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Category: NASCAR Cup Series

NASCAR Cup Series

  • Silly Season Comes Early These Days

    Silly Season Comes Early These Days

    Once upon a time, Silly Season started about this time of year. Most driver and team changes were announced near or after the final race of the season. Rumors were always present, but no one knew anything until the teams made an announcement. And that happened about this time of year. Not anymore.

    It all started a few years ago. Dale Jarrett moved from Joe Gibbs Racing to Robert Yates racing early. Heck, Ernie Irvan moved to Yates early when the untimely death of Davey Allison caused a vacancy. A few years ago, Jack Roush fired Kurt Busch after an unfortunate run-in with the law in Arizona after he announced he was moving to Penske Racing. Then there was the Kyle Busch move to Gibbs when Rick Hendrick decided to hire Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Dale Jarrett and Elliott Sadler disgusted with performance before the season was over moved to Michael Waltrip Racing and Evernham Racing one year. Many moved on early, leaving sponsors in limbo and teams in disarray. It continues today.

    The latest of these moves happened sudden after the Bank of America 500 last week at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Kasey Kahne had already made his move. Kahne had come into Sprint Cup racing with Evernham Racing. Having been trained under the Ford brand, he rejected Ford Racing and headed to the Dodge team, which caused a lawsuit that was settled without a trial and probably left a mark on the young driver. Fast forward to two years ago when, in order to survive, Evernham took on partner George Gillette, Jr. and later merged with Petty Enterprises under the same Dodge banner. During these hard times, insiders tell us that Kahne and his team became separated from the four-team organization. When Kahne and teammate A. J. Allmendinger had problems on the track earlier this year, Allmendinger admitted that he rarely saw or talked to Kahne. It was no surprise that Kahne announced a multi-year deal with Hendrick Motorsports for 2012. That left Kahne in limbo for 2011, but Kahne and his crew chief, Kenny Francis, pledged to run the season and win races at RPM.

    It all blew up last Saturday night. Kahne’s fast Ford, which had qualified well and run well in the early going, lost its brakes. Kahne was so disgusted that he refused to get back in the car after repairs. Complicated was the reported confrontation between a “Petty Motorsports employee” and Kahne in which is effort was challenged. Kahne refused to get back in the car and J.J. Yelley finished the race. Kahne claimed sickness for the refusal to finish the race, but it was notable that he ran a foot race the next day in Charlotte. RPM released him from his contract on Wednesday. It is expected that he will be in a Red Bull Toyota on Sunday.

    So what gives with these early departures, regardless of sponsor or team obligations? Beats me. You can’t blame drivers for trying to improve themselves (Paul Menard, another RPM driver who has already announced he’s moving to Richard Childress Racing), but it seems to me that contracts are more important than “feelings.” Is it a product of the instability at RPM or is it more than that? Or is it just the way the Cup series is these days? I just feel sorry for all those people with Budweiser clothing. The Dale Junior bunch and Kasey Kahne bunch are going to have to buy a new wardrobe. Junior went from Bud red to AMP green and now Kahne’s fans have to go from Bud red to Red Bull blue. The concessionaires are smiling, but the pocketbooks are suffering. In a bad economy.

  • The End of an Era? RPM folding??

    The End of an Era? RPM folding??

    Rumors have circulated for months but the demise of Petty Motorsports could be upon us. Since last weekend in Charlotte where Kasey Kahne had an apparent uncharacteristic temper tantrum, RPM has released Kahne (after asking him to first step aside) late last night, replacing him with Aric Almirola.

    Now, Fox Sports reports from the Charlotte area say that Roush Fenway Racing and Roush – Yates have stopped delivery of equipment and repossessed cars and engines at RPM’s shops. According to the report no more cars are available to RPM after this weekend’s race at Martinsville. There were also reports that they may not have jobs after Martinsville.

    The financial issues that Petty has endured are well documented. He sold to Boston Ventures in 2008 and then merged with Gillett – Evernham later that same season (which is where Kahne originated) . Earlier this year there were rumors of a large default on debt.

    Speedway Media will bring more as it develops.

  • NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: Chase drama at Martinsville

    NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: Chase drama at Martinsville

    Round six of NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Chase for the Championship will be taking a very interesting turn this Sunday when it presents another round of short track racing at the Martinsville Speedway. Sunday’s Tums Fast Relief 500 could turn out to be a clash of the titans. The drivers first and second in the standings have personal stats from this race track that are nothing short of amazing. Adding to the weekend drama are the details of an unexpected, but not necessarily surprising, major driver change.

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    THE STORY BREAKDOWN

    During the course of Sunday’s Tums Fast Relief 500 all Chase observers will be watching the performances of Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin. Johnson goes into the race with a 41 point advantage over Hamlin. Both drivers have outstanding performances at Martinsville in the past. Between them Johnson and Hamlin have won the last eight races there.

    Johnson is a six time winner at Martinsville. He also has six other top five finishes. The last time Johnson finished outside of the top ten at Martinsville was during his rookie season back in 2002.

    Hamlin is a three time winner at Martinsville. His hot streak at this race track includes winning the last two races there in a row and three of the last five events. If Hamlin is going to trim down Johnson’s points lead, or possibly reclaim the points lead, then Martinsville is best arena to get the job done although it may require some surprise situation such as Johnson having a bad race.

    Kevin “Happy” Harvick is third in the Chase standings and 77 points away from the top. However Harvick may not be that happy about the Sprint Cup Series’ return to Martinsville this Sunday. His worst finish of the year, a 35th, came after the spring race there. Harvick has raced at Martinsville twice a year since the 2001 season without a top five finish. Harvick’s game plan for Sunday’s race is to score a top ten finish to keep Johnson and Hamlin within his sights. Harvick will be hedging his bet on next week’s restrictor plate race at Talladega an area that he excels at. Harvick probably also yearns for the old points system used prior to the creation of the Chase. Under the old school system he would be leading the standings with a 249 points lead over Johnson.

