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  • NASCAR announces changes

    NASCAR announces changes

    NASCAR announced on Wednesday that they have added a wild card element to setting the Chase and a simplified points system for 2011.

    [media-credit name=”David Yeazell” align=”alignleft” width=”225″][/media-credit]The Chase field remains at 12 drivers, but the final two spots will be determined by the number of wins during the first 26 races.  The positions of 11th and 12th will be referred to as the “wild card” positions and will go to non-top-10-ranked drivers with the most wins, as long as they’re ranked in the top 20 in points after race 26.  If no driver wins outside of the top-10 in points, NASCAR will go by the series standings to determine the final two positions.

    The new points system will apply to all NASCAR national series and will award points in one-point increments with three bonus points for a race win.  Additional points can be made for leading a lap and leading the most laps with the possible maximum points to 48 per race.

    Other notes:

    1. Drivers in all three national series now must select the series where they’ll compete for a driver championship.  Drivers still may compete in multiple series and can complete for the owners title.
    2. The qualifying order will be set based upon slowest to fastest final practice speeds.  During inclement weather and qualifying is cancelled, the final starting lineup will be determined by practice speeds.  If weather cancels practice sessions, then the starting lineup will be set by points, per the rule book.
    3. More manufacturer identity.
  • Dateline Charlotte: Media Frenzy Continues

    Dateline Charlotte: Media Frenzy Continues

    Day three of the 29th annual NASCAR Sprint Media Tour hosted by Charlotte Motor Speedway continued at NASCAR race central, Charlotte, N.C.

    [media-credit name=”Brad Keppel” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]The day began with a first for the media tour.  A breakfast and presentation was held in the sparkling new retail outlet for Furniture Row sponsor of the No. 78 Chevrolet driven by Regan Smith.

    The Furniture Row team is based in Colorado, not an ideal location for a NASCAR race team, but they are determined to make it work well with great preparation and a lot of trucking strategy.

    The team is supported by Richard Childress Racing with engines, chassis and a very high level of technology.  If they can secure sponsorship, a second team is in their plans.

    Smith is confident with the strides the team made last year and stated, “I feel I can easily run top-10’s by the end of this year.”  He added, “this is the most pumped I felt in an off-season.”

    Richard Petty Motorsports showcased the No. 43 Best Buy Chevrolet that will be driven by AJ Allmendinger and the No. 9 Stanley car Marcos Ambrose will be driving.

    Andrew Murstein of Medallion Financial is the business partner of Richard Petty and furnished the financial support for the reorganization of RPM.  He used the similarities in business models of both companies by saying they were based on “great tradition and great integrity.”

    Murstein is in the racing deal with Petty for the long run and said, “I promise the best is yet to come at Richard Petty Motorsports.”

    Allmendinger looked at his No. 43 and said, “For a team that looked like it wasn’t going to make it, we have a lot of sponsors.”

    The driver of the No. 43 joked with his teammate, the driver of the No. 9, saying, “Hope you won’t run into me near as much.”  Ambrose responded, “If I run into you it is because you are going to slow.”

    The light-hearted banter showed how happy all parties including the owners are to have a solid team that is anxious to go racing.

    [media-credit name=”Brad Keppel” align=”alignleft” width=”225″][/media-credit]A luncheon at Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Speedway Club included three very special guests, Bobby Allison, Bud Moore and Ned Jarrett who will be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame this year.

    Jamie Allison, Director of Ford Racing, spoke briefly about this year being the 110th anniversary of Ford racing.  He spoke of the relationship Ford has with Roush Fenway Racing, Richard Petty Motorsports and the Wood Brothers.  As of now, Ford has 599 Cup wins and he hopes to see the 600th shortly into the season.

    Rick Hendrick took the stage with his drivers, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon and Mark Martin at Hendrick Motorsports.

    Hendrick said, “Last year was the most competitive of all the years I have been in the sport.”  He obviously is very pleased with the driver and team changes he has made with Earnhardt Jr., Gordon and Martin and looks forward to great results in 2011.

    Mark Martin commented on 2012 by saying, “I am absolutely without a doubt going to be driving race cars.”  He is happy with Lance McGrew as his new crew chief and recalled the win he got in the NASCAR Nationwide series with McGrew as his crew chief.

    Jeff Gordon spoke of Daytona and said, “It may be the most exciting Daytona 500 we have ever seen.”  He, like most drivers, believes simplification of the points system is a good thing.

    The Daytona 500 will be Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s 400th start, but he didn’t think it seemed like a lot.

    Mark Martin was laughing and Earnhardt joked that to him it wouldn’t seem like much.  Junior said, “How many do you have, 4,000?”  Everyone was laughing as Martin announced it was more like 800.

    Jimmie Johnson of course wants his sixth title and will continue to remain focused under the guidance of his crew chief, Chad Knaus.

    So that is about it for now from the NASCAR Sprint Media Tour.  Tonight Brian France will unveil his announcements for the upcoming season at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

    There will undoubtedly be a flood of attention given to his statements.  Stay tuned!

