Testing SpeedwayMedia.com

Month: June 2011

  • ARCA: Tom Hessert and Kory Rabenold Look To Tackle The Tricky Triangle

    ARCA: Tom Hessert and Kory Rabenold Look To Tackle The Tricky Triangle

    So far this year, its been a mix of drivers with lots of experience and young drivers making it to victory lane in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards.

    Championship contender Tom Hessert is one of the more experience ones as he has one career victory under his belt, though he wants to make it two with his first of the season this weekend at the ‘Tricky Triangle’.

    The second generation driver from Cherry Hill, New Jersey will make his seventh career start at Pocono Raceway this weekend in the Pocono ARCA 200 on Saturday afternoon.

    “I’ve always enjoyed our stops in Pocono,” Hessert said. “The track is really unique which provides a different mindset of racing. You cannot afford to miss a beat as concentration is everything with a track that has three different turns.”

    In the previous six starts, he has had success in the form of one top-five and two top-10s with a best of fourth last August.

    “We were in New Jersey a couple weeks ago and couldn’t seal the deal, but we’re going to give it our all this weekend,” Hessert added. “I’m going to have some friends and family at the track on Saturday, so it would mean that much more to be the first one to take the checkered flag in our No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet.”

    After finishing third in points last year with Cunningham Motorsports, Hessert joined Ken Schrader Racing to drive the No. 52 Federated Auto Parts entry. Six races into the season, Hessert has one top-five and four top-10 finishes, including a sixth place finish at Chicagoland Speedway last Saturday, which has him seventh in points, 135 points behind third. Armed with his crew chief from last year, John Monsam, Hessert is looking for more success.

    “We had some bad luck at Daytona and Toledo, but everywhere else, we’ve been pretty competitive,” Hessert commented. “The great thing about working with John (Monsam) is that he knows what I am looking for already. Usually, we have to make just a couple tweaks and we are finding ourselves in contention. We finished fourth together last August at Pocono, so I know we both would like to improve on that Saturday.

    “We’re six races in and it’s already been a really competitive season. As a team we just need to stay focused and concentrate on one race at a time and we should propel ourselves up in the point standings.”

    While Hessert has 70 starts in the ARCA Series, Kory Rabenold is a driver who doesn’t have as much experience as he only has made 23 career starts.

    Rabenold, a native of Slatingon, Pennsylvania, returns to his hometrack for his seventh start there for the first time in two years.

    “We’re just thankful to be heading to the track this weekend,” Rabenold said. “It’s because a lot of dedication, time and effort that we’re able to get on the track this weekend. We don’t have a lot of sponsorship but in order to get sponsors, you have to be visible and try and stand out from the rest. That’s our goal this weekend. We’re going to the track with a story and hoping for a good finish that could allow us to come back in August.”

    The 22-year old will be driving the No. 03 RabenoldRacing.com/Buzzy’s Auto Body Chevrolet Impala for the family backed team with support coming from 2010 Champions Sheltra Motorsports.

    “We’re extremely thankful to Jon (Wolfe) and Sheltra Motorsports for giving us some assistance,” he said. “It’s always nice to have a caliber team like that, take some time for us. We may not have the same type of equipment that they won the championship with, but one thing is for sure, we have their same determination and passion!”

    Their situation reminds him a lot of his first ever race at Pocono in 2007 as he will have his father Buzzy Rabenold calling the shots.

    “When I first came to Pocono in 2007, it was our family owned team,” Rabenold said. “We had some sponsorship because the economy was better. We qualified 22nd, stayed out of trouble and finished 12th. It was a good day. Hopefully we can stay out of trouble and have a similar performance on Saturday.”

    In the previous six races he ran at Pocono, he has had three top-20 finishes. 

    The Pocono ARCA 200 (80 laps / 200 miles) is the seventh of 19 events on the 2011 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. The 52nd ARCA race at Pocono Raceway is a two-day show. Practice begins Friday, June 10 with a one hour and fifty minute practice session planned from 10:00 a.m. – 11:50 a.m. Menards Pole by Ansell qualifying is slated to begin later in the day at 2:05 p.m.

    The field will take the green flag shortly after 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 11. The event will be televised same-day delayed on SPEED beginning at 8:00 p.m. EST. Live timing and scoring throughout the 1,319th race for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards since it was formed in 1953 will be available through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at arcaracing.com presented by ARCANation.com.  All times are local.

