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NASCAR XFINITY Series news and information

  • Elliott Sadler Looks For New Opportunity With Kevin Harvick Inc.

    Elliott Sadler Looks For New Opportunity With Kevin Harvick Inc.

    Elliott Sadler has been in a slump lately where nothing has gone right as he only has one top 10 this year. So when it came to his announcement as towards what he was going to do next year, it was no surprise that he was leaving Richard Petty Motorsports.

    However, the coming months would prove to change things even more as it’d be announced that he’d possibly be running the Camping World Truck Series or Nationwide Series next year for Kevin Harvick Incorporated (KHI).

    A lot of people would consider this to be a bad thing as they’d consider it a bad step down in the chain. However, for Sadler, it all did with a change of perspective.

    “If I leave and go to the Truck or Nationwide series, I’m not going there to run one year and end my career. I am going to restart it and do something else,” Sadler said on NASCAR.com. “Yes, it is a direction change, but my ego isn’t too big that it says I have to be a Cup driver or I can’t race. I don’t want to be a Cup driver that just rides around. That is not in my nature; I’m way too competitive of a person.

    “I don’t care what division I race in as long as I am competitive and I’m having fun. I just want to win races and have a chance at a championship so we’ve got our fingers crossed.”

    This past year running some Truck races for Kevin Harvick has offered that to Sadler. Sadler has made six starts for KHI, posting one win, two top-fives and three top-10s.

    Another thing that Sadler likes about working with Harvick is the confidence that Harvick instills in his drivers.

    “You know, when I felt like people might have turned their backs on me and done other stuff and left me in a tough situation, Kevin stepped up to the plate,” Sadler said. “He’s like, ‘Man, I believe in you, you can get this done. I want you to run my equipment.’ It has been a great situation. Kevin has done a lot to revive my career and give me confidence. He’s a great motivator right now.”

    That motivational quality in Harvick is something that Ron Hornaday went through with Harvick when he joined the organization. The wheels had fallen off Hornaday’s career as he was being bounced around middle-field Nationwide teams. Once he got with KHI, everything took off and he has since won two more Truck championships.

    So far all that’s been announced is Hornaday will be back to run the complete Truck Series schedule again while Sadler will be driving at least four races. Harvick would like to work Sadler into running more races, however it is known that he won’t do anything unless he knows that he’ll have the funding to be able to do it.

    “Right now, he’s obviously a part of our Truck Series program and has run the Nationwide races,” Harvick said on NASCAR.com. “We’d love to have him play more of a role with the organization.”

    The 2011 Plans for KHI should be finalized within the next month, Harvick added.

    For Sadler, he is looking at all of his options and right now is considering this to be a way to restart his career and prove himself again.

    “People have been asking me about that a lot lately and honestly I look at it like this,” Sadler said. “Jeff Burton said when he left Roush Racing and went to [Richard Childress Racing] he felt like he was restarting his career not going somewhere else to end it. I’m going here to start my career over to redo it and that’s kind of where I am at, too.”

  • NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: The Nationwide Series at Charlotte

    NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: The Nationwide Series at Charlotte

    NASCAR’s Nationwide Series will be taking on the Charlotte Motor Speedway’s 1.5 mile oval for Friday night’s Dollar General 300. This race will feature the series’ new Car of Tomorrow, (COT) making its fourth and final appearance of the season. Meanwhile series teams will searching for a way to slow down the domination of Joe Gibbs Racing and Danica Patrick continues her Indy Car to NASCAR transition.

    THE STORY BREAKDOWN

    The Nationwide Series COT will be making its final appearance for the 2010 season Friday night following three previous races that netted the new car high praise from the drivers, team owners, officials and the fans. This car was, of course, about placing modern day driver safety innovations, developed by the Sprint Cup COT cars, into the Nationwide vehicles.

    But a bonus came from the invention of this new Nationwide Series COT. From the very beginning the new car was very fast and very drivable and that translated to very close and exciting racing. The new car was gradually integrated into the Nationwide Series this year via four carefully picked races to allow for any fine tuning that may have been needed. The new COT will race the series full time in 2011 beginning in February.

    There’s only one more change that would make this COT program complete: Chevrolet caves in to the wishes of the Nationwide Series fans and puts their hot looking Camaro on the race track.

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

    If you had to use one word to describe the Nationwide Series performance of Joe Gibbs Racing and Kyle Busch awesome would be a good choice. So far in 2010 their #18 team has amassed 12 wins, 20 top five finishes and 22 top ten finishes. The Charlotte Motor Speedway is yet another stopping point that has felt the Kyle Busch domination. In 14 previous starts there he has a series high six wins and has won at Charlotte four times in his last five starts.

