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  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Martinsville STP 500

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Martinsville STP 500

    With no practice due to a rainy weekend, the Cup drivers unleashed their pent up aggression on the short track of Martinsville. Here is what was surprising and not surprising from the 65th running of the STP 500.

    Surprising:  The closest that Hendrick Motorsports got to Victory Lane at Martinsville was the motor and chassis as Kurt Busch surprisingly took his No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet to the checkered flag.

    The win also marked significant milestones for driver and crew chief as this was Busch’s 25th Cup win and his crew chief Daniel Knost’s first win as a crew chief.

    Busch’s 83 start winless drought finally came to a close, with his last victory prior to this at the Monster Mile in the fall race of 2011.

    “Every time you come to Martinsville you draw a line through it; like there’s no way I’ll be able to challenge those Hendrick guys,” Busch said. “The Stewart-Haas team gave me a team to do it.”

    “It’s an unbelievable feeling to deliver.”

    Not Surprising:  While Brad Keselowski had some harsh words to say about the race winner, sarcastically ‘thanking Kurt’ after tangling with him early in the race and finishing 38th, he kept his sense of humor when he took to Twitter after the race.

    “I’m here,” Keselowski tweeted when a follower said that he would probably not be on social media for a while. “Laughing at all the hate tweets. #freeEntertainment.”

    With that difficult finish, the driver of the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford dropped three spots to seventh in the point standings.

    Surprising:  Dale Earnhardt Jr. was surprisingly disappointed with not getting a clock, even though he finished third in his No. 88 Diet Mountain Dew Chevrolet and took the points lead away from Carl Edwards.

    “Well, it was up and down,” Junior said of his race. “We ran out of tire there just trying to get by those lap guys that were giving me the top in the corner and I don’t need to be up there running.”

    “That cost us a little bit.”

    Junior and girlfriend Amy Reimann did, however, console themselves with a Martinsville hot dog as his “reward” for finishing third, tweeting a picture of the celebration from the plane.

    This was Earnhardt Jr.’s 16th top-10 finish in 29 races at the track known as the ‘Paper Clip.’

    Not Surprising:  Martinsville made for some interesting milestones, including another new winner for the season and a record number of lead changes.

    Kurt Busch became the sixth different winner in six races to date and there were a record 33 lead changes among 12 drivers, the most ever at Martinsville. The previous record for lead changes was 31, set in April of 2011.

    Surprising:  They may have been driving with heavy hearts due to the death of Miss Lynda Petty, the King’s late wife, but the two Richard Petty Motorsports drivers pulled off great finishes, with Marcos Ambrose in fifth and Aric Almirola in eighth.

    In fact, this was only the fourth time that the two RPM teammates have finished in the top-10 together, but the second time in six races this season.

    ““We’ve had a really tough week. We lost Miss Lynda.” Ambrose, driver of the No. 9 DeWalt Ford said. “We really wanted to win for them bad out there, but we’ll take a top five.”

    “I’m really proud of all the guys at Richard Petty Motorsports,” Almirola, driver of the No. 43 STP Ford, said. “If we keep running like this, we’ll get to Victory Lane.”

    Not Surprising:  The highest finishing Ford was Joey Logano, who deemed his drive in the No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford “a battle.”

    “This race is really hard, but we finished where we deserved to finish,” Logano said after finishing fourth. “That’s where we ran and that’s about all we had.”

    “I wish we had a little more.”

    Surprising:  “That’s all I had,” are words that are eerily similar to Logano’s but are not typically heard from six-time champion Jimmie Johnson. But that was his summary of the race as well at one of his strongest tracks.

    “I’d been loose in the final third of the race and was hanging on there,” Johnson, who finished runner up in his No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet, said. “When (Kurt Busch) got back by me, I was hopefully that he’d wear his stuff out and I could get back by him. He did but I couldn’t hold him off.”

    “I started to get looser and looser,” Johnson continued. “I ran the rear tires off the car.”

    “That’s all I had.”

    This was Johnson’s 22nd top-10 finish in 25 races at Martinsville Speedway and his fourth top-10 finish in the 2014 season.

    Not Surprising:   While most drivers are focused on the wins, Jamie McMurray was thinking about points and shaking his head.

    McMurray, behind the wheel of the No. 1 McDonald’s Chevrolet, was involved in an on-track incident with Dale Earnhardt Jr. on Lap 199 that caused him to finish 42nd and falling eleven spots in the point standings to 23rd.

    “I thought the No. 88 would be a little more patient with me. I had gotten by him in lap traffic. Then he got on my inside. When he got into me it was like it couldn’t get off and spun me around and just got into the wall there,” Jamie Mac said. “Really unfortunate had a good car, every race we’ve had good cars.”

    “You just wish you weren’t racing for points because that is the hardest part to swallow is the point’s loss,” McMurray continued. “It’s fun to run well but that is what you will think about for the next five days.”

    Surprising:  After missing the previous race week due to metal in his eye and after vowing to make a comeback and win at a track where he has the third-best driver rating, it was most surprising to see Denny Hamlin finish a disappointing 19th.

    The driver of the No. 11 FedEx Freight Toyota had ignition issues and then was just plain slow during the race.

    “Just a frustrating day, especially when you know that this is a race track that I feel like I can make up a difference here and there,” Hamlin said. “We were a football field and then some away from the right set up today.”

    Not Surprising:  Austin Dillon, behind the wheel of the No. 3 Dow Chevrolet was the highest finishing rookie, finishing 15th at the very demanding short track.

