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Category: NASCAR Cup Series

NASCAR Cup Series

  • NASCAR SPRINT CUP QUALIFYING MOVES TO SATURDAY FOR JUNE EVENTS

    BROOKLYN, Mich. (Feb. 7, 2011) – The most recent of Michigan International Speedway’s changes has to be one of the best values in professional sports and entertainment today.  

    NASCAR Sprint Cup Series pole qualifying for Michigan International Speedway’s Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 has been moved to Saturday, June 18 from its traditional Friday spot, track officials announced.  

    And at just $20 per ticket, at the current Value Pricing Period which ends February 28, the move gives fans a chance to see a full day of competitive Saturday racing action from the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series. Drivers from both series practice that day, followed by pole qualifying sessions from both series and then the 250-mile Nationwide Series race.

      “It’s a packed day of fun, an affordable day of NASCAR and an amazing way to spend a Saturday in June,” speedway President Roger Curtis said. “This should allow fans to see all the excitement from setup and practice of the car to qualifying to a race.”  

    Kids 12 and under are free that day. So a family of four can see two NASCAR race series on track all day, a race and a free concert after track activity for a reasonable price.  

    June Schedule is as follows:  

    Friday, June 17, 2011 10 a.m.                                       

    Gates Open to the Public 10 a.m.                                       

    ARCA Racing Series Qualifying 11:30 – 12:20 p.m.                      

    NASCAR Nationwide Series Practice 12:30 – 1:50 p.m.                        

    NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Practice  2 – 3:20 p.m.                               

    NASCAR Nationwide Series Final Practice 3:30 – 4:50 p.m.                          

    NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Final Practice 5 p.m.                                         

    Pre-Race Activities & Driver Introductions 5:15 p.m.                                    

    Start of RainEater Wiper Blades 200

    Saturday, June 18, 2011           10 a.m.                                       

    Gates Open to the Public 11:10 a.m.                                  

    NASCAR Nationwide Series Qualifying (Two Laps, All Positions) 1:10 p.m.                                    

    NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Qualifying (Two laps, All Positions) 3 p.m.                                         

    Pre-Race Activities & Driver Introductions 3:30 p.m.                                   

    Start ofNASCAR Nationwide Series Race

    Sunday, June 19, 2011           8 a.m.                                         

    Gates Open to the Public 12:30 p.m.                                  

    Pre-Race Activities & Driver Introductions 1 p.m.                                         

    Start ofHeluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400

    Qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event in August will remain on Meijer Pole Day on Friday, Aug. 19. Those tickets are $7.50.   Nestled in the lush Irish Hills of Southeastern Michigan, Michigan International Speedway is the Great Escape, a venerable NASCAR national park where fans can get away and enjoy the very best in racing and camaraderie. It’s the love of racing and the thrill of a great time for race fans and drivers alike.   MIS’ Value Pricing ends on February 28. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series tickets for the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 on June 19 and NSCS 400 on August 21 are as low as $25. 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.   Michigan International Speedway – 2011 Schedule Saturday, May 21       Great Lakes Wine Fest   Friday, June 17          

    ARCA Racing Series RainEater Wiper Blades 200 Saturday, June 18     

    NASCAR Nationwide Series 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

  • NO. 16 3M TEAM LOOKING FOR HARD WORK TO PAY OFF IN 2011

    CONCORD, N.C. (Feb. 7, 2011) – On the wall in the Roush Fenway training room there is a quote that says “The only substitution for hard work is a miracle.” The 3M team, led by crew chief Greg Erwin, believes in that quote wholeheartedly and are expecting their hard work to pay of this season.

    “We are starting this year in a better position that we have since I joined the team,” said Erwin. “We have essentially the same group with a few key additions and our expectations are high. We have every resource at our disposal including the addition of a third-party engineering company to support the simulation program. There is no excuse to not reach our goals and that is how we are approaching this season.”

    Driver Greg Biffle echoes Erwin’s enthusiasm and high expectations for the new season.

    “About halfway through last season I could tell that our cars were getting better,” said Biffle. “The competition level is about as high as I’ve ever seen it, but this year I can honestly say that we are right there with the best of them. I’m completely confident with this team and the effort everyone is giving to make this year our most successful ever.”

    A few new faces will be wearing the 3M logo when they arrive in Daytona next week. Todd Zeigler, who has been a tire changer with Roush Fenway since 1998, opted to take on a non-travel role with the team. Mike Lingerfelt, who had been with the No. 48 team at Hendrick Motorsports, will fill that position.

    “We are fortunate to acquire such a talented and experienced replacement at the front tire changer position,” commented Erwin. “Todd will fortunately remain a part of the team and Mike is quickly integrating himself as a valuable asset to the crew.”

