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Tag: Toyota All Star Showdown

  • Teamcassracing from the Toyota All-Star Showdown: New Driver, New Crew, New Outlook

    Teamcassracing from the Toyota All-Star Showdown: New Driver, New Crew, New Outlook

    There are many different story lines floating around the NASCAR garages during a race weekend.

    [media-credit name=”TeamCassRacing” align=”alignleft” width=”225″][/media-credit]The different angles that can be written about are vast as well as limitless, and depending who or what the subject may be about, it seems that most writers are always looking to the major players to get their next big story to write about.

    With the popularity along with the start status that surrounds these teams, it’s easy to see how the little guy, or, for a more apt description, the low budget team almost always gets overlooked.

    This weekend’s K&N Pro Series All-Star Showdown at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale is no different, and once again the buzz around the garages surrounds a few of the major players in the East and West series, along with one driver who is making his first start at the NASCAR level.

    This weekend could very well see the low budget team of TeamCassRacing once again visit victory lane when last season’s driver Auggie Vidovich, dominated the July 3 K&N Pro Series West race at this same race track.

    Teamcassracing, which is back in the showdown after announcing a week after last year’s win they would no longer be racing in the series, is fielding the same car that won on July 3 with driver Jason Fensler.

    Fensler, will pilot the No. 50 unsponsored Chevrolet which is entered in the showdown as a fan car, when during the weeks leading up to the race they gave the fans the opportunity to put their names on the car for a small nominal fee to help with racing expenses. In today’s high stakes game of racing, sponsors and budgets still need to be met in order for teams to be able to compete.

    How unfortunate is it to be considered a low budget team, especially when their outlook and morale are on the same plateau as those of the more highly-funded teams. Family values have almost been lost when you walk around the garages of some of the more high profile teams, but this team has been able to keep the family values alive while living by the phrase, “The family that races together stays together.”

    “You have to be a family in order to be a team, and family comes first with us. There is a bonding process that we go through, and once we mesh as family we should do good and that is one of our goals,” said team owner Terri Cass.

    Being a family-orientated team does have its ups and downs, and the team is hoping to run more than just the showdown since it takes more than a tight knit family to run the full season.“For my team we are a low-budget team, we are family-owned and to find sponsors it’s tough because of the economy. We run on bare bones, but we run on top dollar equipment,” said Cass.

    Cass also added that, “It does get tense without a sponsor, and sometimes those Top Ramens and hot dogs do get old. But my husband Jim and I are willing to sacrifice and eat those kinds of foods in order to put the money into racing.”

    With the start of each new season come the challenges along with the high expectations, and even in this third-tier series, the competition is just as fierce as the second and first-tier levels.

    When you think about NASCAR racing, try not to forget that there are still the other levels which bring just as much, and sometimes even more excitement than the Sprint Cup and Nationwide series. After all, each driver has to start someplace, and maybe that one driver who is racing on a Saturday night in your own backyard just might become NASCAR’s next big superstar.

    The outlook that Teamcassracing is carrying into the 2011 season is very positive, and one that will hopefully see their goals and dreams come true. “Our outlook is really good; I think that we will do very well this season. Those are our hopes and our dreams. We seem to be meshing as a team. We do have some humps and bumps to get over but we should go good.”

    Fensler, who qualified 7th for Saturday nights All-Star Showdown, will be looking forward to bringing his new team a better finish than last year’s race, when Auggie Vidovich finished 32nd after an accident took him out of the evenings. “Practice started off okay and we were struggling made some changes in the middle. Roger Bracken made some changes, and the car picked up a lot of speed.” said Fensler after the first practice session on Friday afternoon.

    Fensler also added that, “We have a great race car and I think we have a great shot at winning. I’m really happy from Jim and Terri and the rest of the team. I feel real confident and we will go out and see how the cards fall.” Fensler has one win in the K&N Pro Series West division which came back in 2008, and this weekend’s start will be his second in short tracks racing premier event when he finished 28 after an accident in the 2009 showdown.

    Fensler talked about this year’s start knowing this same car is the defending race winner at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale half mile oval when he said, “I think it’s the positive and gives me a ton of confidence and the people that own it and run the program.” Fensler finished with, “It puts pressure on my shoulders as far as being able to get the car to what it needs to be performance wise. I would rather have that type of confidence.”

