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  • Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Passionate About Racing, Points Battling and Singing

    [media-credit id=62 align=”alignright” width=”234″][/media-credit]Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has many passions, from sporting his Nationwide championship belt buckle from last year to racing hard in his No. 6 Cargill Beef Ford against the likes of Elliott Sadler and Austin Dillon for the points lead in this year’s Nationwide season.

    But who knew that he had another secret passion?

    “I really like to sing,” Stenhouse said. “I sing a lot, but I’m not really good at it.”

    “I like country music,” Stenhouse continued. “I know a lot of lyrics but I can’t get them to come out the right way.”

    “I karaoke to myself in the cars, but not on the stage or in front of anybody.”

    Unfortunately, the young Roush Fenway Racing superstar did not have much to sing about after last weekend’s race in Charlotte. He finished the History 300 in the 26th position after suffering mechanical problems.

    “You’ll have those bad races,” Stenhouse said philosophically. “We started out the season with a bad race at Daytona and then we had nine good races after that, with the worst finish being sixth.”

    “We kind of had a stumble last week,” Stenhouse continued. “Charlotte, I feel like normally I would be disappointed and look at the bad things that happened.”

    “But I feel like we got to look at the positives, in that we were really fast and we were able to learn some stuff when we got back out,” Stenhouse said. “Our guys changed a transmission and drive shaft in twenty green flag laps.”

    “So, all in all, there were a lot of things that were really good about our day and one little bad thing in that we didn’t get the result that we felt we could have.”

    Stenhouse also credits his ability to put things behind him as a major saving grace in the midst of his racing passion. Although he admitted that he does give himself just a little bit of time to brood after a bad session.

    “You put it behind you and go on,” Stenhouse said. “You have to take one race at a time, especially because it is a long season.”

    “The way I generally look at things is that I reflect on it for a day and then move on,” Stenhouse continued. “So, Sunday, I thought about it and Monday I was thinking about Dover.”

    Stenhouse Jr. is also pretty passionate about points racing, especially since it is with his nemesis Elliott Sadler, driver of the No. 2 OneMain Financial Chevrolet. He currently has a 13 point advantage over Sadler in the point standings.

    “We always want to outrun him,” Stenhouse said of Sadler. “We want to be the highest finishing Nationwide guy each week.”

    “We want to win every week and beat all the Cup guys,” Stenhouse continued. “We’ve done it this year at the companion races and that always feels a little better.”

    “We’re focused on beating everybody, not just the 2 though,” Stenhouse said. “Like I said, when we race, we’re both going to be right there.”

    Stenhouse Jr. also acknowledged that he might not just be racing the No. 2 car exclusively for the championship. One other challenger may well be Austin Dillon, in the No. 3 American Ethanol/New Holland Chevrolet, racing for his grandfather on the Richard Childress team.

    “He’s definitely there every week, running really strong and really consistent, like we knew he would,” Stenhouse said of Dillon. “He’s really good and has a lot of seat time and has run a lot of these race tracks.”

    “He’s in really good equipment and has someone to learn from like Elliott,” Stenhouse continued. “I think he’s going to be there all year.”

    “Right now, everybody’s talking about Elliott and me but Austin is not that far out,” Stenhouse said. “One bad race for us or for Elliot and I and he is right there in it.”

    “It will be a tough battle all year.”

    Stenhouse Jr. will next unleash his racing and points battling passion on the Monster Mile, a track where he has not quite had the finishes that he would have liked.

    “Dover’s been good to us but we haven’t been the best,” Stenhouse said. “We’ve been really fast in practice but kind of missed it in the race.”

    “We’ve had some good luck and finished in the top-five,” Stenhouse continued. “This race last year, we were probably an eighth place car and finished fourth after the wreck coming to the front straightaway.”

    “There’s things we need to do to get better,” Stenhouse said. “It’s a fun race track and I really enjoy it.”

    “There’s  a lot of things you can do like move your car around or change your line on the race track to improve your car,” Stenhouse continued. “We’ve led laps here, just not at the right time.”

    Stenhouse Jr. is not, however, as passionate about racing on the concrete. But he also realizes that everything that challenges him at the Monster Mile affect the other drivers as well.

    “We’ve struggled a little bit on the concrete,” Stenhouse said. “We’ve been decent at Bristol and at Dover, but just haven’t been really, really great.”

    “The concrete creates some challenges as far as the seams and the expansion joints so it gets a little rough,” Stenhouse continued. “But I like tracks that are a little rough that makes it fun and really challenging.”

    “The way I look at it is that it’s the same race track for everybody so it really doesn’t matter,” Stenhouse said. “If it’s a problem for one, it’s a problem for everybody.”

    Stenhouse’s final passion was fulfilled prior to his ever setting foot on the track at Dover. He got to participate in the local golf tournament raising money for autism awareness.

    “I don’t have any family members or anything like that with autism but I was able to play in the Drive for Autism golf tournament and had a lot of fun doing it,” Stenhouse said. “It was my first time there and to meet all the kids and to try to find a cure, it was really cool to be a part of it.”

    “It was a great atmosphere and I won’t miss it ever again.”

