Iowa interested in second race: Iowa Speedway has not formally requested a second Nationwide Series in 2011. But officials at the 7/8-mile oval that plays host to the second annual U.S. Cellular 250 tonight in front of a sold out crowd will gladly listen if NASCAR is willing to offer. “We’re confident we’ll be renewing our agreement with NASCAR for 2011 for this event,” Iowa Speedway vice president Craig Armstrong said late Saturday afternoon. “And if a second (Nationwide Series race) is offered to us, we will certainly consider it. “It is entirely NASCAR’s decision, and we respect that.” NASCAR is expected to release next year’s schedule for its three major national touring series in about four weeks. Armstrong’s comments about the possibility of NASCAR’s junior circuit visiting the facility designed by Rusty Wallace twice next year comes just days after the announcement that Gateway International Raceway does not intend to host the Nationwide Series in 2011.(Racin’ Today)(7-31-2010)
Billy Johnson To Make NNS Debut at Watkins Glen:GRAND-AM Continental Tire Series driver Billy Johnson will make his Nationwide Series debut next weekend at Watkins Glen with Roush Fenway Racing. Johnson, who co-drives the #61 Roush Performance Mustang in the Continental Tire Challenge Series with Jack Roush Jr., will pilot the #6 Citi Financial Ford. The race will be the first NASCAR event for the 24 year old from Torrance, CA. Johnson is currently fifth in the Continental Tire Challenge Series points on the strength of wins at Homestead and New Jersey Motorsports Park. He partnered with Roush Jr. part way through the 2009 season, and he has six career wins in GRAND-AM. He is also an instructor at the Skip Barber Driving School. We’ve heard that leading up to his debut, Johnson has done some road course and oval track testing for RFR. No word on if he may run more races.(NASCAR Insiders)(7-31-2010)
Nationwide schedule could be cut back: NASCAR’s Nationwide Series schedule for 2011 isn’t quite finished, and it appears it could be dramatically different from this year’s schedule. Gateway International Raceway asked out of its two dates earlier this year, and Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials are considering taking over the date currently held by O’Reilly Raceway Park. And there could be more movement, too. Iowa Speedway, which hosts this weekend’s U.S. Cellular 250, could be in a position to pick up a second Nationwide race. Dover Motorsports’ Nashville Superspeedway, the sister to Gateway, has two dates this year, but attendance at Nashville has been terrible in recent years. Could that track lose a date? NASCAR President Mike Helton wouldn’t speculate on whether the Nationwide schedule would be drastically different. “I’d always try to avoid getting out ahead of the announcement of the schedule and let it speak for itself,” Helton said this week at Iowa. “I would tell you, there’s a lot of movement going on in the three national series this year, trying to sort it all out.” Helton did say, however, the possibility of the Nationwide Series dropping below its current 35-race schedule is being discussed. “That’s been bounced around,” Helton said. “Is it necessary to do that? Obviously, there’s players that have to be talked to in regards to that, Nationwide, for one, ESPN and other promoters, and the competitors. That level of activity is being talked about.” Rusty Wallace Racing owner Rusty Wallace said Nationwide owners want the schedule cut back to help contain costs in the series.(NNS Racing)(7-31-2010)
<pRCR leaving Nationwide Series: Richard Childress Racing is getting out of the NASCAR Nationwide Series, a series it dominated as recently as four years ago. Team owner Richard Childress said this week at Iowa Speedway that RCR would run two teams in the Camping World Truck Series for Childress’ grandsons, Austin and Ty Dillon. “I want to give the grandsons an opportunity to run,” Childress said. “We’ve got Ty and Austin, and they’re not going to be ready for Nationwide. We could’ve kept chasing Nationwide; we had sponsorship we could’ve kept going with. We didn’t have enough sponsorship to run two teams, and running one, it didn’t really make sense.” Childress started the season with John Wes Townley in the #21 Nationwide car, but sidelined Townley after the young driver had problems on the track. The car ran more races with other drivers, but now Morgan Shepherd is fielding the #21 for RCR. Townley has since been released, Childress confirmed. “I guess he’s been released,” Childress said. “I know he’s been released from his contract to be able to drive for someone else.” Childress said the new Nationwide Series cars the team built will be used by Kevin Harvick Inc. in a deal between the two teams. (NNS Racing)(7-31-2010)</p
HyVee sponsoring Mike Wallace: Mike Wallace and J-D Motorsports announced that Hy-Vee, Inc. Supermarkets will be the primary sponsor of the # 01 Chevy at Iowa Speedway. Hy-Vee is an employee-owned supermarket chain operating 230 stores in eight Midwestern states.(JD Motorsports)(7-30-2010)
IMS could take Nationwide race from ORP: Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s answer to dwindling interest in NASCAR’s Brickyard 400 apparently includes acquiring the Nationwide Series race held at O’Reilly Raceway Park. IMS chief executive officer Jeff Belskus confirmed interest in hosting stock car racing’s No. 2 series, which has been at ORP for 28 years. It draws an annual crowd of 30,000 the night before the 400. “Our partners have mentioned it to us,” Belskus said Thursday. “We are looking for ways to invest in the Brickyard 400.” Acquiring rights to the Nationwide race would bring a cash infusion to IMS, which saw attendance for last weekend’s race plummet. The television revenue from hosting a Nationwide race is worth about $500,000, or about half of what’s needed to offset the sanctioning fee. Increasing the IMS ticket price for Saturday — currently $15 — likely would cover much of the rest of the cost, but the real advantage is a bolstering of the weekend schedule. This year, IMS had two hourlong practices Friday, followed by qualifying and two practices Saturday. With Nationwide involved, IMS could showcase nearly non-stop track activity both days, which would be good for suite sales and hospitality. A Nationwide race likely would be run Saturday afternoon at a distance of 200 or 300 miles. Former IMS boss Tony George always resisted the temptation to go after the Nationwide race because he wanted to be a good neighbor to ORP and its owner, NHRA. The other conflict was the Brickyard’s sponsor. Allstate, a rival insurance giant, paid upward of $2 million a year over a four-year contract. It isn’t clear what ORP, which also has a Camping World Truck Series race, would do if it loses Nationwide to IMS. Belskus said a decision by his organization and NASCAR “hasn’t been made yet,” and it’s possible Nationwide could run an additional race at ORP on a different weekend.(Indianapolis Star)(7-30-2010)
Jay Robinson Racing and Cookies Food Products Inc. jointly announced that Cookies Sauces & Seasonings will serve as the primary sponsor on the #28 Chevy driven by Kenny Wallace and associate sponsor of the #49 JRR entry driven by Mark Green for the NASCAR Nationwide Series US Cellular 250 on July 31st in Newton. America loves to eat, and NASCAR fans love to enjoy good food while watching some great racing. From BBQ sauces, hot sauces, salsas to dips to flavor enhancer and all purpose seasoning, Cookies Food Products Inc. has what you need to feed.(Jay Robinson Racing PR), see an image of the car on my #28 Nationwide team paint schemes page.(7-29-2010)
Villeneuve to drive for Braun at the Glen: Braun Racing announced that former Formula One World Champion Jacques Villeneuve will drive the #32 Dollar General Toyota in the upcoming Zippo 200 at Watkins Glen International, rounding out the 2010 Nationwide Series road course event trifecta. The August race at “The Glen” will be the road course phenomenon’s debut at the 2.45-mile track.(Braun Racing PR)(7-29-2010)
No Nationwide races at Gateway next year: Dover Motorsports, Inc. announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Gateway International Raceway has notified NASCAR that it will not seek 2011 sanctions for its two Nationwide Series and one Camping World Truck Series races. Vice President and General Manager of Gateway, Terry Harmeson stated, “This was a difficult decision in light of the many years of earnest and continued efforts on everyone’s part to develop a viable market for these events in one of our nation’s greatest cities. We remain committed to fulfill the balance of our 2010 schedule including our October 23rd NASCAR Nationwide race which will provide our fans the opportunity to see Danica Patrick compete here for the first time. We also plan to explore various ways to change the economics at Gateway both from the revenue and expense side.” Denis McGlynn, President & CEO of Dover Motorsports, stated, “We have a group of extremely dedicated and talented employees who make Gateway a great destination and we deeply appreciate all the support we have had from the racing community over the years – from racing fans and drivers to sponsors, team owners and sanctioning bodies. However, economics dictate that we evaluate all of our options for this facility, including its possible sale.”(Dover Motorsports PR)(7-28-2010)
Ave to return to #35 at Watkins Glen: According to TriStar Motorsports Facebook page, “Tony Ave to do the double at Watkins Glen. Tony will drive the #35 TriStar Motorsports Chevy in the Nationwide series and will also be attempting the Sprint cup race as well.”(7-28-2010)
Blue Ox sponsoring Jay Robinson Racing at Iowa: Jay Robinson Racing and Blue Ox Products announced that Blue Ox will serve as the primary sponsor on the #49 Chevy driven by Mark Green and associate sponsor of the #28 JRR entry driven by Kenny Wallace for the US Cellular 250 on July 31st in Newton, Iowa. The race at Iowa Speedway will be the first time since Daytona summer 2009 that Blue Ox will be the primary sponsor with Mark Green and the #49 Chevy. They will also have deck lid and c-post exposure on the #28 Chevy driven by Kenny Wallace for the NNS event. The partnership became a no brainer just a few short weeks ago as Blue Ox became the title sponsor of the USARacing Pro Cup Series event to take place this Friday during the Iowa race weekend. Blue Ox, of Pender, Neb., is a leading manufacturer of recreational vehicle and towing industry supplies and accessories.(JRR PR)(7-28-2010)
Iowa Raybestos Rookie Notes:
• Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the Kroger 200 at O’Reilly Raceway Park. Stenhouse Jr. claimed an 11th-place finish and grabbed top rookie honors for the fourth time in 2010.
