Daytona 500 Champion Michael Waltrip whose television and NASCAR duties will keep him out of the driver lineup at both races. Vickers, who’ll drive the #55 Aaron’s Dream Machine in eight NASCAR Sprint Cup races in 2012, said he relishes the opportunity to compete in major sports car races. The Ferrari 458 will carry the logos of RK Motors Charlotte in both races. RK is the country’s leading retailer of investment-grade classic and collector cars, selling hundreds of vehicles each year.(MWR)(4-29-2012)
Michigan fans can catch practice session for free: The speeds at Michigan International Speedway are fast, and now race fans can witness them first-hand during a special test session added to the June schedule. NASCAR and ARCA have added a daylong practice session at Michigan International Speedway on Thursday, June 14. The Turn 3 grandstand will be open free of charge that day for guests to watch the NASCAR Sprint Cup and ARCA Racing Series drivers practice on the newly paved, ultra-fast racetrack. Gate 33 will be open for guests from 1 to 5 p.m., perfect for campers on site that weekend. Parking for guests not already at the track will be in Lot 14 at MIS Camping.com Graves Family Campground, across US 12. A courtesy tram will bring fans to and from the Turn 3 stand.(Michigan Speedway)(4-29-2012)
News from April 28, 2012
Kyle Busch wins at Richmond:#18-Kyle Busch won the Capital City 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway for his 1st win of the year, 4th at Richmond and his 24th career win.
#88-Dale Earnhardt, Jr. finished 2nd followed by #14-Stewart, #11-Hamlin, #5-Kahne, #48-Johnson, #15-Bowyer, #55-Mark Martin (the polesitter), #2-Keselowski, and #99-Edwards.
#99-Edwards domanated much of the race, leading 211 laps, but was black flagged late by NASCAR for jumping a restart.
There were 5 cautions for 31 yellow flag laps. There were 14 lead changes among 7 drivers.
The estimated attendence was 88,000, down from 90,000 in the Spring 2011 race.
See race results, awards, money won, laps led, cautions and more on the Richmond Race Results page (pdf). (4-28-2012)
Top-35 in Owner Points and guaranteed a starting spot at Talladega:
#10 drops to 35th, #33 is still 36th and out, and drops further back in points, now 21 points out. Rank) Car#-Driver/Team, owners pts, +/-
29) #93-Kvapil/BK Racing, 137, +38
30) #34-Ragan/Front Row, 135, +36
31) #38-Gilliland/Front Row, 134, +35
32) #32-Sorenson/FAS Lane Racing, 130, +31
33) #36-Blaney/Baldwin, 126, +27
34) #83-Cassill/BK Racing, 125, +26
35) #10-Reutimann-Patrick/Baldwin, 120, 21 ahead of 36th these teams / drivers will need to qualify by speed:
36) #33-Leicht/Childress, 99, -21 from the top 35
37) #30-Stremme/Inception, 76, -44
37) #49-Yeley/Robinson. 73, -47
The teams are NOT locked in past the next race as the owners points change after each race.
For the owner points standings, see the Owners Points Standings page (pdf).(4-28-2012)
Race Fast Facts – Richmond International Raceway:
Kyle Busch won the 58th Annual Capital City 400 Presented By Virginia Is For Lovers, his 24th victory in 266 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
This is his first victory and fourth top-10 finish in 2012.
This is his fourth victory and 13th top-10 finish in 15 races at Richmond International Raceway.
Kyle Busch has now won four consecutive Spring races at Richmond International Raceway breaking a tie with Richard Petty (1971-1973).
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (second) posted his 11th top-10 finish in 26 races at Richmond International Raceway. It is his seventh top-10 finish in 2012.
Tony Stewart (third) posted his 18th top-10 finish in 27 races at Richmond International Raceway.
Greg Biffle leads the point standings by 5 points over Dale Earnhardt Jr. (NASCAR Statistics)(4-28-2012)Bayne to stand by for Ambrose: Trevor Bayne will be standing by for #9-Marcos Ambrose for Saturday night’s Capital City 400 at Richmond International Raceway. Team sources confirmed that Ambrose was suffering from back issues. While it’s the driver’s intention to run the entire race, Bayne will be on the sidelines as a precaution. (Fox Sports.(4-28-2012)
Drivers with most points, last 10 races: #56-Martin Truex Jr. is the hottest driver in NASCAR. The Michael Waltrip Racing driver has scored more points than any driver in the last 10 races and Sunday he led 173 laps at Kansas before finishing 0.7 seconds behind race winner #11-Denny Hamlin. Truex is second in the points standings, just 15 markers behind leader #16-Greg Biffle. The Sprint Cup Series visits Richmond International Raceway Saturday night, where Truex led 12 laps last year and expects to be one of the favorites on the .75-mile, D-shaped oval. Points in Last 10 Races
1. Truex 363
2. Hamlin 356
3. Stewart 355
4. Biffle 353
5. Harvick 349
(MWR)(4-28-2012)
Drivers comment on Bristol changes: Bruton Smith’s decision not to seek driver input on how to fix Bristol Motor Speedway didn’t sit well with several competitors in the Sprint Cup Series. And not all drivers are convinced the decision by the Speedway Motorsports Inc., chairman to grind the top groove will return racing at the half-mile track in Tennessee to the bumping and grinding it was known for before the 2007 reconfiguration. “I think they’re wasting their time,” points leader #16-Greg Biffle said on Friday at Richmond International Raceway. #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. agreed. “I believe the racing will be the same,” he said. “I know they probably didn’t have a lot of time between now and (the August) race to do everything they wanted to do. Just grinding will take away a little groove, but once we lay a little rubber down it’ll be just like it was, which I think is fine.” Kevin Harvick definitely took issue with Smith’s comment during Wednesday’s news conference that “I do not consult race drivers when I am building a speedway.” “They were all gung ho on wanting to meet at Texas,” Harvick said. “The next thing you knew, nobody showed up, nobody called, nobody wanted to talk anymore. I guess maybe they were embarrassed that they just wound up grinding it.” Harvick said he was told by Don Hawk, SMI’s vice president of business affairs, that Smith wanted to discuss changes at Bristol with him at Texas. Hawk acknowledged that Smith wanted to meet with Harvick and his team owner, Richard Childress, and the meeting didn’t happen. Hawk said he apologized to Harvick and Childress via text. He added that several other drivers were contacted via text for input on the project, and that some responded and some didn’t. He said Smith talked to Brad Keselowski by phone.(ESPN)(4-28-2012)
Faith and Freedom Coalition joins FAS Lane Racing: FAS Lane Racing announced that The Faith and Freedom Coalition (FFC) will sponsor the team’s #32 Ford driven by Reed Sorenson in the Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway. FFC is believed to be the first pro-family organization to sponsor a car in a NASCAR race. The Faith and Freedom name and logo will appear prominently on the FAS Lane Racing entry along with texting information and the message: “Register to Vote”. FFC volunteers will make voter registration forms and voter guides available to the crowd of 150,000, while 6 million NASCAR fans watching at home will be asked to text FFC to receive updates on how they can become involved in registering and turning out conservative and evangelical voters. The Richmond blitz is part of a nationwide “Champion the Vote” campaign by the Faith and Freedom Coalition with a goal of registering 2 million new voters and directly contacting a total of 37 million voters prior to the November election.(Integrity Sports Marketing)(4-28-2012)
Get Well Josh Jones:Josh Jones, an employee of Kevin Harvick was injured during a softball game Tuesday night. Kevin Harvick was asked about his condition Friday morning in Richmond:
CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO JOSH (JONES) AND GIVE US AN UPDATE ON HOW HE IS DOING NOW?
“He got hit in the head with a softball running to first base and fractured his skull, blacked his eye, and filled his ear up with blood so he can’t hear out of his left ear. All that should get better. They were just being really cautious about the swelling of his brain, and just making sure he didn’t get a blood clot. They’ve taken good care of him and everything should be fine. I’ll probably have to give him a lot less grief for a few weeks, for sure.”(Chevy PR)(4-28-2012)
Vegas offering discounted hotel rooms for early ticket buyers: Las Vegas Motor Speedway has struck a deal with two prominent hotels on the world-famous Las Vegas Strip to reward early ticket buyers with discounted hotel rooms for the 2013 NASCAR Weekend. For the first time, the speedway is able to offer special rates for race fans who purchase or renew their tickets by June 1. The special rates will be available at The Stratosphere Hotel, Casino & Tower and the Monte Carlo Resort & Casino. The Stratosphere Hotel, Casino & Tower, located at the north end of the Strip, is offering rooms starting at $39 per night (March 6 and 7), $99 (March 8 and 9) and $59 (March 10). Fans are directed to call (800) 998-6937 by June 1 to obtain these special rates and use promo code NASEB13. The Monte Carlo Resort & Casino is offering rooms at $63 (March 6, 7, 10 and 11) and $113 (March 8 and 9). Customers may also upgrade to a Monaco Suite at the Monte Carlof or only an additional $30 per night. To reserve rooms at the special rate at the Monte Carlo, call (888) 529-4828 and use booking code XLVMS13.(LVMS)(4-28-2012)
News from April 27, 2012
Pit Stall Selections: The selections of pit stalls for the Capital City 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway have been made.
Pole sitter #55-Martin chose pit stall 1 [as do most pole sitters].
Outside pole sitter #99-Edwards took pit stall 17, the next pitstall with an opening in front of it.
#29-Harvick, who starts 3rd took the 30th pit stall, the next stall with an opening in front of it.
The 43rd and final pit stall was taken by #51-Busch, who starts 13th.
To see where the drivers/teams pit stall is, see the pit selection chart on the Pit Stall Selection chart.(4-27-2012)
Martin wins pole at Richmond: #55-Mark Martin won the pole for the Capital City 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway with a speed of 128.327mph for his 2nd pole of 2012, 53rd career pole. #99-Edwards was 2nd fastest followed by #29-Harvick, #22-Allmendinger, #18-Busch, #24-Gordon, #11-Hamlin, #56-Truex, Jr., #5-Kahne, and #88-Earnhardt Jr.
The go-or-go homers who made the race (8): #98-McDowell, #26-Wise, #30-Stremme, #87-Nemechek, #95-Speed, #19-Bliss, #33-Leicht, #74-Whitt.
The go-or-go homers who failed to qualify for the race (2):#23-Riggs & #49-Yeley.
See qualifying results, order, pole progression, go-or-go homers & starting lineup on the Richmond Lineup / Qualifying Page.(4-27-2012)
Qualifying Fast Facts – Richmond International Raceway:
Mark Martin won the Coors Light Pole Award for the 58th Annual Capital City 400 Presented By Virginia Is For Lovers with a lap of 21.040 seconds, 128.327 mph.
This is his 53rd pole in 837 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
This is his second pole and fifth top-10 start in 2012.
This is his fifth pole in 53 races at Richmond International Raceway.
Mark Martin breaks his previous record as oldest Coors Light Pole winner at Richmond (53 years, 3 months, 19 days).
Carl Edwards (second) posted his third top-10 start of 2012 and his 10th in 16 races at Richmond International Raceway.
Kevin Harvick (third) posted his eighth top-10 start at Richmond International Raceway. It is his sixth in nine races this season. (NASCAR Statistics)(4-27-2012)
Happy Hour Practice for the Capital City 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond Interational Raceway is over after 45 scheduled minutes, the top five fastest, slowest and notes:
#88-Earnhardt, Jr. 123.853
#99-Edwards 123.706
#83-Cassill 123.209
#24-Gordon 123.113
#18-Busch 122.783
slowest: #49-Yeley 119.607 & #32-Sorenson 118.775.
See fastest speeds, best ten-lap averages, laps run and more on the Richmond Happy Hour Practice Speeds (pdf), no average speeds all laps and NOT changing back to the old way, just posting the pdf’s. (4-27-2012)
Go-or-Go Homers practice for the Capital City 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway.
the final practice rank for the go-or-go homers (drivers not in the top 35 of current owners points) These drivers would make the race if things stay the same:
#98-Michael McDowell, 7th fastest overall
#87-Joe Nemechek, 9th
#23-Scott Riggs, 16th
#26-Josh Wise, 17th
#19-Mike Bliss, 23rd
#95-Scott Speed, 24th
#30-David Stremme, 28th
#74-Cole Whitt, 35th These drivers would miss the race if things stay the same:
#33-Stephen Leicht, 39th
#49-J.J. Yeley, 45th/last
(4-27-2012)
Qualifying Order for the Capital City 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway is posted. 45 cars/drivers are listed.
The first of the drivers scheduled to go out is #33-Leicht, slowest in practice.
The final driver scheduled to go out is #55-Martin, who was fastest in first practice.
Qualifying order is set by the first practice session, with slowest driver going out by speed and the fastest going out last. The non-top 35 drivers are now mixed in with the top-35 in owners points, slowest to fastest.
See the full qualifying order on the Richmond Qualifying Page.(4-27-2012)
1st Friday Practice for the Capital City 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway is over, after 120 scheduled minutes, the top five fastest, slowest and notes:
#55-Martin 126.707
#16-Biffle 126.186
#27-Menard 126.139
#15-Bowyer 126.133
#20-Logano 125.997
slowest: #33-Leicht 121.425 & #32-Sorenson 121.425.
notes: #48-Johnson made slight contact with the outisde wall on his first laps of the session. Only minor sheetmetal damage. #27-Menard hit the wall coming off turn 4 when his throttle broke. He will have to go to a backup car. #29-Harvick’s team will change the transmission on his engine after it stuck in second gear.
This practice will set the order for qualifying this afternoon at 5:35pm/et on SPEED.
See fastest speeds, best ten-lap averages, laps run and more on the Richmond 1st Practice Speeds (pdf), no average speeds all laps and NOT changing back to the old way, just posting the pdf’s. (4-27-2012)
Go-or-Go Homers practice for the Capital City 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway.
the first practice rank for the go-or-go homers (drivers not in the top 35 of current owners points) These drivers would make the race if things stay the same:
#19-Mike Bliss, 21st fastest overall
#87-Joe Nemechek, 24th
#26-Josh Wise, 27th
#23-Scott Riggs, 32nd
#98-Michael McDowell, 34th
#30-David Stremme, 36th
#74-Cole Whitt, 38th
#95-Scott Speed, 39th These drivers would miss the race if things stay the same:
#49-J.J. Yeley, 42nd
#33-Stephen Leicht, 44th
(4-27-2012)
Final Kansas TV Ratings: FOX posted a 4.3/10 (6.8 million viewers) on Sunday for the STP 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race from Kansas Speedway. Though that’s down -17% from last year’s 5.2/13 (9.0 million) for the race from Talladega, it’s up +10% over last year’s 3.9/10 (6.3 million) Kansas race which aired later in the season [June 6, 2011]. Sunday’s 4.3/10 also ranked as the highest-rated and most-watched event of the weekend. Through eight races, NASCAR Sprint Cup Racing on FOX is averaging a 5.2/11 (8.6 million viewers). See past 2012 races, four-year comparion chart and more on the 2012 TV Ratings page.(4-27-2012)
New NASCAR team to be fielded by Barry Dodson: Barry Dodson has been absent from the NASCAR spotlight for many years but, on Thursday [April 26th] he announced his plan to return with a new team and a new mission. Dodson has been a winner at all levels of NASCAR competition and holds the 1989 Cup Series Crew Chief Championship title [when Rusty Wallace won the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship]. However, after tragedy struck his family in 1994, Dodson realized that winning at NASCAR’s premier level didn’t seem as important in his life as it once had. Slowly he disappeared from the NASCAR weekly scene and set a course to get his life straightened out and back on track. Sure, he maintained his connections in the NASCAR community and had many offers to return, but declined to make a comeback until now. Dodson has decided to join forces with Free Pennington and his Free American Racing team out of Augusta, Georgia. “For us to come together in this way is a dream come true for me,” commented Pennington. “Barry is one of my heroes and to think that I could drive for him is such a blessing to me.”
So, what are the plans for this new team going forward? Pennington says, “Barry Dodson is the leader of this team and is controlling where we go from here. We plan to run 2 to 3 Truck Races and 2 to 3 Nationwide Races in 2012. We’re looking for some additional sponsorship now to determine where we go after that. Barry’s put the deal together and our mission is to take Driven Ministries and plant some seeds at these race tracks.”(more at Victory Lane on Fox54)(4-27-2012)
Ford Unveils Historic All-New Focus Electric Pace Car for Richmond: After being unveiled in a public ceremony at the Virginia State Capitol, the 2012 Focus Electric pace cars are ready for their historic race weekend when they become the first all-electric vehicles to pace a NASCAR Sprint Cup event. The two Focus Electric vehicles will perform all pace car duties for the Capital City 400 presented by Virginia is for Lovers Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway. The two cars were unveiled by Eric Kuehn, chief nameplate engineer, Ford Global Electrified Programs; Mike Lynch, NASCAR’s managing director of Green Innovation; and Virginia Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling. Production of the Focus Electric began in December at Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Mich.(Ford), see image of the pace car on my 2012 Pace Car page.(4-27-2012)
Earnhardt Jr., Kahne and Stewart to guest on The Cleveland Show: NASCAR stars #88-Dale Earnhart Jr., #5-Kasey Kahne and #14-Tony Stewart will guest-voice on Fox’s The Cleveland Show next season. In the episode, Cleveland (voiced Mike Henry) convinces Donna (voiced Sanaa Lathan) to lighten up and have a few drinks when she takes her run for local office way too seriously. “Unfortunately, they party way too hard – and wake up on the infield of a NASCAR track. It’s up to guest stars Earnhardt, Jr., Stewart and Kahne to race Donna and Cleveland home,” executive producer Rich Appel says.(TV Guide)(4-27-2012)
“Pin It Forward” Campaign To Kick Off 2012 NASCAR Day Celebration: NASCAR Day, an annual celebration of NASCAR’s fans, charities and spirit, will have extra incentive for fans to share their passion for the sport and make a difference in the lives of children this year. The ninth celebration of NASCAR Day on Friday, May 18th will encourage fans to join The NASCAR Foundation’s initiative in the “Pin It Forward” campaign (NASCAR). For more info and links, go to my NASCAR Racing Charities page.(4-27-2012)
Chassis selections for this weeks race: see the list of many teams [that report or post these] and what chassis were selected by the team to run at Richmond International Speedway on the Richmond Race Info page – Chassis selection area.
Nationwide Series autograph session and ARCA Fan Walk Friday at Talladega: Two great additions to the 2012 Aaron’s Dream Weekend at Talladega Superspeedway have just been announced for Friday, May 4th. To kick off the weekend fans will be treated to the ARCA Fan Walk from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and a NASCAR Nationwide Series autograph session from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. The ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards Fan Walk, which returns to the garages of Talladega Superspeedway prior to the International Motorsports Hall of Fame 250, is a unique experience for infield guests, giving them unparalleled access to the action that precedes the start of the race. That same day, the stars of the NASCAR Nationwide Series Aaron’s 312 will be out signing autographs for the fans. This face-to-face encounter with the veteran drivers and up-and-comers of the NASCAR Nationwide Series will be a memorable event for all fans. The Fan Walk will be held in the ARCA garage and is open to all infield guests. Free tram service will move guests in and out of the ARCA garage area. The NASCAR Nationwide Series autograph session will be held on the concourse area behind the OV Hill South grandstand sections D & E. Wristbands for the autograph session can be picked up for free from the Guest Services Office located at OV Hill South Grandstand, Section L. (TSS)(4-27-2012)
News from April 26, 2012
Stewart wins Hamlin’s Short Track Showdown: Tony Stewart passed Virginia short-track racer Greg Edwards before the midway point of the race and ran away with the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown on Thursday night at Richmond International Raceway. Stewart took off on a restart with 11 laps to go in the 75-lap event while Jeff Burton, running second, failed to keep pace and wound up getting shuffled back. Joey Logano took advantage, moving quickly from fifth to second, but his stay up front was short-lived as Edwards, Brandon Butler and Burton all passed him before the checkered flag flew. Hamlin, who won last year, started 19th and got caught up in a crash on the opening lap. He went to pit road for repairs and came back out briefly, but eventually parked after running just 29 laps.(Associated Press/ESPN)(4-26-2012)
Speeds expected to be up at Pocono after repave: Expect the track record at newly repaved Pocono Raceway to fall when the Sprint Cup Series returns in June, according to the drivers involved in this week’s Goodyear tire testing at the 2.5-mile tri-oval. But it’s not necessarily the same reason why Michigan International Speedway proved lightning quick when cars had the chance to check out that facility’s new asphalt surface. At Michigan, cars reached 215 mph at the end of the straightaways, carrying more straight line speed. On Wednesday, #1-Jamie McMurray was making the biggest gains in speed in Pocono’s three long, flat corners. #5-Kasey Kahne was running consistent lap speeds more than 2 mph faster than Kahne’s Cup qualifying record of 172.533 mph set in June 2004. And that was without all the little tricks used to squeeze every ounce of speed out of the car in qualifying trim. A lot of that had to do with optimal weather conditions during the tire test. Cool temperatures make more horsepower, and the thermometer was struggling to break the 50-degree mark on Wednesday. Plus, the new surface has a tremendous amount of grip, according to Kahne.(NASCAR.com)(4-26-2012)
Leavine Family Racing going to Richmond for first time: While driver Scott Speed is no stranger to the Richmond International Raceway, Saturday night’s Sprint Cup Series 400 will be Leavine Family Racing’s first trip to the popular three-quarter-mile short track. Speed will drive the #95 Tommy Williams Drywall (TWD) Ford on a track that’s become a favorite among NASCAR drivers. Leavine Family Racing is running a limited 14-race schedule. Saturday night’s race is the second appearance for the second-year team.(Leavine Family Racing)(4-26-2012)
MRN will provide online coverage of Hamlin’s Short-Track Showdown: Motor Racing Network will kick off a full weekend of coverage from Richmond International Raceway with Thursday’s exclusive webcast of the annual Denny Hamlin Short-Track Showdown. Reigning Sprint Cup Series champion #14-Tony Stewart is among the NASCAR drivers scheduled to compete in the 100-lap special event that’ll be run in two segments. MotorRacingNetwork.com will stream live coverage starting at 8 p.m. (EDT) on Thursday, April 26, with Dave Moody and Steve Post anchoring the broadcast. This marks the second year that Hamlin has held his event at RIR in conjunction with the track’s annual springtime Sprint Cup/Nationwide Series doubleheader. Proceeds from the race will benefit the Denny Hamlin Foundation, which raises funds for individuals and families suffering from cystic fibrosis. Fans can make donations by visiting www.dennyhamlinfoundation.org. Thursday’s race is part of the 2012 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model Division & but with a twist. A number of big-name NASCAR drivers are competing including Hamlin himself, Stewart, #31-Jeff Burton, #20-Joey Logano and #18-Kyle Busch – a two-time winner of the special event.(MRN)(4-26-2012)
Pastrana making Nationwide debut at Richmond: When Travis Pastrana makes his much anticipated NASCAR Nationwide Series debut Friday night at Richmond International Raceway, he’ll have one goal in mind – finish on the lead lap. The 11-time X Games gold medal winner expects to run in seven Nationwide Series races in 2012 with RAB Racing, who formed a Nationwide alliance with Michael Waltrip Racing this month. For more information, see Jayski’s Nationwide Series page.(4-26-2012)
Almirola gets sponsors for charity races: #43- Aric Almirola, Smithfield/Helping Hungry Homes and Eckrich announced that they will team up to race for charity. Almirola and Smithfield will compete this Thursday night in the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown at the Richmond International Raceway. The event is a 100-lap asphalt late model all-star race that will help raise awareness and funding for the specific needs of individuals afflicted with Cystic Fibrosis as well as other programs that support chronically ill children. The race is sanctioned by NASCAR. Almirola will also compete in the Prelude to The Dream dirt late model event hosted by Tony Stewart at the famed Eldora Speedway dirt track located in Ohio on Wednesday, June 6th. Eckrich will adorn Almirola’s #43 dirt late model for the special that is televised live by HBO Pay-Per-View. The “Prelude” has grown to become one of the most seriously-challenged charity events motorsports stars compete in all year. The race benefits Feed The Children. Both Smithfield and Eckrich are in their first season as primary sponsors of Almirola and the #43 Richard Petty Motorsports team. They have now taken this next step to be more involved with Almirola and the charitable events of NASCAR.(Richard Petty Motorsports)(4-26-2012)
The Numbers for Richmond International Raceway, Caution Update:
1 – fewest cautions (three times, most recent, 3/1/70)
1 – fewest cars on lead lap at finish (22 times, most recent 10/12/75)
2 – fewest leaders (six times, most recent 2/23/75)
2 – fewest lead changes (seven times, most recent 2/23/75)
4 – fewest laps led by race winner (Kyle Petty, 2/23/86)
5 – number of jet dryers available for track drying this weekend
6 – fewest caution laps (6/5/60)
12 – most leaders (four times, most recent 5/6/07)
13 – most wins by driver (Richard Petty)
15 – most cautions (three times, most recent 9/10/11)
22 – wins from the pole; 35 from the front row (111 races)
25 – most lead changes (twice, most recent 3/3/96)
32 – most cars on lead lap at finish (9/7/08)
50 – different pole winners
47 – different race winners
43 – most running at finish (9/7/08)
90 minutes – amount of time it takes to dry the .75-mile track after a significant rainfall
123 – most caution laps (two times, most recent 9/8/74)
275 – number of Sprint Cup Series races in state of Virginia at nine tracks
488 – most laps led by race winner (9/13/70 – Richard Petty – 500-lap race) Key RIR Dates:
1946 – Ted Horn won the first race on half-mile dirt track (10/12/46) in open-wheel car
1953 – Lee Petty won the first NASCAR Grand National Division, now Sprint Cup, race on the half-mile dirt track (4/19/53).
1955 – Paul Sawyer and driver Joe Weatherly purchased the track
1964 – race run under temporary lights on a Tuesday night (3/10/64)
1968 – last race on dirt track won by David Pearson (3/24/68)
1968 – first race on paved track won by Richard Petty (9/8/68)
1969 — track remeasured from .625-mile to .5625-mile; remeasured from .5625-mile to .5-mile; remeasured again from .5-mile to .542-mile prior to the first race of 1970
1988 – track reconfigured to its current .75-mile layout
1991 – permanent lighting added prior to fall event won by Harry Gant (9/7/91)
1999 – International Speedway Corporation (ISC) acquired track 2012 Caution Update
1 – fewest cautions this season (Fontana 3/25/12)
2 – number of races extended beyond scheduled distance in 2012 (Daytona and Martinsville); one in first eight races in 2011 (Daytona)
10 – most cautions this season (Daytona, 2/27/12)
43 – number of cautions in the first eight races of 2012; 67 in first eight races in 2011
250 of 2,526 – number of laps under caution in 2012
299.073 of 2,914.390 – miles under caution in the first eight races
(Darnell Communications for SRT Motorsports and Dodge)(4-26-2012)
Richmond Goodyear Tire Notes: Teams in both the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series will run the same tire codes at Richmond this weekend . . . this is the same combination of left- and right-side tires that teams in both series ran at both Richmond and New Hampshire last season . . . as on most NASCAR ovals one mile or less in length, teams will not run inner liners in their tires at Richmond. See tire codes, pressures and more on the Richmond Race Info page – Goodyear section.