  • Travis Pastrana Practice’s at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale in Preparation for the All-Star Showdown

    Travis Pastrana Practice’s at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale in Preparation for the All-Star Showdown

    When the announcement was made that 11-time X Games gold medalist and four-time Rally Car national champion Travis Pastrana would be coming to NASCAR in 2011, the news came as a breath of fresh air during a time when attendance was down and the biggest decline was found between the ages of 18-34. NASCAR had already lured Metal Mulisha star Brian Deegan, who competed in the NASCAR Whelan series driving a Bob Newberry NTS Motorsports prepared super late model.

    [media-credit name=”Sal Sigala Jr.” align=”alignright” width=”266″][/media-credit]Deegan competed in three races on Toyota Speedway at Irwindale’s half mile in 2010 with a best finish of 10th. Team owner Bob Newberry said that, “NASCAR will be energized by both new fans and new sponsors that Deegan and Metal Mulisha (Deegan Motocross team, clothing and product line) will attract.”

    Attract, is the direction that NASCAR is taking by bringing both Deegan and Pastrana, along with AMA Supercross champion Ricky Carmichael into the sport in hopes of attracting the younger extreme motorsports fans.

    Carmichael competed in the 2009 Toyota All-Star Showdown, which is dubbed the “Daytona 500 of short track racing,” finishing 34th after starting 28th on the grid because of an accident on lap 142. Pastrana took a different approach then what Deegan and Carmichael did, by teaming up with NASCAR’s Michael Waltrip to form Pastrana-Waltrip racing.

    Pastrana, talked about the opportunity to team up with Waltrip during his recent practice session, in preparation for his first official NASCAR start in next weekend’s All-Star Showdown. “I’ve looked up to Michael a lot. His whole business philosophy is like mine,” said Pastrana who took his first practice laps in a Waltrip Racing prepared K&N Pro Series Toyota Camry.

    Pastrana also added that, “We are in it for the long haul I realize its gonna be a long and tough road. We need to figure out what we need to work on and where we are as the season progresses.”

    Pastrana finished with, “The 2011 season get my feet wet see where we need to go and make the best of it. The team is looking at long term goals. We have the right people in place for us to get the first race in to see where we sit and make a game plan.” Waltrip was not at the track for the practice session, but will be at the race serving as the Grand Marshal for the eighth running of this prestigious event.

    The anticipation of getting the chance to race in the NASCAR series is in its final stages for the sports newest up and coming star, with Pastrana ready to take on the challenge of racing against some of the series best short track racers. Last season’s K&N Pro West Series champion Eric Holmes said that, “Irwindale is a tough track to learn on, but Travis has some good people behind him that are teaching him.”

    Pastrana was able to keep the car off the wall, and going in straight line during his first few laps on a somewhat cold night, which will probably be the same weather conditions the area will see for the feature event.

    “It felt okay a lot flatter course then the other tracks I’ve tested at. I just want to get out there and start driving. The team put me with the best crew everything is in place for me to do well.” said Pastrana after coming in to make some adjustments on the car.

    Pastrana also added that, “This is gonna take a lot of time. I look forward to it I can’t tell you what it’s like because I never done it. Bottom line we have high expectations but we need results first.”

    The all wheel drive Rally Car that Pastrana drove last year, may help his transition into the NASCAR series when he said, “The more sideways you get the more gas you give it, and with this car the more sideways you get you give it less throttle. The looser it gets the better I feel I should do better because in rally the cars loose.”

    Pastrana’s first start will not come easy since he will first have to qualify his No.99 Toyota Camry, against more experienced drivers who are still looking to keep their rides for the 2011 season.

    “Qualify and then don’t crash. Get as much time as possible in the car to see where our foundation our base place is gonna be, “said Pastrana when talking about next weekend’s outlook.

    Pastrana is scheduled to possibly compete in seven Nationwide races, along with some K&N Pro Series East and West races with the showdown being the first, and a target date sometime in August for the NNS.

    “After the showdown get back and regroup and think about what we need to do are gonna do. We will do the NNS series midway through the season and get as many K&N East and West series race in. August is a possible target date for the NNS,” said Pastrana when talking about his long range goals.

