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Featured interviews from SpeedwayMedia.com

  • Tri-Star Motorsports names Myers as crew chief

    Tri-Star Motorsports names Myers as crew chief

    Tri-Star Motorsports has named Todd Myers as the crew chief for the #14 Hefty Toyota driven by Eric McClure, beginning at the Alliance Truck Parts 250 at Michigan International Speedway.  Myers has been with the team since 2011. Recently, he has handled the crew chief duties for the #10 Toyota driven by former series champion, Jeff Green.

    The team has struggled to find consistency this season and that led to team owner, Mark Smith, deciding to make the change. Smith also serves as engine builder for the team as he also owns Pro Motor Engines (PME).

    When asked about some of the changes he feels he can make Myers stated, “Just working on attitudes, making sure everything kind of stays light and fun and moving in a positive direction.”

    Driver Eric McClure is very complimentary of his new crew chief saying, “I like him…” “It’s definitely a different dynamic in the team this week, and this is a tough week for him to start. I sat out this race last year when I was recovering and it’s been an uphill battle for me, but for him to come over, assess the program, see what changes we need to make, keep my confidence up. He can help me in all areas. It’s going to be a very positive thing I think.”

    Another positive note for the team is that sponsor, Hefty, is signed to a long term deal. That gives the team the ability to focus long term goals. Goals that Myers said are not quantified by specific benchmarks. Myers pointed out, “If we can compete week in and week out, at a more positive level, and everybody is putting in 100%, and we come out wherever we come out, as long as we were positive, and at the end of the day somebody knows we were there.”

    Tri-Star Motorsports is a small team trying to make in a sport where money is a crucial element of success. This is doesn’t have a Cup affiliation other than a car that they prepare and run on an occasional basis. In fact the team’s Sprint Cup car was driven by the Jason Leffler, who was tragically killed in a sprint car race in New Jersey less than a week ago.

    They are doing what they can with what they have, but one thing was very obvious. This team definitely seems to have the upbeat attitude that Myers wants.  They are comfortable with who they are and what they are, and sometimes that is more valuable than almost anything.

  • Todd Anderson settling in at Front Row Motorsports

    Todd Anderson settling in at Front Row Motorsports

    Todd Anderson who had been crew chief for the #93 BK Racing Toyota for driver Travis Kvapil since the teams inception, left the team after the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. Todd has now been named crew chief for the #35 Front Row Motorsports Ford and driver Josh Wise. Anderson will make his debut atop the pit box at the Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

    When asked about why the change occurred Friday morning in the garage area at Michigan, Anderson said, “Yeah it was a deal where I was beating myself up knowing we could run a lot better because the cars were running better and we have the motor issues of blowing up and stuff, and that was a big thing at the beginning of the year we said that we could be down on horsepower but we just couldn’t blow up, and when the chassis is exceeding the limitations of the motor, I just couldn’t handle it.”

    Todd was referring the fact that BK Racing is building their engines in house this season. There have been several failures this season. When I pointed out that it could very frustrating as a crew chief, Todd said, “Oh God, especially when you know a lot of times . . .  the one that gets me the most is Bristol when we ran up to 15th place about half-way and we had a really good car there, I think we had a legitimate top ten car there and blew up there, it kills me, because we worked so hard to get it there.”

    Anderson said he was settling in quickly as he already knew several of the guys on the team. The Front Row Motorsports team is essentially on equal footing with the BK Racing Team. Both teams are smaller operations that are trying to secure their foothold in NASCAR’s top series. Considering the mega-teams that currently have a stranglehold on the top twenty – that can be a very tall task. The recent success of Furniture Row team is proof positive that it can be done, but can it be done without a partnership with one of the aforementioned mega-teams? The team did find success earlier this season at Talladega Superspeedway when David Ragan took the win, with teammate David Gilliland right behind him in second.

    Anderson is hoping to bring his knowledge and experience to Front Row Motorsports and hopefully put the #35 team consistently in the top twenty.

  • NASCAR BTS: Mike Houston’s Journey From Bouncer to Pit Crew Coach

    NASCAR BTS: Mike Houston’s Journey From Bouncer to Pit Crew Coach

    Some of the most important members on any race team are the pit crew members, especially those that go over the wall every Sunday. This week’s NASCAR Behind the Scenes spotlights one of those vital players, Mike Houston, front tire changer and pit crew coach for the No. 78 Furniture Row race team.

    “What I do is I’m the pit crew coach and the front tire carrier,” Houston said. “I try to coordinate how we do pit stops, coaching each individual position as well as carrying front tires.”

    “I’ve performed every position over the pit wall in the Cup Series, but for most of my career, I have been a tire carrier.”

    Since Houston grew up in the heart of racing country, Concord, North Carolina, one would assume that he was involved with racing from his childhood on. But Houston took another very interesting route to end up with his career in NASCAR.

    “I grew up in Concord and I never watched NASCAR,” Houston said. “I was involved in other sports, mainly football.”

    “When I got out of college, I was bouncing at a night club in Charlotte and I was a professional wrestler at the same time,” Houston continued. “We had a Christmas party for one of the race teams at our night club.”

    “I met one of the crew chiefs there and this was just at the very beginning stages of when they were having athletes come into the sport to do the pit crew,” Houston said. “So, we started talking and he asked me to come to the shop and see if I could do it.”

    “I was kind of bored one day and decided to go over there,” Houston continued. “So, I just happened to be at the right place at the right time.”

    “It doesn’t happen that way anymore.”

    In addition to being a collegiate athlete, Houston was also a professional wrestler. His first wrestling name was ‘Minister of Pain’ but then he changed it to ‘Mike Mayhem.’

    Houston shared that there are definitely similarities in the other sports in which he has participated, from football to wrestling, to NASCAR. But there are elements of racing that are also quite unique.

    “I think that the hand/eye coordination you develop in football really translates into racing,” Houston said. “The physical fitness, training and dedication to the little details that make a difference definitely cross over.”