    Find more of Brad Keppel’s Photos of Day 3 here.

    .

  • Alli Owens To Make NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Debut, Thanks to Fans

    Alli Owens To Make NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Debut, Thanks to Fans

    Everything was set for Alli Owens going into the 2011 season. She had plans set in stone to run eight Nationwide races and four ARCA races.

    [media-credit name=”alliowens.com” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]However, everything fell apart on November 28th, as her current sponsors told her that they wouldn’t be backing her come the new season. It left Owens stuck looking for sponsors, which comes as a tough task late in the game. 

    “You take that time from November to February, and that’s normally when people know what they’re doing for 2011,” Owens told me. “You know, any money that was out there had already been claimed. Sponsorships had been set and budgets were determined, and I was really behind the ball.”

    The Daytona Beach native admits that she had her doubts about if she was going to continue racing, but credits her fans for getting things back on track. 

    “I went through a really hard time,” she said. “I was very emotionally challenged and pick up my whole search of getting back in a car. I really kind of lost in my life at that point, like I don’t know what to do or where to go. Am I going to be in a racecar or do I need to just suck it up and get a normal job and live a normal life and be thankful for the time I had in a racecar?

    “But it was my fans and friends and my family telling me to get up off my butt and make it happen,” she continued. “You know, I’d come too far as a blue-collar, middle-class person and got too far to live, really, an American dream that much of us get told as children that we can live. But you know as you get older, you realize those dreams are full and in between of really coming true. It was really the fans that said, ‘You know what? Do something about it and we really want to help you.’”

    Owens took charge of the campaign and started up a PayPal account on her website for fans to make donations. Within five minutes, she already had $300 donated from her fans.

    “You know, it’s small donations like $25, $20, $50 and stuff like that and we’ve been able to move forward from that,” Owens said. “Now we’re in the thousands of dollars and getting closer to be able to go racing strictly on fans and friends’ support. That is…it is just amazing. There is no words for it.”

    She left the doors wide open on this, completely keeping her fans updated via Twitter and Facebook on the progress.

    “In my press release today, I put a dollar figure in the press release, and everybody in NASCAR will tell you that you don’t put the money out there in public and you don’t put a dollar figure out there,” she said. “But at this point in my career, I have nothing to hide. If people want to know how much I need, I want to tell them and I want to tell them exactly how much I have, who is giving it to me and where it is going.”

    The dollar figure that Owens set to reach was $35,000 and as of January 25th of 2011, Owens has reached the minimum amount necessary and is now set to make her debut come Daytona in February driving for Ray Hackett Racing.

    “It’s amazing that in such a short period of time everything has come together like it has,” Owens said in her press release. “I went to Twitter and Facebook and put the word out there that we needed help. Almost immediately we had people jumping on board. It’s been humbling, and I’m so truly grateful for the businesses and fans who have helped me.

    “I’m really honored to race for the city of Daytona Beach, the local IBEW and NECA chapters, Mullinax Ford and my family in the area,” Owens said. “Growing up, the Daytona International Speedway meant everything to me. It still does, and I’m ready to make a successful NASCAR debut there. It’s going to be a special day.”

    For the past three years, Owens has been racing in the ARCA Racing Series.

    “If I could do it all over again, I probably would have done more research,” she told me of that experience. “I was really excited to get into the ARCA Series and I really didn’t do much research. Wish I would’ve utilized my knowledge of the marketing and strategic side of the sport and got to where I was able to grow and in three years, instead of bouncing to different teams each side.

    “But looking back on that experience I got from the driver’s seat, I wouldn’t change it for the world,” she continued. “I mean, it’s not every day that you get to say one of your states is outside pole of Daytona Speedway. That right there was a huge marker. 

    “Then going through my knee surgery when I injured it on a motorcycle in 2008 and then getting back in a racecar four weeks later was a big step in respect that I couldn’t change or ask for anything different.

    “I wish 2010 I would have done things a little differently and went somewhere I was able to run more races and have a little bit more of direction,” Owens continued. “I can’t change what I did then, but overall it was an awesome experience and something I wouldn’t change.”

    Owens adds that both on track and off the track she learned a lot of lessons that she will carry forward with her.

    “On the track, I think I learned a lot about the tracks,” she said. “I really focused on really understanding the tracks and how you need to drive and the pattern and the ware of the racecars and tire management and setup and things like that. I really honed in my skills on being able to communicate with my crew chief and spotter and really understanding what the racecar needs and how to improve it on the long road. You know, pit stops—different techniques like that.

    “I really wanted to sharpen my skills as a driver and my ability as a driver with knowledge, not so much with going out there and trying to win every race, but understanding the whole concept of that race weekend and analyzing everything I learned.

    “Off the track, I learned a lot about trust,” she continued. “You got to look out for yourself. You know, motorsports is full of broken promises. I think that moving forward has made me have a strong guard on who I work with in what I do, who I interact with, who I share things with, who I help out and who I stay away from.”