Daytona adds half marathon to Speedweeks: In 2013, a new race will be a part of the Budweiser Speedweeks lineup, but competitors won’t need a helmet. Scheduled for Sunday, February 17, the Central Florida Sports Commission and Daytona International Speedway will host the fifth annual Daytona Beach Half Marathon just one week before the 55th running of “The Great American Race” – the Daytona 500. The half marathon will start at 6:30 am, just hours after the Daytona Shootout finishes up under the lights on Saturday night, and lead into DAYTONA 500 Qualifying Presented by Kroger on Sunday afternoon. Previously held in October, the Daytona Beach Half Marathon’s move to February means there will be no race in 2012. The integration of the race into Budweiser Speedweeks will allow organizers to further incorporate the racing theme into the already unique event. The Daytona Beach Half Marathon’s route, named one of the seven most scenic half marathons in America by Active.com, features one of the most unique courses in the running world. With the legendary pavement and historic grandstands of Daytona International Speedway serving as the backdrop, runners will start on pit road and run the first two miles on the track. The course then winds through the streets of Daytona Beach, including a run along the boardwalk of “The World’s Most Famous Beach,” before returning to the Speedway for the finish and a trip to Gatorade Victory Lane. For more information about the Daytona Beach Half Marathon, visit www.daytonabeachhalf.com.(Daytona Speedway)(4-26-2012)
News from April 25, 2012
Will Chevy’s new car be the SS? From Autoblog: Count us eager to get behind the wheel of whatever a “2014 Chevrolet SS Performance” turns out to be. Hopefully the appearance of [a] reference on the OnStar website is more than just a digital placeholder. Chevy SS rumors have been swirling lately, with General Motors registering the “SS” trademark earlier this month, just days after & spy shooters caught what looked like a hotted-up Impala. Then there’s the NASCAR situation: Chevrolet has said its new entry in the racing series will be both a new vehicle and a new nameplate. We’re guessing that car isn’t going to be the Spark. So this new OnStar “leak,” if it is such a thing, would point to the Chevy SS being a separate model. If we are reading our tea leaves correctly, the model will be derived from the rear-drive Holden Commodore (the same Zeta architecture that underpins Chevrolet’s law-enforcement-only Caprice PPV), while the brand’s front-drive Impala will get a new, sportier variant. We’d also assume that the long-wheelbase version of the Commodore used for the Caprice cop car would donate its top-level powertrain, the 355-horsepower, 6.0-liter V8.(Autoblog)(4-25-2012)
Goodyear will test at Bristol’s new surface: With the track changes at Bristol Motor Speedway, Goodyear felt the need to hold a tire test to evaluate the new surface. We’re happy with our current tire set-up at Bristol but we always have to keep up with track changes, so we plan to run a test to determine what will best suit the specific modifications made to Bristol,” said Stu Grant, Goodyear’s general manager of worldwide racing. “We will start out our test with the existing Bristol tire set-up, in order to determine if the changes to the track surface require any changes to our tread compound formulation. We’ll then evaluate if the track surface has changed and if we’ll need to bring back something different for the race in August.” Being a concrete surface, we always need to manage the ‘rubbering in’ process,” added Grant. “Concrete seems to be more sensitive to taking rubber, so we need to make sure we get the right combination of tires to match up with this race track. The most important thing to us is making sure the actual racing surface is the same from the bottom of the track to the top.” Goodyear’s tire test will be held at Bristol on June 12-13. Participating teams are to be determined.(Goodyear)(4-25-2012)
Johnson named most influential athlete: From the year of the NASCAR driver to the year of the quarterback. Last year three drivers from the NASCAR circuit made [the Forbes] list of America’s Most Influential Athletes, led by perennial Sprint Cup Series champ #48-Jimmie Johnson. NASCAR hasn’t exactly faded. Johnson, whose talent and guy-next-door demeanor endears him to fans, as well as to marketing chiefs of brands like Chevrolet, Quaker State and Lowe’s, repeats as America’s most influential athlete, based on public opinion polling. But fellow drivers #88-Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (down from #3 to #7) and #24-Jeff Gordon (off the list this year) didn’t keep up, making way for newcomers like Jeremy Lin and Manny Pacquaio, and for the rise of several pro quarterbacks. This year, six of the 10 most influential athletes are NFL signal callers, with both Manning brothers now in the fold. In second place is Tim Tebow, who shot up from #10 last year after claiming the Denver Broncos’ starting job and igniting “Tebowmania” across the country. Chalk it up to the dominance of pro football on television. Not many shows can match the 30 million viewers that the NFL gets for a playoff game, let alone the 100 million or so who tune in for the Super Bowl. Nielsen and E-Poll surveyed over 1,100 adults about dozens of well-known athletes to measure their likeability and whether they’re considered “influential,” an important quality for marketers. Candidates were limited to pro athletes who are currently active and who score at least 20% “awareness” with the general public.(Forbes)(4-25-2012)
Will Power named first quarter Driver of the Year: The IndyCar Series’ Will Power was named winner of the Driver of the Year panel’s first-quarter award. Power edged NHRA Funny Car driver Robert Hight by a single point to earn the award, which goes to the top driver in United States-based racing series. It is voted upon by a panel of 21 racing-media members. Power, who drives a Chevrolet-powered Dallara DW12 for Team Penske, has won two of the first three races on the 2012 schedule. He won on the Barber Motorsports Park road circuit in Alabama and on the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach’s street circuit. Greg Biffle, who led the Sprint Cup Series in points for the quarter – which ended with his victory at Texas Motor Speedway – finished third with two first-place votes and 78 points. A total of 16 drivers scored points in the third quarter voting. In its’ 46th year, the Driver of the Year Award is unique. The panel of 21 leading journalists and broadcasters from across the U.S. determines the winner. Votes are held quarterly. A year-end vote determines the overall Driver of the Year.(PR)(4-25-2012)
BB&T; returns to the #31: Jeff Burton’s #31 Chevy will sport the burgundy and gray colors of Winston-Salem, N.C.-based BB&T; this weekend. The #31 BB&T; Chevy paint scheme debuted in March at Bristol Motor Speedway and made an appearance earlier this month at Martinsville Speedway. After this weekend, BB&T; will be the primary sponsor in May at Darlington Raceway and Dover International Speedway in June along with a special edition co-branded paint scheme with Caterpillar at the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race.(RCR), see an image of the car on the #31 team paint schemes page.(4-25-2012)
Charlotte names race officials: Every celebration needs an emcee, so it stands to reason that Charlotte Motor Speedway will need two for the 10 greatest days of racing, May 18-27, which includes the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and the 53rd running of the Coca-Cola 600. Two personalities from the Charlotte air-waves will serve as the speedway’s ambassadors of fun beginning May 1 and lasting through the final lap of NASCAR’s greatest test of man and machine, the Coca-Cola 600 on May 27. Fox Charlotte’s Jon Wilson, of the famed “Wilson’s World” segments on the popular Fox News Rising morning show, has been named Master of Ceremonies and he will serve alongside former Miss Sprint Cup and current radio personality on The Ace & TJ Show, Monica Palumbo, who has been named Mistress of Ceremonies for the 10 greatest days of racing. The fun at Charlotte Motor Speedway begins on Friday, May 18 with the N.C. Education Lottery 200 and qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and lasts through the 53rd running of the Coca-Cola 600 on May 27.(CMS)(4-25-2012)
Bristol Motor Speedway will remove progressive banking: Less than a month after fan feedback convinced him to make changes to the concrete surface at Bristol Motor Speedway, Bruton Smith, Chairman and CEO of Speedway Motorsports, announced his plans for significant modifications to the track. “I said when this process began last month that I would listen to what the fans said they wanted,” Smith said. “After a week to 10 days, there was no question that the overwhelming majority was asking for alterations to the track. Since March 28, when we announced that changes would be made, we have listened to fans, heard from drivers and talked to engineers about what to do and how much time we had to do it. Once we knew the direction, we located the right equipment to make it happen.” The changes concentrate on the progressive banking applied when the current track surface was put in place in the summer of 2007. “The majority of fans we heard from said they wanted adjustments made and the bulk of those said the progressive banking was what they didn’t like,” said Smith in explaining the decision-making process. “So, that’s the focus of our efforts. And that is what we are working to change.” When the deteriorating BMS track surface was replaced in 2007, variable banking was added. Often referred to as “progressive” because the degrees increase from bottom to top, the layout provided multiple lanes of racing on the famed short track. Smith said the choice to change the track surface did not come easy, but listening to the race fans always has served him well. “More and more fans kept asking us to do something to the track,” Smith said. “So I put it out there. They spoke and we listened. I want them to be happy; I want them to love their experience in Bristol. This will accomplish that and I know they will be pleased with the result.”(BMS)(4-25-2012)
News from April 24, 2012
Verifone sponsoring Almirola at Talladega: VeriFone will join Richard Petty Motorsports as the primary sponsor on the #43 Ford for one of NASCAR’s wildest and most-watched races. The provider of secure electronic payment systems will be showcased on Aric Almirola’s Ford Fusion at Talladega Superspeedway for the May 6 Sprint Cup Series event. The appearance will be the first NASCAR sponsorship for VeriFone, a San Jose, Calif.-based company that provides merchant-operated, consumer-facing and self-service payment systems for the financial, retail, hospitality, petroleum, government and healthcare industries. The sponsorship is the first for the team in the software category and first for VeriFone in NASCAR.(Richard Petty Motorsports)(4-25-012)
Max Siegel named CEO of USA Track & Field: USA Track & Field’s board of directors has selected Max Siegel to serve as CEO, President and Chair Stephanie Hightower announced Monday. The board voted unanimously to hire Siegel after two CEO searches that took place over the course of 16 months. He will become the fourth CEO in the organization’s history when he assumes his duties on May 1 as part of a two-year contract. Chief Operating Officer Mike McNees had served as interim CEO since September, 2010. Working in various executive capacities in the sports and entertainment fields over the last 20 years, Siegel’s track record has consistently been that of financial growth and competitive success. The owner of Rev Racing, Siegel took NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program and advanced it from a fledging effort to add diversity to the sport into a competitive juggernaut on the racetrack. In 2011, his team’s drivers won 50 percent of all races on the K&N; Pro Series East circuit, NASCAR’s top developmental circuit. Siegel is a former director on the boards of USA Track & Field and the USA Swimming Foundation with more than 20 years as a high-profile executive and attorney in the sports, entertainment and media industries. The first African-American to graduate with honors from Notre Dame law school, Siegel is a native of Indianapolis and resides in the city.(USATF.org) NASCAR Statement: “Our Drive for Diversity (D4D) program continues to enjoy great success, evidenced by the fact that just this season we have several drivers from the program performing well across several NASCAR series. Max Siegel, an integral part of D4D through his role as owner of Rev Racing, has done an excellent job fostering the talent of these young drivers and so many more. He also has been dedicated to helping to attract more diversity to our sport across all entry points. We are confident in the leadership at Rev Racing, and we’re excited for Max personally as he adds duties to his role with USATF. We look forward to his continued leadership at Rev Racing, and we’ll continue to build on the success of the Drive for Diversity program.”(NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications)(4-24-2012)
Give Kids A Smile scheme for Biffle at RIR: The American Dental Association’s (ADA) Give Kids A Smile program, ADA Foundation, Henry Schein, Inc., and 3M ESPE Dental are teaming up with #16-Greg Biffle again in 2012 to put good oral health on the fast track for young fans of NASCAR. Across the country, Biffle, driver of the #16 3M Ford Fusion in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, will help deliver the message to children about healthy habits like brushing, flossing, visiting the dentist and making smart food choices. Unfortunately for millions of children in this country, these healthy habits aren’t a routine practice.
Biffle also will take the important oral health message to Richmond International Raceway during the NASCAR weekend April 27-28 for a special Give Kids A Smile dental health screening and education event. A team of sponsors will host a dental health screening event at the Richmond International Raceway Midway on Friday. Volunteer dentists and other dental team members organized through the Virginia Dental Association will provide underserved children free dental evaluations, fluoride treatments and, if needed, dental sealants at this unique event. On Saturday, young fans and their families can participate in fun activities and education about healthy dental habits. In honor of this special oral health program, NASCAR driver Greg Biffle’s #16 3M car will sport a special Give Kids A Smile paint scheme during the 58th Annual Richmond 400. The event also is part of the yearlong celebration of the Give Kids A Smile program’s 10th anniversary in 2012. Fans can follow Give Kids A Smile on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GiveKidsASmile. nationwide program expansion activities to help children in need of dental care.(Victory Management Group PR), see an image of the scheme on my #16 Team Schemes page.(4-24-2012)
Facts and Notes about Richmond International Raceway:
� Originally known as the Atlantic Rural Exposition Fairgrounds, Richmond International Raceway held its first race in 1946 as a half-mile dirt track.
� The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was April 19, 1953.
� The spring 1964 race was run on a Tuesday night under temporary lighting.
� The track name changed to Virginia State Fairgrounds in 1967.
� The track surface was changed from dirt to asphalt between races in 1968.
� The track name changed to Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway in 1969.
� The track was re-measured to .542-mile for 1970.
� The track was rebuilt as a three-quarters-mile D-shaped oval following the Feb. 21, 1988 race.
� The first race under permanent lights was Sept. 7, 1991.
� The first season with both races as night races was 1999. Notebook
� There have been 111 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Richmond since the track opened in 1953.
� The current 400-lap race length was established on the .542-mile measurement in March 1976.
� Buck Baker won the pole in 1953.
� Lee Petty won the first race in April 1953.
� There have been 50 different pole winners, led by Bobby Allison and Richard Petty (eight).
� Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with five poles.
� 47 different drivers have posted victories at Richmond, led by Richard Petty (13).
� Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch, Terry Labonte and Jimmie Johnson (three) lead active race winners.
� Petty Enterprises has won 15 races at Richmond, more than any other team.
� 63 of 111 races have been won from the top five starting positions, including 22 from the pole.
� The last driver to win from the pole was Kyle Busch in 2010.
� The furthest back in the field a race winner has started was 31st, by Clint Bowyer in the 2008 spring race.
� Kyle Busch (5.0) and Denny Hamlin (7.5) are the only active drivers with an average finish in the top 10.
� Kyle Petty became the first third-generation NASCAR race winner when he won his first race at Richmond, on Feb. 23, 1986. Richard Petty posted his first Richmond victory in 1961 and Lee Petty won the very first Richmond race in 1953.
� Three of the last four races have had a margin of victory less than one second.(NASCAR)(4-24-2012)
Ross Kenseth Gets His First PASS South Win: Ross Kenseth [son of Matt Kenseth] took his first major Southern Super Late Model victory Saturday night in the PASS South Orange Blossom Special at Orange County Speedway (NC). The victory made Ross Kenseth the second driver to win Super Late Model events in three of the country’s top series, the Pro All Star Series, ARCA/CRA Super Series and the ASA Midwest Tour. The other driver was Kyle Busch who complete the task last July in Oxford, Maine.(51 Sports PR, more at rosskenseth.net)(4-24-2012)
Driver sues NASCAR, “too Caucasian’? UPDATE An aspiring stock-car driver is suing NASCAR, claiming he was denied the opportunity to compete in NASCAR’s diversity program because he looks “too Caucasian.” NASCAR argues that in trying to change the “face” of the sport, it has the right to select drivers for its diversity program based on skin color, attorneys for the sanctioning body and its former diversity program administrators have told a U.S. District court. Michael Rodriguez, a driver from Pennsylvania, says in his complaint filed in U.S. District Court that he was denied the opportunity to compete in the 2005 and 2006 Drive For Diversity combines. Rodriguez is suing NASCAR and Access Communications, which operated NASCAR’s diversity program from its inception in 2004 until 2008 and conducted the combines that are designed for teams in NASCAR’s regional series to scout minority drivers. NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program was created to develop minority drivers and crewmen and help them advance through the NASCAR ranks with the goal of reaching the sport’s top series. Since 2004, the program has included 41 drivers, with most being selected multiple times. There currently are six drivers in the program racing in various NASCAR regional series.(full article at the Sporting News)(4-20-2012) UPDATE: A federal judge has denied NASCAR’s request to throw out a lawsuit by an aspiring driver who was invited to its 2005 Drive For Diversity combine but claims he was discriminated against when he never made it onto the track. Michael Rodriguez, who is of Puerto Rican descent, filed the lawsuit in January 2010 claiming NASCAR and Access Communications, which operated the diversity program, violated his civil rights. He is asking for unspecified damages.(more at the Sporting News)(4-24-2012)
Victory Junction asks Pattie Petty to take a back seat UPDATE: If the planned Victory Junction Midwest becomes a reality, it likely will be without the help of Pattie Petty, the driving force who created the original NASCAR-themed camp in North Carolina for children with chronic diseases. The Victory Junction board of directors has informed Petty, wife of former NASCAR driver Kyle Petty and daughter-in-law of Hall of Famer Richard Petty, that she will no longer be part of the day-to-day operations of the camp. The board has offered her emeritus status, but she is balking at serving in a purely ceremonial role. “They don’t want anything to do with me,” said Pattie Petty, who has been living in Kansas City part time while raising funds for the camp in Wyandotte County. “They gave me not one reason. They said they wanted to make a change. & I’m not sure what I did wrong, but the word came back to me I was making irrational decisions. Two board members who wanted me to leave gave me an ultimatum & never go to the camp, not talk to anybody with the camp. & It was probably the most hurtful thing that’s ever happened to me in my life.” John McKee, president of Victory Junction and who was hired by Pattie Petty, said he has been instructed by the board not to have any comment “because there is an ongoing employment negotiation.”(see full story and more quotes at the Kansas City Star)(4-22-2012) UPDATE: Statement by Victory Junction’s Chief Operating Officer, Austin Petty in Response to Founder, Pattie Petty Transitioning to Emeritus Status:
“Victory Junction has extremely high ethical standards and only decisions that benefit the sustainability and longevity of camp are made by our well-respected Board Of Directors. I can confirm my mom accepted a goodwill ambassador position as Chairwoman Emeritus from our Board, but that is all I can confirm at this point, given that this involves ongoing negotiations between an employee and employer. While public figures are involved, this situation is no different from a regulatory perspective and personnel matters are private and confidential per the law and human resource policies. Because of this, we will not have any further comment on this or any other personnel issues at this time. Seriously ill children are the motivation of Victory Junction and we are as committed as ever to enriching the lives of chronically ill kids at our existing facility in Randleman, NC, as well as pushing forward the successes of a second camp serving the Midwest.” AND Kyle Petty doesn’t believe the removal of his wife, Pattie, as chief executive officer of Victory Junction Gang Camp will negatively impact the camp the couple founded in memory of their son Adam. “It doesn’t impact anything, it really doesn’t,” Kyle Petty, a former NASCAR star, said Monday. “Basically, the board had decided to ask Pattie to take an emeritus role and just be a spokesperson. & I have no concerns with the direction of the camp at all. Period. We’re always going to be involved in the camp,” said Kyle, the son of seven-time Cup champion Richard Petty and a driver from 1979 to 2008. “The camp was founded in memory of Adam, and we have worked incredibly hard to build the camp. But the camp is about the kids that come, and it’s all about what’s best for the kids.” Kyle Petty, who is vice chairman of the board, said Pattie, who was chairman and CEO, was primarily running the fund-raising efforts for the Kansas City camp. He said Austin and Victory Junction president John McKee handled the day-to-day operations of the North Carolina camp. The North Carolina and Kansas City camps have separate board of directors that meet quarterly to make decisions on how the camps operate. Kyle continues to serve on the board of directors for the camp and conducts a charity motorcycle ride across the United States to raise funds. Kyle said he and Richard Petty, who also is on the board, did not participate in discussions about the role for Pattie, who is battling Parkinson’s Disease. Pattie Petty, 60, wasn’t immediately available for comment. “It’s a bigger story because she’s Pattie and the work she put in the camp and founding the camp and stuff,” Kyle Petty said.(in part from the Sporting News)(4-24-2012)
“Virginia is for Lovers” and Richmond team up for Sprint Cup race sponsorship: One of the most storied tracks in NASCAR is teaming up with one of the most well-known tourism brands in the country this weekend for the Saturday, April 28, Capital City 400 Presented by Virginia is for Lovers NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. Richmond International Raceway, celebrating 60 Years of NASCAR this season, has hosted Sprint Cup races since 1953 – third longest among tracks on the circuit. The Capital City 400 name pays homage to the track’s days of yore, when RIR hosted NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races that included the “Capital City” name annually from 1962 to 1980. Virginia is for Lovers is the longest-running state tourism slogan in the country and stands for love, pure and simple. The Virginia Tourism Corporation promotes Virginia to potential travelers from throughout the world who are looking to completely connect with loved ones on a great Virginia vacation.(RIR)(4-24-2012)
Train to Perform Pre-Race Concert for the Coke Zero 400: Train front-man Pat Monahan and the rest of the three-time Grammy-winning band will return to Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, July 7 for the 54th annual Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. From the legendary pit road in the tri-oval area of the “World Center of Racing,” Train will perform a 60-minute pre-race concert prior to the Independence Day holiday classic. All race fans that purchase a Pre-Race/Sprint FANZONE access pass for the Coke Zero 400 in addition to a race ticket will be able to view Train’s Coke Zero 400 Pre-Race Show as well as the driver introductions from the grass tri-oval area. Tickets for the Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola are available online at daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.(DIS)(4-24-2012)
News from April 23, 2012
The Entry List for the Richmond 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway is posted, 46 teams/drivers [for 43 spots] are listed, including:
Reed Sorenson listed in the #32 Ford. Not in top 35 of owners points:
#19-Mike Bliss (46/4)
#23-Scott Riggs (45/8)
#26-Josh Wise (40/8)
#30-David Stremme (38/8)
#33-Stephen Leicht (36/8)
#49-J.J. Yeley (37/8)
#52-TBA (54/1)
#74-Stacy Compton (48/5)
#87-Joe Nemechek (42/8)
#95-Scott Speed (50/1)
#98-Michael McDowell (41/8) In the event that qualifying is cancelled:
the eight who would make it [8]: #’s 33,49,30,26,98,87,23,74
missing the race would be [3]: #’s 19,95,52
See the full entry list at my Jayski’s Richmond Entry List.(4-23-2012)
Kansas Overnight TV Ratings: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racing on Fox posted a 3.7/9 on Sunday for the STP 400 from Kansas Speedway. Though that’s off -20% from last year’s 4.6/11 for the Talladega 400 which aired on the comparable weekend, it’s off just one-tenth from last year’s Kansas race which aired later in the season, and when the nationals are released, it’s expected to rank as the top-rated event of the weekend. Through eight races, NASCAR Sprint Cup Racing on FOX is averaging a 4.5/9, off -8% from last year’s 4.9/11. See past 2012 races, four-year comparion chart and more on the 2012 TV Ratings page.(4-23-2012)
Humphrey plans for the #19 in 2012: #19 Humphrey Smith Racing team owner, Randy Humphrey comments on 2012 plans. “It’s taken us a little longer than we planned, and been a little tougher than we thought, but we’re working at it,” said Humphrey, who fielded Mike Bliss’ #19 Toyota in Sunday’s STP 400 at Kansas Speedway. “We’ve been thankful to be here, and NASCAR’s really been good to allow us to keep working at it and it’s been good to us. We’re trying to build our program into a bigger program. It’s all about people, it’s all about sponsors and making everything go.” Humphrey, a veteran racer himself, is in his first season with new business partner Mark Smith after he and previous partner Phil Parsons [was #66, now #98] decided to part ways after the 2011 season. “Phil and I made a decision to do something different,” said Humphrey, who stayed in Topeka during the Speedway race weekend. “They went a different direction and we went a different direction. We partnered up with Mark Smith, who has been building our motors for four years and owns three Nationwide teams,” Humphrey said. “We rented a new big shop. Bliss had been driving for us before, and we got Mike to drive for us.” The #19 car has qualified in three of four races, including the Kansas race, since getting a belated start to the year. “We waited a few races to get ourselves acclimated, to get our equipment built up and get our stuff in order and find the right people,” Humphrey said. “We’re now moving forward and have done really well since we started.” Humphrey’s team continues to employ a start-and-park strategy in most races to save money but has sponsors set up to be able to run complete races later in the season and also will race out of pocket in others. The long-term goal is be able go full bore in the series. “My whole mission is to race,” Humphrey said. “I moved from Kansas to Charlotte to race. Our whole mission is to make this into a full-time racing program, with sponsorship. We’ve talked to some Kansas companies, we’ve talked to some Topeka-based companies and we’re hoping some of those will take notice of us and work with us and come along and help us build our program.”(Topeka Capital Journal)(4-23-2012)
JGR close to extension with Toyota: Joe Gibbs Racing plans to sign a long-term extension with Toyota within the next month, ending any speculation it could move to Dodge. “We’re working on that,” JGR president J.D. Gibbs told ESPN.com on Sunday after Denny Hamlin’s victory at Kansas Speedway. “We’ll be with Toyota for a long time to come.” Dodge has been looking for a team to anchor its 2013 program since Penske Racing announced earlier this year it would leave the manufacturer for Ford next season. JGR, since its contract with Toyota is up after this season and because the organization has the infrastructure to build its own engines, became a natural target. Gibbs said that is not a consideration (ESPN)(4-23-2012)
Autism Speaks Day at the Races creates first-ever autism friendly NASCAR race: As part of their ever-growing partnership, Autism Speaks and Dover International Speedway have announced Autism Speaks Day at the Races, a sensory friendly NASCAR event in Dover for the June 3, 2012 “FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks” NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. The all-inclusive event marks the first-ever autism friendly NASCAR race, and gives families an opportunity to experience a NASCAR race in an environment specifically designed for the enjoyment of children with autism. Autism Speaks Day at the Races will be held in Dover’s air-conditioned grandstand, offering a great view of the Monster Mile from the backstretch, and will feature brief presentations by educational speakers in the morning, special appearances by NASCAR personalities, food and drink, and much more.
In addition, the area will offer a dedicated quiet zone, set inside special rooms within the air-conditioned grandstands, where parents can bring their kids to get away from the crowd if necessary. The quiet zone will be sensory friendly, with muted lighting in a calmer environment, while also featuring video screens to keep up with the action on the track. Autism Speaks Day at the Races is just another addition to the now six-year partnership between Autism Speaks and the Monster Mile. Autism Speaks is the world’s leading autism science and advocacy organization, helping to raise funds and awareness for the cause throughout race weekend.
The program will kick off with doors opening at 9:30 a.m., followed by brief presentations on “Living on the Spectrum,” “Autism Speaks in the Community,” a science briefing, a presentation by Autism Delaware and more at 10 a.m. At 11:30 a.m., a hot lunch buffet and non-alcoholic drinks will be served, followed by the green flag for the “FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks” NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at 1 p.m. Additional speakers and NASCAR personalities are being confirmed, and will be announced at DoverSpeedway.com.
While parental supervision is required, volunteers from Autism Speaks as well as the Alpha Xi Delta sorority at the University of Delaware will be on hand for assistance. Tickets for Autism Speaks Day at the Races cost $88 for adults and $20 for children ages 14 and younger. The $88 price point is symbolic, as recent studies have shown that one in 88 children are diagnosed with autism by age eight, according to the CDC. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Autism Speaks. To purchase tickets to Autism Speaks Day at the Races, call 800-441-RACE or visit MonsterMileOffers.com/AutismSpeaks.
Tickets are on sale for the June 3 “FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks” NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, the June 2 “5-hour ENERGY 200” NASCAR Nationwide Series race and the June 1 “Lucas Oil 200” NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race. For more information, call 800-441-RACE or visit DoverSpeedway.com.(DIS)(4-23-2012)
Infineon Raceway and NASCAR Plant 77 Trees at a school: Roseland Creek Elementary School will be a little more “green”, thanks to both Infineon Raceway and NASCAR. The North Bay school, which is currently under construction and slated to open for the 2013 school year, received a donation of 77 trees through “NASCAR Green Clean Air” an initiative that neutralizes all the carbon produced by NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events. A ceremonial planting of three live oak trees was held on Friday at the future site of Roseland Creek Elementary School and attended by Santa Rosa Mayor Ernesto Olivares, Roseland Creek Elementary School Principal, William Nilsen, Superintendant of Roseland Public Schools, Gail Ahlas, representatives from Infineon Raceway and several future elementary school students. Infineon Raceway, which hosts an annual NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event each June, has participated in NASCAR’s Green Clean Air program since 2009. The initiative plants trees for every green flag waved during a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event. There were six green flags at the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway last June, so 77 trees (31 live oak and 46 maple) are being planted at Roseland Creek Elementary School.
NASCAR purchased the trees from Buckeye Nursery, a Women’s Business Enterprise National Council-certified business in Petaluma. The program dovetails well with Infineon Raceway’s Accelerating Sustainable Performance program, which includes an annual summit of sustainability industry leaders, a major solar installation, comprehensive recycling program, water conservation efforts and the use of sheep to maintain the grasses and fire lanes around the raceway, among others.(Infineon Raceway)(4-23-2012)
Talladega Superspeedway Launches Mobile App: Talladega Superspeedway is proud to announce the release of its new mobile application this week. Fans will find it easier than ever to stay in the loop with up to the minute information on all things ‘DEGA. The app will be especially useful on race weekends, when it will provide guests with all that’s needed to plan their trip, get around the facility and have a good time while they are here. The Talladega Superspeedway app is free and supported on most iPhone and Android devices. The key features include:
� Interactive GPS facility map with search capabilities to find the nearest restroom, food stand, souvenir trailer, tram, first aid station, will call booth, ATM and much more
� Customizable schedule with information on all events taking place over the weekend; fans will be able to personalize their race day and receive notifications for the events they wish to attend
� Social network integration with Talladega Superspeedway’s Facebook and Twitter accounts, as well as NASCAR’s, NASCAR on Fox’s and MRN Radio’s social media outlets
� Google directions
� Detailed parking map
� Ability to connect with and locate friends at the race via “Friend Finder”
For tickets and information visit talladegasuperspeedway.com or call 1-877-Go2-DEGA.(TSS)(4-23-2012)
News from April 22, 2012
Hamlin wins at Kansas:#11-Denny Hamlin won the STP 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway for his 2nd win of the year, 1st at Kansas and his 19th career win. It is the first win for Toyota at Kansas. The win for car #11, is the 199th win, one ahead of the #43 car, which has 198 wins [Richard Petty won races in cars other than the #43].
#56-Truex Jr., who led the most laps, finished 2nd followed by #48-Johnson, #17-Kenseth, #16-Biffle, #29-Harvick, #88-Earnhardt Jr., #5-Kahne, #99-Edwards and #18-Busch
Pole sitter, #22-Allmendinger, had engine problems anf finished 32nd, after leading 44 laps.
There were only 3 cautions for 18 yellow flag laps, a new record [was 5 and 23 laps]. The race speed average was 144.122mph, breaking the race record set by Greg Biffle in Oct 2010 of 138.077mph. There were 14 lead changes among 9 drivers.
The estimated attendence was 75,000, down from 80,000 in 2011.
See race results, awards, money won, laps led, cautions and more on the Kansas Race Results page (pdf) and the official rundown on the Official Race Report. (4-23-2012)
Top-35 in Owner Points and guaranteed a starting spot at Richmond:
#83 stays in the top 35, #33 is still 36th and out, but drops further back in points, now 11 points out. Rank) Car#-Driver/Team, owners pts, +/-
29) #38-Gilliland/Front Row, 126, +34
30) #34-Ragan/Front Row, 123, +33
31) #93-Kvapil/BK Racing, 122, +32
32) #32-Sorenson/FAS Lane Racing, 120, +30
33) #36-Blaney/Baldwin, 111, +21
34) #10-Reutimann-Patrick/Baldwin, 109, +19
35) #83-Cassill/BK Racing, 101, 11 ahead of 36th these teams / drivers will need to qualify by speed:
36) #33-TBA/Childress, 90, -11 from the top 35
37) #49-Yeley/Robinson. 73, -28
38) #30-Stremme/Inception, 69, -32
The teams are NOT locked in past the next race as the owners points change after each race.
For the owner points standings, see the Owners Points Standings page (pdf).(4-22-2012)
New record, win 199 for car #11: #11-Denny Hamlin’s win in the STP 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway was car #11’s 199th win in the Sprint Cup Series. This win passes the #43 for all-time wins in Sprint Cup Series history for a car number. Richard Petty, who drove the #43 for most of his 200 wins, actually won 192 races running the #43 and 8 in other car numbers [#41 & #42]. The car number in third is the car #3 with 97 wins. See the full list of car number wins and who won the first and last races for those car numbers on my Wins by Car Numbers.(4-22-2012)
Race Fast Facts – Kansas Speedway:
#11-Denny Hamlin won the 2nd Annual STP 400, his 19th victory in 231 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
This is his second victory and fourth top-10 finish in 2012.
This is his first victory and third top-10 finish in nine races at Kansas Speedway.