    Mike Tam will provide additional engineering support both at the shop and at the track throughout the season. Justin Hines, who has worked with Biffle throughout his career at Roush Fenway, will take over engine tuning duties on the No. 16 Ford.

    “Our immediate goal is to win a race early in the season to set the tone and provide momentum,” said Erwin. “Wins will be crucial and we are fully aware of that. We feel fully equipped to compete with the best teams week in and week out for those wins.”

    About Roush Fenway Racing

    Roush Fenway Racing is NASCAR’s largest team operating seven motorsports teams. Four in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with drivers Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards and David Ragan; and three in the Nationwide Series with Edwards, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Trevor Bayne. For more information on any of the Roush Fenway Racing teams, log onto http://www.roushfenway.com/ www.RoushFenway.com. Become a fan of Roush Fenway Racing on Facebook by going to http://www.facebook.com/roushfenway and follow us on Twitter @roushfenway. For sponsorship inquiries please contact Robin Johnson at 704.720.4645.

  • HUNT BROTHERS PIZZA TEAMS WITH KEVIN HARVICK INC. TO SPONSOR 2011 NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES & TRUCK SERIES TEAMS

    Drivers Kevin Harvick and Elliott Sadler to Carry the Hunt Brothers Pizza Colors on the Track

    KERNERSVILLE N.C. (February 7, 2011) – The 2011 NASCAR season is quickly approaching, and Hunt Brothers® Pizza already has reason to celebrate. In a partnership with Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI), Hunt Brothers Pizza will be the primary sponsor for two of NASCAR’s most successful and influential drivers, Kevin Harvick and Elliott Sadler.

    KHI was founded in 2001 by Kevin Harvick and his wife, DeLana. The couple originally created the team as an outlet for Harvick to win his first Truck Series race, but it soon became much more. After 10 years of racing, the organization has grown into one of the premier racing teams in NASCAR. This season will mark the fourth year for Hunt Brothers Pizza serving as a primary sponsor in NASCAR. The company could not be more thrilled about joining one of the sport’s strongest teams.

    “Expanding our strategic partnership with NASCAR through KHI provides an incredible platform for Hunt Brothers Pizza to increase our brand exposure and our consumer reach through the racing team’s significant fan base,” says Scott Hunt, CEO for Hunt Brothers Pizza. “We’re excited to be a part of KHI, and we are looking forward to a winning NASCAR season led by the all-star driving team of Kevin Harvick and Elliott Sadler.”

    Hunt Brothers Pizza will serve as a primary sponsor for the KHI No. 2 and No. 4 Nationwide Series entries, with Kevin Harvick and Elliott Sadler behind the wheel. Hunt Brothers Pizza will also be represented as primary sponsor of the KHI No. 2 Chevrolet in the Truck Series, with drivers Harvick and Sadler. Additionally, Hunt Brothers Pizza will join Harvick as an associate sponsor for the full 2011 season on Harvick’s No. 29 Richard Childress Racing (RCR) Sprint Cup Series car. Hunt Brothers Pizza will be represented on Harvick’s uniform and have logo placement on the car.

    “Kevin Harvick Inc. is excited to partner with Hunt Brothers Pizza to create a unique sponsorship experience for both parties,” said KHI co-owner Kevin Harvick. “Our two organizations share similar cultural values and a winning spirit-which is sure to translate into some big wins on and off the track for both companies.”

    Harvick began his racing career at the tender age of seven, racing go-carts to satisfy his need for speed, which eventually led to racing cars and his incredible career in NASCAR. In no time, Harvick was on an outstanding winning streak where he still remains today, finishing the 2010 season with 10 wins in all three of NASCAR’s three elite series.

    When Harvick thought about making additions to his racing team in 2010, Elliott Sadler was an obvious choice. After climbing behind the wheel of KHI cars and trucks in 2010, Sadler’s five top-10 finishes, two pole awards and win at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway in June solidified his spot for 2011 at KHI.

    Hunt Brothers Pizza and KHI kick off the NASCAR season April 23, 2011, at the Nashville Superspeedway with Sadler driving the KHI No. 2 Nationwide Series Car. The Hunt Brothers Pizza sponsorship with KHI also includes special NASCAR-related promotions, on-track giveaways and other special events.

    For more information about the Hunt Brothers Pizza NASCAR sponsorships, visit www.hbpRacing.com.

     

    About Hunt Brothers Pizza:

    With more than 6,000 locations in 28 states, Hunt Brothers® Pizza is the nation’s largest brand of made-to-order pizza in the convenience store industry. Perfect for today’s on-the-go lifestyle, Hunt Brothers Pizza offers regular, thin crust, and breakfast pizzas with All Toppings No Extra Charge®, plus the Hunt Brothers® Wings in Southern Style and Hot ‘n Spicy flavors. Family owned and operated for over 40 years and headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., the company provides all of the food products, marketing programs, equipment and training for convenience stores to operate their own turnkey pizza program.