    She first started her journey of competitive racing on two wheels when she was eight years old, training to go to the Olympics on behalf of the United States. Though when she was 12 years old, she traded all that in for a quarter midget and started racing on the dirt tracks. From there, she moved over to asphalt at the age of 15, working her way up the ladder until she moved to the ARCA Series in 2008.

    Now Owens is looking to make the next big jump to the NASCAR ranks and make her first NASCAR start at her home track.

    “Now, to be able to go there and run and know how I got there and how much effort was put in, it’s truly probably worth more to me than winning the Daytona 500,” she said. “I mean, any corporate America company can put their name on the side of the car and stick a driver in there and go run the race. The driver will say the track is this, the track is that.

    “But knowing where I come from as a person and knowing that my personal bills are 

    sometimes late and I sometimes don’t have any money to pay for them or got to make sure my bank account isn’t over-drafting ‘cause I had to pay my power bill and really just getting by with,” she continued. “I get to go race Daytona because of people of myself, that is going to be an experience of a lifetime and I am going to take each and every moment of that time on the track at Daytona as a treasured memory as it may not happen, and I realize that now.

    “I realize that I did lose my racing career for a split second before my fans told me to get up off my butt and that no, they’re not going to let that happen. To be able to go to Daytona, it’s going to be something that everybody cherishes ‘cause I know I will.”

    Making her move through the ranks has been a challenge, as she has had to face the female stereotype that sex sells.

    “You know, the way I was brought up, I was brought up on the dirt tracks where you’re one of the guys and it’s built on respect on the track, not media value off the track,” Owens said. “And I know it’s going to come back to Danica (Patrick) ‘cause it always does, but I don’t knock her as a person, she’s a really great person, but the stereotypes that NASCAR and all the media outlets have created around her is all based on sex appeal.

    “I don’t know about you, but when it comes to an organization symbolizing empowerment of woman to be half-naked and driven on sex appeal instead of on success and determination, it puts me off a little bit.

    “The thing that really bothers me is when I look at all these local girls from the age of 16 all the way into their 20s and look at their media kit, all of them have glamour photo shoots,” she continued. “I meant, this one girl has a picture of her in a fire suit without a bra on and it’s like, ‘When did that become what the sport is?’ I don’t see the guys in their boxers in whatever magazine.

    “It kind of surprises me that NASCAR and the sport went that direction, but it works for Danica—it works for her. That’s what she is, but it’s unfortunate that there are other women out there that want to drive that don’t want to do that, and they don’t want to market people who are not willing to do the sex appeal thing. I am going to stand true to that.”

    She got faced with the image in 2009 when sponsors approached her.

    “I am going to say 2009 was my biggest year media wise,” she said. “I had a lot of potential sponsors that were wanting to do some big deals with me but wanted to do ‘bikini ready’ and deals like that and I’m like, ‘No way. I’m a racecar driver; I’m not a model. If I wanted to be a movie star, I would have gone to Hollywood. I wouldn’t be in North Carolina trying to make a racing career’.

    “I mean, that’s my opinion—I think now corporate America and people in the general public are looking at females in motorsports as sex symbols, and I don’t think that’s the right avenue.”

    Owens reflects back to her reasons for getting in the sport.

    “The reason I got into racing was because of people like the Dale Earnhardts, the Cale Yarboroughs, people like that,” she said. “People who loaded up on flatbeds, trucks to go racing are the people that I idolize. I would say anywhere in the era of the ’80s, it’s just the era not a single person, but that is what really fuels my fire to go racing.”

    Through her racing career, she has learned lessons from her own experience, but also from other drivers.

    “When it comes to like learning from a certain driver and things like that, you know, it’s a combination of everybody,” she said. “You know, Jimmie Johnson and that whole team is kind of like a role model. Then you got Kyle Busch—can’t knock the kid, even though I am not a huge fan of his—he can really drive a racecar. As a driver, you look for those things. You look for how drivers fold under pressure if they have a problem in the pits, you look if they prevail and you look at how they handle situations.

    “A.J. Allmendinger is one of my really great friends, and I think he is a great model, as far as like going through a life situation and getting yourself out of a hole and getting yourself back in the game he’s done,” she continued. “I could sit here and tell you a whole story of people I look up to, but I think it’s a combination of people.”

    Through what she has learned, she advises that you be 100 percent committed before entering the sport.

    “My advice is that make sure you love the sport 100 percent,” she said. “There’s one day of doubt, just turn away and do something else. You’ve got be 110 percent committed to this day in, day out, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or it goes away. You got to be on your game; you got to be living ahead of the year it already is. I mean, it’s 2011 now—if you’re not thinking of 2012, you’ve failed and it is so quick for drivers to come and go, that they need to stay true to themselves, their brain and what they’re working for.

    “Every single day, there are not enough hours in the day for a driver to succeed, and I think a lot of people don’t do that,” Owens continued. “They think it should be handed to them or it never should go away or things like that. Reality has hit me in the face, and if I wasn’t 100 percent dedicated to this, I probably would’ve walked away in November and done something different. I mean, it’s not a fun sport. The funnest time in this sport is being on the race track for those couple of hours. Other than that, it’s a road of emotional, physical abuse.”