    “I had some good runs there in my truck but it was totally different in a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car,” Dillon said. “It’s one of those races where you have to fight to stay in it.”

    “Things were definitely wild there.”

    The Cup Series will move from the short track of Martinsville to the track in Texas where everything is big for the Duck Commander 500.

     

  • NASCAR BTS: The Story Behind Yoga With Clint Bowyer

    NASCAR BTS: The Story Behind Yoga With Clint Bowyer

    While the NASCAR media corps, social media, and race fans at the Monster Mile were all abuzz about the 5-Hour Energy promotion, Yoga with Clint Bowyer, this NASCAR Behind the Scenes will focus on the story behind the story, calling attention to the important cause of breast cancer.

    This year, the Yoga with Clint Bowyer event was all about an organization called Living Beyond Breast Cancer, a cause near and dear to Bowyer’s sponsor, 5-Hour Energy.

    “Living Beyond Breast Cancer (LBBC) was founded a little over twenty years ago in suburban Philadelphia by a small group of women who realized that after treatment for breast cancer, there really weren’t a lot of available resources,” Kevin Gianotto, Director of Marketing, Living Beyond Breast Cancer, said. “So, they banded together to make sure that they had not only education but also support amongst one another.”

    “It sort of ballooned from there as more and more women joined the organization who were at all stages of diagnosis,” Gianotto continued. “That’s the thing that really defines LBBC.”

    “There are amazing breast cancer organizations out there that are specifically about research or detection or early prevention, but LBBC is all about diagnosis,” Gianotto said. “So, regardless of your age or the stage of your diagnosis, we are here with you for education and support.”

    “We have a breast cancer helpline so no matter where you are in the country, it is toll free, 1-888-753-5222,” Gianotto continued. “A woman can call at any time, be hooked up with another woman who’s been diagnosed with breast cancer but also trained to help her get to the next place in her breast cancer journey.”

    “We also have a website, www.lbbc.org, with a tons of information, especially for special populations such as African-American women, young women, and women who have been diagnosed with metastatic disease.”

    For Living Beyond Breast Cancer, the partnership between their organization and NASCAR sponsor 5-Hour Energy is a dream come true, as well as being transformational for the nonprofit in terms of awareness and fundraising.

    “LBBC and 5-Hour Energy entered into a partnership early in the spring where a percentage of the proceeds from the sale of a new flavor, red raspberry, would be donated to LBBC,” Gianotto said. “We got to know them and there were great synergies between the organizations.”

    “Several months ago, they called and asked if it would be alright if they put our name in their Saturday NASCAR race,” Gianotto continued. “As a marketing person, that was like the Holy Grail, from my lips to God’s ears.”

    “I literally was sitting at my desk and I had to put my head between my legs for a couple seconds,” Gianotto said. “A partnership like this is transformative for an organization like ours.”

    “The opportunity to reach so many new women who may be out there and may not know where to turn or what resources or who may not have a support system around them, that’s what makes this opportunity so amazing.”

    Gianotto had nothing but praise for 5-Hour Energy and the feeling was definitely mutual for the NASCAR sponsor, who just recently announced that their partnership with Clint Bowyer would remain intact.

    “I need to give thanks to 5-Hour Energy because we could never have dreamed of being able to share the power of the message that we are able to convey that there are resources and support out there for all of these women who need us,” Gianotto said.

    “Living Beyond Breast Cancer is really a tremendous organization,” Melissa Skabich, Director of Communications, 5-Hour Energy, said. “They do such great work.”

    “So, it’s really a no brainer for us to partner with them,” Skabich continued. “This is our first event that we’re putting on with them which was a great success.”

    “Clint Bowyer enjoyed doing yoga and he was a good sport,” Skabich said. “We had a great turnout and we wanted to just raise awareness which we did successfully.”

    “Also, our new raspberry flavored 5-Hour Energy is tied to LBBC as for every bottle sold, five cents goes to the organization,” Skabich continued. “So, we’re raising awareness and funds for them which is great.”

    “NASCAR fans are passionate so it was a great fit as we are a fun brand and NASCAR is a fun sport.”

    Jessica Coyne, the Yoga Instructor for the event, was equally effusive about her involvement, especially as a NASCAR fan herself.

    “I do know who Clint Bowyer is as I am a NASCAR fan and we live just down the road here in Dover so we are quite used to having NASCAR around,” Coyne said. “This is a very good opportunity and I’m very excited.”

    “I am a local yoga instructor and I was called by the Living Beyond Breast Cancer organization who asked me to be a part of this.”

    “I think the cause is fantastic,” the founder of www.higherpoweryogadelaware.com said. “My family has been touched by breast cancer so it’s very near and dear to my heart.”

    “People that have breast cancer are very fortunate to have groups like this available to them and all the resources that they need during this challenging time,” Coyne continued. “So, I’m very honored to do this.”

    Coyne believes that yoga is also critical to the health and well-being of those women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, which is just another reason for her passion for the event. And she even brought her family along for good measure as well.

    “Studies have shown that the clarity of mind and relaxation really helps to boost your immune system and it really helps anyone battling any type of serious illness,” Coyne said. “My daughter does kid’s yoga with me and my husband, not so much, but we’re working on it.”

    “Eventually we will have him doing all the poses.”

    Coyne knew that Bowyer might be a handful as she attempted to instruct him on the various moves. But the diminutive yoga instructor held her own throughout the Yoga with Clint event.