    Busch is third in the series’ points standings but that’s only because he’s not running the full schedule this year. However, his efforts have placed Joe Gibbs Racing on top of the coveted owner’s points championship. Going into Friday night’s race, JGR holds a 149 point advantage over Jodi Geshickter the owner of record for the Penske Racing Dodge driven by Brad Keselowski.

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

    It’s hard to imagine that such a prolific team owner as Roger Penske has never won a championship in a NASCAR national touring series. This is especially true in light of the accomplishments he has enjoyed in other forms of racing.

    But it looks like the elusive NASCAR championship is finally coming his way. His Nationwide Series team, led by driver Brad Keselowski, is coming into the Charlotte race with a 384 point lead over season rival Carl Edwards.

    With five races left in the season, it appears that it’s time to notify the official engraver of NASCAR to start the engraving process on the championship trophy. He may need the extra time to figure out how to space all those letters in the driver’s name.

    ***********

    Danica Patrick will be continuing her transition from Indy car to NASCAR this Friday night. She will once again be participating in the NASCAR learning curve behind the wheel of the #7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet. She will also be making her first ever start at the Charlotte Motor Speedway.

    Patrick looked strong during the Nationwide Series race last Saturday at the Auto Club Speedway. She practiced and qualified well there. She was also well on her way to achieving her pre race goal of a top 15 finish before she got caught up in a late race crash not of her making with only seven laps left. Her 30th place finish in California is no where indicative of the job she did before the crash.

    ***********

    THE RACE BREAKDOWN

    The Dollar General 300 is 200 laps/300 miles around the Charlotte Motor Speedway’s 1.5 mile quad oval.

    The race has 45 entries vying for the 43 starting berths.

    14 of those entries are double duty drivers or those who also compete full time in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

    15 entries are on the go or go home list meaning they are not guaranteed a starting berth in the race because they are currently outside of the top 30 in NASCAR Nationwide Series owner’s points. These teams will have to earn a berth in the race based on their qualifying speeds.

    The Dollar General 300 will be broadcast live by the ESPN2 Network beginning at 730 pm eastern time.

  • Go Daddy and Hot Wheels Team Up to Give No. 7 a New Look

    Danica Patrick to Drive Special Paint Scheme in Season Finale at Homestead

    MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Oct. 14, 2010) – Danica Patrick’s No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet will have a “hot” new look under the lights in the NASCAR Nationwide Series season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov. 20. As part of a collaborative effort between Go Daddy, Hot Wheels and JR Motorsports, the latest version of Patrick’s No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet features an all-new paint scheme that was designed by Hot Wheels and unveiled today at the JR Motorsports facility.

    The unveiled design is one of three sketches that Hot Wheels designers created by hand and in digital form. Of those three blueprints, Patrick and Go Daddy CEO and Founder Bob Parsons mutually selected their favorite. The winning selection features a black No. 7 Chevrolet accentuated with vibrant Go Daddy-green flames that emblazon the hood, roof and sides of the vehicle.

    “I’ve always felt like night racing adds an element of excitement to the race,” Patrick said at the unveiling. “This paint scheme on our Go Daddy car looks amazing, and I can’t wait to see how cool it looks in the night race at Homestead. It was great to have Bob and Go Daddy help pick the design. Hot Wheels did a great job with the sketches. It was a difficult choice.”

    “You have to admit, Danica’s No. 7 GoDaddy.com car has never looked so hot,” joked Go Daddy CEO and Founder Bob Parsons. “The Hot Wheels touch is fun! And when you think about it, the flames are a fitting analogy for our Go Daddy Girl … Danica is about as fiery a driver as there is on the track!”

    A 1:64-scale die-cast version of Patrick’s No. 7 GoDaddy.com Designed by Hot Wheels Chevrolet will be available in retail stores and at track beginning Nov. 20, in celebration of the final NASCAR Nationwide race of 2010 at Homestead-Miami. It marks the second time this season Hot Wheels has produced a version of Patrick’s No. 7 Chevrolet. The company also produced a 1:64-scale version of the Hot Wheels Chevrolet that Patrick drove at Michigan earlier this summer.

    “We are always looking for best-in-class partners, like Go Daddy and JR Motorsports, to further to engage our fans in new and thrilling ways,” said Simon Waldron, vice president, marketing, Hot Wheels. “We are excited to expand our presence in racing with Go Daddy and Danica Patrick, and create a new eye-catching livery like only Hot Wheels can. We look forward to seeing this Designed by Hot Wheels car cross the finish line in Miami.”

    Photos of the No. 7 GoDaddy.com Designed by Hot Wheels Chevrolet are available upon request.

