Category: XFINITY Series

–No. 66 Team Strong in Final Practice, No. 77 Team Gains Valuable Experience–

 

DAYTONA BEACH, FL (February 17, 2011)–With the final practice session for the NASCAR Nationwide Series now concluded, Rusty Wallace Racing’s Steve Wallace (No. 66 5-Hour Energy Toyota Camry) and teammate, Michael Annett (No. 62 Pilot / Flying J Toyota Camry) appear to be among the contenders in Saturday afternoon’s 300-mile event.

 

After blistering lap speeds by Wallace, Annett and others approached or topped 200 mph in Wednesday night’s practice, NASCAR took aggressive steps after each of today’s two practices to slow the Nationwide Series cars for Saturday’s race.

 

Opting to spend the vast majority of today’s sessions on single car runs rather than drafting, Wallace posted the 21^st-fastest speed in final practice.  However, the 23-year old wheelman says that today’s speed charts are almost irrelevant.

 

Noted Wallace, “You can’t read anything at all from the speed charts at restrictor plate tracks, especially with all of the rules changes they threw at us today. Those charts are pretty much useless, other than just to give something for everyone to talk about.  You never know who was drafting, making qualifying runs or even something in between.

 

“What I do know is that we have a really fast 5-Hour Energy Camry here this weekend.  Our 5-Hour Energy team and the No. 62 team both worked really hard in the offseason and it has really showed down here.

 

“We spent almost all of today just working on making our car faster, rather than risking getting caught up in a crash.  I’m excited to see what we have in qualifying tomorrow and in Saturday’s race.”

 

Although the week has been smooth sailing thus far for his Nationwide Series team, Wallace’s Sprint Cup team (No. 77 5-Hour Energy Toyota Camry) faced a bit of adversity today, following the second of the two 150-mile qualifying races for Sunday’s Daytona 500.

 

After cracking the top-ten with just six laps remaining in the race, Wallace was caught up in a multi-car accident, set off when the No. 60 car of Todd Bodine-running directly in front of Wallace-appeared to clip the apron of the track.  Bodine’s car then shot up the surface, collecting both Wallace and another car.

 

Despite moderate damage to the No. 77 Camry, Wallace’s Larry Carter-led team has elected to remain with the primary car for Sunday’s race.  The team will spend Friday enacting repairs to the car, before getting back on track for Saturday’s final practice session.

 

Said Wallace, “I definitely learned a lot more about drafting in these cars today.  In addition to some technique, I also learned that it’s all about who your partners are.  We started towards the back, so we had a hard time getting paired up with a fast car at the beginning of the race.  Luckily, there were a couple of cautions and we were able to get lined up with faster cars towards the end; it made a ton of difference.

 

“By the end of the race, I felt like I had a lot better handle on the two-car draft-especially on how to get pushed-and we were moving forward really fast.  You could really feel the pace and intensity of the race pick up in the last 10-15 laps. 

 

“I get along with Todd (Bodine) and a lot of those guys at Germain (Racing), so at the very end, I was really trying to help them get in the race.  We went down in the corner and he was sideways before I really even got back on him; it looked like he clipped the apron or something.

 

“It’s just a product of the style of racing we have down here right now.   With all of the pushing you have to do and how fast the closing rates are on slower cars, it just causes this kind of thing to happen. 

 

“I hate it for everyone involved-including our sponsors, like 5-Hour Energy and Aspen Dental.  Luckily, we didn’t have too much damage to the 5-Hour Energy Camry.  We’re going to spend Friday working on it and it’ll probably be even better than before by the time final practice starts on Saturday.

 

# # #

 

About Rusty Wallace Racing, LLC

 

North Carolina-based Rusty Wallace Racing (RWR) is a professional auto racing team steeped in the legendary history of its founder, Rusty Wallace-one of NASCAR’s top-ten drivers of all-time.  The team currently campaigns the No. 66 and No. 62 Toyota Camrys in the prestigious NASCAR Nationwide Series, driven by Steve Wallace and Michael Annett, respectively. RWR entries have been among the top-ten in the final Nationwide Series driver or owner standings in each of the last three seasons.  For more on Rusty Wallace Racing, please visit the award-winning rustywallace.com.

DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA (February 17, 2011) – – Practice for the NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) officially kicked off yesterday at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway with R3 Motorsports and driver Robert Richardson Jr., taking a conversation approach to Speedweeks 2011.

Earlier this week, R3 Motorsports, Sponsormonsters and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) announced an partnership agreement for the 2011 season which officially kicks off with Saturday’s season opener, the DRIVE4COPD 300 at the “World Center of Racing.”

After turning the 42nd and 27th fastest times respectively during the two practice sessions Wednesday, Richardson Jr., under the leadership of veteran crew chief Walter Giles released themselves into the wild pack of race cars Thursday morning during practice and posted the 11th fastest time, after circling the 2.5-mile superspeedway in 47.082 seconds at 191.156 miles per hour.

Despite only turning six laps Thursday morning, the team was in agreement around the board to put the car cover on their No. 23 Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Dodge Challenger R/T and sit out the remaining practice session left Thursday.

The veteran NASCAR Nationwide Series team will now turn their attention to qualifying, which is slated for Friday afternoon and will set the starting grid for the first of 34 races on the tour.   “This is probably the best car, I’ve ever had here,” said Richardson Jr., who will be pulling double-duty this weekend as he’ll compete in Sunday’s prestigious Daytona 500 for Front Row Motorsports (FRM). “The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Dodge Challenger R/T is super strong. We were playing it conservative yesterday but today, we knew we had to unleash ourselves and really see what we had. The car was so good that we decided not to take any chances and just let her sit until qualifying tomorrow.”

When asked about his impending qualifying run, Richardson, the former Southern Methodist University quarterback replied, “I honestly think we’re going to be somewhere between 15th and 20th,” he said. “Walter (Giles) and the guys on this R3 Motorsports team have done a good job getting this awesome looking race car ready to go here at Daytona.”

The goal for Saturday? Finish the race.   “R3 Motorsports wants to have a good run on Saturday and definitely put Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) into the spotlight where they belong,” Richardson Jr. sounded. “This is an awesome affiliation for our team and when the green flag drops on Saturday, we hope to be standing in the limelight for all the right reasons.”

Robert Richardson Jr. will make his 70th career NNS start and ninth overall at DIS and will also be guaranteed a starting position in his No. 23 Wildlife Conservation Society Dodge Challenger when the green flag waives in Saturday’s DRIVE4COPD 300 (120 laps / 300 miles) at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. The event is scheduled for a liftoff shortly after 1:00 p.m. Eastern on February 19th with live coverage on ESPN2, MRN Radio and Sirius XM Satellite Radio (Channel 128).

For further information and to join WCS’s mission, please logon to their website at WCS.org.

About WCS:   Founded in 1895, the Wildlife Conservation Society saves wildlife and wild places worldwide. They do so through science, global conservation, education and the management of the world’s largest system of urban wildlife parks, led by the flagship Bronx Zoo. Together these activities change attitudes toward nature and help people imagine wildlife and humans living in harmony. WCS is committed to its platform, because it is essential to the integrity of life on Earth.

–Wallace, Teammate, Strong in Nationwide Series Open Practice–

DAYTONA BEACH, FL (February 16, 2011)–Rusty Wallace Racing’s Steve Wallace (No. 66 5-Hour Energy Toyota Camry) started his 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series campaign in a strong way this evening, posting a top-ten effort on the opening day of practice for Saturday’s 300-mile Nationwide Series event at Daytona International Speedway.

Pushing teammate Michael Annett (No. 62 Pilot Travel Centers / Flying J Toyota Camry) in a two-car draft, Wallace recorded the eighth-quickest single lap of the session, at 45.557 seconds (197.555 MPH). That effort was second-best of the eight-car Toyota contingent-behind only seventh-place Kyle Busch-and second-fastest of the championship-eligible drivers as well.