     

  • Ricky Stenhouse Jr. continues to improve and impress

    Ricky Stenhouse Jr. continues to improve and impress

    [media-credit name=”Brad Keppel” align=”alignright” width=”227″][/media-credit]In a sport that’s constantly changing, one thing’s starting to remain the same. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is dominating the Nationwide Series.

    The defending champion and current point leader has been setting the pace early in the season. Picking up where he left off in 2011 and had it not been for a last lap crash in Daytona while racing for the win, Stenhouse might be even further ahead.

    Before Saturday’s History 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway he was sitting pretty with nine top 10 finishes in 10 races. In the last nine races Stenhouse hadn’t finished outside the top six.

    It’s what’s helped him storm into victory lane three times, including his third consecutive at Iowa to remain undefeated, quickly quieting the talks of Elliott Sadler’s hot start and championship hopes. If anyone wants to win races and the big trophy, they’ll have to go through the Mississippi native.

    What an incredible rise for Stenhouse, whose story has been well documented. In the car, crashing the car, out of the car and then boom, it suddenly clicked. Once back in the car it was as if a different driver was behind the wheel.

    A 16th place point finish in 2010 and Rookie of the Year honors to winner and champion the following year. Now he’s looking to become the first driver since Martin Truex Jr. in 2004-2005 to win back-to-back titles.

    As the season continues to progress, Stenhouse continues to improve. He’s constantly thinking and thinking like a veteran, wondering how the team could get better. While leading two weeks ago in Iowa he seemed to be upset when telling crew chief Mike Kelley that something had to be done about the grille opening.

    His No. 6 Ford Fusion was running hot even in clean air. However, Kelley said that Stenhouse had what he had and they’d have to deal with. No, said a calm Stenhouse, for future reference to be worked on back at the shop.

    Team owner Jack Roush has long made smart decisions for his company. It’s why he’s won so many races and championships across the three national series. But pairing Stenhouse with the veteran Kelley will prove to be one of his best.

    Kelley has an impressive resume of his own, working with many different Roush drivers and finding victory lane with a few of them. He’s the perfect fit for the young Stenhouse, who never fails to mention how he keeps him calm, cool and collected.

    Reining him back in when he gets too far ahead of himself, refocusing him on what needs his attention. Every driver needs that voice in their ear, the person who knows exactly what to say and when to say. Stenhouse has plenty of that on his team, from spotter Mike Calinoff high atop the roof, who continues to coach him every week to Kelley, making the calls atop the pit box.

    The belief and confidence they have in each other has become a major part in their success. When Kelley sings Stenhouse’s praises and how he’ll become a superstar in the sport, he genuinely believes in his driver.

    The longer the two are together the more they’ll accomplish. There’s plenty of racing left in 2012, yet it’s never too early to start talking about the future. Stenhouse’s will be bright and regardless if he wins his second NNS title this season, a case could be made that he should be going Cup race next season.

    Of course sponsorship will determine his plans. It almost kept Stenhouse from defending his NNS title this year but Roush stayed committed to getting him on track. Now he needs to find a way to not only keep him with his organization but keep him racing and moving forward.

    The worst thing would be for Stenhouse to stall out and not climb up the ladder, as he should be. Clearly talented enough to win it’s a shame that a company hasn’t come along and attached themselves to Stenhouse for the long haul.

    Bass Pro Shops has done so with Austin Dillon and OneMain Financial has to Elliott Sadler. And if there is ever such a thing as the complete package or a sponsors dream, wouldn’t Stenhouse fit that bill?

    Winner? Becoming a regular occurrence. Champion? Didn’t take long to knock that off the list. Decent reputation? So far so good, he hasn’t gotten into a fight with anyone or become famous for his radio highlights.

    And Stenhouse continues to soar in popularity with the fans and there are no tougher critics than the fans. But Stenhouse has a lot of support.

    It could be because he’s the ultimate success story or the fact that he can go toe-to-toe with the Sprint Cup drivers. Either way Stenhouse lets everyone know that he’s a contender on a weekly basis.

    Just further proof of how far Stenhouse has already come. When things started to go wrong in the past, he openly admitted to letting it bother him during the race and how he would be unable to let it go. Refocusing and earning finishes they were capable of became difficult.

    Now though, Stenhouse uses every opportunity to learn, filing information away for later. Thinking smarter, acting smarter and becoming a dangerous threat. Pushing the car to its limit but never crossing the line. Battling back to win even when he felt the car wasn’t good enough or needed too many adjustments.

    Kurt Busch, 2004 NSCS champion, said after Iowa that Stenhouse was getting really good. Many others have echoed the same sentiment, most likely after Stenhouse has gotten the best of them. Mark Martin did as much early this year in Las Vegas, calling it a beat down.

    And so, Stenhouse continues to beat down those who doubted him. Those who try to dethrone him. But he’s the real deal and continues to show that he’s going to be in this sport for a while to come. This time two years ago, that didn’t seem likely or realistic for Stenhouse.

    So for all those still on the fence about him, still searching for a driver to root for or just want to see one of the little guys to succeed, no better time to start paying attention. Because Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s story is one that continues to be written and it’s one that will go down as one of the best in NASCAR history.