    The All-Star showdown is non-points event which is the premier event of the season, since both the K&N Pro Series East and West drivers are invited to participate. “Year in and year out, the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown has provided some of the best racing action of the season,” said Bob DeFazio, Toyota Speedway at Irwindale track operator.

    DeFazio finished with, “Last year’s sell-out crowd at the Toyota Speedway at Irwindale witnessed a race they will be talking about for years, and we are honored to once again host the pinnacle of short-track racing in NASCAR.

    “Toyota Speedway’s graduated banking and multiple racing grooves are a perfect place to showcase this tremendous pool of talent in NASCAR. This event is a perfect way to give race fans a final send-off to the 2010 racing season and whet their appetite for more exciting racing in 2011.”

  • Travis Pastrana Makes his Stock Car Debut in Test at New Smyrna Speedway

    Travis Pastrana Makes his Stock Car Debut in Test at New Smyrna Speedway

    Pastrana experienced stock car racing for the first time at New Smyrna Speedway in Florida earlier this week.

    How did he like it?

    “It was absolutely awesome. I had a lot of fun,” said an energized Pastrana.

    [media-credit name=”Pastrana_Waltrip” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]One thing was obvious in a teleconference with Pastrana on Tuesday afternoon. While he has high expectations, those high hopes are tempered with the reality of how tough a transition this will be.

    He’s already received advice from some NASCAR regulars and seems to comprehend that his entry into the Nationwide Series will be an uphill battle.

    Pastrana realizes that “It’s going to take a lot of time and effort.”  He went on to say, ”I have gotten to know a lot of guys through Red Bull like Brian Vickers and guys that have come from California like Rick Johnson and Jimmie Johnson.  They are all convinced that I am going to hit a lot of walls and it’s going to be a rough learning curve.  However, everyone is really behind me in trying to help out as much as they can. I am optimistic that I can do this and we are going to give it everything we got to give a legitimate effort.”

    He’s no beginner when it comes to new challenges.  From Motocross to Rally Racing, Pastrana has proven that he’s not afraid to tackle new obstacles in his quest for competition.

    “For me it’s all about waking up every morning with a passion.  I have always been one to switch maybe before I needed to or maybe before other people thought it was wise.  I think if you are passionate about something you can find a way to make it happen.  In my 27 years I have been able to chase a lot of different dreams and I feel like I have done as much as I can do in that sport or been as successful as I want to.  I need to wake up every morning thinking about nothing else other than what it’s going to take to get to the top of whatever sport I am in.  I think this is the biggest challenge that I have ever had and it’s going to take a lot of time, but I am willing to put the time in.”

    Pastrana’s next test is scheduled for early January. The team hopes to get in even more testing before his first scheduled race at the Toyota All-Star Showdown in Irwindale, California on January 28th and 29th.

    The remainder of his schedule is to be determined as sponsorship details are worked out but Pastrana-Waltrip Racing hopes to have an announcement next month.

    For now, Pastrana is focused on driving and learning how to compete in NASCAR.

    “NASCAR is the top form of racing maybe in the world – definitely in the United States. It’s the highest level of competition, everyone is so close and I think as a competitor there is no greater thrill then to put yourself against the best.”

    Pastrana doesn’t expect it to be easy. He doesn’t expect to be an overnight success.

    “There will be a time, probably very shortly after the first race where everyone is going to say that I am not going to make it. But I really believe in myself and my team.”

    But Travis Pastrana doesn’t walk away from a challenge; he walks towards it.

    I think this is the biggest challenge that I have ever had and it’s going to take a lot of time, but I am willing to put the time in.”

  • Trevor Bayne: One Step Closer to his Dream

    Trevor Bayne: One Step Closer to his Dream

    Trevor Bayne was born in Knoxville, TN and like many young boys played all kinds of sports including t-ball and football. His life took a different direction at the age of five when he began racing go-karts and discovered his true passion.

    Since then, this talented eighteen-year old has accumulated 22 championships.

    He spent eight years on the go-kart circuit and achieved three World Championships, 300 feature wins and 18 State and Track Championships combined.

    The next stop was the Allison Legacy Race Series where at 13 years of age, Bayne became the youngest to win the Top Rookie award. In 2005, he became the series National Champion.