    “I didn’t have Clint do too many difficult poses,” Coyne said. “We’re just took it a bit easy as it was an early morning.”

    “He gave me a bit of hard time, but I just gave it right back,” Coyne continued. “He is quite a card, but I mellowed him right out.”

    Bowyer did at least mellow out, for just a bit anyway, as he worked with Coyne and crowd to achieve the various poses, including balancing skills, stretching and breathing.

    “I have no idea how the hell I got into this but we got through it,” Bowyer said. “When I saw yoga was on my schedule, that was really a first.”

    “Obviously I want to say thank you to 5-Hour Energy for this,” Bowyer continued. “But it is official, my man card is done.”

     

  • Martin Truex Jr. Jersey Strong at the Monster Mile

    Martin Truex Jr. Jersey Strong at the Monster Mile

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    “So, that was cool.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    “Starting up front is very important.”

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

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

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

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

    “It’s always nice to come home.”

  • Kyle Busch Monstrously Proud of Truck Team Win; Performance of the Kids

    Kyle Busch Monstrously Proud of Truck Team Win; Performance of the Kids

    Kyle Busch had every reason to be monstrously proud of the NASCAR Camping World Truck team that bears his name. Busch scored the victory and his two teammates, ‘kids’ Darrell Wallace Jr. and Joey Coulter, finished top-ten in the 14th annual Lucas Oil 200 at the Monster Mile.

    This was Busch’s second victory and third top-10 finish of the season. It was also his 32nd career win in the Camping World Truck Series.

    “It was really good for us,” the driver of the No. 51 ToyotaCare Toyota for Kyle Busch Motorsports said. “We had a good truck from unloading.”

    “We made some changes to it in practice and it certainly helped us,” Busch continued. “The track was a lot looser than we expected it to go.”

    “So, we had to make a lot of adjustments to it throughout the race,” Busch said. “Dirty air was a contest for everybody.”

    “We were all trying to fight for the front and fight for the bottom,” Busch continued. “There at the end, I found something positive by running up the race track where I could actually make a move.”

    “I’m glad I found that,” Busch said. “All in all, a really strong effort for everyone who works at Kyle Busch Motorsports.”

    Busch also took great pride in his teammates’ performances, or the ‘kids’ as he calls them. Joey Coulter, behind the wheel of the No. 18 Darrell Gwynn Foundation Toyota, finished eighth and Darrell Wallace, Jr., behind the wheel of the No. 54 Camping World/Good Sam Toyota, not only sat on the pole and led laps but also scored a top ten finish.

    “I was proud of the kids running up front there for awhile,” Busch said. “I wish that they too could have ended up a little better.”

    “There’s something to be said for the way Darrell ran today and Joey as well, especially for what he had to come through from starting in the back.”

    Kyle Busch Motorsports General Manager Rick Ren agreed with the boss’s assessment. He attributed his winning ways, along with the team’s success, to all of the people involved with KBM.

    “You can kind of get used to running up front but you have to pinch yourself and realize that the reality is that it’s not that simple,” Ren said. “We surround ourselves with good people and we have great drivers at the track.”

    “I’m really proud of the fact that all three of our vehicles finished in the top ten,” Ren continued. “I think Darrell led the most laps today and sat on the pole.”

    “And Joey Coulter came from way back and was clear up to fifth before getting shuffled on that last restart,” Ren said. “So, it’s hats off to everyone at KBM for the effort they put in.”

    Busch admitted that he has been on a bit of a winning streak lately in both the Camping World Truck Series, as well as the Nationwide Series. In fact, in his last nine starts, he has won seven, with a winning percentage of 77%.

    “Well I don’t know what happened in those other ones,” Busch said with a laugh. “Probably something I did screwed that up.”

    “It certainly is a wow factor,” Busch said on a more serious note. “There are a lot of things that can happen in races that can take you out.”

    “These trucks were a handful and we were holding on every corner, every lap,” Busch said. “I was holding my breath.”

    “It’s fun to win,” Busch continued. “People will say it’s too easy and we’re cherry picking or whatever.”

    “But you know what, this is a sport that we’re all welcome to participate in and that’s why we’re here.”

    Busch also reminded the media and himself that while he has been on a winning streak, he also has had his share of late-race losses, as well as some just plain bad luck.

    “I had a hood pin come out while leading late in the race,” Busch said. “There was a blown tire race.”

    “We had a fuel pick up issue with the new fuel probe,” Busch continued. “And then I had a fitting break on a transmission here and it started leaking and we had to come to pit road.”

    “If something is going to fall out of the sky and hit my car, it will,” Busch said. “Oh wait, that happened.”

    Busch also admitted that he has learned plenty from being in the car through Nationwide and Cup practice, as well as Truck qualifying and the race.

    “I’ve learned that it’s going to be hot and it’s going to be slick,” Busch said. “There will be a lot of slipping and sliding for sure.”

    “We’ll just try to get everything as comfortable as possible running around here,” Busch continued. “The biggest thing I’ve learned is all the adjustments you have to make during the race.”

    While Busch is hoping for a race weekend sweep, saying that he is after all “a finely trained athletic machine”, he acknowledged that it will be tough to do at the Monster Mile, especially given the conditions on the track.

    “Seriously, it’s hot,” Busch said. “I’m not saying that’s an excuse but it will weigh on you a little bit.”

    “It did at the Truck race and as much as I’ve been in the car,” Busch continued. “We have to work on getting fluids in, which I’ve done.”

