Month: June 2011

Roush Fenway Advance – Daytona Daytona International Speedway, 2.5-mile Coke Zero 400 Sun 7.2.11, 7:30 p.m. EDT TNT, MRN, Sirius 90

David Ragan, No. 6 UPS Ford Greg Biffl e, No. 16 3M Ford Matt Kenseth, No. 17 Affliction LIve Fast Ford Carl Edwards, No. 99 Subway Ford

Subway Jalapeno 250 Sat. 7.1.11, 7:30 p.m. EDT ESPN TV, MRN, Sirius 90

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 6 RickyvsTrevor.com Ford Trevor Bayne No. 16 RickyvsTrevor.com Ford Carl Edwards, No. 60 Subway Ford

Roush Fenway Looks to Light Up the Sky in Daytona After battling road courses across the country, Roush Feneway and NASCAR makes their first return trip of the season, heading back to Daytona where the 2011 season kicked off in February.

Summer Time in Daytona Roush Fenway has won four times in the Cup Series at Daytona, with three of the wins coming in the summer race. Jeff Burton was the first Roush Fenway driver to break into the win column at Daytona, taking home the checkered flag in 2000. Greg Biffle did the honors again for Roush Fenway in 2003 and Jamie McMurray won at DIS under the lights in July of 2007. Roush Fenway’s other DIS win came via Matt Kenseth’s 2009 Daytona 500 victory.  Mark Martin won the pole at Daytona at the organization’s second summer start at DIS in 1989.

Roush Fenway Sprint Cup at Daytona Roush has made 163 Sprint Cup starts at DIS, winning four times, while running to 31 top fives and 57 top 10s. Roush Fenway has completed 92.3 percent of its 27,218 laps attempted in Cup action at DIS, while averaging an 20.9 finishing spot.

Looking For Win No. 1 Despite 118 wins in the Nationwide Series, Roush Fenway is still looking for its first NNS win at Daytona. Roush Fenway has made 61 starts at DIS, with 14 top fives and 31 top 10s, but the organization’s best finish at Daytona is second, (accomplished on three occasions, including last season by Carl Edwards.)

RFR DAYTONA Wins 2000-2              Burton            Cup 2003-2              Biffle               Cup 2007-2              McMurray        Cup 2009-1              Kenseth           Cup 2004                 Edwards          Truck 2006                 Martin              Truck

Overall at Daytona In addition to its four wins in Cup action at Daytona, Roush Fenway boasts two more NASCAR wins at the track, via the Truck Series (Edwards ’04, Martin ’06). In addition, Jack Roush also earned 10 consecutive 24 Hours of Daytona sedan class championships, pairing with such drivers as Tommy Kendall, Scott Pruett, Mark Martin, Bill Elliott, Ricky Rudd, Kyle Petty, Ken Schrader, Robby Gordon, Lyn St. James, actor Paul Newman and Olympian Bruce Jenner.

Last week… Roush Fenway battled road courses across the country, with Carl Edwards third-place finish at Sonoma leading the team’s effort, while growing his Sprint Cup points lead. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., led the Nationwide effort with an eighth-place run at Road America.

In the Lead Carl Edwards used his third-place finish at Sonoma to extend his Sprint Cup lead to 25 points. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., is third in the NNS point standings; only seven points outside of first.

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TOYOTA NASCAR NOTES & QUOTES Week of June 27 – July 3, 2011

TOYOTA TIDBITS TWO TOYOTA TOP-10s:    Camry drivers Joey Logano (sixth) and Martin Truex Jr. (eighth) earned top-10 finishes in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) race at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif.

Logano started from the pole and led the first five laps in the 110-lap race at the 1.99-mile, 11-turn Northern California road course.    

Truex ran among the top- five in the later stages of the race and held on for his fifth top-10 finish of 2011.  Kyle Busch (11th) and Kasey Kahne (20th) also finished among the top-20 in their Toyotas.  Busch currently sits fifth in the NSCS points and his Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) teammate Denny Hamlin ranks 11th in the standings.  

ROAD AMERICA REWIND:  Michael Annettwas the highest finishing Camry driver in Saturday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) race at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis., posting a seventh-place result in the 200-mile event on the four-mile road course.    