  • The teenage dream: The Kyle Fowler story

    The teenage dream: The Kyle Fowler story

    [media-credit name=”http://www.kylefowler.net” align=”alignright” width=”200″][/media-credit]Growing up just miles away from the Atlanta Motor Speedway, Kyle Fowler developed a love for car racing. Fowler, now a 19 year old from Symrna, has grown to become a major prospect in the eyes of one small car operation.

    Randy Hill Racing, a team formed late last season, signed Tim Andrews to a full-time deal to drive the No. 08 Ford Mustang throughout the 2012 Nationwide Series campaign. But, due to sponsorship woes, the team decided to go with a different approach.

    Casey Roderick, along with Fowler, have each ran a minimal portion of the ten races completed this season.

    Fowler’s resume isn’t the most impressive.  However, the 19 year old has driven for three well-known figures throughout the world of motorsports including Eddie Sharp, Ken Schrader, and Billy Venturini, all of which came in the ARCA series.

    “My experience in the ARCA series was definitely very beneficial when I had to come over here to the Nationwide Series with the help of Randy Hill Racing. I was able to race on similar tracks like the ones I’m racing on here and it was great to have some experienced people behind me such as Mr. Schrader and the Venturini’s in ARCA,” said Fowler.

    Randy Hill has known Fowler for a few months now. Before the two met, Hill was an ordinary fan who wanted to own a team. Hill was able to accomplish this feat over time. When he had an open seat for the Las Vegas, Bristol, and Texas races, he set his sights on giving Fowler a shot at stardom.

    “Well honestly it was a last minute deal when I got the call before Vegas. I think it was Monday , the week before as Mr. Hill called that morning and I didn’t know, nor have a clue what he would say,” said Fowler. “A lot of times last minute deals don’t usually work out, but we’re very fortunate to get valuable seat time and get our first start under our belt.”

    At times, Fowler wasn’t sure if he was able to get back in the car again at any point throughout the remaining portion of the schedule. Fowler kept in mind that a return to ARCA would be something he would consider, yet it wasn’t his first option.

    In his three races behind the wheel this season, the Georgia native has qualified no worse than 21st, including his Texas Motor Speedway debut where he broke a crank on a practice qualifying run. The team bounced back though with an impressive 21st place finish after starting from the back of the pack.

    “It’s great to be able to do that. We’re a low budget team so we don’t have a lot of cars. If we tear one up, it’s hard to fix it and come back to the track so if we can keep the car out there and work between race to race, then we’ll definitely start gaining on it and I think that’s kind of what happened with us,” Fowler said. “We were able to make big gains throughout the race and with ten minutes to go left in practice, we blew a motor so that kind of put us behind the eight-ball there. We changed the motor, got it ready for qualifying and got a pretty decent lap out of it.”

    In his three Nationwide Series appearances, Fowler has experience a mechanical issue in each of the races. Even though that is just ol’ lady luck,

    Fowler has shown that he has the talent to take his equipment to the front of the pack.

    Fowler didn’t climb up to the Nationwide Series by himself. His family had a lot to do with his early success.

    Mike and Lisa Fowler, Kyle’s parents, have supported him since he began pursuing a racing career.

    “Well, ever since I started racing they’ve been my team. We’ve always been a low budget deal ourselves. Me and my dad have always worked on the cars at the track. Them seeing me race at this level is great. To have them there for support and everything , it’s hard to put into words the chance that I’m getting to do. I would have never thought when I first strapped behind a racecar that I would be able to race against some of these great guys like Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch, and some of those guys,” Fowler said.

    Fowler’s father goes to each race with him. When the motor expired during practice for the O’Reily Auto Parts 300 in April, he was one of the lone pit crew members putting the backup engine in the car in time for qualifying, even though the team was locked in on owner points.

    The elder Fowler is a perfect fit to help in at Randy Hill Racing. Though the team partnered with Go-Green Racing during the off-season, the team is still underfunded with a limited amount of resources.

    “Well, whenever I’m racing the car, my father is at the shop. We have our Car Chief and about two-three other guys working on the cars and with the partnership with Go-Green Racing, they have a few guys as well and we all kind of work together on that. But, we’re not the Penske, the Roush, and the Gibbs guys with hundreds of people back at the shop, so it’s great to be able to do what we’re able to accomplish with a limited budget, limited man power, and limited horse power,” said Fowler who shows a great knowledge for what his competition bears.

    Along the way, Fowler has seen hundreds of driver’s race. But, while racing legends cars at Atlanta Motor Speedway, he and his father met David and Ken Ragan.

    “I wasn’t really as close to him until I started asking him about some of the tracks when we were both racing. It’s great to ask him what the cars will do on the long run or what to expect when racing with different track conditions. It’s great to have that as far as that. “

    Ragan, whom of which drives for an underfunded team himself, has helped Fowler’s learning curve in a modest way. Besides Ragan, Fowler credits his knowledge of knowing how to get around new tracks to his IRacing simulator which has proven to help the 19 year old make his way around some of the toughest tracks the series has to offer.

    Fowler’s future remains a mystery. He, nor Randy Hill, nor anyone in the garage area is sure what he will be doing throughout the remainder of the season.

    “At this point but I’m taking it week by week and waiting to see what might come up,” said Fowler.

    Indubitably, something came up as Fowler returns behind the wheel with RHR at the Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend in the History 300.