    “And then Sunday, it’s 400 miles here which is a long time,” Busch said. “I remember I ran here a few years ago when it was really hot and you were dead when you got out of the car.”

    “It puts a lot on you.”

    There is, however, one major motivator in the Monster Mile sweep for Busch, in spite of him “being the only one dumb enough to try,” in his own words.

    “Anything can happen at Dover,” Busch said. “It’s the start of my wife Samantha’s birthday weekend so we’re starting the celebration.”

    One thing that Kyle Busch is not concerned about at the Monster Mile, as well as at many other tracks, is that he is getting as much seat time as humanly possible. So, when will he stop racing all of these Series and races?

    “When I’m dead,” Busch replied simply. “It’s fun to go out and race as much as I race.”

    “That’s what keeps me sane,” Busch continued. “I’d rather be out there than running up and down pit road or sitting up on a pit box.”

    “I know that it certainly helps Rick (Ren) stay sane when I’m behind the wheel and not running around on pit road,” Busch said. “As long as it’s fun and we’re doing alright and we can keep sponsors on our trucks, we will be doing it.”

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

    Marcos Ambrose Hoping for a Million Miracles at the Monster Mile

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

     

  • Denny Hamlin Scores Third Pole of 2013 Season at Monster Mile

    Denny Hamlin Scores Third Pole of 2013 Season at Monster Mile

    Denny Hamlin appears to be on a mission since returning to the track from his back injury. And today his mission was accomplished when he scored his third pole of the season for the 44th running of the FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks.

    Hamlin ran a fast lap of 22.788 seconds at a speed of 157.978 miles per hour. In addition to being his third pole of the season, it is his second pole at Dover, and his 15th pole in the Cup Series.

    “It’s been good,” Hamlin said in the media center after his pole run. “To have the FedEx Freight/Autism Speaks Toyota on the pole for the title race is awesome and hopefully we get to raise a little bit more awareness  and get a little bit more media attention for that.”

    Hamlin acknowledged that his good qualifying runs are also instrumental in his recent race results.

    “I feel like I’ve gained a lot of knowledge in how to qualify better,” Hamlin said. “It’s all helping out our cause for the moment.”

    In spite of feeling like he has learned lessons, Hamlin really did not believe that he had even run a lap worthy of pole material after his fast lap.

    “When I ran the lap, I wasn’t in love with it,” Hamlin said. “I thought fundamentally I didn’t do that great of a job.”

    “I knew the track conditions were really bad,” Hamlin continued. “ In the back of my mind, I’m saying I’m preparing for the worst and hoping for the best.”

    “We were just counting down and saying, “Can’t be any worse than sixth, can’t be any worse than fifth.”

    “And we’re on the front row,” Hamlin said. “It’s cool that we’re giving our pit crew yet again a huge advantage when those guys are already the best on pit road.”

    While Hamlin is feeling good as far as recovering from his back injury, he admitted to taking some extra precautions for his own comfort in the race car.

    “We have some lumbar support,” Hamlin said. “We have some air bags in the seat itself to help with comfort.”

    “I did switch up my belt configuration to help as well,” Hamlin continued. “I think overall I’m pretty comfortable right now, really as comfortable as I’ve been.”

    “That extra lumbar support definitely helps.”

    Martin Truex Jr. will start right next to Hamlin, securing the outside pole for Sunday’s race at his home track. His NAPA Auto Parts Toyota ran a lap of 22.814 seconds at a speed of 157.798 miles per hour.

    This was Truex’s eighth top-10 start of the season and his seventh in 15 races at the Monster Mile.

    “It was a good lap for sure,” Truex said. “You always want to come here and get the pole.”

    “I love this place so  much and have so many fans in this area,” Truex continued. “It was a solid run.”

    Truex Jr. admitted that the track really was much slicker than even in practice. And the driver of the No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota said he might just have left a little bit out there because of it.

    “The track was hotter, it was slick and pretty dang hard to drive,” Truex said. “I probably left maybe a little bit out there.”

    “I was a tiny bit conservative in one spot, otherwise it was a great lap,” Truex continued. “The guys did a pretty good job getting the balance right to where we had good speed.”

    “I’m proud of them for that and now we can go work on Sunday.”

    Kyle Busch, who secured the third place starting honors said his lap was just ‘fine.’ The driver of the No.18 M&Ms Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing posted his ninth top-10 start at the Monster Mile with a lap of 22.820 seconds and 157.756 miles per hour.

    “We were just a little too tight and I had to slow up a little bit through turns three and four and just missed out getting another pole for use this year,” Busch said. “Great effort by the team and guys.”

    “They did a really good job of having the car snugged up just enough for me there where we made a good lap and we were top-three so we’re pleased with that,” Busch continued. “It will give us a better pick at pit selection there and we can see the front.”

    Teammate Matt Kenseth, who will start fourth in the race on Sunday, was happy yet unhappy with his qualifying run.

    “I honestly thought this morning we were going to have a shot at the pole today,” the driver of the No. 20 Dollar General Toyota said. “So, just a little off but I was pretty happy with it.”

    “The track changed just a little more than we anticipated.”

    Ryan Newman, in the No. 39 Haas Automation Chevrolet, led the Stewart Haas Racing team in qualifying. He secured the final spot in the top-five with a run of 22.826 seconds and a speed of 157.715 miles per hour.