• Brian Scott leads Stenhouse Jr. by 20 points (189-169) in the overall Raybestos Rookie standings entering the US Cellular 250 at Iowa Speedway.
• Michael McDowell was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the 2009 U.S. Cellular 250 at Iowa Speedway, claiming an eighth-place finish. Scott Lagasse Jr. also had a good day at Iowa, grabbing a ninth-place finish.
• Stenhouse Jr. won the pole for the 2009 race at Iowa, capturing his first-ever NASCAR Nationwide Series pole in his sixth-career start. He also led the race once for seven laps and was credited with a 22nd-place finish.
• Justin Allgaier is the only Raybestos Rookie to lead a lap at Iowa, holding the top spot once for 35 laps.
(Raybestos/Camp & Assoc PR)(7-28-2010)
Townley returns to RAB at Iowa: UPDATE: John Wes Townley will return to the NASCAR Nationwide Series this weekend at Iowa Speedway, RAB Racing team owner Robby Benton told SBNation.com on Tuesday. Townley spent last season with RAB Racing but left to join Richard Childress Racing this year along with sponsorship from Zaxby’s, the fast food chicken company which his father co-founded. He had little success, however, and was removed from RCR’s #21 car after crashing in practice at Phoenix. Benton said the plan for now is to run Townley in a “handful” of races, which includes Iowa, Bristol, Dover and possibly some others.(SB Nation)(7-27-2010) UPDATE: RAB Racing with Brack Maggard announce John Wes Townley will pilot the #09 Zaxby’s Ford Fusion in Saturday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series U.S. Cellular 250 at Iowa Speedway. Townley, the 20-year-old Watkinsville, Ga. native, previously competed for RAB Racing in the ARCA RE/MAX Series in 2008 and in the NASCAR Nationwide Series during the 2009 season where he was a Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidate in the #09 Ford. Townley has 34 total career starts in NASCAR’s junior circuit.(RAB PR)(7-27-2010)
Dash 4 Cash at Iowa: The U.S. Cellular 250 at Iowa Speedway is the third of four “Dash 4 Cash” races, an incentive program designed by series sponsor Nationwide Insurance where full-time, part-time and limited-schedule series-only drivers along with full-time double-duty drivers have the opportunity to pocket an extra $50,000 with a win. Otherwise, the pot — which would be $25,000 heftier at $75,000 — rolls over to the final “Dash 4 Cash” event, Nov. 6 at Texas Motor Speedway. Kevin Harvick, who at the time was a full-time driver in the series, won $25,000 in the first “Dash 4 Cash” race of the 2010 season at Nashville Superspeedway in April. Joey Logano wasn’t eligible for the bonus when he won at Kentucky Speedway on June 12, the second “Dash 4 Cash” race. So the $25,000 bonus rolled over to its current $50,000 at Iowa.(NASCAR)(7-27-2010)
NASCAR takes shock from #88 team UPDATE: During post-race inspection at O’Reilly Raceway Park, NASCAR found that the left front shock from the #88 JR Motorsports Chevy would not rebound. The shock will be taken back to the NASCAR Research and Development Center for further evaluation. Any penalties would likely be announced on Tuesday.(7-24-2010) UPDATE:: NASCAR handed down penalties Tuesday to the #88 team that competes in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for a rule violation committed last week at O’Reilly Raceway Park. The penalties come as a result of the team violating Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4-J (any determination by NASCAR officials that the race equipment used in the event does not conform to NASCAR rules); and 20A-12.3T (unapproved left front shock absorber) of the 2010 NASCAR Rule Book. The violation was discovered in post-race inspection on July 24. Crew chief Tony Eury Sr. has been fined $10,000, while owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. and driver Aric Almirola have been penalized with the loss of 25 championship owner and 25 championship driver points, respectively.(NASCAR PR)(7-27-2010)
Benson hired to coach Bayne: Starting last week, Diamond-Waltrip Racing hired Johnny Benson as Trevor Bayne’s driving coach. Benson will attend a large majority of races with the #99 team. Benson owns a championship in both the NASCAR Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series.(Michael Waltrip Racing PR)(7-27-2010)
ORP TV ratings up: ESPN’s live telecast of the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at O’Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis on Saturday night, July 24, saw a 21 percent ratings increase from last year. The telecast earned a 1.7 final national household coverage rating, averaging 2,356,996 viewers. Last year’s race, which also aired on ESPN, earned a 1.4 rating.(ESPN)(7-27-2010)
3M on the #16 at Iowa: This weekend will mark the first of two races this season where Colin Braun will pilot the #16 3M Ford, the second being at Circuit Gilles Villenueve at the end of August. A Roush Fenway Racing partner since 2005, 3M sponsored Braun in his Nationwide Series debut at Memphis in 2007 as well as two other races throughout his career.(Roush Fenway PR)(7-27-2010)
Herring to make series debut for Baker-Curb: 23-year old Drew Herring will make his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut Saturday driving Baker Curb Racing’s #27 Ford at Iowa Speedway. Herring captured the pole for the 2009 Pork 200 USARacing Pro Cup Series race at the .875-mile tri-oval and went on to lead 128 of the 200 laps before settling for a second-place finish. The 2008 USARacing Pro Cup Series Rookie of the Year started sixth and finished ninth in the 2008 race at Iowa Speedway. In 2009 the Benson, N.C. native captured his first USARacing Pro Cup Series win at South Georgia Motorsports Park and registered seven top 5s and 9 top 10s in 14 starts. Herring also made two ARCA Racing Series starts in 2009, finishing in the top 20 of both races at Rockingham Speedway. His resume also includes late model championships at Southern National Raceway Park in 2007 and South Boston Speedway in 2006.(Baker Curb PR)(7-26-2010)
ORP Facts and Notes:
• Kyle Busch won the Kroger 200 at O’Reilly Raceway Park. It was Busch’s eighth Nationwide win in 2010 and his 38th overall. He trails all-time wins leader Mark Martin by 10. He is the second driver to win in eight of the first 20 races of the season; Jack Ingram won for the eighth time in his 20th race of the 1984 season. Busch has won five of his past six series starts.
• Busch led 144 of the 201 laps, the most of all drivers.
• Joe Gibbs Racing posted its 52nd win, good for third all time. JGR posted its 10th win of 2010, the third straight season with at least 10 wins.
• Toyota posted its 10th win in 2010.
• Carl Edwards (second) got his fifth top-2 finish in the past eight races.
• Aric Almirola (third) gave the No. 88 car its fifth top-5 finish of the season; he is the 14th driver for JR Motorsports in 2010.
• Trevor Bayne (fourth) scored his second consecutive top-5 finish.
• Reed Sorenson (fifth) posted his 12th top-10 finish in 2010 and sixth top-5.
• Brad Keselowski (eighth) posted his 17th top-10 finish in 2010.
