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Month: June 2011

TNT’s Embarrassment To The Sport Coverage Needs To Go

As I sat down ready to watch some of the road course action at Sonoma this past weekend, I was looking forward to a solid race where I could see the action. No doubt the action was heated on track with the feuds, though the coverage took away from that greatly.

[media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”238″][/media-credit]For starters, how much coverage was actually shown? Every seven minutes or so, it looked as though they were going to commercial. The statistics show that that there were 143 minutes of the race shown with 52 minutes of commercial. That works out to 26% of the race being commercials, instead of racing action. For the race at Michigan, it was 22% while Pocono was 27% commercials.

Of course, if you look back to FOX’s final race at Kansas where there were 52 minutes of commercials equaling 27% of the broadcast, I guess you could say that they’re on par.

Though even if they’re on par, they’re not doing a good job. FOX was good at showing different angles, keeping fans informed with what’s going on with a bunch of drivers and giving you the full recap of a wreck.

For the big wreck down in turn 11, TNT showed multiple angles of the wreck to show how Brian Vickers got shoved in there by Tony Stewart. However, the only damage they showed was the damage to Vickers. What about Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kevin Harvick who were in that mess? We heard them say at the end how Harvick came back from the incident to finish well. How much do we know of that comeback when you don’t show each car involved with their damage? Then, when Earnhardt Jr.’s motor blows up later in the race, how are we to know that’s caused by the front end damage when we didn’t see how serious it looked?

TNT missed opportunities to report nuggets during the race that should’ve been discussed, including issues for points leader Carl Edwards. While watching the race, it was twitter first where I heard of Edwards having a crushed quarter panel and it causing him issues. Meanwhile, TNT was more focused on Kurt Busch and his lead and whether or not he could be caught.

Speaking of the lead, how many times did they come back just after a pass for the lead had been made? Or how many pit stops did they miss? There’s some key story lines right there as they help in telling the story of how the race is going to play out.

NASCAR keeps wondering why fans complain about the race coverage on TV and are turning away from watching it. They can’t be losing fans because of the racing action as any fan will tell you that Sunday is exciting. So until either TNT fixes their errors or NASCAR drops them off the wagon, the trend of losing fans is going to keep happening.

If you want an example of what coverage should look like, watch an IZOD IndyCar race as their coverage was beautifully put together and might I add, I got to see lots of action while knowing all the top story lines.

June 27, 2011
ARCA Winchester News and Notes: Venturini Motorsports, Tom Hessert and More

While the race was won by Dakoda Armstrong, a bunch of other drivers came home with solid finishes to be proud of.

This year, Venturini Motorsports has made it a habit of finishing in the top 10 with a variety of drivers. The latest driver to add his name to the list is Ryan Blaney.

Blaney drove the team’s No.25 Lauren Briant/Venturini Motorsports Chevrolet to a sixth place finish after suffering a flat right front tire on lap 162 in his ARCA debut.

“We were trying to take it easy in the race, just trying to save our stuff,” Blaney said, after leading 154 of the first 161 laps. “I think if we could have had 10 more laps after we blew a tire, we could have passed Ty for the lead and then we would have been one lap down and got that caution and been in business. It just wasn’t meant to be.

“I ran the same line I did 50 laps in a row. I was just taking it so easy, especially to help that right front and to keep it from doing what it did. I don’t know if our camber was off or what. But it was a great night. I’ve got to thank Venturini for letting me run this car and making it as good as it was. We’ll get ‘em next time.”

The son of NASCAR veteran Dave Blaney is hoping that he can make some more starts this season.

“It’s great to race in the ARCA (Racing) Series,” Blaney said. “There are really good guys racing, especially here, a place like Winchester.”

Venturini Motorsports also debuted John Blankenship, who finished 10th in the No. 55 Chevrolet, meaning that so far this year Venturini has 11 top 10s with nine different drivers.

Meanwhile, finishing fifth in front of Blaney was Tom Hessert, who was proud to impress numerous guests from Federated Auto Parts, who were on hand as the race’s sponsor.

“The guys in the pits did a really good job of getting us back out,” he said. “We didn’t have the best car; we had a couple issues that were keeping us from being better, but it was a good top-five for the Federated car at a Federated race. It’s good to have a good showing for them. It’s too bad we couldn’t get a win, but in a couple weeks we’ll go to Berlin and we always run really well there.”

For points leader Ty Dillon, it was also a solid day for him as he still finished fouth to pad his points lead despite bottoming out lap in the race.

“It’s unfortunate,” Dillon said. “It doesn’t happen to us often, but it’s still a good points day. We qualified well and led a couple of laps. I’m happy. I just like winning, so it’s a little disappointing to lead laps there at the end of the race and fall off so bad. We saved our stuff all day and rode and were hoping for what happened to happen, for guys to wear their stuff out and us be patient as usual to let the race come to us, but something happened there and we just got too loose.”