    “It’s also the same rush going over the wall as playing football,” Houston continued. “Usually in racing, you don’t want to get the rush until the pit stop is over.”

    “You want to maintain your composure while you are performing and then, if you have a good stop, you can celebrate the moment,” Houston said. “I’ve been doing it for so long while that the pre-butterflies before a pit stop don’t happen anymore.”

    “But you do get excited and pumped up when you have a good stop and when you’re running up front,” Houston continued. “It’s along the same lines as sacking a quarterback late in the fourth quarter.”

    “It’s also like getting a crowd pumped up before a wrestling match.”

    “What is different is that the mind set and the approach in racing is quite different from other sports,” Houston said. “You can’t intimidate a race car.”

    “Really it is more about competing against yourself.”

    Houston has had many challenges on pit road but his most memorable moment came as a member of a championship pit crew team with five time champ Jimmie Johnson.

    “I would say the best moment in my pit crew career was in 2010,” Houston said. “I was on Jeff Gordon’s crew and we did the swap with the 48.”

    “To be able to go to that car and be a part of winning that championship as a pit crew member was one of the better moments.”

    While there are highs in racing, like those championship moments, Houston acknowledged that there are also downsides, especially the danger they face every time they go over the wall.

    “I think that a lot of things that happen are out of your control on pit road,” Houston said. “I tell the guys that when they go over the wall you can’t have the mindset that a car is going to hit you or that you will have a problem.”

    “If you’re thinking of those things, you’re taking your mind off the job you have to perform,” Houston continued. “I do always tell the guys though to keep their eyes down pit road.”

    Given the physical presence of Houston, whose nickname is ironically ‘Tiny’, fitness and working out would seem a requirement. Yet while Houston and his pit crew do hit the gym, they also mix it up with some other exercises that just might surprise race fans.

    “We work out four times a week and practice four times a week as well,” Houston said. “We dedicate one day, Thursdays, where we do yoga.”

    “It makes sense because you want to be as limber as possible,” Houston continued. “A lot of the positions are bending, squatting and getting down on your knees, so those motions of keeping your core strong are helpful.”

    “Not to say that any of us are good at it, but we still do it,” Houston said. “You really can tell a difference from the guys who have never done it before because in six weeks the progression they have with their flexibility is incredible.”

    “We will also throw in some aquatics and meet up at the Y and exercise in the water,” Houston continued. “We do a lot of low impact because we jump over the wall with a 75 pound tire in our hand and all that weight, whether a fuel can, tire or jack, you are putting all that pressure on your joints.”

    “So, a lot of this stuff helps the beating and banging we do on the weekends on our bodies.”

    Houston also acknowledged that exercising for endurance is critical for his crew’s over the wall work.

    “We don’t really do a lot of lifting weights, but include more of the cardio and things like that to get the heart rate up,” Houston said. “We have one of the longest seasons in the sport and you have to be able to last.”

    “For football, you want to be bigger, stronger, faster but we want to be limber, have injury prevention and to prolong the career as long as possible,” Houston continued. “We do a little heavy lifting, but that is more in the off-season.”

    “Otherwise, we do more cross fit training or things that help endurance.”

    All of this training has in large part contributed to the faster pit stops, moving from 14 seconds on average down to 12 and even 11 seconds for some teams. But Houston advised that it is not always the fitness that gets it done more quickly on pit road.

    “When I first got into the sport, nobody thought you would see a 13 second pit stop and I’ve seen the threshold go from 14 seconds, to 13, to 12 to 11,” Houston said. “One of the biggest factors is that the equipment and the engineering on the pit guns have improved.”

    “That is a huge advantage that a lot of the bigger teams have right now,” Houston continued. “They’re developing pit guns that allow them to have their changers hit the lug nuts faster and the equipment keeps up with them.”

    “Your big teams put money into this kind of development so they have a slight advantage.”

    For Houston, there are other vital elements in addition to the new equipment and physical fitness that improve the performance of his pit crew team members. One element is the coaching and mentoring aspect and the other is their relationship with their driver.

    “My style of coaching can be tough or encouraging,” Houston said. “It depends on the situation.”

    “Usually during race situations, I try to keep calm and not blow a gasket because if you do that, you’re not really helping at that moment,” Houston continued. “If a guy made a mistake, he is already feeling bad because when you make a mistake, the whole team suffers.”

    “At that particular time, I try to become more encouraging and positive,” Houston continued. “But in practice but if the guy is making the same mistake over and over, then you’ve got to get up in his grille and say ‘get it together.’

    “The drivers that seek out and get to know the guys on their pit crew, it does make a difference,” Houston said. “I think it makes more of a difference on the pit crew side because they believe that their driver cares.”

    “That was one thing at Hendrick with Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson,” Houston continued. “We’d play paint ball together or have an outing.”

    “We’d do things as a group with the driver involved,” Houston said. “That type of stuff goes a long way.”

    Other than the fact that he was a bouncer and wrestler, what else would fans be most surprised to know about Mike Houston, aka ‘Tiny’?

    “I always get told that I look unapproachable and that the first impression, with my bald head and goatee make me unapproachable,” Houston said. “My appearance may give a different impression than what I really am.”

    “I’m really kind of a teddy bear underneath.”

     

  • Aric Almirola and David Ragan Lend A Hand for Military Families

    Aric Almirola and David Ragan Lend A Hand for Military Families

     

    NASCAR Cup competitors Aric Almirola and David Ragan joined together to lend their hands in assembling comfort kits for children whose family members were being deployed through the various branches of the military.

    The event “With You All the Way”, hosted by Pocono Raceway, was sponsored by NASCAR, The NASCAR Foundation, the USO, Comfort Crew for Military Kids, and the Trevor Romain Company.

    “It means a lot to their families and those that wish their loved ones were at home with them,” David Ragan, driver of the No. 32 Taco Bell Ford, said as he packed the comfort kits. “To send a little care package that says, ‘Hey, we’re with you and thinking about you and supporting you’ goes a long way.”