#56-Martin Truex Jr. (second) posted his first top-10 finish in eight races at Kansas Speedway. It is his sixth top-10 finish in 2012.
#48-Jimmie Johnson (third) posted his 10th top-10 finish in 12 races at Kansas Speedway.
#26-Josh Wise (39th) was the highest finishing rookie.
#16-Greg Biffle leads the point standings by 15 points over Martin Truex Jr.
(NASCAR Statistics)(4-22-2012)
Kansas Notes-n-Nuggets:
” Denny Hamlin earned his 19th Cup Series victory in his 231st start and joins Tony Stewart as the second repeat winner of 2012.
” This is Denny Hamlin’s first victory at Kansas in his ninth start.
” Denny Hamlin is the ninth different driver to win in 13 races at Kansas.
” This is 199th win for car No. 11, most of all numbers after breaking a tie with #43.
” Joe Gibbs Racing earned its 95th Cup Series victory, second win of 2012 and second win at Kansas.
” This is Toyota’s first Kansas victory of second victory of 2012.
” Martin Truex Jr. (second) has top-10 finishes in the past five races, a career high. This is Truex’s best Kansas finish and puts him a career-best second in points.
” Martin Truex Jr. led 173 laps, the most of all drivers, but was passed by Hamlin for the final lead change with 31 laps to go. This is the ninth time in 13 Kansas races that the driver who led the most laps failed to win.
” Jimmie Johnson (third) scored his seventh consecutive top-10 finish at Kansas and fifth top-10 of 2012.
” Matt Kenseth (fourth) has top-five finishes in five races in 2012 including four of the past five.
” Greg Biffle (fifth) scored his fifth top-five finish of 2012 and seventh consecutive top-10 at Kansas.
” Kevin Harvick (sixth) has finished 11th or better in all but one of the eight races of 2012.
” Dale Earnhardt Jr. (seventh) has top-10 finishes in the past four races. This is only the second time he has finished in the top 10 in four consecutive races since moving to Hendrick Motorsports.
” Kasey Kahne (eighth) earned his second top-10 finish of 2012, both of which came in the past two races.
” The average speed of the race was 144.126 mph — a new track record.
” The three cautions for 18 laps was the fewest for a Cup race at Kansas.(Racing Recall/nascar.com)(4-22-2012)
Victory Junction asks Pattie Petty to take a back seat: If the planned Victory Junction Midwest becomes a reality, it likely will be without the help of Pattie Petty, the driving force who created the original NASCAR-themed camp in North Carolina for children with chronic diseases. The Victory Junction board of directors has informed Petty, wife of former NASCAR driver Kyle Petty and daughter-in-law of Hall of Famer Richard Petty, that she will no longer be part of the day-to-day operations of the camp. The board has offered her emeritus status, but she is balking at serving in a purely ceremonial role. “They don’t want anything to do with me,” said Pattie Petty, who has been living in Kansas City part time while raising funds for the camp in Wyandotte County. “They gave me not one reason. They said they wanted to make a change. & I’m not sure what I did wrong, but the word came back to me I was making irrational decisions. Two board members who wanted me to leave gave me an ultimatum & never go to the camp, not talk to anybody with the camp. & It was probably the most hurtful thing that’s ever happened to me in my life.” John McKee, president of Victory Junction and who was hired by Pattie Petty, said he has been instructed by the board not to have any comment “because there is an ongoing employment negotiation.”(see full story and more quotes at the Kansas City Star)….what the [blank]?(4-22-2012)
Another spotter for Kahne: #5-Kasey Kahne is still searching for the best spotter for his Hendrick Motorsports program as he will use his third different spotter of the year when he starts the STP 400 on Sunday at Kansas Speedway and plans to work with a fourth sometime next month. Kahne replaced longtime spotter Kole Kahne (his cousin) with former #24-Jeff Gordon spotter Shannon McGlammery after the fifth race of the season. That tryout was designed for two races (Martinsville and Texas) and now Kahne will use Richard Childress Racing spotter Kevin Hamlin the next three weeks. “(Hamlin) is just spotting for a few weeks and someone else will spot after that,” Kahne said Saturday at Kansas Speedway. “That’s kind of where we’re at right now.”(Sporting News)(4-22-2012)
Kansas Speedway patches hole in track: A small patch job was needed to repair the Kansas Speedway track, which will be repaved following Sunday’s STP 400. Loose asphalt was found, but not missing, at the exit of turn 1 Friday night. The hole, approximately five inches long, was patched with Polygem. Drivers all weekend have questioned the need for a repave at the 11-year-old track, but the asphalt problem was pretty strong evidence of the need for the repave. The piece of asphalt was displayed in the Speedway media center Saturday.(Topeka Capital Journal)(4-22-2012)
Pit Stall Selections: The selections of pit stalls for the STP 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway have been made.
Pole sitter #22-Allmendinger chose pit stall 1 [as do most pole sitters].
Outside pole sitter #29-Harvick took pit stall 8, the first pitstall in front of it.
#20-Logano, who starts 3rd took the 18th pit stall, the 2nd stall with an opening in front of it.
The 43rd and final pit stall was taken by #55-Martin, who starts 5th.
To see where the drivers/teams pit stall is, see the pit selection chart on the Pit Stall Selection chart.(4-22-2012)
News from April 21, 2012
Allmendinger wins pole at Kansas: #22-A.J. Allmendinger won the pole for the STP 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway with a speed of 175.747mph for his 1st pole of 2012 and 2nd career pole. The pole put Allemdinger into the 2013 Shootout at Daytona. #29-Harvick will start 2nd the #20-Logano [but due to an engine change on Friday, he will fall to the rear of the field before the green flag on Sunday], #11-Hamlin, #55-Martin, #56-Truex Jr., #88-Earnhardt Jr., #15-Bowyer, #5-Kahne and #12-Hornish Jr.[top go-or-go homer.
The go-or-go homers who made the race (8): #12-Hornish Jr., #30-Stremme, #49-Yeley, #23-Riggs, #98-McDowell, #26-Wise, #87-Nemechek and #19-Bliss.
The go-or-go homers who failed to qualify for the race (3): #79-Andrews, #33-Jeff Green and #74-Raines.
See qualifying results, order, pole progression, go-or-go homers & starting lineup on the Kansas Lineup / Qualifying Page.(4-21-2012)
Qualifying Fast Facts – Kansas Speedway:
#22- AJ Allmendinger won the Coors Light Pole Award for the 2nd Annual STP 400 with a lap of 30.683 seconds, 175.993 mph.
This is his second pole in 160 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
This is his first pole and second top-10 start in 2012.
This is his first pole in six races at Kansas Speedway.
#29-Kevin Harvick (second) posted his fifth top-10 start of 2012 and his second in 13 races at Kansas Speedway.
#20-Joey Logano (third) posted his third top-10 start at Kansas Speedway. It is his sixth in eight races this season.
#26-Josh Wise (38th) was the fastest qualifying rookie.
(NASCAR Statistics)(4-21-2012)
Truex Jr., MWR talk new deal: Team owner Michael Waltrip said on Saturday at Kansas Speedway the organization is negotiating with #56-Martin Truex Jr. and primary sponsor NAPA on an extension. Truex Jr.’s contract expires at the end of the 2012 season. “NAPA is very happy right now,” Waltrip said. “Everybody would be very happy to go into 2013 just like this.” Truex said he never felt like he was on the hot seat coming into this season, and he’s confident he will be with MWR long-term. “I know where I stand with my race team, Michael and (co-owner) Rob (Kaufman),” Truex said. “There was never a part of me that said I need to step it up, I need to do better. I know I’ve always gotten everything I possibly can get out of my equipment. I feel like they know that, too.”(ESPN)(4-21-2012)
TMone to be primary sponsor of #32 at Kansas: FAS Lane Racing announced that TMone has increased their sponsorship involvement once again with the team’s #32 Ford in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and will serve as Primary Sponsor for this weekend’s race at Kansas Speedway. The leading Inside Sales Company, headquartered in Iowa City, IA will feature their “We Drive Sales” program on the #32 TMone Ford driven by Reed Sorenson in the running of the STP 400 this Sunday. It will also feature the State outlines of South Dakota and Iowa, which represent the locations of the customer contact centers TMone uses to support its Fortune 500 clients. FAS Lane Racing is coming off a tough run last week in Texas that was ruined by an overheating problem. Reed Sorenson will be behind the wheel of the #32 Ford for the second week in a row and will be making his seventh career Sprint Cup Series start at the Kansas Speedway where he has a career best finish of seventh back in the 2007 season.(FAS Lane Racing/Integrity Sports Marketing)(4-21-2012)
Farmland to sponsor #43 for four races UPDATE: On Saturday, April 21st, Farmland will unveil the details around its partnership with the legendary Richard Petty Motorsports NASCAR team for select Sprint Cup Series events in 2012. As part of the partnership, Farmland will feature Harvesters on the famous #43 Ford during their hometown NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at the Speedway this October and will make a significant donation to fight hunger in Kansas City. During the launch event, Farmland and Harvesters will join forces with “The King” and his team to unveil a new paint scheme.(RPM)(4-17-2012) UPDATE: Farmland Foods announced a partnership with the legendary Richard Petty Motorsports NASCAR team. Farmland will appear on the iconic #43 Ford Fusion as the primary sponsor in four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events in Chicago, Kansas, Texas and Phoenix. “Farmland is proud to partner with ‘The King’ and NASCAR’s first family,” said George Richter, President and Chief Operating Officer of Smithfield Foods Pork Group. “Richard Petty Motorsports is an ideal team to help raise awareness of the good work our company is doing.” Through the partnership, Farmland will bring greater awareness to hunger relief efforts in its hometown of Kansas City. As part of Farmland’s “Bacon a Difference” initiative, Farmland will feature HarvestersThe Community Food Network on the famous #43 Ford for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at the Kansas Speedway in October. During the “Bacon A Difference” promotion, which runs from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend (May 26September 3), Farmland will donate 4.3 cents to Harvesters for each bacon product sold at participating grocery stores in Kansas City. When the #43 Ford featuring Farmland and Harvesters returns to the Kansas Speedway for the Sprint Cup Series event in October, Farmland will present Harvesters with a check for no less than $43,000. “Farmland is just the kind of company we like to call our partner,” indicated Richard Petty, NASCAR legend and co-owner of Richard Petty Motorsports. “We’re excited to have Farmland and Harvesters on the #43 Ford at the Kansas Speedway this fall. That’s a victory in itself.” Farmland Foods, which reached over $4 billion in sales in 2011, is a subsidiary of Smithfield Foods.(RPM PR)(4-21-2012)
Petty not ruling out return to Dodge: Richard Petty Motorsports is trying to negotiate a deal to stay with Ford and retain its relationship with Roush Fenway Racing. But team namesake Richard Petty isn’t totally ruling out a return to Dodge, the manufacturer with which he became a racing icon as a driver. “Right now, we’ve got our sponsors pretty much lined up for next year,” Petty said Friday at Kansas Speedway. “Where we go with the cars and engines and things like that … we’ve got a plan, but I don’t know if anybody is going to go along with it.” Roush Fenway president Steve Newmark is optimistic his organization can continue supplying Ford engines and chassis for RPM. “We have thoroughly enjoyed working with Richard Petty and his entire team, as it is a first-class organization,” Newmark said. “We believe it has been a mutually beneficial relationship and sincerely hope to be able to continue the partnership into the future.”
Dodge has been looking for an anchor organization since Penske Racing announced it would move to Ford in 2013. Because of Petty’s past association with Dodge, RPM is among several organizations speculated to be a target for Dodge. “Right now, they are pretty confused,” Petty said of Dodge. “They got a plug pulled out of them and wasn’t really expecting it. … We’ll consider going anywhere to make a living out of this. Right now, we’re still up with the Ford deal and we’re going everything we can to win races with them.”(ESPN)(4-21-2012)
Toyota to unveil 2013 Camry: On May 22 at TRD (Toyota Racing Development) U.S.A. in Salisbury, N.C., reporters will get their first look at the new Camry to be raced by Toyota teams in 2013. Ford and Dodge already have revealed their 2013 Fusion and Charger, respectively. Chevrolet has yet to schedule the unveiling of its 2013 race car.(NASCAR Wire Service)(4-21-2012)
Kansas looking for a night race: Kansas Speedway track president Pat Warren said Friday that he has asked for a Saturday night race next season. The fall race is not an option because ESPN wants Sunday races that do not to conflict with college football. That leaves the spring race, which was moved from early June last year to mid-April this year so there could be more time between events to accommodate the repaving. The track’s fall date was moved back two weeks as wellto October 20-21. “I’m cautiously optimistic we’re going to get something that is going to work,” Warren said. “Hopefully we won’t be in this particular spot in the schedule next year and ideally we will be at night when it’s warmer.” Most track operators want dates where cold weather won’t be an issue. Dover moved its spring race from May to the June date that Kansas had last year. “Ideally we’d have a night race in late spring, early summer,” Warren said. “I would hope later May, June or maybe even in July.”(Sporting News)(4-21-2012)
Kansas Speedway repave starts Sunday: Kansas Speedway will have a different feel when the Sprint Cup series returns this fall. Immediately after Sunday’s race, an M1A1 Abrams tank and armored combat earthmover from the Kansas Army National Guard will rumble over its asphalt surface, the ceremonial start to a massive renovation project that will include the construction of an infield road course. The biggest change will be to the surface itself. The old, worn-out pavement will be stripped away and the underlying material sculpted to transform the uniform 15-degree banking of the original layout to variable banking of 17 to 20 degrees. Pit road will also be reconstructed along with both straightaways.(Associated Press)(4-21-2012)
Atlanta Motor Speedway to Host Free Open House Saturday, May 12: Fans and members of the local community are invited to enjoy a free open house at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Saturday, May 12 from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The day’s activities will include a full program of Legends racing on the “Thunder Ring” oval, free giveaways and the opportunity for attendees to drive their car on the speedway’s famed 1.54-mile racing surface. Admission is free to the off-season Legends race on the �-mile “Thunder Ring,” where fans can roam the grandstand seating area and personally select their seats for the speedway’s Labor Day NASCAR night racing weekend, Aug. 31-Sept. 2. With any ticket purchase to the Sept. 2 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AdvoCare 500, fans can drive their own vehicle on the track following the conclusion of the Legends racing action at 2:00 p.m. Customers who have already purchased tickets to the AdvoCare 500 can visit the AMS ticket office to receive a voucher to drive the track. A payment of $30 will also be accepted for track drives without a ticket purchase. More info at atlantamotorspeedway.com.(AMS)(4-21-2012)
News from April 20, 2012
Coverage of Qualifying for the STP 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway is scheduled for Saturday, April 21, 2012 at 12:10 pm/et. Television (TV): SPEED, 12:30pm/et Scheduled Qualifying Re-Air: none scheduled
Qualifying Order for the STP 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway is posted. 46 cars/drivers are listed.
The first of the drivers scheduled to go out is #20-Logano, slowest in practice [no speed, engine change].
The final driver scheduled to go out is #18-Busch, who was fastest in first practice.
Qualifying order is set by the first practice session, with slowest driver going out by speed and the fastest going out last. The non-top 35 drivers are mixed in with the top-35 in owners points, slowest to fastest.
See the full qualifying order on the Kansas Qualifying Page.(4-20-2012)
Happy Hour Practice for the STP 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway is over, after 90 scheduled minutes, the top five fastest, slowest and notes:
#48-Johnson 174.956
#55-Martin 174.317
#56-Truex Jr. 173.801
#16-Biffle 173.310
#11-Hamlin 172.89
slowest: #36-Blaney 166.826 #33-Green 167.390
Notes: #14-Stewart scraped the wall just into practice, soing some minor damage to the right side of the car.
See fastest speeds, best ten-lap averages, laps run and more on the Kansas Happy Hour Practice Speeds (pdf), no average speeds all laps and NOT changing back to the old way, just posting the pdf’s.(4-20-2012)
5-hour Energy expands sponsorship of #15: 5-hour Energy announced it will sponsor Michael Waltrip Racing’s #15 Toyota driven by Clint Bowyer for the all but one of the remaining races in the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. The move increases 5-hour’s sponsorship from 25 to 37 events. “5-hour Energy is extremely excited about the consumer exposure and sales growth we have achieved since moving up to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and partnering with Michael Waltrip Racing and Clint Bowyer this season,” said Scott Henderson, president of 5-hour Energy. Waltrip said the team’s internal numbers show the #15 Toyota has garnered tremendous exposure for 5-hour in the first seven races. MWR and 5-hour Energy announced a 25-race partnership at Kansas Speedway in October. Today’s announcement means 5-hour Energy will sponsor the #15 for 35 of 36 points races in 2012. 5-hour ENERGY also sponsored the #15 in the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona and will sponsor the #15 in the Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte. Aaron’s will sponsor Bowyer at Talladega Superspeedway on May 6 in his only non-5-hour race in 2012. The car will honor the University of Alabama’s BCS National Championship football team.(MWR)(4-20-2012)
1st Friday Practice for the STP 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway is over, after 80 scheduled minutes, the top five fastest, slowest and notes:
#18-Busch 173.728
#99-Edwards 172.900
#5-Kahne 172.546
#83-Cassill 172.469
#88-Earnhardt Jr. 172.276
slowest: #98-McDowell 167.348 #33-Green 167.593
no speed listed: #20-Logano (engine change)
notes: #20-Logano left the garage just as practice began, was on his first lap, when the engine soured, Logano went back to the garage and the team is changing the engine. So Logano will start the race on Sunday from the rear. About 10 minutes into practice, #51-Busch spun off turn 4 and slid thru the frontstretch grass. Busch was able to drive the car to the garage with just some cosmetic damage. #47-Labonte’s team changed the fuel cell as they were having fueling problems.
This practice will set the order for qualifying on Saturday, scheduled for 12:10pm/et on SPEED.
See fastest speeds, best ten-lap averages, laps run and more on the Kansas 1st Practice Speeds (pdf), no average speeds all laps and NOT changing back to the old way, just posting the pdf’s.(4-20-2012)
Go-or-Go Homers practice for the STP 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway.
the final practice rank for the go-or-go homers (drivers not in the top 35 of current owners points) These drivers would make the race if things stay the same:
#87-Joe Nemechek, 17th fastest overall
#23-Scott Riggs, 22nd
#30-David Stremme, 33rd
#26-Josh Wise#, 35th
#19-Mike Bliss, 36th
#49-J.J. Yeley, 37th
#74-Tony Raines, 38th
#12-Sam Hornish Jr., 39th These drivers would miss the race if things stay the same:
#79-Andrews, 42nd
#33-Green, 44th
#98-Michael McDowell, 45th/last
(4-20-2012)
Chassis selections for this weeks race: see the list of many teams [that report or post these] and what chassis were selected by the team to run at Kansas Speedway on the Kansas Race Info page – Chassis selection area.
Kansas Goodyear Tires Notes: Teams in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will run the same combination of left- and right-side tires they ran twice at Kansas last season . . . more recently, these teams ran this right-side tire code at Fontana earlier this season . . . while Sprint Cup and Camping World Truck teams will run the same right-side code at Kansas this weekend, they will run distinct left-side codes . . . as on all NASCAR ovals greater than one mile in length, teams are required to run inner liners in all four tire positions at Kansas . . . air pressure in the inner liners should be 12-25 psi greater than that of the outer tire. See tire codes, pressures and more on the Kansas Race Info page – Goodyear section.
Dale Earnhardt Day 2012: Dale Earnhardt Inc. is proud to announce the 2012 Dale Earnhardt Day on Sunday, April 29th, at the DEI Corporate Headquarters in Mooresville, NC. A celebration of the extraordinary life and legacy of Dale Earnhardt, this event is held annually on his birthday. Fans will be treated to special access to the Grand Showroom, only opened once a year on Dale Day, including a display of DEI Championship cars and other special vehicles. The DEI Museum will be opening a new display on that day: “Dale Earnhardt Inc. A Racing Heritage”. This new exhibit highlights the early beginnings of Dale and Teresa Earnhardt, and how their separate racing backgrounds combined brought great success. Photos and displays from the early days of racing show how the sport has changed and grown through four generations of Earnhardt racers. More info on my Racing Charities page. Dale Earnhardt Day 2012 will run from 1pm until 6pm, on Sunday, April 29th. Admission is free, and plenty of parking is available. Dale Earnhardt Inc. is located at 1675 Dale Earnhardt Highway #3, outside of Mooresville, NC.(4-20-2012)
Daugherty Picks Up Speed, Experience In Second Martinsville Speedway Test: Brad Daugherty finished his second day of behind-the-wheel training at Martinsville Speedway Thursday with a smile on his face and more speed in his future. The 7-foot-1 former NBA star and current ESPN racing analyst tested his National Auto Sport Association truck on the difficult Martinsville half-mile Thursday, following up a similar test in November. Daugherty has been racing for more than a decade, but said the two Martinsville visits have stepped up his game. Daugherty, was getting some tutoring from fellow ESPN analyst Andy Petree, who was a NASCAR Sprint Cup championship crew chief, and drove several races at Martinsville in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Daugherty’s NASA schedule will consist entirely of road courses, but he said Martinsville’s tight turns offer up similarities to road racing. Daugherty and Petree shut down their trucks a bit early so they could shoot part of ESPN’s daily racing show, NASCAR Now, live from the infield. Daugherty said while the day was enjoyable and a boost to his driving skills, any actual racing experience helps his on-air credibility. Tickets are on sale for October races and may be purchased by calling 877.RACE.TIX or online at www.martinsvillespeedway.com.(Martinsville Speedway)(4-20-2012)
Economaki named new NCMA Executive Director: In the continuing evolution of the North Carolina Motorsports Association, the NCMA Board of Directors announced it has hired Corinne Economaki as executive director while interim executive director Andy Papathanassiou has accepted a seat on the board of directors. Having served as publisher of the stalwart motorsports publication, National Speed Sport News, for almost two decades, Economaki is no stranger to motorsports.(more info at NCMA)(4-20-2012)
Haas Automation to sponsor Newman at Kansas: It was 10 years ago this September that Haas Automation – the largest CNC machine tool builder in the western world and founded by Gene Haas – made its first start as a primary sponsor in the Sprint Cup Series at Kansas Speedway. The company’s name and red “H” logos adorned the hood and quarter panels for the #60 Haas-CNC Racing machine for driver Jack Sprague, also owned by Haas. Fast forward to April 2012 and there’s no doubt the sponsor (Haas Automation) and the race team (then Haas-CNC Racing) have come a long way since that first Kansas outing. Today, founder Haas shares ownership of what is now known as Stewart-Haas Racing with three-time and reigning Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart. The merger, which took effect in 2009, has resulted in 16 Sprint Cup points paying wins, a Sprint All-Star race win and a Sprint Cup championship. And Haas’ company, Haas Automation, serves as one of multiple primary sponsors for Ryan Newman and the #39 Chevrolet, including Sunday’s STP 400. Newman’s #39 Chevy will also carry the Web site address, “BeRyansBoss.com” on its TV panel this weekend to encourage fans to enter the “Quicken Loans You’re the Boss Sweepstakes.”. Fans can enter until April 30.(SHR)(4-20-2012)
Driver sues NASCAR, “too Caucasian’? An aspiring stock-car driver is suing NASCAR, claiming he was denied the opportunity to compete in NASCAR’s diversity program because he looks “too Caucasian.” NASCAR argues that in trying to change the “face” of the sport, it has the right to select drivers for its diversity program based on skin color, attorneys for the sanctioning body and its former diversity program administrators have told a U.S. District court. Michael Rodriguez, a driver from Pennsylvania, says in his complaint filed in U.S. District Court that he was denied the opportunity to compete in the 2005 and 2006 Drive For Diversity combines. Rodriguez is suing NASCAR and Access Communications, which operated NASCAR’s diversity program from its inception in 2004 until 2008 and conducted the combines that are designed for teams in NASCAR’s regional series to scout minority drivers. NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program was created to develop minority drivers and crewmen and help them advance through the NASCAR ranks with the goal of reaching the sport’s top series. Since 2004, the program has included 41 drivers, with most being selected multiple times. There currently are six drivers in the program racing in various NASCAR regional series.(full article at the Sporting News)(4-20-2012)
Chassis selections for Kansas: see the list of many teams and what chassis were selected by the team to run at Kansas Speedway: MISSING? why are some teams missing? like the #11, #18, #24, #56 or others? those teams do not report what chassis in the race previews or prs. #1-Jamie McMurray: Crew Chief Kevin “Bono” Manion and the #1 McDonald’s team will bring Chassis #1208 to Kansas Speedway this weekend. This chassis made its debut this year at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, finishing eighth, McMurray’s first top-10 of the season. Did you Know?: It would take 47,520 McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets (averaging two inches) to circle the 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway. You would have to place 7,920 six-piece orders to get that many McNuggets. #2-Brad Keselowski: and the #2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger team will race chassis PRS-822 during Sunday’s STP 400 at Kansas Speedway. This is a new chassis to the #2 fleet. #5-Kasey Kahne: crew chief Kenny Francis has selected Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 5-717. This is a new car that has not been tested or raced. #9-Marcos Ambrose: The #9 DeWalt / Richard Petty Motorsports team has prepared chassis No. 784 for the 267-lap race at Kansas Speedway. This chassis ran at Kansas in last fall’s event. #10-David Reutimann will pilot chassis No. 356 in the off-season from Richard Childress Racing. Reutimann drove the chassis at Las Vegas, Auto Club Speedway and Texas this season. At Vegas, he started in the 31st position, and a sparking wire in the cockpit relegated the team to a 31st-place finish. At California, he started 18th and finished in the 27th position. He had his best showing in the chassis at Texas Motor Speedway when he drove from the 31st starting spot to finish in 26th place. #12-Sam Hornish Jr.: will debut the #12 SKF Dodge Charger and make his first start of the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) season Sunday afternoon in the STP 400 at Kansas Speedway, this weekend the #12 SKF Dodge Charger will race with chassis No. 803. #14-Tony Stewart: and crew chief Steve Addington are bringing Chassis No. 14-706 the same #14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevy that led twice for 42 laps en route to winning the rain-shortened race March 25 at Auto Club Speedway. #15-Clint Bowyer: The 5-hour Energy team will race chassis No. 716 at Kansas. Bowyer finished sixth with No. 716 in Las Vegas. Chassis No. 721 will serve as the backup and previously served as backup at Texas, Auto Club and Vegas but never raced. #16-Greg Biffle: and the Matt Puccia led #16 3M / Novec team is bringing primary chassis RK-777 which last ran Las Vegas and finished third. The backup chassis RK-786 which last ran Homestead and finished 35th. #17-Matt Kenseth: will run primary chassis RK-741 at Kansas, which last ran at Las Vegas. Kenseth will pilot the #17 Ford EcoBoost. #22-A.J. Allmendinger and his Todd Gordon-led Penske Racing #22 Team will be racing their new “PRS-823” AAA Dodge Charger this weekend at Kansas. The “PRS-814” is the backup Dodge Charger for the “Double-Deuce” team. It was in the transporter serving as the backup at Las Vegas, Fontana and last weekend at Texas, but has never seen any track time. #27-Paul Menard will pilot Chassis No. 279 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This #27 Zecol/Menards Chevy was last seen on track at Las Vegas in March, where Menard earned a seventh-place finish. This chassis was also utilized in 2011 competition at Texas in November and at Kansas in October, where the Brickyard 400 winner finished 15th and 12th, respectively. #29-Kevin Harvick: will pilot Chassis No. 378 prepared from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This Rheem chassis was used during the 2011 season when Kevin Harvick earned a second-place finish at Chicago in September and a sixth-place finish at Kansas in October. #31-Jeff Burton will race chassis No. 367 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This #31 Caterpiller Chevy, originally built in 2011, has seen significant track time including visits to Indianapolis in July 2011 (started-13th, finished-35th), Atlanta in September 2011 (started-27th, finished-13th) and Kansas in October 2011 (started-31st, finished-21st). Burton also tallied a top-10 finish at Homestead last November, finishing 10th after starting 31st with this car. #36-Dave Blaney will pilot chassis No. 100 this weekend. TBR bought the chassis from Red Bull Racing. Blaney drove the chassis at Bristol Motor Speedway earlier this season. #39-Ryan Newman Chassis No. 39-686 will make its fourth start this weekend at Kansas Speedway. The chassis already has one start to its credit this season, which resulted in Newman’s first top-five finish of 2012 at Las Vegas. After qualifying a disappointing 18th, Newman made a strong drive into the top-10, where he ran for most of the race. He drove from eighth to fourth in the final four laps to earn a fourth-place finish. Prior to its start at Las Vegas this year, Chassis 39-686 made two starts at intermediate racetracks during the 2011 Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship, which resulted in one top-10 finish. The chassis made its debut at Charlotte, starting sixth, led six laps and finished a solid 10th. In the second start for the chassis at Texas, Newman recovered from a loose wheel and being two laps down to finish a respectable 16th. #42-Juan Pablo Montoya: crew chief Chris ‘Sunshine’ Heroy and the #42 Target team will bring Chassis #1205 to Kansas Speedway this weekend. This chassis was originally brought to Las Vegas Motor Speedway as the primary car, but after contact with the wall in practice, Montoya was forced to go to a back-up car. #43-Aric Almirola:: The #43 STP Ford will run chassis number 752. This is the same chassis the team ran at California earlier this year. #48-Jimmie Johnson: Chassis No. 720 is a new chassis and serves as the primary for Johnson at Kansas. Chassis No. 669 serves as the backup running at Las Vegas in 2012 finished 2nd and four races in 2011: Kansas (7th), Kentucky (3rd), Michigan (2nd) and Dover (2nd). #51-Kurt Busch This weekend’s STP 400 will be the second race of the 2012 season for this chassis No. 665. This is the same car the #51 Phoenix Racing team competed with at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March. The car was rebuilt after being caught up in an accident late in the race at Las Vegas. Busch earned his best starting position of the season with this chassis at Las Vegas, where he started 12th. The car was built in 2011 and was used only once last season the June race at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, where driver Landon Cassill scored a 12th-place finish after starting 12th. #55-Mark Martin: will drive MWR chassis (No. 720) at Kansas Speedway this weekend, finished 18th at Las Vegas in 2012. Chassis 708 will serve as backup. It has not raced in 2012. #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr.: crew chief Steve Letarte and the #88 team will unload Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 88-716. This is a brand new chassis that has not been raced. #99-Carl Edwards the #99 Aflac crew will unload RK-814 this weekend at Kansas, this is a brand new car.