    For additional information, please visit www.huntbrotherspizza.com or call (800) 453-3675.

    About Kevin Harvick Inc.:

    Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) enters 2011 celebrating 10 years of NASCAR racing. From the start, co-owners Kevin and DeLana Harvick set a goal to become leaders within the industry. With two Truck Series championships to their credit, the organization has built a reputation of integrity and competitiveness within the NASCAR community. KHI is housed in an over 80,000 sq. ft. facility located in Kernersville, N.C. This season, the organization will field three full-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series teams and two full-time NASCAR Nationwide Series teams, competing for the drivers and owners championships in each series. With a roster comprised of both up-and-coming and veteran championship-caliber drivers, KHI continues to establish itself as one of the top teams in NASCAR competition. For more information about KHI and its teams, please visit www.KevinHarvickInc.com.

  • LABONTE AND JTG DAUGHERTY RACING SPREAD WORD ABOUT SIX-YEAR-OLD’S RACE OF HER LIFE AS SHE BATTLES LEUKEMIA

    CORNELIUS, N.C. (February 7, 2011) – This week NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams are hurrying to get equipment and cars loaded to leave for Daytona Beach, Fla. spending countless hours in preparation of the Mecca race of NASCAR.

    As the Daytona 500 excitement builds on who will win arguably the race of the year, six-year-old Jordan Jemsek is looking for someone who will help her win the race of her life. Little Jordan is in the fight for her life against Acute Myeloblastic Leukemia (AML). A bone marrow transplant is Jordan’s only chance to win this fight.

    In the midst of JTG Daugherty Racing’s Daytona team meeting led by Tad Geschickter, Bobby Labonte and crew chief Frank Kerr, team member Joey McCarthy told everyone in the room Jordan’s story he read in the Charlotte Observer. It touched him because he has a child Jordan’s age.

    “We want to do anything we can to spread the word about Jordan and encourage people to get tested to see if they could be a possible match,” McCarthy said.

    As McCarthy passionately told Jordan’s story, everyone immediately wanted to help somehow. Labonte and the JTG Daugherty Racing team have coordinated a special visit to see Jordan at Presbyterian Hemby Children’s Hospital today in hopes of lifting her spirits as well as her mom Kay.

    “We’re going to see Jordan and find out how we can help her and others,” Labonte said. “They are looking for a match for her and it is getting close. We’re hoping to raise awareness for her and encourage people to visit www.GetSwabbed.org to find out more about bone marrow donation and how to get tested. We’ve all been touched by this. We’re going to the hospital to lift her spirits.”

    For the 33rd annual Shootout on Saturday, February 12th, Reese Towpower® has donated the TV panel to place a photo of Jordan’s smiling face on the No. 47 Toyota and the website www.GetSwabbed.org to raise awareness on how to get tested in hopes of finding a bone marrow match for Jordan and others.

    “We’re thankful for Reese Towpower’s support in our efforts to help Jordan,” Labonte said.

    In a phone conversation with Jordan’s mom Kay on Thursday, she said they were looking forward to the team’s visit with Jordan.

    “You are angels that were sent to us,” Kay said.

    “People have been so kind to us,” Kay said in a recent interview with the Charlotte Observer. “There are not enough samples in the bank right now. If a match is not found for Jordan, my understanding is it could be used for somebody else and save somebody else’s life. It will be in Jordan’s honor. It’s all for good.”

    On Saturday, March 5th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET, a bone marrow drive will be held in honor of Jordan at St. Gabriel’s Catholic Church (3016 Providence Rd., Charlotte, NC 28211 in the Church Ministry Center Building, rooms D & E on the first floor). For more information, visit http://www.dkmsamericas.org/drives/help-save-jordan-and-others.
    To order a quick and easy cheek-swab home test kit, visit www.marrow.org.

    With Jordan’s drive and the home test kit, even if you’re not a perfect match for Jordan, your name gets added to the list and you may just be the perfect match for someone else out there.

  • Kenny Wallace Proves A Man of Many Talents

    Kenny Wallace Proves A Man of Many Talents

    Kenny Wallace, known as the ‘Hermanator’ and for his unusual laugh that he sports so often on his SPEED TV gig, is indeed a man of many talents. His newest talent is as stand in for Roush Fenway Racing driver Matt Kenseth, who is expecting a new baby with wife Katie to be delivered right around the Daytona 500.

    Wallace has announced that he is ready to step into Kenseth’s No. 17 Cup car for practice and qualifying during Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway if needed.  Wallace’s first chance at stepping into the car will be for practice on February 11th in preparation for the Bud Shootout.