The next race for ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards is July 9th at Berlin Raceway.

June 27, 2011
A TUMS’ “FIGHTS BACK FAST” MOMENT: DALE EARNHARDT JR. CLAIMS VICTORY IN HONOR OF HIS FATHER

A TUMS’ “Fights back fast” MOMENT

(For each of the 36 races during the 2011 Sprint Cup season, TUMS will provide a brief historical recap of a moment when a team fought back to overcome an obstacle, one that can easily be described as a TUMS “Fights Back Fast” Moment. This week, the focus is on Daytona International Speedway).

Dale Earnhardt Jr. claims victory in honor of his father

The date was July 9, 2001. Dale Earnhardt Jr. drove his No. 8 Chevrolet to victory in the Pepsi 400 at Daytona International Speedway, just over four months after his father lost his life in a crash on the final lap of the season-opening Daytona 500.

NOTE: TUMS is the sponsor of the TUMS Fast Relief 500, the seventh race in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, at Martinsville Speedway on October 30.

Earnhardt Jr. held off Michael Waltrip, finishing 123 seconds ahead of his Dale Earnhardt Inc. teammate.

Earnhardt Jr. had to dodge cars through two cautions in the final 20 laps that eliminated several contenders. He led 116 of 160 laps, but was running fifth with five laps remaining. By the time the checkered flag was displayed, it was the No. 8 making the trip to victory lane for what would be an emotional celebration.

“We had a great car –it was all car – 100 percent, I just had to hold on,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “He was with me tonight. I don’t know how I did it, but he (Earnhardt Sr.) was there. I dedicate this win to him. I mean, there ain’t nobody else I could dedicate it to that would mean more to me.”

June 27, 2011
The Numbers — Coke Zero 400 at Daytona

THE NUMBERS for the Coke Zero 400

Daytona International Speedway (all races)

0 – fewest cautions (seven times, most recent 2/18/62)

1 – fewest laps led by race winner (four times, most recent 7/2/94, Jimmy Spencer)

1 – fewest on lead lap at finish (eight times, most recent 2/15/76)

1 – fewest leaders (four times, most recent 2/22/63)

6 – fewest lead changes (twice, most recent 7/16/02)

7 – races won from outside a top-20 starting position

9 – wins by Dodge at DIS (last win in 2008) 10 – most wins (Richard Petty); most Coke Zero 400 wins (5, David Pearson)

11 – fewest cars running at finish (7/4/63)

12 – most poles (Cale Yarborough, eight for the Coke Zero 400)

16 – most cautions (2/20/11)

20 – drivers with more than one pole

22 – most leaders (2/20/11)

26 – drivers with more than one win

34 – most cars on lead lap at finish (7/1/06)

39 – worst starting position for race winner (Matt Kenseth, 2/15/09)

41 – most cars running at finish (twice, most recent 7/7/07)

44 – races won from the front row, 25 from the pole

53 – different pole winners

55 – different winners in 105 races

60 – most caution laps (twice, most recent 2/20/11)

74 – most lead changes (2/20/11)

151 – most laps led by Coke Zero 400 winner (Tony Stewart, 2005)

184 – most laps led by race winner (Richard Petty, 2/23/64)

2011 Caution Update

3 – number of races extended beyond scheduled distance in 2011

4 – fewest cautions this season (Fontana and Pocono)

16 – most cautions this season (Daytona)

125 – number of cautions in the first 16 races of 2011; includes 57 for accidents, 29 for debris and 20 for spins 600 of 4,858 – number of laps under caution in 2011

815.259 of 6,490.900 – miles under caution in the first 16 races

Provided by Darnell Communications for Dodge Motorsports

June 27, 2011
Elliott Sadler No. 2 Nationwide Series Advance: Daytona International Speedway

Elliott Sadler

No. 2 OneMain Financial Chevrolet Impala

NASCAR Nationwide Series Race 17 of 34 – Daytona International Speedway

TWO CARS, ONEMAIN FINANCIAL: At Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway this weekend, OneMain Financial will be on board not only the No. 2 Chevrolet Impala driven by Elliott Sadler, but also the No. 4 Chevrolet Impala piloted by his team co-owner, Kevin Harvick. The duo, both competing for Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI), will be sporting the colors of OneMain Financial in an effort to promote the new brand of the organization.

SADLER AT DAYTONA: Sadler has competed at Daytona in the NASCAR Nationwide Series four times, with a best finish of 15th in 1997. He has led a total of 30 laps around the 2.5-mile track, and looks to lead more this weekend. Sadler also has experience at the superspeedway across two other NASCAR series, making 24 starts in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, with four top-five and nine top-10 finishes at the track with 58 laps led. The Emporia, Va., native has made two starts at Daytona in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with one top-five and one top-10 finish, and 56 laps led.