Thursday’s on-track activity for the Nationwide Series includes the final two practice sessions before Friday’s qualifying session and Saturday’s race.

Stated Wallace, “I’m really proud of this 5-Hour Energy team. We had a ton on our plate in the offseason and this is definitely the best Nationwide car I’ve ever had at Daytona. It can push other cars really, really well and I think it’ll be fast in front and by itself as well.

“The experience I’ve gotten in the Cup car here has helped a lot and really sped up our learning curve on the two-car draft. We drafted with Michael (Annett) today and he has a really good car too. Once he gets a little more experience in the race with the two-car draft, I feel like we’ll be just as strong as any other pair out there.

“As for tomorrow, we feel like we’ve tempted fate enough with the draft; we’re going to take care of our car. We’ll pretty much focus on single-car runs and getting the most speed we can out of the car before qualifying and the race.”

Wednesday also saw the final NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practices before Thursday’s Twin 150-mile qualifying races. Wallace will roll his No. 77 5-Hour Energy Toyota Camry off from row nine in the second of the two qualifiers.

Noted Wallace, “I feel like we have a pretty competitive car for Sunday, but the hardest thing we’re facing right now is just being a single car team. It’s hard to find good drafting partners in practice-cars that are actually fast enough to draft with-because you have all the teammates from the various teams drafting together.

“That’ll change in the race, because you’re just going to have to go with the guys around you-the best guys you can find. A lot of the plans between teammates that we’ve seen in practice will go right out the window when the green flag falls.”

# # #

About Rusty Wallace Racing, LLC

North Carolina-based Rusty Wallace Racing (RWR) is a professional auto racing team steeped in the legendary history of its founder, Rusty Wallace-one of NASCAR’s top-ten drivers of all-time. The team currently campaigns the No. 66 and No. 62 Toyota Camrys in the prestigious NASCAR Nationwide Series, driven by Steve Wallace and Michael Annett, respectively. RWR entries have been among the top-ten in the final Nationwide Series driver or owner standings in each of the last three seasons. For more on Rusty Wallace Racing, please visit the award-winning rustywallace.com.

Dodge Motorsports Notes & Quotes NNS Race Advance Daytona International Speedway Saturday, Feb. 19, 2011

DODGE IN THE NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES

 •    Dodge won its first Nationwide championship last year when Penske Racing’s Brad Keselowski won the driver’s title. 

•    Dodge will field two entries in the Nationwide Series with Sam Hornish Jr. joining Keselowski from the Penske Racing stable. •    The Dodge Challenger R/T will serve as Dodge’s entry for all 35 races this season in the Nationwide Series.

DID YOU KNOW

 •    Dodge is a title sponsor and official automotive partner of Hart and Huntington Racing’s supercross racing efforts.

•    Sam Hornish Jr’s No. 12 Dodge Challenger SRT8 will sport a special integrated “Dodge 392” paint scheme featuring Dodge’s marketing partner Hart and Huntington Racing.

•    Dodge is the only manufacturer in NASCAR that race two different car brands in the Dodge Challenger R/T and Charger R/T brands.

DODGE SPEAK “We’ve spent the last year redefining and building the Dodge brand.  Now we’re going to show customers what the future of Dodge will look like.  At Dodge, we’re passionate about driving; we look forward to it.  We think a car should have a personality, be powerful and fun. We’re going to put that Dodge mojo into the entire lineup, from compact cars to minivans to SUVs and everything in between.” 