    “I got a call last night from (Roush Fenway Racing GM) Robbie Reiser, and he said Katie Kenseth is due to give birth to their second baby in a couple of weeks,” Wallace said on the radio show Sirius Speedway. “They want me to be on standby in case she goes into labor before the Bud Shootout or Gatorade Duel.”

    “Matt will run the Daytona 500 no matter what, but they want me there in case they need me earlier in the week,” Wallace continued. “Even though it’s probably because I’m the same size as Matt and will fit into the seat easily, it took me about a quarter of a second to agree.”

    In addition to being on baby watch, Wallace is also preparing for his talents to start his own upcoming race season.  He will be driving full-time for RAB Racing in the Nationwide Series, marking his 22nd year in that Series in 2011.

    “I’ve been nervous since the final 2010 Nationwide Series race at Homestead trying to find the right fit for next year and now I can finally sleep at night,” Wallace said of his new ride. “My goal was to find a team with whom I could be competitive and I believe I have found that with RAB Racing.”

    “I’m ready to go for 2011,” Wallace continued.  “I have known Robby (Benton) and watched him grow his team for the past few years. The relationship with Toyota Racing Development (TRD) is huge and will allow me to be able to work with at least three other Toyota teams, including my brother Rusty (Wallace) and gain valuable information that will help us with the Nationwide program at RAB Racing next year.”

    Robby Benton, RAB Racing Co-Owner could not agree with Wallace more.  “Having our plans in place before the Christmas holiday was great for team morale and will provide us with ample time to prepare for what we need to do for the upcoming season.”

    “We’ve made significant changes at RAB Racing over the last few months in an effort to elevate our program,” Benton continued.  “Our alliance with Toyota, the relationship we have with TRD and now adding Kenny to the mix, will bring some depth to our program.”

    Benton also acknowledged that Wallace, with his many talents, will bring his own sense of style and personality to the team.

    “It also helps tremendously having a driver with Kenny’s notoriety,” Benton said.  “People love him and hopefully we’ll be able to reinvigorate his fan base.”

    Wallace will be piloting the No. 09 Toyota Camry for RAB Racing in the Nationwide Series.  To date, he and the team have secured several sponsors, including the University of Northwestern Ohio,  Federated Auto Parts, and Family Farmers, the latter being a coalition of soybean and corn farmers.

    These sponsors are on board for at least 16 races as primary sponsors.  As with most race teams, however, Wallace and Benton are still looking to fill their sponsorship dance card for the remaining 18 races of the Nationwide season.

    “We have a lot going on within our marketing department right now,” Benton said.  “I feel pretty confident about having all 34 races sold before the Daytona event in February.”

    Lest anyone think that Wallace has just been waiting around for the NASCAR season to start, he has already been busy at the track in Daytona.  He participated in the Rolex 24, racing under the banner of TRG and the Children’s Tumor Foundation.

    Wallace teamed up for the 24 hour race with fellow drivers Ron Yarab, Pierre Bourque, and Daniel Graeff.  While the team sought success on the track, they were also seeking to raise more than $1 million for the Foundation.

    “I am really honored to help represent the Children’s Tumor Foundation, it’s very near and dear to my heart,” Wallace said prior to the event. “Along the way I’m a competitor, a winning race driver, and it’s fun to team up with a winning organization like TRG.”

    Wallace and company finished 20th overall in the Rolex 24, after starting in the 24th position.

    In addition to the Rolex 24, Wallace has been showing off his dirt track racing talent, kicking off his season for 2011.  He has seen action at East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa, Florida and will next travel the circuit from Volusia to Eldora Speedways throughout the year.

    Wallace’s final talent will emerge later in 2011 after the finale of his NASCAR Nationwide season, when he once again assumes the duties of cruise director.  Wallace will sponsor yet again his ‘Kenny Cruise 2011″ on the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line.

    Wallace will socialize on the Allure of the Seas ship, which will cruise the western Caribbean for a week.  Kenny’s 2011 cruise will leave Ft. Lauderdale on December 4th, 2011 traveling to Haiti, Jamaica and Mexico, before returning back to Florida on December 11th.

    From Rolex and NASCAR Nationwide racing to filling in for an expectant Cup driver and father, as well as social directing on his own cruise, the ‘Hermanator’ is indeed a man of many talents.  And just in case that is not enough Wallace for the year, fans can also check out his famous laugh on Race Day by the Home Depot and Victory Lane on SPEED TV for yet another season.

  • NASCAR’s Digital Fan Clubs Who is best? Who is biggest? Who has the best value?

    NASCAR’s Digital Fan Clubs Who is best? Who is biggest? Who has the best value?