     

    Starting Lineup
    FedEx 400, Dover Int’l Speedway
    http://www.speedwaymedia.com/cup/qual.php?race=13
    ===========================================
    Pos. No. Driver Make Speed Time
    ===========================================
    1 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota 157.978 22.788
    2 56 Martin Truex Jr. Toyota 157.798 22.814
    3 18 Kyle Busch Toyota 157.756 22.82
    4 20 Matt Kenseth Toyota 157.736 22.823
    5 39 Ryan Newman Chevrolet 157.715 22.826
    6 55 Mark Martin Toyota 157.604 22.842
    7 29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 157.549 22.85
    8 2 Brad Keselowski Ford 157.48 22.86
    9 22 Joey Logano Ford 157.46 22.863
    10 1 Jamie McMurray Chevrolet 157.405 22.871
    11 5 Kasey Kahne Chevrolet 157.35 22.879
    12 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet 157.24 22.895
    13 78 Kurt Busch Chevrolet 157.054 22.922
    14 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Chevrolet 156.713 22.972
    15 15 Clint Bowyer Toyota 156.556 22.995
    16 27 Paul Menard Chevrolet 156.175 23.051
    17 13 Casey Mears Ford 156.169 23.052
    18 99 Carl Edwards Ford 156.054 23.069
    19 16 Greg Biffle Ford 155.952 23.084
    20 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 155.696 23.122
    21 33 Landon Cassill(i) Chevrolet 155.44 23.16
    22 14 Tony Stewart Chevrolet 155.407 23.165
    23 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. # Ford 155.239 23.19
    24 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet 155.206 23.195
    25 51 Austin Dillon(i) Chevrolet 155.146 23.204
    26 47 Bobby Labonte Toyota 155.086 23.213
    27 83 David Reutimann Toyota 155.059 23.217
    28 38 David Gilliland Ford 154.972 23.23
    29 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet 154.679 23.274
    30 9 Marcos Ambrose Ford 154.619 23.283
    31 98 Michael McDowell Ford 154.573 23.29
    32 19 Mike Bliss(i) Toyota 154.5 23.301
    33 43 Aric Almirola Ford 154.48 23.304
    34 30 David Stremme Toyota 154.295 23.332
    35 34 David Ragan Ford 153.984 23.379
    36 87 Joe Nemechek(i) Toyota 153.636 23.432
    37 7 Dave Blaney Chevrolet 153.557 Owner Points
    38 93 Travis Kvapil Toyota 153.492 Owner Points
    39 10 Danica Patrick # Chevrolet 153.381 Owner Points
    40 36 JJ Yeley Chevrolet 152.892 Owner Points
    41 35 Josh Wise(i) Ford 152.355 Owner Points
    42 32 Timmy Hill # Ford 150.912 Owner Points
    43 44 Scott Riggs Ford 150.71 Owner Points
  • Max Gresham Inspired by Podium Truck Finish at Charlotte

    Max Gresham Inspired by Podium Truck Finish at Charlotte

    For Max Gresham, 20 year old driver of the Eddie Sharp Racing No. 8 AmWINS Chevrolet, his career-best third place finish was inspirational. The young driver also led three laps for the first time in his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career and gave Charlotte-based sponsor AmWINS its first top-three finish right in their own backyard at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

    “For us, the finish is major league justification that we are going down the right path with our technology and all the things we’ve been doing to get better,” Gresham said. “It’s a huge confidence boost for us because we’ve been struggling with having good runs this year.”

    “That’s just the run we needed to start something and we have a bunch of rejuvenated energy now,” Gresham continued. “That finish was inspiring for everyone involved with what I’m doing and where I’m trying to get.”

    While Gresham could not pin point exactly what has been the spark to get his season going in the right direction, he did acknowledge that he and his crew chief Chris Showalter had hit on a thing or two that seemed to suit the car and the driver.

    “We’ve been adding some new spring and shock combinations and we just found one that I really liked in practice,” Gresham said. “We just kept working on it to make it better and better.”

    “It just brought the truck alive,” Gresham continued. “And we just had everything go right for once.”

    “We didn’t get caught up in any wrecks and it all went right.”

    Gresham shared his tremendous respect for his crew chief and credits his years in the Truck Series as a key factor to their success together.

    “Chris Showalter is a genius I think,” Gresham said. “He makes all the right calls and continues to work really hard.”

    “He is also the only guy to have been to every single NASCAR Truck race,” Gresham continued. “He has not missed one since its initiation in 1995.”

    “I think he’s up to 400 something races now,” Gresham said. “No one has more trips to the Truck races than him.”

    “He’s seen it all, he’s done it all and he’s been a part of it all.”

    Gresham also contributed his podium finish to his race team, Eddie Sharp Racing, with whom the young racer has had a relationship since his ARCA Series days.

    “I knew Eddie from when I was running ARCA races,” Gresham said. “Late last season, we went back to him and everything came together.”

    “It’s been an awesome start to the season,” Gresham continued. “We’re going to run the full year and we’re going to make the most of it.”

    While his third place run in the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 moved him up to 17th in the point standings, the young driver set his next goal as getting into the top ten in points.

    “Our goal is to keep building on that success and keep inching our way forward,” Gresham said. “We want to be in the top ten in points.”

    “Of course we want to win, but we want to get consistent finishes first.”

    Gresham admitted that he had also had an interesting ride with his sponsor AmWINS, a company that absorbed his grandfather’s insurance agency late last year.

    “Steve DeCarlo (CIO of AmWINS) is actually a race fan and I’m glad he decided to go racing with us,” Gresham said. “He was at the race and he said he that he has never had so much fun and that it was one of the coolest things he has ever done.”

