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Jamie McMurray Celebrating a Pretty Good Year

Last year at season end in Las Vegas, as he helped during championship week to unveil the new Chevrolet, Jamie McMurray pronounced his year miserable.

But this season, the driver of the No. 1 LiftMaster Chevrolet, is celebrating a pretty good year so far, especially after a top-five run at New Hampshire and an honor for his crew chief to boot.

“Other than getting tangled up on Lap 40, it really was a good race,” McMurray said. “We just really had a good car, had good pit strategy, and had good pit stops.”

“It was truly hard to pass there, but we were able to pass a few cars and then had good track position at the end.”

McMurray’s crew chief Kevin Manion also received the MOOG Problem Solver award, recognizing the team’s comeback after a spin out early in the race. In fact, McMurray and Manion’s No. 1 Chevrolet improved by a race-high 0.331 seconds in earning its second top-five finish in three races.

“Jamie and Kevin were running as strong as they have all year in the second half,” Tim Nelson, Federal-Mogul Motorsports Director, said. “You could tell that Jamie loved the setup of their MOOG-equipped chassis, and Kevin and the Earnhardt-Ganassi crew were nearly flawless on pit road.”

With this success, McMurray has indeed expressed satisfaction in his pretty good year to date. And he even thinks this year has been better than when he won several of the major races on the circuit, including the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard race.

“Yeah, it’s been good,” McMurray said. “I think our cars have been even better than what they were in 2010 when we won some big races.”

“We haven’t been able to execute as well as we need to,” McMurray continued. “But the speed of our cars has been good so yeah, they’ve done a really nice job obviously with this Generation 6 car.”

“We were able to hit on a few things that really worked well for us at a variety of different tracks.”

McMurray is hoping to continue his pretty good year at Dover International Speedway this race weekend. While he has had some success at the Monster Mile, he also knows that the ‘monster’ is always lurking and ready to pounce.

“So Dover, I really enjoy coming here but at the same time, this is a track that if your car is not right, it’s miserable,” McMurray said. “You can’t get out of the way and for a mile track, the lap times are really fast.”

“So, it’s easy to go a lap down if you get off,” McMurray continued. “But at the same time if your car is good, it’s a really fun track to race on.”

As he celebrates a pretty good year in 2013, he is also looking forward to some of the changes to come for Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing, including the young up-and-comer Kyle Larson joining the team in the seat vacated by Juan Pablo Montoya.

“It will be new with Kyle (Larson) but Kyle’s been racing for a long time, even though he’s young,” McMurray said. “I already know Kyle so I’m looking forward to that.”

“It will be interesting to look at how Kyle approaches things, which will be different than what someone who has been around a long time has,” McMurray continued. “Sometimes you get fresh ideas and see another perspective on things.”

“Kyle’s actually getting to come to our organization at a really good time,” McMurray said. “It would have been a challenge for him a couple years ago because our cars were not really good.”

“But I think our cars are really good right now so he is fortunate to be coming on at a really good time for the company.”

As with most drivers not in the Chase, McMurray has just one thing on his mind as he ends up his self-proclaimed pretty good year.

“Just trying to win a race before the year is over,” McMurray said. “We’ve had really good cars and we have a couple of really good tracks like Charlotte coming up.”

“I also feel good about Dover,” McMurray said. “I thought we had the best car here in the spring and then a part fell off someone’s car and went through our radiator.”

“So, we had a really crummy spring race.”

“I think Charlotte will be a good track for us too,” McMurray said. “We ran really well there the last few times.”

“And Martinsville has always been a really good track for me too,” McMurray continued. “So, I feel like we have a few really good tracks coming up for us.”

So, will McMurray feel differently than he did in Vegas last year about this season when the checkered flag flies in Homestead?

“Last year, we were just terrible,” McMurray said. “We ran the last ten races just trying all kinds of off-the-wall stuff.”

“We never really hit on anything,” McMurray continued. “So, Vegas last year was just a bad season and when you end not running well, it makes for a long off-season.”

“But this year, our cars have been a lot better,” McMurray said. “I feel good about the last few races that we have left.”

“Certainly, this year has been a lot better than the last.”

September 28, 2013
Aric Almirola is Bringing Home the Bacon

Aric Almirola has a smile on his face and a spring in his step as he continues to bring home the bacon for in his No. 43 Smithfield Foods Ford for Richard Petty Motorsports.