    “It’s great the NASCAR community gets involved at events like this,” Ragan continued. “It means a lot because they are certainly sacrificing a lot.”

    “It’s great to get the fans, the drivers and Miss Sprint Cup involved too,” Ragan said. “It’s the least we can do to say thank you to the military and their families.”

    Ragan shared that he could definitely relate as he has had many family members who have served in the military over the years.

    “I’ve had a lot of family members in service, some in the Air Force and some in the Army,” Ragan said. “My father was a little too young to go to Vietnam but I had a lot of uncles involved.”

    “So I know that it is important to let the military families know we are thinking about them.”

    “Everyone’s enjoying doing this and it puts things in perspective,” Ragan said. “It makes you forget about all those small things that you think are trouble.”

    Richard Petty driver Aric Almirola also participated in the comfort kit assembly line. And for the driver of the No. 43 Smithfield Ford supporting the military is also very personal.

    “It definitely touches a personal spot for me growing up in a military family,” Almirola said. “My dad was in the Air Force and I was born on Eglin Air Force base.”

    “It means a lot to me to be able to give back to these military families,” Almirola continued. “To do something as simple as pack up some boxes for kids and put a smile on their face means so much.”

    One of Almirola’s major tasks was to assemble and dress the teddy bears, complete with flight caps, goggles and scarves.

    “We had a good team going on with a group building these bears,” Almirola said. “Just looking at those bears; it makes me wonder whose hands they’re going to get in.”

    “Hopefully it makes them happy when they get it,” Almirola continued. “It’s really a cool event and it makes me appreciative of our military and all who support our country.”

    Regan

    Like Ragan, Almirola acknowledged that events like this comfort kit assemblage really helped to put his racing life in perspective.

    “It certainly puts a lot of perspective on life in general,” Almirola said. “Without the military and those that keep us free, we certainly wouldn’t be out here riding around on a race track.”

    “I respect those people tremendously and we owe them a lot to what we get to do on a daily basis and for the protection they provide for us,” Almirola continued. “We’re building bears and giving them gifts because they deserve it.”

    “It puts things into total perspective.”

    This unique packing event came about due to the partnership between the NASCAR Foundation and the USO.

    “The NASCAR Foundation approached us to be a part of their “American Salute” campaign this year and wanted to have a way to give back to military families,” Emily Branch, Account Manager for the USO, said. “So, we thought the “With You All the Way” program was a perfect fit and was a good way to get the drivers and the crews engaged.”

    “We have three military families to support the event today and tomorrow they will have a VIP experience at the track,” Branch continued. “We also have some drivers, crew members and general volunteers from the industry.”

    Branch acknowledged that the comfort kits are lifelines for many of the military children at all ages.

    “These kits mean so much to the military children,” Branch said. “They give comfort and provide support.”

    “There is a DVD in the kit and a journal, as well as a caregiver manual,” Branch continued. “The kits are designed by the Comfort Crew for Military Kids.”

    “The Trevor Romain Company is also a partner and we have multiple kits for the deployed, for children of wounded service members, and kits for children of fallen soldiers.”

    The creator of the comfort kits, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Comfort Crew for Military Kids Ronda Englander, was also on hand for the Pocono packing party.

    “We designed all the elements to be a comprehensive set of resources to help kids with all aspects of deployment,” Englander said. “There is a journal and we feel strongly this is an important way to express their feelings.”

    “It’s an opportunity to document what happens in their lives when their loved one is away,” Englander continued. “One family that received our resources shared that the father who was away cried when he read his daughter’s journal.”

    “That’s how she knew she had gotten her daddy back because he got his feelings back.”

    For Englander, as for the drivers who participated in this packing event, this is also a very personal event and passion.

    “My dad served in Viet Nam so I was a military kid and know a little bit about the sacrifices military families make,” Englander said. “He did not survive his tour.”

    “I was three at the time, Englander continued. “So, this most certainly is a labor of love and most important to me to make sure that this generation of military kids does not feel alone and that they have the support they need to overcome the challenges.”

    “The theme of our deployment kit is “We are with you all the way” and that’s what we want military families to know.”

    Englander also expressed her gratitude to the NASCAR community for their support of the effort.

    “The NASCAR community is such a great fit for our work and for this type of event,” Englander said. “NASCAR fans understand that our military are the true rock stars.”

    “We’re in awe of the drivers here but the NASCAR community is so supportive of the military community,” Englander continued. “It’s a great fit.”

    The other partner in the USO Comfort kit project is one of the most important, the host Pocono Raceway.

    “It’s all about the families and the kids,” Brandon Igdalsky, President and CEO of Pocono Raceway, said. “To be able to give back to the troops and to help for all they do is so worth it.”

    “Of everything in these boxes, the one thing that stands out to me are the teddy bears,” Igdalsky continued. “I know they would be most meaningful to my children.”

    “To see these kids here having fun and helping out makes it all worthwhile.

    For more information on the “With You All the Way” comfort kit project, visit www.comfortcrew.org or www.uso.org.

     

     

  • NASCAR and Monster Mile Give Voice to Autism Speaks

    NASCAR and Monster Mile Give Voice to Autism Speaks

    There is no doubt that one of NASCAR’s greatest charitable partnerships has been with Dover International Speedway and Autism Speaks, an organization devoted to helping those impacted by autism. But with the diagnosis on the rise, including one in 88 children affected, NASCAR and the Monster Mile have helped Autism Speaks find an even stronger voice.

    Although Dover International Speedway forged the partnership with Autism Speaks seven years ago, this year marked the  third straight year FedEx joined the effort to team up with the speedway and Autism Speaks. The track hosted multiple charity auctions and a track walk to benefit the NASCAR Foundation and Autism Speaks, which raised money for the cause.

    The Monster Mile even created a program that has all of the race participants sporting the Autism Speaks decal, which has brought huge awareness to the cause.