    “When you can make a man like Mr. DeCarlo say something like that, you are doing something special.”

    Gresham has already had a very special racing career and is actually in his 12th full season of racing.

    “I started when I was eight in Bandeleros and then went to the Legend car,” Gresham said. “I was running Pro Super Late Models all over the southeast and then in 2010, I moved up to the K&N Series for Joe Gibbs Racing and in 2011, I won the K&N championship for Joe Gibbs.”

    “From there, I moved into the Truck Series and now I’m with Eddie Sharp Racing and we’re on the verge of doing some very cool stuff this year.”

    Gresham is absolutely enjoying every minute of the Truck Series, from the competition with other young guns to the wise advice and counsel of the veteran drivers.

    “The great part about the Truck Series is that everyone is so close and the competition is so tight,” Gresham said. “Even someone like Ron Hornaday or Todd Bodine is willing to tell someone that he’s going to be racing a little secret here and there so that when you’re racing with them, you don’t do something stupid, wreck and take them out.”

    “Everyone is willing to help you a little bit to make sure you don’t get them in trouble and that’s how everyone works,” Gresham continued. “I’ve been in other divisions where no one is willing to talk to you because you’re just a rookie and a young kid.”

    “But the Truck Series is great, there are a lot of good people and you can constantly learn from everyone.”

    While Gresham idolizes many of the Truck Series drivers, he has two racers in particular that have earned his respect as a fan and as an up and coming talent.

    “When I was very young, I was a Ricky Rudd fan and watched him until he retired,” Gresham said. “Now, I’ve become a Carl Edwards fan.”

    “He’s an awesome guy,” Gresham continued. “He knows how to talk. He knows how to drive. And in my mind, he’s the full package.”

    With a top-five finish in his pocket, Gresham cannot wait to get to the next Truck Race at the Monster Mile in Dover, Delaware. In fact, the youngster feels like he is due at the fast mile race track.

    “Dover is just fun,” Gresham said. “I’ve run there twice in the K&N Series and it really owes me one.”

    “I should have won the race in 2010 when my motor blew up when I was leading,” Gresham continued. “Then in 2011, I had a loose wheel that didn’t allow me to race in the green, white, checkered finish.”

    “So I feel like it owes me,” Gresham said. “It’s a fun track and it’s a fast track. It always leaves the Truck Series with a good finish because we really race hard there.”

    Gresham is also thrilled with the new sponsor that he is bringing to that race track as well.

    “We will have Trimmers Assist on the Truck at Dover,” Gresham said. “It came about a month and a half ago and we had it on the deck lid at Charlotte but it will be a full truck deal at Dover.”

    “We’re ready for Dover in two weeks and we’re really looking forward to what is to come in these next few months,” Gresham said. “It’s inspiring.”

  • Travis Pastrana Still Embracing Learning Curve

    Travis Pastrana Still Embracing Learning Curve

    With a solid team in Roush Fenway Racing and a full season ahead in NASCAR’s Nationwide Series, Travis Pastrana is still embracing the learning curve when it comes to stock car racing.

    Unfortunately, Pastrana, behind the wheel of his most colorful No. 60 Roush Fenway Ford Mustang, did not even get a chance to go to school in the Dollar General 200 Advance at Phoenix International Raceway. He was involved in an early crash, relegating him to a 28th place finish.

    “They started crashing in front of me,” Pastrana said. “I thought I could get to the inside and I just wanted to try to get down, so once I got in the marbles the first lap and was loose, the second lap came in and I saw them crashing in front of me.”

    “I kind of let off, but I just got in the marbles again, so unfortunately, it was a pretty useless day for learning.”

    Pastrana qualified in the 12th position for the Nationwide race, with a speed of 131.200 mph and a time of 27.439 seconds. But that was not good enough to sustain him in race conditions, having to utilize his teammate’s set up instead.

    “We knew that we had a good qualifying run compared to where we practiced,” Pastrana said. “We thought we were pretty good at the end of practice, but we were so far off from where Trevor (Bayne) was, so we went with Trevor’s stuff just to see if it would work.”

    “I think we were on the right track, but there’s not a lot we could pick up because I didn’t get one single lap,” Pastrana continued. “The front wheel was busted out and the splitter was off the right-front tire.”

    “We just drove around all day,” Pastrana said. “If you see the front tire, it’s folded over completely, so I don’t know how the car survived.”

    “The team earned their money today.”

    Although frustrated with the early crash and poor finish, Pastrana did learn at least one tidbit. After following teammate Bayne’s line on the track, he at least picked up some knowledge for the future about where to run for maximum speed.

    “I knew where his line was and I knew where my line was,” Pastrana said. “So, just learning where you can run the car was good.”

    “But with this car, we never knew because we never had a chance.”

    Pastrana’s Phoenix run was especially tough since he had had a great outing at Daytona, finishing in the tenth position. The former extreme sport star turned NASCAR racer felt that he really learned a great deal about restrictor plate racing, again with a little help from teammate and former Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne.

    “Daytona was awesome,” Pastrana said “A top-10 finish was exactly what we had hoped for.”

    “I knew we had a great car coming into the race,” Pastrana continued. “Trevor pushed me around a few laps.”

    “I kind of gained confidence and really just started pushing a little bit and started to be pushed more and those guys gained confidence with me.”

    Unfortunately, Pastrana’s confidence was short-lived in the waning laps of the race, with the horrific crash that sent debris raining into the stands as well as all over the track.