  • The Future of NASCAR – Spotlight on Jeremy Clements

    The Future of NASCAR – Spotlight on Jeremy Clements

    Jeremy Clements is following a racing family tradition and is determined to add his name to the legacy.

    His grandfather was the acclaimed NASCAR owner and crew chief Crawford Clements and was a big influence.

    “My racing background goes all the way back to my grandfather Crawford Clements.  He was a crew chief for Rex White and Buck Baker in the 1960s and they won a championship. So he’s the one who got all this started.”

    He got his first go-kart when he was seven and won 47 feature events before moving on to dirt track racing. He began racing four cylinders on dirt in 1999. During the next three years he won over 50 feature events and two track championships.

    In 2002, he progressed to the Late Model division winning nine races and the championship at Cherokee Speedway.  He also made his first ARCA Series start at Talladega Superspeedway.

    In 2003, he competed in late models and made five ARCA Series starts capturing three top-ten finishes.  He also became one of the youngest drivers to ever qualify for a NASCAR Nationwide Series race.

    He continued racing in the ARCA Series and the Late Model division in 2004 but his career came to a screeching halt. On July 24th while racing at 311 Speedway in North Carolina he was seriously injured. The drive shaft on his late model car broke and came through the car injuring his right hand.

    The doctors told him it looked like a bomb had exploded in his hand.

    “It just about took my hand off,” he said. “I had to have 10 surgeries and they sewed my hand to my hip for about a month. They did a skin graft, a bone graft and they took tendons from my foot to make it all work again.”

    His doctors told him he would never race again.  He was devastated.

    “That’s all I’ve ever done with my life and all I hope to do. It scared me to think I might not be able to race again.”

    What he didn’t find out until later is that his doctors had initially considered cutting off his hand.

    It took him a year to recover but he was determined to prove the doctors wrong. A year later, he was back doing what he was meant to do.

    In 2008 and 2009 he worked with Joe Gibbs Racing practicing and qualifying for Kyle Busch or Joey Logano when they were not available due to scheduling conflicts. There was a possibility of starting a third team for him but unfortunately he was not able to find the sponsorship money to advance his career with the organization.

    He now drives for Jeremy Clements Racing. It’s a family business owned by his father Tony and his Uncle Glenn. It’s a daily struggle to compete with the well funded teams and their bevy of sponsors but Clements has never backed down from a challenge.

    The team operates on a race to race basis. The money is usually just enough to keep them going but not enough to provide him with the competitive edge that a corporate sponsor could provide.

    Here’s an example of the issues they face each race weekend. For the race in Darlington they were allowed to have six sets of tires but they came to the track with only two. They used one set for practice. The second set was used for qualifying and to start the race.

    They get their remaining tires from the Cup teams who give them the tires after they have used them for practice.

    They also use a different engine from most teams.  The newer engines have more horsepower, torque and are about 30 pounds lighter.

    “It’s difficult,” he says. “But if you’re not here, you’re going to be forgotten. We’ve got a good team. We just need sponsors to help with these kinds of obstacles.”

    “Money buys speed.”

    But don’t think he’s not grateful.

    “I appreciate the opportunity to do this. I just want to be able to keep going.”

    Look for Clements in his No. 51 Chevrolet on Memorial Day Weekend as NASCAR begins their campaign, ‘NASCAR Unites – An American Salute,’   to support the U.S. military and their families.

    Jeremy Clements Racing gave fans the opportunity to honor loved ones, friends or themselves during the race. These names will be displayed on the deck lid of his car for the May 26th Charlotte race. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point base.

    They are also proud to have Rick Harrison of ‘Pawn Star’ fame as their primary hood sponsor for the race. Harrison will serve as Grand Marshall for the Nationwide History 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

    For more information on Jeremy Clements, please visit JeremyClementsRacing.com

  • Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Captures the Nationwide Series Pole at Darlington Raceway

    Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Captures the Nationwide Series Pole at Darlington Raceway

    [media-credit name=”Brad Keppel” align=”alignright” width=”224″][/media-credit]Stenhouse Jr. won the Coors Light Pole Award for the 30th annual VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200 at Darlington Raceway on Friday afternoon.

    It’s his first pole in only three starts at Darlington Raceway and his fifth pole in 82 NASCAR Nationwide Series starts.

    Denny Hamlin will start the race in second position.  This is Hamlin’s fourth top-10 start in 2012 and his fourth top-10 start in seven races at this track.

    Austin Dillon will begin the race in third place and was the fastest qualifying rookie. It marks his ninth top-10 start in nine races this season.

    Kurt Busch and Joey Logano round out the top five starting positions, starting in fourth and fifth place respectively.