And he could not be happier as he prepares to race at the ‘Monster Mile’, which he firmly admits is his favorite track on the circuit.

This will be Almirola’s ninth start at Dover International Speedway, where he won in the Truck Series in 2010 and where he posted his best finish of sixth in 2012.

“This is my favorite track just because I’ve had success here,” Almirola said. “I’ve had really good runs here and won my first Truck race here.”

“I’ve run really well in the Cup car here and have had good runs in Nationwide cars here as well,” Almirola said. “For whatever reason when I show up here, I run good.”

“That makes you really like a place,” Almirola continued. “So, I always get excited about coming here because I know I have a shot to run good.”

“I do circle this on my calendar.”

So, what is it that makes Almirola so crazy about the Monster Mile?

“Each turn is different,” the driver of the famed Richard Petty Motorsports No. 43 car said. “It’s crazy but the thing that makes it so special is the sensation of speed is unlike anywhere else we go.”

“There’s a lot of race tracks where we run 200 miles an hour and it doesn’t feel that fast,” Almirola continued. “And here, we only run 170 or so and it feels like we’re going 250 miles per hour.”

“It feels super-fast and it is a challenge to keep your focus,” Almirola said. “The race track will suck you in and that’s why it’s called the Monster.”

“It will bite you,” Almirola continued. “It’s very easy to overdrive this place and be too aggressive.”

Although a challenging track, Dover is also special to Almirola because of what his sponsor does to help those in need. This race weekend, Smithfield and Weis Markets partnered to donate 40,000 pounds of protein to the Maryland Food Bank, which is part of Smithfield’s “Helping Hungry Homes” program

“Smithfield does so much and it’s really important,” Almirola said. “This weekend, they gave 14,000 pounds between pork and bacon and ham.”

“That means a lot to be associated with such a great company and great organization that is willing to take some of the profits they make and give it back to the local communities to help feed people,” Almirola continued. “A lot of us take for granted that we go to bed on a full stomach and not everybody is that fortunate.”

As he looks forward to competing at his favorite track, Almirola admitted that his 2013 season has been going well too, especially in comparison with the previous year.

“We have run really well,” Almirola said. “I’ve been impressed with our improvements, especially over the last year.”

“That is a big testament to what Todd Parrott (crew chief) and all the guys on this team have done, stepping up their game and continuing to produce and give me fast race cars,” Almirola continued. “That’s what it takes at this level to be competitive.”

“I’m getting better as a driver, the team’s working together better and Todd is understanding these cars and the engineers are understanding these cars better,” Almirola said. “Just everything is getting better and that’s what we need to do.”

Almirola also credits his improvement, as well as the team’s, with doing some testing. And although he was not willing to share any of the new things they were trying on the car, he was most enthusiastic about what they were experiencing and looking forward to upcoming tests scheduled prior to season end.

“Doing some of testing, we’ve tried some things out of the box,” Almirola said. “We have a test coming up at Kansas next Thursday and we have a laundry list of things we want to try that we haven’t gotten a chance to try on normal race weekends.”

“We think that may be better or worse but that’s a good opportunity for us to find out,” Almirola continued. “This sport evolves constantly and if you don’t keep up, you get left behind.”

Almirola knows that the spotlight is a bit dimmed on him and his race team since they are not Chase participants. But he is not letting that deter him from achieving the goals that he has set for the remaining few races of 2013.

“Those guys raced for 26 races and put themselves in the position to make the Chase so they deserve to get that attention,” Almirola said. “Then it’s up to us because the only way for us to get the attention back on us is to be really competitive and run good.”

“I don’t race any differently now in the Chase or against the Chase competitors,” Almirola continued. “I race the same because I have just as much at stake as those guys do as far as each and every weekend.”

So, what would be the coup de grace for Almirola this race weekend at Dover?

“We want to get to Victory Lane really bad,” Almirola said. “We’d love to get that 43 car back in Victory Lane.”

“We have great sponsors, with Smithfield Foods, STP and Air Force and we want to get all of those guys to Victory Lane,” Almirola continued. “So, we’re working hard to do that and there have been a lot of late nights at the shop.”

“A win would mean a lot,” Almirola said. “Obviously driving the sport’s most iconic car is really special in itself.”

“But to get to Victory Lane in that car would be an amazing feeling,” Almirola continued. “Richard Petty has won 200 races and he deserves to be in Victory Lane again.”

“He got accustomed and used to being in Victory Lane back then and we want to get him back to Victory Lane and I’d like to bring that win home to him.”