    In this digital age NASCAR and its drivers have begun to reach out to their fan bases via the internet. Fan based websites have gotten bigger and better every year with fan clubs going completely electronic in place of the old school paper newsletter that came through the mail.

    This is the time of year that hosts the launch of most of the new fan clubs and their websites. Ryan Newman, Kyle Busch, Dale Jr, Kevin Harvick, Tony Stewart and others all either have or will soon launch their new fan clubs and in some case’s their websites. So the Fourth Turn ventured out to see what was out there. The results might surprise you.

    The biggest site is not the best site. The best is not whose you might think. The most well known is light years behind and disappointing. And by the replies from the organizations combined with their sites the drivers who are most committed to their fans would perhaps surprise you. But the biggest surprise is who has the biggest and most loyal following behind them.

    [media-credit name=”Brad Keppel” align=”alignright” width=”180″][/media-credit]Jimmie Johnson’s fan club takes a very fresh approach towards his fan club. Their club is free and powered by Lowes. They offer perspectives from Chad Knaus and Earl Barban, in car audio, as well updates from Jimmie. A quick registration process has you ready to be in the middle of the quest for the 6-Pack.

    Their store is powered by Sports Today and offers a variety of merchandise and team 48 encrested items. Although they do offer a live race day chat and live in car audio, I was not able to find a message board or an actual chat room. The site is however, packed with information and fun things for fans of all ages. It is definitely the championship contender of the free sites. Lowes has left no corner unturned to bring the 48 fans in close to their team. Their approach is very reminiscent of Football’s extra man. By educating and illustrating they eliminate the unproductive fuss seen in many places.

    Kyle Busch does not offer a fan club dedicated website. His communications director Ryan Kingsbury stated, “I really see no value in an exclusive website for fan club members, we have a very powerful online presence for all our fans via our websites and social media assets. (KyleBusch.com, Twitter.com/KyleBusch, Facebook.com/KyleBusch) We offer an exclusive e-newsletter to the Fan Club members that we give them special offers, giveaways, first details on appearances, etc…In fact we will be giving away tickets to Daytona to a couple lucky Fan Club members in the coming weeks. Aside for the items they receive in the kit, Fan Club members receive a 10% discount on all purchases at our online store (RowdyBusch.com). We will also have an autograph session at KBM in May, Fan Club members will be able to RSVP and be assured an autograph, as well as an invitation to an exclusive Fan Club meeting in October at KBM. (Which will be well worth the price of the membership) Our Fan Club numbers are up 80% over last year already, for a once a year price of $35 it’s a great value.”

    Kevin Harvick’s club offers a great exclusive membership package that features lots of sponsorship involvement in the form of coupons that are included in the package sent to members. According to Fan Club President Tyler Patterson, the kit includes, a t-shirt, membership card, merchandise discount card, Kevin Harvick autograph card, decal, keychain, ink pen and mouse pad that is also a calendar complete with race dates.

    Patterson added, ”Each fall, we host an open house where fan club members can come and have the opportunity to meet Kevin and get a photo/autograph and tour the race shop. This year we have decided to take our fan club event on the road and will host gatherings at Martinsville in April and Phoenix in November.”

    Fan Central is an extension of KevinHarvick.com and is a basic social network site that allows fans to interact with one another. Kevin “really only uses his Twitter to interact with the fans now,” According to Patterson.

     You can also follow Kevin and Delana on Twitter. Their adventures with Mother Function and Lo are definitely not only entertaining but Delana offers Question and Answer on Race Day most weekends.

    Ryan Newman will also be launching a new fan club based web site that will celebrate their 10th year of operation. They will be doing so with an entirely new concept for fan clubs. Their new site will be a micro social network. The social network style will be the first of its kind in regards to NASCAR based fan clubs.

    By utilizing all of the best things about Facebook along with the NASCAR/Ryan Newman theme and connection, they hope to improve their fan experience several fold. It will work very similar to Facebook, with profiles, post interactions like Facebook and like buttons that will be race points. The race points will be used in a leader board style to allow recognition to the fan club members that post the most participated in conversations and the most well liked pictures and videos.

    Ryan Newman himself will also have a profile allowing him to participate as a part of the fan club. As a part of the group he can interact with the group as a member of the fan club family rather than as an outside object of conversation. The new site will allow Ryan  more transparency and proximity to his fan base.

    The site boasts bright colors and ease of use as well as its revolutionary concept. The site offers a live chat capability for its members based on events such as the Daytona 500 or news events that are taking place within the network itself. The site will be very much picture driven and allows I-Phone and I-Pad access.

    The site, scheduled to launch before the Daytona 500, will seamlessly integrate the old site and its members into the new one. New members will have instant access once the new site has launched.

