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Tag: FedEx

  • Hot 20 – Watkins Glen is another chance to win, but most are just as desperate to find money

    Hot 20 – Watkins Glen is another chance to win, but most are just as desperate to find money

    Money, it makes the world go round. So I’m told, anyway. While you and I might remain in perpetual financial darkness, the stock markets would seem to indicate that those on top of the heap are reeling it in. That would include, you would think, those who disperse those big sponsorship dollars that are the life blood of NASCAR. Not so, it appears. Either that, or what they are planning to spend their windfall on has nothing to do with motor car racing.

    Target is leaving Chip Ganassi after a 16-year relationship, despite the success of Kyle Larson. That leaves only Lowe’s (Jimmie Johnson) and FedEx (Denny Hamlin) as full-time sponsors on the Cup circuit. Roger Penske, Rick Hendrick, Richard Petty, Richard Childress, and the duo of Stewart-Haas are all said to be hunting down those elusive dollars for next season. To make it worse, Target is redirecting its resources from racing to soccer. Soccer!

    Among the less established outfits, some hire a driver who comes with a team that promises to also bring in the dollars. Paul Menard is the best known example, as his family’s business made it easy for the Wood Brothers to welcome him in as their replacement for Ryan Blaney. The move leaves Childress looking for cash to field a car for his grandson, Ty Dillon, with that family operation.

    Some drivers do not come with a fortune. Gray Gaulding had a deal with B.K. Racing where his family’s marketing firm dug up the sponsorship bucks, allowing him to drive and everyone to make money. The story has it that when those dollars dried up, the 19-year old driver was out. If names like Danica Patrick, Kurt Busch, and Larson can not lock in the funding easily, just imagine how tough it must be for under-performing teams with unestablished wheel-men.

    How anyone makes money in the other two national series is beyond me. The “crowd” for the Xfinity event at Indianapolis, for example, was tragic. Hell, there are reports that claim only 35,000 turned out for the Cup event, in a facility that seats ten times that number. The lack of crowds just about everywhere remains a concern. Not every race can be a spectacle, we know, but you need more than a bunch of cars spread out going round and round in the same position lap after lap. Most fans that came with the fad that NASCAR was were not racing fans, just folks looking for an adrenaline rush. For a time, they got it. Today, they do not, or so it would seem. At least the stage concept has provided us with some different pit strategies and re-starts to try and shake up the field a bit.

    Let us be honest. Some tracks are duds, for the most part. We could argue that last week’s venue, Pocono, could be among them if excitement is what you are in it for. In fact, nearly half of the Cup schedule is placed in spots that yield less than “edge of your seat” outcomes. I do not think Watkins Glen is among them. I think you might enjoy what is coming up this Sunday.

    If you can find any, you might even put some money down on that. If nothing else, you will get better odds than say you would get on seeing Kurt Busch, Matt Kenseth, and Kasey Kahne all having full-time rides next season. Follow the money…if you can find it.

     

    1. MARTIN TRUEX, JR. – 3 WINS (823 Pts)
    The Furniture Row driver is simply the best thus far this season. Period.

    2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 3 WINS (566 Pts)
    When Jimmie and Chad retire, Lowe’s should have a place on their Hall of Fame plaques.

    3. KYLE LARSON – 2 WINS (738 Pts)
    If there is any sponsor out there looking to target a premium driver, this would be one of them.

    4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS (649 Pts)
    The Cup series is sick, the other two series are dying. Does everybody realize this?

    5. RICKY STENHOUSE, JR. – 2 WINS (468 Pts)
    Has just four more points than Daniel, but two more wins than Mr. Suarez.

    6. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (726 Pts)
    Limiting veterans in Xfinity limits Harvick’s sponsorship opportunities. He is not happy.

    7. KYLE BUSCH – 1 WIN (723 Pts)
    Could Kyle tell me how any games he thinks Mike Trout should play in Salt Lake and Mobile?

    8. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (649 Pts)
    Will be ready to race on Sunday, unless Jordan is ready to deliver their second child that day.

    9. RYAN BLANEY – 1 WIN (529 Pts)
    It should not be long before the Blaney-Bubba Show arrives full-time in Cup.

    10. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (494 Pts)
    On the verge of becoming a free agent? Wow!

    11. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN (491 Pts)
    Could we see a return of Newman to Stewart-Haas? Hahahaha. I just made myself laugh.

    12. KASEY KAHNE – 1 WIN (414 Pts)
    Wins a race, like Kurt, and has no assurance he will keep his job. What does that tell you?

    13. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (395 Pts)
    Brother Ty is ready to take his place in the family business…if they can find the money.

    14. CHASE ELLIOTT – 616 POINTS
    Rule of thumb over the next five races would be to finish on the lead lap. Easier said than done.

    15. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 615 POINTS
    Only wins on the marquee tracks. He might want to re-think that.

    16. MATT KENSETH – 594 POINTS
    Could he make the Chase and still be looking for a job next season? Just ask Kasey and Kurt.

    17. CLINT BOWYER – 577 POINTS
    Could move closer to Kenseth on Sunday, but if A.J. Allmendinger wins then it is all for naught.

    18. JOEY LOGANO – 525 POINTS (1 Win)
    The Glen, Michigan, Bristol, Darlington, or Richmond. Joey has to win one of them.

    19. DANIEL SUAREZ – 464 PONTS
    Unless there is an appeal, Jones’ 25 point penalty at Pocono moves Suarez to right here.

    19. ERIK JONES – 444 POINTS
    With Jones joining Gibbs next season, could that leave open a return of Kurt to Colorado?

  • NASCAR and Monster Mile Give Voice to Autism Speaks

    NASCAR and Monster Mile Give Voice to Autism Speaks

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    “I encourage others to apply for this award.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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