September 28, 2013
AJ Allmendinger Writes Next Chapter with JTG Daugherty Racing

AJ Allmendinger is back at Dover International Speedway in the No. 47 House-Autry Toyota for JTG Daugherty Racing, where he will be full-time in 2014.

But according to the driver known as the ‘Dinger, this is not a comeback as much as the next chapter that he is writing in his personal and professional story.

“Whether it’s a comeback or whatever the media wants to make it, for me I just feel very fortunate and lucky,” Allmendinger said from the No. 47 hauler in the infield of the Monster Mile. “In a way, it’s a continuing story that we all write.”

“Our whole lives are about writing the next chapter until the end of it,” Allmendinger continued. “For me, it’s a new chapter but a completely different chapter.”

“And for me, it’s all about being a better person.”

“The values that Tad and Jody (Geschickter, team owners) as a family have and what values Brad (Daugherty, owner) has and what the values are of this race team and how people react to that, that’s what is just good to be around,” Allmendinger said. “It’s great for me to be around because that’s where I’m trying to get to.”

“It makes it just as a life thing to be able to talk to them,” Allmendinger said. “It’s the same thing that I have with Roger (Penske) being able to call him.”

“It’s just another chapter and hopefully it leads to another good chapter.”

Allmendinger also hopes to write his next chapter at Dover International Speedway, affectionately known as the ‘Monster Mile.’ And with a record of three top-ten finishes since 2009, Allmendinger thinks that monster track perfectly suits his driving style.

“When it comes to an aggressive driving style, this is probably one of the tracks that you can be more aggressive at,” Allmendinger said. “You look at a place like last week at New Hampshire and that’s all finesse.”

“It’s fast and it’s just enjoyable,” Allmendinger continued. “The hardest thing with this place is that the two ends drive a lot different, especially when it gets hot out because three and four get really tight.”

“Both ends of the track may look the same but they drive very differently.”

Allmendinger cited not only the challenge of dealing with the rubber build up on the track, but also the challenge of getting through each lap in setting realistic goals not only for himself but for his race team.

“It’s really lap by lap, session by session,” Allmendinger said. “The past few years the way the rubber built up would really change the race track after 100 laps.”

“I don’t know if it will be the same but for me, that’s what makes it fun because you really have to think about how to get around the rubber,” Allmendinger continued. “It changes the line and makes you search around which is also fun.”

“We’ll see how it plays out with this car and this tire,” Allmendinger said. “I look for anything in the top-20 as a decent day and anything in the top-15 as a good day and top-10 as a great day.”

While enjoying the opportunity to pilot the No. 47 House-Autry Toyota at Dover, Allmendinger acknowledged that it is a bit of a challenge being in and out of the car as he shares it with Bobby Labonte, who is still recovering from broken ribs due to a cycling accident.

But he totally agrees with this approach, given his respect and the respect of the team for veteran and champion Labonte.

“The end of this year, I’m in the car and then out of it,” Allmendinger said. “It’s difficult but it’s the situation as well.”

“I respect what Tad and Jody and Brad as owners decided,” Allmendinger continued. “They are very loyal to Bobby (Labonte) and what he’s done for the company the last couple years.”

“I’m OK with that,” Allmendinger said. “Of course, I’d like to be in the car every weekend but at the same point I’m in total agreement that they need to go about it the way that they decided.”

As Allmendinger writes the new chapter in his career, he is also excited to work with crew chief Brian Burns as they both build the No. 47 team together.

“It’s just about building that team chemistry between myself and Brian,” Allmendinger said. “As driver/crew chief, he’s still learning me a little bit and I’m still learning him.”

“He’s relatively new, not even really a year into him being a crew chief,” Allmendinger continued. “So, we’re just learning each other and trying to learn from start to finish of a weekend.”

Allmendinger also acknowledged that one of the biggest challenges is simply being with a one-car team. And although Kurt Busch has made the Chase in that type of position, Allmendinger feels that situation is totally different from theirs, particularly without the advantage of an alliance.

“Honestly what the 78 is doing and what Kurt is doing is fantastic to see but it doesn’t affect me either way,” Allmendinger said. “Kurt’s an amazing driver and there is no secret that he can wheel anything.”

“But they’re in a situation where they have an alliance with RCR and that helps,” Allmendinger continued. “Right now, we’re by ourselves.”