    But even more important has been the awareness raised by the NASCAR community and Dover International Speedway over the years of the partnership with Autism Speaks. And for many in the NASCAR community, that awareness has been very personal.

    “I have an 18 year old son with autism who talks about NASCAR all the time,” Artie Kempner, Coordinating Director of NASCAR on Fox, said. “This partnership between NASCAR, Dover International Speedway and Autism Speaks came together in 2007.”

    “When FedEx came on board, it’s just grown,” Kempner continued. “The awareness is that much greater.”

    “Autism is not a foreign word to them,” Kempner said. “Families know autism is not a hopeless situation.”

    “To be involved with NASCAR is phenomenal because this community gets behind these types of causes,” Kempner continued. “There is no better sport for community involvement like this than NASCAR.”

    For NASCAR driver Jamie McMurray, increasing awareness using his NASCAR celebrity is also critical. In fact, McMurray currently stars in an Autism Speaks and Ad Council Public Service Announcement campaign for the cause.

    “My niece is 15 years old now and is affected by autism,” McMurray said. “My Foundation has done what we can to create awareness and I will continue work hard for the cause.”

    One of the most significant impacts that NASCAR has made in partnership with Autism Speaks is in the area of advocacy. In fact, the organization is currently working on new laws throughout the country thanks to a NASCAR connection with Lori Unumb, who was the 2012 Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award winner and now serves as the VP of State Government Affairs for Autism Speaks

    “My oldest child Ryan, who is twelve, is severely affected by autism,” Unumb said. “To help his situation, I wrote a law, called Ryan’s law, to require health insurance coverage for children with autism.”

    “The law was passed in South Carolina and Autism Speaks brought me on board to help replicate that law in all fifty states,” Unumb continued.  So, that’s what I do now in trying to pass that law.”

    Unumb credits her work and the partnership with NASCAR as being able to open many more legislative doors.

    “When you go into a state legislature for a new law, years ago you had to start with what is autism,” Unumb said. “These days, when I go into the state legislature, everyone knows what autism is.”

    “That makes it easier to focus on what do we need to do to remedy this problem,” Unumb continued. “NASCAR has done so much autism awareness and that has been immensely helpful in my advocacy work.”

    Unumb is also most appreciative of not only the exposure that her NASCAR award has brought but also for the financial impact it has had on her work.

    “It’s hard to express the impact of the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award on my life,” Unumb said. “My husband and I founded an autism academy which was the recipient of a $100,000 charitable donation from the NASCAR Foundation.”

    “The financial impact alone has been incredible but more than that, I’ve had a continuing relationship with NASCAR,” Unumb continued. “The platform the sport has raised for autism awareness has been incredible.”

    “I encourage others to apply for this award.”

    But perhaps the best part of the partnership with Autism Speaks is the model program developed by Dover International Speedway at track that is now being used in many other sports venues. The Monster Mile has  pioneered a quiet zone where children and young adults can come and enjoy the race without having sensory overload.

    “The great thing for Ethan is that he will be in an environment where he will be able to handle all the stimulus at the track,” Kempner said. “A lot of kids with autism have issues with sensory situations so this is an environment that is created for them and their families.”

    “This environment is so welcoming,” Kempner continued. “This really worked last year and we doubled the number of families that have participated.”

    Lisa Goring, VP of Family Services for Autism Speaks, agreed that the special area developed by the speedway for the group makes all the difference as to whether or not kids and families can attend events like this.

    “NASCAR and Dover are so welcoming to our families,” Goring said. “The sensory friendly room at the track made the race accessible to the whole family and to kids with autism.”

    “It is a personal issue for me too as my youngest Andrew, who is 16 years old, has autism,” Goring continued. “NASCAR is a sport that is so inviting and inclusive of families.”

    “So, to have that opportunity to enjoy the sport here at the Monster Mile with my family is really what it is all about.”

    The initiative at the speedway has been so innovative and inclusive of those with autism that other sports have begun to replicate their efforts.

    “This model of the quiet zones has worked well with other leagues,” Alec Elbert, Chief Strategy and Development Officer for Autism Speaks, said. “We used the model in major league baseball where we had a quiet area for Autism Speaks in each of the thirty parks and that is still ongoing.”

    “It really helps to give the families a way to come out and see the event.”

    “We have the opportunity to change the landscape for millions of families around the world,” Elbert continued. “This is an amazing program with the entire NASCAR community.”

    “It’s a once in a lifetime partnership between Autism Speaks, Dover International Speedway and NASCAR,” Elbert said. “It’s unparalleled.”

    “When they see the needs and then the pure joy of the kids who love NASCAR racing, everyone involved is so committed,” Elbert continued. “The looks on these kids’ faces are priceless.”

    “NASCAR, the Monster Mile, and Autism Speaks working together is a real gift.”

     

     

     

     

  • Jeff Gordon and Chase Set Record in Drive to End Hunger

    Jeff Gordon and Chase Set Record in Drive to End Hunger

    Not only did Jeff Gordon, behind the wheel of the No. 24 AARP Credit Cards from Chase Chevrolet, have a record-setting day at the Monster Mile with a third place finish, but he also set a record in his drive to end hunger.

    Through his partnerships with Chase Card Services and AARP, Jeff Gordon and the myriad of volunteers who came out to help him packed a record-setting one thousand meal boxes for the Food Bank of Delaware. And they did it in record time, just over one hour.

    “We’ve got a great partnership with Chase and Drive to End Hunger,” Gordon said. “They’ve really contributed support, awareness and funding for this program through Chase Credit Card Services and through their AARP Reward card.”

    “This program is so rewarding to be able to get people volunteering and to pack food that gets delivered to older Americans that are in need,” Gordon continued. “Yes, it’s pretty cool and it’s a great program.”

    Patricia Beebe, President and CEO of the Food Bank of Delaware, was also impressed with the record-setting meal packing event, especially with the numbers of those that will be helped.