• The top 10 consisted of five Toyotas, two Fords, one Chevy and two Dodges.(ESPN.com)(7-26-2010)
Almirola would like to drive for JR Motorsports next year: JR Motorsports competition director Tony Eury Sr. has said that even though Aric Almirola drove the team’s #88 Nationwide Series car Saturday at O’Reilly Raceway Park, the likelihood of him being in the car next season is not high because Eury Sr. thinks Almirola could find his way back to the Sprint Cup Series next. But after his third-place performance in the Kroger 200 Saturday, Almirola said Eury Sr. should think of him when deciding who to put in the #88 car next year. “Obviously it was a tryout,” said the 26-year-old Almirola, who has driven Cup races for Joe Gibbs Racing, Dale Earnhardt Inc., Earnhardt Ganassi Racing and Phoenix Racing. “I feel like they’re going through a lot of young guys just to see how everybody does and how everybody runs. “I’d love any opportunity that was presented. … After the last couple of years I’ve had, to be knocked down and almost kicked out and to be able to come back and rebound myself in this sport, any opportunity I get, I’m just very thankful for and don’t take anything for granted.”(Scene Daily)(7-26-2010)
FFA on Baker Curb cars at ORP: The National FFA Organization, which has it’s headquarters in Indianapolis, will serve as a co-primary for the Kroger 200 benefiting Riley Hospital for Children at O’Reilly Raceway Park Saturday night. The National FFA Organization’s emblem will adorn the hood of both Baker Curb entries this week; Johnny Sauter’s #27 and Kevin Swindell’s #43. Curb Records, which sponsors Sauter’s Camping World Series truck and Swindell’s K&N Filters All Pro East Series car, is the other primary sponsor.(Baker Curb PR), see an image of the car on the #27 Nationwide team paint scheme page.(7-24-2010)
Edwards could be penalized: UPDATES: NASCAR officials are reviewing whether to punish #60-Carl Edwards for intentionally wrecking #22-Brad Keselowski on the last lap of Saturday night’s Nationwide Series race at Gateway International Speedway, multiple sources told ESPN.com. A decision will be made Tuesday or Wednesday. Edwards turned Keselowski sideways heading for the checkered flag on the straightaway coming off the final turn. The incident triggered a multi-car wreck that allowed Edwards to win and left point leader Keselowski 14th. Edwards received a three-race probation from NASCAR in March for sending Keselowski’s car into an airborne flip in the final laps of the Sprint Cup race at Atlanta. His intent in this incident is being scrutinized by the governing body, which has shied away from penalizing points and money after issuing a “have at it boys” edict in January.(ESPN.com)(7-19-2010) PENALITES: NASCAR has penalized the #60 team and the #22 driver for rule violations committed during last Saturday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Gateway International Raceway. The penalties come as a result of violating Section 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing/ aggressive driving) of the 2010 NASCAR Rule Book. Carl Edwards, driver of the #60, has been penalized with the loss of 60 NASCAR Nationwide Series championship driver points, fined $25,000 and placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31. Car owner Jack Roush has been penalized with the loss of 60 series championship owner points. Brad Keselowski, driver of the #22, has been placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31.(NASCAR), the probation for both drivers applies to the Sprint Cup Series as well.(7-21-2010) STATEMENTS: Statement from Keselowski: “The incident at the end of Saturday night’s race at Gateway was unfortunate not just for Penske Racing and the #22 Discount Tire Dodge team, but for all of the teams that were caught up in the aftermath. There was unnecessary damage done to a lot of race cars as a result of the incident, including one of our best cars. We support NASCAR’s decision and we look forward to putting this behind us. Our focus continues to be working hard to get Discount Tire, Ruby Tuesday, Dodge, Mr. Penske and Penske Racing a Championship this season.” (Penske PR)(7-21-2010) AND: “We have received notification of NASCAR’s penalties against Carl Edwards, Brad Keselowski and Roush Fenway Racing related to Saturday night’s race at Gateway International Raceway,” said Roush Fenway president Geoff Smith. “As with all NASCAR actions of this nature, we will internally evaluate the penalties, and the underlying explanations, prior to making any decision about next steps. We look forward to watching Carl and Brad as they continue to compete on a weekly basis for the championship in the Nationwide Series.”(RFR PR)(7-21-2010) UPDATE: NASCAR vice president of competition Robin Pemberton said the punishments would have no effect on a renewed commitment to an unwritten code of frontier justice that allows drivers latitude for banging fenders at 200 mph in the goal of self-policing the sport. “Absolutely,” said Pemberton, who set the tone for this year’s aggression with his oft-quoted “Boys, have at it” pronouncement in January. “We think it works well. We think the vast majority of competitors throughout all our series have handled themselves accordingly and measured their actions and reactions accordingly. We feel they’ve done an outstanding job. We’re not changing the policy. We just have two competitors who have gone over the edge.” The probations apply across all three national series, as Edwards and Keselowski are racing full time in the Nationwide and Sprint Cup series.(USA Today)(7-22-2010) UPDATE: Carl Edwards announced during a media session at Indianapolis Motor Speedway that he does not intend to appeal NASCAR’s imposed penalties against himself and Brad Keselowski. Team owner Jack Roush said the team supports Edward’s decision and will similarly not appeal the owner’s penalty.(RFR PR)(7-23-2010)
NASCAR to limit number of NNS races for Cup drivers; change schedule? Speaking of the Nationwide Series, teams were told in private meetings this week a change to keep Cup drivers from competing for a championship there is virtually assured for 2011. The most likely idea will be a hard cap on the amount of races drivers can compete in elsewhere in NASCAR if they’re inside the top-35 in Cup points, rigidly defining a sort of minor-to-major league system. But another interesting option being discussed is making six races on the schedule virtually impossible for Cup drivers to travel to, either putting them on the same day at different tracks or creating more standalone races over 2,000 miles apart each weekend.(Sports Illustrated)(7-22-2010)
Iowa Speedway nears sellout: Grandstand seats for Iowa Speedway’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race, the ‘U.S. Cellular 250 presented by John Deere and Northland Oil’ on Saturday, July 31, are close to being completely sold out according to track President, Jerry Jauron. “Out of over 55,000 total seats for the ‘U.S. Cellular 250’, we have less than two thousand seats remaining to be sold,” Jauron said. “I urge anyone wanting reserved seats for our Nationwide race to buy their tickets now, as we will sell every seat before race day.” Reserved seat tickets for Iowa Speedway’s second annual NASCAR Nationwide Series race are priced from $55 to $70, and are available online at www.iowaspeedway.com, or may be ordered from the track’s special toll-free telephone line, 866-787-8946, Monday through Friday 9 am to 5 pm, or Saturdays 9 am to 3 pm.(Iowa Speedway)(7-21-2010)
Gateway TV Ratings Up: ESPN2’s live telecast of the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Gateway International Raceway earned a final national household coverage rating of 1.3, an increase of 18 percent over the 1.1 rating for last year’s event that also aired on ESPN2, according to the Nielsen Company. The telecast averaged 1,832,107 viewers.(ESPN)(7-21-2010)
Game Plan For Life/I Am Second on #20 at ORP: Matt DiBenedetto is looking forward to putting an unfortunate finish last week at Gateway in his rear view mirror and enjoy the short track style of racing that O’Reilly Raceway Park offers, when he goes behind the wheel of the #20 Game Plan for Life / I Am Second Toyota this Saturday in the NASCAR Nationwide Series Kroger 200. This will be the fourth Nationwide Series race of the season for DiBenedetto and just the fifth of his young career. This will mark the first time DiBenedetto will have Game Plan for Life / I am Second on his car. Next week he will return with Pizza Ranch on board at their home track of Iowa. Game Plan For Life is the title of Joe Gibbs most recent New York Times Best Selling book which debuted at this time one year ago. I am Second is a movement meant to inspire people of all kinds to live for God and for others.(JGR PR)(7-21-2010)
FleetLocate on the #18 at ORP: One of the busiest NASCAR drivers in the sport today, FleetLocate, Joe Gibbs Driven’s newest product entry, may be well served for an unintended use in keeping tabs on the talented Kyle Busch. Busch will pilot the #18 FleetLocate Toyota in the NASCAR Nationwide Series Kroger 200 at O’Reilly Raceway Park this Saturday night as he attempts once again to be the first driver to sweep all of NASCAR’s top three Series races on the same weekend. FleetLocate Powered By Joe Gibbs Driven provides companies a cost-saving device for keeping track of their mobile fleets in the field. It not only can track the location of each member vehicle with state of the art mapping and instantly communicate when vehicles leave predetermined boundary limits, but it also measures and provides detailed reports on excessive engine idling and fuel consumption.(JGR PR)(7-21-2010)
Mike Wallace gets ORP sponsor: Indiana Live! Casino, the closest casino to Indianapolis, will be the primary sponsor of Mike Wallace and the J-D Motorsports #01 Chevy at O’Reilly Raceway Park. Indiana Live! Casino is a Las Vegas-style gaming establishment that offers non-stop gaming action, fantastic food and a wide array of entertainment options all under one roof.(JD Motorsports PR)(7-21-2010)
Sauter making 200th start: Johnny Sauter will make his 200th career Nationwide Series start in the Kroger 200 benefitting Riley Hospital for Children at O’Reilly Raceway Park Saturday night. Sauter will be behind the wheel of the #27 Curb Records/The National FFA Organization Ford. It will be his 38th career start for Baker Curb Racing and his second behind in the #27 in 2010. In the 2004 Nationwide Series race at ORP Sauter sat on the pole, led 121 of the 200 laps and finished second driving the #27 Kleenex Racing Pontiac for Baker Curb. The Necedah, Wis. native has registered three career Nationwide Series wins and in 2003 combined with Kevin Harvick to deliver a Nationwide Series Owners Championship to Richard Childress Racing. (Baker Curb Racing PR)(7-21-2010)
ORP Rookie Notes:
• Brian Scott was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250 at Gateway International Raceway. Scott claimed a sixth-place finish, his fifth top-10 of the season and grabbed top rookie honors for the ninth time in 2010.
• Threee Raybestos Rookie finished inside the top-10 at Gateway, the most rookies to finish inside the top-10 in a NASCAR Nationwide Series race this season: Scott (sixth), Colin Braun (seventh) and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (ninth). Braun and Stenhouse Jr. each claimed their third top-10 effort in 2010.
• Scott leads Ricky Stenhouse Jr. by 23 points (188-165) in the overall Raybestos Rookie standings entering the Kroger 200 at O’Reilly Raceway Park.
• Brendan Gaughan was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the 2009 Kroger 200 at O’Reilly Raceway Park, scoring a 12th-place finish.