    Four time Champion Jeff Gordon’s fan site has multiple levels. He has a pay site that features chats with Jeff and his wife. Contests and features like message boards and 24 hour chat. But he also offers a basic package that does not require a financial investment but offers family photos messages from Jeff and video’s of “Network” meetings.

    His general site gives a glimpse into the world of Jeff Gordon, with information about everything from his racing and foundation to his winery and their offerings. Gordon also has launched a Hologram program to protect all of his fans from fake autographs and he allows you to enter the number from your hologram to see if yours is real.

    Jeff’s commitment to his fans appears to be all year long as there were holiday messages found in archives from the last several years. Though Gordon’s blog appears to be more video in nature he keeps touch with scheduled regularity and offers a very close up view of his thoughts, his life, and his career.

    The shining star of the new stars that we checked out is just getting started. His name is familiar but his face will surprise you. Bobby Dale Earnhardt’s fan commitment is second to none. His website is just forming but his internet presence is growing on a daily basis. Between Twitter and Facebook, Team Earnhardt is turning heads. Bobby isn’t just the object of this effort. Bobby is a part of this effort.

    Bobby is Dale Earnhardt’s oldest grand child. He is the oldest son of Kerry Earnhardt. He is choosing to make his own way in the racing world without relying on his family or his family name although obviously he can not change that.  He is determined to make his way the old fashioned way, the way his Grandfather did, on his own. It may seem a lonely way to get there but Bobby is gathering a great many fans to walk the road with him and maybe have a good time with it too.

    Although nearly every driver’s fan club was contacted, only a handful responded. These are the most dynamic and the best of the offerings sampled. It is interesting to note, that in a time when NASCAR is suffering from a lack of people in the seats and on the couch, the common course in regards to its fan clubs is distant anonymity. The drivers who seem to be making the efforts to remain accountable to the fans and to stay close to their fan base are the drivers we see time after time rise to the top of the popularity charts and on the race track as well.

    It is amazing that people have missed one of the greatest stories of the off season, that of the fans of Richard Petty. The king has been off the track for quite some time as a driver but his dedication and loyalty to his fans has never changed. That dedication and loyalty was returned when the King of stock car racing entered a different kind of race one to regain control of his name, it was his faithful following that provided the muscle to make that happen. Is there a lesson to be learned in that, most definitely. Will it be embraced? Only time will tell. But it is interesting to note that the largest fan base in all of NASCAR belongs to a man who hasn’t turned the wheel of a stock car since 1992.

  • NASCAR By the Numbers: Day 14 in the Countdown to the DAYTONA 500

    NASCAR By the Numbers: Day 14 in the Countdown to the DAYTONA 500

    We are counting down the days until the DAYTONA 500 using some fun facts.

    Number 14

    Number of Sprint Cup wins held by each Kevin Harvick and Ryan Newman.

    Poles won during the 1980 Cup Series by Cale Yarborough. In 1984, he became the first driver to qualify for the Daytona 500 with a top speed of more than 200 miles per hour.

    Total number of races where Dale Earnhardt completed all 500 laps of the Daytona 500, which is the track record.

    Car No. driven by Tony Stewart. Stewart has 39 Sprint Cup wins and two Cup Series championships in 2002 and 2005. In 2009, Stewart became the first driver/owner to win a Sprint Cup race since Ricky Rudd in 1998. He went on to win four Sprint Cup races and the Sprint Cup All- Star Challenge that season. Most recently, Stewart has been in the news for a confrontation he had with the co-owner of the Sydney Speedway over track safety concerns.

  • Frankie Stoddard: Still Chasing the Dream

    Frankie Stoddard: Still Chasing the Dream

    You have to admire Frankie Stoddard. He was the boy genius that came on the scene with Roush Racing and led the No.99 Jeff Burton team to 14 Sprint Cup wins. That’s more victories than the entire Hendrick Motorsports crew chiefs, with the notable exception of Chad Knaus, have combined. Sponsorship problems led Burton to leave for Richard Childress Racing and Stoddard headed to Bill Davis Racing. Stoddard has not visited victory lane since.

    [media-credit name=”FAS Lane Racing, LLC” align=”alignright” width=”153″][/media-credit]The New Hampshire native has had to lead teams with limited financial support since. His last gig was with the Latitude 43 team of Bob Jenkins. Jenkins, also a New England native, started that team when Roush-Fenway Racing had to downsize to four teams after the 2009 season. The team that formerly had Jamie McMurray as driver was bought by Jenkins. The No. 26 team had its good moments, staying in the top 35 for most of the season and having one top 10 finish, but the resources were just not there to compete for wins and the championship, something that Stoddard has had to deal with since leaving Roush.