    Jeff Gordon’s drive for five championship run is treading water and he needs to launch something spectacular and do it soon. He’s currently fourth in the Chase standings and 156 points out of first. The Martinsville Speedway could turn out to be a good launching pad for Gordon because he virtually owns the individual driver’s stats there. Gordon leads the active drivers list in Martinsville wins with seven. He also leads in top five finishes with 23, top ten finishes with 29, laps led at 2,888 and has won the pole position a series high seven times. The last time Gordon finished outside of the top five at Martinsville was back in 2004 when he finished ninth. He came very close to winning the race last March only to get beat by Hamlin during the final green-white-checker finish.

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    The other big story you will hearing a lot about this weekend concerns Richard Petty Motorsports’, (RPM), Wednesday night decision to release Kasey Kahne as the driver of their #9 Ford. This decision stemmed from last Sunday’s race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway when Kahne suffered a hard crash due to failed brakes. Noting that it was the team’s third brake failure of the season, a normally easy going Kahne went ballistic over the radio making it clear that he’s had enough and he can’t wait to leave the team at the end of the season when his contract runs out. The team made repairs but Kahne declined to get back into the car. He later said he wasn’t feeling well following the crash. Driver J J Yeley finished the race for RPM.

    Earlier this year Kahne announced that he was leaving RPM at the end of this season and had signed a contract to drive for Hendrick Motor Sports, (HMS). However, his new ride, currently occupied by driver Mark Martin, wasn’t going to become available until the start of the 2012 season. Team owner Rick Hendrick engineered a deal to have Kahne drive a Red Bull Racing Toyota during the 2011 season.

    It now turns out that Kahne will be getting a head start on his 2011 ride. He is listed as the driver of the #83 Red Bull car at Martinsville and is expected to be in the car for the remainder of the current racing season. Meanwhile RPM announced that driver Aric Almirola will take over the wheel of their #9 Ford at Martinsville. In a sheer note or irony, Almirola was the driver of record for the #83 Red Bull ride at Martinsville.

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    THE VEGAS BREAKDOWN

    To know real surprise the Las Vegas based World Sports Exchange, (WSE), has Denny Hamlin on top of their ratings list at 3 to 1 odds followed closely by Jimmie Johnson, 4 to 1, and Jeff Gordon at 6 to 1. Two time race winner Tony Stewart has been ranked at 10 to 1.

    The middle tier of the WSE rankings shows Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch at 12 to 1 odds with Clint Bowyer at 18 to 1. At 20 to 1 is a quartet of drivers led by former race winners Jeff Burton and Kurt Busch along with Jamie McMurray and Joey Logano.

    In the lower tier the WSE has Juan Pablo Montoya, Carl Edwards and Ryan Newman ranked at 25 to 1, Greg Biffle at 30 to 1 while Martin Truex Jr and Matt Kenseth come in at 35 to 1. Completing this week’s ranking is a trio of drivers, at 40 to 1, featuring Kasey Kahne, Dale Earnhardt Jr and two time Martinsville winner Mark Martin.

    Now for the disclaimer. NASCAR wants us to remind you that these numbers are for information and entertainment purposes. They neither encourage and condone the placing of wagers on their races. Instead you may want to consider spending your money getting a head start on Christmas shopping. Those NASCAR tree ornaments are highly recommended especially if you’re an unmarried man living alone.

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    THE TRACK BREAKDOWN

    The Martinsville Speedway was opened in 1947 by Clay Earles and remains as one of the oldest, continually operated, race tracks in the country.

    The facility began as a dirt track. The first sanctioned NASCAR race was held there in September of 1949 and was won by the legendary Red Byron.

    The track was paved in 1955. Concrete overlays were placed in the turns in 1976.

    The Martinsville Speedway is a .526 mile oval that is shaped like a paper clip. The track is practically as flat as a paper clip. There is only 12 degrees of banking in the turns and zero degrees on the straights. Those straight-aways are only 800 feet long which presents a physical challenge for the drivers. The speedway currently has seating for 61,000 fans.

    The speedway’s pit road is also a challenge for the drivers. The pit stalls measure 14 feet wide by 28 feet long. The pit road speed is a very slow 30 MPH.

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    THE RACE BREAKDOWN

    Sunday’s Tums Fast Relief 500 is 500 laps/263 miles around the Martinsville Speedway’s .526 mile oval.

    The race has 48 entries vying for the 43 starting berths.

    11 of those entries are on the go or go home list meaning these teams are not guaranteed a start in the race because they are currently outside of the top 35 in owner’s points. These teams will have to rely on qualifying speed to make the race.

    Weather should not be an impact on the race. The Sunday forecast for the Martinsville-Virginia area calls for some partly cloudy conditions with daytime highs at 76 degrees.

    Racing fans planning on watching the Tums Fast Relief 500 on television need to be aware that you will start with the ESPN2 network, at 12 pm eastern time, for the “NASCAR Countdown” show. Then, at 1 pm et, you will need to switch to the ESPN network for the actual race. The rebroadcast of the race will be on Monday morning, 2 am et, on ESPN2 and again on Wednesday, 12 pm et, on SPEED.

  • 48 Fewer Sprint Cup Cautions In 2010 Compared To 2009

    48 Fewer Sprint Cup Cautions In 2010 Compared To 2009 After 31 Races

    19 Fewer Nationwide Cautions In 2010 Compared To 2009 After 31 Races

    SERVICEMASTER CLEAN ‘BY THE NUMBERS’ FOR MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY

    1 – fewest ServiceMaster Clean cautions for a race at Martinsville Speedway (three times, most recently 4/25/71)

    4 – number of ServiceMaster Clean jet dryers scheduled for service at Martinsville this weekend ; two are expected to be released early following  the favorable weather forecast for the weekend

    4 – fewest cars running at the finish of a Sprint Cup race at Martinsville (5/6/51 – a 200-lap race on what was then a .500-mile dirt track…35 cars started the race)

    4 of the 12 drivers in the Chase for the Sprint Cup have yet to win in 2010 (Jeff Gordon, Carl Edwards, Jeff Burton and Matt Kenseth)

    7 of the 30 Sprint Cup races this season have been extended beyond the scheduled distance following a late ServiceMaster Clean caution