    About The Go Daddy Group, Inc.

    Go Daddy is a leading provider of services that enable individuals and businesses to establish, maintain and evolve an online presence. Go Daddy provides a variety of domain name registration plans and website design and hosting packages, as well as a broad array of on-demand services. These include products such as SSL Certificates, Domains by Proxy private registration, ecommerce website hosting, blog templates and blog software, podcast packages and online photo hosting. The Go Daddy Group has more than 43 million domain names under management. Go Daddy registers, renews or transfers a domain name every second. GoDaddy.com is the world’s largest Web hosting provider and is the world’s No. 1 domain name registrar according to Name Intelligence, Inc. During the first half of 2010, The Go Daddy Group registered more than one-third of all new domain names created in the top six generic top-level domains, or gTLDs, including .com, .net, .org, .info, .biz and .mobi.

    About the Hot Wheels® Brand

    Hot Wheels® cars revolutionized boys’ toys in 1968 with an original line of super-fast, customized cars built for speed, power, performance and attitude. Now, more than 40 years later, Hot Wheels® is a global lifestyle brand that represents the coolest cars imaginable in scales from miniature to full-size. Hot Wheels® cars are also popular collectibles for adults and each year, introduces a new line-up of innovative vehicles, track sets and playsets.

    About Mattel, Inc.

    Mattel, Inc., (NASDAQ:MAT) (www.mattel.com) is the worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of toys and family products. The Mattel family is comprised of such best-selling brands as Barbie®, the most popular fashion doll ever introduced, Hot Wheels®, Matchbox®, American Girl® , Radica® and Tyco® R/C, as well as Fisher-Price® brands, including Little People®, Power Wheels® and a wide array of entertainment-inspired toy lines. In 2009, Mattel is recognized among the “100 Best Corporate Citizens,” as one of the “World’s Most Ethical Companies” and as one of FORTUNE Magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For.” With worldwide headquarters in El Segundo, Calif., Mattel employs approximately 30,000 people in 43 countries and territories and sells products in more than 150 nations. Mattel’s vision is to be the world’s premier toy brands–today and tomorrow.

    © 2010 Mattel, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    About JR Motorsports:

    JR Motorsports is the management company and racing operation for Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR’s seven-time Most Popular Driver and winner of more than 40 NASCAR-sanctioned races. JR Motorsports competes in multiple racing divisions, including the NASCAR Nationwide Series. In 2008 JRM enjoyed a breakout season with four Nationwide Series victories between its two teams. The company followed suit with four more wins in 2009, and added two additional victories to its tally in 2010. The JR Motorsports facilities are based out of Mooresville, N.C., and include the JR Nation retail store, Hammerhead Entertainment, and DEJ Realty. For more information on JR Motorsports, visit www.dalejr.com.

  • Josh Wise, D.J. Copp Parlay JR Motorsports Friendship Into Nationwide Ride

    Josh Wise, D.J. Copp Parlay JR Motorsports Friendship Into Nationwide Ride

    Josh Wise, an up and coming NASCAR driver, and D.J. Copp, tire changer and contributor to ESPN’s NASCAR Now, got to talking on pit road while working together at JR Motorsports.  That friendship has now blossomed into a different sort of relationship, that of fielding a Nationwide car together at Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend.

    Wise will be behind the wheel of the No. 43 Dodge Challenger and will run under the auspices of Baker Curb Racing.  D.J. Copp will help support the venture with sponsorship from his own company, OTWCrew.com. in partnership with Ingersoll Rand.  Copp will also be serving atop Wise’s pit box as crew chief, supervising his company’s all volunteer pit crew for the race.

    While Wise is an up and comer in the sport, Copp has been around the NASCAR garage for many years.    Copp has been a professional pit crew member and tire changer for several different teams, including Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Carl Edwards to name a few, for the last 15 years.

    Copp recently started his own company, OTWCrew.com, with the innovative notion to lease out pit crews, particularly to teams that cannot afford to keep full-time over the wall staff on their payroll.  He also sees this model as the ideal way to not only groom pit crews of the future but also to introduce pit crew wannabes to the sport.

    “OTW.com is a company I started about three years ago,” Copp said.  “It is pretty much to give people opportunities in the sport of NASCAR.”

    “This also gives people a truly realistic view of the sport,” Copp said.  “When you don’t have unknowns jumping out at them, you get better quality out of them.”

    Copp’s newest venture is getting a car to the race track, which he will be doing this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway in partnership with Baker Curb and Josh Wise.

    “I’ve put together a Nationwide car and we are going to help Baker Curb Racing get this car to the race track,” Copp said.  “And it’s strictly through volunteers that are a part of OTWCrew.com that will be pitting the car.”