(from team PR’s/sites if reported)(4-20-2012)
News from April 19, 2012
Heading Into Earth Day, NASCAR Releases ‘White Paper’ On Green: NASCAR issued a ‘White Paper’ detailing the various programs that have made NASCAR a leader in green initiatives across all sports. The data in “The Sports Leader in Sustainability”* illustrates the steps NASCAR has taken in educating fans, reducing the sport’s environmental impact, and validating green technologies both on and off the track. This past weekend in Texas, NASCAR eclipsed the two-million mile mark running on Sunoco Green E15 since the seamless transition to the new fuel in February 2011. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series engines have been operating at an even greater level of efficiency due, in part, to NASCAR’s transition to electronic fuel injection this year. NASCAR’s release of the ‘White Paper’ is timed to Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race in Kansas taking place on Earth Day. NASCAR, Kansas Speedway and several of NASCAR’s Official Partners will be showcasing many of the environmental sustainability programs that take place each week at race tracks across the country not just on Earth Day. Among those activities happening at Kansas include:
� NASCAR’s premier series entitlement sponsor, Sprint, will implement “Recycle for Victory” a wireless recycling program that benefits charity;
� The backstretch of the track will be painted green thanks to NASCAR Official Partner American Ethanol;
� NASCAR Official Partners Coca-Cola and Coors Light will educate fans on the benefits of recycling and encouraging them to drop plastic bottles and aluminum cans in designated bins;
� A new 30-second television spot about the NASCAR Green platform will air during Sunday’s NASCAR on FOX national broadcast at 1 p.m.;
� The NASCAR Green logo will appear in the infield grass for the first time at a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event;
� The pace car for the STP 400 is a Toyota Camry Hybrid and will carry the NASCAR Green logo on its trunk lid;
� NASCAR and Kansas Speedway will donate 10 trees to the Gov. Jay Nixon’s Governor’s Joplin Challenge for every green flag that is dropped over the weekend;
� Miss Sprint Cup will wear a green fire suit throughout the weekend in support of the environment;
� Every race vehicle on the track this weekend will run on Sunoco Green E15, further validating the environmentally responsible high-performance racing fuel.
(NASCAR)(4-19-2012)
#48 to run colors to honor American muscle cars: Jimmie Johnson and Team Lowe’s Racing will feature the first in a series of new color combinations on the #48 Chevrolet this season as a tribute to the American muscle car. “Mountain Green” will run as the primary color in this weekend’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Kansas Speedway. Mountain Green is one of General Motors’ classic color combinations from 1967. Team Lowe’s Racing chose green for this weekend’s race as a tribute to Earth Day which falls on raceday, Sunday, April 22. “When we were researching colors, it just made sense that we used green for this weekend,” said David Sutphin, Sports Marketing Manager for Lowe’s. The color “Mountain Green” was only used by General Motors on its Chevrolet vehicles for one single model year: 1967. It was available on every model of passenger car Chevrolet built that year except for the Corvette. While there are no exact records, Chevrolet estimates that 3.5% of Chevrolets were painted Mountain Green that year. In conjunction with Earth Day, Lowe’s will make a donation to the 2012 Governor’s Joplin Habitat Challenge. The initiative challenges Missouri’s major athletic organizations to help build 35 homes in the Joplin, Mo., area, which was devastated by tornadoes nearly a year ago. Lowe’s will donate a tree to every home built. Fans can look forward to more versions of the now permanent two-color paint scheme in the upcoming races.(Team Lowe’s Racing), see a few images of the Kansas scheme on my #48 Team Schemes page.(4-19-2012)
Rain halts tire test at Dover: Even the top stock-car racers in the world won’t drive 160 mph in the rain. So while Wednesday’s intermittent showers did not deter the usual crowd of white-haired retirees from taking their favorite spots at the slot machines and blackjack tables in the adjacent casino, Goodyear technicians gazed up at the skies over Dover International Speedway and decided to halt their 2-day tire test more than 4 hours early. #51-Kurt Busch, #39-Ryan Newman, #56-Martin Truex Jr. and #29-Kevin Harvick had all parked their cars and cleared out of the state capital by noon, leaving only #22-A.J. Allmendinger and #9-Marcos Ambrose to spend a sliver of their lunch break with the media. And even after the pair returned to the makeshift garage area at the south end of the oval, only Ambrose made it back onto the track in his putty-colored #9 Ford for a couple of top-speed laps before the test was stopped for good at 12:30 pm. Based on the data collected over the day-and-a-half test, Goodyear will develop a new tire to tame the Monster Mile’s concrete track. The challenge is to find the right compounds that will properly “rubber in” the racing surface without causing marbles – or chunks of tread – to build up in the high-banked corners. Ambrose completed about 100 laps Wednesday morning and learned something the Goodyear engineers will have to take into account. “The tire was so fast that it would turn this into a one-groove racetrack,” the Aussie said with a smile. “We’d be playing follow-the-leader.”(Philadelphia Daily News and more at the Delaware News Journal)(4-19-2012)
Phoenix Racing may not run full season? UPDATE 2: In an interview Sunday night on [SPEED’s] “Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain,” Sprint Cup Series team owner James Finch said “there’s a question” whether he will be able to run the full Cup season with driver #51-Kurt Busch. Asked by Despain if there was a question whether his team could do all the races, Finch answered: “Well, we’re trying. There’s a question. We’re off and running and trying. We’re talking to some people and going from there. We’re headed to Kansas this weekend and hopefully get in the top 10 there and then come back to Talladega and have a really good run. We’re optimistic about it. Kurt has put a lot of effort in it. It’s kind of like a small team getting a big-time quarterback,” Finch said.(in part from the Charlotte Observer)(4-16-2012) UPDATE: Dave Despain: Dealing with the sponsorship issue, are you feeling good to go for the season or is there a question of whether you guys will be able to do all the races? James Finch: “Well, we’re trying. There’s a question. We’re off and running and trying. We’re talking to some people and going from there. We’re headed to Kansas this weekend and hopefully get in the top 10 there and then come back to Talladega and have a really good run. We’re optimistic about it. Kurt has put a lot of effort in it. It’s kind of like a small team getting a big-time quarterback. Last night (at Texas), it was 480 miles before we got a lap down. The pit crew did a real good job with all the green-flag stops. We’re just trying to catch up with Kurt. Kurt’s got the speed. We’re trying to get the crew chief up. We’re trying to get the pit crew up to be able to handle what Kurt can do. Hopefully, we’re getting there.”(full interview at SPEED)(4-16-2012) UPDATE 2: Kurt Busch comments about 2012 plans: Q) What are the plans for Phoenix Racing for the rest of 2012? Kurt Busch: “I’ve had a handshake agreement with (James) Finch to run the full season since December. We’ve talked and that hasn’t changed. Do we need sponsorship? Absolutely. There’s a lot that goes into making a team successful and sponsorship is a major part of it. I think you’d have to go pretty far back in history to find a team that has contended for wins on a consistent basis or a championship without sponsorship. We’ve had a handful of races sponsored this season and both Finch and I are working on some things that will help us out as the year goes on, but the search for sponsorship is ongoing. We’re coming off of the race at Texas. We had one of our best performances and finishes of the season, where we beat a lot of bigger and better-funded teams. Hopefully, there are companies out there considering our sport and they’re paying attention to what we’re accomplishing. Like a lot of people these days, we’re doing more with less. In the meantime, we’re going to keep working hard each and every week to get the best result we can, on the racetrack and off.”(see more comments KurtBusch.com/Phoenix Racing/True Speed Communications)(4-19-2012)
Kansas Goodyear Tires Notes: Teams in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will run the same combination of left- and right-side tires they ran twice at Kansas last season . . . more recently, these teams ran this right-side tire code at Fontana earlier this season . . . while Sprint Cup and Camping World Truck teams will run the same right-side code at Kansas this weekend, they will run distinct left-side codes . . . as on all NASCAR ovals greater than one mile in length, teams are required to run inner liners in all four tire positions at Kansas . . . air pressure in the inner liners should be 12-25 psi greater than that of the outer tire. See tire codes, pressures and more on the Kansas Race Info page – Goodyear section.
The Numbers for Kansas Speedway, Caution Update:
1 – number of drivers winning both the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series race at Kansas Speedway in the same weekend (Joe Nemechek, 2004)
2 – wins from the pole (Joe Nemechek – 2004, Jimmie Johnson – 2008)
2 – most wins by driver (Jeff Gordon, Greg Biffle, Jimmie Johnson & Tony Stewart)
3 – most poles (Jimmie Johnson)
5 – fewest cautions (twice, most recently 6/5/2011)
5 – fewest laps led by race winner (Tony Stewart, 10/1/2006)
6 – number of jet dryers available for track drying this weekend
7 – number of races won from top-10 starting position
8 – different race winners
8 – most top-five finishes (Jeff Gordon)
9 – different pole winners
9 – fewest cars on lead lap at finish (9/29/2002)
9 – fewest leaders (twice, most recently 10/9/2011)
10 – number of drivers that have competed in all 12 races
13 – fewest lead changes (9/29/02)
13 – most cautions (9/30/2001)
14 – most leaders (10/4/2009)
22 – fewest caution laps (6/5/2011)
26 – most lead changes (10/4/2009)
27 – most cars on lead lap at finish (9/30/2007)
27 – fewest cars running at finish (9/29/2002)
42 – most running at finish (9/28/2008)
70 – most caution laps (9/30/2001)
120 minutes – approximate amount of time it takes to dry the 1.5-mile track
137.077 mph – track race record
180.856 mph – track qualifying record
197 – most laps led by race winner (Jimmie Johnson, 10/9/2011) 2012 Caution Update
1 – fewest cautions this season (Fontana 3/25/2012)
2 – number of races extended beyond scheduled distance in 2012 (Daytona and Martinsville); one in first seven races in 2011 (Daytona)
10 – most cautions this season (Daytona, 2/27/2012)
40 – number of cautions in the first seven races of 2012; 61 in first seven races in 2011
232 of 2,259 – number of laps under caution in 2012
272.073 of 2,513.890 – miles under caution in the first seven races
(Darnell Communications for SRT Motorsports and Dodge)(4-19-2012)
#16 3M Ford Debuts Sustainable Fire Suppression Fluid: For this Earth Day weekend at the Kansas Speedway, Greg Biffle’s #16 3M Ford has been upgraded with the environmentally sustainable, 3M Novec 1230 Fire Protection Fluid. Novec 1230 fluid balances performance requirements with favorable environmental and safety properties, giving Biffle added reassurance and peace of mind. “I’m proud to drive the first racecar that incorporates a sustainable fire suppression fluid. It seems fitting to go the first round on Earth Day,” said Biffle. “I’m lucky to be working with Roush Fenway Racing who jumped on board early to get the new fluid into the car to not only protect me, but also the environment. The sustainability aspect of Novec is huge. I expect a fire suppression fluid to keep me safe, but the fact that it also is safe for the environment is important to me.” Metalcraft, Inc., an international leader in fire suppression, equipped both the cockpit and fuel cell area of the #16 3M Ford with its new Fire-Trak branded fire suppression system using Novec 1230 fluid. The Fire-Trak system and 3M’s Novec 1230 fluid received NASCAR approval earlier this year. For more information regarding 3M Novec 1230 fluid or other Novec branded products log onto www.3M.com/Novec.(Roush Fenway Racing), see an image of the car on my #16 Team Schemes page.(4-19-2012)
A Taste of Darlington: A Taste of Darlington will return to Darlington Raceway on Thursday evening, April 19 from 7:00 p.m. 9:00 p.m. in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series garage area. The annual culinary event benefits the Darlington Downtown Revitalization Association (DDRA) and features some of the best cooks in the Darlington area. The event is usually attended by 500-700 local community members that enjoy great food and beverage at the annual festivities. For more than 20 years A Taste of Darlington has been a marquee event on the social calendar in the community. This year’s event will feature 15 grillers preparing main courses and over 15 stations featuring hors d’oeuvres and desserts. Walk-up tickets are available the day of the event for $30 each. The event is only open for guests 21 years of age or older. You can keep up with all of the latest news from Darlington Raceway at DarlingtonRaceway.com. Tickets for events at Darlington can be purchased by calling the Darlington Raceway ticket office at 866-459-RACE or online at darlingtonraceway.com/tickets/.(Darlington Raceway)(4-19-2012)
Pre-Race Pit Passes Now Available for all ‘DEGA Fans: Getting a chance to breathe in the sheer size of Talladega Superspeedway from the pit area is one of the most memorable experiences any NASCAR fan can have. And starting today, race fans have to the ability to add a pre-race pit pass to their ticket orders for just $50. “Watching the racing on display at Talladega Superspeedway from the stands or the infield is an incredible experience, but walking the pits is a whole different ball game,” said Grant Lynch, Chairman of Talladega Superspeedway. “With the pre-race pit pass fans have the opportunity to feel the excitement and energy that builds before the green flag waves. It’s the experience of a lifetime.” The most competitive racing in NASCAR combined with a mix of southern hospitality returns to Talladega Superspeedway May 4-6, 2012 for the Aaron’s Dream Weekend. For tickets and information visit www.talladegasuperspeedway.com or call 1-877-Go2-DEGA.(TSS)(4-19-2012)
News from April 18, 2012
Top Gear Goes Behind The Scenes Of NASCAR on BBC America:Top Gear, the world’s biggest car show, sends host Richard Hammond to Texas, fully immersing the native-Brit in the world of NASCAR. During his visit to Texas Motor Speedway, Hammond explores the history of NASCAR and discovers how the sport evolved into the spectacle that it is today. He also discusses American motorsport culture and learns what it’s like to be behind the wheel of a machine running 800-850 horsepower from those who know best, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stars Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Juan Pablo Montoya. Hammond even gets a driving lesson from Kyle Petty, former NASCAR driver and son of NASCAR legend Richard Petty. NASCAR fans and petrol-heads alike can catch all the action from race weekend when this episode of Top Gear premieres on BBC AMERICA Monday, April 30 at 8:30pm et/pt (NASCAR)(4-18-2012)
Mayfield indicted by Iredell County grand jury: Former NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield was indicted by a grand jury in Iredell County on Wednesday for several larcenies dating back to 2010. Mayfield is charged with five counts of felonious breaking and entering of tractor-trailers and one count of felony larceny. He is also charged with two counts of felony breaking and entering and felony larceny from a building. Mayfield was also indicted in February by a Catawba County Superior Court after allegedly stealing more than $1,000 worth of goods from three companies and storing the stolen items at his home.(NewsChannel 36)(4-18-2012)
The Entry List for the STP 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway is posted, 46 teams/drivers [for 43 spots] are listed, including: Not in top 35 of owners points:
#12-Sam Hornish Jr. (none/0)
#19-Mike Bliss (45the in owners pts/3 attempts)
#23-Scott Riggs (44/7)
#26-Josh Wise (40/7)
#30-David Stremme (37/7)
#33-TBA (36/7)
#49-J.J. Yeley (39/7)
#74-Tony Raines (47/4)
#79-Tim Andrews (none/0)
#87-Joe Nemechek (42/7)
#98-Michael McDowell (41/7) In the event that qualifying is cancelled:
the eight who would make it [8]: #’s 33,30,49,26,98,87,23,74
missing the race would be [3]: #’s 19,12,79
See the full entry list at my Jayski’s Kansas Entry List.(4-16/18-2012)
Drivers with most points, last 10 races: #56-Martin Truex Jr. credits the entire Michael Waltrip Racing organization for his impressive start to the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. He’s especially appreciative of the chance to work with teammate #55-Mark Martin again. The veteran driver’s feedback may be an asset to Truex this weekend as he tackles one of his toughest tracks, the Kansas Speedway. Coming off of a pole and his fourth consecutive top-10 finish at Texas, the two-time Nationwide Series champion is a serious contender for a Chase berth this year. In seven races, Truex ranks fourth in the standings. Since MWR completed its major overhaul 10 races ago, only one driver has outperformed Truex the reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion #14-Tony Stewart: Points in Last 10 Races
1) #14-Tony Stewart, 372
2) #56-Martin Truex Jr., 355
3) #16-Greg Biffle, 354
4) #17-Matt Kenseth, 347
5) #99-Carl Edwards, 345.(MWR)(4-18-2012)
Overnight Texas TV Ratings: NASCAR Sprint Cup Racing on Fox averaged a 3.6/7 Saturday night for the race from Texas. Though off one-tenth from last year’s 3.7/7 for the same race, NASCAR powered FOX to an easy first place finish for the night (8-11p) beating CBS by +13% (3.6 vs. 3.2), ABC by +24% (3.6 vs. 2.9), and NBC by +125% (3.6 vs. 1.6). Through seven races caution flags are down -34% (40 vs. 61) and lead changes, arguably one of the strongest indicators of exciting racing, are down -43% (125 vs. 220). Season-to-date, NASCAR Sprint Cup Racing on FOX is averaging a 4.6/9 in the meters, off -6% from last year’s average of a 4.9/11. See season TV Ratings and 4-year race comparison chart on the 2012 TV Ratings page.(4-18-2012)
Hornish Jr. to attempt Kansas Sprint Cup race: Sam Hornish Jr., will debut the #12 SKF Dodge Charger and make his first start of the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) season Sunday afternoon in the STP 400 at Kansas Speedway (KS). Hornish’s return to Kansas marks his first time back to the track since 2010, when he competed in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. This will mark Hornish’s fourth NSCS start at KS. From 2006 to present, Hornish has made a total of 109 NSCS starts. He has scored two top-five and eight top-10 finishes during that time. Hornish is also scheduled to drive the #12 SKF Dodge Charger at Talladega in the Good Sam Club 500 NSCS race in October. SKF is a leading global supplier of bearings, seals, mechatronics, lubrication systems and services which include technical support, maintenance and reliability services, engineering consulting and training. SKF is represented in more than 130 countries and has 15,000 distributor locations worldwide. This race marks the first time that SKF will be a primary sponsor of the Penske Racing Dodge Charger in the Sprint Cup Series and this is its 15th year as a NSCS sponsor. The #12 SKF Dodge crew is comprised of the members of the Penske Racing #12 Alliance Truck Parts/Wurth Dodge Nationwide Series team, with a couple of personnel changes to the pit crew.(Penske Racing), see an image of the SKF scheme on my #12 Team Schemes page.(4-18-2012)
Kulwicki Named to SE Wisconsin Short Track HOF: Former two time Slinger Speedway Champion and 1992 NASCAR Winston Cup champion, the late Alan Kulwicki, is among the 10 newest selections for induction into the Southeastern Wisconsin Short Track Hall of Fame. The sixth annual ceremony is scheduled for Nov. 3 at the Schauer Arts and Activities Center, at the Wisconsin Automotive Museum in Hartford. Find information about the event and about previous inductees at www.sewishorttrackhof.com.(4-18-2012)
Hendrick’s Returns To Site 199th And Last Win: Thirteen races have passed since Hendrick Motorsports last victory, and though it doesn’t seem like a big number, for Hendrick it is. Its last win came at Kansas Speedway (by Jimmie Johnson), site of Sunday race. That’s the longest drought Hendrick has had since the end of 2002 and the beginning of 2003 when it went 15 races without a win. Coincidentally, that streak began after a Kansas win as well. Rick Hendrick has attended all 13 races since then but hasn’t been able to celebrate his organization’s 200th win in NASCAR’s premier series. Hendrick holds more wins than any other owner at Kansas with four.(NASCAR)(4-18-2012)
STP to donate to Victory Junction, run scheme: To celebrate 40 years with “The King,” STP is presenting Richard Petty and Victory Junction campers with a $43,000 donation on Friday, April 20, 2012. Petty and STP forever changed the sponsorship landscape within the sport of auto racing back in 1972, and this weekend STP will like to thank Richard for 40 wonderful years. As part of the celebration, Richard Petty Motorsports driver Aric Almirola will pilot the #43 STP Ford Fusion featuring a modern replica of the 1972 paint scheme with the original Petty Blue and STP Day-Glo Red. After the STP 400 at Kansas Speedway, STP, in conjunction with Victory Junction and Richard Petty Motorsports, will auction off Aric Almirola’s race-worn firesuit signed by both Almirola and Petty. In addition, as part of the celebration STP will be providing race-day tickets for service members from Fort Riley and Fort Leavenworth. Service members will enjoy an afternoon of fun, taking in all the action on the 1.5 mile tri-oval. To cap off the 40th Anniversary, STP will be launching a national television campaign, entitled the Left Lane Club, featuring Richard Petty. The advertisement will premiere during the STP 400 at Kansas Speedway on FOX and will continue to run through the summer.(RPM PR), see an image of the scheme on my #43 Team Schemes page.(4-18-2012)
Stewart, 2011 Chase meet with the President: Three-time and reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart will be honored by President Barack Obama at the White House on Tuesday, April 17 [approx 4:20pm/et]. The event also will include NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France and each member of the 2011 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup field: Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Newman, Kurt Busch and Kyle Busch. This event will be livestreamed at www.whitehouse.gov/live.(NASCAR)(4-12/17-2012) UPDATE: Reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart and his fellow 2011 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series contenders changed their attire from standard fire suits to business suits for their annual visit to the White House on Tuesday.
President Barak Obama honored Stewart for capturing his third Sprint Cup Series title and celebrating the other 11 drivers who qualified for NASCAR’s postseason last year. Speaking from the South Lawn, the President addressed the 12 drivers, honored quests and dignitaries in attendance in an approximate 4-minute speech. He thanked NASCAR CEO Brian France and NASCAR President Mike Helton for their leadership, NASCAR’s commitment and support of the military, singled out driver Jimmie Johnson’s unparalleled achievement of claiming five consecutive championships and 2011 Sprint Cup runner-up Carl Edwards’s sportsmanship in the aftermath of falling just short of winning the title in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway last November, which was attended by First Lady Michelle Obama.
But, The President saved his best material in addressing Stewart, playing tribute to the 2011 champion’s heart, attitude and determination as last season’s regular season was coming to a close and Stewart on the postseason bubble. “Nobody saw it coming,” said President Obama. “We’ve all heard about athletes who say they’re going to do what it takes to win it all, but back in August with the season winding down, Tony predicted he wouldn’t be able to pull it off. In fact, he said if he did end up winning the championship, and this is a quote, ‘I’ll declare I’m a total bumbling idiot.’ But I think Tony’s hero, the great AJ Foyt, put it best when he said the reason Tony won is because ‘he drove the best race of his life, period.'”
Stewart’s day started early with a behind-the-scenes tour of the iconic 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue residence and a meet-and-greet with the President. The champion roamed the famous halls and stepped foot in rooms frequented by the first family, including the East Room, the Library and more before heading to the South Lawn, where he was joined by fellow drivers Johnson, Edwards, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Newman, Kurt Busch and Kyle Busch. The day ended with “Smoke” engaging in small talk with Obama by his No. 14 Chevrolet, which was prominently positioned off to the side of the podium.(NASCAR)(4-18-2012)
Victory Junction Camper Ambassadors named Kansas Grand Marshals: As part of their 40th anniversary celebration with Richard Petty, STP has named Victory Junction Campers, Keyley Bolding, Isaac Roberson, Sarah Roberson and Zac Roberson as Grand Marshals for Sunday’s STP 400. “Victory Junction is synonymous with the Petty Family, as is STP, so it is great that STP has chosen to name these campers as grand marshals for the STP 400,” said Kansas Speedway President Patrick Warren.”We take great pride in our partnership with STP and look forward to a wonderful weekend of racing.” In addition to naming these campers as Grand Marshals, STP is donating $43,000 to Victory Junction to help make campers dreams come true. As part of STP’s anniversary with Richard Petty, a 1972 iconic STP car will be on display all weekend long for race fans to connect with the history of NASCAR and STP’s long-standing involvement with the sport. Tickets for Kansas Speedway’s 2012 race events, including the STP 400 and the Hollywood Casino 400 (Oct. 21) are on sale now by calling 866.460.RACE (7223) or visiting www.kansasspeedway.com. Every season ticket comes with a Track Pass that provides you with access to the infield for the pre-race concert, driver introductions and much more! Parking is always free at Kansas Speedway and fans can bring in one 14x14x14-inch soft-sided cooler with their favorite food and beverages.(Kansas Speedway)(4-18-2012)
Kansas Speedway Builds Homes In Joplin: Kansas Speedway is joining six other athletic organizations in a Joplin, Mo.-area Habitat for Humanity effort to build 35 homes in Joplin, which was devastated by tornadoes last year. The program aims to build 35 new homes in the heart of Joplin during 2012 to provide continued aid to the city’s recovery. Others participating are: the Kansas City Chiefs, the Kansas City Royals, the University of Missouri Athletic Department, the St. Louis Cardinals, the St. Louis Rams and the St. Louis Blues.(PR)(4-18-2012)
“Burn Notice” films at Homestead: Homestead-Miami Speedway and the City of Homestead hosted USA Network for filming of its spy-drama “Burn Notice,” [Jayski Fave] on Monday (March 26). The episode will air this summer. The hit show returned to Homestead-Miami Speedway for its second taping in two years. A cast and crew of more than 120 turned Homestead-Miami Speedway into an outdoor TV studio for the taping of the episode that will air as part of “Burn Notice’s” sixth season. The same stretch of Homestead streets that fans will traverse this spring to attend the Grand Prix of Miami (April 27-29) and this fall for NASCAR’s Ford Championship Weekend (Nov. 16-18) functioned as a TV set for the episode. “We found this location based on our storyline,” said “Burn Notice” location manager Beverly Visitacion. “We chose this particular site because filming at the Speedway is great and it has a certain look with the palm trees lining the road.” The storyline for the Homestead-based episode includes a dramatic wreck involving a semi-trailer taking place on SW 142nd Street.(HMS)(4-18-2012)
Daytona / NASCAR honor local First Responders for their role in hosting the Daytona 500:Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood, NASCAR President Mike Helton and Daytona Beach Mayor Glenn Ritchey, along with representatives of the France Family, International Speedway Corporation and Volusia County, hosted a special reception last night at the Velocitorium inside the Daytona International Speedway Ticket and Tours Building to honor local first responders including police, fire and safety rescue workers, and others for their efforts during the 54th annual Daytona 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on February 27, 2012. The race was originally scheduled to run on Sunday, February 26, but was delayed for the first time in history due to rain. With approximately 40 laps remaining, a bizarre fiery accident involving a jet dryer caused a two-hour red flag delay. Ultimately, the area of Turn 3 where the accident took place was repaired and the race was able to be completed.(DIS)(4-18-2012)
News from April 17, 2012
Fresh Paint for Cassill at Kansas Speedway: Landon Cassill, driver of the #83 BK Racing Toyota, is ready to cool down the competition in Sunday’s STP 400 at Kansas Speedway. His Camry will have a special paint scheme to promote Burger King’s new BK Strawberry Banana Smoothie. The smoothie, made with real fruit, low-fat yogurt, and made fresh to order in the kitchen, is the perfect snack to keep you going all day. Cassill hopes his car’s new, bright pink motif will help yield a solid performance at the 1.5-mile oval. Cassill has three previous NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Kansas Speedway. His best finish is 17th place (2012), which was his third-best finish last season. He has one start in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Kansas (2008). He started 21st and finished 13th driving for Morgan-Dollar Motorsports. Kansas Speedway is the closest track on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series circuit to Cassill’s hometown of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The driver will have several friends and family members at the track to cheer him on (BK Racing/Breaking Limits), see images of the car on my #83 Team Schemes page.(4-17-2012)
Ford EcoBoost to sponsor Kenseth: #17-Matt Kenseth, will sport the primary colors promoting Ford EcoBoost at Kansas Speedway this upcoming weekend. This is the 2nd that the #17 entry for Roush Fenway Racing will carry the Ford EcoBoost paint scheme after running the scheme at Auto Club Speedway in March. Ford EcoBoost technology uses turbo-charging and direct gasoline injection to boost engine output, thus reducing emissions and improving fuel efficiency by as much as 20%, see images of car/scheme on the #17 Team Schemes page.(4-17-2012)
Go Green Racing to make Sprint Cup debut: #79-Go Green Racing plans to make its NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut at Kansas Speedway for the STP 400 on April 22 with driver Tim Andrews. Calling the shots will be former NSCS Champion crew chief, Paul Andrews. The team will run the #79 BBI / Bestway Disposal Ford Fusion. Go Green Racing has purchased their NSCS cars from Roush Fenway Racing and will run the Roush / Yates FR9 engines. “Tim proved to us last year that he can get a car into the show, and at this level, that is what it is all about,” said Archie St. Hilaire, Team Owner for Go Green Racing. “The chemistry between Paul and Tim is outstanding. I think that Tim has shown us that he deserves a shot and I have always been a believer in giving a guy an opportunity.” Kansas Speedway will also mark the first Sprint Cup attempt for Tim Andrews. “I feel very fortunate to get this opportunity,” said Tim Andrews. “I have dreamed about being in a Cup car and to do it with my father’s help is unbelievable. I believe in him and he believes in me, it just gives us that much more confidence. I’ve raced at Kansas before and can’t wait to go back.”(Go Green Racing PR), see an image of the car on my #79 Team Schemes page.(4-17-2012)
Stewart, 2011 Chase drivers to meet with the President TODAY: Three-time and reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart will be honored by President Barack Obama at the White House on Tuesday, April 17 [approx 4:20pm/et]. The event also will include NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France and each member of the 2011 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup field: Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Newman, Kurt Busch and Kyle Busch. This event will be livestreamed at www.whitehouse.gov/live.(NASCAR)(4-12/17-2012)
Farmland to Unveil 2012 Paint Scheme at Kansas: On Saturday, April 21st, Farmland will unveil the details around its partnership with the legendary Richard Petty Motorsports NASCAR team for select Sprint Cup Series events in 2012. As part of the partnership, Farmland will feature Harvesterson the famous #43 Ford during their hometown NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at the Speedway this October and will make a significant donation to fight hunger in Kansas City. During the launch event, Farmland and Harvesters will join forces with “The King” and his team to unveil a new paint scheme.(RPM)(4-17-2012)
Kvapil Heads to Kansas with special paint scheme: Travis Kvapil, driver of the #93 BK Racing Toyota, is known for being smooth in a race car. His paint scheme in this weekend’s STP 400 will affirm it. Kvapil will carry the colors of Burger King’s new BK Tropical Mango Smoothie onboard his Camry. His car will be bright yellow, clad with mangos. Kvapil hopes the new digs, along with his past experience at Kansas, will be a recipe for success. Kvapil has six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) starts at Kansas Speedway. His best finish (19th) came in 2006, driving for Cal Wells [#32 car]. In three NSCS events at Kansas (2005, 2006, 2011) Kvapil led the race for a total of five laps. In NASCAR Camping World Truck Series competition, Kvapil has six starts under his belt. He’s achieved four top-10s and one top-five finish (BK Racing/Breaking Limits), see images of the car on my #93 Team Schemes page.(4-17-2012)
Barrett-Jackson Returns to Ragan’s #34 Ford: David Ragan is back in black. The black paint scheme with the red Barrett-Jackson logo returns to the #34 Ford for the upcoming race weekend at Kansas Speedway. The 1.5-mile oval could be the scene of Ragan’s first top-20 finish with Front Row Motorsports. His previous six Sprint Cup starts at Kansas have seen him run in the front half of the pack and the #34 team is working to keep him there during Sunday’s STP 400. NASCAR statistics over the last eight races at the Kansas City, Kan., track show Ragan among the top 20 drivers in average running position (19th), driver rating (18th), green-flag passes (17th) and green-flag speed (20th). Sunday’s race will be the second that the colors of the automotive auction house adorn the #34 Ford. The Barrett-Jackson scheme debuted in March in Phoenix, where Ragan drove it to a 25th-place finish.(Front Row Motorsports/Breaking Limits), see images of the car on my #34 Team Schemes page.(4-17-2012)
Zest to sponsor Kenseth another race: from Zest’s Facebook – “Zest would like to thank all fans for their continued support of our products and our Zestfully Clean driver, #17-Matt Kenseth. Due to this enthusiasm, we are happy to announce we will be sponsoring Matt in another race on May 12th in Darlington, SC.”, see images of the car on my #17 Team Schemes page.(4-17-2012)
Facts and Notes about Kansas Speedway:
� Groundbreaking was held on May 25, 1999.