    12 different Sprint Cup race winners in 2010

    13 – most ServiceMaster Clean cautions for a Sprint Cup race this season (Martinsville, 3/29/10)

    18 of the 123 races at Martinsville have been won from the pole; 33 of 123 have been won from the front row

    21 – most ServiceMaster Clean cautions for a Sprint Cup race at Martinsville (10/21/07)

    75 minutes – approximate time it takes for the ServiceMaster Clean jets to dry the .526-mile track

    4,500 ServiceMaster Clean franchise locations around the world

    Martinsville History

    1947 – Martinsville Speedway built by E. Clay Earles, a .500-mile dirt track

    1948 – First NASCAR-sanctioned event held on July 4, 1948; first NASCAR Strictly Stock event was run on Sept. 25, 1949 and won by Red Byron;  15 cars started the race, the sixth of eight Strictly Stock events that year

    1955 – Martinsville Speedway was paved; Billy Myers won the first race on the new pavement, a 100-lap sportsman event

    1955 – Speedy Thompson drove a Chrysler to victory in a 200-lap, 100-mile event, the first Grand National (now Sprint Cup) event on the newly paved track (10/16/55)

    Sprint Cup Series

    113 of the 220 ServiceMaster Clean cautions in the first 31 Sprint Cup races this season were for accidents, 42 for debris and 32 for spins

    220 ServiceMaster Clean cautions in the first 31 Sprint Cup events this season; 268 after 31 races last year

    1,110 of 9,177 laps completed in the first 31 Sprint Cup races this year have been under a ServiceMaster Clean caution; 1,267 of 8,887 after 31 races last year

    1,595.130 of 12,560.928 miles completed this season in the 31 Sprint Cup races have been under a ServiceMaster Clean caution; 1,782.388 of 12,122.305 after 31 races last year

    Nationwide Series

    195 ServiceMaster Clean cautions in the first 31 Nationwide Series events this season; 214 after 31 races last year

    118 of the 195 ServiceMaster Clean cautions in the first 31 Nationwide events this season have been for accidents, 32 for debris and 26 for spins

    911 of 5,684 laps completed in the first 31 Nationwide Series races this season have been under a ServiceMaster Clean caution; 995 of 5,861 after 31 races last year

    1,247.611 of 7,642.931 miles completed this season in the 31 Nationwide Series races have been under a ServiceMaster Clean caution; 1,331.733 of 7,653.464 after 31 races last year

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Charlotte

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Charlotte

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson fell to 36th after an early spin at Charlotte, but recovered to finish third in the Bank Of America 500, one spot ahead of Denny Hamlin. Johnson now leads Hamlin by 41 points in the Sprint Cup standings with five races remaining.

    “Five points may not be a lot,” Johnson said, “but it puts me five points closer to the Sprint Cup championship. And five is the operable number. That fifth title will give me five rings, one for each of my five fingers. And, with five fingers, you can make a very convincing ‘clinched’ fist.”

    2. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished fourth in the Bank Of America 500, his 12th top-5 finish of the year. Hamlin chased Jimmie Johnson for many of the closing laps but was unable to get close enough to pass. Johnson’s five-point edge in the race put him 41 ahead of Hamlin as the series heads to Martinsville, where both Johnson and Hamlin are strong.

    “The No. 11 Fed Ex Ground Toyota was good,” Hamlin said, “but not good enough. We’ve slipped back in the standings by small margins the last two races. In Japan, they call that ‘Tokyo Drift.’”

    Now, I want the Sprint Cup championship badly. To me, it’s the Holy Grail of auto racing. With Johnson on his game, it may take a bit of magic, and we may have to pull something out of our rear end to defeat him. If that’s the case, then we’ll call my car ‘Fed Ex-calibur.’”

    3. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished eighth at Charlotte, posting his series-best 21st top-10 result of the year. He is third in the point standings, trailing Jimmie Johnson by 77 points, and besides Denny Hamlin, may be the only hope to end Jimmie Johnson’s title reign.

    “There’s an election approaching,” Harvick said, “so it’s fitting that the No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil team is offering ‘hope’ and ‘change.’

    Others have thrown in towels, as a result of engine failures, wrecks, unjust rulings by NASCAR, or what have you. We’re much too close to Johnson to call it quits. There will be no ‘concession’ speech, except maybe by Dale Earnhardt, Jr.’s director of merchandising, because sales have to be slow for him.”

    4. Kyle Busch: Busch led 217 of 334 laps at Charlotte, but his dominance was interrupted by a debris caution with 26 laps to go that bunched the field. Busch was passed by Jamie McMurray, who pulled away in clean air, while Busch settled for second. Busch improved four spots in the point standings to fifth, 177 behind Johnson.

    “Was their actually debris on the track?” Busch said. “I don’t know. This I do know: NASCAR has the best spotter in the business.

    I still don’t like our chances to win the Cup. There’s a joke going around: ‘What did Kyle Busch say when asked about his attitude towards winning the Cup, despite facing nearly insurmountable odds?’ If you don’t know the answer and replied ‘I give up,’ then you’re right anyway.”

    5. Tony Stewart: Stewart fought an ill-handling car for much of the night at Charlotte and finished 21st, the last car on the lead lap. It was a crushing blow to Stewart’s title hopes after last week’s win at California. He is sixth in the point standings, 177 out of first.

    “The naming of Mobil 1 as a sponsor for next year eases the pain of our disappointment in the Chase thus far,” Stewart said. “We may have ran out of fuel in New Hampshire, but now we’re ‘gassed’ up for next year.”

    6. Carl Edwards: Edwards started second at Charlotte but immediately faced handling problems that dropped him well out of the top 10. Numerous adjustments led to minor improvements, but the No. 99 Ford never found the speed to compete up front. Edwards remained seventh in the point standings, and is 200 out of first.

    “The Aflac Fusion lacked handling all night,” Edwards said. “Give Matt Kenseth a football, and he’ll throw one, but I’m not used to driving a ‘wounded duck.’