    “I changed tires for JR Motorsports and that relationship has allowed me to meet Josh Wise,” Copp continued.  “I talked to the guys at JR Motorsports and they have allowed me to have Wise drive my car at Charlotte.”

    While Copp has invested much of his own money, sweat and tears in this deal, he sees this as the next step for his company.

    “This gives me an opportunity to go do this race and then see what the best new direction is for OTWCrew.com,” Copp said.  “This will keep giving people new options in the sport.”

    Copp also has arranged for his company’s title sponsor, Ingersoll Rand, to be involved in the race deal with Baker Curb Racing and driver Josh Wise.  Ingersoll Rand makes 90% of the pit guns that are used on pit road by the race teams in the sport so is a familiar company at the track.

    Again, it was all about relationships in forming this unique sponsor partnership.  Copp met the Vice President of Ingersoll Rand on pit road, got to talking, met for lunch and the sponsor deal was sealed.

    “The way we’ve been growing, Ingersoll Rand has been really supportive,” Copp said.  “So, they’ve jumped on board and will be sponsoring the race car along with OTWCrew.com this weekend.”

    In addition to his relationship with his sponsor, Copp is also leveraging his relationship with JR Motorsports driver Josh Wise.

    “The reason we went to Josh Wise is because of the relationship we had at JR Motorsports,” Copp said.  “He doesn’t tear up equipment, he gets the most out of his equipment, he gives good feedback and he’s great with sponsors.”

    “When you look at all the different aspects that teams need from their drivers, he has it all,” Copp said.  “I need to put my best foot forward this weekend and Josh Wise is my best foot forward behind the wheel.”

    From Wise’s perspective, he could not be more pleased with this newest opportunity.  If he qualifies his way into the show, Wise will be making his 24th Nationwide start of the season.

    “It’s really cool for me to be a part of this,” Wise said.  “This is something to build on for sure.”

    Wise admits that he has had a bit of a “crazy” season this year, but his prime goal has been to get whatever seat time that he could.  To that end, he has worked with Specialty Racing, has done some start and parking, and most recently has raced the No. 7 JR Motorsports car, taking turns behind the wheel with Danica Patrick.

    “My goal at the beginning of the season was to do whatever I had to do to stay in the seat,” Wise said.  “It’s all kept materializing and opportunities like this one that D.J. is giving me just keep cropping up.”

    “We were riding back from the race at Richmond and he mentioned that he was trying to work on a ride for Charlotte,” Wise continued.  “I said jokingly that I’d drive it and a week ago he saw me in the shop and said that he was doing it.” 

    “That’s how it all got started,” Wise said.  “It’s something that he has worked really hard on and I want to do a good job for him.”

    Wise and Copp will attempt to race their way into the Nationwide Dollar General 300 under the lights on Friday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend.  The race will be covered by ESPN2 at 7:30 PM ET.

  • TaxSlayer Signs Sponsorship Deal With JR Motorsports

    Tax service to appear on JRM cars in 2011

    MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Thursday, October 14, 2010) – TaxSlayer, a tax preparation service that completes millions of tax returns each year for its customers, has agreed to a sponsorship deal with JR Motorsports’ NASCAR Nationwide Series program for 2011.

    TaxSlayer, based in Evans, Ga., will have its familiar red-and-black branding on JR Motorsports Chevrolets for nine races.  Two of those primary placements will be on Aric Almirola’s No. 88 Chevrolet at Phoenix International Raceway (Feb. 26) and Las Vegas Motor Speedway (March 5), while team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. will race a TaxSlayer-sponsored Chevrolet at Bristol Motor Speedway on March 19.  JR Motorsports’ No. 7 entry will carry TaxSlayer for six additional dates.

    “This is something we are really excited to announce, because with what we have to offer, from a competition standpoint as well as a marketing and brand-building perspective, there is a lot of potential for a strong partnership with TaxSlayer,” said Kelley Earnhardt, general manager of JR Motorsports.  “We feel like we align ourselves with the best sponsors and best people, and we look forward to building a long-lasting relationship with TaxSlayer.”

    TaxSlayer’s sponsorship of JR Motorsports will include a marketing campaign featuring Almirola and Earnhardt Jr.  Commercials with Earnhardt Jr. will begin airing in December.  The six races in which TaxSlayer will receive primary placement on the No. 7 Chevrolet include Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif. (March 26), Texas Motor Speedway (April 8), Darlington Raceway (May 6), Nashville Superspeedway (July 23), Iowa Speedway (Aug. 6), and Dover International Speedway (Oct. 1).  The driver of the No. 7 Chevrolet for those races has not been determined.