    Starting Lineup
    VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200, Darlington
    http://www.speedwaymedia.com/n2s/qual.php?race=9
    ===========================================
    Pos. No. Driver Make Speed Time
    ===========================================
    1 6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Ford 173.546 28.336
    2 18 Denny Hamlin Toyota 172.784 28.461
    3 3 Austin Dillon* Chevrolet 172.65 28.483
    4 54 Kurt Busch Toyota 172.378 28.528
    5 20 Joey Logano Toyota 172.354 28.532
    6 2 Elliott Sadler Chevrolet 171.92 28.604
    7 11 Brian Scott Toyota 171.698 28.641
    8 12 Sam Hornish Jr. Dodge 171.357 28.698
    9 38 Kasey Kahne Chevrolet 170.821 28.788
    10 31 Justin Allgaier Chevrolet 170.253 28.884
    11 33 Brendan Gaughan Chevrolet 170.2 28.893
    12 44 Mike Bliss Toyota 169.807 28.96
    13 22 Brad Keselowski Dodge 169.725 28.974
    14 30 James Buescher Chevrolet 168.758 29.14
    15 7 Danica Patrick Chevrolet 168.497 29.185
    16 87 Joe Nemechek Toyota 168.169 29.242
    17 136 Ryan Blaney Chevrolet 167.859 29.296
    18 50 T.J. Bell Chevrolet 167.157 29.419
    19 39 Josh Richards Ford 167.152 29.42
    20 40 Erik Darnell Chevrolet 167.066 29.435
    21 1 Mike Wallace Chevrolet 166.953 29.455
    22 43 Michael Annett Ford 166.653 29.508
    23 51 Jeremy Clements Chevrolet 166.366 29.559
    24 42 Josh Wise Chevrolet 166.337 29.564
    25 199 Travis Pastrana Toyota 166.186 29.591
    26 14 Jeff Green Toyota 165.984 29.627
    27 124 Casey Roderick* Chevrolet 165.956 29.632
    28 23 Jamie Dick Chevrolet 165.95 29.633
    29 46 Chase Miller Chevrolet 165.464 29.72
    30 19 Tayler Malsam Toyota 165.448 29.723
    31 41 Timmy Hill Ford 165.32 29.746
    32 81 Jason Bowles* Toyota 165.298 29.75
    33 47 Scott Speed Chevrolet 165.264 29.756
    34 10 Tony Raines Toyota 164.965 29.81
    35 15 Blake Koch Chevrolet 164.413 29.91
    36 4 Danny Efland Chevrolet 164.391 29.914
    37 89 Morgan Shepherd Chevrolet 161.36 30.476
    38 175 Scott Riggs Chevrolet 160.339 30.67
    39 174 Mike Harmon Chevrolet 159.481 30.835
    40 88 Cole Whitt* Chevrolet 158.73 30.981
    41 52 Kevin Lepage Chevrolet 158.255 31.074
    42 108 Matt Frahm Ford 156.323 31.458
    43 70 Derrike Cope Dodge 152.158 32.319
  • Michael Annett Is Flying High Yet Under the Radar

    Michael Annett Is Flying High Yet Under the Radar

    [media-credit name=”Photo Credit: Phil Cavali” align=”alignright” width=”172″][/media-credit]At Texas Motor Speedway, Michael Annett scored his second top-10 and fifth top-15 finish in just six races with his new team, Richard Petty Motorsports. And with that good run, he officially moved up two spots to fifth in the Nationwide Series point standings.

    Yet, as high as the young driver of the No. 43 Pilot Flying J Ford Mustang is flying early in the season, he still is very much under the radar in a series dominated by the likes of veteran Elliott Sadler, reigning champ Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., up and comer Austin Dillon, and Danica Patrick.

    “To me, that’s how I’ve lived my whole life,” Annett said. “Even when I played hockey growing up, I never did anything outlandish.”

    “I was just the guy that got the job done,” Annett continued. “That’s pretty much my M.O. and how it’s been for me in my racing career.”

    Although flying under the radar so far this season, the new Richard Petty Motorsports driver has had some impressive initial success, especially with his recent run at Texas. Annett finished ninth, rebounding from running into a lapped car and taking advantage of the lights going out at the speedway.

    “We probably could have won the race if I hadn’t run into a lapped car,” Annett said. “But I loved it when the lights went out because we were overheating and getting ready to pit.”

    “So, I liked that the lights brought out the caution,” Annett continued. “The whole night was about overcoming adversity, so to come out ninth and to see the guys faces with a top ten finish, it was cool.”

    Annett also contributes his early success at Richard Petty Motorsports with the team’s affiliation with Roush Fenway Racing, particularly in light of their driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. winning last year’s Nationwide championship.

    “I think the success started with what Roush Fenway built last year with the championship and the relationship we have with them,” Annett said. “That partnership is huge.”

    “At Texas, we unloaded and we were close but we were still missing a little bit,” Annett continued. “To be able to go and talk to the No. 6 team and use some things they found, it’s just a huge advantage to us.”

    In spite of early success at Richard Petty Motorsports, the reality for Annett was that he had to make a difficult  transition rather abruptly when his former team, Rusty Wallace Racing, shut down at the end of last year due to lack of sponsorship.

    “It was definitely tough, very unfortunate and a testament to the economic times,” Annett said of the demise of his former team. “They couldn’t find a sponsor for Steven (Wallace) with 5-Hour Energy leaving.”

    “Rusty said he didn’t want to do it out of his pocket,” Annett continued. “So, the month before Daytona, they announced they were shutting down and we had to go find a place to race.”

    Fortunately for Annett his long-time sponsor, Pilot Flying J, stuck with him and gave him the opportunity to seek out another team. He was especially pleased when Richard Petty Motorsports ended up being one of the teams interested in him.