  • FANS CAN NOW PLAN THEIR DAY AT THE MOBIL 1 CAR SWAP AT WATKINS GLEN INTERNATIONAL

    *FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE *June 9, 2011

    * *

    *FANS CAN NOW PLAN THEIR DAY AT THE MOBIL 1 CAR SWAP AT WATKINS GLEN INTERNATIONAL*

    *Full Schedule is posted and includes times that Tony Stewart and Lewis Hamilton will Hit the Track*

    *Watkins Glen, NY – *The schedule for the Mobil 1 Car Swap at legendary Watkins Glen International on Tuesday, June 14 has been finalized, allowing fans to make their plans for the historic event. Formula 1™ World Champion Lewis Hamilton and two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Tony Stewart are set to get the day rolling at approximately 11:30 a.m. Gate 4 opens for fans interested in attending this momentous and free event at 9:00 a.m. The complete schedule of events is available at www.TheGlen.com .

    At noon, Stewart will take the wheel of his all-to-familiar No. 14 Mobil 1/Office Depot Chevrolet while Hamilton pilots his team Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-23 around the 3.4-mile long course at WGI. With Hamilton behind the wheel, it will be the first time Watkins Glen International fans will see a modern-day F1 car on the track in over 30 years. From 1961-80, The Glen hosted the United States Grand Prix for Formula 1 and the 2011 season marks the 50th Anniversary of The Glen’s inaugural F1 race.

    Following a brief intermission, Hamilton will pull off pit road behind the wheel of Stewart’s No. 14 Mobil 1/Office Depot Chevrolet at 12:50 p.m. It will be the first time ever that Hamilton has taken the reigns of a non-open wheel car of any type. It will then be Stewart’s turn to take Hamilton’s Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-23 on course at 1:25 p.m. The five-time Glen champion will be driving a F1 car for the first time in his racing career.

    Admission and parking are free to all those in attendance and fans have the opportunity to watch the Mobil 1 Car Swap from a variety of locations, including the newly-opened Turn 11 and Green Grandstands. The FrontStretch and Ninety Grandstands will also be open for spectators. Fans can watch from both the inside and outside of The Boot. The infield is closed to spectators.

    Concessions are available from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. and include Sahlen’s Hot Dogs, Bog Hog Pulled Pork sandwiches, donuts, potato chips, ice cream and Coke products as well as coffee, bottled water and Budweiser beer. Fans will have the ability to purchase Watkins Glen International merchandise located underneath the FrontStretch Grandstand so that they are prepared for the remainder of the race season.

    Tickets for the 2011 race season at Watkins Glen International are on sale now! Fans can order their tickets or get more information by calling the WGI ticket office at 866-461-RACE (7223) or visiting the official website www.TheGlen.com http://www.theglen.com/. Gift certificates and track merchandise can all be purchased at The Shop located at 2 North Franklin Street in downtown Watkins Glen. The Shop is open Monday – Saturday, 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and on Sunday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Keep up with the latest happenings at The Glen by visiting the official Watkins Glen International Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/watkinsgleninternational, and following WGI on Twitter, @WGI.

  • Budweiser Announces Fan-Selected Paint Scheme for July 2 Race

    BUDWEISER ANNOUNCES FAN-SELECTED PATRIOTIC  PAINT SCHEME FOR FOURTH OF JULY WEEKEND RACE

    ST. LOUIS (June 9, 2011) – Budweiser and Kevin Harvick will celebrate Fourth of July this year with a special patriotic paint scheme selected by adult NASCAR fans. The paint scheme – white with red and blue stars and stripes – will be featured on the No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet during the July 2 race at Daytona International Speedway.

    From April 30 to June 3, fans 21 years of age or older cast their vote on the Budweiser Facebook page for one of three patriotic paint schemes. After five weeks of voting, the white paint scheme edged out the red-and-white striped paint scheme by less than 700 votes. “There are a lot of great dates on the NASCAR calendar, but perhaps none have a more celebratory feel than the Saturday night race at Daytona on Fourth of July weekend,” said Rob McCarthy, vice president, Budweiser. “We wanted to give fans a chance to celebrate with us by choosing which patriotic paint scheme they’ll see on track. We’re excited about their choice and hope the team can put it in Victory Lane.”

    In addition to the special paint scheme, Budweiser is featuring a limited-edition red, white and blue Patriotic Can from Memorial Day through the Fourth of July. Budweiser will donate a portion of all sales May 26 – July 10 to Folds of Honor – an organization that provides post-secondary educational scholarships for families of U.S. military personnel killed or disabled while serving their country. In total, Budweiser is raising up to $2 million to support Folds of Honor this summer*, which is expected to fund more than 400 scholarships.