    It was while racing in the Legacy Series that Trevor met Donnie Allison who would become one of his biggest supporters. Allison influenced Bayne both on and off the track.

    “Donnie’s a great guy,” says Trevor. “He taught me a lot about momentum and really about how to treat people.”

    Bayne’s first big break came in 2008 when Dale Earnhardt Inc. signed him to their driver development program. While there, he competed in the Camping World East Series, finishing fourth in the points standings at season’s end.

    2009 started off with a bang as Trevor finished second in the Toyota All Star Showdown and won the Sunoco Rookie of the Race award. His season, however, came to an abrupt end when DEI experienced economic setbacks and Bayne lost his ride.

    Just when things looked darkest, a chance encounter would bring Bayne, his second big break.

    In February of this year, Trevor Bayne was introduced to Gary Bechtel and began a friendship that would change his life.

    “We both share a passion for racing and became friends right from the start,” Bayne said.

    Bechtel, former owner of Diamond Ridge Motorsports, worked with Michael Waltrip Racing and put together a deal for Trevor to race in the Nationwide Series in 2009. Trevor took full advantage of the opportunity.

    “We put together a deal between MWR and Gary Bechtel to put me in the seat for 8 races. Well those 8 turned into 4 more races so we had 12 total.“

    His Nationwide Series accomplishments include one pole, two top-10 and six top-15 finishes.

    Trevor looks at 2009 as a success, saying, “We were able to prove ourselves in that amount of time.”

    Obviously Gary Bechtel and Michael Waltrip agree with that assessment.

    This month Bechtel and MWR announced the formation of Diamond- Waltrip Racing which will enter a full time Nationwide Series team in 2010 with Trevor Bayne as their driver.

    “We had all the pieces, it was just a matter of putting all the pieces of the puzzle together,” Trevor said.

    So far DWR has sponsorship for only nine races but Bechtel is committed to running a full schedule and giving Bayne the opportunity to compete for the championship.

    “We expect him to be one of the frontrunners next year.”

    However, Bechtel’s belief in Trevor doesn’t stop with the Nationwide Series. Bayne is also slated to run a minimum of seven Cup races in 2011 and an eventual full time Cup schedule by 2012.

    Trevor is grateful for all the opportunities he’s been given and the promise that lies ahead.

    But for now, he’s taking the advice of four time Sprint Cup Champ Jimmie Johnson who told him to “take it one step at a time, keep his head down and work hard.”

    Trevor Bayne is living his dream and is passionate about his future.

    “I can’t wait to get to Daytona next year to begin a race for the championship.”

  • The Future of NASCAR – Spotlight on Trevor Bayne

    The Future of NASCAR – Spotlight on Trevor Bayne

    Trevor Bayne, one of NASCAR’s rising stars, began racing at the age of five. Since then, the 18-year-old rookie from Knoxville, TN, has earned 22 championships.

    In eight years on the go-kart circuit, he amassed 3 World Championships, 300 feature wins and 18 State and Track Championships combined. From there, he entered the Allison Legacy Race Series and at 13 became the youngest top rookie in the series. During his two years in the series, Bayne had 14 wins, 19 poles and 30 top five finishes in only 41 starts. In 2005, he became the series National Champion.

    One of Bayne’s grandfathers raced cars and the other raced boats so you might assume that he grew up surrounded by a family of racers who encouraged him to go in that direction. But, he explains that when he began racing, he wasn’t aware of the family connection.

    “Well I don’t know if the family deal was really a big factor in that. My grandfather did race but that was before I was ever around and so that was kind of already washed away by the time I was growing up and knew what was going on. Once I got involved in racing then that’s when I realized that he used to race and that’s when the support factor came in from him and from my Dad because my Dad was around the racetrack with his Dad. So I had a lot of support.

    “But that wasn’t the reason that pushed me into racing. Sometimes you see the Dads with the sons and they say Hey I’d like my son to race so this is the only option I’m going to give him. But I did everything, I played Tee Ball when I was little, I played football, I played quarterback for a little while. Then when I was five years old I started racing. And, you know, I had my options. It was like, ‘hey I want to be good at one of these things, now which one am I going do?’ And it was up to me. My Dad said ‘whatever you want to do, I’m going to support you.’