    “We were running three-wide and I didn’t know what to do,” Pastrana said. “All hell broke loose like it always does.”

    “But I still learned a lot.”

    Pastrana also broke the news in Phoenix that he will have some learning to do off the track as well, which may involve entirely new skills sets such as diaper changing. He and his wife announced that they are expecting their first child.

    “It’s just really exciting,” Pastrana said. “I got married about a year-and-a-half ago and having a kid is going to be awesome.”

    Will Pastrana teach his youngster about all of his daredevil ways, including racing in its many forms?

    “I definitely feel for my parents now with everything I’ve put them through,” Pastrana said. “But we’ll encourage whatever we have – a boy or girl – to follow their passion.”

    “But I’m hoping their passion is golf, maybe.”

    As Pastrana leaves Phoenix, now 15th in the point standings, he is no doubt looking forward to more learning at the next venue, Las Vegas Motor Speedway. But he is also anticipating going to another track as well, the Monster Mile, later in the season.

    “For me, my hometown track was always Dover,” Pastrana said. “I’ve never gotten to drive anything around Dover and they say it’s like dropping into a roller coaster every corner and jumping coming out.”

    “It doesn’t look like a jump when you’re watching,” Pastrana continued. “But all the drivers say it is.”

    “I’m looking forward to that.”

     

  • Joey Logano Pumped Up, Upbeat and Ready to Go

    [media-credit id=62 align=”alignright” width=”227″][/media-credit]With his trademark smile in place, Joey Logano said he was “pumped up, upbeat and ready to go”, not only for the weekend racing at Dover, but for the next step in his career and life as well.

    Logano had an exciting start to his Monster Mile weekend as he was on one of the planes impacted in the incident on the runway at the Charlotte airport on the way to Dover, Delaware.

    “We were in our plane about to get ready to go and the other plane drove off the runway a little bit,” Logano said. “I figured the runway was the easy part, but I don’t know I never drove one.”

    In spite of being delayed, Logano finally made it to the race track, one where he has admittedly had his share of ups and downs. Logano’s high at Dover was winning his K&N Pro Series East championship in 2007 and his low at the Monster Mile was barrel-rolling his No. 20 Cup car seven times down the banking of one of the turns.

    But for the ever-upbeat Logano, he only remembers the ‘ups’ from all of his experiences at Dover.

    “I love this track,” Logano said passionately. “I think it’s mainly up when it comes to Dover.”

    “I think it’s a great track and a great place to race,” Logano continued. “It’s just fast.”

    “It’s one of those tracks where you really feel like you’re hauling the mail,” Logano said. “It puts on great racing and I’ve had great cars most every time I’ve been here.”

    Logano will certainly see his fair share of the Monster Mile this weekend as he is doing double duty in the No. 18 Sports Clip Toyota in the Nationwide race and his familiar No. 20 Home Depot Toyota ride on the Cup side.

    How does the young driver balance all of that racing? Logano acknowledged the challenges but also expressed that there are great rewards in doing the Dover double.

    “It’s definitely a challenge,” Logano said. “Today’s the biggest challenge, running back and forth from car to car.”

    “The hardest part is when you practice the Cup car, qualify the Nationwide car and then come back and qualify the Cup car because they’re so different,” Logano continued. “You’ll run around a lot.”

    Logano said it is almost like having to keep a score card on each car in his head. And just so he does not get too confused by it all, he debriefs just as quickly as he can after each run in the two cars.

    “You have to keep track of what you did in this car and what changed in each car and then debrief with both of them,” Logano said. “That’s the challenging part.”

    “I try to debrief right then, so that way I did it and I can move on,” Logano continued. “But there are also great rewards in driving both cars because you can learn a lot in the Nationwide car that can come over and help your Cup program.”

    Logano definitely agreed with his Nationwide crew chief, Adam Stevens, in that the Monster Mile requires great aggression but can also prove most punishing if any mistakes are made.

    “Dover is an intense track,” Logano said. “You’ve got to take every opportunity you can.”

    “But when you start overheating your tires and overworking your car, it’s also a finesse track,” Logano said. “So, it’s a combination of both.”

    “It’s hard to do both but that’s what makes it fun and a cool track to race.”

    Logano said that he truly has learned from his racing experience at the Monster Mile, especially from his runs that did not go so well.

    “You learn that throughout your career, being put in certain situations,” Logano said. “You learn from your mistakes and you try to use them the best you can to make those changes.”

    “This is one of those tracks where you use a lot of your tools.”

    For Logano, Dover also feels a bit like coming home, which may just contribute to his comfort level at the Monster Mile.

    “The northeast tracks are a lot of fun for me,” Logano said. “This is where I’m from and I like being able to see everyone.”

    “I just like these tracks,” Logano said. “Dover is one of my favorites, and it might actually be my favorite.”

    “It feels like home.”

    Although Logano is feeling at home at Dover, he only has a few more races, eight to be exact, before he makes the next major change in his life. He will move from his home at Joe Gibbs Racing to his new home at Penske Racing in the No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford.

    “We plan to finish off as hard as we can,” Logano said. “I got a really great team where I’m at and I’m going to a really great team.”

    “I’m fortunate to have two situations like that,” Logano continued. “But my life has become very busy lately, trying to learn a new team and get to know those guys and trying to finish off this year the best you can and try to get eight more wins.”

    “It’s definitely difficult but I’m very lucky and fortunate to be in a position like this.”

    Whether lucky or busy, do not call Joey Logano a ‘lame duck’.