� The official opening of Kansas Speedway was in 2001, with the first events being an ARCA race and a NASCAR K&N; Pro Series West race on the same day June 2.
� The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race was Sept. 30, 2001.
� There have been 12 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Kansas since the track opened in 2001.
� All of the races have been scheduled for 267 laps.
� 10 drivers have competed in all 12 races at Kansas.
� Jeff Gordon won the first two NASCAR Sprint Cup races.
� Jason Leffler won the first pole in September 2001.
� Nine different drivers have won poles, led by Jimmie Johnson with three.
� Eight different drivers have posted victories, led by Greg Biffle, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart (each with two).
� Seven of the 12 races have been won from a top-10 starting position.
� Two drivers have won from the pole: Joe Nemechek in 2004 and Jimmie Johnson in 2008.
� The furthest back in the field that race winner started was 25th, by Brad Keselowski last season.
� Two active drivers with more than one start have averaged a top-10 finish: Greg Biffle (8.2) and Jimmie Johnson (8.3).
� Jeff Gordon leads all drivers in top fives (eight) and top 10s (nine). Gordon’s three non-top 10s were a 39th in 2006, a 13th in 2004 and 34th in last season’s fall event.
� Eight of the 12 races that ended under green had a margin of victory under one second. The 2007 race ended under caution.(NASCAR)(4-17-2012)
News from April 16, 2012
The Entry List for the STP 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway is posted, 46 teams/drivers [for 43 spots] are listed, including: Not in top 35 of owners points:
#12-Sam Hornish Jr. (none/0)
#19-Mike Bliss (45the in owners pts/3 attempts)
#23-Scott Riggs (44/7)
#26-Josh Wise (40/7)
#30-David Stremme (37/7)
#33-Tony Raines (36/7)
#49-J.J. Yeley (39/7)
#74-Reed Sorenson (47/4)
#79-Tim Andrews (none/0)
#87-Joe Nemechek (42/7)
#98-Michael McDowell (41/7) In the event that qualifying is cancelled:
the eight who would make it [8]: #’s 33,30,49,26,98,87,23,74
missing the race would be [3]: #’s 19,12,79
See the full entry list at my Jayski’s Kansas Entry List.(4-16-2012)
Turner Motorsports announces crew chief for Sprint Cup debut: Turner Motorsports announced that Trent Owens will serve as crew chief of the #50 Walmart Chevy with driver Bill Elliott in the team’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) debut at Daytona International Speedway (DIS) in July. Owens currently calls the shots for Turner Motorsports’ #30 NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) entry and recently led the team to victory in the 2012 season-opener at DIS. A former driver himself, Owens is a long-time fixture in the NASCAR garage. The Darlington, SC, native served as crew chief for six years for Braun Racing and remained with the organization through its acquisition by Turner Motorsports two years ago. Turner Motorsports’ NSCS debut is in conjunction with Walmart’s Race Time program, launched last year as the largest retail promotion in NASCAR history. Race Time 2012 gives customers more accessibility to discounted race tickets, driver appearances and fan events at Walmart stores. It also offers a greater selection of authentic NASCAR merchandise available at Walmart stores and www.Walmart.com/NASCAR. The goal for Elliott is to qualify and compete at the Coke Zero 400. He will also visit Walmart stores with his show car before select races. Walmart’s sponsorship of the #50 entry at DIS was announced in January as part of its 50th anniversary celebration. “It’s exciting to be part of Turner Motorsports’ first Cup race with Bill Elliott and support from Walmart,” said Owens, who has four NNS wins as a crew chief. “We’ve come a long way in just the last two years, so to take this step is really going to be a milestone for everyone who works so hard for this team every day.” Fans will also get to participate in Elliott’s return to the 2.5-mile superspeedway by voting on what driver’s suit and helmet he will wear for the race. Three different driver’s suit and helmet combinations have been specifically designed for Elliott and fans can vote by visiting www.Walmart.com/NASCAR between March 28and May 14.(Turner Motorsports)(4-16-2012)
Phoenix Racing may not run full season? UPDATE: In an interview Sunday night on [SPEED’s] “Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain,” Sprint Cup Series team owner James Finch said “there’s a question” whether he will be able to run the full Cup season with driver #51-Kurt Busch. Asked by Despain if there was a question whether his team could do all the races, Finch answered: “Well, we’re trying. There’s a question. We’re off and running and trying. We’re talking to some people and going from there. We’re headed to Kansas this weekend and hopefully get in the top 10 there and then come back to Talladega and have a really good run. We’re optimistic about it. Kurt has put a lot of effort in it. It’s kind of like a small team getting a big-time quarterback,” Finch said.(in part from the Charlotte Observer)(4-16-2012) UPDATE: Dave Despain: Dealing with the sponsorship issue, are you feeling good to go for the season or is there a question of whether you guys will be able to do all the races? James Finch: “Well, we’re trying. There’s a question. We’re off and running and trying. We’re talking to some people and going from there. We’re headed to Kansas this weekend and hopefully get in the top 10 there and then come back to Talladega and have a really good run. We’re optimistic about it. Kurt has put a lot of effort in it. It’s kind of like a small team getting a big-time quarterback. Last night (at Texas), it was 480 miles before we got a lap down. The pit crew did a real good job with all the green-flag stops. We’re just trying to catch up with Kurt. Kurt’s got the speed. We’re trying to get the crew chief up. We’re trying to get the pit crew up to be able to handle what Kurt can do. Hopefully, we’re getting there.”(full interview at SPEED)(4-16-2012)
Ford Focus Electric Becomes First All-Electric Pace Car in NASCAR: Ford’s innovative marketing campaign for the 2012 Focus Electric continues as NASCAR selected the car to be the first-ever all-electric pace car, leading the field for the Sprint Cup Richmond 400 on April 28. Ford was also first to use a hybrid to start a NASCAR event when the Fusion Hybrid served as pace car for the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2008 Ford research shows that approximately 35% of new car intenders are motorsports fans and 78% of them support NASCAR. Ford also was the first to show off a 2013 model race car when it unveiled its new 2013 Fusion stock car in January. Ford Motor Company is again making NASCAR history this month as the all-new Focus Electric becomes the first all-electric pace car to ever lead the field for a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at the Richmond 400. The all-new Focus Electric will perform all pace care duties at Richmond International Raceway on April 28. The Focus Electric pace car will be unveiled for the public at the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond on April 25. Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling will deliver the Focus Electric to Richmond International Raceway, where it will serve as pace car for that weekend’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event.(PRNewswire/Ford)(4-16-2012)
Ganassi honored as history maker:The Heinz History Center will honor NASCAR, Grand-Am and IndyCar team owner Chip Ganassi for his contributions to the [Pittsburgh] region and the nation at the 20th Annual History Makers Award Dinner on April 13.(Pittsburgh Post Gazette)(4-10-2012) UPDATE: Floyd “Chip” Ganassi Jr. received the history maker in sports award. “A fixture in the auto racing industry for more than 25 years, he has won worldwide renown as one of the sport’s most successful and innovative owners. A fierce competitor with a passion for winning, he is also known as a sharp businessman and industry leader.”(North Hills Patch)(4-16-2012)
News from April 15, 2012
Kahne wins at the Rock: Kasey Kahne capped a successful weekend of triple-duty Sunday afternoon, winning the Good Sam Roadside Assistance 200 to mark NASCAR’s return to Rockingham Speedway for the first time since 2004. Kahne — who finished seventh in the Sprint Cup Series on Saturday and third in the Nationwide Series on Friday at Texas Motor Speedway — surged to the front in the 155th lap of 200 to notch his fourth win in five starts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. James Buescher finished second with Matt Crafton third. Brad Sweet qualified the #4 truck fifth, but Kahne had to start at the rear of the field because of the driver change. John King’s grasp on the series’ points lead fizzled early in the race, when he spun and nosed into the inside wall on the backstretch on Lap 4 to bring out the race’s first caution. King returned to the track after repairs, but wound up completing finishing 33rd (NASCAR Wire Service). See more as it becomes available on the Jayski Truck Series site.(4-15-2012)
Roush could bring #6 car back soon: As soon as Roush Fenway Racing owner Jack Roush secures sponsorship for his #6 Ford, he’s ready to bring the car back to the Sprint Cup Series with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. as the driver. The #6 has been in mothballs since Stenhouse drove it in the season-opening Daytona 500. “We’ve got the decal for the top of the roof on that 6 car all organized for Ricky,” Roush said Friday night, after Stenhouse won the O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 Nationwide Series race at Texas. “As soon as I can find sponsorship for it, he’s good to go. The highest priority we have for this year in the meantime is to defend (Stenhouse’s) championship in the Nationwide series but hopefully we can find sponsorship and run the 6 car with him next year — and we will run some races with him in the 6 Cup car before this year is over.”(NASCAR News Service)(4-15-2012)
Students Get Revved-Up For Interactive Racing Challenge: The U.S. Army and Ten80 Education announced a partnership focusing on immersing students in real-life applications of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers. The U.S. Army was seeking a high-performance educational initiative that is research-based, compelling for youth and reaches a widely underserved audience. The level of engineering and teamwork on display at the race track is reflective of the Army’s leading-edge technology and the powerful, realistic training of its Army Strong Soldiers making this program the right fit for the U.S. Army and for the NASCAR STEM Initiative. A complete list of Army STEM-focused programs can be found at www.ArmyEdSpace.com. Just like today’s Soldiers, students’ physical, mental and emotional strength will be put to the test as they work in teams and compete to optimize performance of a 1:10 scale radio-controlled (RC) racecar. Four regions are sponsored by the Army: Boston (March 22), Dallas (April 12), Atlanta (May 3) and Charlotte, N.C., (May 12). The May 2012 National Finals will be held at the Stewart-Haas Racing Shop in Kannapolis, N.C. Stewart-Haas Racing’s Ryan Newman, driver of the Army’s #39 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Chevy and holder of an engineering degree, will join Tony Schumacher, driver of the Army’s NHRA Top Fuel dragster, and Antron Brown, his teammate and Top Fuel rival with Don Schumacher Racing, to participate in the regional events. Their sponsorship makes it possible for new teams to join the STEM league and to benefit from regional competitions and support events with professional mentors. Teachers benefit from professional development focused on project-based education and learn how to integrate STEM ideals into science and math classrooms. The U.S. Army also is sponsoring one winning team from each region to travel to the 2012 Ten80 National Finals in Charlotte. More info at Ten80 Education.)(U.S. Army Racing)(4-15-2012)
Sad News – Tia Lynne Liberati: Tia Lynne Liberati, 44, from Bellaire, OH, passed away Thursday, April 5th in Morgantown, W.Va. surrounded by her family. She is survived by her parents Dorothy and Anello Liberati; brothers Anello, Jr. “Smoker” and [NASCAR crew chief] Gio “Rambo” Liberati; numerous aunts and uncles; as well as nieces and nephews who affectionately referred to her as “Tia-Tia.”(4-14-2012) MORE: She was born October 22, 1967 in Bellaire, Ohio a daughter of Anello and Dorothy Liberati. Tia was loved by everyone who knew her and will be greatly missed by her family. There will be no visitation or services. Final arrangements and inurnment will be held at the convenience of the family.(Times Leader)(4-15-2012)
News from April 14, 2012
Biffle wins at Texas:#16-Greg Biffle won the Samsung Mobile 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway for his 1st win of the year, 2nd at Texas and 17th career win. It was Biffle’s first win since Kansas in Oct 2010, a span of 49 races and the first career win for crew chief Matt Puccia.
#48-Johnson finished 2nd [his 37th career 2nd place, tied for 13th all-time] followed by #55-Martin, #24-Gordon, #17-Kenseth, #56-Truex, Jr.(the pole sitter), #5-Kahne, #99-Edwards, #29-Harvick and #88-Earnhardt Jr.
2011 Sprint Cup Series Chemp #14-Stewart, in a backup car, finished 24th with an ill-handling car. #2-Keselowski supposedly had fuel pump problems and lost many laps in the garage, finishing 36th. There were only 12 cars that finished on the lead lap. With only two cautions, there was a track record average speed for the race of 160.575mph.
There were only 2 cautions for 10 yellow flag laps, a new record. There were 18 lead changes among 7 drivers. The estimated attendence was 159,000, down from 168,400 in 2011.
See race results, awards, money won, laps led, cautions and more on the Texas Race Results page (pdf).(4-14-2012)
Top-35 in Owner Points and guaranteed a starting spot at Kansas:
#83 stays in the top 35, #10 moves back into the top-35, #33 drops out by 1 point. Rank) Car#-Driver/Team, owners pts, +/-
30) #13-Mears/Germain, 119, +29
29) #34-Ragan/Front Row, 109, +19
30) #38-Gilliland/Front Row, 109, +19
31) #36-Blaney/Baldwin, 104, +14
32) #32-Sorenson/FAS Lane Racing, 104, +14
33) #93-Kvapil/BK Racing, 103, +13
34) #10-Reutimann-Patrick/Baldwin, 94, +4
35) #83-Cassill/BK Racing, 91, 1 ahead of 36th these teams / drivers will need to qualify by speed:
36) #33-Sadler/Childress, 90, -1 from the top 35
37) #30-Stremme/Inception, 63, -28
The teams are NOT locked in past the next race as the owners points change after each race.
For the owner points standings, see the Owners Points Standings page (pdf).(4-14-2012)
Race Fast Facts – Texas Motor Speedway:
#16-Greg Biffle won the 16th Annual Samsung Mobile 500, his 17th victory in 337 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
Biffle ends a 49-race winless streak. His last win came at Kansas Speedway on Oct. 3, 2010.
This is his first victory and fifth top-10 finish in 2012.
This is his second victory and 10th top-10 finish in 17 races at Texas Motor Speedway.
Biffle locked up a spot in the 2012 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race.
This is Roush Fenway Racing’s ninth win at Texas Motor Speedway, most of any organization.
There was a record for average speed: 160.575 mph. Previous fastest was 152.705 mph on Nov. 6, 2011.
There was a record for fewest cautions (two) and caution laps (10).
#48-Jimmie Johnson (second) posted his 13th top-10 finish in 18 races at Texas Motor Speedway. It is his fifth top-10 finish in 2012.
#55-Mark Martin (third) posted his 13th top-10 finish in 23 races at Texas Motor Speedway.(NASCAR Statistics)(4-14-2012)
Texas Notes-n-Nuggets:
” Greg Biffle earned his 17th career Cup Series victory in his 337th start.
” It was Greg Biffle’s second Texas win; he is the sixth multiple-race winner at the track.
” Greg Biffle’s previous win came at Kansas in Oct. 2010, 49 races ago.
” The victory was Greg Biffle’s eighth consecutive top-10 finish at Texas, the longest current streak.
” Greg Biffle led seven times for 90 laps, including the final 31, and now leads teammate Matt Kenseth by 19 points in the Cup Series standings.
” This was the 127th Cup victory for Roush Fenway Racing and its ninth at Texas, six more than any other team.
” Jimmie Johnson (second) finished second at Texas for the fourth time since his Nov. 2007 victory; his 155 laps led were the most of all drivers.
” Mark Martin (third) earned his third top-10 finish in five starts this season.
” Jeff Gordon (fourth) picked up his best finish of 2012 and only his second top-10.
” Matt Kenseth (fifth) finished in the top five for the 11th time at Texas, the most of all drivers.
” Martin Truex Jr. (sixth) earned his fourth consecutive top-10 finish, his longest streak of his career.
” Carl Edwards (eighth) rebounded after a loose lug nut dropped him to 30th for the Lap 101 restart.
” Dale Earnhardt Jr. (10th) earned his fifth top-10 finish in seven races this season; it was his third consecutive top-10 at Texas.
” Track records were set for fewest cautions (two) and average speed (160.577 mph).
” The final 234 laps were run under green.(Racing Recall/nascar.com)(4-14-2012)
TMS installs new circuit breakers after outage: After the lights went out on the third turn of Friday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 300, Texas Motor Speedway officials decided to replace all of the circuit breakers for the Samsung Mobile 500. An outage caused two cautions during the O’Reilly 300, including a 10-minute red flag to replace the broken breaker. Maintenance crews replaced the rest of the breakers overnight. The breakers could have overheated, causing them to shut off to avoid further problems. The circuit breakers were 15 years old, according to the report. This is the second year that the O’Reilly 300 and Samsung Mobile 500 races took place at night.(ESPN Dallas)(4-14-2012)
Edwards responds to comments in book: #99-Carl Edwards took the high road Friday when asked about the critical comments former girlfriend Amanda Beard wrote about him in her new book. “I’m not going to bash her or say bad things about her,” Edwards said in the Texas Motor Speedway media center. “She’s a mother, she’s a wife and someone I cared about.” Beard, a former Olympic gold medal swimmer, describes Edwards as self-absorbed, insanely jealous and controlling in their two-year relationship from 2005 and 2006. Sixteen pages of the 256-page book titled, “In the Water, They Can’t See You Cry,” are devoted to their times together. The book also details Beard’s previous problems with drug use and bulimia. “I considered us friends and I didn’t realize she had all those problems,” Edwards said. “I would have done anything in the world to help her with those. Regardless of what she writes in a book, if she ever needs something from me, I’d be there to help her out.” But Edwards said he’s still dumbfounded by some of the things Beard wrote in her book. “I don’t know where to start,” he said, “whether it’s the psychology of feelings about a relationship that doesn’t work out or the strategy to sell book. To be honest, it’s just weird. I don’t know how to address things that I don’t remember happening.” Edwards married Dr. Kate Downey in 2009. They have two children; two-year-old Anne and Michael, 11 months.(ESPN)(4-14-2012)
Johnson Crowns ‘Speeding To Read’ Champions UPDATE: #48-Jimmie Johnson will make a special trip to Clara Love Elementary School in Justin on Friday, April 13, to crown the 2011-2012 champions for Texas Motor Speedway’s Speeding To Read pilot educational program. Speeding To Read LogoClara Love Elementary’s 630 K-5 student body have been racing to the finish line with more than 57,000 books read school wide. The school’s classrooms, split into two divisions with kindergarten through second grade and third through fifth grade, have been competing against each other to read the most books and earn the title of Speeding To Read champions.(TMS)(4-13-2012) UPDATE: #48-Jimmie Johnson., the five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, paid a special visit Friday to Clara Love Elementary School in neighboring Justin to crown the inaugural champions of Texas Motor Speedway’s “Speeding To Read” educational program. Before an enthusiastic full-school assembly of nearly 625 students, faculty and visiting parents, Johnson arrived to a thunderous, continuous chant of J-I-M-M-I-E J-O-H-N-S-O-N in the auditorium to present the winning classrooms of the “Speeding To Read” program with their championship trophies. Johnson presented the Kindergarten-Second Grade Division championship trophy to Ms. Abrams’ first-grade class, which read 10,457 books. He then presented the Third-Fifth Grade Division championship trophy to Ms. Baker’s fifth-grade class, which read 913 books that were longer and more in-depth than the younger division. The 29 classrooms read a combined 80,083 books and more than 80% of the student body met or exceeded their reading goals for the year. Clara Love Elementary Principal Julie Nerby reciprocated on behalf of the school and made Johnson an honorary “Lil’ Texan” and presented him with a plaque and school t-shirt. Following the assembly, Johnson visited with the winning students that also were presented with champions t-shirts and four tickets each to Saturday night’s Samsung Mobile 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race to watch Johnson and his fellow competitors. He signed each one of their race programs as a memento, posed for photos with the championship classrooms and conducted another Q&A; with the winning students. “Speeding To Read” is an incentive-based, NASCAR-themed reading program created by Texas Motor Speedway to encourage students to read more frequently during the school year. In addition to taking in Saturday’s Samsung Mobile 500, the winning classrooms also will get to visit with Scott Speed of #95 Leavine Family Racing prior to the race.(TMS)(4-14-2012)
Ambrose lends a hand to family in Texas: Marcos Ambrose, driver of the #9 Stanley Ford, partnered with Stanley, Do it Best Corp and Habitat for Humanity for the third annual “Hammering for Habitat” project on Wednesday, April 11 in Fort Worth, Texas. Ambrose assisted in building a new home with the Barnes family, who is currently living in a two-bedroom apartment that has severe mold problems and flooding issues. Ms. Barnes has four children under the age of nine and is currently working toward her B.A. in Social Work. Ambrose spent the majority of Wednesday afternoon helping with the framing portion of the house ahead of the Samsung Mobile 500 race festivities at Texas Motor Speedway.(RPM)(4-14-2012)
Bonnett to be inducted into Motorsports Hall of Fame of America: Racing legends Derek Bell, Neil Bonnett, Pop Dreyer, Vic Edelbrock, Sr., Ricky Johnson, Ed Pink and Danny Sullivan will be this year’s inductees into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America at the organization’s 24th Annual Induction Ceremony that will be held on Wednesday, August 29, 2012 at the Fillmore Theater in Detroit. The Class of 2012 announcement was made in a press conference on the opening day of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach where Hall President Ron Watson was joined by Sullivan and Pink, who represented the accomplished motorsports legends that make up this year’s illustrious group of inductees. Bonnett was one of the most affable drivers in NASCAR Winston Cup Series history, earning 18 series victories during his 18-year career. Among his 18 wins were back-to-back victories in NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 (1982 and 1983). Bonnett also won back-to-back Busch Clash races at Daytona International Speedway (1983 and 1984). Tickets for the 24th Annual Motorsports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony can be purchased at www.mshf.com.(MSHFA)(4-14-2012)
Sad News – Tia Lynne Liberati: Tia Lynne Liberati, 44, from Bellaire, OH, passed away Thursday, April 5th in Morgantown, W.Va. surrounded by her family. She is survived by her parents Dorothy and Anello Liberati; brothers Anello, Jr. “Smoker” and [NASCAR crew chief] Gio “Rambo” Liberati; numerous aunts and uncles; as well as nieces and nephews who affectionately referred to her as “Tia-Tia.”(4-14-2012)
News from April 13, 2012
Truex Jr. wins pole at Texas: #56-Martin Truex Jr. won the pole for the Samsung Mobile 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway with speed of 190.633mph for his 1st pole of 2012 and 7th career pole. #17-Kenseth was 2nd fastest followed by #16-Biffle, #55-Martin, #5-Kahne, #39-Newman, #9-Ambrose, #2-Keselowski, #1-McMurray and #48-Johnson.
The go-or-go homers who made the race (8): #21-Bayne, #10-Reutimann, #26-Wise, #98-McDowell, #49-Yeley, #95-Speed, #23-Riggs & #19-Bliss.
The go-or-go homers who failed to qualify for the race (3): #30-Stremme, #87-Nemechek and #74-Compton.
See qualifying results, pole preogression, go-or-go homers, starting lineup and links on the Qualifying / Starting Lineup page(4-13-2012)
Qualifying Fast Facts – Texas Motor Speedway:
#56- Martin Truex, Jr. won the Coors Light Pole Award for the 16th Annual Samsung Mobile 500 with a lap of 28.366 seconds, 190.369 mph.
This is his seventh pole in 232 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
This is his first pole and second top-10 start in 2012.
This is his second pole in 14 races at Texas Motor Speedway. His first came in November of 2007.
With the pole, Truex is locked into next year’s Shootout at Daytona International Speedway.
#17-Matt Kenseth (second) posted his second top-10 start of 2012 and his ninth in 20 races at Texas Motor Speedway.
#16-Greg Biffle (third) posted his 10th top-10 start at Texas Motor Speedway. It is his sixth in seven races this season.(NASCAR Statistics)(4-13-2012)
Happy Hour practice for the Samsung Mobile 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway is over, after 90 scheduled minutes, the top five fastest, slowest and notes:
#21-Bayne 184.641
#16-Biffle 184.370
#17-Kenseth 184.351
#15-Bowyer 184.269
#22-Allmendinger 184.005
slowest: #33-Raines 177.480 & #36-Blaney 177.871
notes: With 40 minutes left in practice, #14-Stewart got back on the track in the backup car. #14-Stewart smacked the wall a few minutes in thto practice, drove the car to the garage, and will go to a backup car (see image of the car at MikeMulhern.net).
Qualifying is scheduled for Friday, April 13th at 6:40pm/et on SPEED.
See fastest speeds, best ten-lap averages, laps run and more on the Texas Happy Hour Practice Speeds (pdf), no average speeds all laps and NOT changing back to the old way, just posting the pdf’s.(4-13-2012)
Free PRN NASCAR Race Broadcasts now online: Now, you can tune in to the PRN broadcasts of the NASCAR Nationwide Series and Sprint Cup Series from almost anywhere in the world that has internet or cell service and listen to the races on any iPhone, iPod, iPad, Android or Smartphone platform or online. Fans just need to visit www.GoPRN.com and click on the “listen here” live streaming icon. This weekend’s broadcast of the O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 and the Samsung Mobile 500 at Texas Motor Speedway represents the third weekend of races that will be available free via the PRN network. The response has been incredible, with fans tuning in online from all 50 states and 63 countries. In addition, millions of fans listen on more than 415 PRN affiliate stations and SiriusXM Radio. A complete list of PRN stations with their links can be found on www.GoPRN.com. The online and radio station broadcast schedule includes (all times are ET):
Friday, April 13th:
6 pm: Qualifying for the Samsung Mobile 500 at TMS (exclusively online)
8 pm: O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 Nationwide Series race at TMS
Saturday, April 14th
6:30 pm Samsung Mobile 500 Sprint Cup Series race from TMS.
“We are excited about the response we’ve received from fans around the world to our new broadcast platform,” said Doug Rice, president of the Performance Racing Network. “It allows us to bring NASCAR fans closer to the racing experience and the stars that they love. This is a great way for PRN to expand our race coverage for race fans. We’re proud to be able to offer this new addition to our race lineup.”(PRN)(4-13-2012)
Chassis selections for this weeks race: see the list of many teams [that report or post these] and what chassis were selected by the team to run at Texas Motor Speedway on the Texas Race Info page – Chassis selection area.