    Today, Stoddard made the first step of what he hopes will be a competitive NASCAR Sprint Cup team, but the odds are long. Few victories come from teams other than the super teams of Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, and Richard Childress Racing. Stoddard’s former team, Roush Fenway Racing has struggled these last few years, and yet Stoddard is assembling Fords bought from Roush and Richard Petty Motorsports. They will be good cars, but they will be the make that hasn’t won half dozen races in the last three years. Stoddard’s cars will carry the number 32. With no hope from Jenkins that his team would move forward, Stoddard made a move.

    “We’re not going to be out there knocking off Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing and Roush,” Stoddard said. “Our goal will be to run between 15th and 30th, and by doing that, to give a smaller sponsor a ton of exposure.”

    That’s a heck of goal for a man who has been to victory lane as much as Stoddard. While major Sprint Cup teams command $20-25 million in sponsorship for a full season, Stoddard said his new operation can do the job – on a smaller scale – for as little as $3-4 million. “There’s an untapped market out there,” he said. “There are sponsors that want to be in this sport, but don’t have that $20 million to spend. We’re going to reach out to those companies and give them a chance to be involved.”

    He is joining with Bob Reath, owner and CEO of US Chrome Corporation in this venture. Stoddard and Reath have a history. Reath and US Chrome hired Stoddard to guide driver Dana Patten in five Sprint Cup races back in 1988. With the sponsorship of Reath’s company as well as others, Stoddard hopes for the best.

    As of today, no driver has been announced and no other sponsors have been announced. With the Daytona 500 only two weeks away, it appears that making the field might be a long shot, but that’s been the story of “boy genius” Frankie Stoddard since the Roush days. He has quite a resume, but this may be his biggest challenge.

  • HOORAHS AND WAZZUPS: It was a rather vague interview that offered nothing new

    HOORAHS AND WAZZUPS: It was a rather vague interview that offered nothing new

    During the course of the past few days we waited in anticipation for a supposed titillating tell all interview with former NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield only to discover that he had nothing to say. We were puzzled by a bizarre, million dollar, offer from an Indy Car official that doesn’t seem to have any takers. We learned what the Ganassi slam is and then we marveled at the prospect of a former unemployed home developer who is now the newest NASCAR team owner. With those thoughts in mind let’s begin with:

    WAZZUP with last Tuesday’s live television interview with Jeremy Mayfield on the SPEED Channel’s “Race Hub” program? The promos for this interview suggested that the embattled driver was “finally going to get to tell his side of the story.” What we saw instead was a vague interview that offered nothing new. I truly felt sorry for “Race Hub” host Steve Byrnes who had to carefully navigate his way through an interview that was clearly going to be a waste of perfectly good television time.

    The lengthy saga of Mayfield versus NASCAR began with the driver failing a mandatory drug test, back in May of 2009 that led to his indefinite suspension from the sport. It was later revealed that this test was positive for methamphetamine. However Mayfield claimed he had taken a doctor prescribed drug for an allergy condition with the over the counter medicine known as Claritin D and that combination produced a false positive. He filed suit against NASCAR and demanded his reinstatement. That action led to a lengthy series of court hearings that are still ongoing. Mayfield himself said on Tuesday that the latest round of court arguments could last as long as a year and a half.

    One had the feeling that Mayfield had been carefully coached by attorneys to be extremely careful regarding comments on his legal issues with NASCAR. “I’ve got a lot things to say that I can’t obviously because of the litigation,” he said during the interview adding “I don’t want to get into anymore trouble whatsoever by what I’m saying. It’s just hard because, when you’re in this situation, there’s a lot of anger now and things could come out that wouldn’t be good for either one of us. It’s tough when you walk around everyday and you get the chance to finally tell your side of the story, there’s so much more to it that would really enlighten a lot of things that you just can’t tell.”

    WAZZUP with that moment of murky confusion? That alone should have had Mayfield escorted to the men’s room with a plastic cup.

    When asked by Byrnes about the prospect of his future, Mayfield said he was excited about starting a new metal recycling business but offered no details. Regarding the prospect of returning to racing. Mayfield did mention the possibility of driving for the owner of a dirt car team but again offered no details. He also expressed an interest in driving for an Indy Car, as well as drag racing, if the conditions were right saying “I don’t want to struggle anymore.”

    Perhaps Mayfield is saving all of the enlightening details for some future tell all book. Again, his appearance on the “Race Hub” last Tuesday was a vague interview that offered nothing new.

    ****************

    HOORAH to five time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson for placing his family first and declining a high dollar offer that would have had him driving in the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca Cola 600 on the same day. That offer came from Indy Car CEO Randy Bernard who offered some high profile NASCAR drivers $1 million for taking on both prestigious events plus a $20 million bonus to any driver who could win both of the races on the same day. This high dollar offer was reported to be part of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500.