    # # #

    *Maximum donation of $2,000,000 includes $100 for every home run hit in select professional baseball games, 5c/case of Budweiser sold 5/26-7/10, and $46,500 for Dave Winfield’s 465 career home runs

  • DAVID REUTIMANN TAKES THE WHEEL FOR ASPEN DENTAL AND RUSTY WALLACE RACING

    –Fans Can Enter for a Chance to be a VIP Guest at Bristol–

    SYRACUSE, NY (June 9, 2011)–Aspen Dental and Rusty Wallace Racing (RWR) announced today that Sprint Cup veteran and former Coca-Cola 600 winner, David Reutimann, will take the wheel of the No. 64 Aspen Dental Toyota Camry in upcoming Nationwide Series races at Michigan (June 18), Kentucky (July 8), and the fan-favorite night race at Bristol (August 26). The move marks an extension of the relationship between RWR and Aspen Dental that began during the 2010 racing season.

    “We’re thrilled to have an elite driver like David Reutimann behind the wheel of the Aspen Dental-sponsored car,” said Mike Petrosillo, director of brand marketing and advertising at Aspen Dental Management, Inc. “David has had wins in each of NASCAR’s top three series, and we know that when he’s driving, he’s going for checkered flags.”

    RWR owner and racing legend Rusty Wallace also offered glowing remarks for his newest wheelman.

    “David has been a big help to our team this year,” said Wallace. “Having his insight into our program has really helped us evaluate various parts of our organization. We’re very excited about having him behind the wheel of the Aspen Dental Toyota.”

    Fans Can Enter to Win the Experience of a Lifetime

    As part of the expanded partnership, Aspen Dental and RWR are teaming up to give one lucky racing fan the chance to win a trip for two to the August 2011 NASCAR races in Bristol and an opportunity to meet racing legend Rusty Wallace and David Reutimann.

    Fans can enter to win at www.aspendental.com/racing through July 17, 2011.

    As a VIP guest, the winning fan will receive:

    –Two VIP passes to the Friday night race in Bristol on August 26

    –Two tickets to the Saturday, August 27 race at Bristol

    –A meet and greet with Rusty Wallace and David Reutimann

    –Two round-trip flight vouchers

    –Two nights hotel accommodation

    –Ground transportation to and from the airport, hotel and speedway

    The sweepstakes is open only to legal residents of the following states: Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Washington DC.

    Official rules are available at www.aspendental.com/racing.

    About Aspen Dental

    One of the largest and fastest-growing networks of dental care providers in the U.S., Aspen Dental practices are committed to providing patients with affordable, high-quality care. With more than 290 locations in 22 states, each Aspen Dental practice is accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB), which means that dental professionals and staff at each location are committed to meeting certain patient satisfaction standards and making a good faith effort to resolve any and all consumer complaints.

    In 2010, Aspen Dental practices recorded nearly 1.9 million patient visits, including visits from more than 422,000 new patients. Patients can learn what to expect during their first visit at www.aspendental.com/appointment.first.visit.html.

    For more information about Aspen Dental practices and services, visit www.aspendental.com. To learn more about careers at Aspen Dental, visit www.aspendentaljobs.com.

    About Rusty Wallace Racing

    North Carolina-based Rusty Wallace Racing (RWR) is a professional auto racing team steeped in the legendary racing history of its founder, Rusty Wallace. The team currently campaigns the No. 66 and No. 62 Toyota Camrys-driven by Steve Wallace and Michael Annett, respectively-in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. RWR will also campaign the No. 64 Camry in select 2011 events. RWR entries have finished among the top-ten in the Nationwide Series driver or owner standings in each of the last three seasons. For more on Rusty Wallace Racing, please visit the award-winning rustywallace.com.

  • Chase Mattioli Planning Texas / Pocono Double

    Chase Mattioli Planning Texas / Pocono Double

    Chase Mattioli Planning Texas / Pocono Double

    Bronx, NY, June 9th, 2011……..Chase Mattioli, having stepped out of a race car for the past few races to complete final exams at Fordham University, will do double duty this weekend, competing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck event in Texas on Friday evening, June 10th and the ARCA Pocono event on Saturday, June 11th.  At Texas, Chase will be behind the wheel of CollegeComplete.com  #99 Ford.  For Pocono, he will be piloting the  #11 CollegeComplete.com Ford, fielded by Andy Hillenburg.  After the race Friday night, Chase and team members will board a Lear 35 Jet, and make their way to Pocono Raceway.  The transportation is being provided by Millennium Group (http://www.millvipgroup.com/).