Ralph Gilles, President and CEO – Dodge Car brand, Chrysler Group LLC

DODGE QUOTES:  DRIVE4COPD 300 “We’re excited to bring our newest motorsports partner, Hart and Huntington Racing into Daytona this weekend,” said Bryan Viger, Head of Dodge Motorsports. “Our two brands complement each other very well, so for the season opener we’ll be incorporating the edgy Hart and Huntington paint scheme onto our No. 12 Dodge Challenger SRT8 to show how the Dodge brand continues to evolve and target a more youthful and performance-oriented audience.” Bryan Viger, Head of Dodge Motorsports   

“It will definitely be cool to walk into the Nationwide Series garage at Daytona as the series champion.  It means a lot to have won a championship for Mr. (Roger) Penske and everyone at Penske Racing, but we are not going to live in the past.  We’re going to Daytona to win the race and start 2011 off in the right fashion.  We had some very fast Dodge Challengers last year.  We were on the pole for the last race in Daytona (July), so we have a lot of confidence that we can back that up this time. 

Brad Keselowski, No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge R/T

“I am really excited about the first race of the season. I have not run a Nationwide Series restrictor plate race since 2007 so I am looking forward to this. It is great to have Dodge backing us for this event and the No. 12 Dodge is looking especially sharp – I think this car is going to get a lot of attention. I am very pleased that things have come together. We have been working hard to get a program in place for this year and I am glad to get back to the racetrack. We have a lot of possibilities in this program and I am looking forward to running with Dodge and building our relationship with Alliance Truck Parts over the course of this season.” Sam Hornish Jr, No. 12 Dodge Challenger SRT8

Michael Annett Daytona News and Notes

the headlines.

-Saturday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series DRIVE4COPD 300 will be 24-year-old driver Michael Annett’s first ever start with Rusty Wallace Racing’s No. 62 Nationwide Series team. Annett signed a two year contract with the organization in November 2010.

-For the 2011 season opener, Annett returns to a track where he was victorious in the 2008 ARCA 200. One of two superspeedway wins on his resume, Annett’s 2008 visit to Victory Lane at Daytona International Speedway followed a 2007 ARCA Racing Series win at NASCAR’s famed Talladega Superspeedway.

-In his two most recent Nationwide Series races at Daytona International Speedway, Annett has notched back-to-back 12th place finishes.

-Loyal sponsor Pilot Flying J will again adorn the hood of Annett’s No. 62 Toyota Camry this season after backing the Des Moines, Iowa native since he entered the sport in 2007. Together Annett and Pilot Flying J have shared two victories, tallied six top-fives and earned 16 top-10 finishes.

-Leading the No. 62 Pilot Flying J team will be crew chief Jason Overstreet. Overstreet joined Rusty Wallace Racing before the Nationwide Series race at Kansas Speedway last year and is familiar with calling the shots for young drivers like Annett as they develop their racing careers. Overstreet’s experience includes working in the crew chief capacity for now Sprint Cup Series drivers David Reutimann and A.J. Allmendinger during their rookie seasons in the Camping World Truck Series.

-2011 marks Annett’s first season having a teammate in the Nationwide Series. Formerly driving for a one-car team, the third year Nationwide Series driver is excited about his newly formed relationship with Rusty Wallace Racing’s two team organization and having his friend Steve Wallace as a teammate.

-About Pilot Flying J: Pilot Flying J is headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, and has more than 550 locations in North America. The company employs more than 20,000 people and is the largest retail operator of travel centers in North America. Follow Pilot Flying J on Twitter at @pilottravel.

-For the latest updates on Michael Annett, please visit www.michaelannett.com

.

the machines.

Team 62 Primary: RWR-057 – A new Nationwide Series car from the RWR stables.

Team 62 Backup: RWR-051 – RWR competed with this car in 2010 Nationwide Series events at Daytona International Speedway (July) and Michigan International Speedway. Driven to an 11th place finish by former RWR driver Brendan Gaughan at Charlotte Motor Speedway in October.

race day roster.

Crew Chief: Jason Overstreet

Race Engineer: Jason Stockert

Car Chief, Rear Tire Changer: Ryan McKinney

Mechanic, Rear Tire Carrier: Troy Hartmann

Front Tire Changer: Mike Janssen

Pit Crew Coach, Front Tire Carrier: Chris Brook

Mechanic, Jackman: Brian Gainey

Fueler: Rick Pennington

Spotter: Rocky Ryan

Pit Sign: Lori Adams

pilot flying j locations on your way.