Annett survived three green-white-checkered flag finishes to earn his second top-10 finish in the last three NNS races.  Michael McDowell finished 12th in the JGR No. 18 Camry after starting from the pole.    

The 26- year-old, Phoenix-native led 30 (of 57) laps in the race, but was involved in an incident on the second green-white-checkered flag attempt that sent his Camry spinning through the grass and forcing him to the 18th position for the final restart.     Brian Scott paced the field once for five laps and finished 16th following contact on the first green-white-checkered flag attempt. 500

FLASHBACK:  The NSCS and NNS will return to the recently repaved Daytona International Speedway this weekend.     In February’s season-opening Daytona 500, several Toyota Camry drivers ran at the front of the field throughout the 208-lap race at the 2.5-mile Florida tri-oval.  When the checkered flag waved, it was two Toyota drivers, Bobby Labonte (fourth) and Busch(eighth), who managed to come home with top-10 finishes in a race that ended with multiple attempts at green-white- checkered flag finishes.     Labonte started 31st in his inaugural race for JTG-Daugherty Racing and managed to avoid multiple accidents to record his first top-five in a Toyota.  

FLORIDIAN FRANCIS:  Kenny Francis, crew chief for the Red Bull Racing Team No. 4 Camry driven by Kasey Kahne, hails from Jacksonville, Fla., and attended the University of Florida.  Francis began racing go-karts at the age of eight in the Jacksonville-area and went on to compete in Late Model stock cars locally while studying mechanical engineering at the University of Florida.  He eventually began working under the hood in NASCAR in 1996, and has been a crew chief since 2002.  This year marks the sixth season Francis has been paired as Kahne’s crew chief.  Together, they have combined for 10 wins, and were also victorious in a 2010 qualifying race at Daytona.   BACK STORY: Follow Toyota Racing on Twitter (@toyotaracing) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/toyotaracing).  

NOTES, QUOTES & NUMBERS NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS):  Since the start of the 2011 season, Toyota drivers have combined for three victories, 16 top-five results, 35 top-10 finishes and have led 1,546 laps … After 16 races, Kyle Busch is fifth in the NSCS point standings and Denny Hamlin ranks 11th … Martin Truex Jr. (18th) and Kasey Kahne (19th) are also in the top-20 in points … Truex has earned four top-10 finishes in the last seven races … Busch won the July 2008 NSCS race at Daytona International Speedway … Camry driver David Reutimann hails from Zephyrhills, Fla. … Reutimann’s spotter and cousin, Shawn Reutimann, currently resides in Zephyrhills … David’s father Buzzie Reutimann, 70, competes at Tampa’s East Bay Raceway in open-wheel Modifieds and has recorded two feature wins in 2011, including last weekend.  

DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing How exciting is racing at Daytona International Speedway? “I think it’s an exciting race for everyone.  Even the teams that maybe run mediocre at times, Daytona is always their chance to win a race because it puts everyone on such a level playing field no matter what you got under you — you’re capable of winning.  I think that part of it is exciting.  Now that they’ve repaved it, it almost seems like we’re racing at a different race track.  So, for me the Daytona that I won on is the old Daytona and we don’t even run on that anymore.  It feels like a total different race track, so it’s hard for me to bring back memories when I feel like I’m racing somewhere else.”  

BOBBY LABONTE, No. 47 Kingsford Toyota Camry, JTG-Daugherty Racing Are you looking forward to returning to Daytona after a fourth-place result in February? “The Daytona 500 was awesome for us.  We had a pretty good week.  We ran the Shootout and went from the Shootout not knowing how to draft to almost winning the thing at the end.  So, we made the biggest gain of everybody throughout the weekend, and really happy that we’re going back there.  I don’t think that the track has lost a lot of grip.  The repave was 100 percent grip and I’m sure from February to now it’s probably not lost a lot.  I think we’ll see the two-car drafting like we’ve seen before.  Just would like to get back down there and have a little bit of redemption of what we missed out on last time.”  