    The #11 that Chase will compete in at Pocono commemorates 2011 as the year that College Complete has assisted 50,000 students in furthering their education, a service provided at no cost to the student.  College Complete will assist anyone in finding the right school from trade schools to PHDs and all in between. If you are considering working toward your next level of education (certificate, associates, bachelors, masters or PhD) an Education Advocate® from College Complete can assist you at no cost at 877-543-2655.

    Chase is no stranger to the 1.5 mile Texas oval, having competed in an ARCA race at Texas in 2010, finishing 21st.  At Pocono last August, he finished 12th in the ARCA race and was running as high as 20th in his NASCAR Camping World Truck racing debut before he was taken out.

    The WinStar World Casino 400K at Texas Motor Speedway will be televised by Speed TV at 9:00pm (ET) on June 10th, while the Pocono ARCA 200 (80 laps / 200 miles) will be aired on Speed TV,1:30pm (ET) on June 11th.

    Joining CollegeComplete.com on the #99 and #11 Ford will be Anthem College Online and Grand Canyon University.

    Anthem College Online ) provides associate and bachelor degrees in healthcare, business, accounting, paralegal and criminal justice, as well as a diploma in medical office administration. Online students have 24/7 access to their programs and the flexibility to decide when and from where to log in for classes and complete assignments. They can also access live lectures series and discussion groups, individual tutoring and personalized career services.

    Founded in 1949, Grand Canyon (http://www.gcu.edu) is an Arizona-based, private, Christian university that offers online and campus-based bachelors, masters and doctoral degree programs in business, education, nursing and health sciences, liberal arts, and fine arts and production. GCU’s flexibility and expertise appeals equally well to both traditional undergraduate students, as well as working professionals, and the benefits they provide for our active and former military students is second to none.

    The #99 and #11 College Complete Fords at will also feature sponsor support from Advance Payment Services (www.joinAPS.com), Green Tree Environmental Consultants (www.greentreeprofit.com), Howard University’s WHUR 96.3 FM (www.whur.com) and Papillon & Moyer Construction (www.papillon-moyer.com). XX 30 XX Chase Mattioli,     “Supercharge your life with a great education. If I can do it so can you”!

    About Chase Mattioli (www.chasemattioli.com) 21-year old Chase Mattioli, a member of the Mattioli / Pocono racing family, has been racing since the age of seven, beginning his racing career at the Quarter Midget Track, right outside of Pocono Raceway’s turn three.  When not at the track, Chase resides at NY City’s Fordham University in the Bronx, where he is completing his junior year majoring in business and marketing.

    About College Complete: CollegeComplete.com helps the public navigate the ever-changing and highly complex landscape of higher education, connecting students with the institutions whose offering maximizes the likelihood of success. Partnered with hundreds of educational institutions and across all types of education goals, including traditional college degrees, trade and vocational certifications, and professional licensure, College Complete helps students assess all of the information that exists in the public domain, allowing them to understand and make sense of their educational opportunities. CollegeComplete.com is the student facing subsidiary of Ed Ideas, Inc.

    About ed ideas: Ed Ideas, Inc. helps institutions of higher education optimize their admissions pipeline – from initial inquiry to graduate, and everything in between.  Ed Ideas has 50 years of success in student outreach, application, and enrollment generation for the world’s leading public, private, for-profit, and traditional institutions.  Outsource your needs to Ed Ideas, or let us help you improve your existing processes and practices.  Whether your need is large or small, Ed Ideas is your higher education resource.

  • Office Depot Stores Nationwide To Carry NASCAR Unites Wristbands

    Office Depot Stores Nationwide To Carry NASCAR Unites Wristbands More Than 1,100 Office Depot Stores Participating In Charitable Initiative

    Daytona beach, Fla. (June 9, 2011)— The NASCAR Foundation today announced that Office Depot, the Official Office Products Partner of NASCAR and co-primary sponsor of Tony Stewart and the No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 team in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, will offer new NASCAR Unites wristbands at more than 1,100 Office Depot stores nationwide.

    Starting June 10, fans can get their own NASCAR Unites wristband by making a $5 donation at any participating Office Depot store location. The wristband showcases a supporter’s passion for children’s causes and encourages acts of service. Funds raised will benefit the charitable work being done by The NASCAR Foundation and The Office Depot Foundation.