    Although he said there’s a part of him that always wanted to drive the Indy 500, Johnson’s decision to decline the offer was based on the time he would have to spend away from his wife and daughter during the month of May. Preparations for the Indy 500 alone take approximately three weeks. That schedule would have been in addition to his NASCAR Sprint Cup commitments which includes stops at Darlington and Dover during the month of May as well as the All Star Race and the Coca Cola 600 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway.

    By the way, another HOORAH goes to Rick Hendrick, Johnson’s team owner, for a great comment after learning his champion driver had turned down the Indy offer. Hendrick described Johnson’s potential time away from family as a “deal breaker” and said “his wife’s against it, and she’s got a lot of stroke in that deal.”

    WAZZUP with this Indy Car offer being made to begin with? Recent reports indicates that drivers Juan Pablo Montoya and Kasey Kahne have not responded to Bernard’s double duty race day offer and driver Sam Hornish Jr. has made it clear that he doesn’t want to return to the Indy Car ranks.

    ************

    Talk about a way to start off a new year: HOORAH to team owner Chip Ganassi who had the pleasure of watching his Grand American Rolex Series teams, with drivers Scott Pruett and Scott Dixon, finish one-two at the conclusion of 24 Hours of Daytona last weekend. Ganassi teams has now won four of the most prestigious motorsports events in the nation within a period of 12 months. That list includes the Daytona 500, the Indy 500, the Brickyard 500 and now the 24 Hours of Daytona. That accomplishment has been appropriately titled “The Ganassi Slam.”

    HOORAH to NASCAR Sprint Cup team owner Kevin Buckler primary owner of TRG, The Racer’s Group, who watched his team, led by driver Andy Lally, win the GT Class portion of the 24 hour race. Lally, an occasional visitor to the Sprint Cup Series, won the pole during qualifying but a technical glitch during post race inspection put the car at the back of the field. Making this win even more difficult was the fact that the TRG driver team ran the last 17 hours of the race without a working clutch.

    *************

    The final HOORAH of the week goes to Joe Denette a long time native of Spotsylvania County-Virginia. Who’s that you ask? Denette is the newest team owner in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series under some very special circumstances.

    In 2009 economics found Denette laid off from his long time job in the home development industry. But that all changed in May of that year when Denette won the Virginia Lottery Mega Millions worth $75.6 million. He opted for the lump sum payment of $47.8 million.

    A long time NASCAR fan, Denette decided to create his own race team and enlisted the aid of Hermie Sadler, NASCAR driver-SPEED Channel reporter, to help him with the massive details. Denette Racing will begin its maiden voyage this year working out of a newly acquired shop in Huntersville-North Carolina. They have already made a very smart move by aligning themselves with Kevin Harvick Inc who will provide the new team with chassis and technical support. Another smart move was the recent signing of up and coming truck series driver Jason White who will be bringing his long time sponsor, Gun Brokers Dot Com, with him.

  • Kentucky Speedway Corporate Offices to Open in Sparta Feb. 7

    KENTUCKY SPEEDWAY CORPORATE OFFICES TO OPEN IN SPARTA FEB. 7

    SPARTA, Ky. – Kentucky Speedway will open its new corporate offices at 1 Speedway Drive, Sparta, Ky., 41086 on Monday, Feb. 7.

    The expanded two-story building previously known as the track’s Fan Center will feature new ticket areas, conference rooms and offices that will house and support all communications, sales, marketing and administrative functions. Ticket and employee phone extensions will not change. The new location is accessible from I-71 Exit 57 and Ky Hwy. 35 N.

    “Our move to Sparta just a few weeks in advance of the Daytona 500 only heightens the excitement surrounding our first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. We are eager to welcome our fans and business partners to our new home,” Kentucky Speedway General Manager Mark Simendinger said.

    Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Jeff Gordon, five-time champion Jimmie Johnson, and their fellow Sprint Cup Series stars make their Kentucky Speedway debut in a 400-mile race July 9. The event will conclude Kentucky Speedway’s season-opening weekend which also features a 225-mile NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race July 7 and 300-mile NASCAR Nationwide Series event July 8.

    The season continues Oct. 1 with a return NASCAR Camping World Truck Series engagement and an Oct. 2 open-wheel doubleheader featuring a 300-mile IZOD IndyCar Series battle and 100-mile Firestone Indy Lights sprint.

    Tickets and reserved campsites for all events and weekends can be reserved now at http://www.kentuckyspeedway.com http://www.kentuckyspeedway.com or by phone at 888-652-7223.

    Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/KySpeedway http://www.twitter.com/KySpeedway / Facebook: http://bit.ly/KYSFB http://bit.ly/KYSFB