MARTIN TRUEX JR., No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing Do you like racing at Daytona? “I always look forward to going to Daytona.  I enjoy plate racing.  I enjoy Daytona.  Since I’ve been in the NAPA Toyota we’ve had a shot to win the 500 both years.  We ran really well, especially last year, but even this year.  We got in that late race wreck this year and it was disappointing.  But, I always look forward to going there.  It’s a bit of a wild card, but if you can make it to the end, it’s always fun.”   Will the track lose grip for the July race? “I don’t think it’s going to be any different than what we saw in February.  The track is so new it has so much grip.  We could’ve ran 40 miles an hour faster than we did in February and still not have to let off.  It should have plenty of grip still and I assume for a couple of years it will be like that.  The racing will be just like in February, but it will be under the lights.   It will look cooler.”  

BRIAN VICKERS,No. 83 Red Bull Toyota Camry, Red Bull Racing Team Do you think the racing at Daytona in July will change from years past? “The old surface was slick year round, but it was really hot and slick in July, and I think it made for a great race.   I think the July race — I am curious to see any surface, even the new ones in an environment like Daytona, the heat, the sand, it’s going to wear quicker than most places.  But, I can’t imagine it’s going to change that much from February to now.  It’s going to be hotter for the drivers.  The tires are going to have less grip, but not enough at a place like Daytona that it’s going to matter. We’re still going to be wide open.  I’m sure the bump drafting is still going to be there, but maybe a little bit more of a handful.”  

NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS):  Since the start of the 2011 season, Toyota drivers have combined for six wins, 18 top- five results, 39 top-10 finishes and have led 1,159 laps … Kenny Wallace (seventh) is the top Toyota driver in the NNS point standings … Steve Wallace (eighth), Brian Scott (ninth), Michael Annett (1 0th) and Joe Nemechek (15th) are also in the top-15 in the standings … Camry drivers have earned two victories in NNS races at Daytona International Speedway (DIS) … Tony Stewart won in a Camry in Feb. 2008 and Denny Hamlin crossed the finish line first at DIS in July 2008.  

KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 NOS Energy Drink Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing Did you notice a difference between the NSCS and NNS cars on Daytona’s new surface? “The biggest difference I’ve seen is the way the bumpers are.  The Nationwide cars are a lot rounder than the Cup cars, so it seems like it’s a little easier to get guys out of shape with the Nationwide car.  Overall, there’s a drag difference between the two cars, the horsepower difference between the two cars you feel and other than that the technique and the drivability is relatively the same.”

JOEY LOGANO, No. 20 Sport Clips Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing Are you hoping to finally get a win at a restrictor-plate track in the Nationwide Series? “I saw the stat that I’ve pushed four different winners to victory lane between Daytona and Talladega over the last couple of years and that is crazy.  It is good, because that means we’ve always had a fast car and been able to stay out of trouble and be up at the front at the end of the race, but it sucks to always finish second.  I think it’s about time to get the No. 20 up front and let someone push me for the win.  It is all about putting yourself in the right position with just a handful of laps left in the race.  If you can do that, you can win these races.”  

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS):  Since the start of the 2011 season, Tundra drivers have registered six wins, 14 top-five results, 27 top-10 finishes and have led 642 laps … Timothy Peters (sixth), Brendan Gaughan (10th), Max Papis (11th), Todd Bodine (13th), Justin Lofton (18th), Miguel Paludo (19th) and David Starr (20th) are currently in the top-20 in the point standings … Justin Lofton parted ways with Germain Racing and returned to Eddie Sharp Racing (ESR) and will drive the No. 46 Tundra at Kentucky Speedway … Lofton won the ARCA Racing Series championship in 2009 with ESR … The NCWTS has one more weekend off before returning to action July 7 at Kentucky Speedway.  

JUSTIN LOFTON, No. 46 Eddie Sharp Racing Toyota Tundra, Eddie Sharp Racing Are you looking forward to returning to Eddie Sharp Racing? “I am really excited about returning to ESR (Eddie Sharp Racing).  It feels like we’re going back home.  I had so much success with Eddie (Sharp), and we have a great relationship beyond an owner-driver working relationship.  When you run the Truck Series, it is so competitive.  You can’t be off with the setups or communication.  One little thing can throw everything off.  Working with Eddie eliminates all of that.”