    I’m not quite ready to declare my Sprint Cup hopes over,” Edwards said. “At least not officially. But, as you can see by a 200 point deficit and my body language, a ‘declaration of inference’ is imminent.”

    7. Jeff Gordon: Gordon dashed to the pole for the Bank Of America 500, but his night in Charlotte was felled by a battery issue and a late pit road speeding penalty. He finished 23rd, and is now 156 points behind Jimmie Johnson in the Sprint Cup standings.

    “That’s two speeding penalties in the last two races,” Gordon said. “I’m obviously in a hurry to get somewhere, but apparently not to the finish line.”

    8. Greg Biffle: Biffle finished fourth at Charlotte, overcoming a slow start to claim his seventh top-5 result of the year. He moved up two spots to eighth in the Sprint Cup point standings, and now trails Jimmie Johnson by 225.

    “It was nice to ‘finish’ on Sunday,” Brady said, “as opposed to last week’s disaster at California, in which we were ‘finished.’”

    9. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished sixth in the Bank Of America 500, his second top 10 of the Chase and only his fifth of the year. Kenseth, in the No. 17 Crown Royal Ford, started 17th and made continual improvements to position himself for his best finish of the Chase.

    “I drive the Crown Royal car,” Kenseth said. “And the way things are looking, Jimmie Johnson drives the ‘crown royalty’ car.”

    10. Kurt Busch: Busch, the spring winner at Charlotte, fell out of contention early in the Bank Of America 500 with a spin that dropped him a lap down and languishing far back in the field. Busch eventually finished 30th, three laps down, and fell to ninth in the point standings, 237 out of first.

    “Saturday’s race was a far cry from May’s race,” Busch lamented. “Believe me, it’s humbling being called a ‘defending champion’ in the presence of Jimmie Johnson.”

  • The Hall of Fame and the memories of a NASCAR senior citizen

    The Hall of Fame and the memories of a NASCAR senior citizen

    The memories of carefree moments from my youth are exactly what I received from last week’s announcement regarding the 2010 class of NASCAR’s Hall Of Fame. While everyone else was debating the merits of the five names on this year’s list, I was lost in my own private little world of family memories, our South Carolina home and how NASCAR racing played a role in our lives.

    Like many residents of the southeast during the 1950’s our family quickly became NASCAR racing fans. This was the era of the sport when a racing season often exceeded 60 events. The teams raced on every track configuration from quarter mile dirt ovals to the mammoth Daytona International Raceway. The majority of these events were located in the southeast so there was no shortage of opportunity to see this exciting new sport.

    My first ever NASCAR experience was in the summer of 1958 at a dirt track in Columbia-South Carolina. I was all of six years old at the time. This event was also the NASCAR debut that launched the racing career of King Richard Petty. I was thrilled to get autographs from both Richard and Lee Petty that night.

    Dad eventually became a member of the Darlington Rescue Squad and that opened a brand new level of racing opportunity for his son. It meant spending race weekends there sleeping under the mammoth army tents. My job was to pass out aspirin and small Dixie Cups of water to infield campers who had way too much fun the night before. That job kept me quite busy on race day mornings. It also provided unfettered access to the raceway’s garage area where any autograph a young race fan could ever want was now available.

    Over the years there were plenty of NASCAR themed family mini vacations. That included attending races at Darlington, Daytona, Atlanta and Charlotte plus the collection of paved and dirt short track ovals the series ran on back in the day.

    All of those family memories came flooding back while monitoring the progress of NASCAR’s Hall Of Fame. Many of the video clips used to announce the newest members of the Hall looked very familiar to me. I was there to witness many of those moments first hand. That’s the true reason why the Hall Of Fame means so much to me. It’s those memories of quality time with my family. Over the years I jokingly said that it was NASCAR racing, along with Atlanta Braves baseball, that got Dad and me through the so called generation gap. It was something we could share together completely free of any form of hassle.

    I was especially glad to see Bobby Allison receive his well deserved induction into this year’s Hall Of Fame class. I had a chance to talk racing with Allison last September when he was making a personal appearance at the Orange Show Speedway in San Bernardino.

    Allison arrived in NASCAR’s upper tier of racing in the mid 1960’s driving a family owned independent Chevrolet Chevelle. Independent meant that Allison’s team wasn’t receiving the factory sponsorship support that was available to other teams. To help with the travel expenses associated with launching a national NASCAR career, the Allison team began selling two dollar memberships to their official fan club. Allison seemed amazed when he learned that I not only knew this but actually had one of those cards that was purchased in 1966 at Darlington. I suspect it was one of the last things he expected to hear while signing autographs in southern California.

    Over the past week there has been a lot of lively debate from the NASCAR media and the fans regarding whom should have been inducted into the Hall Of Fame’s second class. The debate seems to be centered around Darrell Waltrip and Cale Yarborough being excluded from this year’s vote.

    It’s not me for me to say which NASCAR icon needs to voted in the Hall and who should wait for at least another year. I can’t even comprehend the angst the voting committee went through to whittle 25 well deserving candidates down to five inductees. I wasn’t the least bit surprised to learn that the process took over a reported four hours to complete.

    I’m just glad that there is a NASCAR Hall Of Fame, an official organization to honor those whose contributions created the sport we all enjoy today. I’m perfectly content reliving the memories of a NASCAR senior citizen despite the realization that I’m getting older by the minute.

  • The Best Part About Saturday’s Camping World Truck Series Race at Martinsville Won’t Be the Racing

    The Best Part About Saturday’s Camping World Truck Series Race at Martinsville Won’t Be the Racing

    At the end of a long hard fought day, following the champagne spray, the hat dance and when the media has begun working toward their deadline, the driver will marvel at his winnings.

    The points they gained in the championship. Another win they added to their growing column. Maybe even the hefty winner’s check that their wives or girlfriends can’t wait to help them put to good use.

    All of it though, fails to compare to the trophy.

    Some are cooler than others. Some mean more than others. One, Las Vegas, isn’t a trophy at all. Then there’s one that every driver can’t wait to bring home.