    “The Office Depot Foundation and The NASCAR Foundation work very hard to help children and communities in need, and it means a lot to me to support their work,” said Tony Stewart, who helped The Office Depot Foundation donate more than 300,000 backpacks to children in need during the 2010 Back-To-School season. “I plan on picking up my NASCAR Unites wristband at my local Office Depot store, and I hope racing fans across the country will do the same.”

    NASCAR Unites is a new industry initiative led by The NASCAR Foundation that offers fans and the NASCAR community “Two Million Ways to Unite for Kids” through volunteerism and fundraising. In 2011, The NASCAR Foundation will grant $1 million to children’s charities and generate one million volunteer hours in local communities.

    “The Office Depot Foundation is very excited to partner with NASCAR and The NASCAR Foundation again this year,” said Mary Wong, president of The Office Depot Foundation. “When people come together, our ability to make a difference is incredibly powerful. The NASCAR Unites wristband is a wonderful representation of that team spirit.”

    For more information or to find an Office Depot location near you, please visit NASCAR.COM/Unites or www.officedepot.com.

    About The NASCAR Foundation The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc., (NASCAR) launched The NASCAR Foundation in January 2006. The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit entity that embodies the compassion of the NASCAR Family and its commitment to serving communities. The Foundation seeks to raise funds and increase volunteerism to support non-profit charities and charitable causes throughout the nation with an emphasis placed on initiatives that affect the ability of children to live, learn and play. For more information on The NASCAR Foundation, please visit the website: WWW.NASCAR.COM/foundation.

    About Office Depot Celebrating 25 years as a leading global provider of office supplies and services, Office Depot is Taking Care of Business for millions of customers around the globe. For the local corner store as well as Fortune 500 companies, Office Depot provides supplies and services to its customers through 1,641 worldwide retail stores, a dedicated sales force, top-rated catalogs and global e-commerce operations. Office Depot has annual sales of approximately $11.6 billion, and employs about 40,000 associates around the world. The Company provides more office supplies and services to more customers in more countries than any other company, and currently sells to customers directly or through affiliates in 55 countries.

    Office Depot’s common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ODP. Additional press information can be found at: .

    About The Office Depot Foundation The Office Depot Foundation is an independent foundation (tax exempt under IRC Sec.501(c)(3)) that serves as the independent charitable giving arm of Office Depot, Inc. In keeping with its mission, Listen Learn Care®, the Foundation supports a variety of programs that help children succeed in school and in life; enable civil society (non-profit) organizations to become more efficient and effective; help people and businesses prepare for disasters, as well as recover and rebuild afterwards; strengthen local communities through grants, product donations and volunteerism; and encourage community development through entrepreneurship and economic innovation.

  • VALUE OF A SATURDAY TICKET AT MIS JUST GOT BETTER

    Sprint Cup Series qualifying added to lineup on June 18, which already features Nationwide race and post-race concert with Emerson Drive, Jacob Lyda

    BROOKLYN, Mich. (June 9, 2011) ­— If seeing the NASCAR Nationwide Series Alliance Truck Parts 250 and post-race concert featuring Emerson Drive and Jacob Lyda weren’t enough to fill your plate on Saturday, June 18 at Michigan International Speedway, try adding Sprint Cup Series qualifying to the mix.

    That’s exactly what will take place at MIS on June 18 with qualifying for both the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series taking place that day, as well as the Nationwide Series Alliance Truck Parts 250 at 3:30 p.m., followed by the post-race concert. It will be one of the most exciting Saturday’s the Irish Hills track has ever offered for its race fans.

    “Moving Sprint Cup qualifying to Saturday, June 18, really makes the day exciting with the Nationwide race and concert also happening that day,” MIS President Roger Curtis said. “With a $40 adult ticket and kids 12 and under free Saturdays, fans truly are receiving an unbelievable value for a Saturday ticket. It’s well worth the price of admission.”

    A rundown of the on-track activity for Saturday is listed below:

    11:10 a.m.– NASCAR Nationwide Series Qualifying   1:10 p.m. – NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Qualifying  3:30 p.m. – Alliance Truck Parts 250 Nationwide Series Race

    And the first-ever MIS Kids Club membership event will be held on Saturday, when NASCAR driver Jason Leffler takes part in a Q&A session with all the kids. That will take place at 10:15 a.m. in the MIS Cares Kids Zone.

    The Saturday festivities will wrap up with a free evening concert for the fans. Approximately 30 minutes following the completion of the Alliance Truck Parts 250 NASCAR Nationwide race, fans will be treated to a concert featuring Emerson Drive. Emerging country music singer-songwriter Jacob Lyda will perform the opening act. The concert will be held at the Jagermeister Stage in the New Holland Fan Plaza.