NASCAR STATISTICS Series Races Starts (Drivers) Wins Top-5s Top-10s Poles Times Led Laps Led NSCS 16 191 (18) 3 16 35 2 116 1,546 NNS 16 126 (20) 6 18 39 3 67 1,159 NCWTS 9 115 (24) 6 14 27 2 31 642

TOYOTA DRIVER ROSTER – Daytona International Speedway NASCAR Sprint Cup Series David Reutimann, No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Camry Kasey Kahne, No. 4 Red Bull Camry Denny Hamlin, No. 11 FedEx Express Camry Casey Mears, No. 13 GEICO Camry Kyle Busch, No. 18 Interstate Batteries Camry Joey Logano, No. 20 Home Depot Camry Bobby Labonte, No. 47 Kingsford Camry Martin Truex Jr., No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Camry Mike Skinner, No. 60 Big Red Camry Michael McDowell, No. 66 HP Racing LLC Camry Brian Vickers, No. 83 Red Bull Camry Joe Nemechek, No. 87 NEMCO Motorsports Camry Kevin Conway, No. 97 Extenze Camry NASCAR Nationwide Series Kenny Wallace, No. 09 G-Oil Camry Brian Scott, No. 11 Shore Lodge Camry Kyle Busch, No. 18 NOS Energy Drink Camry Joey Logano, No. 20 Sport Clips Camry Michael Annett, No. 62 Pilot Flying J Camry Steve Wallace, No. 66 5-Hour Energy Camry Kevin Conway, No. 87 Extenze Camry

WEEKEND RACE SCHEDULE Fri.,  July 1 — NNS @ Daytona International Speedway — 7:30 PM (ET), ESPN — Race 17 of 35 Sat., July 2 — NSCS @ Daytona International Speedway — 7:30 PM (ET), TNT — Race 17 of 36

For Eddie Wood and the rest of the Wood Brothers team, this week’s trip through the old Turn Four tunnel at Daytona International Speedway will be more special than usual.

As he drives down into the tunnel and then launches up into the track’s infield, Wood will see the speedway for the first time since February, when Trevor Bayne delivered the Wood Brothers their fifth Daytona 500 triumph.

It was a popular victory for the team that hadn’t won a Cup race since 2001 but now has plenty to celebrate, especially with the recent selection of team founder Glen Wood as a member of the third class of NASCAR’s Hall of Fame.

“It’s always nice to go back to the place where you had your biggest moment,” Eddie Wood said. But as Wood and the team pop out of the tunnel and make the right-hand turn toward the Sprint Cup garage, the Daytona 500 victory will quickly be put away in the memory bank, and the focus will shift to the task at hand – preparing the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion for Saturday’s Coke Zero 400.

The team’s Daytona 500-winning car is on display at Daytona, and the other restrictor-plate racer was wrecked at Talladega Superspeedway, so the crew will unload a brand-new Ford Fusion. Wood said he’s got a good feeling about the new car, especially after seeing the results of testing in the wind tunnel and on the chassis dynamometer.

“The car should be fast,” he said. “We’ve got a really good engine from Roush-Yates, and we’re ready to go.”

One big difference for Bayne and the Woods as they return to Daytona is that they’re no longer guaranteed a starting spot. Because they’re running a limited schedule they’ve dropped out of the top 35 in car owner points and therefore have to qualify on speed.

But Wood said the team won’t focus solely on qualifying.

“We have to make the race on speed, but we’re going to use most of the practice sessions to get ready to race. “We’re not going to sacrifice our race set-up for qualifying.”

Another big difference from the Daytona 500 is the way Bayne likely will be treated by his competitors. Heading into Speedweeks, Bayne had problems finding drafting partners willing to take a chance on a rookie with just one Cup start under his belt.

But his performances in the two restrictor-plate races since – at Daytona and Talladega – have changed that dramatically.

“It’s a known fact that Trevor is a good pusher,” Wood said. “And he’s earned a good bit of respect from the other drivers.”

The radio in the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion will be adapted to allow Bayne to talk directly to his fellow Ford drivers, and possibly a few others as well. And the team’s spotter, Chip Ross, is ready for a repeat of his Daytona 500 performance.

“He did a really good job in February,” Wood said. “Everything is still in place.”

Qualifying for the Coke Zero 400 is set to begin on Friday at 4:10 p.m., and the race is set to get the green flag on Saturday night at 7:30 with TV coverage on TNT.

Next Sprint Cup Race Saturday Night (July 2) Coke Zero 400 Daytona International Speedway

Another Daytona Jolt is What Smith Needs For Possible Chase Berth

DENVER, Colo. (June 29, 2011) — Regan’s Smith breakout year started to take shape before the first Sprint Cup points race of the 2011 season.