    No, it’s not Daytona or Indianapolis. Although you’ll never hear a driver pass one of those up, more like offer to make a trade of one of their championship trophies for one. That’s because for the past nearly 60 years the Martinsville Speedway has created a unique brand by awarding winners in the Sprint Cup Series Grandfather clocks.

    Whether he’s won only one or nine, no driver gets tired of being awarded a Martinsville clock.

    Except, unless you race in the NSCS that experience will never be felt. It’s why heading into the upcoming weekend the excitement felt in the Camping World Truck Series is bound to overshadow what’s taking place in the NSCS garage and the Chase for the Sprint Cup. When the green flag falls on the Kroger 200 Saturday afternoon there will be 36 drivers that have more incentive to be the first to the checkered flag than ever before.

    There’s one, tall, $10,000 reason.

    Early this year it was announced that they too would finally be getting their hands on the beloved winner’s “trophy” of the Martinsville Speedway.

    It’s something defending winner Timothy Peters doesn’t believe came quick enough, “This is a huge deal. I wish it had started last fall. I would have it sitting in my trophy room right now.”

    For some drivers winning at the short track in Virginia can’t get any better. The emotion on Peter’s face last year after he won not only his first career race, but in his home state, won’t be forgotten anytime soon. For others, just winning at a short track is the greatest accomplishment.

    Then there are those like Mike Skinner who have a score to settle with the speedway. Up until a few weeks ago Skinner had no idea that Martinsville would begin awarding Grandfather clocks.

    “I know you don’t get a clock at Martinsville because I’ve won three of them,” he remarked in regards to his three victories at the paperclip. But when told by the media and fellow driver Todd Bodine that this year was different, Skinner said, “They need to send me a truck load of them then.”

    Should he get back into a familiar groove, Skinner won’t need to just be given a clock. He’s the driver that the rest of the competition will be gunning for as he’s led more laps at the speedway, 600, than any other driver. He’s also tied for the most wins at the speedway with Dennis Setzer.

    However, thus far in 2010 Skinner’s been held winless and is all but eliminated from the championship battle. Sitting eighth in points, over 600 markers behind, the No. 5 team has nothing to lose and everything to gain from here on out. Skinner wants back in victory lane and he most certainly wants a clock he feels is owed to him.

    The racing on Saturday afternoon will be nothing less than frantic and exciting. The NCWTS always good for that but now every driver wants to be the first to take home the newest prize, they want that clock.

    This is no ordinary clock. Valued at $10,000 the Martinsville Speedway gave out the first one in September of 1964. They’re built by a local furniture manufacturer, Ridgeway Clocks, and stand seven feet tall.

    Said Bodine, “That Grandfather clock from Martinsville is just like having that guitar [from Nashville].”

    There will be those in the NASCAR world that don’t understand what the big deal is, why it’s important to a driver who isn’t even taking home a real trophy. Is it possible to ask whether the racing might end up being overshadowed by the driver that ends the day in victory lane and sees the Grandfather clock waiting for him?

    There have been 18 winners at Martinsville in the NCWTS and none of them have one. No more than a what could have been for those drivers who can only be left with a burning desire to again capture the checkered flag in Martinsville.

    This race won’t crown a champion. It won’t send a driver to the new NASCAR Hall of Fame. It may not even be a typical bumping and banging wreck-fest that some races have been in the past.

    It will however, be memorable. It’ll be coveted and relived by a driver for years to come. A brand new, shining, invaluable Grandfather clock will be given away and then treated like gold.

    Sometimes it’s really not about the check. Or the points and the flattering stories from various media outlets. Sometimes it really is all about the hardware.

  • Toyota NASCAR Notes & Quotes II Martinsville – Gateway

    TOYOTA TALK: Hamlin and Reutimann Talk Martinsville Busch Focusing on Race Wins Truex Talks Gateway Return Bodine’s Tundra Turns Pink

    NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) NEWS, NOTES & NUMBERS: This year, Toyota drivers have combined for 10 wins, 34 top-five results, 70 top-10 finishes and five poles after 31 of 36 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) races … Toyota drivers Denny Hamlin (second in points) and Kyle Busch (fifth in points) are currently competing in the 2010 NSCS Chase … Hamlin is 41 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson after five of 10 races … Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Busch, Hamlin and Joey Logano have all finished together in the top-10 four times this season, including three of the last six NSCS races … Aric Almirola will drive the No. 83 Red Bull Camry this weekend.

    DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing What does it take to be successful at Martinsville? “I’ve been there with several different cars and several different series, and I’ve got to have a good car if I’m gonna run well there. It’s one of those tracks where braking is so important. All your laps times are really just made up on how you enter the corners and you’re braking. A lot of people really try to work on exit, but I for the most part work on how I’m going to enter the corner and make sure my car is stable enough.”

    KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 M&M’s Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing Will your focus be on winning races rather than ‘points’ racing the remainder of the season? “That’s what our goal is, to go out there and win the rest of the races and to try to spoil it. Unless they all have trouble at least once or twice. The reality of that is why I said our championship hopes and dreams are lost. We’re going to go out there and race hard. We’ll see what we can get. If we can get back up to fourth in points, third in points, second in points even — that’s great.”

    DAVID REUTIMANN, No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing Do you enjoy racing at Martinsville Speedway? “We’ve had some decent runs at Martinsville, but we haven’t quite clicked like we would like to. It’s a great race track, but it can be a deceiving race track as to how tough it really is. When you leave Martinsville — even if you’ve had a good day — you’ve had a long day because there’s just a lot of stuff that goes on. There are real long straightaways and tight, tight corners. Of course there happens to be only one patch of grass left in the whole place and I just happened to get turned around and got stuck in it the last race. So that just gives you an idea of how things have gone for me at Martinsville in the past.”

    NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) NEWS, NOTES & NUMBERS: This year, Toyota drivers have combined for 16 wins, 66 top-five results, 130 top-10 finishes and 16 poles after 31 of 35 NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) races … Kyle Busch remains third in the NNS point standings, despite starting just 26 of 31 races . . . Joey Logano (seventh), Jason Leffler (ninth), Steve Wallace (10th), Brendan Gaughan (11th), Michael Annett (12th) and Reed Sorenson (13th) are also in the top-15 in points with four races remaining … This weekend, Ryan Truex will return to the site of his first career NNS start earlier this year.