Atwood back racing: Nashville’s Casey Atwood, once billed as NASCAR’s next Jeff Gordon, is back where he started over a decade ago: running Saturday night fender-benders at Fairgrounds Speedway. “I haven’t been in a race car for about three years now, and I’ve missed it,” says Atwood, 31, who will buckle in for Saturday night’s season opener at the 54-year-old track. “I’ve always loved racing, and especially enjoyed it at the Fairgrounds. I’ve had a lot of success there, and it’ll be good to get back.” Atwood will drive a car provided by two-time Daytona 500 champion Sterling Marlin, who will also be in the lineup. Atwood is married and the father of two daughters, six and four. He spends his time “piddling around” and occasionally helping his father Terry with his electronics company. The last time he was in a race car was in 2009 when he helped set up Nationwide cars for some Cup double-dippers at now-closed Nashville Superspeedway.(RacinToday)(4-13-2012)
Jani-King Joins Richard Petty Motorsports: Jani-King, the world’s largest commercial cleaning franchise company with more than 12,000 franchise owners, is the newest partner to join Richard Petty Motorsports and driver Aric Almirola on the famed #43 Ford. The company and its crowned logo will be on Almirola’s Ford Fusion as an associate sponsor for the rest of the 2012 Sprint Cup Series season and serve as a Co-Primary sponsor on the #43 for the June 3 race at Dover International Speedway. Launched by an entrepreneurial college student in 1969, the Texas-based Jani-King now services tens of thousands of business clients in 15 countries and has consistently been ranked at the top of the commercial cleaning industry. “I admire Jani-King for the way it began just one guy working hard while in college and growing it into a worldwide business,” said team owner Richard Petty. “We’re proud to have another ‘King’ working with us and looking forward to them joining our family. I think I’ll wear the cowboy hat and let them wear the crown.” The partnership, that was initiated by Medallion Sports Media, in cooperation with Richard Petty Motorsports, begins this weekend at Texas with branding on the #43 Ford.(Breaking Limits for Richard Petty Motorsports)(4-13-2012)
Patrick has no backup plan for Darlington qualifying: How concerned is #10-Danica Patrick about the possibility of having to qualify on speed at Darlington? Not enough to have considered a backup plan if the #10 Chevy she shares with David Reutimann remains outside the top 35 in owner points. Patrick is scheduled to run 10 Cup races this season. Her first was the Daytona 500, where she fell victim to a crash on Lap 2. Her second scheduled race is the May 12 Southern 500 at Darlington. When Patrick drives the Cup car, Stewart-Haas Racing prepares it. When Reutimann drives the #10 Chevy, the car is fielded by Tommy Baldwin Racing, the idea being that Reutimann will keep the car in the top 35 in owner points and thereby exempt from qualifying on speed. On April 1 at Martinsville, however, the car fell one position outside the top 35 despite Reutimann’s controversial efforts to nurse a wounded car to the finish — controversial because the car lost power, stopped on the frontstretch and caused a caution that changed the complexion of the race. Because the #10 is currently only one point behind the #83 BK Racing Toyota driven by Landon Cassill, Patrick isn’t particularly concerned about her car’s owner points position — for now. “I feel pretty confident in the car and Tommy Baldwin to get it in the top 35,” Patrick said Thursday before practice for Friday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 at Texas Motor Speedway. “They’re a great group, and they’re working really hard. We haven’t talked about a backup plan, but there’s always that backup plan that, if you have to qualify, that’s what you do.”(NASCAR Wire Service)(4-13-2012)
Fans can have name on the #38 Ford at Kansas: Front Row Motorsports and the Belmont Abbey College NASCAR Kinetics Team are giving fans the unique opportunity to have their names displayed on David Gilliland’s #38 Ford Fusion. All fans who attend the school’s NASCAR Race Viewing Party on Saturday, April 14 at NASCAR Speedpark in Concord, NC, will be able to have their name placed on the decklid of the #38 car the following weekend at Kansas. The decklid will also feature the respective logos of Belmont Abbey College and the NASCAR Kinetics: Marketing in Motion Program. See more at Front Row Motorsports.(FRM)(4-13-2012)
New C-Post template to debut at ‘Dega: NASCAR will add a new template to its inspection process when teams go through tech May 4 at Talladega Superspeedway. It’s a template inspired by Hendrick Motorsports and five-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson’s team. Starting May 4-6 at Talladega, NASCAR will begin using an additional template for the C-post, the area of the car from the roof to the top of the rear quarter panel.(Sporting News)(4-13-2012)
Sprint Pit Crew Challenge returns in May: The eighth annual NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge returns to Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, N.C., on Thursday, May 17, 2012. Tickets to the pit-crew skills competition are on sale at www.pitcrewchallenge.com or by calling Time Warner Cable Arena box office at (800) 745-3000. Similar to other leagues’ all-star skills competitions like the slam dunk contest or home run derby, the NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge features the top-24 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series pit crews and settles who the best on pit road is with individual and team trials. The #11 FedEx Toyota team is the defending back-to-back team champion. As one of several events during NASCAR Sprint All-Star Week, the NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge will take place at 7:00pm/et and will air on SPEED at 8:00pm/et that evening. Tickets prices start at $15 while children ages two through 12 are half price ($7.50 each).
To qualify for the NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge, teams must be eligible for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race on May 19 or be the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge Champion. NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race eligibility includes all NASCAR Sprint Cup race winners from 2011 and 2012, NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race winners from the past 10 years and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champions from the past 10 years who are active drivers and have competed in at least one series event during the 2011 or 2012 season. Remaining unfilled positions will become available to the car owners ranked highest in the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series owner point standings as of May 15.
The following teams are currently eligible: #2 Miller Lite Dodge, #5 Farmers Insurance Chevy, #9 Mac Tools Ford, #11 FedEx Toyota, #14 Office Depot Chevy, #15 5-Hour Energy Toyota, #17 Best Buy Ford, #18 M&M;’s Toyota, #21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford, #24 Drive to End Hunger Chevy, #27 Moen/Menards Chevy, #29 Budweiser Chevy, #34 Front Row Motorsports Ford, #39 US Army Chevy, #48 Lowe’s Chevy, #51 Phoenix Construction Services Chevy, #55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota, #78 Furniture Row Chevy, and #99 Cheez-It Ford.(Sprint PR)(4-13-2012)
Johnson To Crown ‘Speeding To Read’ Champions: #48-Jimmie Johnson will make a special trip to Clara Love Elementary School in Justin on Friday, April 13, to crown the 2011-2012 champions for Texas Motor Speedway’s Speeding To Read pilot educational program. Speeding To Read LogoClara Love Elementary’s 630 K-5 student body have been racing to the finish line with more than 57,000 books read school wide. The school’s classrooms, split into two divisions with kindergarten through second grade and third through fifth grade, have been competing against each other to read the most books and earn the title of Speeding To Read champions.(TMS)(4-13-2012)
News from April 12, 2012
Coverage of Qualifying for the Samsung Mobile 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway is scheduled for Friday, April 13, 2012 at 6:40pm/et. Television (TV): SPEED, 6:30pm/et Scheduled Qualifying Re-Air: none scheduled
Qualifying Order for the Samsung Mobile 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway is posted. 46 cars/drivers are listed.
The first of the drivers scheduled to go out is #74-Compton, slowest in practice.
The final driver scheduled to go out is #55-Martin, who was fastest in first practice.
Qualifying order is set by the first practice session, with slowest driver going out by speed and the fastest going out last. The non-top 35 drivers are now mixed in with the top-35 in owners points, slowest to fastest.
See the full qualifying order on the Texas Qualifying Page.(4-12-2012)
Thursday practice for the Samsung Mobile 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway is over, after 120 scheduled minutes, the top five fastest, slowest and notes:
#55-Martin 189.427
#16-Biffle 189.221
#29-Harvick 189.208
#22-Allmendinger 188.930
#78-Smith 188.877
slowest: #74-Compton 179.898 & #33-Raines 180.753
notes: this practice determined the qualifying order, so #74-Compton will go out first and #55-Martin will go out 46th/last. Qualifying is scheduled for Friday, April 13th at 6:40pm/et.
See fastest speeds, best ten-lap averages, laps run and more on the Texas 1st Practice Speeds (pdf), no average speeds all laps and NOT changing back to the old way, just posting the pdf’s.(4-12-2012)
Go-or-Go Homers practice for the Samsung Mobile 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway.
the final practice rank for the go-or-go homers (drivers not in the top 35 of current owners points) These drivers would make the race if things stay the same:
#10-David Reutimann, 21st fastest overall
#21-Trevor Bayne, 27th
#98-Michael McDowell, 33rd
#49-J.J. Yeley, 34th
#26-Josh Wise#, 36th
#87-Joe Nemechek, 37th
#30-David Stremme, 38th
#19-Mike Bliss, 39th These drivers would miss the race if things stay the same:
#23-Scott Riggs, 41st
#95-Scott Speed, 42nd
#74-Stacy Compton, 46th/last
(4-12-2012)
Hamlin racing for a cause at Texas: Denny Hamlin will race a special #11 FedEx Office/March of Dimes Toyota paint scheme this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. FedEx has donated a paint scheme to the organization in each of the past five seasons to help raise awareness for March for Babies walks that occur in 900 communities nationwide — including the Dallas/Fort Worth-area — in late-April. In addition, Hamlin will be accompanied by a special guest at the track — six-year-old Kieran Wittstruck. Kieran was born two months premature, but has grown into a healthy young boy with help from the March of Dimes. The FedEx Office Texas North Sales Team will be recognized with its code “7372” on the b-post of the #11 FedEx Office Toyota this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. Texas North is the leading Sales team in the annual FedEx President’s Club program, and attributes its success to its focus on creating solutions to meet their customers’ needs.(FedEx Racing), see an image of the scheme on the #11 Team Schemes page.(4-12-2012)
Special Mobil 1 scheme for Stewart: Tony Stewart’s #14 Mobil 1/Office Depot Chevy will sport a swath of green across its hood and rear bumper as it promotes Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy during the Samsung Mobile 500 race weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy fully synthetic motor oils are engineered to deliver outstanding engine protection and provide improved fuel economy (True Speed Communications/SHR), see an image of the scheme on the #14 Team Schemes page.(4-12-2012)
Different look for Menard at Texas: The #27 Quaker State/Menards Chevy of Paul Menard will sport a different look this weekend when the Sprint Cup Series rolls into Texas Motor Speedway, carrying a special paint scheme of “Quaker State green” and “Menards yellow.” This #27 Chevy is a brand new addition to the Richard Childress Racing fleet and will log its first laps on the track during Thursday’s practice session.(RCR)(4-12-2012)
Kenseth celebrates Daytona 500 win: About a month and a half after winning the 54th annual Daytona 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, #17-Matt Kenseth was finally able to reunite with his winning car and celebrate his historic victory with race fans during the Champion’s Luncheon at Daytona International Speedway on Wednesday afternoon. “It’s pretty cool to see (the car) sitting there with all the confetti on it, just like it was sitting in Victory Lane, and seeing the fans lined up out there,” said Kenseth, who was joined by his owner Jack Roush and crew chief Jimmy Fennig. “It’s unusual to celebrate today, but it was kind of an unusual race so I might as well just keep that going.” For the first time in history, rain postponed the start of this year’s Daytona 500 as well as the traditional day-after Champion’s Breakfast. The “Great American Race” was rescheduled for Monday night, Feb. 27 and a great crowd returned to witness Kenseth hold off Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Greg Biffle to capture his second career Daytona 500 triumph. During the Champion’s Luncheon, Kenseth, Roush and Fennig took part in a fan forum, signed autographs and participated in media interviews. Kenseth also joined Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III in unveiling the logo for the 2013 Daytona 500 scheduled for February 24, 2013. “It’s always good when you see the fans enthused and show up to these events especially a couple months later and on a Wednesday around lunch time,” Kenseth said. “It’s pretty neat.” The confetti-covered #17 Best Buy Ford will remain on display at Gatorade Victory Lane inside the Daytona International Speedway Tours and Ticket Office and will be returned to the team prior to the 2013 Daytona 500.(DIS)(4-12-2012)
Stewart, 2011 Chase drivers to meet with President: Three-time and reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart will be honored by President Barack Obama at the White House on Tuesday, April 17 [approx 4:20pm/et]. The event also will include NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France and each member of the 2011 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup field: Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Newman, Kurt Busch and Kyle Busch. This event will be livestreamed at www.whitehouse.gov/live.(NASCAR)(4-12-2012)
#34 has sponsor for Texas UPDATE: per Front Row Motorsports Facebook – Scorpion Truck Bed Liners will be on the #34 car [David Ragan] for the Texas race next week. See images of the scheme on the #34 Team Schemes page.(4-9-2012) UPDATE: When David Ragan was at Texas Motor Speedway one year ago, the rest of the NASCAR Sprint Cup field was lining up behind him. The big, fast oval in Forth Worth was the scene of the first of Ragan’s two poles on the 2011 season. Ragan returns to the 1.5-mile track for Saturday night’s Samsung Mobile 500 in the #34 Ford of Front Row Motorsports. Scorpion Truck Bed Liners returns to Ragan’s Ford Fusion for the race weekend in a newly added race to its sponsorship schedule after making its NASCAR debut in the season-opening Daytona 500. The Cloverdale, Ind.-based company will also be on the #34 car for the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Scorpion is the official bed liner, window film and protective coatings line of Ragan and Front Row Motorsports. “Scorpion is very excited to be working with Front Row Motorsports and the No. 34 car of David Ragan again in Texas,” said Clayton Tomasino, CEO of Scorpion. “It’s been great to see the fans embrace our brand and show their support through social media and elsewhere and we look forward to that support growing even more.”(Breaking Limite PR/FRM)(4-12-2012)
Sad News – Ellen Siska: Ellen (Slothour) Siska, 55, passed away following a long battle with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia on Thursday, April 5, 2012, in Midlothian, Va. Ms. Siska, formerly of York, PA was the devoted mother of Jonathan Shutz of Hanover, Hayden Siska of Calabash, N.C., and Hope Siska of Ocean Isle Beach, N.C. She is survived by her parents, Betty and Robert Slothour of Hanover; and a sister, Elaine (Slothour) Scrobe of Midlothian, Va. She was preceeded in death by her son, Edward Siska; and her brother, David Slothour. She received a Bachelor’s Degree from York College of Pennsylvania in 2006, and wrote a weekly NASCAR column for the York Dispatch [and for ESPN’s NASCAR section and often linked on Jayski.com] until her diagnosis. A memorial service will be held at the Hanover Church of the Brethren at a time yet to be determined.(York Dispatch)(4-12-2012)
Bristol Motor Speedway to announce changes on Apr 25th: On Wednesday, April 25, 2012, Bruton Smith, Chairman and CEO of Speedway Motorsports, Inc. and Jerry Caldwell, BMS general manager, are scheduled to make a special Bristol Motor Speedway announcement concerning alterations to the track surface. Prep work has already begun at BMS as teams have started removing the SAFER Barrier (BMS PR). See video of the removal at the Bristol Herald Courier. See an image of the SAFER wall being removed on my Bristol Tracks News, Stats and Links page.(4-12-2012)
News from April 11, 2012
Nominees announced for 2013 NASCAR Hall of Fame Class: Determination and innovation, two qualities existing in abundance in the men and women who built NASCAR, characterize the 25 nominees for the 2013 NASCAR Hall of Fame class. NASCAR announced those 25 nominees for the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s fourth induction class, and included among the diverse group are five newcomers who make this list arguably the most intriguing in the hall’s history. Of the 25 nominees, 20 return from last year’s group. Five are first-timers, and all vary in expertise: NASCAR’s first treasurer and secretary Anne Bledsoe France, engine builder and owner Ray Fox, trailblazing driver Wendell Scott, promoter and sponsor executive Ralph Seagraves and driver champion Rusty Wallace. Of those new five, two represent ‘firsts’ for the hall: Scott the first African-American nominee; France the first female nominee. From that list, five inductees will be elected by the NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel, which includes a nationwide fan vote on NASCAR.COM. Voting Day for the 2013 class will be May 23, and once again, fans can attend the announcement live at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. This round of nominees was selected by a 21-person nominating committee consisting of representatives from NASCAR, the NASCAR Hall of Fame and track owners from both major facilities and historic short tracks. The committee’s votes were tabulated by accounting firm Ernst & Young. The NHOF’s 2013 inductees will be determined by the Voting Panel, which includes the entire Nominating Committee, media members, manufacturer representatives, retired competitors (drivers, owners, crew chiefs) and recognized industry leaders. In addition, the fan vote will result in the Voting Panel’s final ballot. Fan voting on NASCAR.COM opens today, April 11, and closes May 16 at midnight. Following are the 25 nominees, listed alphabetically: Buck Baker, first driver to win consecutive NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series titles (1956-57) Red Byron, first NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion, in 1949 Richard Childress, 11-time car owner champion in NASCAR’s three national series Jerry Cook, six-time NASCAR Modified champion H. Clay Earles, founder of Martinsville Speedway Tim Flock, two-time NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion Ray Fox, legendary engine builder and owner of cars driven by Buck Baker, Junior Johnson and others Anne Bledsoe France, helped build the sport with husband Bill France Sr. Affectionately known as “Annie B.,” she is the first woman to be nominated for induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Rick Hendrick, 13-time car owner champion in NASCAR’s three national series Jack Ingram, two-time NASCAR Busch (now Nationwide) Series champion and three-time Late Model Sportsman champion Bobby Isaac, 1970 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion Fred Lorenzen, 26 wins and winner of the Daytona 500 and World 600 Cotton Owens, driver-owner, won 1966 owner championship with David Pearson Raymond Parks, NASCAR’s first champion car owner Benny Parsons, 1973 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion Les Richter, former NASCAR executive; former president of Riverside International Raceway Fireball Roberts, 33 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series wins, including the 1962 Daytona 500 T. Wayne Robertson, helped raise NASCAR popularity as R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company senior VP Wendell Scott, NASCAR trailblazer was the first African-American NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series race winner, and first to be nominated for induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Ralph Seagraves, formed groundbreaking Winston-NASCAR partnership as executive with R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company Herb Thomas, first two-time NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion, 1951, ’53 Curtis Turner, early personality, called the “Babe Ruth of stock car racing” Rusty Wallace, 1989 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion Joe Weatherly, two-time NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion Leonard Wood, part-owner and former crew chief for Wood Brothers, revolutionized pit stops The 21-person Nominating Committee is:
NASCAR Hall of Fame: Executive Director Winston Kelley; Historian Buz McKim.
NASCAR Officials: Chairman/CEO Brian France; Vice Chairman Jim France; Senior Vice President Paul Brooks; President Mike Helton; Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton; Senior Vice President of Racing Operations Steve O’Donnell; Competition Administrator Jerry Cook; former Vice President Ken Clapp.
Track Owners/Operators: International Speedway Corporation CEO Lesa Kennedy; Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell; Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage; Atlanta Motor Speedway President Ed Clark; former Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Tony George; Dover Motorsports CEO Denis McGlynn; Pocono Raceway board of director member Looie McNally; Bowman Gray Stadium operator Dale Pinilis; Riverhead Raceway operators Jim and Barbara Cromarty (1 vote); former Toyota Speedway at Irwindale operator Jim Williams; Rockford Speedway owner Jody Deery.(NASCAR)(4-11-2012)
The Entry List for the Samsung Mobile 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway is posted, 46 teams/drivers [for 43 spots] are listed, including:
#32-Reed Sorenson(i)
#33-Tony Raines Not in top 35 of owners points:
#10-David Reutimann (36th in owners pts / 6 race attempts)
#19-Mike Bliss (47/2)
#21-Trevor Bayne (40/2)(2011 race winner)
#23-Scott Riggs (44/6)
#26-Josh Wise (39/6)
#30-David Stremme (37/6)
#49-J.J. Yeley (38/6)
#74-Stacy Compton (46/3)
#87-Joe Nemechek (42/6)
#95-Scott Speed (none/0)
#98-Michael McDowell (42/6) In the event that qualifying is cancelled:
the eight who would make it [8]: #’s 21,10,30,49,26,98,87,23
missing the race would be [3]: #’s 74,19,95 withdrawn:
#37-TBA (48/6)
See the full entry list at my Jayski’s Texas Entry List.(4-9/11-2012)
FAS Lane Racing gets a new sponsor and driver for Texas: FAS Lane Racing announced that Jani-King will sponsor the teams NASCAR Sprint Cup Series entry this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. Additionally, the team announces that Reed Sorenson will make his debut for the team as he will pilot the #32 Jani-King Ford in the running of the Samsung Mobile 500 under the lights on Saturday night. “We welcome the opportunity to represent Texas-based Jani-King in what has quickly become a popular night race at Texas Motor Speedway,” stated FAS Lane Racing team owner Frank Stoddard. “The team was able to regroup a little with the off week for the holiday and we are ready to get back to work this week in Texas and provide Jani-King with a solid performance on Saturday night. We also look forward to the addition of Reed for this week and putting together a good run.” FAS Lane Racing team also welcomes back C&J; Energy Services as a Major Associate Sponsor this week. Additionally the #32 Jani-King Ford will feature the logo of the elegant Omni Dallas Hotel at Park West which will once again serve as home for the FAS Lane Racing team this weekend. And rounding out the sponsor line-up for Texas is TMone who returns once again to FAS Lane Racing and will serve as an Associate Sponsor for the Samsung Mobile 500. After enjoying a rare weekend off, FAS Lane Racing heads to Texas Motor Speedway locked into the ever important top-35 in the owner’s standings and they look to improve on that this weekend with Reed Sorenson and the #32 Jani-King Ford. Sorenson will be making his 10th career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start at the 1.5-mile Texas track.(FAS Lane Racing/Integrity Sports Marketing)(4-11-2012)
Chassis selections for this weeks race: see the list of many teams [that report or post these] and what chassis were selected by the team to run at Texas Motor Speedway on the Texas Race Info page – Chassis selection area.
The Numbers for Texas Motor Speedway (all 22 Sprint Cup races included):
1 – number of wins from the pole (Kasey Kahne, #9 Dodge, 4/9/2006)
1 – fewest laps led by race winner (Jeff Burton, 4/15/2007)
4 – fewest leaders (11/8/2009)
5 – fewest cautions (four times, most recent 11/6/2011)
5 – number of cautions in last year’s spring event
6 – number of jet dryers available for track drying this weekend at TMS
6 – fewest cars on lead lap at finish (11/8/2009)
12 – most cautions (three times, most recent 11/4/2007)
13 – fewest lead changes (twice, most recent 11/8/2009)
16 – different winners in 22 races
17 – most leaders (4/2/2000)
21 – fewest caution laps (11/6/2011)
25 – most on lead lap at finish (11/6/2005)
29 – fewest running at finish (three times, most recent 4/19/2010)
33 – most lead changes (11/7/2010)
40 – most cars running at finish (twice, most recent 11/2/2008)
73 – most caution laps (4/6/1997)
120 minutes – amount of time it takes to dry the 1.5-mile track after a significant rainfall.
278 – most laps led by race winner (11/5/2006) Key TMS Dates
1995 – construction began
1997 – first Sprint Cup race
2005 – first year track hosted two Sprint Cup events 2012 Caution Update
2 – number of races extended beyond scheduled distance in 2012
1 – fewest cautions this season (Fontana 3/25/2012)
10 – most cautions this season (Daytona, 2/27/2012)
38 – number of cautions in the first six races of 2012; includes 20 for accidents, seven for debris and three for spins
222 of 1,925 – number of laps under caution in 2012
257.073 of 2,012.890 – miles under caution in the first six races
BONUS: Three Texas tracks have hosted 31 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races with Texas Motor Speedway the site of 22 races since 1997. Meyer Speedway in Houston hosted one race in 1971 and Texas World Speedway in College Station hosted eight from 1969 to 1981.(Darnell Communications for SRT Motorsports and Dodge)(4-11-2012)
Foreigner Benefit Concert Raises $30,000: Foreigner raised nearly $30,000 with four select auction items, including a unique on-stage serenade by lead singer Kelly Hansen, during Monday night’s Foreigner Acoustique: Classics Unplugged concert to benefit Speedway Children’s Charities-Texas at the Flying Saucer in Fort Worth’s Sundance Square. The serenade was the top-selling auction item as it fetched $9,500 for Hansen to serenade the winning bidder on the Flying Saucer’s outdoor patio stage with Foreigner’s mega-hit, “Waiting For A Girl Like You” as band members Jeff Pilson and Tom Gimbel played acoustic guitars. Foreigner will continue their charitable ways prior to Saturday evening’s Samsung Mobile 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway, where they will perform the event’s pre-race concert beginning at 4:30 p.m. CT. From 3:30 to 6:30 p.m., Speedway Children’s Charities-Texas volunteers, wearing red shirts, will be selling a combination package of the Foreigner Extended Version CD and a Foreigner/SCC t-shirt for just $20 that also will benefit the charity.(TMS)(4-11-2012)
Johnson’s video game to sponsor TBR’s #36: Jimmie Johnson’s Anything with an Engine (JJAWAE) by Autumn Games will join forces with Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR). The game, available now on all three major home consoles, will adorn Dave Blaney’s #36 Jimmie Johnson’s Anything with an Engine Chevrolet for the Samsung Mobile 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. Published by Autumn Games and developed by Isopod Labs, JJAWAE is a no-holds-barred, combat-racing extravaganza. It is rooted in Johnson’s belief that you can put an engine on just about anything and race it. The game allows players to race unconventional vehicles created from everyday objects such as shopping carts and dumpsters outfitted with custom weapons in a humorous action-packed run to the finish line. Two of the eccentric characters, Husky Hank and Megaton, are featured on the hood of the #36 Chevy. Husky Hank uses his fast tractor to mow down the competition in record times and Megaton, a former military officer, barrels around the track on a high-speed bomb.(TBR), see an image of the scheme on the #36 Team Schemes page.(4-11-20102)
Gilliland Debuts ModSpace Paint Scheme at Texas: David Gilliland is ready to get back to racing after NASCAR’s off week, returning to one of his favorite tracks with a new primary paint scheme. The driver of the #38 Ford will show off the blue-and-green colors of ModSpace this week as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series travels to Fort Worth, Texas, for Saturday night’s Samsung Mobile 500. ModSpace partners with United Rentals and Chipewyan Prairie First Nation to support the #38 car in Gilliland’s 12th career start at the high-speed oval. The Texas race weekend marks the first of several primary sponsorships with ModSpace on Gilliland’s Ford. The modular construction provider is also a season-long associate on both the #38 car and David Ragan’s #34. “ModSpace is very excited to be the primary sponsor alongside United Rentals of this weekend’s event at Texas,” said William Mann, Vice President of Motorsports for ModSpace. “The entire ModSpace organization is very eager about seeing the debut of the No. 38 car’s paint scheme this weekend. David has experience at Texas Motor Speedway and this should produce a great outcome for the #38 team.”(Front Row Motorsports/Breaking Limits), see an image of the scheme on the #38 Team Schemes page.(4-11-20102)
Texas Goodyear Tire Notes: Teams in both the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series will run the same Goodyear tire codes at Texas this weekend . . . this is the same combination of left- and right-side tires that Cup and Nationwide teams ran at this track in 2011 . . . teams in these two series also ran this exact tire set-up at Chicagoland last season and at Homestead the last two seasons . . . this set-up was re-confirmed at a Goodyear test at Texas on February 7-8 . . . teams/drivers participating in that test were the #11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota with Denny Hamlin, #14 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet with Tony Stewart, #15 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota with Clint Bowyer, #16 Roush-Fenway Racing Ford with Greg Biffle, and #31 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet with Jeff Burton . . . as on all NASCAR ovals greater than one mile in length, teams are required run inner liners in all four tire positions at Texas . . . air pressure in those inner liners should be 12-25 psi greater than that of the outer tire. See tire codes, pressures and more on the Texas Race Info page – Goodyear Tire Section.(4-11-2012)
Chassis selections for Texas: see the list of many teams and what chassis were selected by the team to run at Texas Motor Speedway: MISSING? why are some teams missing? like the #11, #24, #56 or others? those teams do not report what chassis in the race previews or prs. #1-Jamie McMurray: Crew Chief Kevin “Bono” Manion and the #1 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevy team will bring Chassis #1104 to Texas this weekend. This chassis made its debut in last year’s All-Star race, finishing 17th. Since that time the chassis also raced in the spring race at Charlotte (37th), both races at Michigan (19th, 23rd) and in the fall race at Dover (15th). #2-Brad Keselowski: and the #2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger team will race chassis PRS-820 during Saturday night’s Samsung Mobile 500 at Texas Motor Speedway (TMS). This is a new chassis to the #2 fleet. #5-Kasey Kahne: crew chief Kenny Francis has selected Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 5-713. This is the same car Kahne drove in March at Auto Club Speedway, where he started fifth and finished 14th. #9-Marcos Ambrose: The #9 Stanley / Richard Petty Motorsports team has prepared chassis No. 735 for this weekend’s race at Texas Motor Speedway This Stanley Ford was run last year in both Texas events. #14-Tony Stewart: Chassis No. 14-640 debuted in May 2011 at Darlington where qualified ninth and leading six laps before finishing seventh. It spent time in the wind tunnel afterward and made its second career start at Pocono in June. There, it qualified 15th, lost third gear and finished 21st. The car returned to Pocono in August where it rallied from its 28th-place starting spot and a flat left-front tire on lap 92 that at one point had Stewart a lap down to finish on the lead lap in 11th. Chassis No. 14-640 broke through in the first race of the 2011 Chase for the Sprint Cup at Chicagoland, when it started 26th and led four times for 35 laps en route to the win. The car received a new body during the offseason and participated in a Goodyear Tire Test Feb. 7-8 at Texas. Its first race of 2012 and fifth overall came at Las Vegas in March, where Stewart drove from seventh to lead three times for a race-high 127 laps to score his first Sprint Cup win at Las Vegas. This will mark the car’s sixth career start, but first at Texas. #15-Clint Bowyer: The 5-hour ENERGY team will race chassis No. 730 at Texas. Chassis No. 721 will serve as the backup. No. 730 is new and No. 721 has been on backup duty at Auto Club and Vegas but never raced. #16-Greg Biffle: and the Matt Puccia led #16 3M / Filtrete team is bringing a brand new chassis as the primary to Texas, RK-809. The backup chassis, RK-786, last ran Homestead and finished 35th. #17-Matt Kenseth: will run primary chassis RK-810 at Texas, which is a brand new chassis. Kenseth will pilot the #17 Best Buy Ford Fusion. #22-A.J. Allmendinger and his Todd Gordon-led Penske Racing #22 Team will be racing their new “PRS-821” Shell-Pennzoil Dodge Charger this weekend at Texas. The “PRS-814” is the backup Dodge Charger for the “Double-Deuce” team. It was in the transporter serving as the backup at Las Vegas and at Fontana, but has never seen any track time. #27-Paul Menard will pilot Chassis No. 386 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This #27 Quaker State/Menards Chevy is a brand new addition to the RCR fleet and will log its first laps on the track during Thursday’s practice session at Texas Motor Speedway. #29-Kevin Harvick: will pilot Chassis No. 391 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. Harvick scored an 11th-place finish in this Budweiser Chevy last month at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. #31-Jeff Burton will race chassis No. 385 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable this weekend. This is a brand new 31 Caterpiller Chevy that will turn its first laps this weekend at Texas. HOLT CAT, Mustang Cat and Warren Car will be featured on the deck lid of the #31 Caterpillar Chevy this weekend. #39-Ryan Newman Chassis No. 39-682 made two runs last season, which resulted in two top-20 finishes. The car debuted at Atlanta in September, qualified in the top-10 and finished 20th. Chassis No. 39-682 returned to action for last season’s finale at Homestead. After qualifying 14th, Newman ran as high as second at Homestead. He ran in the top-10 for the most of the day but ended the race in 12th place. The chassis has been updated for the 2012 season and will make its first start this year at Texas Motor Speedway. #42-Juan Pablo Montoya: crew chief Chris ‘Sunshine’ Heroy and the #42 Target team will bring Chassis #1119 to Texas Motor Speedway this weekend. This chassis saw track-time last year at Charlotte Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway finishing 14th and 18th, respectively. This season, this chassis finished 17th at Auto Club Speedway. #48-Jimmie Johnson: Chassis No. 714 is a new chassis and serves as the primary for Johnson at Texas. Chassis No. 669 serves as the backup and last ran at Las Vegas in March and finished 2nd. #55-Mark Martin: will drive a new MWR chassis (No. 729) at Texas Motor Speedway this weekend. Chassis 708 will serve as backup. It raced as the #00 at Texas and Homestead in 2011. #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr.: crew chief Steve Letarte and the #88 team will unload Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 88-668 at Texas Motor Speedway. Earnhardt last raced this chassis to a 10th-place finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March. #99-Carl Edwards the #99 Fastenal crew will unload RK-811 this weekend at Texas, this is a new car.