KHI’S FOUR HORSEMEN: KHI will field four entries in Friday night’s race with Nationwide Series championship contender Sadler in the No. 2 OneMain Financial Chevrolet, KHI co-owner Harvick in the No. 4 Chevrolet Impala, Clint Bowyer in the No. 33 Menards Chevrolet Impala and driver Tony Stewart in the No. 9 TapouT Chevrolet Impala. These four powerhouse drivers have compiled an impressive set of series stats including 44 starts, seven poles, eight wins, 26 top-five finishes, 31 top-10 finishes and have led 542 laps at the 2.5-mile superspeedway.

PROVEN RECORD: In February of 2005, Tony Stewart grabbed KHI’s first win in the Nationwide Series behind the wheel of the No. 33 car. The following year, Stewart not only claimed victory again in the season opener but also gave KHI its first one-two finish as the No. 77 KHI Chevrolet Impala came in second behind the No. 33. Since 2005, KHI has recorded three additional wins, two poles, eight-top five and 11 top-10 finishes and led 194 laps at Daytona.

DASH 4 CASH: In the first of four Dash 4 Cash events of the season, Sadler has the opportunity to compete as one of the top four drivers in the series for $100,000. The highest finishing driver of the four at Daytona will win the monetary prize and will automatically qualify for the next event at Iowa Speedway in August. The three-highest finishing drivers that receive Nationwide Series Championship driver points will also qualify for Iowa. The other events include Richmond International Raceway in September and Charlotte Motor Speedway in October.

TO THE POINT: Heading into the race at Daytona, Sadler remains in the second position in the Driver’s Point standings for the third week in a row. Sadler sits five points behind leader Reed Sorenson, who took the victory at Road America last weekend.

PREVIOUS RACE RECAP: Sadler and the No. 2 OneMain Financial team finished fourth in a wild event at the first road course race of the season at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis. Running in the top-10 for most of the day, crew chief Ernie Cope developed a fuel-mileage strategy with only two pit stops planned during the scheduled 50-lap event. After three green-white-checkered attempts, the field received the checkered flag under caution with the No. 2 in the fourth position, and just enough fuel to cross the finish line.

CHASSIS HISTORY: The No. 2 team will bring chassis No. 073 to Daytona this week. This superspeedway car is the same chassis the team took to Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway in April where Sadler grabbed his first pole of the season. The team led eight laps before finishing in the fifth position at the 2.5-mile track.

ARE YOU A CODE SPOTTER? This is the last week fans can play the Nationwide Insurance Code Spotter Sweepstakes for a chance to win a one-of-a-kind Race Weekend Road Trip VIP Experience with Elliott Sadler and the No. 2 team at Bristol Motor Speedway in August. Last month kicked off the Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) segment of the Nationwide Insurance Code Spotter Sweepstakes and the segment ends this Sunday, July 3 at 11:59 p.m. ET. To play, enter the code KHINC now at CodeSpotter.com.

THOUGHTS FROM THE DRIVER: Elliott Sadler

How do you feel heading into this week’s race at Daytona International Speedway?

“At Daytona, it’s either feast of famine for me. We had a really fast car there in February, but got caught up in a wreck early and finished 38th. Of course, my team owner Kevin Harvick will be in another OneMain Financial car, so I’m sure that we will find each other and help each other throughout the whole race. I’m thrilled for the opportunity to help OneMain Financial to celebrate their brand launch this weekend, and I hope that we can bring home a victory for everyone! Daytona is a special place to a lot of people because it is the France family’s birthplace and where the roots of NASCAR started. I always look forward to going down there on the Fourth of July weekend. It’s a special race that kind of marks the middle of the season. When you leave Daytona, you have a feeling of how the rest of the season will go. It’s going to be a great race.”

CitiFinancial

CitiFinancial, soon to be OneMain Financial, is the premier community lender in North America. With more than 1,300 locations across the United States. CitiFinancial has been serving communities since 1912. Additional information may be found at www.citifinancial.com.

Citi

Citi, the leading global financial services company, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 140 countries. Through Citicorp and Citi Holdings, Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, transaction services, and wealth management. Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com or www.citi.com.

June 27, 2011
Tony Stewart No. 9 Nationwide Series Advance: Daytona International Speedway

SUMMER HEAT: After announcing a multi-year partnership agreement with Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) in February, mixed martial arts (MMA) apparel brand, TapouT is eager to hit the track this weekend for their second NASCAR Nationwide Series event this season at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. Two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart will be behind the wheel of the No. 9 TapouT Chevrolet Impala for the Subway Jalapeno 250 presented by Coca-Cola at the famed 2.5-mile tri-oval.