“But I look at the reason why I came here and I realize it’s not overnight,” Allmendinger continued. “There are lot of good things about this team that we can build on.”

“You’ve got to have realistic goals,” Allmendinger said. “You look at the team right now and it’s 30th in points.”

“When you go into next year, you have to start running top 20s and then top-15s and top-tens and slowly progress,” Allmendinger continued. “You cannot expect to go from 30th to first.”

“The ultimate goal is to be first but it’s going to take time,” Allmendinger said. “It’s a lot of fun to get there and everyone has the same goals and the same passions.”

“That’s what makes it most exciting.”

While Allmendinger looks forward to the 2014 season, he also is pleased that for one of the first times in his career, he will actually be able to celebrate an off-season without the angst of looking for a ride.

“I was joking around telling Tad that this was the first off season I could take a vacation instead of being on my phone, being hey, what am I doing next year?” Allmendinger said. “ It’s been tough through off seasons, whether it’s Red Bull wondering if I would have a ride or RPM not knowing what was going to happen with sponsorship and if there was going to be a team the next year.”

“All kidding aside, to go into the off-season and really have a goal to be focused on, it gives me confidence and energy to work really hard to be prepared for next year,” Allmendinger continued. “And to be able to work with the team, I just enjoy being here.”

“We’re doing this for fun and this brings the fun level back,” Allmendinger said. “And that to me is what makes me most excited.”

Part of Allmendinger’s new chapter is an entirely new outlook on racing and on life in general. And in his new world, he is no longer allowing numbers, whether good or bad, to define himself.

“You look at the ultimate goal to be a winner but to me it’s about trying to be at your best in life every day,” Allmendinger said. “I used to just look at the end result and the position after my name.”

“That was the way I determined my life that weekend or that week,” Allmendinger continued. “Unfortunately in this sport, you get those bad finishes next to your name and it just spirals down and I just let that affect me.”

“I didn’t look at the process just the end result and whether it was a good result or I put everything into it and had a bad result, that result determined what I thought about it,” Allmendinger said. “Now it’s about the process.”

“My ultimate goal is to say every week that I was mentally prepared and that I knew that I did everything I could,” Allmendinger continued. “As long as we give our best efforts, that’s all you can ask for in life.”

“That’s more my outlook now,” Allmendinger continued. “Before it never was and I’d let that kill me.”

“If it was a good race, it made me happy for a week and if it was a bad race, it would keep taking me down the wrong path,” Allmendinger said. “That’s why I say that I just have a better outlook overall and I think that’s what I need to continue.”

“I feel like for me, I’m in a really good place,” Allmendinger continued. “I’m always trying to be in a better place in this new chapter in my life.”

September 27, 2013
The Final Word – After New Hampshire, we are down to three contenders heading to Dover

No one wishes Matt Kenseth any bad fortune, but if something should happen, like a 35th place at Dover next weekend, I am sure a dozen other fellows would not be terribly upset.

Things have gone so right for the 2003 Cup champion since moving from the Roush to the Gibbs racing stable. For the first time, he has won seven races in a single season, and for the first time in 28 starts he is a winner in New Hampshire. All this in his 500th career start, where only Richard Petty was victorious on the day he reached the same milestone.

Come to think of it, bad things for both Kenseth and team mate Kyle Busch probably would not tear up the opposition terribly much. Rowdy has ran second in both Chase events, and trails Matt by 14 points in the chase for the title. Let us sum up. Over the past five events, Carl Edwards won a race, Kyle won another, and Kenseth has claimed three. So much for sharing.

Jimmie Johnson remains in the hunt, and as of right now he is the only other invitee to this party. A fourth place result, following a fifth at Chicago, has him 18 points in the rearview. That is just half the distance the fourth ranked team of Edwards is sitting, with seven of the 13 contenders now 40 or more points back. They need to see smoke, bad tires, bad handling, loose lug nuts, a broken jack, a meeting with a wall, an alien abduction of a certain somebody, something to get them all back into contention.

Rating New Hampshire – 6/10 – I believe I have seen more exciting soccer games. It was not an entertaining broadcast by any measure, not visually and certainly not from the announcers, unless you were cheering for Kenseth or Shrub. If so, give it a 9. With ESPN departing after next season, do not expect things to improve anytime soon. Well, not until February.