(from team PR’s/sites if reported)(4-11-2012)
News from April 10, 2012
Spring Break at the NASCAR HOF UPDATE: Visitors can break out with spring fever and family fun at the NASCAR Hall of Fame during the second annual Spring Break from the Ordinary, Saturday, March 24 Monday, April 9. With new special events and activities, Spring Break From the Ordinary offers students and their parents “Grade A” entertainment with scavenger hunts, racing simulator competitions, pit crew challenges, crafts, video game competitions plus more than 50 hands-on exhibits at the 150,000 square-foot entertainment facility. In a class by itself, Spring Break From the Ordinary features daily physical challenges and games for students (K-12). Each day during Spring Break From the Ordinary guests have a chance to compete in a number of high-octane activities and contests for prizes including NASCAR memorabilia, K’NEX building sets, Spin Master toy cars, NASCAR Hall of Fame Memberships and more.(NHOF).(3-24-2012) UPDATE: Due to popular demand, the second annual Spring Break from the Ordinary at the NASCAR Hall of Fame has been extended through Sunday, April 15 giving families another chance to enjoy the added activities at the popular entertainment attraction in Uptown Charlotte, N.C. Spring Break From the Ordinary, which began Saturday, March 24, offers students and their parents “Grade A” entertainment with scavenger hunts, racing simulator competitions, pit crew challenges, crafts, video game competitions plus more than 50 hands-on exhibits at the 150,000 square-foot entertainment facility. More info on the event and tickets at NASCARHall.com.(4-10-2012)
Sad News – Dot Owens: Dot Owens, the wife of racing legend Cotton Owens, died Monday evening at her Spartanburg home following a prolonged illness. She was 83. Funeral services are to be determined. Cotton Owens, 88, was one of NASCAR’s top engineers dating to the infant stages of the sport and built cars that won races and championships at the sport’s highest levels.(). From 1950 – 1964, Owens ran 160 Sprint Cup races and won 9. Owens was a car owner for 405 races, his drivers won 38 races and 1 championship with David Pearson in 1966.(4-10-2012)
Kenseth to return to Daytona for Daytona 500 Champion’s Breakfast: Roush Fenway Racing’s two-time DAYTONA 500 Champion, #17-Matt Kenseth, is set to return to the site of his historic win this week for a rescheduled fan event celebrating the team’s victory. The win in the 54th “Great American Race” also earned a milestone victory for Roush Fenway Racing as the organization earned its 300th NASCAR win in the process. Originally scheduled as the Champion’s Breakfast for the morning of February 27, 2012, the event had to be rescheduled after rain showers forced the DAYTONA 500 to be run Monday night on February 28th. The event is open to fans and includes a fan forum question and answer event with Kenseth, team owner Jack Roush, and crew chief of the #17 Best Buy team, Jimmy Fennig. Doors open at 10:45 a.m. and fans will have the opportunity to have their picture taken with the winning No. 17 Best Buy Ford Fusion which is on display at the facility for the next year. Lunch will also be available for those in attendance, and guests will have the opportunity to get a tour of Daytona International Speedway. Tickets for the original Champion’s Breakfast event for February 27, 2012 will be honored for the Champion’s Lunch on April 11th. Tickets are also available for $40 by calling 1-800-PITSHOP or online at daytonainternationalspeedway.com.(Roush Fenway Racing)(4-10-2012)
Special scheme for Martin at Texas: The #55 Toyota of Mark Martin carries a special paint scheme this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway, celebrating Aaron’s 2011 Best of the Best employees, divisions, regions, stores and franchises. All are from Texas. Winners, based on operational results for the 2011 calendar year and appearing on the #55, include: Division of the Year: Dave Buck – Southwestern Division (Houston, Tex.); Franchise Division of the Year: Wallace Vernon / Tom Blassingame / Charles Hollinger – Bear Rental Purchase (Killeen, Tex.); Region of the Year – Company: Ryan Malone South Texas (Corpus Christi, Tex.); Region of the Year Franchise: David Foster Alliance North (Decatur, Tex.); Store of the Year Company: Joe Borrego C1024 (Odessa, Tex.); Store of the Year Franchise: Joey Dolberry F684 (Early, Tex.)(MWR), see an image of the car on the #55 Team Schemes page.(4-10-2012)
Dr. Pepper scheme for Kvapil: the #93 BK Racing Toyota of Travis Kvapil will carry the colors of Dr. Pepper at Texas Motor Speedway. See an image of the car on the #93 Team Schemes page.(4-10-2012)
History and Notes at Texas Motor Speedway:
� Construction began in 1995.
� The first NASCAR race was a NASCAR Nationwide Series event on April 5, 1997.
� The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was on April 6, 1997.
� There have been 22 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Texas Motor Speedway, one per season from 1997 through 2004 and two races per year since 2005.
� Four drivers have competed in all 22 Texas races: Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon, Bobby Labonte and Mark Martin.
� Jeremy Mayfield was the first pole winner, in 1998. Qualifying for the inaugural race in 1997 was canceled.
� Jeff Burton won the first NASCAR Sprint Cup race.
� 16 drivers have scored poles, led by Dale Earnhardt Jr., Bobby Labonte, Ryan Newman and Jeff Gordon with two.
� 16 drivers have won races, led by Carl Edwards, with three. Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth, Tony Stewart and Jeff Burton each have two wins.
� 16 of 22 races have been won from a top 10 starting position. Only one has been won from the pole – Kasey Kahne in 2006.
� Matt Kenseth started 31st en route to his victory at Texas in 2002, the deepest in the field that a race winner has started.
� Both Jeff Burton (1999) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2000) scored their first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win at Texas, and 2011 Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne made his first series start at Texas (11/07/10).
� Martin Truex Jr. (11/04/07) and David Ragan (04/09/11) scored their first series poles at Texas.
� Matt Kenseth (8.7) is the only active driver to average a top-10 finish at Texas.
� Jimmie Johnson (9.2) is the only active driver to average a top-10 starting position at Texas.
� Roush Fenway Racing leads all owners in victories, with eight. Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports have three wins each.
� There has been two season sweeps, by Carl Edwards in 2008 and Denny Hamlin in 2010.(NASCAR)(4-10-2012)
Pastrana named Grand Marshal for Samsung Mobile 500: Travis Pastrana, X Games icon and one of NASCAR’s newest superstars, will serve as the Grand Marshal for Saturday’s Samsung Mobile 500 Sprint Cup Series race. PastranaPastrana, an 11-time X Games medalist, turned his attention to NASCAR in 2011 and will compete for Pastrana 199 Racing in select Nationwide Series races this year. However, Pastrana will remain true to his extreme sports roots, competing in the 2012 Global Rallycross Championship that makes a stop at Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday, June 9, to combine for a doubleheader with the Firestone 550 IZOD IndyCar Series race.(TMS)(4-10-2012)
Tickets available for Rockingham Truck Series race; special Hame of Fame package: Thanks to a partnership between the NASCAR Hall of Fame and Rockingham Speedway, race fans will be able to get a double dose of racing history in the coming weeks. TheNASCAR Hall of Fame is offering a 20% discount on admission to anyone presenting a ticket, at the NASCAR Hall of Fame box office, for the April 15, 2012 running of the Good Sam Roadside Assistance 200 presented by Cheerwine NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) race at Rockingham Speedway. Conveniently located in uptown Charlotte, N.C., the 150,000-square-foot NASCAR Hall of Fame is an interactive, entertainment attraction honoring the history and heritage of NASCAR. For more information on the Good Sam Roadside Assistance 200 presented by Cheerwine, or to purchase tickets for any of Rockingham Speedway’s events, contact the speedway at 910.205.8800 or visit online at www.rockinghamspeedway.com. This special price may not be combined with any other offer and is available until December 31, 2012, excluding May 12 – May 28 and October 6 – 14, 2012.(Rockingham Speedway)(4-10-2012)
Former Rockingham Speedway boss honored by alma mater: As the Rockingham Speedway is honored with the return of NASCAR to its track, a former president of the speedway is receiving honors of her own. Ellerbe native, Jo DeWitt Wilson, has been given the title of Trustee Emerita from Queens University of Charlotte. “My father, L.G. Dewitt, was president of the speedway until he passed away in 1990,” said Wilson. “Frank Wilson no relation took over the position until he had a stroke four years later.” Wilson said her mother, Carrie DeWitt, called her and asked her to return to Richmond County and serve as president for the speedway. “The board of directors elected me, and I served from 1994 until 2002,” she said. “We cleaned up, made a lot of improvements, built more stands and did some landscaping,” she said. “When I realized there wasn’t enough money coming in to pay for all the upgrades, I contacted Roger Penske, who purchased the track from my mother. He allowed me to stay on through the end of my contract.” After leaving the track, Wilson retired and began to pursue personal interests. Wilson, who received her degree in home economics from Queens University of Charlotte in 1959, decided to return to her alma mater. She was elected to the board of trustees in 1999, and served until 2011. Recently, the school named her Trustee Emerita. “I no longer serve as a fiscal trustee for the college, but I remain very active,” said Wilson. “I also still closely follow the news of Rockingham Speedway.” Wilson said that she will be in Georgia on business during the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Good Sam Roadside Assistance Carolina 200 presented by Cheerwine, on April 15 at The Rock, but her sister Nancy Daugherty, also a Queens alumni, will be working at a concession stand during the race. “So my family will be represented at the speedway when NASCAR returns,” she said.(Richmond County Daily Journal)(4-10-2012)
News from April 9, 2012
The Entry List for the Samsung Mobile 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway is posted, 47 teams/drivers [for 43 spots] are listed, including: Not in top 35 of owners points:
#10-David Reutimann (36th in owners pts / 6 race attempts)
#19-Mike Bliss (47/2)
#21-Trevor Bayne (40/2)(2011 race winner)
#23-Scott Riggs (44/6)
#26-Josh Wise (39/6)
#30-David Stremme (37/6)
#37-TBA (48/6)
#49-J.J. Yeley (38/6)
#74-Stacy Compton (46/3)
#87-Joe Nemechek (42/6)
#95-Scott Speed (none/0)
#98-Michael McDowell (42/6) In the event that qualifying is cancelled:
the eight who would make it [8]: #’s 21,10,30,49,26,98,87,23
missing the race would be [4]: #’s 37,74,19,95
See the full entry list at my Jayski’s Texas Entry List.(4-9-2012)
Special NASCAR Unites schemes to run UPDATES & Images: as part of the NASCAR Foundation’s NASCAR Unites program, a few drivers will run special paint schemes at various races including #47-Bobby Labonte, #48-Jimmie Johnson, #55-Mark Martin, #56-Martin Truex Jr. and #99-Carl Edwards at Charlotte in May;
#2-Brad Keselowski (no image), #29-Kevin Harvick (no image) and #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Charlotte in May and Daytona in July;
#16-Greg Biffle at Michigan in June. See links to the images of the schemes on the Paint Scheme Gallery page.(4-9-2012) UPDATE: NASCAR announced the launch of “NASCAR Unites An American Salute,” a patriotic initiative uniting the NASCAR industry and fans this summer to celebrate America and support U.S. military families. NASCAR Nation will be covered from head to toe and from splitter to spoiler in red, white and blue to highlight the summer season, starting and ending at two traditionally patriotic summer NASCAR events held at Charlotte Motor Speedway (Memorial Day Weekend, May 26-27) and Daytona International Speedway (Independence Day Weekend, July 5-7). Additional activities related to the six-week initiative will take place between these “tent-pole” events, including retail programs and other sponsor promotions.
To launch the initiative, the “NASCAR Unites An American Salute” paint scheme for Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s #88 National Guard Hendrick Motorsports Chevy was revealed today in the nation’s capital for more than 30,000 children and their guests attending the 134th Annual Easter Egg Roll event at the White House.
Among those NASCAR drivers already committed to “NASCAR Unites An American Salute” paint schemes are Earnhardt, 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion #14-Tony Stewart, #16-Greg Biffle, Danica Patrick, #2-Brad Keselowski and #99-Carl Edwards. As part of the program, NASCAR and The NASCAR Foundation will work with charities to fund initiatives that support military families. A social media promotion utilizing a #NASCARUnites hashtag will highlight track activations as well as patriotic activities from teams, broadcast partners and sponsors.(NASCAR) AND In the Nationwide Series, #88-Cole Whitt, will run in the Kentucky race in June and #7-Danica Patrick will run in the Nationwide race at the Daytona race in July. See images of the cars on the #7 NNS team paint schemes and #88 NNS paint schemes page.(4-9-2012)
Testing at Pocono UPDATE: hearing that there will be two testing sessions at Pocono Raceway, which is being repaved before the Sprint Cup race in June. Supposedly the Goodyear tire tests are scheduled for April 24th and 25th, 2012. And supposedly teams will be able to test at Pocono on June 6th and 7th, the days before practices at the track on June 8th. The Sprint Cup Series race is scheduled for June 10th.(3-28-2012) Free Grandstand Admission at Pocono for Goodyear Tire Testing: Goodyear Tire, the Official Tire of NASCAR, recently announced that April 24 & 25, 2012 will be the dates for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series tire tests at Pocono Raceway. The Raceway is in the final stages of repaving the entire track and it’s essentially a brand new track. Goodyear engineers will provide a number of different tire compounds and will determine, through this test, what are the best compounds based on results of the test. Goodyear will then produce the tires that will be used in the June 10, 2012 Pocono 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.
The drivers and teams tentatively schedule for the Pocono test are: #1-Jamie McMurray (Chevy); #5-Kasey Kahne (Chevy); #20-Joey Logano (Toyota); #22-A.J. Allmendinger (Dodge) and #43-Aric Almirola (Ford). Fans will be permitted to view both days of the test from the grandstand area at no charge. Fans should enter the parking lots via Gate # 5 (Andretti Rd.) with Gate # 11 opening at 9:00 AM. Fans will be directed to grandstand seating areas near the Start/Finish line. Concession stands will be open both dates of the test. NASCAR will allow all Sprint Cup Series teams to test the new Pocono surface with a specially scheduled test on June 6-7. Grandstands will not be open for this test, however, race fans that have Trackside RV, Reserved Fence Line RV, Reserved Infield RV or Early Bird Infield RV tickets for the Pocono 400 will have the opportunity to view the test session on Thursday for no additional charge. In fact, Gate # 1 tunnel entrance and Gate # 4 (for Trackside RV) will open at 9:00 AM on June 7 to allow early access for these fans. For ticket information call 1-800-RACEWAY (1-800-722-3929) or visit www.poconoraceway.com.(Pocono Raceway)(4-9-2012)
>Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award Nominations being accepted: Since 2006, The NASCAR Foundation has worked with fans to help children lead happier and healthier lives. At the heart of our efforts is The NASCAR Foundation Chairwoman, Betty Jane France, whose dedication to The NASCAR Foundation and our nonprofit partners is inspiring. The Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award has been established to pay tribute to Mrs. France’s philanthropic efforts and to acknowledge fans who share Mrs. France’s same spirit of generosity. The NASCAR Foundation is excited to award one outstanding fan for his or her commitment to community with the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award. The award will be presented during NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion’s Week in Las Vegas in December 2012. The winner is selected from a pool of nominees, which is first narrowed to four (4) finalists. Individuals may selfnominate or be nominated by a friend, family member or nonprofit organization. More info and links on my Racing Charities page.(4-9-2012)
#34 has sponsor for Texas: per Front Row Motorsports Facebook – Scorpion Truck Bed Liners will be on the #34 car [David Ragan] for the Texas race next week. See images of the scheme on the #34 Team Schemes page.(4-9-2012)
Daytona track section burned by jet dryer repaired: The operations team at Daytona International Speedway put the finishing touches on Turn 3 at Daytona International Speedway by painting the yellow lines on the surface April 5th. Lane Construction has completed repaving the area affected by the jet dryer incident during the 2012 Daytona 500.(DIS)(4-9-2012)
Grandstands at The Glen Have New Names: Seneca. Argetsinger. Stewart. Riesbeck. Bodine. Five names woven into the fabric of Watkins Glen International; five names that now have a permanent spot at the historic track. The names will adorn the five newly constructed grandstands at Watkins Glen International following an out-pouring of suggestions from fans after the staff asked for help in renaming the seating areas. In a four-week period, The Glen received hundreds of suggestions from fans, which helped track president Michael Printup and his staff made the important grandstand name changes. “We felt the support of our fans over the past four weeks through the quality of suggestions we received for new grandstand names,” Printup said. “Emails, letters and phone calls came with ideas that spoke to the history of our legendary road course.” Selections were made based on both the history and the future of this esteemed road-racing facility and its place in the sport and region. The Glen would like to thank all who submitted their ideas. The thought behind each idea was evident.
Seneca, formerly the Silver grandstand, was a popular fan suggestion in reference to the lake on the tip of which Watkins Glen International is located. Fittingly, Seneca Lake can be seen from the facility and fans in the new Seneca grandstand will undoubtedly have a more meaningful view starting this season in 2012.
The Argetsinger grandstand, named for the man with the dream and desire to bring road racing to the United States, Cameron Argetsinger, will replace the former Red, White and Blue grandstand. This grandstand is located at the original site off the start/finish line and remain at the base of the famed Esses. Argetsinger designed the original 6.6-mile road course and the original 2.3-mile permanent course upon the hill.
Sir Jackie Stewart, famed F1 driver and popular fan suggestion for a grandstand name, was a logical choice to have an even more permanent place in Watkins Glen International history. Hailing to The Glen’s Formula 1 history, now entitled the Jackie Stewart Grandstand, Turn 10 was one of three replaced prior to the start of the 2011 season. Stewart led 271 laps in eight F1 races at The Glen, winning twice. His first victory came in 1968 and his second, from the pole, in 1972.
Once again selecting a name that spoke to the history of Watkins Glen International, Turn 11 is now Riesbeck Grandstand. In 1983, Jim Riesbeck spearheaded Corning, Inc.’s decision to revive Watkins Glen International. Riesbeck played an integral part in restoring The Glen beyond its original stature in 1948. For many years, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners received the Steuben Glass Riesbeck Cup in Gatorade Victory Lane.
Finally, what once was the Green grandstand will now be acknowledged by a name that speaks to the region where Watkins Glen International is located, The Glen’s more recent history and a trio of brothers who play a part in each element. Bodine Grandstand was a frequent fan suggestion and an easy selection for the staff at The Glen. The Bodine brothers have competed in a combined 40 races for 3801 laps at Watkins Glen International in the top three series of NASCAR.B Tickets for the 2012 race season at Watkins Glen International are on sale now! Fans may purchase tickets and camping by contacting the WGI ticket office at 866.461.RACE(7223) or logging on to the official website, www.TheGlen.com.(WGI)(4-9-2012)
News from April 8, 2012
Austin Dillon Featured in New ESPN NASCAR Spot: Rising young NASCAR star Austin Dillon and the legendary black #3 made famous by the late Dale Earnhardt are featured in a new ESPN promotional spot entitled “The Next Generation” that will begin airing next week. The 21-year-old Dillon is the leading rookie in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. All 33 races in the series will air on ESPN, ESPN2 or ABC this season and Dillon is the second Nationwide Series driver this year to be featured by ESPN in its promotional campaign for the series, joining 2011 series champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr. The 30-second spot, which continues ESPN’s “Names Are Made Here” marketing campaign for the NASCAR Nationwide Series, traces Dillon’s career through go karts, dirt tracks and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, where he was series champion last year. At the end of the spot, a team member opens a garage door to reveal the #3 car that Dillon is driving this season. “Here you go, Austin,” the man says. “She’s ready when you are.” The #3, owned by Dillon’s grandfather, longtime NASCAR team owner Richard Childress, has returned to regular use on a car this year for the first time since Earnhardt’s death in the 2001 Daytona 500 and the new ESPN spot reflects the magnitude of the return of the number. Dillon won the Truck Series championship last year driving a Childress-owned #3 truck. The spot was produced by Wieden + Kennedy New York and will run across ESPN platforms.(ESPN)(4-8-2012)
News from April 7, 2012
Darlington Raceway to honor Yarborough: With Cale Yarborough now having been inducted into the third class of the NASCAR’s Hall of Fame, Darlington Raceway will celebrate and honor his achievements during the upcoming Sprint Cup Series Bojangles’ Southern 500 race weekend on May 11-12. Darlington and the NASCAR Hall of Fame are partnering on a special ticket offer for fans, which will include an exclusive meet-and-greet and autograph session with the NASCAR legend and hometown hero from Timmonsville, S.C. For $59, each fan will receive a ticket in the Pearson grandstand for the Bojangles’ Southern 500, a ticket to the NASCAR Hall of Fame (redeemable throughout the season), a 2012 Hall of Fame Yearbook and the opportunity to get up-close-and-personal with Yarborough on race day. The package is a savings of $36 if individual tickets were purchased for each venue separately. Packages can be purchased by calling 866-459-7223 or by visiting www.DarlingtonRaceway.com/congratscale. “Congratulations to Cale on his induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Cale is very deserving of his induction and his commitment and dedication to the growth and success of NASCAR and stock car racing is unparalleled,” Darlington president Chris Browning said. “To have a hometown hero like Cale have success at the sports greatest level is wonderful for our state. We are proud of the fact that he still calls his native Timmonsville home and Darlington Raceway his hometown track.” Yarborough will be on hand during the Bojangles’ Southern 500 race weekend participating in various activities, including being honored during pre-race ceremonies for the track’s 109th Sprint Cup race. Yarborough is from Timmonsville, just 15 miles from The Lady in Black, is a local hero to race fans of all generations who call Darlington County home, where they witnessed one of the greatest stock car drivers of his time win five Southern 500 races from 1968-1982.(Darlington Raceway)(4-7-2012)
RCR to hold Pit Crew Training Combine: Richard Childress Racing announced it will hold the first Pit Crew Training Combine in its 43-year history on Tuesday, April 10 and Wednesday, April 11 from 2:30-4:30 p.m. at the organization’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series facility located in Welcome, N.C.. The one-of-a-kind event, open to experienced pit crew members as well as athletes with a serious passion for developing into full-time pit crew team member, gives participants the opportunity to showcase their athletic talents and learn the necessary skills to help them develop into a well-rounded teammate. Activities will consist of a variety of rigorous agility workouts and physically demanding tests which include mock training programs and real-time simulated pits stops in high-pressure scenarios normally experienced on a weekly basis both on and off the track throughout the course of a full season. Entrants will have the ability to learn from some of the most experienced and respected leaders in the industry on what it takes to prepare your body and develop the necessary mindset for the highest level of motorsports competition. More info on my Racing Schhols / Jobs page.(4-7-2012)
Sad News – Thomas Kinkade: Artist Thomas Kinkade died Friday at age 54. Kinkade produced sentimental scenes of country gardens and pastoral landscapes in dewy morning light that were beloved by many but criticized by the art establishment. Kinkade died at his home in Los Gatos in the San Francisco Bay Area of what appeared to be natural causes, said family spokesman David Satterfield. There was no immediate word on an official cause of death. Calls to the coroner’s office were not immediately returned. The newspaper said friends and family on Friday began planning a private service and were weighing a public celebration for a later date (ABC). Kinkade painted a few prints dealing with NASCAR including “This is Talladega” and NASCAR Thunder.(4-7-2012)
News from April 6, 2012
Final Martinsville TV Ratings posted: NASCAR Sprint Cup Racing on FOX averaged a 4.3/10 (6.8 million viewers) on Sunday April 1st for the race at Martinsville Speedway. Though that’s off one-tenth from last year’s 4.4/10 (7.2 million) for the same race on the same weekend, it ranked as the highest-rated and most-watched event of the day. Through six races, NASCAR Sprint Cup racing on FOX is averaging a 5.5/12 (9.2 million viewers), down -5% from last year’s 5.8/13 (10.0 million viewers). See TV Ratings, previous 2012 races and 4 year comparison chart at the 2012 TV Ratings page.(4-6-2012)
NASCAR to announce nominees for next Hall of Fame class: NASCAR will unveil the 25 nominees for the 2013 NASCAR Hall of Fame class on Wednesday, April 11 at 6 p.m. during SPEED’s hour-long Race Hub show.(NASCAR)(4-6-2012)
Hendrick Motorsports retires #48 Daytona car: In case you’re wondering whether Chad Knaus and Jimmie Johnson will bring the infamous C-post Daytona 500 car to Talladega Superspeedway next month, let me help. No. Team owner Rick Hendrick told [ESPN’s David Newton] on Sunday at Martinsville Speedway the #48 car that NASCAR deemed illegal, the one that cost him 30 days of “hell” fighting the penalties, will be laid to rest in the woods surrounding Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s property in Cleveland County, N.C. It’ll be in Junior’s car graveyard with the mangled #42 that Juan Pablo Montoya drove into a jet dryer to cause a two-hour delay in the Daytona 500 and more than 50 other cars Earnhardt calls “yard ornaments.” So is this an admission that the car was illegal, even though chief appellate officer John Middlebrook overturned the 25-point deduction for Johnson and six-week suspensions to crew chief Knaus and car chief Ron Malec? No. Hendrick’s just not willing to test the governing body and possibly create another 30 days of turmoil.(ESPN)(4-6-2012)
Children’s Tumor Foundation on Newman’s car at Sonoma: Quicken Loans is partnering with the Children’s Tumor Foundation (CTF) to help “Fuel the Cure” for neurofibromatosis (NF) with the recent announcement that the nation’s largest online lender has donated one of its nine primary races as sponsor of Ryan Newman and his #39 Chevy to the CTF. As part of the Fuel the Cure campaign, Newman’s car will feature a special CTF paint scheme during the Toyota/Save Mart 350k NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., on June 24 – marking the Foundation’s first entrance into professional stock car racing. In addition to the special paint scheme, Quicken Loans, its partners at Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) and Newman aim to help CTF raise $390,000 for NF research through the website www.fuelthecure.org. If the goal is met, “Fuel the Cure” and its related programs will have raised $1 million for CTF before 2012 reaches the mid-year mark.(Quicken Loans)(4-6-2012)
Kansas Speedway offering free admission April 20 with donation: Kansas Speedway is offering fans free admission to the grandstands on Friday, April 20 for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series practices. In lieu of admission, Kansas Speedway is requesting fans make an on-site donation to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Parking lots will open at 9 AM and gates will open at 11 AM with the first on track activity scheduled for 11:20 AM with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The Truck Series will practice again at 2 PM. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will hold practice sessions from 12:30 PM – 1:50 PM and 3:30 PM – 5 PM.(Kansas Speedway)(4-6-2012)
Texas unveiling new press conference set: Texas Motor Speedway will be unveiling a new press conference set during next week’s Samsung Mobile 500 NASCAR doubleheader weekend that will be unparalleled in motorsports and among the elite designs among all of sports. Texas Motor Speedway commissioned FX Design Group, the industry leader in set design, to custom build the vibrant set that will be situated in the deadline room of the Samsung Mobile Infield Media Center. The set will feature an eight-foot, custom-built, anchor-style desk with a Samsung 40-inch LED, high-definition SMART television on the front for branding and special effects. Special drafting chairs will be used to place the press conference guests at perfect height to show off their sponsors more prominently. Two Samsung 55-inch LED, high-definition SMART televisions will be stationed behind the desk on rolling carts that can be positioned horizontally or vertically for branding such as logos as well as video and PowerPoint presentations. HDFlow wireless technology will allow speedway staff to control content on the three television screens remotely. An 8-foot-by-14-foot backlit duracurve wall featuring a graphic application of Getty Images photographs at Texas Motor Speedway will finish out the set. The wall features a dramatic photo of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race action past the speedway’s frontstretch grandstands and suites while the others are racing shots from NASCAR and INDYCAR.(TMS)(4-6-2012)
Gordon and Johnson ticket packages at Pocono: Pocono Raceway announced they will offer driver-specific packages at “The Tricky Triangle” for both of their annual NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race weekends, occurring June 8th-10th and August 3rd-5th. The first two available packages this year are the Jeff Gordon 24 Experience and the Jimmie Johnson 48 Family Package. The Jeff Gordon 24 Experience includes access to Jeff Gordon’s exclusive, 15-minute question and answer session on Saturday, June 9th, a Grandstand ticket (in Row 24) to the Pocono 400 on June 10th, a ticket to Sprint Cup Series Qualifying and the ARCA Racing Series Presented by Menards Pocono 200 on June 9th, a Pre-Race Pit/Paddock Pass (valid on Saturday and Sunday) and automatic entry into random drawing for an autographed Jeff Gordon Pocono Raceway Commemorative Track Piece. The Jimmie Johnson 48 Family Package is back for the second straight year and is available for both race weekends at Pocono Raceway in 2012. Fans can choose from two, specially-priced ticket packages, in either the Concourse Gold or Terrace Vista sections, for either the Pocono 400 in June or the Pennsylvania 400 in August. All package holders will have access to Jimmie Johnson’s fan-driven, 15-minute question and answer session on June 10th or August 5th, receive 1 Lowe’s Build and Grown #48 Wooden Car, receive 1 Commemorative Pocono Raceway Genuine Track Medallion and be automatically entered to win a signed Jimmie Johnson Pocono Raceway Commemorative Track Piece.(Pocono Raceway)(4-6-2012)
News from April 5, 2012