• Kyle Busch (2004) and Ron Hornaday (2000) are the only Raybestos Rookies to win the Kroger 200 since the program was created in 1989 (21 previous races).(Raybestos/Camp & Assoc.)(7-21-2010)
Crew Member Suspended: Mark Fordham, a crew member for the #28 team in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, has been indefinitely suspended from NASCAR for violating the sanctioning body’s substance abuse policy. On July 14, Fordham was found to have violated Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 19 (violation of the NASCAR substance abuse policy) of the 2010 NASCAR Rule Book.(NASCAR)(7-20-2010)
Jeff Green in the #36 at ORP and Iowa: Jeff Green, the 2000 Nationwide Series Champ will drive the #36 TriStar Motorsports Long John Silver’s Nationwide car at ORP and Iowa. The move reunites Green with Jason Keller, his longtime teammate, and 2000 Series runner-up, and General Manager Keith Barnwell, who spotted for Green in his Championship run.(7-20-2010)
Coleman will qualify for Busch at ORP: Joe Gibbs Racing NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Brad Coleman will practice and qualify the #18 Fleet Locate Toyota for 2009 defending series champion Kyle Busch this weekend in Indianapolis. Busch, a two-time NASCAR Nationwide winner at ORP, will be busy down the street getting ready for the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Coleman qualified outside pole last year at ORP and hopes to be able to put Busch up front for the start Saturday night.(Coleman PR)(7-19-2010)
Hornaday returns to the #33 at ORP: This weekend four-time Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday will climb behind the wheel of the #33 Jimmy John’s Chevy as he makes his second start this season for Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) in the Nationwide Series. When Hornaday takes the green flag on Saturday for the Kroger 200 at O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis (ORP), he will be making his 10th-career Nationwide Series start at the .686-mile oval track. In nine previous starts at the track, Hornaday has one win, two top-five and five top-10 finishes.(KHI PR)(7-19-2010)
International Trucks to sponsor Howard: International Trucks, a long time sponsor in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series has signed on to sponsor Shelby Howard in the NASCAR Nationwide series #70 ML Motorsports Chevy beginning with the July 24th Kroger 200 at O’Reilly Raceway Park. The agreement tentatively calls for a three race sponsorship for Howard and the #70 entries in the NNS. In addition to the Kroger 200, International Trucks will be on board for the July 31, NNS 250 at Iowa Speedway and the October 23, Gateway 250 at Gateway International Raceway, near St Louis.(ML Motorsports)(7-18-2010)
Almirola in the #88 at ORP; maybe in 2011: UPDATE: Kelley Earnhardt, co-owner and general manager of JR Motorsports, said that Aric Almirola will drive the #88 Chevy for the organization in the Kroger 200 at O’Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis on July 24. Almirola replaces veteran Cup Series driver Elliott Sadler, who had been slated to run the race for JR Motorsports. “I think Aric Almirola is going to drive the car for Indy,” said Earnhardt, citing logistical problems with getting Sadler, who drives the #19 Ford for Richard Petty Motorsports in the Cup Series, settled in the car for the Nationwide Series event at O’Reilly. Earnhardt also mentioned that Almirola, who recently was in the news for serving as a standby relief driver for four-time defending Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, is one of several drivers being considered for a possible full-time job driving the #88 in the Nationwide Series in 2011. She added that Steve Arpin and Josh Wise, two drivers currently splitting time in the #7 Chevy with Danica Patrick for JR Motorsports, also are under consideration for that job.(NASCAR.com)(7-15-2010) UPDATE: JR Motorsports is not considering is a move to the Sprint Cup Series. “No Cup plans,” team co-owner Kelley Earnhardt said on Wednesday. “No Kasey Kahne. No Mark Martin. Nothing for JR Motorsports. At this point, we would need to get started on that, and it’s definitely not in our future for 2011.” Instead, Earnhardt and her brother, Dale Earnhardt Jr., need to find sponsorship and drivers for their Nationwide Series cars for next year. She knows Danica Patrick will drive in 13 races in a GoDaddy.com-sponsored car and that Grand Touring Vodka will sponsor 15 races with a driver to be determined. But that doesn’t even fill one full season for an organization that plans to have two Nationwide cars again next year. Kelley Earnhardt said the organization needs to know a little more about NASCAR’s plans to change the Nationwide Series rules to help promote younger drivers. She needs to know, she said, if there will be limits on Cup drivers and what programs are in place to help young drivers so the team can convince a sponsor to support an up-and-coming driver. “It would be nice to know specifically what we’re working with and what we can sell and do,” Kelley Earnhardt said. “In the environment that we’re in from the economic standpoint, it takes a personality to sell a sponsor. Performance and being up front and somebody they can market and somebody the consumer is going to recognize and want to be a part of whatever they’re doing is so important.” Sponsors are hesitant to go with a young driver, she said.(SceneDaily)(7-15-2010)
Earnhardt, Jr.s #3 in the NASCAR Hall of Fame:The famed #3 car Dale Earnhardt Jr. drove to victory in this month’s Nationwide race at Daytona was added as a temporary display at the new NASCAR Hall of Fame on Wednesday. The Wrangler-sponsored yellow and blue Chevy, which honors his father, the late Dale Earnhardt Sr., will stay at the downtown Charlotte facility through Sept. 19. The car carries extra significance because Earnhardt, who didn’t attend the unveiling, has said he doesn’t plan to drive a #3 car again. The economics of JRM’s Nationwide team mean it will be a temporary display as the team searches for full-time sponsors and a permanent driver for 2011. After its stint at the Hall of Fame, the body of the car will be cut off and hung at JRM’s shop. The chassis will be reused in future races. “We’d like to take the whole car, but we’re a Nationwide team,” Kelley Earnhardt said. “That’s $150,000 sitting there that we can use somewhere. As long as we have the body we’ll be in good shape.”(Associated Press/ESPN)(7-15-2010)
Aflac sponsoring Edwards at Gateway: Carl Edwards, driver of the #60 Copart.com/Fastenal Ford in the Nationwide Series, will be in his home state of Missouri this week to race at Gateway International Raceway Saturday night, and Edwards’ primary NASCAR Sprint Cup Series sponsor, Aflac will be riding with him as the primary sponsor. At this point Aflac has now participated in every form of motorsports entry that Edwards has competed in during the last three years. Edwards hopes to continue his trademark back-flip in victory lane for the third time at Gateway.(Roush Fenway PR)(7-15-2010)
Jansen Chevy on the #40 at Gateway; Doug Randolph helping team:JansenChevrolet.com appears on the quarter panels of the Key Motorsports #40 in Saturday’s Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250 at Gateway International Raceway. Veteran NASCAR driver Mike Bliss returns to the cockpit of the Jansen Chevrolet.com sponsored machine on the heels of posting consecutive top-20 finishes the past two races at Daytona and Chicagoland. Key Motorsports welcomes noted NASCAR crew chief Doug Randolph to the team in St. Louis. Randolph will assist long-time Key Motorsports crew chief Gary Showalter with preparation and race day operations at Gateway, ORP, Iowa and Michigan.(Key Motorsports PR), see an image of the car on the #40 team paint schemes page.(7-14-2010)
Blueharbor Bank on the #88 at Gateway: Gateway will mark the first race for the Blueharbor Bank paint scheme. JRM co-owner and general manager Kelley Earnhardt is a founding board member of Blueharbor and was recently named chairman of the board. Blueharbor offers locations in Huntersville, N.C. and Mooresville, N.C., and is ideal for small businesses and consumers who seek the best in quality professional bankers in the Iredell and North Mecklenburg areas.(JR Motorsports PR)(7-14-2010)
Bires making 75th series start at Gateway: Kelly Bires will be driving the #27 Ford for Baker Curb Racing in the Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250 at Gateway this Saturday. The Mauston, Wis. native will be making his 75th career NASCAR Nationwide Series start and seventh start of 2010. In his six previous starts in 2010, Bires has registered one top 10 and four top-15 finishes. The 25-year old has recorded three top-5 finishes in his career, including a career-best fourth-place finish in the 2009 Nashville 300. (Baker-Curb PR)(7-14-2010)
Chicago TV Ratings: ESPN’s live coverage of the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Chicagoland Speedway on Friday night, July 9, earned a final national household coverage rating of 1.3, the same rating as last year’s race that also aired on ESPN, according to the Nielsen Company. The telecast averaged 1,817,234 viewers.(ESPN)(7-14-2010)
Bandana’s BBQ on the #01 at Gateway: UPDATE: Bandana’s Bar-B- Q will be the primary sponsor of the Mike Wallace J-D Motorsports #01 Nationwide Series Chevy at Gateway. Bandana’s Bar-B-Q is celebrating 14 Years of Smoke as the premier BBQ in the St. Louis, Missouri regional area with 31 locations. Bandana’s Catering will also be serving the J-D Motorsports crew at their hauler. (JD Motorsports PR)(7-14-2010) UPDATE: Mike Wallace and J-D Motorsports announce that US Auto Protection will be an associate sponsor of the #01 J-D Motorsports Chevy for the Nationwide Series race at Gateway.(JD Motorsports PR)(7-14-2010)
Gateway Rookie Notes:
• Brian Scott was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the Dollar General 300 at Chicagoland. Scott scored a third-place finish, his best in 25 NASCAR Nationwide Series races and his first top-five. He claimed top rookie honors for the eighth time this season.