    “JR Motorsports puts a competitive product on the track, but just as valuable is its ability to connect to NASCAR fans and the resources it uses to reach them,” said Daniel Eubanks, director of motorsports for TaxSlayer.  “We have been able to use strategic marketing campaigns to grow our company, and a big part of that was a successful partnership with TRG Motorsports and Bobby Labonte the past two years, and we thank them for that.  This opportunity with JR Motorsports allows us to reach new customers and create new ways to educate people about our easy and affordable tax-filing service.”

    TaxSlayer.com provides one of the best values in personal tax software by providing preparation of tax returns for only $9.95.  The service provides all the forms, calculations, and communication links to allow customers to easily prepare and e-File their tax returns electronically at www.TaxSlayer.com.

    “We are excited to continue our involvement in NASCAR,” said Jimmy Rhodes, president of TaxSlayer.  “We welcome the opportunity to continue to present our product to NASCAR fans and look forward to working with Dale Jr. and the group at JR Motorsports.”

    The Bristol race on March 19 is the only Nationwide Series race confirmed for Earnhardt Jr. to date, though it is expected he will drive JR Motorsports entries in approximately four races in 2011.

    “From a team ownership standpoint, TaxSlayer coming on board is a significant factor in keeping our race team – particularly the No. 88 team – in the hunt for wins and championships,” Earnhardt Jr. said.  “Our expectations have always remained high.  We think we have the right guy behind the wheel in Aric Almirola.  Our No. 7 program is really coming together.  Tony Eury Jr. has done a really good job working with young drivers, and we look for the No. 7 to be competitive next year.”

    About JR Motorsports:

    JR Motorsports is the management company and racing operation for Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR’s seven-time Most Popular Driver and winner of more than 40 NASCAR-sanctioned races. JR Motorsports competes in multiple racing divisions, including the NASCAR Nationwide Series. In 2008 JRM enjoyed a breakout season with four Nationwide Series victories between its two teams. The company followed suit with four more wins in 2009. The JR Motorsports facilities are based out of Mooresville, N.C., and include the JR Nation retail store, Hammerhead Entertainment, and DEJ Realty. For more information on JR Motorsports, visit www.dalejr.com.

  • Stenhouse Jr. Looks to Continue Magic in Final Mustang Race of 2010

    CONCORD, N.C. (Oct. 14, 2010) – When Ricky Stenhouse Jr. hops into his Ford Mustang this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway, he will look to continue his hot streak in the fourth and final race in NASCAR’s new car. In the three new car events so far this year, Stenhouse has scored two top-five finishes and has an average finish of 6.7. In comparison to the drivers who raced in all new car races in 2010, Stenhouse is fourth in average finish and has the top average finish of series-only regulars. The rookie’s average finish ranked only behind points leader Brad Keselowski (2.3), Kevin Harvick (5.3) and defending Nationwide Series Champion Kyle Busch (6.3).

    “The new Ford Mustang is awesome to drive,” said Stenhouse. “I feel like you can drive the new car a little harder than the older car which suits my driving style. Our new Mustang has a longer wheelbase which is something I am more used to because of my ARCA experience. I can also drive the new car a little more sideways which is perfect for how I like my car to be set-up. Our Mustang was pretty sporty in the open test at Charlotte on Wednesday and I feel pretty good about the way it’s going to run this weekend.”

    Catch Stenhouse and the No. 6 CitiFinancial team in the Dollar General 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Friday evening, Oct. 15, 2010 with race coverage beginning at 7:30 p.m. EDT on ESPN2.

    About CitiFinancial

    Citi, the leading global financial services company, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 140 countries. Through Citicorp and Citi Holdings, Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, and wealth management. Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com or www.citi.com.

    About Roush Fenway Racing

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

  • Victory Junction Announces Open House; Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Dale Jr.’s Amphitheatre Part of Festivities

    RANDLEMAN, N.C. (Oct. 13, 2010) – Victory Junction announced today that it will feature a public open house in conjunction with Randleman’s NASCAR Days on Saturday, Oct. 23, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Headlining the day’s festivities is a ribbon cutting ceremony at 2:30 p.m. honoring the grand opening of Dale Jr.’s Corral and Amphitheatre, with special guests Dale Earnhardt Jr. and members of the Earnhardt and Petty families.

    Dale Jr.’s Corral and Amphitheatre was generously donated by Earnhardt Jr. and will be used as both a fun, interactive activity center for campers, and a venue for local concerts and camp fundraisers.  The amphitheatre is western-themed in true Dale Jr. fashion and consists of a mock jail, general store, bank and outhouse. While the venue features playful and colorful buildings, the amphitheatre’s design is fashioned after the mock western town located on Dale Jr.’s property in Mooresville, N.C.  The ceremony will be followed by a live performance by the Kevin Lee Band.