DAYTONA SUCCESS: When you put KHI and Daytona together it only means one thing, success. Team owners Kevin and DeLana Harvick earned their first Nationwide Series victory at Daytona in 2005 with the help of Stewart. In his six starts behind the wheel of a KHI Chevrolet, Stewart has earned all four of the organization’s Daytona wins. In addition to their four wins KHI has 21 starts at the superspeedway, two poles, eight top-five and 11 top-10 finishes.

TAPOUT RETURNS: The Authentic Brands Group Company will venture back into the garage with KHI this weekend after earning a 12th-place finish during their Nationwide Series debut at Las Vegas Motor Speedway back in March. TapouT will carry on their relationship with KHI later this summer at their first appearance in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Michigan International Speedway on August 20 with KHI co-owner Kevin Harvick behind the wheel.

CHASSIS HISTORY: The No. 9 KHI team will utilize chassis No. 065 this weekend at Daytona International Speedway. This is the same chassis Stewart drove to victory lane at Daytona in February. Most recently this chassis competed at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway with Harvick behind the wheel. After charging to the front of the field and leading four laps, Harvick experienced engine issues which caused the team to retire early from the race and walk away with a 39th-place finish.

THOUGHTS FROM THE CREW CHIEF: Bruce Cook

How do you feel heading into Daytona being the defending race winner, and returning with Stewart?

“It’s hard to head into Daytona and not feel anxious. There is always the inevitable ‘big one,’ and you never know if you are going to fall victim to that. I have a lot of confidence in our team here at KHI, and I believe the equipment that we are bringing for Tony will allow him to run out front. I don’t know if there is a better combination for success than heading back with the winning chassis and driver. We’ll have three great teammates with us there to draft with, and I hope that will allow us to be up front at the end.”

THOUGHTS FROM THE DRIVER: Tony Stewart

Four of your 16 career wins at Daytona have come with KHI. Can you talk about their preparation leading into that race?

“It’s a small team size-wise, but as far as equipment and everything, Kevin and DeLana [Harvick] prepare cars that are some of the best cars in the Nationwide Series.”

A lot of your success at Daytona in the Nationwide Series has been with KHI. Any reason for that in particular, or is it a combination of a lot of things?

“I think it’s because of the attention to detail that Kevin and DeLana put into their racecars. You see it in their Truck Series program. You see it in their Nationwide Series program. They just do everything first class. I always have the confidence when I get in one of their cars that I’m in just as competitive a car as I could be with any other organization out there. They’re first class, and that’s the kind of group that you want to be with when you do a one-off race like this. You have that confidence. You don’t worry about anything. You know that they’re giving you the best equipment that you can get in that series. It’s always fun. It’s fun to drive for one of your good friends like Kevin and DeLana, but at the same time knowing that they’ve got really good racecars just tops it all off.”

About TapouT:

Founded in 1997 by Mask, Punkass and Skyskrape, TapouT is the first brand to represent the sport of MMA. From humble beginnings when the brand was sold at underground events, TapouT has become synonymous with the sport and is the most recognized MMA brand in the world. Athletes and millions of global fans wear TapouT as a badge of honor as it symbolizes the brands fighting spirit and that quitting is never an option. TapouT’s worldwide movement is founded on Mask’s conviction that anything is possible if one simply believes.

About Authentic Brands Group LLC:

Authentic Brands Group, in partnership with Leonard Green & Partners, is an intellectual property corporation with a mandate to acquire, manage and build long-term value in prominent consumer brands. A New York based company with offices in Toronto, ABG’s mission is to acquire and manage iconic consumer brands in apparel, sporting goods, action sports, home, celebrity, entertainment and consumer electronics and enhance brand equity through best-in-class brand licensee and direct-to-retail partnerships. ABG holds Marilyn Monroe, TapouT, TapouT MPS, TapouT Pro, TapouT Vintage, Silver Star Casting Company, Iron Star, Hitman Fight Gear and Sinister Brand. ABG manages the merchandise licensing programs for the Bob Marley family of brands. www.authenticbrandsgroup.com.

For more information on Authentic Brands Group holdings: www.tapout.com, www.buysilverstar.com and www.sinisterbrand.com.

June 27, 2011
Kevin Harvick No. 4 Nationwide Series Advance: Daytona International Speedway

Kevin Harvick

No. 4 OneMain Financial Chevrolet Impala

NASCAR Nationwide Series Race 17 of 34 – Daytona International Speedway

TWO CARS, ONEMAIN FINANCIAL: At Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway this weekend, OneMain Financial will be on board not only the No. 2 Chevrolet Impala driven by Elliott Sadler, but also the No. 4 Chevrolet Impala piloted by his team co-owner, Kevin Harvick. The duo, both competing for Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI), will be sporting the colors of OneMain Financial in an effort to promote the new brand of the organization.