• Raybestos Rookie Parker Kligerman scored a 13th-place finish at Chicagoland, equaling his best finish in seven Nationwide Series races. Kligerman owns the best qualifying effort by a Raybestos Rookie in 2010, a second-place start in the Subway Jalapeno 250 at Daytona.
• Scott leads Ricky Stenhouse Jr. by 20 points (180-160) in the overall Raybestos Rookie standings entering the Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250 at Gateway Raceway.
• Michael Annett was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the 2009 Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250, scoring a seventh-place finish.
• Erik Darnell scored a 10th-place finish last year at Gateway, one of five top-10 finishes he racked up during the 2009 season.
• Two Raybestos Rookies have won at Gateway since the Nationwide Series began competing at the 1.25-mile speedway in 1997 (13 races). Reed Sorenson won the 2005 race by .710 seconds over Mike Wallace while Kevin Harvick captured the 2000 race by 1.338 seconds over Jeff Purvis.
• Only once in 13 races at have two Raybestos Rookies finished inside the top-five at Gateway. In 2005, Reed Sorenson won the race while Carl Edwards posted third-place finish.
• At least one Raybestos Rookie has scored a top-10 finish in each of the last three consecutive races at Gateway.
• Sorenson and Harvick are the only Raybestos Rookies to lead the most laps in a race at Gateway. Harvick led five times for 110 laps in 2000 while Sorenson led twice for 60 laps in 2005.(Raybestos/Camp & Assoc PR)(7-14-2010)
Kenny Wallace’s career winding down? [#28-Kenny Wallace] returns home, back to the greater St. Louis area that has spawned the entirety of the Wallace racing family, ready to race at Gateway International Raceway in the midst of what he calls “Speedweeks in the Midwest.” But he just wishes he could put on more of a show. “I’m hanging in there until we can find some big money and get some more speed in our cars,” Wallace said. “I’ll still be in the same mode at Gateway; just because it’s Gateway doesn’t mean we have any more money. My family and my fans know what’s going on, knowing I’m embarrassed and doing the best I can do with what I’ve got.” Now, don’t get Wallace wrong. He’s not embarrassed by his team, or his effort, or the sport. He loves NASCAR, a lot. He’ll tell you. A lot. But he’s also not going to insult himself, or the sport, by merely going out and turning a few laps for a paycheck. He said four years ago in a chat with his nephew, Steve, that by the age of 47, his career would be winding down. He turns 47 in August. “If I’m running this way next year, it will probably be my last year,” Wallace said. “I will say that it’s very important for me to be satisfied. I’m in a situation where I don’t need to be racing just to make money. I love my life, I’ve been fortunate, and so I would say that I agree with that statement. I’m still on the course with that. “I do not want to quit. I feel I’m a really good race car driver. I’m winning a lot of dirt car races. Financially, I see right now everybody is suffering. For me to just go out and make circles, out of respect for my family, it doesn’t make much sense. The direct quote is this: If I am competing at this same level at this time next year, and I still have not been able to find money and a great sponsor, I would say I will look at … not retirement. But I will not race full time any more, knowing I don’t have a chance to really compete.” His only finish inside the top 15 was at Talladega. He’s out there, using his people skills to hustle up sponsorship for the first time in his career. He’s had 14 different primary sponsors in 18 races. (NASCAR.com)(7-13-2010)
Juggle.com sponsoring Kenny Wallace at GIR: Kenny Wallace returns to his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri for the Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series event at Gateway International Raceway this Saturday night. Juggle.com, a St. Louis area based research website, will be the primary sponsor of the #28 Jay Robinson Racing Chevy for the event.(JRR PR)(7-13-2010)
Rusty Wallace apologizes to Kyle Busch: ESPN broadcaster Rusty Wallace apologized Monday for an expletive he directed toward Kyle Busch during Friday night’s Nationwide broadcast from Chicagoland Speedway. The comment could be heard after Busch finished his Victory Lane interview. Said Wallace in a statement from ESPN: “At the end of Friday night’s telecast, I made an unfortunate remark regarding Kyle Busch. There’s no excuse and I certainly know better. I would like to take this opportunity to apologize to everyone including Kyle for my mistake.” Wallace made the comment after Busch referenced the fans who booed him after he won the race. Wallace then can be heard uttering a one-word comment. An ESPN spokesman said the network would not suspend Wallace for the comment and stated: “ESPN has spoken to Rusty and he understands his remark was uncalled for.”(Hampton Roads)(7-13-2010)
Chicago News & Notes:
• Kyle Busch won the Dollar General 300 Friday at Chicagoland Speedway. It was Busch’s 37th Nationwide Series win in his 188th start. He passed Kevin Harvick for second on the series all-time wins list and trails Mark Martin by 11 for most wins in series history.
• Busch posted his series-leading seventh win of 2010. It was his second Nationwide Chicagoland win in seven starts. Busch has won four of his previous five Nationwide starts.
• Busch led four times for a race-high 110 laps.
• Joe Gibbs Racing posted its 51st series victory and its ninth win of 2010, the most of all teams.
• Toyota swept the top five finishing positions for the first time in the series.
• Joey Logano (second) finished in the top 10 for his 10th straight race.
• Brian Scott (third) posted his career-best finish in his 25th start and was the best-finishing rookie of the year contender.
• David Reutimann (fourth) had his best finish in three starts this season.
• Jason Leffler (fifth) matched his best finish of the season for the third time.
• Brad Keselowski (21st) ran out of gas coming to the final restart on Lap 202 and finished off the lead lap for first time in 2010.
• Danica Patrick (24th) had her career-best finish in her fifth series start.
• The race ended under green-white-checkered conditions for the first time in 10 Nationwide races at Chicagoland and the sixth time in 2010.(ESPN.com)(7-12-2010)
Alex Kennedy to drive for R3 at Gateway: Alex “Kid” Kennedy will be making a return run with R3 Motorsports for this weekend’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Gateway International Raceway. The recent high-school graduate of Aztec, N.M. will pilot the #23 MediaMaster Chevy under the lights of the 1.25-mile tricky oval on Saturday night. Kennedy made his first NNS start at Road America last month posting the 10th-fastest time in the final practice, qualified 15th and was running 10th with nine laps remaining before getting taken out from behind and t-boned by another car to finish 28th.(R3 Motorsports PR)(7-12-2010)
Hackett Racing doubles up at Gateway: UPDATE: After a two month break, Ray Hackett Racing and driver Ryan Hackett [#76-Ford] will be back on track at Gateway International Raceway. The team has managed to put together funds as well as improve and repair equipment and plans on attempting both the CampingWorld.com 200 Camping World Truck Series race on July 16th, and also will bring a brand new Nationwide Series car to the track to compete in the Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250 race on July 17th. Driver, Ryan Hackett will be behind the wheel for both races. The team plans to continue to race in select Nationwide and Truck Series races. They have also just recently put the finishing touches on a new Ford Mustang and plan to be at the remaining COT races on the 2010 schedule. Longtime sponsor J&R Supply Corp. will be the primary sponsor for both races at Gateway. (Hackett Racing PR)(7-9-2010) UPDATE: According to the NASCAR media entry list, Hackett has withdrawn from the Gateway Nationwide race.(7-12-2010)
Congrats to Eric & Miranda McClure: #24-Eric McClure tweeted: “Mirabella Rileigh. 6lbs 2 oz. 18.5 inches long. Born @ 3:07am.” Mirabella joins big sisters, Mabreigh and Maryleigh.(7-11-2010)
NASCAR says final restart was proper at Chicago: NASCAR told drivers Saturday that the way the final restart unfolded in the Nationwide Series race Friday night at Chicagoland Speedway was proper. There was some confusion when #22-Brad Keselowski ran out of gas while running second one lap prior to the restart for a green-white-checkered finish. He dropped out of the outside line, and #18-Kyle Busch, running fourth, moved up into his position next to leader Joey Logano. There was some question whether David Reutimann, who was running third, should have gotten to move to the outside line next to the leader since he was third. “If somebody drops out in either row, just pull straight up,” NASCAR race director David Hoots told drivers during the prerace drivers meeting prior to the Sprint Cup LifeLock.com 400. “We won’t try to criss-cross you with one to go. If you help us with that, we’ll get the race restarted nice and smoothly. We’ll just pull both rows straight forward.”(Scene Daily)(7-10-2010)
Shepherd in the #21 for more races? Morgan Shepherd will be behind the wheel of Richard Childress Racing’s #21 car for the remainder of open races in the 2010 season.(TheHotLap)(7-9-2010)
Gerber Collision sponsoroing Mike Wallace:Gerber Collision & Glass, the national auto collision and glass repair company founded and based in Chicago, has partnered with JD Motorsports to sponsor the #01 Chevy driven by Mike Wallace at the Dollar General 300 at Chicagoland. “As many of our customers are NASCAR fans and supporters, Gerber Collision & Glass is very excited about helping sponsor the #01 Chevy driven by Mike Wallace and look forward to an exciting race,” said Jim Maliszewski, Director – Program Management and Centralized Support, Gerber Collision & Glass.(JD Motorsports PR) (7-9-2010)