    “I’m definitely blessed to have Pilot as a partner that I’ve had since I’ve started racing,” Annett said. “That enabled me to go to other teams and when I went to Richard Petty Motorsports, it just felt right.”

    “It felt like a family, listening to Richard (Petty),” Annett continued. “He and I saw eye to eye on everything and it felt right.”

    Annett said it hit him how fortunate he was to be with Richard Petty Motorsports when he and the team went out for their first race together at Daytona in the Drive4COPD 300.

    “It’s funny,” Annett said. “It didn’t hit home to me until Daytona when Richard (Petty) was standing on one side and Dale Inman on the other side, both giving me pointers before I got into the car.”

    “And all I could think was ‘this is crazy,’ Annett said. “I’ve ridden on the plane with Richard and talked to him and the best way to put it is that I’m blessed. It’s pretty cool.”

    The other ‘cool’ discovery for this low-key driver was his new crew chief at Richard Petty Motorsports, Philippe Lopez.

    “I had no idea about Philippe Lopez before this season started,” Annett said. “His name got brought up and I didn’t know a thing about him.”

    “When I asked around, there is always somebody who doesn’t like somebody, but not one person had anything bad to say about Philippe,” Annett continued. “That’s pretty cool.”

    “From Daytona to now, there hasn’t been one mechanical problem and his confidence on the radio is huge,” Annett said. “It’s been a really good relationship.”

    After his strong run at Texas with his new crew chief and team, Annett will have another off-weekend before heading to Richmond International Raceway next weekend for the NASCAR Nationwide Series 250.

    “Richmond is one of those tracks that I’ve struggled at,” Annett said. “But each time, we go back, I get better.”

    “I think I finished 11th or 12th last time so if I crack the top-10, I know that we’ll have had a good race,” Annett continued. “At Richmond, if you get the right car, you can come out of there with a top-5 or a win.”

    Yet even with his impressive start to the season and in spite of having total upheaval in his team, the young driver is not one often mentioned in the Nationwide Series discourse.

    “I don’t mind it, but I worry more about the guys on the team because I want them to get the credit they deserve,” Annett said. “I was hoping that at Daytona when Dale Jarrett started talking about me that would be the start of things.”

    “But I’ve fallen back into my old ways of just getting my job done, under the radar,” Annett continued. “But where we finish and the results will show themselves.”

    “And if they want to talk about us, they will,” Annett said. “My guys still know I’m driving my butt off for them and they’re doing the same back to me.”

  • NASCAR’s West Coast Marketing Team Leader Manny Poveda Reaching Diverse Fan Bases

    NASCAR’s West Coast Marketing Team Leader Manny Poveda Reaching Diverse Fan Bases

    [media-credit id=50 align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]NASCAR’s West Coast swing came to a very surprising and a very promising end on Sunday at the conclusion of the Auto Club 400 in Fontana, California. The three race sequence which also included stops at Phoenix Raceway, and Las Vegas Motor Speedway could be looked upon as a big success, and a victory for the sport as far as the attendance numbers are concerned.

    Auto Club Speedway which has had its problems filling the stands in the past, along with being criticized by the fans as a track that should be taken off the schedule, because they feel it is one of the less exciting races on the schedule.

    But after arriving at the track and watching fan after fan fill the stands even though there was a threat of rain in the forecast, it was great to see that NASCAR racing hasn’t lost its appeal in the Southern California market even though one the more popular short tracks in the Nation closed its gates in January.

    Because of a solid marketing effort by Manny Poveda, who is NASCAR’s Consumer Marketing Manager for the West Coast, and his team the attendance at all three tracks was able to compete with the one of the more popular tracks on the schedule, and that being Bristol the following weekend.

    Marketing has always been the backbone for any business to survive, and the same can be said for any sport which includes NASCAR. It takes a strong and persistent marketing team to push the sport into areas that have never been reached before, in order to boost the ratings and help the sport flourish.

    “We are doing more consumer marketing and letting sports fans know that NASCAR is around and that the MLB and the NBA and the rest are not the only sport in town,” said Poveda during the recent Daytona 500 viewing party at ESPN Zone located in Downtown Disney.

    Poveda also added that, “Throughout the year we do a lot of events where we bring out show cars and displays where people can get up close and personal to the cars and take pictures.”

    Reaching out to the different fan bases, along with reaching out to the wide range of demographics in view of the fact that fans of all ages enjoy watching these weekend warriors do battle on a weekly basis is one of a few tasks the marketing team pursues.

    Poveda, along with Josh Avila who works at Auto Club Speedway as the Hispanic Marketing & Communications Manager, and Mario Cobian who is the CEO at Pochteca Media began to reach out to the Hispanic community when NASCAR gave Poveda the go ahead to pursue this ethnic group.

    Diversity in the sport has come a long way since the early days, when the majority of the drivers were southern bred men whose ancestors were tied in with moonshining during the prohibition era. Another trend that is becoming popular are the drivers from the different motorsports series who are seeking to expand their driving skills by competing for seats in this lucrative series, that at one time were for occupied by drivers who came up through the lower level developmental series.

    NASCAR as we see it today is a business along with being a form of entertainment for all ages and ethnic groups to enjoy, and it’s no wonder the governing body has chosen to reach out to the Hispanic community since their fan base is expanding at an incredible rate.