BACK ON TRACK: Harvick will be back on track in the No. 4 OneMain Financial Chevrolet Impala during the Subway Jalapeno 250 presented by Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway this Friday. The two-time series champion has made 17 starts in the NASCAR Nationwide Series at the “World Center of Racing”. Harvick has captured two poles, one victory, 12 top-five and 14 top-10 finishes. He has also led 215 laps at the 2.5-mile facility.

KHI’S FOUR HORSEMEN: KHI will field four entries in Friday night’s race with Nationwide Series championship contender Sadler in the No. 2 OneMain Financial Chevrolet, KHI co-owner Harvick in the No. 4 Chevrolet Impala, Clint Bowyer in the No. 33 Menards Chevrolet Impala and driver Tony Stewart in the No. 9 TapouT Chevrolet Impala. These four powerhouse drivers have compiled an impressive set of series stats including 44 starts, seven poles, eight wins, 26 top-five finishes, 31 top-10 finishes and have led 542 laps at the 2.5-mile superspeedway.

CHASSIS HISTORY: The No. 4 KHI team, under the command of crew chief Chris Carrier, will utilize chassis No. 050 this weekend at Daytona International Speedway. This chassis has yet to compete on track, but has been through wind-tunnel testing.

PREVIOUS RACE RECAP: The No. 4 KHI Chevrolet Impala last competed at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway during the Aarons 312 with KHI co-owner Kevin Harvick in the driver’s seat. Engine issues early in the race relegated Harvick to a 39th-place finish after starting the race 11th and climbing through the field to the lead.

HARVICK’S THOUGHTS ON DAYTONA:

What are your thoughts going into the Nationwide Series race at Daytona?

“It’s is going to be interesting heading into the race at Daytona because there are so many factors that play into your success at this track. Racing Daytona in July is a lot different than racing there in February. The track gets hot and slick and the handling characteristics become exaggerated. With the new racing surface you also need a good drafting partner. KHI is fielding four cars for this race, so finding a partner shouldn’t be too difficult. I’m excited about our chances of success at this race, not only as a driver but as a team owner.”

Why are you excited about running the OneMain Financial car at Daytona?

“OneMain Financial is officially launching their new name on July 1, and it’s really cool to be part of their brand launch. OneMain Financial has been a great partner for KHI this season with Elliott Sadler and the No. 2 Nationwide car. Between Elliott and myself I’m hoping one of us can take OneMain Financial to victory lane.”

THOUGHTS FROM THE PIT BOX: CREW CHIEF, CHRIS CARRIER

How do you feel about returning to crew chief duties in the Nationwide Series?

“There is a lot of added pressure heading into a race with a Sprint Cup Series driver who is used to winning, not to mention when that driver is the boss. I’ve worked in the Nationwide Series in the past with drivers like Dale Earnhardt and Harry Gant and found success so the additional pressure doesn’t bother me too much. I’m confident about being at Daytona with Kevin Harvick because we have a great team and great equipment, which is a major key to success in any race.”

CitiFinancial

CitiFinancial, soon to be OneMain Financial, is the premier community lender in North America. With more than 1,300 locations across the United States. CitiFinancial has been serving communities since 1912. Additional information may be found at www.citifinancial.com.

Citi

Citi, the leading global financial services company, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 140 countries. Through Citicorp and Citi Holdings, Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, transaction services, and wealth management. Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com or www.citi.com.

June 27, 2011
Clint Bowyer No. 33 Nationwide Series Advance: Daytona International Speedway

Clint Bowyer

No. 33 Menards Chevrolet Impala

NASCAR Nationwide Series Race 17 of 34 – Daytona International Speedway

DAYTONA, ROUND TWO: Clint Bowyer returns to the driver’s seat of the No. 33 Menards Chevrolet Impala this weekend for the Subway Jalapeno 250 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. Bowyer and the Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) team started the 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series season together at Daytona in February. The Emporia, Kan., native collected the team’s first pole this season and finished a close second to teammate Tony Stewart in the No. 4 KHI Chevrolet. The KHI one-two finish, which was the third for the company in Nationwide Series competition, also landed in the record books. Stewart edged the No. 33 by 0.007 seconds, the closest finish in the Nationwide Series at Daytona and the third closest in series’ history.

PROVEN RECORD: In February of 2005, Tony Stewart grabbed KHI’s first win in the Nationwide Series behind the wheel of the No. 33 car. The following year, Stewart not only claimed victory again in the season opener but also gave KHI its first one-two finish as the No. 77 KHI Chevrolet Impala came in second behind the No. 33. Since 2005,KHI has recorded three additional wins, two poles, eight top-five and 11 top-10 finishes and led 194 laps at Daytona.