Hackett Racing doubles up at Gateway: After a two month break, Ray Hackett Racing and driver Ryan Hackett [#76-Ford] will be back on track at Gateway International Raceway. The team has managed to put together funds as well as improve and repair equipment and plans on attempting both the CampingWorld.com 200 Camping World Truck Series race on July 16th, and also will bring a brand new Nationwide Series car to the track to compete in the Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250 race on July 17th. Driver, Ryan Hackett will be behind the wheel for both races. The team plans to continue to race in select Nationwide and Truck Series races. They have also just recently put the finishing touches on a new Ford Mustang and plan to be at the remaining COT races on the 2010 schedule. Longtime sponsor J&R Supply Corp. will be the primary sponsor for both races at Gateway. (Hackett Racing PR)(7-9-2010)
Cale Gale becomes ARCA crew chief: Cale Gale did what those financial experts always say to do in tough economic times — diversify. That’s why Gale will make his ARCA Racing Series debut as a crew chief for Richard Childress Racing Saturday night instead of driving in the Prairie Meadows 200 at Iowa Speedway. The former super-stock and late-model champion at Mobile International Speedway made 14 NASCAR Nationwide and truck series starts in 2008 for Kevin Harvick Inc. But motorsports’ monetary woes, which seemed to claim young drivers as the first casualties, sidelined plans to expand Gale’s NASCAR schedule in 2009. He made one Nationwide start and raced on the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series last year before parting with KHI. This year, Gale had been working as a shock specialist and race-day engineer for Turner Motorsports’ entry in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series while running his “side business,” Velocity Race Suspensions, building custom racing shocks in his “spare time at night.” About a month ago, he left Turner to mentor Ty Dillon, Childress’ 18-year-old grandson, in NASCAR’s K&N Pro Series. Now, the teenage driver and 25-year-old crew chief are moving up to ARCA together.(Alabama Live)(7-9-2010)
Web Hosting battle at Chicago: Competing web hosting companies HostGator.com and Go Daddy will go bumper-to-bumper this Friday at Chicagoland Speedway for the Nationwide Series Dollar General 300. Joe Nemechek will race the #87 HostGator.com Chevy, competing against the #7 Go Daddy car driven by Danica Patrick. “Racing competition has always been a lot of fun and a big part of the sport. Bringing in a competing sponsor will give fans more interest in the racing and the competition. We are glad that HostGator jumped on board.” said Joe Nemechek. This is HostGator.com’s second race in the Nationwide Series. Their debut was last week for the Coke Zero 400 in Daytona where veteran driver Joe Nemechek qualified 32nd and finished 16th. “If Joe Nemechek places ahead of Danica Patrick, HostGator is offering a free year of shared web hosting service to any Go Daddy hosting clients who switch their service to us on race day,” said Lance Custen, CEO of HostGator.com.(NEMCO PR)(7-9-2010)
Allgaier to Lead Gateway Fans in Command to Start Engines The four most famous words in racing, “Drivers, Start Your Engines” have been spoken by thousands of different people in thousands of different ways over the course of NASCAR’s history. At Gateway International Raceway Saturday, July 17, there will literally be thousands of voices giving that command all at once prior to the Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series race as the fans have been named as the official grand marshals of the event. Leading the fans to the command will be Riverton, Ill., native and reigning NNS Raybestos Rookie of the Year Justin Allgaier.(Gateway PR)(7-8-2010)
Kligerman and Team42 to compete at Chicagoland: Parker Kligerman returns to the Team42 Dodge this Friday in the Dollar General 300 at Chicagoland Speedway. Kligerman, 19, will make his 4th start of the 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series and is working hard to capitalize on the momentum built from last week’s solid performance at Daytona International Speedway where he qualified on the outside Pole and finished 13th in a C.O.T. car fielded by Penske Racing. AND: The Pelletier Brothers, Inc. has signed on as the Primary sponsor of the #42 Dodge Charger for the Dollar General 300 at Chicagoland Speedway. Pelletier Brothers, Inc. is best known from their popular TV show “American Loggers”; which enters its third season airing on the Discovery Channel. The show follows the story of the proud, hard-working Pelletier brothers as they carry on the family tradition of harvesting the great timber resources of the vast North Maine Woods.(Team 42 PR)(7-8-2010)
Payton Foundation and Boss Air on #34 at Chicago: The #34 Chevy driven by NASCAR driver Tony Raines will feature an associate sponsor position for the Walter and Connie Payton Foundation. The #34 will be sponsored by local area company Boss Industries of LaPorte, Indiana. Boss is a new sponsor to the team, TriStar Motorsports, and will run for the first time at the Chicagloland Speedway this Friday in Joliet. Members of the Payton family will be in attendance at the event including Connie, Jarrett, and Brittney – the wife, son, and daughter of the late Walter Payton. In addition to being a football legend, Walter Payton was an avid race fan, team owner and driver. Boss Industries is a worldwide leader in rotary screw PTO air compressor systems, and more on the company can be found at bossair.com. More information on the Walter and Connie Payton Foundation can be found at Payton34.com.(FWC Sports PR)(7-7-2010)
#49 team could be penalized for losing weights: Steven Wallace knew he should have skipped Nationwide Series practice on Thursday. Although practice runs had been precarious with the new cars on Wednesday, Wallace never expected a piece of debris would send the #66 Toyota to the garage prematurely. However, Wallace’s primary car was destroyed after Reed Sorenson’s tire flew into his windshield, crushing the A-post at the front of the driver’s window. Sorenson ran over debris From the #49 Jay Robinson Racing Chevy that destroyed his undercarriage and tire. The tire and other debris shot into the grill of Wallaces’s #66 Toyota. “(Sorenson) hit a piece of lead is what it was,” said Wallace, who was 11th fastest during the first practice on Wednesday. “The 32 hit it and blew his left rear tire off and then it went right through the front of my car and through my radiator. I think if it had gone through the windshield it would have killed me. That’s scary (stuff), for sure. But I’m glad to be here to talk to you.” The debris NASCAR discovered on the track turned out to be a combination of five six-inch bricks of lead and tungsten weights from the frame rail of the #49. According to sources, Mark Green was preparing to take his first lap of the day and as he pulled off of pit road the vibration caused the weight to dislodge since the cap restraining the lead was not secure. The lead weighs 22-pounds and costs between $150-200. The tungsten weighs 35-pounds and costs $1,000 per brick. In the past, NASCAR has fined teams per the pound and after destroying the #66 and 32 cars, the pending penalties are expected to be sizeable.(Fox Sports)(7-1-2010) UPDATE: NASCAR announced that two NASCAR Nationwide Series crew chiefs have been fined due to rule violations during last week’s event at Daytona International Speedway. Curtis Aldridge, crew chief for the #49 team, was fined $10,000 and placed on NASCAR probation until December 31, 2010, for violating Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4-J (any determination by NASCAR officials that the race equipment used in the event does not conform to NASCAR rules) and 20A-2.3A (improperly attached weight) of the 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series Rule Book. The violations occurred during practice on July 1. AND Gary Showalter, crew chief for the #40 team, was fined $5,000 for violating Sections 12-1, 12-4-J and 20A-5.10.1B(3) (venturi height was not dimensionally correct). These infractions were discovered during opening-day inspection on June 29.(NASCAR)(7-7-2010)
Mark Green gets Chicago sponsor:GBM LLC, a leader in the manufacturing of equipment for the maple syrup industry will sponsor the #49 Jay Robinson Racing Chevy driven by Mark Green in this Friday night’s Dollar General 300 at Chicagoland Speedway. Known as “The Affordable Line” of equipment for the maple syrup industry, GBM will be making its first appearance in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.(Jay Robinson PR)(7-7-2010)
Associate sponsor for ML Motorsports: ML Motorsports announced a new partnership with Rooster Heaven Hunt Club. In this week’s running of the Dollar General 300, Shelby Howard will pilot the #70 ML Motorsports entry with a little extra support from one of Illinois finest hunting establishments, Rooster Heaven Hunt Club. The markings of Rooster Heaven will adorn the rear corner panels of the #70 this Friday night as Shelby hunts for a great finish in the windy city.(ML Motorsports PR)(7-7-2010)