    Owens has reached the minimum amount to do this, however is still looking for more donations to make the effort easier and run more races in the future.

    If you want to help Alli Owens with her dream, go her website ) and click the PayPal button on the right-hand side to make a donation.

    To learn more about her, check out her website, her Facebook page or follow her on  Twitter.

  • More From Charlotte: The Media Tour Continues

    More From Charlotte: The Media Tour Continues

    The NASCAR Sprint Media Tour hosted by Charlotte Motor Speedway continued into day two.  Though it was dreary outside, the outlook was sunny with owners, drivers and teams who wait for the start of Speedweeks in Daytona.

    [media-credit name=”David Yeazell” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]The morning started off with Michael Waltrip unveiling his new book, In The Blink of an Eye, and the new look on the NAPA car he will drive in the Daytona 500.

    The book, which will be released February 1, deals with the life changing moments in Waltrip’s life. It speaks of how the tempered joy of his Daytona 500 win ten years ago affected his life when his boss and good friend, Dale Earnhardt, was killed on the last lap.

    The car is a tribute to Earnhardt with it’s black paint, a departure from the blue and yellow NAPA colors that are only obvious on the hood and logos.

    NASCAR Nationwide Series Director, Joe Balash, spoke of expectations for an exciting season in 2011 with the new style cars running a full season.  Fans only got a peak at the cars during four races in 2010.

    Cup drivers will not be running for the series title which will allow the up and coming drivers in NASCAR’s second tier to run for the championship. 

    The general consensus from Cup drivers, who will run in that series, is that they are there to race and win.  The fact they are not eligible for the title is no big deal.

    Charlotte Motor Speedway continues with construction of the largest high-definition video board in the world.

    The 16,000 square-foot screen will be located on the backstretch of the speedway.  Piers will be installed at the construction site to support the 500,000 pound steel frame that will hold the 165,000 pound video board.

    Fans will have an awesome view of the board when it is lit up with the more than nine million LED lamps during each event beginning in the spring.

    Charlotte Motor Speedway is never shy on new things including the record they hope to set with the “Light Up the Night” event that will take place May 21 during the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race.

    Thousand of fans will be sporting LED Headlights with the help of Energizer.  During pre-race activities, an attempt to break a world record will be monitored by Guiness World Record officials when fans “flash their brights.”

    At Richard Childress Racing, Richard Childress announced, “Rome isn’t burning.  This is still a great sport.”  His comment reflects the upbeat attitude that continues to resound in the NASCAR community for the 2011 season.

    Childress claims to have a gut feeling, RCR will knock NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion, Jimmy Johnson from his throne.  Childress said, “Nothing lasts forever in life.”

    The statement had a bit of irony, as members of the media questioned Childress on his feelings about the ten year anniversary of the death of his best friend and driver, Dale Earnhardt.

    Childress was asked why he felt going back to a four-car team would work this time when it didn’t work too well last time.  His response was, “We are a lot more prepared.  You have to add personnel and we beefed up stuff.”

    Paul Menard is the fourth driver to join the stable of Cup drivers for RCR alongside Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton and Clint Bowyer.  He was asked what the biggest change was at RCR and said, “Everything under one roof, crew chiefs can explore and push forward.”

    So as the media tour continues, it may be Marcus Smith of Charlotte Motor Speedway who best summed up the theme during the events of the week.  Smith said, “2011 will be a springboard to the future of NASCAR.”

  • Steve Arpin Looks to 2011 After Successful 2010 Season

    Steve Arpin Looks to 2011 After Successful 2010 Season

    This past 2010 season, Steve Arpin had his breakout year as it saw him having success on a magnitude of scales. It welcomed a solid year in the ARCA Series with multiple visits to victory lane and a chance to move up and run some Nationwide Series races for Dale Earnhardt Jr. Arpin was honored for his success at the 2011 Canadian Motorsports Expo as the 2010 Inside Track Reader’s Choice Awards Canadian Racer of the Year at the Highest Levels of International Competition.

    [media-credit name=”stevearpin.net” align=”alignright” width=”200″][/media-credit]“It was a complete success for us,” Arpin said of the season. “Everything about 2010 was a definite success. There was definitely some learning curves throughout the year. We accomplished everything we wanted to accomplish. We wanted to go out there and run strong, run strong consistently and run upfront consistently. We wanted to open eyes and get an opportunity at a higher level, and we did that with JR Motorsports. We won the most races in the ARCA series. Unfortunately with the timing of the deal with JR Motorsports, we weren’t able to compete for the championship in the ARCA series. But everything I learned, the progression I made was all a true success.”

    The season started off solid for the Fort Frances, Ontario native as he finished 10th and fifth in the first two ARCA races of the season. Though following a win in the third race of the season at Salem, the season took a whole new course in a 24-hour period.

    “I would say the coolest part of my career is a 24 hour span,” Arpin said of the moment. “Last year, when we won Salem on Sunday night and Monday morning, we signed Mike’s Hard Lemonade to sponsor the ARCA program and then Monday afternoon, Dale Jr. called me to drive his racecars. I say that has to be the biggest memory of my life.”