Heads started to turn toward the Furniture Row Racing driver when he placed second in February’s 150-mile qualifying race at Daytona International Speedway, which set the 43-car lineup for the season-opening Daytona 500.

The strong performance in the qualifier was by no means a fluke. The 27-year-old Smith went on to have an equally impressive race in the 500, where he led with five laps remaining before an accident cost him a shot at winning NASCAR’s biggest prize. 

Despite the late-race accident and front-end damage to his No. 78 Chevrolet, Smith still managed to post a seventh-place finish in the Daytona 500, which at the time was his best-career result.

The Daytona 500 momentum has had a positive effect on Smith, who scored his first career win in May at the historic Southern 500 race at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.  

When asked if Daytona Speedweeks was a turning point, Smith said, “I’m not sure about a turning point, but it sure triggered some of the good things we accomplished since February. We knew coming into the season that we had the potential to step it up a notch or two, but it’s one thing to feel it and another thing to do it. We did it at Daytona and we’ve been carrying the momentum ever since.”

Smith and his single-car team out of Denver, Colo., return to the famed 2.5-mile oval of Daytona International Speedway for Saturday night’s Coke Zero 400, the traditional event contested on the weekend nearest to Independence Day.

“We were fairly pleased finishing 16th in Sunday’s road race at Infineon Raceway (Sonoma, Calif.), but no matter how much we enjoy the road circuits, superspeedways are our comfort zone,” noted Smith. “That’s why we’re excited about coming back to Daytona because it’s a place where we know that we have a good shot at contending for the victory. Furniture Row Racing has always had a strong (restrictor) plate program.”

Along with a win, Smith enters Daytona’s summer race with three top 10s. He is also the Sprint Cup Series qualifying leader with a 10.188 starting average after 16 of 36 races.

“We’ve put up some good numbers this year, but yet, we have also let a lot of points slip away too,” said Smith, who is 28th in the driver standings. “Bad luck, mechanical issues and some mistakes have cost us dearly in points.”

Smith’s six finishes of 30th or worse have hurt his chances of being in the top 20 and the opportunity of making the 12-driver Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship. Under the new Chase rules, the first 10 drivers in points qualify along with two drivers with the most wins positioned in 11th to 20th.  

“We have 10 races remaining before the Chase begins and still have a shot at finishing in the top 20,” stated Smith. “But we have to avoid bad luck, mistakes and mechanical problems. We need to get on a good streak.”

Saturday night’s Coke Zero 400 will be Smith’s eighth points race at Daytona International Speedway. Along with his seventh-place finish in this year’s 500, his other best result was 12th at the 2009 summer race.

###

Smith’s Daytona Int’l Speedway Record                St    Fn   2/17/08    29    37 7/05/08     8     24

2/15/09    42    21 7/04/09    43    12 

2/14/10    11    39 7/03/10    31    33

2/20/11     5      7

LABONTE EYES OPTIONS FOR DEALMAKING AT DAYTONA  

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 29, 2011) – – Bobby Labonte raced for the win in the closing laps of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway (DIS) in February. Labonte pushed Trevor Bayne to victory and snatched a fourth-place finish after leading once for two laps in the season-opener. Now, Labonte returns with the No. 47 Kingsford Toyota Camry eager to claim his 22nd career victory.

“In February, we had an opportunity to win,” Labonte said. “We have that in the back of our minds as we return. We had a good run and a safe day. We were able to be in the right place at the right time. Everybody did a good job all around. We are looking forward to returning and we hope to have the same type of performance with better results.”

The 2000 champion’s last trip to victory lane took place ironically in Florida, but at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 16th, 2003. He has 115 top-five and 200 top-10 career finishes to his credit with six of those top-five and nine top-10 finishes taking place at DIS.

“I came close to winning there a few times,” Labonte said.

To win at Daytona, Labonte is going to have to have the right partner since the two-car draft will come into play Saturday night. His team JTG Daugherty Racing team is technically aligned with Michael Waltrip Racing, but he’s keeping his options open for many reasons.