Bowyer also carries a proven record at the Daytona Beach, Fla., facility. The driver started from the pole and led 48 laps en route to winning the July Nationwide Series event in 2009. In addition to a win, he has collected eight top-five and 10 top-10 finishes at Daytona. Bowyer has completed 99.9 percent of laps attempted and has an average finishing position of 6.3.

KHI’S FOUR HORSEMEN: KHI will field four entries in Friday night’s race with Bowyer, Stewart in the No. 9 TapouT Chevrolet Impala, Nationwide Series championship contender Elliott Sadler in the No. 2 OneMain Financial Chevrolet Impala and KHI co-owner Kevin Harvick in the No. 4 Chevrolet Impala which will run a second OneMain Financial paint scheme. These four powerhouse drivers have compiled an impressive set of series stats including 44 starts, seven poles, eight wins, 26 top-five finishes, 31 top-10 finishes and have led 542 laps at the 2.5-mile superspeedway.

PREVIOUS RACE RECAP: Max Papis piloted the No. 33 Menards Chevrolet Impala last weekend at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis. Papis qualified on the outside pole for the 50-lap event, the first of three road course races for the Nationwide Series this season, but a late-race accident left the team with a disappointing 23rd-place finish.

CHASSIS HISTORY: Crew chief David Hyder and the No. 33 Menards crew will unload chassis No. 067 at Daytona. This is the same chassis Bowyer put on the pole and finished second with at Daytona in February. The driver also piloted chassis No. 067 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway in April. Bowyer started the event from the second position but fell victim to the notorious “big one” at the 2.66-mile track. The KHI team ultimately brought home a 22nd-place finish.

THOUGHTS FROM THE DRIVER: CLINT BOWYER

What are your thoughts as you look ahead to this weekend at Daytona?

“Daytona is what NASCAR is all about. It started there, and it means so much to be able to go and compete and it’s just such an awesome race track. We were so close to winning in February with this No. 33 KHI team. We had some tough breaks and got involved in accidents while running up front at Talladega [Superspeedway] in April, and then at Dover [International Speedway] in May. I’m looking forward to being back with the KHI guys, and I really want to get this Menards Chevy in victory lane and get another win at Daytona.”

About Menards:

With 263 stores in 13 Midwestern states, Menards has the tools, materials and supplies for all your home improvement needs whether just needing a light bulb or can of paint to building a deck or new home. Menards is known throughout the home improvement industry as the low price leader; it’s no wonder their famous slogan – “SAVE BIG MONEY” – is so widely known and easy to remember. Menards does things right – the company’s strength and success can be seen in the well-stocked and maintained stores, the lowest prices in town and the way guests are always treated like family in a hometown hardware store atmosphere.

June 27, 2011
Solid Run Ends in Disappointment for Tommy Baldwin Racing at Sonoma

Dave Blaney finished 31st in the No. 36 Big Red Chevrolet

SONOMA, CALIF. (June 27, 2011) – Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) driver Dave Blaney finished 31st in the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway. Blaney drove the No. 36 Big Red Chevrolet from the 36th starting spot to a race-high fifth. He was in the 11th position when he was spun with 16 laps to go. The spin relegated the team to the 31st-place finish. TBR held onto the 32nd spot in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) Owner Points.

Blaney and the TBR team were happy with the No. 36 Big Red Chevrolet right off the truck. The Hartford, Ohio native posted the 29th fastest time in the first practice with a fast lap of 91.259 seconds. He followed up practice by driving a lap of 91.214 seconds for qualifying, giving Blaney the 36th starting spot for his 21st career-road course start. The team went out for two practice sessions on Saturday and posted the 33rd and 35th fastest times of 90.566 seconds and 90.092 seconds.

Blaney took the green flag in the No. 36 Big Red Chevrolet from the 36th position. He radioed that the car had a small side bite issue and was loosing drive by lap 15 while in the 32nd spot. With green-flag pit stops beginning, Blaney drove up to the 10th position before pitting on lap 24 for four tires, fuel and an adjustment.

By the first caution on lap 34, the No. 36 Big Red Chevrolet was in the 33rd position, and Blaney radioed that the car felt better at the beginning of the run but after a few laps would fall off quickly. Crew chief Tommy Baldwin called Blaney down pit road for a four-tire pit stop and a rubber adjustment. The field restarted on lap 37, but two laps later, the field slowed again for a multi-car incident in turn 11. The Big Red Chevrolet stayed out and restarted 22nd on lap 42.

By lap 45, Blaney radioed that his Chevrolet was loosing the backend and forward grip while running in the top-25. On lap 47, the team made another four-tire pit stop and rubber adjustment under yellow-flag conditions. The Buckeye Bullet restarted 32nd and worked his way to the 26th spot by lap 57.