    RYAN TRUEX, No. 99 Out! Pet Care Toyota Camry, Diamond-Waltrip Racing Are you looking forward to returning to Gateway where you had your first NNS start earlier this year? “I’m really excited. Not only because I ran there before, but the last time the 99 ran there I think they finished third. They have a good car for there. I ran decent running up as high as eighth or ninth last time. I like the track and it’ll be a benefit going back. I feel like we’ll be able to go there and run pretty strong.”

    STEVE WALLACE, No. 66 5-Hour Energy Toyota Camry, Rusty Wallace Racing Do you enjoy racing at Gateway? “I haven’t always enjoyed racing at Gateway, but now, I finally feel like I have a pretty good grasp on how to get around that place. It showed up in the last race there. We had a shot to win it and ended up with a top-five finish. We’re taking the same car we raced there in the spring, so it should be a good weekend for us. Our sponsor, 5-Hour Energy, is sponsoring the race this weekend, so it’d be really cool to get another top-five at Gateway.”

    NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) NEWS, NOTES & NUMBERS: This year, Tundra drivers have combined for 12 wins, 46 top-five results, 97 top-10 finishes and nine poles after 20 of 25 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) races … Todd Bodine (first), Aric Almirola (second), Timothy Peters (fifth), Mike Skinner (eighth), David Starr (ninth) and Justin Lofton (10th) are in the top-10 in the NCWTS point standings with five races remaining … Bodine leads second-place Almirola in the point standings by 262 points … Toyota is currently 13 points ahead of Chevrolet in the NCWTS manufacturer’s point standings … Bodine will drive a pink No. 30 Germain Tundra at Martinsville in support of Breast Cancer Awareness month … NASCAR K&N West Series driver Jason Bowles will drive the Billy Ballew Motorsports No. 15 Tundra at Martinsville … Toyota driver Eric Holmes won Saturday night’s NASCAR K&N West Series race at All American Speedway in Roseville, Calif.

    TODD BODINE, No. 30 Germain.com Toyota Tundra, Germain Racing How do you feel about driving a pink truck this weekend? “For a lot of reasons, promoting Breast Cancer Awareness has been an important mission for Germain Racing since our first season in the Truck Series. All of the Germain Racing race vehicles will have pink ribbons on them through October in honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness month, but the 30 team is taking it a step further. At Martinsville, the Germain.com Tundra is going to be very pink! Everything that would normally be red is going to be pink, and I’m getting some pink decals to put on my helmet for the race weekend, as well. The truck is going to look great. I can’t wait to see it!”

    TIMOTHY PETERS, No. 17 Red Horse Racing Toyota Tundra, Red Horse Racing What did it mean to you when you won at Martinsville last year? “Winning at Martinsville last year was really special for me because it was close to home and I had a lot of friends and family there. It’s my home track and to win there was the best moment of my career, so far. This whole year has been a success. We’ve had our share of blown motors and wrecks but some of that is out of our control. When we can contend for wins and top-five finishes each week, then we can’t consider each weekend anything less than a success. Those struggles just make you more determined and grateful for the good weeks.”

    TOYOTA DRIVER ROSTER – Martinsville Speedway & Gateway International Raceway NASCAR Sprint Cup Series David Reutimann, No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Camry Robby Gordon, No. 7 Extenze Camry Denny Hamlin, No. 11 FedEx Express Camry Casey Mears, No. 13 GEICO Camry Kyle Busch, No. 18 M&M’s Camry Joey Logano, No. 20 GameStop Camry Marcos Ambrose, No. 47 Dollar General Country Million Camry Terry Cook, No. 55 Prism Motorsports Camry Martin Truex Jr., No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Camry Landon Cassill, No. 64 Gunselman Motorsports Camry Johnny Sauter, No. 66 Prism Motorsports Camry Scott Speed, No. 82 Red Bull Camry Aric Almirola, No. 83 Red Bull Camry Joe Nemechek, No. 87 NEMCO Motorsports Camry

    NASCAR Nationwide

    Series Scott Wimmer, No. 10 Braun Racing Camry Brad Sweet, No. 11 Braun Racing Camry Michael Annett, No. 15 Pilot Flying J Coffee Camry Brad Coleman, No. 18 Shore Lodge Camry Matt Dibenedetto, No. 20 Bosch Camry Reed Sorenson, No. 32 Dollar General Camry Jason Leffler, No. 38 Great Clips Camry Kevin Lepage, No. 56 RaceDaySponsor.com Camry Brendan Gaughan, No. 62 Snap On Camry Steve Wallace, No. 66 5 Hour Energy Camry Ryan Truex, No. 99 Aaron’s Dream Machine Camry

    NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

    Mike Skinner, No. 5 International Trucks/Monaco RV Tundra Justin Lofton, No. 7 VisitPit.com Tundra BJ McLeod, No. 9 Boggy Creek Airboat Rides Tundra Jason Bowles, No. 15 Billy Ballew Motorsports Tundra Timothy Peters, No. 17 Red Horse Racing Tundra Kyle Busch, No. 18 Z-Line Designs Toyota Tundra Johanna Long, No. 20 Panhandle Grading & Paving Tundra Jason White, No. 23 Gunbroker.com/Pursuit Channel Tundra Todd Bodine, No. 30 Germain.com Tundra Aric Almirola, No. 51 Billy Ballew Motorsports Tundra Matt Lofton, No. 97 Strutmasters.com Tundra

  • FEDEX RACING EXPRESS FACTS – MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY

    RACE INFO:

    Event: TUMS Fast Relief 500

    Date/Time: Oct. 24, 2010/1 p.m. EST

    2009 winner: Denny Hamlin

    2009 polesitter: Ryan Newman

    Distance: 500 laps/263 miles

    Track Length: .526 miles

    Banking: 12 degrees

    Track Shape: Oval

    EXPRESS NOTES:

    Hamlin, FedEx Racing Fourth at Charlotte: On a night when Denny Hamlin and the #11 FedEx Racing team knew there was no room for error in their championship pursuit, the team battled back through the field to claim an impressive fourth-place finish. Hamlin started from the 23rd spot on the grid but was forced deep in the pack early on after a Ryan Newman spin, which caused the #11 to restart 36th on lap six. Despite the early setback, Hamlin and team fought forward through skillful driving and stellar work on pit road. Hamlin ran in the top-five for the balance of the evening, moving into the top-three by the end of the evening. The result, a best-ever finish for Hamlin at the 1.5-mile track, sees Hamlin head to the friendly confines of Martinsville Speedway this weekend trailing current Chase for the Sprint Cup points leader Jimmie Johnson by only 41 points.