    “We packed one thousand boxes for seniors in less than an hour and fifteen minutes,” Beebe said. “We had super packers and great volunteers.”

    “Last year we did four hundred boxes, so we upped it this year and went to a thousand,” Beebe continued. “These will be distributed to seniors in need throughout the State.”

    Beebe also credited the driver of the No. 24 AARP Credit Cards from Chase Chevrolet as the reason for the record-setting event.

    “Jeff Gordon, I can’t say enough about him,” Beebe said. “He is the nicest person.”

    “He came to the Food Bank, helped pack meal boxes,” Beebe continued. “His celebrity status is a draw for the volunteers and we were so impressed with his humility and his ability to understand what this effort means.”

    “When you have someone like that help what we are doing, his willingness to get involved directly increases our volunteering,” Beebe said. “We can’t say enough about him.”

    “This is an incredible partnership.”

    Scott Lammers, Vice President of Operations for Chase Card Services, was also overwhelmed by the record-setting effort of his team, the race fans and Jeff Gordon. He was also surprised by just how many fans turned out to be a part of the event.

    “We had a little boy here at 5:30 am asking if he could pack meals with Jeff Gordon,” Lammers said. “Chase is so proud to partner with AARP and the Food Bank to make sure seniors get the food they need.”

    Chase Card Services also launched a new effort that will have record-setting impact on the Drive to End Hunger. Their new Chase AARP credit card will also reward the card holders for their participation in the cause.

    “We just launched a new card that is three percent back on restaurant and gas station purchases and one percent on everything else,” Sarah Lammers, Senior Marketing Manager for the AARP Visa Card, said. “We think it’s a perfect fit for the NASCAR population.”

    The new AARP Credit Card from Chase also provides a ten percent discount when redeeming rewards for travel through Chase, extended warranty protections and dedicated, personalized customer service 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

    The other benefit of the new credit card promotion is that Chase will try to set a record with matching donations to the AARP Foundation up to one million dollars.

    “We started partnering with Drive to End Hunger in 2011 and have donated $4 million to the cause, which is two million meals, which is very exciting,” Lammers said. “For this year for Drive to End Hunger, we are going to match up to a million dollars.”

    “When you donate to the AARP Foundation, Chase will match up to $1,000 for each donation up to a million dollars in total.”

    Even with all of the record-setting efforts, the driver of the No. 24 AARP Credit Cards from Chase Chevrolet put it all into perspective as he addressed the fan volunteers who had packed the meals in the fastest time ever.

    “You have no idea how far that will go in helping to feed those who are having difficulty,” Gordon said. “This is the greatest program that I’ve ever been a part of in my NASCAR career where I get to talk about a great cause, bring more awareness to it, and get people involved in volunteering and funding.”

    “And on race day, the fans get to come out and actually package meals that will get distributed to those who need it,” Gordon continued. “That’s pretty awesome.”

    To sign up for the new Chase credit card, visit www.aarpcreditcard.com and to donate to the AARP Foundation, go to their website at www.aarp.org.

  • Joe Nemechek Fueled by Herbal Mist Tea Sponsorship

    Joe Nemechek Fueled by Herbal Mist Tea Sponsorship

    For a small team like the one owned by veteran NASCAR driver Joe Nemechek, sponsorship literally keeps his race car on the track. So for this season Nemechek’s No. 87 Nationwide and Cup cars are being fueled by a new relationship with, of all things, a tea company.

    “Getting involved with the Herbal Mist Tea brand has been a neat opportunity for me,” Nemechek said. “I met Greg (Piagesi, one of the founders of Herbal Mist) and the other part of his team about a year ago here in Dover.”

    “He’s a former driver and it’s just interesting meeting them,” Nemechek continued. “They said they were working on some teas and doing this and that.”

    “Well, I’m a big unsweetened tea drinker,” Nemechek said. “They said they didn’t have any unsweetened teas, instead doing all kind of flavored teas and diet teas and regular sweet teas.”

    “I said to them ‘Man you need to get an unsweetened tea because there are a lot of us out there and you can’t find a good unsweetened tea in a convenience store or supermarket,” Nemechek continued. “So, they worked for a long time on formulas, sending samples back and forth to me and finally hit it.”

    “Now, they are producing it and selling it,” Nemechek said. “It’s pretty cool.”

    “It has my number on it and the checkered flag top.”

    Nemechek fancies himself as somewhat of an unsweetened tea connoisseur, especially as he grew up in a tea drinking family.

    “I love tea,” Nemechek said. “I grew up as a kid drinking tea.”

    “My mom used to brew our own tea and our family is big unsweet tea drinkers.”

    Nemechek believes that things happen in life for a reason and he is convinced that this partnership with Herbal Mist tea has been one of those fateful events in his life.

    “You meet people and certain things are meant to happen and that’s just one of these deals,” Nemechek said. “Now I’ve got a tea that has my picture and my car on it.”

    “I helped develop it, am in the middle of it, and am drinking it every day,” Nemechek continued. “It’s good stuff.”

    Nemechek acknowledged that a sponsorship like this means a great deal to a team like his. He also shared that he was proud to bring Herbal Mist to the NASCAR table in order to grow the sport overall.

    “In this day and time, getting companies involved in NASCAR is very, very important,” Nemechek said. “This program with the Herbal Mist tea brand is unique.”

    “It’s not only a financial thing as far as them helping out team, but it’s developing a product for the future,” Nemechek continued. “It’s something you see some of the top actors involved in that have certain branded products.”

    “This is one of the first ones to do that for me, so it’s neat.”

    Nemechek speculated a bit about why the folks at Herbal Mist decided to invest in him and in his race team.

    “That’s probably a question you need to ask them but if you ask me, just seeing me as I am,” Nemechek said. “What you see is what you get.”

    “I’m not a flashy guy,” Nemechek continued. “I’m pretty simple.”

    “Man, I’ve been doing this long enough that I don’t get into all the other BS that goes along in this,” Nemechek said. “I always try to be honest and try to tell the truth.”