Flying J

(I-95 Hwy 206 Exit 305)

950 State Road 206 West

St. Augustine, FL 32086

Pilot Travel Center

(I-95 Exit 329)

1625 County Road 210 West

Jacksonville, FL 32259

Pilot Travel Center

(I-75 and FL 484 Exit 341)

2020 SW 135th Street

Ocala, FL 34473

from the cockpit.

Annett on his first race with Rusty Wallace Racing:

“I couldn’t be more excited to kick off the 2011 race season with Rusty Wallace Racing. Right now, I’m positioned with one of the most prestigious teams in racing and have a loyal sponsor, Pilot Flying J, behind me, so I’m in the perfect place to start the year off. We’re looking to be strong right from the start. We’ve got a great group of guys put together for 2011 and my crew chief, Jason Overstreet, is a great leader for the group. I look for our first race to be a solid start to a breakaway season for the No. 62 Pilot Flying J team and the whole Rusty Wallace Racing organization.”

Annett on the changes for the 2011 Nationwide Series championship point race:

“I really like NASCAR’s decision to revise the points rules for 2011. Making Nationwide-only drivers like myself the only ones eligible to win the championship makes the competition more intense and more exciting for the fans. Still having the participation of Cup Series drivers is important to the series too. Not only does it help to fill the grandstands, but it’s great to have those more experienced drivers on the track with us to learn from. Overall, the decision gives our series more identity while maintaining the brand we already stand for.”

MIGUEL PALUDO QUICK FACTS

Daytona International Speedway

NextEra Energy Resources 250

February 18, 2011

Paludo at Daytona …The NextEra Energy Resources 250 will mark Paludo’s first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start at Daytona International Speedway. Paludo raced in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards event at Daytona last Saturday, starting 11th and finishing 13th.

Who is Miguel Paludo? … Making his NASCAR debut just last season, Paludo ran four races and earned one top-10 start and two top-10 finishes. Showing talent from the start, Paludo earned a ninth-place finish in his first Camping World Truck Series event at one of NASCAR’s toughest tracks, Bristol Motor Speedway. Paludo followed up that impressive start with another ninth-place finish at the season-finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Paludo got his first taste of racing behind the wheel of a go-kart at age 14. After running one full season and winning the regional championship in his home country of Brazil, Paludo and his brother, Daniel, entered a regional touring car series in 2004. Experiencing success right away, Paludo won the fourth race he competed in. In 2006 Paludo took his talents to the national level, racing Renault Clios, where he earned two podium finishes. In 2008, Paludo tried his hand at the Porsche GT3 Championship Series, where he competed in the full season. In those 16 events, he earned three wins, two poles and 11 top-three finishes. He also took championship honors that year and repeated his performance in 2009 by winning back-to-back Porsche GT3 championships. Paludo simultaneously participated in the GT3 Series, running 12 of the 16 events and finished third in the championship standings.

Baby Watch … Sprint Cup drivers aren’t the only ones who are expecting children this year. Miguel Paludo’s wife Patricia is due to deliver the couple’s first child this year – and on teammate Timothy Peters’ birthday, Aug. 29. Plus, crew chief Rick Gay and wife Sarah will be parents in two months, as Sarah Gay is due on April 16.

STEMCO-Duroline backs Paludo … STEMCO, standing for Specialized Truck Equipment Manufacturing Company, manufactures dual wheel adapters, hub hose carriers, drum check gauges, exhaust accessories, and the development of the STEMCO Hub Oil Seal and Hub Cap, and pinion seals. Duroline, based in Brazil, produces and distributes equipment which makes up the brake system of heavy-duty vehicles such as adjusters, wheels, brake pads and other items under the SuperBrake and Duroline trademarks.