    Hamlin at Martinsville Speedway: This weekend will mark Hamlin’s eleventh career Sprint Cup start at Martinsville Speedway and he returns to southern Virginia as the winner of the past two races at the half-mile track. Earlier this season, Martinsville Speedway provided the backdrop for one of the best finishes and memorable wins of Hamlin’s career. The decision to pit from the lead with less than ten laps remaining appeared to have ended Hamlin’s chances of winning, but the strategy worked and the combination of four fresh tires, Hamlin’s sterling drive, and a well-timed caution put Hamlin in position to claim the win. The Virginia native led 172 laps on the day to claim his first win of the 2010 season and a third grandfather clock trophy. A year ago, Hamlin worked to the front and left perennial Martinsville contender Johnson chasing him, attempting to close the gap over the final 137 laps and though three late-race restarts. However, he could only get as close as the bumper of the #11 as Hamlin fended off the challenge to take the checkered flag. The win marked a second visit to Martinsville Speedway’s Victory Lane for the #11 team. Hamlin led a race-high 296 laps in March of 2009 and, after grabbing the lead from Johnson on lap 456, was well-positioned to claim a second Grandfather clock. However, two consecutive cautions tightened the field and Johnson worked his way to Hamlin’s bumper as the laps counted down. On lap 485, Johnson made contact with Hamlin, forcing the #11 FedEx Freight Camry up the track and allowing the #48 Chevrolet to sneak by on the inside. Hamlin had little recourse but to finish the race in second place. In March of 2008 Hamlin led 82 laps and held off a furious charge from Jeff Gordon to claim his sole win of the season. In the fall of 2008, Hamlin and the #11 team fought handling issues but managed an impressive fifth-place finish. In 2007, Hamlin sat on the pole for the spring race and led 125 laps before taking third place and then posted a sixth place finish in the 2007 Chase race. Hamlin has only finished out of the top-10 once at Martinsville – a 41st place finish in the spring event in 2006.

    Race Series Date Start Finish Laps (Led)

    Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 Sprint Cup March 29, 2010 19 1 508/508 172

    Tums Fast Relief 500 Sprint Cup Oct. 25, 2009 17 1 501/501 206

    Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 Sprint Cup March 29, 2009 8 2 500/500 296

    Tums QuikPak 500 Sprint Cup Oct. 19, 2008 12 5 504/504

    Goody’s Cool Orange 500 Sprint Cup March 30, 2008 2 1 500/500 82

    Subway 500 Nextel Cup Oct. 21, 2007 30 6 506/506

    Goody’s 500 Nextel Cup April 1, 2007 1 3 500/500 125

    Subway 500 Nextel Cup Oct. 22, 2006 3 2 500/500 28

    DirecTV Nextel Cup April 3, 2006 37 41 307/500

    Subway 500 Nextel Cup Oct. 23, 2005 5 8 500/500

    Averages/Totals 13.8 6.6 96.2% 909

    FedEx Express World Hub Along for the Ride in Martinsville: The #11 FedEx Express Toyota will carry the letters MEMH on the b-posts this weekend at Martinsville in recognition of the more than 10,000 Air, Ground & Freight Services team members who work at FedEx Express’ largest hub in Memphis, Tenn. Recently, the Memphis World Hub team was recognized by the Institute of Transport Management as the 2010 “Best Global Cargo Hub.” The hub operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week and processes approximately 1.6 million shipments each weeknight.

    HAMLIN CONVERSATION – Martinsville:

    You come back to Martinsville as the two-time defending race winner – what is it about this track that suits you?: “It’s really a combination of things. I have raced here more than I have raced at any other track when you consider total laps. Growing up in Virginia I had the chance to race here in some other series and all that track time definitely gave me a comfort level at Martinsville. That carried over to trucks and Nationwide Series and now to the Cup Series. I feel really confident at this track and I know we bring great cars – those things together usually lead to success. It’s also a lot of pressure because this is a race we circled as one where we expect to be really competitive.”

    What is the key to success at Martinsville?: “It definitely starts with having confidence there. It’s not an easy place to race so you know you are in for a battle. It’s really tight and there is no room for error. For me it’s always been about braking at Martinsville – that is where I find I have an advantage. You are always searching for grip coming off the turn there but if you can be smooth in and get the car situated on entry, you put yourself in much better position getting back to the throttle. You also have to be very patient. It’s not an easy place to pass so you have to take the oppprtunities when you have them – you don’t want to be in position like I was last year, needing to make up a lot of ground in just a few laps.”

    2010 FEDEX RACING – TEAM ROSTER

    Crew Chief: Mike Ford – Morristown, Tenn.

    Car Chief: Chris “Spider” Gillin – Smithtown, NY

    Shocks: Tim Sparkman – St. Louis, Mo.

    Engineer: Mike Wheeler – Southholt, NY

    Tire Specialist: Patrick Mullen – Brick, N.J.

    Mechanic: John Furino – Long Island, NY

    Mechanic: Rick Bray – Placerville, Calif.

    Hauler Driver: Jerry Hess – Lancaster, Pa.

    Hauler Driver: Frank Hodel – Blythe, Calif.

    Spotter: Curtis Markham – Fredericksburg, Va.

    Front Tire Changer: Jonathan Sherman – Monroe, La.