Possible penalty for Braun Racing: UPDATES: NASCAR officials say Braun Racing faces a potential penalty for an “unapproved transfer of tires” during the Federated Auto Parts 300 Nationwide Series race at Nashville Superspeedway. NASCAR said the transfer was between the #10 Toyota driven by Tayler Malsam and the #38 driven by Jason Leffler. Leffler blew an engine and finished 34th after 85 laps, while Malsam finished 11th, completing all 225 laps. No other details of the infraction were immediately available.(NNS Racing)(6-6-2010) UPDATE: NASCAR has penalized the #10 and #38 teams that compete in the NASCAR Nationwide Series as a result of rule violations during the June 5 race at Nashville Superspeedway. Both teams were found to be in violation of Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4-J (any determination by NASCAR officials that the race equipment used in the event does not conform to NASCAR rules); 20A-10.8.2E (teams will not be permitted to use tires or wheels from another team unless approved by the series director) and 20A-10.8.2L (identification numbers have been changed on previously approved tires) of the 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series Rule Book. As a result, Stuart Cooper, crew chief of the #10 car and Sean Whisenhunt, tire specialist on the #10, along with Trip Bruce, crew chief for the #38 car and Kevin Bellicourt, tire specialist for the #38, all have been suspended from the next two NASCAR Nationwide Series races, suspended from NASCAR until June 23 and placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31. Bruce and Cooper also were each fined $25,000. Tayler Malsam, driver of the #10 car, and Jason Leffler, driver of the #38, each were penalized with the loss of 25 NASCAR Nationwide championship driver points for violating Sections 12-1, 12-4-J, 20A-10.8.2E and 20A-10.8.2L. Additionally, the owners of the #10 and #38 cars, Todd Braun and Ralph Braun, respectively, each were penalized with the loss of 25 NASCAR Nationwide championship owner points also for violating Sections 12-1, 12-4-J, 20A-10.8.2E and 20A-10.8.2L.(NASCAR PR)(6-9-2010) Team Statement: Todd Braun statement regarding penalties for the #38 and #10 teams following Nationwide Series race at Nashville Superspeedway: “Though we feel the penalties levied against Braun Racing for infractions at Nashville Superspeedway against the #38 and #10 teams are harsh under the circumstances, we understand NASCAR’s need to be consistent in making sure teams adhere to the rule book in order to promote a level playing field,” says Braun. “This situation is the result of miscommunication between team personnel and we will need to further evaluate the circumstances and work to improve our procedures to ensure this does not happen again.” (Braun PR)(6-9-2010) UPDATE:On July 7, 2010, the National Stock Car Racing Appeals Panel heard and considered the appeal of Braun Racing regarding the #10 NASCAR Nationwide Series car. The penalty concerned Section 12-1 of the NASCAR Rule Book: “Actions detrimental to stock car racing.”; Section 12-4-J: “Any determination by NASCAR Officials that the Race Equipment used in the Event does not conform to NASCAR Rules”; Section 20A-10.8.2E: “Teams will not be permitted to use tires or wheels for competition from another team unless approved by the Series Director”; and Section 20A-10.8.2L: “Identification numbers have been changed on previously approved tires.” This stemmed from the NASCAR Nationwide Series event at Nashville Superspeedway on June 5, 2010. Four penalties were originally assessed. The Appellants requested and were granted a deferral of the fine and suspensions until such time as this hearing could be convened, but later withdrew the requests for suspension deferrals, and the crew chief and tire specialist began serving their suspensions at that time. The point losses were not appealed. So the appeal pertained to the $25,000 fine. The team freely admitted that the infractions had occurred, but asked for leniency in regards to the fine. The Appeals Panel found the penalty to be correct for the infraction. Therefore, it is the unanimous decision of the National Stock Car Racing Appeals Panel to uphold the original penalty assessed by NASCAR. (NASCAR)(7-7-2010)
Scott gets new crew chief: In an effort to optimize on-track performance, Braun Racing is making structural changes to its #11 Nationwide Series team. Car chief Jeff Stankiewicz will serve as interim crew chief of the team with driver, Brian Scott, until further notice. “We are looking to replicate the strong start the #11 team had earlier this season,” says team owner, Harry Scott, Jr. “We will continue to give Brian all the tools necessary to be successful.”(Braun Racing PR)(7-7-2010)
#40 team picks up Chicago sponsor: Phillips Chevy of Frankfort, Illinois joins driver Mike Bliss and the Key Motorsports team for 200 laps of NASCAR Nationwide Series action at Chicagoland Speedway in Friday’s Dollar General 300 powered by Coca-Cola. “We want to thank Phillips Chevrolet for stepping on board with Key Motorsports this weekend at Chicagoland,” team owner Curtis stated.(Key Motorsports PR)(7-7-2010)
Pardue takes over as Leffler’s crew chief full time: Eddie Pardue, will call the shots for Leffler and the #38 team on a fulltime basis. Pardue comes to Braun Racing after spending the last ten years at Roush Racing where he moved quickly through the ranks, serving as crew chief since 2006 for the team’s Nationwide Series program.(Braun Racing PR)(7-7-2010)
Chicago Rookie Notes:
• Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the Subway Jalapeno 250 at Daytona International Speedway. Stenhouse Jr. scored a career-best third-place finish, his second top-five in 22 NASCAR Nationwide Series races. He claimed the fourth top-10 of his young career and grabbed top rookie honors f or the third time this season.
• Raybestos Rookie Parker Kligerman scored a 13th-place finish at Daytona, his best in six NASCAR Nationwide Series starts. Kligerman started second at Daytona, the best qualifying effort by a Raybestos® Rookie in 2010.
• Brian Scott leads Ricky Stenhouse Jr. by 17 points (169-152) in the overall Raybestos Rookie standings entering the 9 Dollar General 300 at Chicagoland Speedway.
• Justin Allgaier was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the 2009 Dollar General 300, scoring a 10th-place finish. • Johnny Sauter is the only Raybestos Rookie race winner at Chicagoland Speedway (nine races). Sauter captured the 2002 race, taking the checkered flag .420 seconds ahead of Todd Bodine.
• Two Raybestos Rookies finished inside the top-10 at Chicagoland only once: 2005: Carl Edwards, fourth; 2005: Reed Sorenson, 10th
• Kyle Busch is the only Raybestos Rookie to lead the most laps at Chicagoland. Busch led three times for 49 laps on his way to a 12th-place finish in 2004.
• The best starting position by a Raybestos Rookie at Chicagoland is second, shared by Scott Riggs (2002) and Kyle Busch (2004).(Camp & Assoc. / Raybestos PR)(7-7-2010)
Harry Potter on the #20 at Chicago: UPDATE #20-Joey Logano will run a special Lego Harry Potter scheme in the Dollar General 300 at Chicagoland Speedway. See an image of the car on the #20 Nationwide Series paint schemes page.(6-30-2010) UPDATE: LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 will be the featured game on the #20 GameStop Toyota at Chicagoland Speedway. LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 combines two of the most beloved franchises to deliver a magical, fun-filled adventure. Based on Harry’s first four books and films – Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire- fans can experience Harry’s first four years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in a new and exciting way. Featuring potion-making, spell-casting, puzzle-solving, and more, players of all ages can relive the adventures like never before with the humor and creative customization that is unique to LEGO videogames. The game was released on June 29 and is available on a number of platforms, including Xbox 360, Wii, PlayStation3, Nintendo DS, PSP and Games for Windows PC.(JGR PR)(7-7-2010)
Daytona TV Ratings: ESPN’s live telecast of the NASCAR Nationwide Series Subway Jalapeno 250 at Daytona International Speedway on Friday night, July 2, averaged 2,574,877 viewers, making it the most-viewed NASCAR Nationwide Series race ever to air on ESPN. The telecast earned a final national household coverage rating of 1.9, a 27 percent increase from the 1.5 rating earned for last year’s race that also aired on ESPN. Earlier this year, the NASCAR Nationwide Series season opener at Daytona averaged 4,271,365 viewers on ESPN2, making it the most-viewed Nationwide Series race ever on cable. The 1.9 rating was the third-highest rating for the series this season, exceeded only by the Daytona race (3.2) and 2.1 for the race at Las Vegas. Both were in February and aired on ESPN2. ESPN2 is the home of the NASCAR Nationwide Series all season, with select races airing on ESPN and ABC.(ESPN PR)(7-6-2010)
Reutimann returns to the #10: David Reutimann will return to the seat of Braun Racing’s #10 Beringer Toyota this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway. In his two previous appearances in the car this season Reutimann has brought home one top-10 finish.(Braun Racing PR)(7-6-2010)
“Pit Road Pets” on the #1: #1-Ryan Newman, who in addition to a win and a pole on the Cup side, has two Nationwide Series poles (2001 & 2005) at Chicago under his belt and will once again display the newest Pit Road Pets: NASCAR Stars and Their Pets, The Second Lap book cover on the hood.(Ryan Newman PR)(7-6-2010)
Anderson’s Maple Syrup returns to the #28: Kenny Wallace will bring the “Sweetness of the North Woods” to this Friday’s Dollar General 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Chicagoland Speedway. Wisconsin based Anderson’s Maple Pure Syrup will sponsor Wallace and the #28 Jay Robinson Racing Chevy at the 1.5 mile track.(Jay Robinson Racing PR)(7-6-2010)
Midweek races for Nationwide in 2012? While the Sprint Cup schedule is likely not to be shortened any time soon, the Nationwide schedule is under review. And by 2012, some Truck and NNS dates could move to weeknight shows.(Fox Sports)(7-6-2010)
Daytona News & Facts:
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the Subway Jalapeno 250 at Daytona International Speedway. It was his 23rd Nationwide Series win (ranks ninth all time) in his 115th start and his 15th win in the No. 3. His last win came at Michigan in August 2006. It was Junior’s sixth series win at Daytona, one behind his father, the late Dale Earnhardt Sr.
• Earnhardt Sr. won 22 times in the Wrangler #3.
• Richard Childress Racing posted its 56th Nationwide win and first win of 2010.
• Chevrolet posted its 26th Nationwide Daytona win and fourth victory of 2010.