The yellow flag was displayed again on lap 61, and Blaney radioed that the rubber adjustment helped the Big Red Chevrolet turn but it was still loose in both right and left turns. The TBR team made a four-tire pit stop and air pressure adjustment. The No. 36 Big Red Chevrolet restarted 26th on lap 65. As the field began green-flag pit stops, the TBR team waited to pit until lap 83 in order to have enough fuel to finish the race with a green-white-checker finish. Blaney gave up the fifth position to make the team’s final pit stop.

The No. 36 Big Red Chevrolet rejoined the field in the 30th position. The final caution of the race fell on lap 88 with Blaney in the 29th position. With most teams unable to finish the race with their fuel, majority of the teams pit while the TBR team stayed out.

On lap 92, the Big Red Chevrolet restarted 10th. Blaney fell back to 11th before Marcos Ambrose spun the No. 36 in the corner. Blaney kept the Chevrolet off the wall and avoided other cars. He got back to speed and joined the field as the last car on the lead lap in the 33rd position. Blaney gained two more spots and crossed the finish line in the 31st position.

The 31st-place finish allowed the No. 36 to keep the 32nd position in NSCS Owner Points. The team now sits 28 points out of 31st and 43 points ahead of 36th. Blaney also held onto the 31st position in the NSCS Driver Points. He is 43 points behind David Gilliland in 30th and 15 points ahead of Casey Mears in 32nd.

“I thought the weekend went okay. I didn’t get a very good qualifying lap; I thought the car was better than that. We were fairly happy with the car in the race. We could run well early in the run but the tires slowed down a lot throughout the run. Early in the run, we were fine. The team played out pit strategy really well. We were sitting in a spot for a pretty good finish. We just got turned around, and that was the end of the good finish.”

Blaney will return to the track in the No. 36 Golden Corral Chevrolet next weekend at Daytona International Speedway for the Coke Zero 400.

About Big Red, Inc.

Big Red, Inc. is one of the top-10 beverage companies in North America with a history dating back to 1937. Along with Big Red, recognized as the number one selling red soda, Big Red, Inc. also markets beverage brands Diet Big Red, Big Blue, Big Red Vanilla Float, Big Peach, Big Pineapple, Big Punch, Big Honey Lemonade, NuGrape, and Nesbitt’s products. Distributed widely throughout the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, Independent Bottlers and Pepsi Bottling Group, consumers across the country enjoy Big Red, Inc.’s beverages.

About Tommy Baldwin Racing:

Tommy Baldwin Racing was formed in 2009 by NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Crew Chief Tommy Baldwin. Baldwin utilized a slumping economy to open a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team with a stringent budget. The team competed in two full seasons with multiple drivers behind the wheel of the No. 36 Chevrolet and improved in the standings each year.

Based in Mooresville, N.C., TBR will compete in the full NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule in 2011 with NASCAR veteran Dave Blaney piloting the No. 36 Golden Corral Chevrolet. Looking to improve on-track performance, TBR found success early in the 2011 season with partners Golden Corral, Big Red and Accell Construction. TBR’s driver development program, Heinke-Baldwin Racing, will also compete in various NASCAR series in 2011.

For more information on Tommy Baldwin Racing, visit tommybaldwinracing.com or follow us on Facebook, facebook.com/TBR.HBR, and Twitter, twitter.com/TBR_Racing.

June 27, 2011
TNT’s Groundbreaking Wide Open Coverage Returns for its Fifth Year in Primetime at the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona powered by Coca-Cola

Wide Opencoverage hasn’t missed a total lap of green flag racing over the past two years

TNT’s innovative Wide Opentelevision format will return for the fifth consecutive year during the network’s exclusive coverage of the primetime Coke Zero 400 at Daytona powered by Coca-Cola on Saturday, July 2. The network’s Wide Open coverage debuted during the 2007 Daytona 400 race and has resulted in only nine missed laps of green flag racing in four years, and zero laps in the last two races. The groundbreaking format provides continuous race coverage free of national commercial breaks and features more than 20% unobstructed race action,than that of a standard telecast, by using a letterbox widescreen format, which allows for a continuous scroll of race information. In place of the national ads, the telecast features a variety of animated sponsor messages, unique branded content and distinct on-screen graphic elements.

The six national sponsors featured in this year’s innovative telecast include Coke Zero, Coors Light, Pfizer,Sprint, Toyota, Warner Brothers Films’ Horrible Bosses andCrazy, Stupid, Love. This video model has proven successful for advertisers during previous coverage. According to Nielsen IAG Research, advertisements featured during the 2010 TNT NASCAR Wide Open Coverage race delivered a 68% brand recall score, a significantly higher recall score when compared to standard ads featured during sports and NASCAR coverage.

No stranger to televising NASCAR racing with uninterrupted coverage, Turner was the first network to use side-by-side coverage in 2000 during the UAW-GM Quality 500 NASCARRace on Oct. 8 in Charlotte with TBS’ “No Breaks Coverage.”