    “There is no such thing as that at this level,” Logano said. “Each one of these races is equally as important as before Penske came along.”

    “This is all very, very important to me,” Logano continued. “This is all we work for.”

    Logano also admitted, with all of these changes, that this is probably the most interesting time in his young life and in his racing career.

    “It is interesting for sure,” Logano admitted. “There are a lot of new things and I look at things in a different way for sure.”

    “It’s cool.”

    “I don’t know if I can sum it up in one word, but it is exciting,” Logano said. “I’m pretty upbeat about it all.”

    “I’m ready for it,” Logano continued. “I’m pumped up to go do it and make a new step in my life.”

  • Jeff Gordon Makes Chase a New Partner in the AARP Drive to End Hunger Effort

    Jeff Gordon Makes Chase a New Partner in the AARP Drive to End Hunger Effort

    [media-credit name=”Simon Scoggins” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]While it may be a bit early to talk about Jeff Gordon making the chase for this year’s championship, he has already made Chase a new partner in his AARP Drive to End Hunger initiative.

    Chase Card Services, a division of JPMorgan Chase & Co., just announced the renewal of its corporate commitment to assist AARP and Jeff Gordon in the effort to end hunger for seniors across the country.

    “Our work with Chase is very important to the AARP Foundation,” Jo Ann Jenkins, President of the AARP Foundation, said. “Nearly 9 million older Americans don’t know where their next meal will come from, so we appreciate the generosity of Chase and the entire NASCAR community.”

    Chase will be sponsoring the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet at five races over the course of the season, starting with the upcoming race at Bristol. The company will donate $0.03 for every purchase made with their AARP Visa Card from Chase, as well as donating $1.00 for each new account opened.

    This new partnership between Chase, Jeff Gordon and AARP will raise up to $2 million total this year, all for the Drive to End Hunger initiative.

    “We’re excited to continue supporting the AARP Foundation through Drive to End Hunger,” Ralph Pinto, Senior Director of Chase Card Services, said. “We are looking forward to having a greater presence through Jeff Gordon and the sponsorship of the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet.”

    “Over the course of the five races we are sponsoring, we will have a number of different activities that we are pursuing, all focused on raising awareness of older Americans who are hungry,” Pinto continued. “Some are at track and others will be via email or Jeff Gordon’s landing page, all aimed at gaining the support of the passionate NASCAR fans for this important cause.”

    While their partnership together into NASCAR is relatively new, Chase and AARP have been working together for quite some time. In fact, they have partnered in various endeavors for the past twenty years.

    “We’ve worked with AARP for a very long time and over the course of the past twenty years or so, we’ve looked for different opportunities to work together,” Pinto said. “About two years ago, AARP made this Drive to End Hunger a huge priority for them.”

    “Concurrently, we were looking at our card and trying to revamp the benefits that we were going to be offering on the card,” Pinto continued. “So, we decided that we would look at a couple of various options and one thing that we found was that older Americans were positive about giving to charity.”

    In fact, Chase not only received anecdotal feedback from their customers but also formally surveyed them as well. The study, Chase’s first Generational Giving Survey, found that older Americans give to charities more generously than most other Americans.

    “We conducted a fairly extensive survey and 63% of Americans age 55 plus have donated $100 or more to charity, which is more than those under that age,” Pinto said. “More than one third of older Americans donated more than $500 to charity.”

    “Even from a business perspective, older people will connect and this has basis in fact,” Pinto continued. “So, for us at Chase, this is something we can feel good about.”

    After deciding that donating to charity was an important card benefit to Chase customers, the company had to make the next critical decision, that of choosing the charity that would benefit. And of course, the company’s first thought was of their long-standing partnership with AARP.

    “The AARP Visa Card and the Drive to End Hunger just made perfect sense,” Pinto said. “We are more than happy to jump on that and partner with AARP on this venture. “

    “The Drive to End Hunger is such a great fit for Chase,” Pinto continued. “The partnership is a great way for Chase to give card members something that they’ve asked for—a way to give back, simply and automatically.”

    Pinto is the first one to admit that he was a novice to the sport when he first became involved in the Drive to End Hunger partnership. But while he may have been new to NASCAR, attending his first race at the Monster Mile, Pinto and his fellow Chase colleagues have embraced the sport wholeheartedly.

    “The race was amazing,” Pinto said. “It was absolutely awesome.”

    “I for one was shocked,” Pinto continued. “I went outside our booth and just the noise when they all started up was like a wall of sound. It was the most impressive thing ever.”

    Pinto and his Chase colleagues have been impressed not only with NASCAR and their renewed partnership with the Drive to End Hunger program, but also with their driver, four-time champion Jeff Gordon.

    “The first event we did was at Chase headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware,” Pinto said. “Jeff Gordon came to the event and they brought in his Drive to End Hunger race car.”

    “We packed meals for older Americans and in one hour we packed about 400 meals and sent them off to a local food bank,” Pinto continued. “It was very exciting. Jeff is such a great spokesperson and so believes in the cause.”

    “Jeff is just an absolutely wonderful person to work with,” Pinto continued. “He is very dedicated. He didn’t have to be at the food distribution that we were running but he showed up and was there.  He’s not only a great spokesperson for us but an even better spokesperson for AARP.”

    While Pinto knows that the new Chase card benefitting Drive to End Hunger will be a huge success, he is also now hoping for one other important success.

    “I just hope that Jeff Gordon’s car comes up right in front at the end of the next race!”