    “I’m always trying to make stuff better, whether it’s the race car, products or whatever,” Nemechek continued. “I think they see a good, honest, hard-working guy that’s just an average Joe that wants to do well and has always been an underdog.”

    One of the characteristics that Herbal Mist no doubt admires most about Joe Nemechek, as do his fans, is his perseverance. And Nemechek admitted that, in addition to sponsorship, he can persevere because of his love of the sport.

    “It’s got to be the love for it because right now it’s really, really tough trying to keep a Cup team, a Nationwide team and my son racing,” Nemechek said. “There are just so many irons in the fire.”

    “It’s really tough trying to make the financial part of it add up,” Nemechek continued. “Some days I wonder because I can tell you my bank account is not going up every week.”

    “But we are so pleased with Herbal Mist stepping up because it does matter to our racing each and every week.”

    While Nemechek sees some improvement in the economy, he advised that it is still tough out there, especially for a small team. He admitted that it was also hard to have been at the top in the good times and now be struggling during these more challenging times.

    “It’s still really tough but we see a little bit of movement and a little bit of light,” Nemechek said. “But until things start happening, a lot of these companies have their marketing budgets locked down right now.”

    “If they ever let it go, we’re just trying to persevere and be there for when it does flow,” Nemechek continued. “We’re a small team that offers a huge value for a small price tag.”

    “When the recession hit, it hit everybody but as a race team we had to learn to do a lot more with a lot less,” Nemechek said. “And a lot of the other teams did too.”

    “But from a guy who has won championships, and 16 or 18 Nationwide races, 4 Cup races, we’ve been on top,” Nemechek continued. “And then to be on the bottom and say how are we going to keep the business going, it’s a whole new learning experience.”

    “I think we’ve done that very successfully.”

    Nemechek also shared that he has gotten good at juggling, thanks in large part to his wife and family. And he is also the proud papa of son John Hunter, who is launching his own racing career.

    “It is a lot to keep track of and I get really stressed sometimes,” Nemechek said. “I’ve got a great wife and family that support me and know this is what I want to do.”

    “They if I wasn’t doing this, I would be miserable.”

    For Nemechek, survival in the sport of NASCAR has always been thanks to his family, as well as surrounding himself with the best people. And that includes his new sponsor Herbal Mist, who has had the faith to fuel his race team.

    “There are certain things you believe in that are right and good,” Nemechek said. “And this is one of those products.”

    “I never put my name as long as I’ve been racing on something I didn’t believe in,” Nemechek continued. “This is a product that is good and is good for you.”

    “I’m honored to be a part of it.”

  • Martin Truex Jr. Jersey Strong at the Monster Mile

    Martin Truex Jr. Jersey Strong at the Monster Mile

    The driver of the No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota, Martin Truex Jr., took time to visit his home state of New Jersey before heading to what he considers his home track at Dover, Delaware.

    And, in light of all the crazy weather events recently, he also had the Jersey shore on his mind as the area continues to recover from Superstorm Sandy. Most of all, Truex is trying to do his own part to help the Jersey strong effort, especially through the foundation that bears his name.

    “I haven’t been to the shore since Christmas, but I was there after Sandy,” Truex said. “Yes, I did get to see a lot of the homes on the shoreline in my local area over there on the island and of course on the bay that had gotten beat up pretty good.”

    “I saw some homes that were just gone,” Truex continued. “There were boats on the marsh up against the wood line, things like that.”

    “We got to help a lot of people through our Foundation,” Truex said. “We donated a lot of money to the area to a lot of people.”

    What meant the most to Truex, in addition to having his family involved in the Foundation support effort, was that he personally helped to distribute the funding to those in need.

    “It was neat because we did it with our own board, our own committee of people up in the area that were hit and it was spearheaded by my sister,” Truex said. “We got to help a lot of people with a lot of things without going through anyone else.”

    “We were able to give them every dime we raised, which I think was upwards of $150,000,” Truex continued. “We paid people’s mortgages, rebuilt people’s houses and did all kinds of really neat things.”

    “So, that was cool.”

    While Truex admitted that there was still room for recovery, he also is feeling good that the shore area is strong and getting stronger. And he cannot wait to visit, which he hopes to do sometime over the summer if his schedule permits.

    “The area is getting back to somewhat being normal,” Truex said. “Hopefully this summer I’ll be able to get up there and see how it is coming along.”

    Prior to arriving at Dover International Speedway, Truex did get the opportunity to do some racing in his home state. And he really enjoyed being at home and on the track.

    “We went to New Jersey Motorsports Park, the second time I’ve been there,” Truex said. “It’s a beautiful facility with very good people running it.”

    “Just got to run some go karts with some guys from NAPA and had a good time with that,” Truex continued. “I don’t get to get up there as much as I’d like to.”

    Truex also took the opportunity to reminisce about his growing up days in New Jersey. And, of course, he credited his racing family, particularly his father, for being where he is currently in the sport.

    “He’s the only reason I ever got into racing,” Truex said of his father. “There are tons and tons of stories about him.”

    “Watching him race the modified at Wall Stadium (Wall Township, New Jersey) was my first memories of racing in general,” Truex continued. “Of course going on the road and traveling with him to some Busch North races, going to some tracks here and New Hampshire, was also cool.”

    “The most special memory of all was probably watching him win at New Hampshire, that was one of the coolest moments for me as a kid,” Truex said. “It was great watching my dad win on the big stage.”

    “As I grew up, that’s all I ever wanted to do was race because my dad did it.”

    While Truex Jr. is no doubt a Jersey boy, he also considers the Monster Mile in Dover, Delaware as his ‘home track.’

    “Everybody knows I consider this kind of my home track,” Truex said. “I’m excited to be here this weekend.”

    “Our team has been doing a good job lately and this is a good track for us,” Truex continued. “Hopefully, this will be the track where we break through and get back to Victory Lane.”