    Gates open to the public at 10 a.m. on Saturday. Throughout the day, fans will be able to roam the New Holland Fan Plaza to check out all the fun and interactive displays, including a revamped MIS Cares Kids Zone.

    Reserved seats for Saturday are available and start as low as $40. Admission for kids ages 13-17 are half price and, as always, children 12 & under are free.

    NASCAR Sprint Cup Series tickets for the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 on June 19 and NSCS 400 on August 21 are now on sale too and as low as $30. Visit MISpeedway.com or call the MIS ticket hotline at 800-354-1010 today to take advantage of great pricing for 2011 events at MIS.

    Nestled in the lush Irish Hills of Southeastern Michigan, Michigan International Speedway is a Great Escape, a venerable NASCAR national park where race fans and sports fans can get away and enjoy the very best in racing and camaraderie. It’s the fun of NASCAR and the thrill of a great time for guests and drivers alike.

    You can also visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MISpeedway or Tweet with us @MISpeedway.

    Michigan International Speedway – 2011 Schedule

    Thursday, June 16      Race Fest in downtown Brooklyn – 1 p.m. – 10 p.m.

    Friday, June 17           ARCA Racing Series RainEater Wiper Blades 200 Saturday, June 18      NASCAR Nationwide Series Alliance Truck Parts 250 Sunday, June 19         NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400

    Friday, Aug. 19           Meijer Pole Day Saturday, Aug. 20       NASCAR Camping World Truck Series VFW 200 Sunday, Aug. 21         NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

    Sunday, Sept. 11        Spirit of America Blood Drive – 10th Anniversary!

  • Johanna Long NCWTS Advance – Texas Motor Speedway

    Johanna Long NCWTS Advance – Texas Motor Speedway

    Johanna Long NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Advance Texas Motor Speedway

    Race:WinStar World Casino 400k NASCAR Camping World Truck Series:9 of 25

    Track:Texas Motor Speedway

    Date:June 10, 2011

    The No. 20 Panhandle Grading & Paving Toyota Tundra of Johanna Long will race in the WinStar World Casino 400k at Texas Motor Speedway on Friday, June 10. SPEED will cover the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) event live at 8:00 pm CDT.

    Texas Motor Speedway – After competing at three consecutive tracks she had never seen before, this weekend Long will be returning to one at which she has previously raced. In her first trip to Texas Motor Speedway last November, Long earned the first top-10 qualifying position of her NCWTS career. Unfortunately, Long’s luck quickly ran out as she finished 36th in the race after a cut tire on lap 1 ended her night early.

    Last Race Recap – Last Saturday afternoon, Long took on the heat and the tough NCWTS competition at Kansas Speedway. In a race that was eventful on and off the track, Long qualified 21st and finished 24th after battling a truck that was both loose- and tight-handling throughout the race.

    No. 20 Panhandle Grading & Paving Toyota Tundra– Long and the No. 20 Panhandle Motorsports team are bringing chassis No. 1 to compete at 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway. Long most recently raced Chassis No. 1 at Dover International Speedway last month. Long finished 22nd at the Monster Mile after a broken driveshaft ended the young driver’s quest for her top NCWTS finish just a few laps shy of the race’s finish.

    Keeping Up with Jo– Keep up with Johanna on Twitter at http://twitter.com/johannalong or on Facebook at http://tinyurl.com/JohannaLongFB.

    Johanna Long Quotes:

    On Texas – “I am ready to go to Texas this week! We had a strong truck there last year until our night ended early, so I’m looking forward to getting back on the track and having a solid run. The team has been working hard to prepare fast trucks. Unfortunately, we haven’t had the finishes to show that, but hopefully we can prove it this week.”

    NCWTS Race Schedule: (All Times CDT)

    Thursday, June 9

    Practice:  11:00 am – 12:15 pm Final Practice:  12:45 – 2:00 pm Qualifying:  6:00 pm

    Friday, June 10

    Autograph Session:  4:30 – 5:30 pm Driver Intros:  7:40 pm Race:  8:00 pm

    About Johanna Long: Johanna Long, one of the youngest drivers in the elite NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, races the No. 20 Pan Handle Grading & Paving Toyota Tundra for family-owned Panhandle Motorsports. The 19-year-old began racing at the age of eight, quickly moving from go-karts to Legends cars to a Late Model. She made history, becoming the youngest driver and only female to win a track championship at Five Flags Speedway. She went on to win the prestigious Snowball Derby at the track in 2010. For more information on Johanna, please visit www.JohannaLong.com.