    All of the buildings from the Bowling Alley to the Super Dome will be open for public viewing throughout the day, giving visitors a peek at what campers get to experience.  Victory Junction staff will also be on hand to help answer questions and share amazing stories about camp. Chili, hot dogs, drinks and chips will be available for purchase in the Hendrick Fuel Stop.

    Hunt Brothers Pizza & Wings, as well as Bojangles’ famous sweet tea and chicken biscuits will be available on the lawn of Victory Circle.  The annual “Vic’s Garage Sale,” featuring NASCAR memorabilia, will be held in the Michael Waltrip Sports Arena.  All proceeds of the garage sale benefit Victory Junction.

    There will be a Holiday Tours shuttle from the Petty Museum located in downtown Randleman to Victory Junction for a donation of $5 (the shuttle will run from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.). For more information regarding the open house contact LeKeshia Franklin at
    lfranklin@victoryjunction.org or (336) 495-2001.

    About Victory Junction

    Victory Junction is a year-round camping environment for children ages six to 16 with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses. Founded by Kyle and Pattie Petty in honor of their son Adam, the camp is located in Randleman, NC, with a second location opening soon in Kansas City, KS. Victory Junction offers programs for a range of disease groups and maintains strong relationships with more than 30 partner hospitals. Victory Junction’s mission is to provide life-changing camping experiences that are exciting, fun and empowering, in a safe and medically-sound environment. As a not-for-profit organization, the camp operates solely through the support of generous individuals, groups and corporations to provide this experience at no charge to children and their families. For more information or to donate, visit  www.victoryjunction.org.

  • NASCAR Hall of Fame Announces 2011 Inductees

    NASCAR Hall of Fame Announces 2011 Inductees

    The voting is over and the highly anticipated results are in.  The 2011 class of inductees into the NASCAR Hall of Fame were announced Wednesday afternoon, ending months of speculation.

    David Pearson, with an impressive 105 victories, was the first name announced. As he stood to acknowledge the honor he was rewarded with a chorus of cheers and a standing ovation.

    As his image and accomplishments flashed across the video screen, we heard Richard Petty say “He was the best driver I ever drove against.”

    Bobby Allison, with 84 wins and a championship in 1983 was the second name announced.  It was hard to miss the big grin on his face as he was congratulated by those around him.

    Lee Petty, the winner of the first Daytona 500 in 1959 and a three-time champion, was the third inductee to be announced. His son Richard simply said, “He was my hero.”

    Next up was two-time champ Ned Jarrett who won 50 races in a career shortened by his early retirement at age 33. In a touching moment, his son Dale, went to this father’s side and gave him a congratulatory hug.

    The final name added to the class of 2011 was one of NASCAR’s most successful car owners, Bud Moore. His career included 63 wins and two Sprint Cup titles.

    These five legends will join the inaugural class of 2010 which was comprised of drivers Dale Earnhardt, Junior Johnson and Richard Petty, along with Bill France Sr. and Bill France Jr.

    The second class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame will be inducted in a ceremony scheduled for May 2011.

  • Roush Fenway Advance – Charlotte

    Bank of America 500

    Sat. 10.16.10, 7:00 p.m. EDT

    ABC TV, PRN, Sirius 128

    David Ragan, No. 6 UPS Ford

    Greg Biffle, No. 16 3M Ford

    Matt Kenseth, No. 17 Crown Royal Black Ford

    Carl Edwards, No. 99 Aflac Ford

    Dollar General 300

    Fri. 10.15.10, 7:30 p.m. EDT

    ESPN 2 TV, PRN, Sirius 128

    Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 6 Citi Financial Ford

    Colin Braun No. 16 Con-way Freight Ford

    Trevor Bayne, No. 17 Roush Fenway Ford

    Carl Edwards, No. 60 Copart Ford

    Paul Menard, No. 98 Menard’s Ford

    Tough Week Out West, Roush Fenway Returns Home to Charlotte

    After one of the toughest outings in recent history, Roush Fenway hopes to rebound this week at the friendly confines of Charlotte Motor Speedway. They will look to do it at a track where Roush Fenway has won seven times in the Sprint Cup Series and 10 times on the Nationwide Side.

    In the Chase

    Despite occupying one fourth of the field in the 2010 Chase for the Sprint Cup, Roush Fenway’s championship hopes were dealt a tough blow last weekend in California; with all three teams in the Chase falling victim to mechanical and electrical issues. Still all three remain mathematically eligible for the championship and each will look to bounce back this weekend at one of Roush Fenway’s strongest venues.