• Joey Logano (second) has finished in the top 10 in 11 of his 12 starts in 2010.
• Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (third) scored his career-best finish.
• Brad Keselowski (four) got his 16th straight top-10 finish; he extended his points lead to 277 over Carl Edwards.
• Kevin Harvick (fifth) has finished in the top 10 in his previous 12 races.
• Brian Ickler (ninth) scored his career-best finish.
• The past six Daytona summer races finished under green-white-checkered.
• This was the debut of the “new car” in the Nationwide series.(ESPN.com)(7-5-2010)
Key Motorsports will run second team: Key Motorsports will field a second Nationwide team for at least five races on the 2010 series schedule, team owner Curtis Key announced. “We are in the process of putting a second team together that we plan to run in five to seven races this season,” said Curtis Key. “This is not a start and park team we are taking to the track, our goal is to be competitive week in and week out.” More details of the addition to the Key Motorsports stable will be forthcoming. “We are talking with potential partners and drivers for #46 and hopefully will be able to release more details shortly.”(Key Motorsports PR)(7-4-2010)
Ambrose to run Montreal race again: Marcos Ambrose, whose disappointments at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve have been well chronicled, will try once again to win the Nationwide Series race on the road course in Montreal this year. Ambrose will drive a #47 JTG Daugherty Racing car Aug. 28-29 in the NAPA Auto Parts 200. (Scene Daily)(7-4-2010)
Dale Jr. doesn’t plan to drive #3 after Daytona NNS race: UPDATE: On Friday evening, #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. will slide through the window and into the seat of the #3 Wrangler Chevy for 300 miles of Nationwide Series racing at Daytona International Speedway. Until that moment, he cannot know how that car number on his door, and that blue and yellow paint before him on the hood, and memories of his father’s win-at-all-costs attitude while driving them may affect him. Especially at that track. But he is fairly certain about one thing: July 2, 2010 will be the last time he drives a race car with the #3 on the door. “I just want to go to the racetrack and run it once before I retire, and this will probably be it,” he said. “After this, I’ll probably never drive a car with a 3 on it again. I can pretty much say I’m 99% sure that will never happen again.” This is a stark revelation, especially for long-suffering Earnhardt fans who dreamed Junior would close out his career in a black #3. Junior, too, once thought that was his destiny. No more. “It’s not [my number] to take and use whenever I feel like using it,” he said through a sheepish grin. “You just don’t grab the car keys off the counter and go run out the door and haul down the road with your dad’s car. I didn’t do it when he was alive, and I won’t do it now. I’m borrowing it once, and then maybe sometime down the road some kid will come up, and he’ll have a connection to the 3 — whether it’s through my father or whether it’s what his number’s been since he was playing teeball. Whatever, you know, that will be his. It will be someone else’s.” The current Wrangler program is a dual initiative — partly to honor Big E, partly out of necessity. Junior’s sister, Kelley Earnhardt, Sprint Cup team owner and owner of the #3 trademark Richard Childress, and Teresa Earnhardt all played a role in putting the deal together, and wanted to tie it into Dale Earnhardt’s Hall of Fame induction.(see full story ay ESPN)(6-27-2010) UPDATE: After winning the Nationwide Series race Friday night, Earnhardt spoke about the #3 car: “I will never do it. I’ll never rethink it. I’ll never consider it. I think that it’s important for everybody to know that that’s as concrete as it gets. I’ll never do it again. So I enjoyed it. It’s hard for me. It’s a balancing act between you and the public and myself and my own feelings. I mean, I kind of, you know, look to what you guys are putting out there to kind of get a temperature of how the public’s feeling. It’s such a tough deal. It’s real emotional for me preparing for it and putting it together. Is Rick okay with it? Did Rick mind? Is Richard happy with his role? Is Teresa truly okay? It’s just so damn hard to know how everybody feels about it. Hell, I just want to come race. I just like cool-looking cars. This was a helluva cool-looking car. I always loved the scheme. That’s all that mattered to me, was just the scheme. I just love the car. I wanted to race it once, and I did. I’d run the number before in this series, so I didn’t really put a lot of stock in the fact that the 3 was coming back like a lot of people did. I didn’t approach it that way mentally, where everyone else was thinking, you know, 3 is back, Earnhardt’s 3 is back. But when I started hearing all that, you know, how everybody was making such a big deal about it, I was like … man, this is like pressure, man, this is a big deal. So I was a little nervous. But I don’t know if I’d have liked that or not. Regardless of whether I did or not, I made my life pretty much driving that 8 and now the 88. It doesn’t make sense for me to do this again. I think in the Nationwide Series, it makes enough sense, and I really wanted to do it, and I’ve done it. I don’t ever want to do it again. And I’ll never change my mind, ever.”(NASCAR Media transcript)(7-3-2010)
NASCAR considering limiting Cup drivers in Nationwide: From Brian France’s press conference Friday at Daytona: ” Generally speaking… the other thing is the concentration of power, what we would prefer not to see is because it’s a barrier to entry for new owners, new drivers, new team owners. You’re likely to see us make some changes in the Nationwide Series as a result of that phenomenon because there’s such a concentration of Cup drivers which we like on one hand, but we want to make sure that that division is our version of college football; that there’s drivers, owners, crew members all building their identities and careers through that channel, and there needs to be a big enough place for them to do that. If it’s just narrow, if there’s not many seats available because we don’t accomplish a lot of things, so you’re gonna see from us a policy standpoint begin to deal with that issue beginning in 2011. That’s something that we’ll do carefully…We like Cup drivers racing in the Nationwide Series. We need to make sure the stage is not crowded out so much so that we can’t give opportunities to Nationwide young regulars who need that experience. And you know what, in my discussions with the Sprint Cup drivers, they agree with us. They think just that way, too. The owners certainly agree with us. So there are going to be some things that we can do. Frankly, a lot of people you don’t see, led by Steve O’Donnell and others who you do see, who are working at the R&D center, setting these policies, looking at all the things we can do to effect either the car or the policy of how we organize things, and they’re taking into account all of the ramifications that come if you do this, then five other bad things might happen or 10 good things or whatever the look forward can be.”(NASCAR Media)(7-2-2010)
Most Popular Driver voting underway: Online voting is underway for the Most Popular Driver of the Year awards in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, as well as NASCAR’s regional touring series. Fans can visit www.nascar.com and vote for their favorite driver for the 2010 Most Popular Driver of the Year Award in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Fans may vote or submit a write-in candidate once per day and are encouraged to vote throughout the season. Voting for the Nationwide Series ends November 13. Last year’s winner was Brad Keselowski. Results will be announced at the postseason banquet.(NASCAR PR)(7-2-2010)
HostGator.com sponsoring Nemechek: UPDATE: HostGator.com, a leader in web site hosting services, has announced a sponsorship with Joe Nemechek in both the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide races at Daytona International Speedway for the July 4th weekend. HostGator.com will become the main sponsor of the #87 car piloted by Joe Nemechek of Nemco Motorsorts in time for the Coke Zero 400. The sponsorship also extends to Nemechek’s Nationwide Car for its upcoming races at Chicagoland Speedway, Gateway International Raceway, and O’Reilly Raceway Park.(NEMCO PR)(6-28-2010) UPDATE: NEMCO Motorsports announced the return of a previous sponsor for driver Joe Nemechek in Fridays Jalapeño 200 and Saturday’s Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway. England’s Stove Works, Inc. will advertise its website, heatredefined.com, on the #87’s NASCAR Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series entries.(NEMCO PR)(7-2-2010)
Sellers penalized for unapprove fuel: UPDATE: NASCAR announced that penalties have been issued to the crew chief, owner and driver for the #25 NASCAR Nationwide Series team due to rule violations found on June 26 during post-qualifying inspection at last weekend’s event at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. In addition to having the qualifying time disallowed for the #25 car, crew chief Paul Richmond has been fined $10,000 and suspended for the next four NASCAR Nationwide Series events, suspended from NASCAR until July 28, 2010, and placed on probation until Dec. 31, for violating Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4-J (any determination by NASCAR officials that the race equipment used in the event does not conform to NASCAR rules), 20A-15 (NASCAR reserves the right to have all cars use the same brand of fuel in a given event) and 20A-15.2C (the gasoline must not be blended with alcohols, ethers, or other oxygenates and it must not be blended with aniline or its derivatives, nitro compounds or other nitrogen-containing compounds) of the 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series Rule Book. Team owner Bert Sellers Jr. was penalized with the loss of 50 NASCAR Nationwide Series championship owner points while driver Peyton Sellers also was docked 50 NASCAR Nationwide Series championship driver points.(NASCAR PR)(6-30-2010) UPDATE: A statement from Peyton Sellers: “We accept the penalty which NASCAR has issued our race team. The competition department worked closely with us to figure out the issue with our fuel. A small amount of fuel that we used to fire up our car in the shop was accidentally brought to the track and was used to top off the car. We are a new team and are trying hard to make it in the Nationwide Series with a smaller crew. We know mistakes like this cannot be made if we are going to be successful in one of NASCAR’s top series of racing. We have learned a very important and costly lesson but we are going to continue moving forward with my lifelong goal of competing in NASCAR.”(Sellers PR)(7-1-2010)