“We look forward to our fifth consecutive year of providing viewers with continuous green flag racing and more information on the 43 drivers in the field for the signature race of TNT’s NASCAR Summer Series,” said Jeff Behnke, Executive Producer/Senior Vice President of Turner Sports. “Through TNT and NASCAR.COM, we look forward to providing race fans with an all-access pass to all the sights and sounds of our primetime race in Daytona.”

The network will rev up its pre-race coverage beginning at6:30 p.m. ET withCountdown to Green delivered by Pizza Hut withLindsay Czarniak (host) and Kyle Petty and Larry McReynolds (analysts). TNT’s acclaimedPride of NASCAR series will feature a profile of the three-time National Motorsports Press Association Driver of the Year Cale Yarborough who won the Daytona 500 four times (1968, 1977, 1983 and 1984). Joining the studio show prior to the race will be No. 29 Kevin Harvick for an interview to talk about his season.Other pre-race features include McReynolds in a wind tunnel with No. 14 Tony Stewart’s crew chief Darian Grubb to explain how the two-car draft works and why it’s important at Daytona International Speedway.

TNT will air the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona powered by Coca-Cola beginning at7:30 p.m. (ET) with play-by-play announcerAdam Alexander calling the race alongside analystsPetty andWally Dallenbach in the booth. In addition, McReynolds will make frequent contributions from the infield as he breaks down crew strategy and analyzes car adjustments using theTNT Offtrack Robotic Car (TORC) presented by Toyota. Pit reportersChris Neville, Ralph Sheheen, Marty Snider andMatt Yocum will provide reports throughout the race.

TNT RaceBuddy on NASCAR.COM will once again provide live companion coverage online. Fans can choose from a total often camera views, including twoMosaics. Eight individual camera angles includefour In-Car Driver Cams, twoBattle Cams highlighting head-to-head competition between drivers, a Backstretch Cam and a Pit Road Cam. The two Mosaic Views allowfans to view four streams at once. Returning features to the site include the DVR Function, anEnhanced LIVE Leaderboard andRaceView’s position tracker: Fans can also connect throughout the race on Twitter, Facebook, Yahoo! Messenger and MySpace in a seamlessly-integrated social media experience.

2011 NASCAR on TNT Summer Series: ALL TIMES EASTERN (ET)

SATURDAY, JULY 2 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Countdown to Green delivered by Pizza Hut 7:30 – 11 p.m. Coke Zero 400 at Daytona powered by Coca-Cola (Daytona International Speedway ) SATURDAY, JULY 9 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Countdown to Green delivered by Pizza Hut 7:30 – 11 p.m. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Racing from Kentucky presented by KFC ( Kentucky Speedway ) SUNDAY, JULY 17 Noon – 1 p.m. Countdown to Green delivered by Pizza Hut 1 – 4:30 p.m. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Racing from New Hampshire ( New Hampshire Motor Speedway )

Turner Sports, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., is an industry leader in televised and online sports programming, airing championship level sporting events on TBS, TNT and truTV, and managing some of the most popular sports sites on the Internet. Turner Sports’ television line-up includes the NBA, Major League Baseball, the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, NASCAR and professional golf. The company’s digital portfolio includes SI.com, NASCAR.COM, NCAA.com, PGATOUR.COM, GOLF.com and PGA.com, as well as an accompanying collection of mobile websites and connected device apps. Turner Sports and the NBA also jointly manage NBA Digital, which includes NBA TV, NBA.com, NBA LEAGUE PASS , NBA Mobile, the NBA Game Time App, NBADLEAGUE.com and WNBA.com.

TNT, one of cable’s top-rated networks, is television’s destination for drama. Seen in 100.5 million households, the network is home to such original series as The Closer, starring Emmy® winner Kyra Sedgwick; Rizzoli & Isles, starring Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander; the Peabody Award-winning Men of a Certain Age, with Ray Romano, Scott Bakula and Andre Braugher; Leverage, starring Timothy Hutton; Hawthorne, with Jada Pinkett Smith; Memphis Beat, with Jason Lee; and Southland, from Emmy-winning producer John Wells (ER); as well as the upcoming Falling Skies, starring Noah Wyle, and Franklin & Bash, with Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Breckin Meyer. TNT also presents such powerful dramas as Bones, Supernatural, Las Vegas, Law & Order, CSI: NY, Cold Case and, starting in 2011, The Mentalist; broadcast premiere movies; compelling primetime specials, such as the Screen Actors Guild Awards®; and championship sports coverage, including NASCAR, the NBA and the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship. TNT is available in high-definition.

Visit the Turner Sports online pressroom at http://news.turner.com. Follow Turner Sports on Twitter at @TurnerSportsPR

June 27, 2011