    Truex Jr. might just have his chance to get back into winning mode since he is starting from the outside pole at the Monster Mile. He scored that honor with a time of 22.814 seconds and a speed of 157.798 miles per hour.

    “I’m happy with the run obviously,” Truex said post-qualifying. “Chad (Johnston, crew chief) and the guys did a really good job with the NAPA Toyota and made some really good adjustments.”

    “We knew the track was slick from watching Nationwide practice,” Truex continued. “I probably left maybe a little bit out there.”

    “This is a place where if you get too much, you can be 30th,” Truex said. “So, I was a tiny bit conservative in one spot where I had trouble in practice.”

    “Starting up front is very important.”

    While Truex Jr. has a great starting place, he also acknowledged that he will have his work cut out for him at a track where the monster is the prize.

    “I think the hardest thing about this place is getting your car to do what you want,” Truex said. “The second hardest thing is when it’s not doing what you want, trying to drive the thing for 400 laps.”

    “It’s miserable to have a car that is not doing what you want here,” Truex continued. “Our rear tires are bouncing and we hear guys talking about tires feel like basketballs here all the time.”

    “If you’re a little bit off as the day goes on, it just gets worse and worse and you get madder and madder,” Truex said. “It’s a tough race track, but when your car is right, there’s no more fun race than here in Dover.”

    “It’s always nice to come home.”

  • Marcos Ambrose Hoping for a Million Miracles at the Monster Mile

    Marcos Ambrose Hoping for a Million Miracles at the Monster Mile

    While Marcos Ambrose, driver of the No. 9 DEWALT Racing Ford for Richard Petty Motorsports, is not only hoping for a victory at the Monster Mile, he is also racing for a miracle to help children who are ill and being treated at Children’s Miracle Network hospitals.

    Ambrose will also have some additional inspiration with special children’s names on his race car, as well as the incentive of a $1 million donation to the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals if he wins.

    “Today we’re here to race for a miracle,” Marcos Ambrose said as he and the children unveiled the special paint scheme on his car for the weekend. “We have the names of a whole bunch of kids being treated and what they are treated for on the car.”

    “If we win on Sunday, we will donate one million dollars,” Ambrose said. “If we finish second, we will donate $500,000 and third, a quarter million.”

    “Even if I crash on lap one, they will donate $100,000,” Ambrose continued. “It’s a real inspiration to race for these kids and we’re going to do everything we can to race for these kids this Sunday.”

    One of the children that Ambrose is racing for is Grayson, a three year old who was diagnosed with a brain stem tumor on Halloween.

    “We are currently being treated at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia,” Jaclyn Savery, Grayson’s mom, said. “Through CHOP, the Children’s Miracle Network asked us to participate in this event as a way to give Grayson a special memory to go through fifteen months of chemotherapy.”

    “He’s had four brain surgeries,” Savery continued. “So, this is an experience for him.”

    “Every little boy likes race cars so he is very excited to be part of this.”

    Savery and her family have been most impressed with how kind and friendly all the NASCAR stars and community, even icon Richard Petty, have been to them at the track so far.

    “This is all very brand new to us,” Savery said. “Mr. Petty went right up to Grayson, gave him an autograph and took pictures with him.”

    “We spent yesterday and today with Marcos and it was the same thing,” Savery continued. “He was so warm and Grayson thinks Marcos and Mr. Petty are very cool people.”

    Grayson not only unveiled Ambrose’s race car with his name on it, but he also toured the track and will be an honorary pit crew member on Sunday. What he hopes most to do, however, is to present Children’s Miracle Network with the million dollar check in Victory Lane with his new friend Marcos.

    “So, he is right in the thick of it all,” Savery said. “Grayson was just diagnosed so this is not an easy time in our family.”

    “But experiences like this bring us together as a family,” Savery continued. “It’s memories and things we look at during this dark time in our lives as a bright spot.”

    Racing relationships like this have been critical for the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, which includes 170 children’s hospitals across North America.

    “It’s just incredible for our families and our children to see the support of the racing community,” Miranda Barnard, Vice President of Communications for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, said. “This is our 30th year and every single hospital needs donations.”

    In fact, Barnard advised that their network of children’s hospitals provides $6,500 dollars every minute in charitable care so programs like this one are critical. With the exception of special programs like ‘Racing for a Miracle’, she also shared that most of their other donations come in one dollar at a time.

    “Through ACE, we have been able to have the ‘Racing for a Miracle’ program,” Barnard continued. “Through partners like the Ace Foundation, who has raised $54 million for us over the years, we’re able to cover much of the care that is not covered by insurance.”

    “So, all the kids at the hospitals are cheering for Marcos and hoping he wins.”

    The Children’s Miracle Network is also fortunate to have Ambrose’s sponsor Stanley behind the promotion as well.

    “StanleyBlack and Decker has been a partner with Ace and the Children’s Miracle Network for years,” Tony Merritt, Director of Corporate Motorsports Marketing, StanleyBlack & Decker, Inc., said. “This has grown from a paint scheme on the car to a full-blown promotion.”

    “Individual ACE stores participate by running their own promotions,” Merritt continued. “We are doing a hospital event in each city, with games and even a pit stop demonstration.”

    “In our busy, busy lives, we get stressed about things,” Merritt said. “When you spend time with these kids, you understand we don’t have stress in our lives.”

    “These kids are fighting the biggest battles of their lives,” Merritt continued. “The last couple days have been very humbling to everybody.”

    “We just wanted to bring a little joy to the lives of these children.”

    Ambrose and his team most certainly brought joy when they all made the visit to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia to meet the children.

    “We had some fun with the  kids, setting up a display area and got to play games,” Ambrose said. “We brought the show car and had a race car at the front.”

    “They appreciated and enjoyed it,” Ambrose continued. “It’s good to do and spread a bit of sunshine.”

    But for driver Marcos Ambrose, carrying the names of sick and struggling children on his race car is personal. And he intends to get the best finish he can at the Monster Mile for each and every one of them.