    Arpin drove seven races for JR Motorsports in 2010, including a 10th place finish at Daytona last July. Arpin says that lessons learned there led to the ARCA Series success that he would have in winning three races, seven top fives and 10 top 10s. Arpin comes from a dirt background so he has worked at taking advantage of all the seat time to learn more.

    “The biggest thing for me is that in my career, I’ve only got 47 asphalt races to this day and there’s a lot to learn,” he told me. “These are a whole different type of racecar so we’ve been really working hard at a developing myself, developing me to the point where I’m comfortable in every situation. Its not so much being comfortable, but making the right decisions and there’s a lots of things you got to learn the hard way and do wrong before you know what’s right, and we went through a lot of that. I shouldn’t say we went that a lot this year – we made a lot of wrong decisions in 2009 and I was able to go back and be put in those same situations this year and come out ahead of the game making the right decisions.”

    For 2011, Arpin is working at continuing to run more NASCAR races to continue moving up the ladder and growing as a driver.

    “I’ve got all my plans – I’ve just got to convince all the teams owners to go along with it,” he said. “We’ve been working feverishly on it and we actually had a lot of big meetings this past week. I’m not at liberty to say exactly what the plans are, but we’re hoping in the next two or three weeks that we have an announcement.”

    Arpin has already been behind the wheel in 2011 season as he tested at Daytona for Venturini Motorsports during the ARCA test.

    “The new surface is awesome,” he said. “It’s going to make for awesome racing. I tested twice there since the new surface has been down – the tire test for Hoosier and the ARCA test for Venturini Motorsports. Venturini had a whole fleet of fast racecars there; it’d be cool to go back there and drive one, but the new race track is going to make for awesome racing. I think you’re going to see the whole bunched up, nose-to-tail, a lot tighter, more so like you do at Talladega. But then in token with the transitions so much more aggressive at Daytona, it’s going to make for a lot of interesting scenarios throughout the race.”

    Arpin would like to run the Daytona race, though is still working at locking down a deal to do it. He originally just went down to just coach Venturini Motorsports young drivers Hal Martin and Kyle Fowler, though ended up also testing a car for them.

    “Billy brought me down as he knows I work well with the young guys and Kyle and Hal are doing absolutely great,” he said. “Hal has done a couple speedway races before so he knows a little bit more of what’s going on and Hal is really going to come on strong and fit in real good.”

    With having a diverse background, Arpin has hit a lot of tracks throughout his career, whether dirt and asphalt, so it equals no wonder that he has a diverse list of favorites.

    “Every time we go to a racetrack and at the end of the race, I say ‘God, that’s my favorite track’ and so, I couldn’t honestly tell you what my favorite track would be,” he said. “As far as dirt tracks, my favorite track by far is Deer Creek Speedway up in Rochester, MN. Asphalt so far – asphalt racing, every track is completely different. A short track – my favorite one would be Salem, just because it’s high-banked, its rough and you’re just up on the wheel every lap. And then you go to the intermediate tracks and that’s more of a mental focus. It’s more of a mental chess game as you have to figure how to use the air and do things like that right. So intermediate tracks, I’d have to say Texas for sure and Daytona is just Daytona – it’s the coolest place ever, just the history there.”

  • Positive Coverage From Day 1 of the Media Tour

    Positive Coverage From Day 1 of the Media Tour

    With Charlotte Motor Speedway hosting over 200 journalists from all over the world for the 2011 edition of the “media tour” you were thinking that it might just be another tour were everything is great in the sport and here’s our new sponsors and uniforms.  In many cases that is exactly what it was as Earnhardt – Ganassi  Racing and Stewart – Haas Racing made quite a few announcements but nothing new (new sponsor for Stewart with Mobil 1, and the  annoying but lovable Energizer Bunny at EGR).

    [media-credit name=”Brad Keppel” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]At EGR is where things took a bit of a surprising tour when emcee, Larry McReynolds decided to remind everyone there that we needed to be more positive when we cover the sport. He also said many of us make our living in the sport.  McReynolds said, “You all know that no matter what role you play, we’ve got to roll our sleeves up and we’ve got a lot of work to do in 2011 to get this sport back where it was at one time. I know it’s easy to write about all the bad things and I know it can’t all be about the good things, but … he continued, “If it’s television ratings, we know the ratings are down. How about also promoting that we’re second only to the NFL? If there’s 25,000 empty seats at Michigan, how about making sure you document there’s still over 100,000 people in those grandstands?

    Really? I will tell you it was not well received by my peers in attendance. I have long thought that there’s freedom of the press but not in sports reporting. Many of us know how it works, we’re there to promote the sport and what is going on, not tear it up week in and week out about how bad everything stinks.

    We made a stop  Stewart- Haas Racing where Tony Stewart said, “The first year was a learning year and a building year but, this past year, I think we all started the season a lot more comfortable in knowing what to expect. It’s definitely not easy, for sure.”  One thing that I noticed right away was that Stewart looked refreshed.