Expect Johnson to do well at Dover on Sunday, where he has won 7 in 23 attempts, compiling 16 Top Tens. Mind you, nine Chasers have wins there, with Kenseth having a couple himself. Clint Bowyer, Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano, and Kasey Kahne have not yet tasted victory on the Monster Mile. In nine races, Logano has led just one lap, but considering what went down at Loudon he just might win the damn thing. Well, maybe if he still drove for Joe Gibbs.

But that honor belongs to Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch, with Jimmie Johnson a Hendrick co-star in this production as they move to Delaware. As long as that trio continues to run well, this Chase is over for the other ten. Enjoy the week.

September 23, 2013
Jimmie Johnson and Juan Pablo Montoya Still Jawing About Restarts

While most have the race at the Monster Mile in their rear view mirrors, with the focus moving to the Tricky Triangle of Pocono, competitors Jimmie Johnson and Juan Pablo Montoya are still jawing about that pesky restart at Dover last weekend.

In fact, the five-time champion announced during his media availability that he is going to use some of the rain delay time at Pocono to sit down with NASCAR and talk about it some more. And here is what Johnson advised that he wanted to share.

“I feel that in NASCAR and auto racing there are very few moments where maybe a penalty could be drawn or a foul could be drawn like we would see in the NBA Finals where there is flopping going on,” Johnson said. “I really believe that in the restart zone to the start-finish line that Juan (Pablo Montoya) just didn’t go.”

“I think he was smart in letting me get out ahead of him and letting NASCAR make the call on me to keep me from having the lead and winning the race.”

For Johnson, this was all about NASCAR enforcing the restart rules in his opinion.

“I think we can look at enforcing it differently,” Johnson said. “I think everybody looking at it afterwards can see that Juan just didn’t go.”

Johnson also opined that these types of calls just should not happen anymore, especially with the data and technology now available.

“We have the tools to maybe make a better decision,” Johnson said. “The race had been taken away from us, the championship bonus points are gone, and it’s very difficult at that point to do the right thing.”

“But in today’s world of technology, I hope that we can figure out exactly how does that rule read.”

Johnson continued to also look at the whole situation as a Juan Pablo Montoya flop.

“I kind of get it, but from the restart zone to the start-finish line, if a guy breaks or has trouble NASCAR has the ability to make the call and say that they had trouble and it’s fine to go,” Johnson said. “Someone flops, what then?

“Essentially Juan found a loophole in the officiating and worked it to his advantage,” Johnson continued. “I took the bait clearly.”

Johnson advised that he was not in favor of getting rid of the restart zone but clearly expressed his desire for further clarification from the sanctioning body.

“I’m cool with whatever it is, I just want it to be crystal clear what we can and cannot do,” Johnson said. “I’m fine with whatever; I just need to better understand the rule.”

“If we want the leader to have full advantage, let’s really give them the opportunity to take that restart and if not, then let’s enforce it properly the other way.”

Johnson said that he bore no ill will against Montoya but remained clearly aggravated about the whole restart situation.

“I really don’t have anything against Juan for doing it,” Johnson said. “As racers, we need to work any and every angle we can to win a race.”

“That’s what we do, we race,” Johnson continued. “Sure I’m mad I didn’t win the race, but I’m not mad at him.”

“I think we need to look at how we officiate and how we can regulate that and keep that from happening again.”

Johnson also advised that other drivers have come up to him and shared that they too thought there were issues with that restart.

“All these guys have talked to me and I just saw Clint (Bowyer) and he was like ‘Dude, I was on the brakes, like I stomped on the brakes to stop because I knew you were in trouble.’

“It is what it is,” Johnson said. “I can’t change it and I can’t do anything about it.”

“But moving forward, I think we can prevent that situation from happening again.”

So, what was Juan Pablo Montoya’s take on the restart situation?

“If I did that on the restart, why only Jimmie passed me in his lane?” Montoya asked. “Even if I had a bad start and he beat me by a bumper, NASCAR would not have said anything.”

“But it was Jimmie…….and then the field.”

“I’m OK with it,” Montoya continued. “He didn’t even want to line up next to me when we came to the cones.”

“He wanted to dime it and he just mistimed it.”

While Johnson may need more clarity about the rule, Montoya felt that it was crystal clear, at least from his perspective. And he clarified that he was not taking advantage of any loophole in his opinion.

“The loophole is that you have to start between the cones and the leader is in charge,” Montoya said. “And that’s what I did.”

“What’s so hard about that?”

“I’m the leader,” JPM continued. “I know you (Johnson) dominated the race, but we came to a pit stop and we did a better job than you guys.”