Miguel Paludo Quotes

You are one of the few who will have a race under your belt on Daytona’s new asphalt. Is that an advantage?

“I don’t think so, because the truck series drivers have so many races under their belts that it’s not a big deal. I felt the new surface, but it’s not something that will be a big advantage.”

That was your first time at Daytona. What did you learn about the draft you didn’t know before?

“The time it takes for the car in front of you to suck you up. I know the truck will be different, and they told me it will be faster. Sometimes you brake, sometimes you lift the throttle. That’s tough. As much as someone tells you what it feels like, it’s hard to say. You have to feel it, and I felt all that stuff.”

What does it mean to you to race at Daytona?

“It’s awesome. The first lap in practice last week was incredible. I was thinking about that, to be able to be here in Daytona. I’ve watched so many races here on television. Since the first lap, I felt something different. I know about the history of this track, and it’s fantastic. To be here for the ARCA race and for the truck race, it’d be a big deal. I feel really blessed to be here in an American sport and to be a part of a Daytona race in the truck series.”

Your teammate, Timothy Peters, won the race in Daytona last year, and he’s looking to win again. What are your expectations for the race?

“It’s hard to say. I was talking to Patricia about that recently. The truck series in Daytona, you never know what can happen. But for real, my goal is a top-five – my real goal. But I’ll be happy with a top-10. I know how hard it is. But it’s hard to say. I have to feel it during practice and the race. We won’t know until we practice what we can do, but a big goal for me, first time here in Daytona, would be a top-five. That would be perfect.”

You have some high expectations this year, wanting to be the first Brazilian to win a NASCAR race and Rookie of the Year. Are you afraid the expectations you set for yourself are too high?

“I know that the goals are high. But I have to have my goals. Last year, my goals were top-10s and finish the races. We did that. My goals have to be higher. I know that it’s really hard to win a race here, and it’s really hard to win Rookie of the Year because there’s seven or eight guys running for it. I know that it will be really difficult, but I have to put those marks out there. It will put some pressure, but it will move me forward.”

Crew chief Rick Gay Quotes

You and Miguel have a race under your belt on Daytona’s new pavement, and hardly anyone else does. Is that any kind of advantage?

“We learned a lot. Miguel learned a lot, and I learned a lot about what to expect from a race. To me, it was a little bit of a relief after seeing him draft in practice the other day. Not that I didn’t believe in his ability, because I knew from Homestead and Texas last year that he’s very determined and very focused on what he needs to do inside the race truck. But I was more relieved at the fact that, ‘Well, this is just like Talladega.’ I’m really excited about going there with the truck because it’s going to be a good situation for Miguel.”

Do you have to temper his expectations for this season?

“Miguel and I have had conversations about that. I really think that even though he has lofty goals, he also knows it’s going to take him a little bit of time. It’s going to take him some time to get used to things, it’s going to take him some time to get used to the way we talk about things. He’s very capable of driving the race vehicle, and he’s very capable of knowing what he wants to feel and knowing how things should feel. And he knows when he’s not getting that feel out of the race truck, he knows what to say to help me make the changes needed to go faster. We did that in Orlando in our test there.”

The communication and chemistry between driver and crew chief just takes time.

“I don’t think it’s any more prevalent with Miguel and me versus someone else. It’s no different than Butch and Timothy or any new driver/crew chief combination. A lot of people are going to have that same learning curve. The new crew chief/driver combinations in the truck series are going to have that same challenge. With the way Daytona has been repaved, it evens the playing field a little bit. It comes down to, ‘How good is your truck?’”

Equipment Information … Primary truck: Chassis No. 006. Nelson Piquet Jr. finished sixth at Daytona last year, but the truck has undergone a substantial rebuilding to get it adapted to the new Daytona pavement. Backup: Chassis No. 140. Teammate Timothy Peters won with this truck at Daytona last year.

the headlines.