“I did that math and there’s three so that leaves an odd person out,” said Labonte, who is housed in the same facility with David Reutimann and Martin Truex Jr.’s teams. “I don’t think there will be much difference this time at Daytona and you will see two-car drafting throughout the whole race – – not just toward the end of the race. Other than Daytona being narrow, Talladega (Superspeedway) was proof of how drafting will be. I’m sure the grip level will be similar. Sure, it will be hotter and it may make a little difference, but like I said, I’m sure you will see two-car drafting during most of the race.

“I think you have to have several options in case something happens,” Labonte continues. “We’ve got some ideas. You are not necessarily going to run with the same person for 160 laps.”

A strong finish is just what Labonte and his JTG Daugherty team needs following Infineon Raceway. A top-15 run was derailed when another car made contact with Labonte’s machine sending it hard into the fence resulting in a 38th-place finish.

“We could have walked away with a respectable finish, but we got taken out just by racing, which sometimes just happens,” Labonte said. “One thing about us, I’ve got a great group of guys and everybody has kept upbeat. They are working real hard to be better than we are. We’ve had better days. It’s just a tough sport, sometimes you have good days and some days you have bad days.”

Live coverage of the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway airs on TNT beginning at 7:30 pm. ET. MRN and Sirius XM will also air the event.

MICHAEL WALTRIP Kentucky Speedway NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Preview

CORNELIUS, N.C. – Two-time Daytona 500 champion Michael Waltrip has enjoyed many special races in his career, but few will be as meaningful to the Owensboro, Ky. native as the July 9 inaugural NASCAR Sprint race at Kentucky Speedway.

[media-credit name=”MWR” align=”alignright” width=”160″][/media-credit]With the support of long-time sponsor Aaron’s Inc., Michael will celebrate the election of his brother Darrell to the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte. He’ll race an orange and white paint scheme similar to the Terminal Transport car Darrell drove to his first NASCAR Sprint Cup victory at Nashville Speedway in 1975. Michael’s Kentucky paint scheme also includes a photo (attached) of the Nashville victory lane celebration on each of the car’s rear quarter panels and a picture of “DW” on the hood also taken at Nashville. 

WALTRIP ON KENTUCKY PAINT SCHEME: “What a great photo! And, I was there! Seeing it still makes me smile. This was when all the winning started and led Darrell to the NASCAR Hall of Fame. What a happy group we were. So many people who helped him are in it, including my grandparents. I had never seen a man so happy. I have always idolized my brother and because of him racing is all I ever wanted to do. It is truly special for our family that I will be able to honor him by driving this paint scheme at the first Sprint Cup race in our home state of Kentucky.”

MICHAEL ON DW: “I know Darrell, and I know his story. I know how he started. He was about 12 years old driving by a go kart race in a parking lot in Owensboro, Kentucky. He was just mesmerized. It was all he could think about. He somehow talked my dad into buying a go-kart. He said he would mow yards to pay for the go-kart. My dad bought that story and then bought Darrell the go-kart. I don’t think many yards got mowed, but that was the start to the road that led Darrell to where he is today, the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

“I guess this means more to me than maybe it does a lot of people, because I know the road that he traveled to get to the Hall of Fame. I’m so happy for him. We all have role models especially as kids, and sometimes those role models let us down. Darrell has always been my role model and my hero ever since I was a little boy, and he’s never let me down. To me, he has been in the Hall of Fame for a long time. I told him that being a future Hall of Famer makes him sound younger, now it’s official he is a Hall of Famer. At least he is still young at heart.”

ADDITIONAL NOTES OF INTEREST

· Waltrip’s book “In the Blink of an Eye” spent 11 weeks on the New York Times best-seller list soaring as high as fourth. Sony Pictures plans to bring the story to the big screen in the near future.

· Sunday’s race marks Waltrip’s 766th career start in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. It marks his 1,054th combined start in the Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series. He and Mark Martin are the only drivers to win in those series in four different decades.

· The Kentucky paint scheme features photos taken during the May 10, 1975 victory lane celebration at Nashville Speedway. It includes 28-year-old Darrell Waltrip and wife Stevie atop the car next to two-time champion crew chief “Suitcase” Jake Elder. Wearing the Goodyear hat is legendary racer Robert Gee (grandfather to Dale Earnhardt Jr.) Next to the car are the Waltrip’s grandparents Lee and Odie Phillips. At the bottom left is 12-year-old Michael Waltrip.