“We’re the leader not you.”

For Montoya, the ultimate irony was that Johnson was indeed dominant and most likely would have passed him back had he not received the restart penalty.

“If he would have backed off and let me go, he would have passed me again,” JPM said. “It would have been all good.”

“He wanted to time it really well where he didn’t have to deal with me but he mistimed it.”

“That’s it,” Montoya said. “No drama.”

What seemed to seal the deal for Montoya in his argument about being right on the restart was that Johnson was the only one that seemed to have gotten snookered.

“I normally do a good job on restarts,” JPM said. “If I would have restarted and Jimmie passed me and four cars followed Jimmie, I think NASCAR would have said the 42 had a bad start.”

“But how is it that only Jimmie went away?” Montoya continued. “I don’t know.”

“He’s probably that good.”

June 7, 2013
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.”

June 7, 2013
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.”

June 5, 2013
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Dover

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson was black-flagged for jumping the final restart at Dover, a mistake that most likely cost him his third win this season. After serving a drive-through penalty, Johnson finished 17th, one lap down.

“Much like NASCAR did by allowing the NRA to sponsor a race,” Johnson said, “I jumped the gun. Needless to say, I won’t be exchanging pleasantries with NASCAR any time soon. We’re certainly not ‘BFF’s.’ After getting black flagged, it appears I got ‘BF-F’d.’

“I don’t agree with the call. Obviously, it’s NASCAR’s last-ditch effort to add some color to the sport.”

2. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth’s day ended abruptly in Dover, as his engine blew on lap 159 with the lead. He finished 40th, his worst finish of the year, and fell one spot in the point standings to fourth, 74 behind Jimmie Johnson.

“That’s not the first engine to blow,” Kenseth said. “If it’s not our engine, it’s our ‘suspension’ holding us back. What do our engine and ‘suspension’ have in common? They both will ‘expire’ soon.”

“But there’s one good thing about blowing an engine. The faulty parts get burned beyond recognition. Ha! Take that, NASCAR inspectors.”

3. Carl Edwards: Edwards finished 14th at Dover, as Roush Fenway Racing cars all finished in the top 15. Edwards remained second in the point standings, 30 out of first.

“Roush cars took the 13th, 14th, and 15th spots,” Edwards said. “All week long, Ricky Stenhouse has been singing Al Green’s ‘Let’s Stay Together.’ I guess Greg Biffle and I thought he was singing to us.

“But it remains to be seen what lasts longer for Stenhouse—his relationship, or his manhood.”

4. Kyle Busch: Busch led a race-high 150 laps and finished fourth in the Fed Ex 400 at Dover International Raceway, posting his sixth top 5 of the year. He is ninth in the Sprint Cup point standings, and trails Jimmie Johnson by 99.

“NASCAR races will soon be covered on TNT,” Busch said. “Interestingly enough, that’s home to the series Falling Skies. Fox recently became the home to a new series—Falling Cables.”

5. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer came home fourth at Dover, scoring the top finish for Michael Waltrip Racing. He moved up one spot to third in the point standings, and is 50 out of first.

“We’re still searching for our first win of the year,” Bowyer said. “It’s not a matter of ‘if,’ it’s a matter of ‘when.’ That also applies to the matter of whether a Toyota engine will explode. In that respect, Toyota’s got a lot of ‘whens’ this year.”

6. Kevin Harvick: After winning in Charlotte last week, Harvick finished eighth at Dover for his fifth top-10 result of the year. He is now fourth in the Sprint Cup point standings, 74 out of first.

“The finish at Dover begs the question,” Harvick said. “Who’s faster? Jimmy John’s or Jimmie Johnson. All I know is that Jimmy John’s, unlike Jimmie Johnson, can’t get their too fast.”

7. Kasey Kahne: Kahne led two laps early and was headed for a sure top-10 finish before a late incident left him with rear-end damage. He finished 23rd, four laps down, and fell two spots to seventh in the point standings, 81 out of first.

“Have you heard?” Kahne said. “There’s a new swimsuit calendar coming out featuring 12 of NASCAR’s sexiest inspectors in bikinis. It’s called ‘Sanctioning Bodies.’”

8. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski posted his first top-10 finish since Kansas with a fifth at Dover. The defending Sprint Cup champion is now eighth in the point standings, 98 behind Jimmie Johnson.