–For the first time in his young career, Steve Wallace will have Sprint Cup / Nationwide Series “double duty” this weekend.  The 23 year-old will make his Sprint Cup Series debut Sunday on NASCAR’s biggest stage, the 53rd annual running of the Daytona 500.  Wallace has previously raced in Nationwide Series combination events with both the Camping World Truck Series and ARCA.

–Also pulling “double duty” this weekend are several members of RWR’s No. 66 and No. 62 teams.  In addition to many of the over the wall crew members that will serve on the No. 77 team on Sunday, No. 62 crew chief, Jason Overstreet will serve as spotter for the No. 77 and No. 62 race engineer, Jason Stockert, will serve in the same role for the No. 77 team as well.  No. 66 crew chief, Doug Randolph will serve in an advisory role to No. 77 crew chief Larry Carter on Sunday.

–In an effort to jump start communication between Wallace and new crew chief, Doug Randolph, Randolph has called the shots for Wallace’s No. 77 Cup Series team throughout the Daytona Cup Series test, practice and qualifying.  Larry Carter will assume sole command of the No. 77 team when the Nationwide Series garage opens.

–With the new Nationwide Series points system in place, Steve Wallace has emerged as one of a handful of pre-season favorites for the Nationwide Series drivers’ championship.  Wallace is one of only four drivers ranked among the 2010 top-ten that will be eligible for the 2011 drivers’ title.  Noted Wallace, “The game has definitely changed and it starts right now.  Consistency is more important than ever.  We want to win races as much as ever, but now, you have to pay a lot of attention to the big picture.  We’re ready for the challenge.”

–Rusty Wallace Racing is pleased to welcome Aspen Dental as an associate sponsor for the 2011 Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series seasons.  With more than 275 dental practices in 21 states, Aspen Dental is committed to providing patients with affordable, high-quality dental care in a welcoming environment.  Services range from dentures and preventive care to general dentistry and restoration.  For more information, visit www.aspendental.com 

the machines.

–Team 66 Primary:  RWR-056-A new specialized super-speedway car,chassis 056 will make its debut this week in Daytona.

–Team 66 Backup:  RWR-052-A backup car for super-speedways and fast intermediate tracks, car 052 made its debut in the July 2010 Daytona event, after a bizarre practice incident saw unsecured ballast from a backmarker impact the front of the No. 66 team’s primary car.

the history.

–Steve Wallace at Daytona International Speedway:  Steve Wallace has four lead-lap top-15 finishes in has last five NASCAR Nationwide Series starts at Daytona.  His best Daytona finish of tenth came in last February’s Nationwide race.  In the remaining event, Wallace was taken out of contention in a bizarre incident with Jason Leffler, who was subsequently penalized five laps for his actions against Wallace.

your weekly energy shot.

–Did You Know?:  5-Hour Energy contains a blend of B-vitamins, amino acids and essential nutrients. It contains zero sugar, zero herbal stimulants and four calories. The amount of caffeine varies depending on the energy shot. Original 5-Hour Energy contains as much caffeine as a cup of premium coffee. Extra Strength contains as much as 12 ounces of  premium coffee, while Decaf 5-Hour Energy contains only as much caffeine as a half cup of decaffeinated coffee.

–Welcome, Winn-Dixie:  5-Hour Energy Racing welcomes Winn-Dixie as a partner for the Daytona event.  Winn-Dixie branding will adorn the television panel of Steve Wallace’s No. 66 car for the Nationwide Series race in Daytona.

 
from the cockpit.

–Q:  You’ll be racing in both the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series races this week.  How much do you think that will benefit you?

SW:  “It will be a big benefit this week for a few reasons.  First, because of the information we’re able to transfer to our Nationwide program.  We learned a lot about this style of car in the Cup test and we were able to build a lot of that into the Nationwide cars.  That’ll continue throughout the week.  Second, there’s a real technique to the two-car draft that takes some practice.  We think it’ll be as prominent in the Nationwide cars as it is in the Cup cars, so the more practice I can get doing that, the more of an advantage we’ll have.”