    Stewart said that he did not think that things were going to be any easier with sponsorships. He said, “I don’t think that we’ve turned the corner on the economy side, yet. It’s very competitive. The work off the racetrack, between the car owners and sponsors right now, it’s probably more competitive than I ever imagined it would be. And, especially nowadays, I think it’s probably harder than it’s been in the past 15 or 20 years. The good thing is, you don’t see a lot of sponsors really leaving the sport. They just have been moving around a little bit.” Speaking about his own team’s sponsors, “I really feel fortunate to have somebody like Office Depot, that was here from day one, and that was when the economy started turning. They were one of the first people who wanted to be on board with us. And we had a great run with Old Spice, but having Mobil 1 on board now and having them come over in this economy is something we are really proud of.”

    But speaking of feeling refreshed someone asked him if he lost weight. “I’m definitely not the guy to be adding a lot to the fitness comments,” he said to the laughter of the media and guests gathered. “I can tell you that my left hand controls the volume and the right hand controls the channel. That’s about the best workout regimen I’ve got. But I did start working out a little bit before the end of the year and changing how I eat a little bit.”

    At EGR we had a great lunch (with some commentary) and it was confirmed that defending Daytona 500 winner Jamie McMurray and defending Watkins Glen race winner Juan Pablo Montoya were returning to their race teams in 2011. McMurray will have sponsors Bass Pro and McDonalds returning to the car but also added two new ones as well, WIDIA and LiftMaster.  

    Montoya also looked refreshed (did he too lose weight?) He discussed how bad last season started with many wrecks and his hopes in making the Chase again this year after missing the 2010 edition.  The one thing that I was surprised about with Montoya was his position on racing in the Indianapolis 500 again regardless of any bonus for winning the Coca-Cola 600 and the 500. “It would be a nightmare,” Montoya said. “I race 39 weekends a year with Cup and the 24 Hours (at Daytona).  Add another month for Indy and I’d be looking for a new family. I don’t have to prove myself there. I’m happy where I am.”

    Although Teresa Earnhardt was nowhere to be found both Felix Sabates and Chip Ganassi were present and seemed excited 2011. They should be. The team won 4 races in 2010 including two of the crown jewels of NASCAR by the No. 1 team of McMurray (Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400). They feel both teams will be in the chase and will be a factor in determining a champion. I tend to agree.

    More photos by Brad Keppel of Day 1 can be found here.

  • Kurt Busch announces NHRA debut

    Kurt Busch announces NHRA debut

    After spending much of his off-season testing NHRA drag racing cars, Kurt Busch will make his first NHRA Full Throttle Series start at the 42ndt annual Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornational on March 11-13 at the Gainsville Raceway in Florida.

    [media-credit name=”Courtesy NHRA Media” align=”alignleft” width=”250″][/media-credit]The stock-car champion will compete for one of 16 spots in the Pro-Stock class in his Shell Dodge Avenger for Allen Johnson and J&J Racing.

    “Pro Stock is the tightest pro category as far as the elapsed time is concerned and it’s not going to be an easy task,’ Busch said. “I feel me teaming up with Allen Johnson and the Mopar folks, we’ve given ourselves the best opportunity to make the show.”

    During one of his off-season tests, Busch earned his NHRA Pro Stock license with a speed of 210.43 mph at Bradenton, Fla. Last year’s top qualifier at the Gatornationals in the Pro Stock class was Mike Edwards with a time of 6.537-seconds and a top speed of 211.53 mph. Rickie Jones was the 16th driver with a time of 6.601-seconds at 209.10 mph. Under those circumstances and conditions, Busch would have qualified 11th with his off-season test time.

    Busch competed in the NHRA Lucas Oil Series during the 2010 Tire Kingdom Gatornationals in a rebuilt 1970 Dodge Charger for Johnson. His time was limited due to weather and he finished with a first round loss.

    “The 2010 event was an experience of a lifetime, the camaraderie with the sportsman guys was a truly fun experience,” Busch said. “Although it was tough to watch it rain for four days, the grassroots effort of the sportsman guys is what makes the true heart of NHRA racing.”

    Tickets for the 42nd annual Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals are available by visiting www.NHRAtix.com or calling 800-884-NHRA (6472).

  • Penske Racing announces sponsorship for Busch, Hornish and Keselowski

    Penske Racing announces sponsorship for Busch, Hornish and Keselowski

    Kurt Busch joins Coca-Cola Racing Family

    Kurt Busch, the 2004 Sprint Cup Series champion, will join the Coca-Cola Racing family of drivers for the 2011 Sprint Cup Series campaign, Coca-Cola and Penske Racing announced Monday evening. Busch will be featured in many Coca-Cola in-store promotions this year as well as make promotional appearances for the brand.

    [media-credit name=”Motorsports Images and Archives” align=”alignleft” width=”250″][/media-credit]“I am honored to represent Coca-Cola during 2011 racing season,” said Busch, who scored two wins and two poles in 2010, finishing 11th in the final Cup Series standings. “We’re looking forward to a great season as we transition to the No. 22 car and it’s awesome to have Coca-Cola on board for the ride.”
    Busch finished 11th in last year’s Sprint Cup Series driver standings. He posted two wins last season.