    “I’ve got two young kids at home so seeing kids at the hospital this weekend, I’m reminded of how lucky we are as a family,” Ambrose said. “I will use this as an inspiration because these kids getting treated at the hospitals all have such a positive outlook, in spite of going through these tough times.”

    “They are an inspiration,” Ambrose continued. “To have a chance to win a million dollars for these kids is inspiring.”

     

  • NASCAR BTS: Jason Trinchere’s Journey From Racer to Penske Engineer

    NASCAR BTS: Jason Trinchere’s Journey From Racer to Penske Engineer

    Many racers realize along the way that another career may be awaiting them other than being behind the wheel.  This week’s edition of NASCAR BTS goes behind the scenes with Jason Trinchere to learn more about his journey from short-track racer to design engineer at Penske Racing.

    Trinchere started his racing journey early, in fact from the time of his birth. And, as with so many racers, his father also was involved in the sport.

    “Ever since the time I was born, there was a race car or a go kart in our garage,” Trinchere said. “My dad started racing when he was in high school.”

    “When I was born, he stopped driving and became a car owner,” Trinchere continued. “So, he always had cars around the whole time I was growing up.”

    Trinchere caught the racing bug from his father and set off in go karts. Initially it was just for fun but the competition soon drew him in, hook, line and sinker.

    “When I was about ten or eleven years old, he sold his modified team and we started racing go karts,” Trinchere said. “It was mainly just for fun but then we started racing competitively.”

    “We had fun, raced dirt and had three championships,” Trinchere continued. “Then we started racing in the dirt asphalt division in the early ‘90s.”

    “So, I started driving those and that was the whole time I was in high school,” Trinchere said. “I didn’t even have my driver’s license when I started racing.”

    Although he loved being behind the wheel of a race car, Trinchere also enjoyed the mechanical and engineering side of the sport.

    “My dad was an auto mechanic so I learned that side of the business from him,” Trinchere said. “When I was in high school, I took machine shop in Vo Tech so I could make a lot of the components for our race cars.”

    “I wasn’t’ too sure of what I wanted to do and I was thinking of coming to the NASCAR Tech School but was concerned it was more for people not involved in racing,” Trinchere continued. “My dad talked me into studying engineering since I was the kid sitting at home playing with erector sets all the time.”

    After high school graduation, Trinchere had to make a critical decision about going to college and also what to do about his racing career. Ironically, he initially wanted to follow the path of his now team owner at Penske Racing.

    “When I came out of school, I wanted to go to Lehigh to follow in the footsteps of Roger Penske but the reality of how much college costs set in,” Trinchere said. “So, I went to community college to do my electives and take their associates classes in engineering.”

    “Then I transferred to Penn State Harrisburg campus,” Trinchere continued. “It was far enough to experience college life but close enough to home to go there and race.”

    Trinchere also happened to find his soul mate in the racing business.

    “When I went to college, I didn’t have the time to race in one place, so I started going to upstate New York and raced at Oswego and all different kinds of tracks,” Trinchere said. “At that time, when I was finishing college, my girlfriend (who is my wife now) was also involved in racing as her dad raced at Selinsgrove Speedway in Pennsylvania.”

    “So, imagine that, I met my wife through racing as well.”

    Trinchere and his wife decided that they needed to consider heading south to Charlotte and the heart of racing country to make both of their dreams come true.

    “I got a phone call from Dave McCarty, who at that time was the crew chief at Spears Motorsports for David Starr,” Trinchere said. “So, I followed up on that opportunity and he liked the fact that I was a racer with a degree in engineering.”

    “Being a Truck team, they didn’t want to hire a Cup engineer because a kid coming out of college was much cheaper,” Trinchere continued with a chuckle. “We moved down, bought a house (the same one we are living in now) and went racing.”

    “I worked at Spears and the next year Aric Almirola came in as the driver,” Trinchere continued. “I learned a lot there with David Starr, Aric Almirola and Dennis Setzer.”

    “It was a very small team with about twelve employees,” Trinchere said. “It was a neat opportunity to go to a little team and run against the big boys and do well.”

    “That made me feel good.”

    Trinchere left Spears to go to CJN Racing with Jason Keller as the driver. But shortly thereafter, he headed to DEI where he stayed even through the merger with Chip Ganassi Racing.

    “I went to DEI to be the Nationwide engineer when they ran a car, which was only part-time,” Trinchere said. “We had Trevor Bayne and Jesus Hernandez as the drivers.”

    “I was also support engineer for the 01 Cup car when Regan Smith was driving it,” Trinchere continued. “Then I switched over to Martin Truex’s car.”

    “It was a very busy year, going to a third of the Cup races and the rest of the East races.”

    “At the end of the season, there were talks and then the merger with Chip Ganassi occurred,” Trinchere said. “Before Homestead they came around and told us what time the meeting was, all but me.”

    “I didn’t know if that was good or bad,” Trinchere continued. “But I learned that people with meetings were let go and people who didn’t have a meeting were being kept.”

    “That was a little bit of a hard time.”

    Post-merger, Trinchere worked for both the 1 and 42 teams.

    “It worked out pretty well working for Jamie McMurray and Juan Pablo Montoya,” Trinchere said. “I did a program called ‘Dart Fish’ at the track where I would record qualifying runs.”

    “I did that for a year and at the end of the season, the engineering manager asked if I could do anything else to help the team and I was moved over to the design engineering team,” Trinchere continued. “It was fun to have the direct impact of what happened at the track.”

    Trinchere had a very eventful New Year, however, as he was offered and accepted a job at Penske Racing.

    “Within three days of sending my resume in, I had an interview,” Trinchere said. “I’m doing the same stuff as a design engineer.”

    “Their group is a little larger and uses different software but I am working with the 2 and 22, “Trinchere continued. “It’s been exciting but scary changing jobs, especially after five years.”

    “So, this is the next chapter for me.”