–Q:  With over 1,000 miles of driving, between practice, qualifying, the 150s, the Nationwide race and the Daytona 500, how will you ensure you’re physically and mentally ready to go?

SW:  “Hydration throughout the week is really, really important, as well as having a good diet, getting lots of rest and making sure to use some 5-Hour Energy!”

About Rusty Wallace Racing, LLC

North Carolina-based Rusty Wallace Racing (RWR) is a professional auto racing team steeped in the legendary history of its founder, Rusty Wallace-one of NASCAR’s top-ten drivers of all-time.  The team currently campaigns the No. 66 and No. 62 Toyota Camrys in the prestigious NASCAR Nationwide Series, driven by Steve Wallace and Michael Annett, respectively. RWR entries have been among the top-ten in the final Nationwide Series driver or owner standings in each of the last three seasons.  For more on Rusty Wallace Racing, please visit the award-winning rustywallace.com.

Set to drive No. 41 Fuel Doctor Ford Mustang in DRIVE4COPD 300

 

DAYTONA BEACH, FLA.  (February 14, 2011) – Rick Ware Racing has signed 2010 ARCA Racing Series champion Patrick Sheltra to pilot the No. 41 Fuel Doctor Ford Mustang at Daytona International Speedway (DIS).  Sheltra will hit the track with his Rick Ware Racing team on Saturday, February 19^th for the NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) season-opening event, the DRIVE4COPD 300.     

Sheltra, 24, won the 2010 ARCA Racing Series championship on the strength of two wins, 12 top-five and 17 top-10 finishes in the 20 race ARCA schedule.  The Indiantown, Florida-native is looking to continue that success in NASCAR’s top-three touring series in 2011 while getting his season off to a strong start with Rick Ware Racing at DIS.

“I’m very excited for this opportunity with Rick Ware Racing for the NASCAR Nationwide Series event at Daytona.  This was a last-minute deal that we put together for Daytona, and I appreciate Rick trusting me with his race car.  I like superspeedways, and I’m looking forward to giving them a good performance with a solid finish.”

Patrick Sheltra is no stranger to competing on Daytona’s high-banks.  He has three ARCA Racing Series starts at the 2.5-mile oval with a best finish of fifth in 2010.  The Florida-native also made his NNS debut at Daytona in 2008.  Sheltra has a total of five career NNS starts with a best finish of 18^th at Talladega Superspeedway in 2010, where he also led his first laps in NASCAR competition.

Sheltra will set the mark for Rick Ware Racing’s journey into the NASCAR Nationwide Series’ NEW car carrying the Ford banner with Doug Richert as crew chief.

“We are really excited to have a champion like Patrick Sheltra starting off our new journey in the NASCAR Nationwide Series,” stated owner Rick Ware. “We got the opportunity to race against Patrick last year with our ARCA program and took notice of how fierce of a competitor he is. We look forward to a great weekend with Patrick in the Fuel Doctor Ford and are excited to get the season kicked off with a strong finish.”

Racing action is set to begin for the stars of the NASCAR Nationwide series on Wednesday and Thursday, February 16-17 for two full days of practice.  Qualifying will begin on Friday, February 18 at 4:00 p.m. EST, with the green flag dropping on the 2011 NNS season on Saturday, February 19^th at 1:00 p.m. EST.    

 

For more information visit www.wareracing.com or you can also follow the team on Twitter at @rickwareracing.

 

ABOUT FUEL DOCTOR USA

Fuel Doctor’s FD-47 is destined to forever alter how much money consumers spend on gas, while saving the environment one car at a time.  The FD-47’s cutting-edge technology increases fuel economy and decreases CO2 released into the environment.  Fuel Doctor USA has officially joined the ranks of new companies using science and technology to effectively decrease environmental damage; while saving money for the consumer. Fuel Doctor USA products are available for purchase online at www.fueldoctorusa.com or by calling 1.877.512.FUEL. For motorsports marketing information please contact tanya@fueldoctorusa.com