    The Las Vegas, Nevada native switched rides within the Penske Racing organization and will race the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Dodge Charger.

    Alliance Truck Parts to sponsor Hornish in Nationwide Series

    Alliance Truck Parts will be Sam Hornish Jr.’s primary sponsor for his NASCAR Nationwide Series efforts this season, Penske Racing confirmed today. Hornish’s ride in last year’s Nationwide Series finale was also sponsored by Alliance Truck Parts.

    According to the press release, the sponsorship will be for at least eight races. Hornish is expected to race in at least ten events this season in the Nationwide Series. Specific events to be announced at a later date.

    “It’s exciting to be able to return to the car and get a chance to represent the Alliance Truck Parts brand again this season. I know everyone at Penske Racing will be working hard to get the best results possible this year in the Nationwide Series.”

    Hornish is moving from a full-time Sprint Cup Series ride to a full-time Nationwide Series ride in the Nationwide Series.

    Ruby Tuesday to move to Brad Keselowski’s Cup ride

    After sponsoring Brad Keselowski’s run to a Nationwide Series driver championship last season, Ruby Tuesday has expanded it’s sponsorship to the Cup Series for this season.

    In addition to sponsoring Keselowski in nine Nationwide Series races, Ruby Tuesday will also have their logo on the rear deck lid of Keselowski’s No. 2 Dodge in the Sprint Cup Series.

    “I am very excited to represent Ruby Tuesday again in 2011,” said Keselowski. “They were an integral part of our championship season in 2010, and I look forward to winning more races with them in the future. The fact that they have grown their relationship to include the ‘Blue Deuce’ is something in which we take great pride at Penske Racing.”

    Keselowski posted two top-ten finishes last season, earning an average finish of 22.4. The 2011 season will be his second full-time season after making his debut in 2008.

  • Trevor Bayne – The Best of Both Worlds

    Trevor Bayne – The Best of Both Worlds

    Trevor Bayne has a knack for turning adversity into opportunity.

    Lack of sponsorship led to an abrupt release from Diamond Waltrip Racing in September of 2010. But just as quickly, Bayne found a new home with Roush Fenway Racing and his future has never looked brighter.

    On Friday, January 20th, Wood Brothers Racing announced that Trevor Bayne will drive the legendary No. 21 car during the 2011 season for a limited number of races in the Sprint Cup series.  He’s currently scheduled to run the first five Cup races of the season and then selected races during the remainder of the season. The goal is at least 17 starts with the possibility of more.

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    I’ve had the opportunity to speak with Bayne a few times over the last couple of years and there are certain things I’ve come to expect. He’s always well-spoken and passionate; the perfect interview subject.

    But this time was a little different.

    This was Trevor Bayne in overdrive and the joy in his voice was unmistakable.

    “I couldn’t be more excited about this,” he told me. “I’ve had to keep it bottled up for the last month or so while we’ve been working on it. I’ve been really pumped up and now I finally get to let it all out.

    “I ran my first Cup race with them and now I’m going to get to continue with them this year. I think its awesome news.”

    “They’re one of the longest standing NASCAR teams and then here I am, their youngest driver ever, so you get a little bit of both worlds.”

    We talked about his first full season in the Nationwide Series and the experiences he’ll take with him as he begins the next stage in his career.

    “I learned you have to be consistent. It doesn’t matter if you win every race or finish fifth or tenth. You have to be around at the end of every race. There’s no way you’re going to win a championship if you put your car in situations it shouldn’t be in.”

    Another thing that sets Bayne apart from other young drivers is his ability to learn from not only the good, but the bad experiences, as well.

    His unanticipated release from Diamond Waltrip Racing taught him a valuable lesson.

    “Every time it seems like things are falling apart, another door opens and that’s the way it happened for me. I’m really fortunate to have these kinds of opportunities. It would be easy to point fingers or be upset about things and sometimes I feel like that. But for the most part, I try to look for that next opportunity and keep moving forward.”

    Bayne is thrilled to be part of the Roush Fenway Racing team and his new alliance with Wood Brothers Racing is the icing on the cake.

    His enthusiasm is infectious as he talks about his latest opportunity with the legendary team.

    “You can go into their shop and almost see a piece of every bit of NASCAR since it started. It’s really cool to see that within one team. They’ve been around for everything and you can’t buy that kind of experience.”

    While Bayne has been testing the No. 21 car, he’s spent his down time soaking up the atmosphere and listening to tales of the “good old days.”

    “Since we’ve been down here in Daytona they’ve been telling me stories about what people used to do, just all kinds of crazy things that no one would even think about doing now or they’d be in NASCAR jail,” he joked. “It’s been really cool to hear the history.”

    Bayne isn’t worried that he might be over-extending himself by running in both the Nationwide and Cup series. Instead he looks at it as opportunity for growth.