    Rear Tire Changer: Mike Hicks – Salisbury, N.C.

    Rear Tire Carrier: Heath Cherry – Belmont, N.C.

    Front Tire Carrier: Brandon Pegram – Statesville, N.C.

    Jackman: Nate Bolling – Swanton, Ohio

    Motor Specialist: Chris Woodward – Franklin, NH

    Gas can: Scott Wood – Liberty, S.C.

    Catch Can: John Eicher – London, Ky..

    JGR Athletic Director: Michael Lepp – Charlotte, N.C.

  • NASCAR CREW MEMBERS ARE ‘UNSUNG HEROES OF OUR SPORT’

    Former Crew Chief and Crew Member Robin Pemberton Attests to Importance of Crew Members

    Martinsville, Va. (Oct. 20, 2010) — The 2010 TUMS Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway on Oct. 24 will celebrate the sports dedicated road warriors and pit crew members. For the first time in NASCAR history, TUMS® has designated all crew members as the Grand Marshals for the 500-lap event.

    “NASCAR crew members are for all intents and purposes, the unsung heroes of our sport,” said Robin Pemberton, vice president of competition for NASCAR. “The passion, effort and professionalism that they exhibit week in and week out are truly extraordinary. As a former crew member and crew chief, I can attest first hand just how vital this group is to the overall success of the race team.”

    Each team pre-selected the crew member that represents and embodies the team spirit to give the command “Gentlemen, Start Your Engines.”  The final set of grand marshals, listed in no particular order, is outlined below and highlights the invaluable role they play within the team environment and their passion for racing.

    • LEE DODSON – No. 09 Phoenix Racing Chevrolet
      Dodson began going to short-track races around his Courtland, Va. home when he was only three years old. His dad and uncles raced, and a decade later, Dodson helped turn wrenches on Mini-stocks, Late Models and Hooters Pro Cup cars. After completing high school, he graduated from the Bobby Isaac Motorsports program at Catawba Valley Community College in Hickory, N.C., and began his Sprint Cup career as a general mechanic with Wood Brothers Racing in 2005. He joined his present team, Phoenix Racing, in March of 2010.

     “It’s very cool to be working in Sprint Cup,” Dodson says. “With our team, we don’t have a designated driver, so I get to work with several and I enjoy that. Since we are so short staffed, I get to learn more which is a good thing. I love setting up cars and working with suspensions. That’s what I like the most.”  

     

    • ERIC GROEN – No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
      A native of Sioux Center, Iowa, Groen raced go-karts as a child while following NASCAR through newspapers, radio and TV. After high school, he chose a college that would allow him to be closer to NASCAR in hopes of working for a team. Groen graduated from Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., with a degree in business and in 2004 found an opportunity to work as a general mechanic and tire carrier with the former Petty Enterprises. Groen did the same for Red Bull Racing before his present role as sponsor manager with Joey Logano and the Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 20 Home Depot team. He is a liaison between team and sponsor during the week and works as a rear tire carrier for Kyle Busch during Nationwide races and does the same for Logano on Sprint Cup race day.    �
      �
      “My background is on the mechanical side of things, so that’s a little more natural for me, but when I went to Gibbs, they had a position open on the office side,” Groen says. “My roles with the team are diverse.  I enjoy doing both very much. Joe and J.D. Gibbs are upstanding guys and the leadership at Joe Gibbs Racing is the best I’ve seen in my career.” 

     

    • JONATHAN SALMONS – No. 38 Front Row Racing Ford
      A native of Bassett, Va., Salmons moved from working as a mechanic at a local car dealership in 2004 to turning wrenches on Late Model stock cars with some hometown friends. A year later, he joined Craftsman Truck Series driver and team owner Bobby Dotter and moved on to Roush-Yates Engines in 2006. His first Sprint Cup opportunity came in 2010 with Front Row Racing and driver David Gilliland. The graduate of Patrick Henry Community College in Martinsville, Va., presently tunes engines for the team and loves every minute of it.
      �
      “In Sprint Cup, you’re at the top level as far as NASCAR goes,” Salmons says. “You’re the best of the best and that means a lot. I started at the very bottom you might say, working on race cars and engines and have been able to work my way to the top. It’s an honor to be a part of NASCAR and a crew member in Sprint Cup.”   

     

    • JEREMY DYER – No. 99 Roush-Fenway Racing Ford
      Saturday nights for Dyer always meant going to watch his family race around local short tracks in his native state of California. Throughout his life, he watched his grandfather, father and uncle, Camping World Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday, work on and race the cars that sat in the family race shop. Over the years, Dyer followed the racing path and like his famous uncle, moved to the east coast to follow his passion as a NASCAR crewman. He steadily progressed through each of NASCAR’s premier divisions and now sets up race car chassis during the week and carries front tires for Carl Edwards’ No. 99 Roush-Fenway Racing Fords.

    “There have been plenty of opportunities to learn in Camping World Trucks, Nationwide and Sprint Cup over the years,” Dyer says. “It’s really special to be able to turn a hobby into something where you can compete against your peers and have the ability to be considered one of the best in the world at what you do. That’s pretty awesome.”
    　

     The TUMS Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway is the sixth of 10 races that will determine the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion. Tickets to the TUMS Fast Relief 500 now are on sale. For more information, call 877.722.3849 or visit www.martinsvillespeedway.com. 

                For more information on TUMS, visit www.TUMS.com.

    About TUMS®
    For more than 75 years, TUMS® has been a fast, effective treatment for heartburn and acid indigestion, neutralizing stomach acid on contact. Today, TUMS is the number one antacid in America, used by more people than any other brand to treat heartburn.
    About GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare
    GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare is one of the world’s largest over-the-counter consumer healthcare products companies. Its more than 30 well-known brands include the leading smoking cessation products, Nicorette(R)and NicoDerm(R)CQ(R), and Commit(R), as well as many medicine cabinet staples– alli(R), Aquafresh(R), Sensodyne(R), and TUMS(R) — which are trademarks owned by and/or licensed to GlaxoSmithKline Group of Companies.