    Poveda being Hispanic himself noticed the trend, and with his vast knowledge in marketing decided to tap into the market and work together with NASCAR to bring this fan base to the sport.

    “NASCAR is shooting for different ethnic groups including the Hispanic market and pushing the Hispanic awareness. We are in our fourth season and it’s going good, and we have a five to six year working plan that will reach the different parts of the marketing world, it’s a process and we know we will get there, “said Poveda when talking about NASCAR’s long term plan.

    Poveda also added that, “Brian France and Mike Helton are 100% behind us and they are the ones who brought up the idea and knows our initiative, and he knows the Hispanic fans are out there and it’s up to us to get them educated. They see them at the race track and know they wear the Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson, and the Carl Edwards jackets and not just the Juan Montoya merchandise.”

    Poveda finished with, “The idea is to get them to the track so they can experience and get familiar with the sport and hopefully they become a fan.”

    To see how diverse the fan base has become and how popular racing in the NASCAR has become among the Hispanic community, look no further than this weekend’s K&N East Series race at Greenville Pickens Speedway.

    There are six Hispanics in the field, which will include Sergio Pena-Colombia, Bryan Ortiz-Puerto Rico, Jorge Arteaga-Mexico, Jorge Contreras Jr.-Mexico, Daniel Suarez-Mexico, Carlos Ianconelli-Brazil, along with Duarte Ferriera from Angola, and Australian Scott Saunders.

    Whether it be having a NASCAR viewing party such as the one that was put together for the Daytona 500 at ESPN Zone in Downtown Disney in Anaheim, California, or setting up a display booth for one of the many charity foundations to promote the sport.

    The marketing team is reaping the fruits of success by reaching out and bringing a broader and more diverse fan base to the sport, along with a new breed of drivers from different countries that are willing to spend their hard earned money to compete in this great sport of ours.

  • Preparing For a NASCAR Weekend: Auto Club Speedway Style

    Preparing For a NASCAR Weekend: Auto Club Speedway Style

    [media-credit name=”Auto Club Speedway” align=”alignright” width=”200″][/media-credit]With the Auto Club 400 only already upon us, preparing for this once a year NASCAR style extravaganza in Fontana, California, has been in the planning stages since Kevin Harvick crossed the finish in last year’s upset over hometown favorite Jimmie Johnson.

    The speedway which first opened its gates in 1997, has been the Southern California center piece where fans from all over the country get the chance to watch NASCAR’s biggest star do battle on the 14 degree, 2-mile D-shaped oval once a year.

    Putting on a race filled weekend takes many painstaking hours of careful scheduling, arrangement of events leading up to the race, along with making sure everything is in place once the fans begin pouring in to enjoy another weekend of NASCAR excitement.

    “The months leading up to the big race are spent talking to, and booking the entertainment such as the performers who will entertain the fans on various concert stages throughout the race weekend, and to make sure everyone who comes has a good time,” said  David Talley, the Director of Communications at the speedway.

    Mr. Talley also added that, “We have 50 people working diligently to make sure we have quality food entertainment parking and everything that a fan expects when they come to Auto Club Speedway,”  Refreshment stands and food booths, ticket sales, maintenance during the race, along with security are only a few of the obstacles that need to be carefully planned.

    The staff at Auto Club Speedway has also spent a significant amount of time doing promotional events such as having the Daytona 500 winner Matt Kenseth, who drives the No. 17 Best Buy sponsored Roush-Fenway Ford,  come down to one of Hollywood’s famous eateries to meet and greet the fans.

    A few weeks ago it was 4-time Winston Cup Champion Jeff Gordon, and P.B.A. Hall of Famer Parker Bohn III who held an open press conference in front on ESPN Zone in Los Angeles, to help promote the upcoming Auto Club 400 with guest radio personality Uncle Joe Benson from KLOS 95.5 FM.

    This week it was Joey Logano, Coca-Cola Racing Family member, and driver of the No. 20 Dollar General/Home Depot Toyota who boarded a Metrolink train, along with Miss Sprint Cup Kristen Beat to kick-off the annual Speedway Day in L.A.

    The press conference which was free to attend and open to the public, was highlighted by  Logano  hopping into the Auto Club Speedway show car, and arriving at the press conference in front of L.A. Union Station in thunderous NASCAR driver style.

    These are just a few of the many events that have taken place to help promote the race, along with the driver signings and appearances away from the track for the fans to enjoy.

    “Our dept. main job is to get the word out what we are doing. To talk to the media tv newspapers set up interviews for track president Gillian Zucker. Press releases marketing drivers to help get the word out in an effort to get the word out to whoever is gonna be in and around So California needs to be at Auto Club Speedway,” said Mr. Talley.

    Mr. Talley added that, “Usually during the off season we put in our regular hours but close to event time, it seems like we are there forever which is fine with us as long as we get the job done.”

    “We work hard and Joann Young who is the Manager of Communications is a go getter and I couldn’t do my job without her. We have a good time putting together events for the fans putting together events for the media that will enjoy coming to.”

    “We feel that the Auto Club 400 weekend will be the place to be on March-23-25. So putting on a race weekend NASCAR style is by far not an easy task.”