  • Paul Wolfe Named The WYPALL* Wipers Crew Chief of the Race in Kansas

    Paul Wolfe Named The WYPALL* Wipers Crew Chief of the Race in Kansas

    Roswell, GA (June 8, 2011) – Paul Wolfe, WYPALL crew chief spokesman and crew chief for the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge driven by Brad Keselowski, has been named the WYPALL* Wipers Crew Chief of the Race following Sunday’s STP 400 at Kansas Speedway.  

    Wolfe instructed his driver late in the race to “save fuel” following a green flag pit stop on lap 210 of the 267-lap event. With just under 50 laps remaining, Keselowski was one of the fastest cars on the track. As the other front-runners began to run low on fuel and making their way to pit road, Keselowski and the Wolfe-led team maneuvered their way up front. Assuming the lead from teammate Kurt Busch on lap 259, Keselowski never turned back, earning his first victory at Kansas.  

    “We caught a great break today because of all the hard work by Paul and the entire Miller Lite team that works on these Dodge Chargers.  I knew we had a top-10 car today and we were able to get a win. That’s what good teams do,” said Keselowski, who started 25th but quickly showed his car was a contender.  

    “Paul & his team worked hard all weekend to get to this spot,” said WYPALL Wipers crew chief representative and FOX/Speed analyst Jeff Hammond.  “Paul made the right decision when it counted to make a run for the win. He stayed calm and coached his driver to victory.”  

    WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief Results Steve Addington, Kurt Busch and the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil team dominated the race, but settled for ninth after their late-race pit stop for fuel. Busch led 152 of the 267 laps, starting from the pole, but fell short as Keselowski stole the lead with just nine laps to go.  

    “I’m proud of the way that this team has run,” Busch said. “To have a car to lead laps today and be very competitive, I was all smiles.   I felt coming into the weekend that if we could pace ourselves, have good team communication, we would be competitive.  It was great.”  

    WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief Voting Team Addington and Wolfe, along with Hammond and Sirius NASCAR Radio’s Claire B. Lang, serve as the panel for the WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief Challenge and vote for the weekly crew chief winners.  

    Each weekly WYPALL Crew Chief Challenge winner will be a guest on Lang’s “Dialed In” program on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) at 8 p.m. EST on Wednesdays throughout the season.  

    The crew chief with the most weekly top wins will be honored as the WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief of the Year and will be presented a $10,000 check during the weekend of the WYPALL 200 Presented by Kimberly-Clark Professional Nationwide Series race at Phoenix International Raceway on Saturday, November 12, 2011.  

    About WYPALL Wipers: Since 2004, Kimberly-Clark Professional’s WYPALL Wipers brand has been affiliated with some of racing’s top teams.  Offering heavy-duty to versatile light-duty towels, WYPALL Wipers provides race teams with a number of products providing strength and durability.  Defeating the toughest of challenges, from absorbing tough grease and oil to wiping down windshields without leaving residue behind, WYPALL Wipers continue to offer performance and versatility.   

    The WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief Challenge will continue throughout the remainder of the 2011 season and spotlight the men behind the machines.  For more information, log onto www.wypall.com.  

    About Penske Racing Penske Racing is one of the most successful teams in the history of professional sports. Competing in a variety of disciplines, cars owned and prepared by Penske Racing have produced 332 major race wins, 396 pole positions and 23 National Championships.

    The team has also earned 15 Indianapolis 500 victories. For more information about Penske Racing, please visit www.penskeracing.com.

  • Joey Coulter Still Feeling Awesome After Career Best Truck Run

    [media-credit id=62 align=”alignright” width=”260″][/media-credit]While much of the attention was focused on what happened after the Truck race at Kansas Speedway, Joey Coulter was still riding on a self-proclaimed high of awesomeness after his career best finish.

    The driver of the No. 22 Richard Childress Racing/Darrell Gwynn Foundation Chevrolet started eighth in the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 at Kansas this past weekend. Yet he was able to finish the race with the first top five of his rookie season.

    “It was huge,” Coulter said of his run at Kansas. “We’ve had some good runs in the ARCA Series at a mile and a half but to run as good as we did at Kansas was awesome.”

    Coulter contributes his great run to a combination of great pit strategy, keeping up with the race track and working with his RCR teammate Austin Dillon.

    “Austin (Dillon) is a great teammate,” Coulter said. “His crew chief and my crew chief, me and Austin, we talk a lot.”