“I’m well behind Johnson,” Keselowski said, “and my car failed post-race inspection at Dover. I’m the defending Cup champion, but I’m not driving like it. I don’t know who’s ‘come down’ harder this year—-NASCAR or me.

“NASCAR said the front of our car was too low, and I was penalized for it. That’s odd, because as A.J. Allmendinger found out, Penske drivers are often penalized for being too high.”

9. Tony Stewart: Stewart benefitted on Jimmie Johnson’s black flag and caught Juan Montoya with three laps to go to win the Fed Ex 400 at Dover. The win ended a four-month winless drought, and moved Stewart up to 16th in the point standings.

“I like my wins like I like my food,” Stewart said. “Served on a silver platter. And apparently, I like my wins like I like my women—single. And, I like my wins like I like my engines—gift-wrapped from Hendrick Motorsports.”

10. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt posted a quiet 10th-place finish at Dover, collecting his eighth top 10 of the year. He remained sixth in the point standings, where he trails Jimmie Johnson by 75.

“I still feel like we’re building on something here,” Earnhardt said. “Unfortunately, it’s another long winless streak.”

June 4, 2013
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 30^th,” 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.”

June 1, 2013
Matty’s Picks 2013 – Vol. 10 FedEx 400 Benefiting Autism Speaks – Dover International Speedway – June 2, 2013

The Monster Mile is up next this season, and if Sunday’s race is anything like the previous twelve races this season, we’re in for a show. Sunday’s FedEx 400 Benefiting Autism Speaks also marks the midway point of the regular season for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and just one year ago, nine of the top-10 drivers in the points standings leaving this June race at The Monster Mile ended up in the field of twelve in the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

On the horizon this week at Dover, five-time champ Jimmie Johnson looks to unseat legends Bobby Allison and Richard Petty at the top of the all-time win list at Dover International Speedway. He is the defending race winner and scored his seventh win at the Monster Mile in Delaware’s capital city.

Sunday also marks the return of key personnel from the Penske camp at a time when defending series champ, Brad Kesolowski needs them the most.

Last Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 marked Bad Brad’s first DNF since the 2012 Daytona 500, and sitting tenth in points with not a win to his name yet in 2013, this team needs to get moving to punch their ticket to the big dance at the end of the year. Crew chief Paul Wolfe and other members of Penske Racing will make their return to the pit box this weekend, following their suspension stemming from the April 13th race at Texas. It’s been only two points races since Wolfe was ousted by NASCAR, but in those two races, Kesolowski finished 32nd at Darlington and 36th last week at Charlotte. There couldn’t be a better time for Wolfe’s return and Brad has done his part so far this weekend for a solid finish, qualifying the Blue Deuce in 8th for tomorrow’s FedEx 400 Benefiting Autism Speaks.

I was off last week and with nothing to recap, we’ll roll on to my pick’s for Dover.

Dover Picks

Winner Pick
Had I written this column on Wednesday, it would have been tough to pass up Jimmie Johnson’s immaculate record at The Monster Mile, but it’s Saturday and Johnson hasn’t won a race at Dover after starting outside the top-10 since completing the season-sweep at Dover in the fall race in 2002. Jimmie is not my pick this week.

There is no other driver hotter than Matt Kenseth right now, and as a two-time Dover winner, there is nothing to shake a stick at about this team this weekend. He’s notched eight top-5 finishes in eight of his last ten starts at The Monster Mile, his win in 2011 included in that number. Considering the top four starting spots for tomorrow’s FedEx 400 Benefiting Autism Speaks are Toyotas, I think I’ve gone with the right manufacturer for the win tomorrow. Kenseth is also racing for Joe Gibbs Racing in today’s NASCAR Nationwide Series’ 5-Hour Energy 200, gaining valuable seat time at a track as difficult as any to master. This guy is hot and he’s returning to a place he likes and has won before.

Dark Horse Pick

I’m not sure if a guy with “Concrete Carl” as one of his many nicknames can be considered a Dark Horse, but he’s flown under the radar all season, despite sitting second in points. The current odds show Carl at 12 to 1, but I think those are fantastic odds given the fact he boasts the series’ best average finish (8.3) at Dover. He has been one of the best on these surfaces between the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Sprint Cup series, and in the fall, Edwards finished fifth despite the horrific 2012 season he was having. Concrete Carl is a contender this week and he will roll off 18th tomorrow at The Monster Mile.

That’s all for this week, so until we head to the Tricky Triangle, you stay classy NASCAR NATION!

June 1, 2013