  • Wallace earns his job on and off the track

    Wallace earns his job on and off the track

    [media-credit name=”theautochannel.com” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]Kenny Wallace has had a roller coaster of a career, highlighted by pushing Dale Earhardt Sr. to his final victory at Talladega over a decade ago. The 48 year old from St. Louis, Missouri, is in a fight to keep himself behind the wheel for one final season in the Nationwide Series.

    It is well documented that Wallace doesn’t get paid. He drives for the underfunded RAB Racing with Brack Maggard in the No. 09 Toyota Camry.

    Throughout his time at RAB Racing, Wallace has done it all.

    Performing on the track gave the veteran driver a chance to do it all over again in 2012. Unfortunately, the sponsorship he originally obtained, backed out the last second just before the Nationwide Series race at Phoenix.

    Rumors swirled around as his job was and still is in jeopardy. Reports across numerous media panels believed Wallace had finished his career. But, he did not give up.
    With the use of his widely spread Twitter and Facebook pages, Wallace was on a mission.

    As the past two weeks progressed, so did Wallace’s on-track performance. He qualified third at Phoenix, the best qualifying effort in RAB Racing’s history. Though he was unable to finish the race due to an accident, Wallace raised many eyebrows.

    This past weekend at Las Vegas, Wallace contended for a top ten position throughout the day. Ultimately, he finished 11th, an impressive bounce back for Wallace as he continued to search for a sponsor.

    How does this help Wallace’s case though? Sponsors didn’t want him when he was running in the top ten every week, why would they want him now?
    I’ll tell you why.

    Kenny Wallace is a man like no other. His beyond extraordinary personality is thrilling for races fans. If one was to go onto Twitter and see what Kenny Wallace was up to, you wouldn’t just see what he’s doing, you would see him respond to numerous fans on a daily basis.

    Over the past few seasons, Wallace has become more interactive with the fans. Well, at least more than he already was.

    A fan favorite for years, Wallace can spread the word of a company to thousands of people in the matter of seconds. One company has already taken a pledge to help out Wallace as well as expand their branding.

    MAC Tools, an often used tool supplier throughout the NASCAR garage area, will sponsor Wallace for the Nationwide Series race this weekend at the Bristol Motor Speedway.
    Wallace and team owner Robby Benton collaborated to break the news to fans as they posted it on their respective Twitter accounts.

    “@Mac_Tools:……I am SO Thankful….. @Mac_Tools is proud to be teaming with @Kenny_Wallace and @RobbyBenton at Bristol on Saturday!” tweeted Wallace in an enthusiastic way.

    Wallace got fans involved as well. In a matter of several hours of the announcement, fans across the nation wrote about MAC Tools and how great it is for them to sponsor a driver that doesn’t even get paid.

    Few drivers can be compared to Wallace. His determination to find a sponsor via social media propelled him to achieve his goal.

    A race car driver that advertises himself on Twitter could seem crazy to numerous people, but for Kenny Wallace, a man hunting for victory in his possible final year as a NASCAR driver, it is one more opportunity to show his great talents.

  • Sadler to drive for five with MWR

    Sadler to drive for five with MWR

    [media-credit name=”Michael Waltrip Racing” align=”alignright” width=”180″][/media-credit]Elliott Sadler and Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) have agreed to a deal where the Emporia, VA. native will drive five races in the No. 55 Toyota Camry.

    As a 12 year veteran in the Sprint Cup Series, Sadler will be competing for the Nationwide Series title once again this season. He signed a two-year deal with Kevin Harvick Incorporated in November of 2010, after struggling to find a competitive ride in NASCAR’s elite series.

    KHI merged with Harvick’s Cup Series team, Richard Childress Racing as Sadler was unable to win the a lone race in the 2011 season. Childress gave Sadler the opportunity to run the Daytona 500 in the No. 33 Impala. Sponsorship came from General Mills in a collaboration with Kroger, but Sadler was unable to race for the win as a fuel pressure issue deflated any chance for Sadler to be competitive.

    Waltrip has always known that Sadler has it in him to run competitively in the Sprint Cup Series, but Sadler has never been given the right opportunity. With Sadler’s signing, Waltrip signs a driver such as himself.

    Though sponsorship has yet to be named, the races Sadler will drive have been announced. The 36 year old will step behind the wheel at both Bristol and Martinsville races with the first New Hampshire race in mid-July.

    Rodney Childers will be Sadler’s Crew Chief. Sadler previously worked with Childers at what was Gillett/Evernham Motorsports in 2008. But, Childers left RPM for MWR. Ironically, the two will now work together once again, even though it is on a part-time basis.

    “We’ll pair him with Crew Chief Rodney Childers who builds really fast cars. We believe Elliott will do a great job,” said team owner, Michael Waltrip, who will race four more times in the No. 55 this year.

    Waltrip and the MWR have an exceeding amount of confidence in Sadler who finished second in the battle for the Nationwide Series championship in 2011.

    The signing could mean Sadler will return to the Cup Series for a full-time schedule in 2013. Sadler may drive for RCR, MWR, or even another team. However, for 2012, Sadler’s goal is to win the Nationwide Series championship.

    Though the season has yet to get into the midst of the points battle, Sadler will likely battle Ricky Stenhouse Jr. once again for the trophy which can lock up Sadler’s return to the elite series of stock car racing.