    Roush Fenway Best the ‘The Beast’

    Roush Fenway has won seven Cup races at Charlotte, while leading 1,996 laps and bringing home 37 top fives, 62 top 10s and two poles at the ‘Beast of the Southeast.’

    RFR Charlotte Wins

    1992-2 Martin Cup

    1995-2 Martin Cup

    1998-2 Martin Cup

    1999 Burton Cup

    2000 Kenseth Cup

    2001 Burton Cup

    2002 Martin Cup

    1993-2 Martin NNS

    1995-2 Martin NNS

    1996-1 Martin NNS

    1996-2 Martin NNS

    1998-1 Martin NNS

    1999-1 Martin NNS

    2000-1 Burton NNS

    2001-2 Biffle NNS

    2002-2 Burton NNS

    2006-1 Edwards NNS

    In the Nationwide Series at Charlotte

    In 79 starts, Roush Fenway Racing has won 10 times in the Nationwide Series at Charlotte, the second most at any track. Roush Fenway Nationwide Fords have accumulated 27 top-five and 42 top-10 finishes, while running to a company best 12 poles at the 1.5-mile track. Mark Martin earned Roush Fenway’s first Nationwide win at Charlotte in the fall of ‘93. He then went on to win three straight, fall ‘95 and a sweep in ‘96, followed by wins in the spring of ‘98 and ‘99. Jeff Burton, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards have also won in Roush Fenway Fords at Charlotte in the NNS Series.

    On the Pole

    Roush Fenway swept all four Nationwide poles in 2006 and 2007 between Kenseth, Biffle and Edwards. Roush Fenway’s 11 Nationwide poles break down as follows – Mark Martin (fall ’94, spring ’97), Jeff Burton (fall ’01), Greg Biffle (spring ’04, fall ’07), Matt Kenseth (spring ’06, ’07), Carl Edwards (fall ’06), and Jamie McMurray (fall ’08).

    Overall

    Overall, Roush Fenway Racing has posted 17 NASCAR wins at Charlotte, while earning 66 top-five finishes, 109 top-10 finishes, 13 poles and leading 4,362 laps.

    Chase Races at Charlotte

    This will be the 18th race for Roush Fenway Chase-eligible drivers. During that span Roush Fenway has scored four top-five finishes and seven top 10s, including the 2005 race when four of the five Chase eligible Roush Fenway cars finished top 10, including three in the top five. Roush Fenway Chase cars have also led 91 laps in those races, leading at least one lap in eight of the 17 events.

  • JR Motorsports — NNS Charlotte II Preview

    No. 88 Hellmann’s Chevrolet/No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet

    EVENT – Dollar General 300 (200 laps / 300 miles)

    TRACK – Charlotte Motor Speedway (1.5-mile quad-oval)

    DATE – Friday, Oct. 15, 2010

    TV / RADIO – ESPN2 (coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. EST) / PRN (broadcast begins at 7:30 p.m. EST)

    Aric Almirola

    No. 88 Hellmann’s Chevrolet

    “I love working for JR Motorsports and being surrounded by a good group of people. Dale Jr. and Kelley (Earnhardt) let you be who you want to be. They give you all the resources and tools you need to be competitive. If you look out in their shop, they have everything they need to go out and win races and compete for a championship. I consider myself really lucky to have landed here. I feel like I can come here, be competitive, and win races.

    “This weekend is going to be interesting in the Nationwide Series new car. We’ve been trying to learn as much as we can with this Hellmann’s Chevrolet. We have a whole day to test. That is something I’m looking forward to. Our goals for the race are simple. I’d really like to go there and qualify well. The Hellmann’s Chevrolet has run well this season, and we want to do our part for them at Charlotte. We’ve qualified in the top-10 every time I’ve been in the 88. So if we qualify in the top-10 and run in the top-10, I’ll call it a strong day. And you never know what could happen at the end of 300 miles.”

    Danica Patrick

    No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet

    “Last week’s race was unfortunate. But our Go Daddy team can be happy with the fact that we had a solid run going. And despite the results, I know we were on the cusp of having a breakthrough day. Charlotte will be a different experience because we’ll be running the new Nationwide Series car. I know the Go Daddy team and everyone at JRM for that matter, has put a lot of time and energy into this new car program. I’m grateful for the extended practice session on Wednesday, too. I think that will go a long way.

    “I can see why everyone gets so excited to race at Charlotte. With so many of the drivers living in this area, it’s like a homecoming event. Plus, a race under the lights, it doesn’t get much better than that.