    “I’m 19 years old, I’ve got all the energy in the world and I need to use it and get as much experience as I can. Obviously this is a much higher tension, more pressure situation than I’ve had in the past but I think it’s going to help me grow a lot faster, being in the seat that much.”

    I asked Bayne about his plans for the future but for right now he’s happy living his dream and savoring each moment.

    “I’m going to take things one step at a time. No matter how far you plan ahead, no matter how long a contract you have, no matter what anyone says, everything can change in the matter of a month or a week.  I’ve learned to make the most of what I have while I have it. I think if we do that other opportunities will come and we’ll take those when they get here.”

    Trevor Bayne is bursting with energy and loving every minute of his life. Add talent and determination to the equation and you have a recipe for success.

    As we ended the interview, something Bayne said, struck a chord.

    “When you look around the shop you can just tell there are a lot more stories to be written.”

    I can’t help but picture future generations of drivers listening to stories of Trevor Bayne and how he wrote a new chapter in the legacy of Wood Brothers Racing.

  • Hard Cards Available at NASCAR Hall of Fame

    Hard Cards Available at NASCAR Hall of Fame

    Every race fan dreams of having a NASCAR hard card, providing full access to the garage area, the drivers, and all of the behind the scenes action at every NASCAR race.  While limited only to those involved full-time at the top levels of the sport, every fan can now get a hard card just by visiting the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

    [media-credit id=11 align=”alignright” width=”200″][/media-credit]Indeed, I got my very own hard card personalized upon entry to the HOF, located in Charlotte, North Carolina.  And I used it throughout the building, from the opening film about the history of the sport to participating in the myriad of interactive exhibits throughout the Hall.

    After hard carding my way into the Belk High Octane Theatre for a truly big screen NASCAR movie adventure, I used my card to wind my way onto Glory Road. Here, poised on a race track with several degrees of banking, were actual race cars, from the Hudson Hornet to Jimmie Johnson’s most recent championship No. 48.

    My hard card gave me access to go up onto the track and snap a picture of those race cars coming right at me, as well as access to try out the banking at Daytona, which I admit that I would have tumbled down without the hand rails to which I was holding on for dear life.

    With my hard card in tow, I next entered the Hall of Honor, featuring the five inaugural inductees into the Hall of Fame, Junior Johnson, Richard Petty, Bill France, Sr., Bill France, Jr. and Dale Earnhardt.  There was almost a hush that fell upon us as we entered that room and paid tribute to these jewels of the sport.

    I also did indeed get misty-eyed on seeing that famed black No. 3 car, complete with many mementos from the Intimidator’s days gone by and glory lost just ten years ago.

    After leaving the solemnity of the Hall of Honors, I took myself and my card and headed to the interactive exhibit area.  This was where the fun began as my hard card was my access to the accumulation of points, fueling the competition with others in everything from hoisting a gas can to removing those pesky lug nuts during a pit stop.

    One of the most interactive areas in the Hall was solely designed for children, focusing on educating the next generation of NASCAR fans.  The best part of that section was seeing the memorabilia from the childhoods of the likes of Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson.  They were so cute as little boys, as well as just being a bit geeky too.

    Another interactive exhibit in this section allows the hard card holder to actually call a race.  Donning the head sets and the microphone, I suddenly discovered how difficult that actually was to do and have renewed respect and regard for the MRN, PRN, ESPN and all of those broadcast professionals who call the races for us each and every weekend.

    My favorite interactive exhibit was the race simulators, whereby you can race other fans sitting in actual race cars, driving like you stole it.  Yes, I do realize that this is all simulated but after five minutes, I was definitely working up a bit of a sweat trying to keep my car on the track and keep out of the way of all the others who were intent on either passing or wrecking me.

    I am pleased to report that, after a rather difficult start where I did indeed pass the pace car, resulting in a trip to pit road to serve my penalty, I got the hang of it and actually stayed out of harm’s way.  In fact, I finished first and then promptly ran over the official on my way to Victory Lane, a first or so they tell me at this exhibit.

    Waving my hard card, I admit that I immediately hurried on over to get my picture taken with the Sprint Cup.  And yes, I did hold up my index finger, striking the No. 1 pose, and yelling woo.  Unfortunately, thanks to my hard card, as well as my debit card, I have the pictures to prove it.

    My NASCAR Hall of Fame hard card took me inside a race team hauler, inside a race shop of days gone by, and right past the exhibit filled with various race trophies, from the Martinsville Granfather’s clock to Dover’s Miles the Monster.

    I was again moved to tears by the room honoring those lost in racing, including most recently NASCAR PR executive Jim Hunter, and moved to laughter by the staff person waving the yellow flag vociferously in the race flag display.

    My final hard card stop was to purchase my souvenir pictures from my visit, as well as some shopping in the Hall of Fame gift store.  Unfortunately, the big screen television there was showing the NFL play off game but I am sure that will change in just a few short weeks when the cars get back on the track in Daytona.

    So, got get your own hard card for a once in a lifetime NASCAR experience.  I will be keeping my card in a safe place in my wallet for the next time I make the trek to Charlotte and cannot wait to see what is next at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.