Max Q Motorsports looking for deal to keep team running: Larry Gunselman, owner of the Max Q Motorsports #37 Sprint Cup team is seeking new opportunities to keep his #37 team operational. The RWR plans to purchase Max Q and run for Sprint Cup Rookie of the Year fell through when negotiations to purchase a top 35 team after race 5 failed. “Rick Ware and I have been good friends for many years and I wish RWR the best of luck and we may put another program together in the future,” stated Gunselman. “The #37 team is back-up for sale and having made every attempt in 2012 the team would be in the next 2 races in case of a rain out. Our goal is to put a new program together in the next couple of weeks or I will be forced to liquidate company assets.” The team is in the process of moving from the RWR shop in Thomasville back to their fully operational shop in Mooresville and has a fleet of seven Sprint Cup racecars, transportation equipment including a truck, transporter and pit equipment, as well as, all of the equipment necessary to run a small and efficient Sprint Cup operation.(Max Q PR)(4-5-2012)
Tire testing at Michigan: UPDATES: Goodyear Tire Testing is scheduled at Michigan International Speedway on Tuesday April 3rd and Wednesday April 4, 2012. Drivers scheduled to test: #2-Brad Keselowski (Dodge), #17-Matt Kenseth (Ford), #42-Juan Pablo Montoya (Chevy) and #24-Jeff Gordon (Chevy). The Turn 1 grandstand seats will be open for fans free of charge on April 3-4.(MIS/Goodyear)(3-28-2012) UPDATE: #2-Brad Keselowski made history at Michigan International Speedway on Tuesday. The Rochester Hills native took the first laps on the newly paved surface at the racetrack during a Goodyear Tire test. “I feel the decision to pave in October, giving it some time to set was very beneficial,” Keselowski said. “The track should be ready to go in record time for a repave. It should be in great shape when we come back here for the race.” Keselowski was the first car out at 1:23 p.m., shortly following a rain delay. He was joined at the test by fellow NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers #24-Jeff Gordon, #17-Matt Kenseth and #42-Juan Pablo Montoya. Keselowski tweeted throughout the test, saying the track would reach top speeds on Day 2 of the test on Wednesday. But that didn’t keep him from reaching 212, enough to break the 194.232 mph track qualifying record set by Ryan Newman in 2005. Gordon topped off at nearly 215 mph, he said. But a Goodyear Tire test isn’t necessarily about how fast the NASCAR stock cars can go, but rather collecting data the tire company can use to build a good race tire for the track’s NASCAR events. The two-day test concludes 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday. The Turn 1 grandstands will be open for fans free of charge throughout the day. Fans may park in Lot 10, off US 12.(MIS)(4-4-2012) UPDATE 2: After a successful two-day GoodyearTire Test at Michigan International Speedway, some NASCAR drivers say they are happy with the repave. Oh, and the track is fast. They all said that, too. “This place is fast. I mean fast, fast,” NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Juan Pablo Montoya said. “Our minimum speed this morning was over 180 mph through the corner when you think about it. We are doing easily over 210 mph at the end of the straight. Official speeds were not available. But participating drivers said and tweeted they unofficially topped speeds of about 215 mph. All the drivers added they believe Ryan Newman’s track qualifying record of 194.232 mph set back in 2005 is in jeopardy.(MIS)(4-5-2012)
Hamiln caddies for Bubba Watson at Masters Par 3 contest: Even though it was just the annual Par 3 Contest at the Masters, big-hitting Bubba Watson brought a driver. His caddie Wednesday was his NASCAR racing pal and fellow left-hander, Denny Hamlin. Hamlin, the 2010 Sprint Cup Series runner-up, met Watson that year when they played golf together with their agents in Arizona. “My agent said Bubba is a lefty, too, so you’ll have to go out there and play,” Hamlin said. “So I was like, ‘Of course, I’d love to do that.’ So we went out there and played. Our personalities are kind of the exact same, so it was a very easy friendship right from the get go.” Hamlin also loves golf. He plays at least a couple of times a week despite hectic races and promotional appearances. Hamlin said a good score for him for 18 holes is in the low 80s. On the last hole, Watson hit into tee shot over water to within about 20 feet of the hole on the fringe of the green. Hamlin took the birdie putt. He missed it just right, about a foot past the hole. Turning his back to the hole for the next putt, he tapped the ball backwards between his legs with one hand and into the cup as the crowd cheered.(USA Today)(4-5-2012)
Numbers Game after Martinsville: Some stats from Martinsville and through the first 6 races of the year: 2nd – AJ Allmendinger finally got his first top 10 driving for Roger Penske, finishing second at Martinsville. The runner-up result beats his previous career-best finish, a third in the 2009 Daytona 500. 3 – There wasn’t a single caution flag for debris Sunday, marking the third straight week race control did not throw what has become known as a somewhat controversial caution over the years. 7.8 – Bad fast on Friday, just plain bad on Sunday. That has been the theme for Kasey Kahne in 2012. Even though he is off to a disastrous start to the season, Kahne is tied with Kevin Harvick for highest average starting position after six races with a 7.8. He has already qualified on the pole for two races; however, the newest driver at Hendrick Motorsports has still yet to lead a single lap all year. 8 – There are eight full-time drivers with one DNF or less that have not yet scored a top-10 for the year. The list includes 2000 Cup champ Bobby Labonte and three first-time winners from last year: Regan Smith, David Ragan, and Marcos Ambrose. 16 – By picking up his first Sprint Cup victory at Martinsville this past week, Ryan Newman now has 16 career wins, moving him into a tie with active competitor Greg Biffle for 48th-most all-time. 184 – The top two drivers in points, Greg Biffle and Dale Earnhardt Jr., have a combined winless streak of 184 races. Biffle’s last victory came at Kansas in 2010, 49 races ago, while Earnhardt’s last trip to victory circle dates back to the June Michigan race in 2008. Junior’s winless streak has now reached 135 races. 328 – Jeff Gordon led 328 laps at Martinsville, the most he has led in a single race since 2001 when he paced the field for 381 circuits at Dover. This is the eighth time in his career Gordon has led more than 300 laps in a race, but the first time he failed to finish in the top 3 when doing so. 1,925 – There have been a total of 1,925 laps completed at the 1/6th mark of the season. Only three drivers have completed every single one – Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Matt Kenseth, and Martin Truex, Jr.(Frontstretch)(4-5-2012)
Bruton Smith talks to Tennessee Governor about aid for track: Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and the owner of Bristol Motor Speedway discussed potential state assistance for the NASCAR venue Friday, two days after plans were announced to renovate the struggling track. Haslam and Bruton Smith, the North Carolina-based owner of Speedway Motorsports Inc., met in Nashville to hold “preliminary discussions” about potential aid. Speedway Motorsports plans to resurface Bristol before its next race in August in response to declining attendance and fan complaints about the quality of racing at the state’s only Sprint Cup track. Restoring the track to its original configuration will cost about $1 million, according to The Associated Press. Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, R-Blountville, said he had spoken with Haslam about potential aid to Bristol, which lies within Ramsey’s Senate district. “Attendance was down over 50,000 people, and just the lost sales taxes for two races would be $1 million in revenue,” he said. “We have done things in the past – for tracks, for minor league ball clubs – and Bristol has never asked for anything before.”(Tennessean)(4-5-2012)
Darlington adds Tailgate Area: Tailgating is a big part of the culture that race fans enjoy each and every time they visit Darlington Raceway. To accommodate the ever-growing demand for tailgating prior to the track’s events, the raceway is offering a new area outside turn two, the Too Tough to Tailgate Zone, specific for fans who are tailgating prior to the Bojangles’ Southern 500 on Saturday, May 12. For $50 per spot, fans will receive a 20×20 space in the Tailgate Zone, big enough to accommodate one passenger vehicle, a pop-up tent, tables, chairs and a grill. There are no limitations to how many guests can tailgate at the space. Admission to the Bojangles’ Southern 500 is not included in the price. Tickets to the race must be purchased when you order your tailgating spot in order to obtain admission. The Too Tough to Tailgate Zone will open at 9 a.m. on race day (Saturday only) and close when the race begins at approximately 7 p.m. The Tailgate Zone, located outside of turn two, can be accessed through Gate 1 off of Harry Byrd Highway (US 151). Additionally, the Darlington Raceway ticket office hours are changing to accommodate race fans that might not be able to purchase their tickets during normal business hours. From now until the race weekend, the ticket office will be open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.(Darlington Raceway)(4-5-2012)
News from April 4, 2012
Tire testing at Michigan: UPDATE: Goodyear Tire Testing is scheduled at Michigan International Speedway on Tuesday April 3rd and Wednesday April 4, 2012. Drivers scheduled to test: #2-Brad Keselowski (Dodge), #17-Matt Kenseth (Ford), #42-Juan Pablo Montoya (Chevy) and #24-Jeff Gordon (Chevy). The Turn 1 grandstand seats will be open for fans free of charge on April 3-4.(MIS/Goodyear)(3-28-2012) UPDATE: #2-Brad Keselowski made history at Michigan International Speedway on Tuesday. The Rochester Hills native took the first laps on the newly paved surface at the racetrack during a Goodyear Tire test. “I feel the decision to pave in October, giving it some time to set was very beneficial,” Keselowski said. “The track should be ready to go in record time for a repave. It should be in great shape when we come back here for the race.” Keselowski was the first car out at 1:23 p.m., shortly following a rain delay. He was joined at the test by fellow NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers #24-Jeff Gordon, #17-Matt Kenseth and #42-Juan Pablo Montoya. Keselowski tweeted throughout the test, saying the track would reach top speeds on Day 2 of the test on Wednesday. But that didn’t keep him from reaching 212, enough to break the 194.232 mph track qualifying record set by Ryan Newman in 2005. Gordon topped off at nearly 215 mph, he said. But a Goodyear Tire test isn’t necessarily about how fast the NASCAR stock cars can go, but rather collecting data the tire company can use to build a good race tire for the track’s NASCAR events. The two-day test concludes 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday. The Turn 1 grandstands will be open for fans free of charge throughout the day. Fans may park in Lot 10, off US 12.(MIS)(4-4-2012)
ARCA owner interested in Mayfield: If suspended NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield can avoid jail time, he could have a job back behind the wheel of a racecar later this year. ARCA team owner Roger Carter said Tuesday that he wants to put the embattled Mayfield in one of his cars. He hopes to field a car for Mayfield in the June race at Pocono Raceway, but Carter is not sure if Mayfield can compete that soon in the Midwest-based stock-car series. Carter currently operates Carter 2 Motorsports and has a long history of involvement in racing, including with the Sadler Brothers Racing team that put Mayfield in a Cup car for the first time in 1993. An ARCA spokesman said that because Mayfield has not applied for an ARCA license, the sanctioning body has no comment. Carter said that ARCA officials want to see how Mayfield’s legal issues turn out before making a decision. He said he doesn’t blame ARCA for hesitating to approve Mayfield, especially considering its relationship with NASCAR. ARCA runs as a support series at many NASCAR events on the same weekend. Carter said he won’t cause controversy if Mayfield isn’t allowed to race. He said he’s talked with Mayfield and told him that he would have to submit to an ARCA drug test and be willing to take a drug test administered by the team.(Sporting News)(4-4-2012)
OneMain Financial returns as title sponsor of fall Nationwide race at Dover: OneMain Financial and Dover International Speedway have announced a renewed partnership for 2012 with OneMain Financial returning as the title sponsor of the fall NASCAR Nationwide Series race at the Monster Mile, the Sept. 29, 2012 “OneMain Financial 200.” This will be the second straight year OneMain Financial will sponsor the fall NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Dover. The company’s NASCAR presence continues to grow, as it is the primary sponsor of the Richard Childress Racing #2 OneMain Financial Chevy, driven by Elliott Sadler, in the Nationwide Series again this year. Sadler has already piloted the car to Victory Lane twice this season, winning at Phoenix International Raceway on March 3 and Bristol Motor Speedway on March 17. The Sept. 29 “OneMain Financial 200” NASCAR Nationwide Series race is part of another triple-header NASCAR weekend at the Monster Mile that also includes the Sept. 28 NASCAR K&N; Pro Series East race and the Sept. 30 “AAA 400” NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.(Dover Speedway)(4-3-2012)
News from April 3, 2012
Timmy Hill returning to Nationwide Series: Timmy Hill, the 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year, will return to the Nationwide Series with Rick Ware Racing for the remainder of the 2012 season, starting with the Friday, April 13th event at Texas Motor Speedway. Hill and the RWR team attempted the move to the Sprint Cup Series this year. “Rick Ware Racing has been awesome to me throughout my entire racing career,” said Hill. “We as a team took a chance to compete in the Sprint Cup Series and move this team to the next level. We learned a lot from this experience, but it’s time to take a step back and regroup on what we learned to apply that for the future. So we are temporarily putting the Cup program on hold. We are not out of racing and you will see myself and Rick Ware Racing at Texas ready to go in the Nationwide Series race.”(Hill PR)(4-3-2012)
Joe Falk to take over #33 team: Hermie Sadler will race in Sunday’s “Goody’s Fast Relief 500” at Martinsville Speedway, driving a #33 Chevrolet fielded – officially – by Richard Childress Racing. The Virginia native has confirmed, however, that the #33 team will soon belong to former Sprint Cup Series owner Joe Falk, who will make his return to the sport in two weeks at Texas Motor Speedway. “I had been talking to Richard about driving the #33 at some point this year,” said Sadler on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio’s Sirius XM Speedway. “And in the last week to 10 days, Richard made a deal with Joe Falk& to purchase the team and its (owner) points. Joe is a big NASCAR fan who has done pretty well in the car business. A lot of people know him, he’s been around the sport forever.” Sadler called this week’s entry “a collaborative effort” between RCR and Falk, as part of a transition that will see Falk assume ownership of the car at Texas Motor Speedway on April 14. “This is technically an RCR effort this week,” he said. “It’s an older Richard Childress car with a Childress engine under the hood. Richard entered the car this weekend because of (NASCAR rules concerning) entry blanks and when they have to be submitted. After they filed the entry, conversations began between him and Joe about making the transition official in time for Texas.” Falk was listed as co-owner of the Hillman Racing #40 Toyota that Michael Waltrip attempted to qualify for this year’s Daytona 500, and sources say the #33 entry may be housed at the Hillman Racing shop in Mooresville, NC.(Godfather Motorsports)(3-30-2012) UPDATE: Sprint Cup series car owner Joe Falk said on Monday that he expects Elliott Sadler, Austin Dillon and C.E. Falk to be among those who will drive the #33 Chevy for his team in upcoming races. Joe Falk is purchasing the #33 team from legendary Cup owner Richard Childress. Falk said that Hermie Sadler, who drove to a 31st-place finish in the team’s first race on Sunday at Martinsville, also figures to drive some more races. Falk added that he is not ready yet to announce who will drive the Cup car on April 14 in Texas, but that Emporia native Sadler is a possibility. He said his team will be housed in the same Mooresville, N.C., garage as his Camping World Truck Series team. While Falk partners with Hillman Racing in the trucks series, his Cup team will be independent. “We’re doing this as a development deal with Richard Childress Racing,” Falk said. So Childress’ grandson, Dillon – who won two Camping World Truck races last year and has three Nationwide Series top-fives in five starts this season – will get some Cup starts for Falk. And Falk’s nephew C.E., who tied a Langley Speedway track record with his third consecutive Late Model title in 2011, should get a start.(Newport News Daily Press)(4-3-2012)
Mayfield faces foreclosure on property: In addition to his legal troubles, former NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield now faces losing his home and land because he owes nearly $3 million for the property. Mayfield, 42, was in Catawba County Superior Court Monday on five felony charges that stem from a search warrant that was executed at his Catawba home in November. He is facing one count of possession of methamphetamine for 1.5 grams officers found in his home, three counts of possession of stolen goods and one count of obtaining property by false pretenses. Mayfield’s next court appearance will be June 25. Mayfield and his wife, Shana, owe [money] on their 455 acres of property. The couple own five tracts of land, and took out two mortgages from Carolina Farm Credit on the combined acreage: one for $2.28 million and the other for $847,500, both on July 28, 2006. Although the Mayfields made some payments on the combined $3,127,500 debt, they were unable to keep up with the payments after Mayfield was suspended from NASCAR. As of Sept. 13, the Mayfields still owed about $2,387,130 on the principal for the two mortgages and an additional $334,700 in accrued interest. The mortgage company added daily interest of $392.40, as well as an additional fee of $1,000, according to court documents. Foreclosure proceedings began on Dec. 13, 2011. The property will be put up for auction on April 30 at 12 p.m. at the Catawba County courthouse in Newton. It will be given to the highest bidder. The Mayfields have 10 days to be out of their home after the auction, unless they have the money to pay off their debt on April 30, said Al Jean Bogle, clerk of superior court. That is not something Jeremy Mayfield is ruling out. “I’m working on something,” Mayfield said.(Hickory Daily Record)(4-3-2012)
Kentucky Ford Fan Day on April 28: Kentucky Speedway’s Ford Fan Day will offer guests a multitude of activities, a behind-the-scenes view of all areas of the 107,000-capacity facility, U.S. Legends International quarter-mile track racing, chances to win prizes as well as previews of road and parking improvements on Saturday, April 28 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Guests will be able to tour the garages, media center, grandstands, press box, owner’s suite, spotters’ stand, campgrounds and a new tunnel that connects the original speedway property to expansive new parking fields. In addition to Legends racing, highlighted activities include the chance to take a Victory Lane photo with the speedway’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series “Quaker State 400” trophy, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series trophy and the Sprint Show Car courtesy of Walmart, a chat with speedway General Manager Mark Simendinger, a Racing Roundtable discussion with local media along with a Fire and Safety Team demonstration. Raceway Ministries will organize children’s activities such as face painting and youngsters also will have the chance to make announcements on the speedway’s public address system.(Kentucky Speedway)(4-3-2012)
News from April 2, 2012
Martinsville overnight TV Ratings posted: NASCAR Sprint Cup Racing on FOX posted a 3.9/9 metered market rating Sunday for the race from Martinsville Speedway. That’s flat with last year’s performance for the same race on the same weekend, and ranked as the highest-rated event of the day in the meters. Through six races, NASCAR Sprint Cup Racing on FOX is averaging a 4.8/10 in the meters, off -6% from last year’s 5.1/11. See past race ratings, 4-yr comparison chart on the 2012 TV Ratings page.(4-2-2012)
Race and Commercial Breakdown of the 2012 Goody’s Fast Relief 500: For those of you NASCAR fans that like stats and love to hate commercials, or wonder how often your driver was focused on, here is the breakdown for Sunday’s race. Began recording the times at the Invocation of the race at 1:00 PM, and stopped at the waving of the checkered flag at 4:44 PM (all times are EST). Fox was the broadcast team for this event.
Total number of commercials: 107
Number of traditional commercials (not split-screen): 98
Number of ‘Side-by-Side’ commercials during race broadcast (split-screen): 9
Number of times utilized ‘Side-by-Side’ commercials during this broadcast: 3
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 83
Total number of brief promos of products/services during the race broadcast: 32
Total number of companies or entities advertised in brief promos or crawlers: 22
Total amount of time these brief promos take during broadcast: app. 3 min. 35 sec.
Start time to record race/commercial periods: 1:00 PM
End time to record race/commercial periods: 4:44 PM
Total minutes of race broadcast: 224
Minutes of race broadcast: 178
Minutes of traditional commercials (not split-screen): 46
Minutes of ‘Side-by-Side’ commercials (split-screen): 5
Number of missed restarts: 0
Number of ‘mystery cautions’ (debris not shown): 0
Number of April Fool’s Day jokes heard over the broadcast: 1 Carl Edwards telling Bob Osborne his transmission was going
Total race brdcst time 178 Total comm. brdcst time 46
For driver focus, past races and other info see the 2012 TV Commercials page.(4-2-2012)
Baldwin, Reutimann comment on late race caution: Team owner Tommy Baldwin walked through the garage toward the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series hauler, summoned there by officials after one of his cars caused a race-altering caution near the end of Sunday’s Goody’s Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway. In his hand, Baldwin carried a broken part wrapped in a white towel, and said driver David Reutimann did nothing wrong when he stopped on the track with three laps to go in the race. “He didn’t have a choice (to stop),” said Baldwin, who owns the #10 car. “The steering broke and he couldn’t get on pit road, and about 15 laps before that, he was complaining about the motor. It just happened at the same time. I mean, we just looked at it down there – it won’t start, it won’t do nothing. There’s nothing we could have done.” Reutimann’s stalled car at the end of the frontstretch forced NASCAR to wave the yellow flag, which set up a late restart. Leaders Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson then spun out when Clint Bowyer made it three-wide into the first corner, and Ryan Newman ultimately won the race instead.(SB Nation) AND Reutimann, meanwhile, blamed circumstances and faulty equipment for his problems that brought out the late caution that in turn led to the restart that became a disaster, in particular, for the Hendrick guys on a day when Gordon and Johnson combined to lead a total of 440 laps. “Number one, I just hate it,” said Reutimann, who was black-flagged by NASCAR and finished 35th, 79 laps down. “I just hate that I was involved in anything that changed the complexion of the race so I’ve got to apologize to the guys that it affected. It broke a tie-rod or something like that. I was just trying to limp around there. We needed to finish next couple of laps to try to stay in the top 35 [in points]. “I know it sucks. I hate it for everybody that it affected, but I mean I can’t get out and push the thing. You know, it shut off. It’s that simple.”(NASCAR.com)(4-2-2012)
Junior Johnson hospitalized: NASCAR Hall of Famer Junior Johnson has been hospitalized in North Carolina and two sources close to the 80-year-old legend said he is being treated for a staph infection related to a 2009 back surgery. Johnson initially was hospitalized on Tuesday near his farm in Wilkes County, N.C. He has since been moved to the Duke University hospital. Sources close to the situation said the former driver/owner known as “The Last American Hero” also needs a pacemaker, but the procedure can’t be completed until the infection clears. Johnson is expected to be released from the hospital within the week.(ESPN)(4-2-2012)
Two motorcyclist die on track at Charlotte: Two people died after their motorcycles collided at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Saturday. A third person was injured in the accident. Officials said 66-year-old Alan Richard Mockus and 71-year-old Thomas Franklin Hollingsworth were killed in the accident. Deborah Lynn Mockus, 56, is still in the hospital, officials said. Witnesses said the two men were not following the track rules laid out by the organizers of Saturday’s Vietnam Veterans celebration. The victims were seen riding at excess of 70 mph. Their bikes were traveling at the top of track, from opposite directions and collided head on when both drivers attempted to come down to avoid each other. Both drivers were killed and a female passenger on one of the bikes was taken to the hospital with major injuries. The crash happened right after a “Homecoming for Vietnam Veterans” event at the speedway. The bikers apparently joined in on the procession independently and were not affiliated with a veteran’s bike group. Larger groups, like Rolling Thunder and the Patriot Guard, said they sent out emails to all members telling them not to ride above the white line on the track and to maintain speeds below 35 mph.(WSOCtv.com)(4-2-2012)
News from April 1, 2012
Newman wins at Martinsville:#39-Ryan Newman won the Goody’s Fast Relief 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway for his 1st win of the year, his first at Martinsville, and 16th winof his career.
#22-Allmendinger finished 2nd (his career best finish) followed by #88-Earnhardt, Jr., #17-Kenseth, #56-Truex, Jr., #11-Hamlin, #14-Stewart, #43-Almirola, #2-Keselowski, and #15-Bowyer.
The race ended after a second green-white-checker attempt. #24-Gordon and #48-Johnson led the race on the first restart, but had stayed out on old tires. #15-Bowyer got a good jump on the start to move up along Gordon in turn one, pinching the cars together and setting off a spin by Gordon and Johnson. Gordon then ran out of gas before the final restart and finished 14th. Johnson finished 12th.
The pole sitter, #5-Kahne, didn’t lead a single lap and spent numerous laps behind the wall before falling out of the race with a blown engine. He finished 38th.
There were 7 cautions for 56 yellow flag laps. There were 19 lead changes among 10 drivers. The estimated attendence was 63,000, up from 60,000 in 2011.
See race results, awards, money won, laps led, cautions and more on the Martinsville Race Results page (pdf). (4-1-2012)
2012 Sprint Cup Driver Championship Points Standings:
[after Martinsville, race 6 of 36]
1) #16-Greg Biffle [0 wins], 226
2) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. [0 wins], 220, -6
3) #14-Tony Stewart [2 wins], 214, -12
4) #17-Matt Kenseth [1 win], 214, -12
5) #29-Kevin Harvick [0 wins], 214, -12
6) #56-Martin Truex Jr. [0 wins], 214, -12
7) #11-Denny Hamlin [1 win], 210, -16
8) #39-Ryan Newman [1 win], 202, -24
9) #15-Clint Bowyer [0 wins], 192, -34
10) #48-Jimmie Johnson [0 wins], 189, -37
11) #99-Carl Edwards [0 wins], 179, -47
12) #2-Brad Keselowski [1 win], 175, -51
(ties broken by 1sts, 2nds, 3rd, etc)
See drivers championship points standings on the Drivers Points Standings page (pdf).
and Owners Points on the Owners Points Standings page (pdf).(4-1-2012)
Top-35 in Owner Points and guaranteed a starting spot at Texas:
#83 moved back into the top 35, falling out was the #10 team by 1 point. Rank) Car#-Driver/Team, owners pts, +/-
29) #36-Blaney/Baldwin, 97, +21
30) #93-Kvapil/BK Racing, 97, +21,
31) #38-Gilliland/Front Row, 96, +20
32) #5-Kahne/Hendrick, 93, +17
33) #32-Schrader/FAS Lane Racing, 92, +16
34) #33-Sadler/Childress, 80, +4
35) #83-Cassill/BK Racing, 77, -1 ahead of 36th these teams / drivers will need to qualify by speed:
36) #10-Reutimann-Patrick/Baldwin, 76, -1 from the top 35
37) #30-Stremme/Inception, 63, -14
38) #49-Yeley/Robinson, 49, -28
39) #26-Wise/Front Row, 46, -31
40) #21-Bayne/Wood Brothers, 44, -33
41) #98-McDowell/Parsons, 44, -33
42) #87-Nemechek/NEMCO, 32, -45
The teams are NOT locked in past the next race as the owners points change after each race.
For the owner points standings, see the Owners Points Standings page (pdf).(4-1-2012)
Race Fast Facts – Martinsville:
Ryan Newman won the 63rd Annual Goody’s Fast Relief 500, his 16th victory in 374 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
This is his first victory and third top-10 finish in 2012.
This is his first victory and 11th top-10 finish in 21 races at Martinsville Speedway.
AJ Allmendinger (second) posted his second top-10 finish in ten races at Martinsville Speedway. It is his first top-10 finish in 2012.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (third) posted his 14th top-10 finish in 25 races at Martinsville Speedway.
Greg Biffle leads the point standings by 6 points over Dale Earnhardt Jr.
The race featured the fewest cautions (7) at Martinsville since Sept. 22, 1996 (7).(NASCAR Statistics)(4-1-2012)
Teams will get test time at Pocono & Michigan: NASCAR has added two days to the Pocono Raceway weekend and one to the Michigan race weekend in June so all teams get a chance to tackle the repaved tracks. Both tracks have new surfaces since last year and Goodyear will conduct tire tests in the next month. NASCAR will have open test days the Wednesday and Thursday prior to the June 8-10 weekend at Pocono. It will have an open test day the Thursday prior to the June 15-17 weekend at Michigan, according to NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp. While that just might mean an extra few days on the road for most drivers and teams, it does throw a wrench into plans for the Feed The Children Prelude to the Dream at Tony Stewart’s Eldora Speedway. That charity race is scheduled for June 6, the same as the first day of the Pocono open test. Eldora officials are still hopeful they could run on that date, a Stewart spokesman said.(Sporting News)(4-1-2012)
Kyle Petty to be honored: Paul Simon and Elvis Costello are among the luminaries who will perform at “A Celebration of Paul Newman’s Dream,” a fundraising event scheduled for April 2 at Avery Fisher Hall at New York City’s Lincoln Center. The benefit will raise money for the late acting legend’s Association of Hole in the Wall Camps charity, which runs a worldwide network of camps for children with serious illnesses including the NASCAR-themed camp in Randleman, NC, Victory Junction. The gala, will honor all camp founders and will be hosted by Newman’s widow, Joanne Woodward, also will feature appearances by Tina Fey, Jimmy Fallon and Jake Gyllenhaal, as well as performances from country star Trisha Yearwood and crooner Josh Groban. In addition, campers from all of the Hole in the Wall Camps will take to the stage to perform alongside the entertainers. Victory Junction founder Kyle Petty and son Austin Petty will be in attendance to accept the honor on behalf of Victory Junction.(Victory Junction)(4-1-2012)
Papa John’s Pizza party ticket package at Charlotte: Race fans who love pizza will get a double treat as Papa John’s is offering a VIP experience with Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. at the Coca-Cola 600, on May 27, with the Papa John’s Pizza Party at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Papa John’s pizza boxes throughout the Carolinas and Virginia will include an offer for a pizza party race package for $99. With the package, up to 1,000 fans will get a frontstretch ticket for the May 27 Coca-Cola 600 and exclusive access to a VIP party that includes appearances by the two Hendrick Motorsports drivers. At the party, fans will also be treated to two slices of Papa John’s pizza, beverages and a goody bag with gifts from Papa John’s and Charlotte Motor Speedway. The promotion will run through late April or while supplies last. To get the ticket package for the Papa John’s Pizza Party at the Coca-Cola 600, order from Papa John’s or visit www.charlottemotorspeedway.com/papajohnsparty.(CMS)(4-1-2012)