    “I remember going down the back straightaway (in a go kart as a kid) where Turns 3 and 4 are on the main track and pretending I was racing cars out there on the track. I took a ride there in a two-seat race car with the Petty Driving Experience where you pay money and get to ride in the passenger’s seat. I also remember walking the track one time and thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, the banking is so steep you can barely walk on it.’ So I have a lot of memories from Charlotte. That includes everything from visiting a slot car track where we would hang out as kids to the (North Carolina) red clay.”

    JR MOTORSPORTS NOTEBOOK –

    JRM FALL FAN DAY FROM OCT. 14 – 17 – The festivities for JR Motorsports fall fan day begin on Thursday, Oct. 14, and will continue through Sunday, Oct. 17. The JRM fan zone and retail store will open on Oct. 14, at 8:30 a.m., to be followed by an autograph session featuring JRM drivers Aric Almirola, Danica Patrick, Josh Wise and co-owner Kelley Earnhardt at 10:30 a.m. (200 wristbands for the autograph session will be distributed on Wednesday, Oct. 13, in the retail store beginning at 8:30 a.m.). Fans can enjoy sponsor displays, food, and live radio remote broadcasts, as well as the first annual JRM car show, which will be held on Saturday, Oct. 16, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The first 50 fans in attendance on Oct. 14 – 16 will also receive free JRM goodie bags. For a complete schedule visit www.dalejr.com or check out the JR Motorsports Facebook page.

    CHARLOTTE STATS – Almirola has four starts at Charlotte with one top-five and one top-10 finish. His best finish of fourth came while driving for Joe Gibbs in the fall of 2007. In Almirola’s four starts this season with JR Motorsports, he’s notched one top-five and two top-10 finishes.

    NIGHT RACIN’ – In three night races at the 1.5-mile facilities of Atlanta, Chicagoland and Kentucky this season, the No. 88 Chevrolet scored an average finish of 9.3. The two drivers splitting duties at those tracks were Coleman Pressley and Jamie McMurray.

    A WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE – Patrick will debut at Charlotte in the GoDaddy.com Chevrolet on Saturday, but it won’t be her first time racing at the track. The Roscoe, Ill. native drove go karts at the Charlotte Motor Speedway road course as a youngster.

    FOURTH FOR NNS NEW CAR – This weekend is the final of four races for the Nationwide Series new car before it sees fulltime action in 2011. The new car debuted at Daytona International Speedway earlier this summer, and then raced at Michigan International Speedway and Richmond International Raceway.

    NEW CAR STATS FOR NO. 88 – The No. 88 Hellmann’s Chevrolet team has earned an average finish of 13.6 in the three new car races this season. The team’s highest finish in the new car was a seventh-place showing at Michigan with driver Elliott Sadler.

    HELLMANN’S FINALE – The familiar yellow and blue No. 88 Hellmann’s Chevrolet will see its final race of 2010 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Hellmann’s has been featured seven times on the No. 88 this season. The team earned one win, three top-five and four top-10 finishes during that time.

    NO. 88 TEAM TO DATE – The No. 88 team has notched one win, seven top-five and 11 top-10 finishes with nine different drivers on the year. They’ve also led a total of 109 laps. Jamie McMurray earned the team’s first victory of the season at Atlanta. They’re ranked ninth in 2010 owner points.

    NO. 7 TEAM TO DATE – The No. 7 team has secured six top-10 finishes and led 42 laps with six different drivers in 2010. J.R. Fitzpatrick and Scott Wimmer tied for the team’s best finish of the year. Both drivers earned seventh-place finishes. They’re ranked 16th in 2010 owner points.

    FOUNDATION FAST LAPS – The Dale Jr. Foundation still has a few opportunities remaining as part of Dale Jr. Day with the NASCAR Racing Experience on Oct. 18, 2010. Fans can drive a real No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet or even ride with Dale Jr. for a few heart-pounding laps around Charlotte Motor Speedway. 100 percent of the proceeds of the rides with Dale Jr. and a portion of the proceeds from the racing school rides will benefit several key charities that The Dale Jr. Foundation supports, including Blessings in a Backpack, Speedway Children’s Charities and the Ronald McDonald House of Charlotte. For more information go to: http://www.nascarracingexperience.com/NRE/DaleJrDay/index.html

    FREE JR NATION CREW FAN CLUB – Dale Jr. and JR Motorsports encourage fans to join the JR Nation Crew Fan Club for free. The official fan club provides members with exclusive ticket and merchandise offers, in addition to JRM blogs, forums, and chat rooms to interact with other members of JR Nation. For more information, visitwww.jrnation.com.