    “We sit down all the time during practice and talk about what we are fighting,” Coulter continued. “Austin has brought me up to his level really quick.”

    “He’s done a great job explaining to me the different ways to drive these trucks,” Coulter said. “I’ve watched a lot of video and I’ve talked to a lot of drivers and it’s just all that combined that contributed to our run at Kansas and we were just able to put it all together.”

    “We both know that if he is faster than me, he’s the guy I can go to and find out why,” Coulter continued. “That’s going to bring me to his speed. Then once I get there, I might hit on something and end up a little bit faster than him.”

    “He’s going to come to me and we’re going to tell him what we did and it’s just going to keep going back and forth until we’re both really, really fast,” Coulter said. “The great thing about a teammate is that open line of communication is there and you can always get the information you need.”

    “It works and I love having a teammate,” Coulter said. “It’s my first time having one and I love it.”

    Coulter also contributes his success to the equipment available to him at Richard Childress Racing. And finally Coulter gives all the due to his family, who has stood with him since he began his racing journey.

    “RCR in my opinion is the best equipment in the Truck Series,” Coulter said. “The guys that build those trucks are the same guys that go to the race track and work on them at the track.”

    “So, when they build something at the shop, they really put everything they’ve got into it,” Coulter continued. “Everybody puts so much pride into their work that when the race truck rolls into the trailer on the way to the race, it looks more like something that would roll through the block on Barrett Jackson.”

    “These things come out looking great.”

    “My family has been there since the beginning,” Coulter said. “Mom, dad and my girlfriend have been there since I was short track racing in Florida.”

    “It’s really hard for them to miss a race, which is cool,” Coulter continued. “I love having them there.”

    Coulter did take at least a little bit of time to celebrate his great finish. But that run actually made Coulter even more anxious to get to the next track.

    “When I got back after the race, I hung out with my parents and soaked it all in,” Coulter said. “I kept watching the highlights on Speed Center and reading the articles on line, just soaking it all in.”

    “We really enjoyed it, but at the same time it just made me a lot more excited to get to Texas,” Coulter said. “I just kept telling my crew chief, ‘Let’s go to Texas right now. I’m ready to go.’”

    Coulter has actually been to Texas Motor Speedway before, running there last year in the ARCA Series.

    “I love that race track,” Coulter said. “It is so much fun. It’s unreal how fast you can go through the corners with so much grip.”

    “It’s wide open from what I’ve heard,” Coulter continued. “It’s going to be an experience to go around the track and never take your foot off the gas. I can’t wait to do that.”

    Coulter admits that he expects more of the same at Texas as at Kansas in terms of the weather and the intense heat. He credits his growing up in Florida for his ability to handle the heat, that and a new tip that his teammate recently gave to him.

    “I’m very glad that I was born in Florida, where there are two seasons, hot and very hot,” Coulter said. “It’s just something I’ve gotten used to over the years.”

    “My teammate actually got me drinking Pedialyte this weekend and I felt way better before and after the race this time,” Coulter continued. “I’m working out every day like I have been for awhile and that helps with the heat too.”

    Coulter will also be celebrating a personal milestone when he reaches Texas this week. He will turn 21 years old on Wednesday, June 8th.

    “We are actually going to head to Texas a day early so I don’t have to be traveling on my birthday,” Coulter said. “I’m definitely not going to do anything crazy because we have to work this weekend.”

    “I’ll probably go some place and see if they card me,” Coulter said with a chuckle. “I’m excited about it. It’s really kind of like the last real exciting age.”

    For his birthday, Coulter may also indulge in one of his favorite confectionaries. In fact, he is nicknamed after one of them, “Cupcake”.

    “Before the Darlington race, we did a media event, me and Johanna Long,” Coulter said. “We got to talk to a bunch of young kids about how important it is to stay in school.”

    “There was this little hole in the wall, family cupcake place and somehow I got stuck carrying the box of cupcakes,” Coulter continued. “I guess that’s where I got the nickname of ‘cupcake’ from.”

    From celebrating his birthday to his top-five finish, Coulter has just one word to sum up his life at present.

    “Awesome,” Coulter said. “It’s a great feeling to be in the situation I am.”

    “I’m extremely fortunate to have the opportunities I’ve had,” Coulter continued. “My dad has always been sure to tell me that there are plenty of unemployed race car drivers.”

    “I’m grateful for this opportunity,” Coulter said. “RCR is an awesome organization and there are an awful lot of awesome people that have gotten me to where I am.”