    “So, I chose racing and it’s been on since then.”

    It was while racing in the Legacy Series that Trevor met Donnie Allison. Allison proved to be one of Bayne’s biggest supporters and helped guide the young racer as he rose through the ranks.

    “Somebody else that has really helped me out as a driver is Donnie Allison. I had the chance to work with him when I was 13 years old running the Allison Legacy Series. He actually helped crew chief alongside my Dad for the second season in the Allison Legacy cars when we won a National Championship. He’s taught me a lot about momentum and really about how to treat people.

    “Donnie’s a great guy. He’s taught me a lot on and off the track.”

    After the Legacy Series, Bayne transitioned to the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series Southern Division and at the age of 15 became the youngest in the series to win top rookie honors.

    His big break came in 2008 when Dale Eanrhardt Inc. signed him to their driver development program. Bayne and Jeffrey Earnhardt became the first two drivers enrolled in the DEI driver development program. He began competing in the Camping World East series and got his first win at Thompson International Speedway in July 2008. By the end of the season, he had six top-fives, seven top-10s and finished fourth in the points standings.

    In 2009, he started off the year by finishing second in the Toyota All-Star Showdown at Irwindale Speedway. This outstanding finish helped him capture the Sunoco Rookie of the Race honor. His season, however, came to an abrupt halt when he lost his ride with DEI due to economic concerns and lack of sponsorship. He found himself out of a ride for the first time in his career.

    I asked Bayne what he considered to be the turning point in his career. It wasn’t the success that he had previously earned that drove him forward but the disappointment of losing his ride with DEI. It taught him what he needed to do to become successful in this sport. Instead of letting it discourage him, he used the experience to help propel him to the next level.

    “At the last minute in December, going into the year thinking we were running a full time Nationwide Series this year, the deal was gone away. And I was put back on the ground trying to find a ride and most of the seats were already taken because it was so late in the game.

    “So I spent half a season just trying to get my hands on anything I could drive. I ran a couple of races. I ran the Hooters Pro Cup race in Concord and we actually won that. And I ran the All-Star Showdown in January and finished second. And I ran a couple of other races.

    “It’s devastating to see what can actually happen. You know, I was kind of put in a bubble growing up my whole life because everything went so smooth. We were always running good in races, and that just created more opportunity. And then, the economy, when that happened, it didn’t matter the amount of talent that you had, or the ability, because nobody could fund it at that point.

    “It kind of brought me back down to earth and I realized that we needed to work on some other things too. We met with a lady named Danielle ( Danielle Randall-Bauer, President of Everest Marketing Group) in February at Daytona and we started talking to her about some sponsorship opportunities. She introduced us to Gary Bechtel (former owner of Diamond Ridge Motorsports) who became a great friend of ours.

    “He turned around and started talking to MWR (Michael Waltrip Racing). We’d already talked with MWR a couple of times and they said they had eight races available for the season that weren’t sold yet. We put together a deal between MWR and Gary Bechtel to put me in the seat for those eight races. Well those eight turned into four more races so we had 12 total. We were able to prove ourselves in that amount of time. It’s drawn a lot of opportunity and I’m really appreciative for that chance to show what we can do.

    “I would say that’s been the biggest turning point, just being able to get back in a race car and show what we can do and help create that interest. It’s been pretty awesome.”

    On September 11, Bayne competed in his first race at Richmond in the No. 11 car for CJM Racing, qualifying ninth and finishing in the seventh position. This impressive run has generated increased interest and will almost certainly result in more future opportunities for Bayne.

    He’s hoping for a full time Nationwide ride with the possibility of some Cup experience as well. This desire is tempered with the awareness that he needs to take his time and gain all the experience he can along the way.

    “I don’t want to go too fast either. I want to learn things as I go. You can always step up but you can’t really take that step down and then step back up. So when I move to the next level I want to make sure that I’m doing it at the right time and that I’m ready to go.”

    Bayne’s father has been there for him every step of the way and has never missed a single lap that his son has run. This family support and his faith in a higher purpose have given Bayne a firm foundation on which to build his career.

    “God’s got a plan for my life and he’s shown that. Every time that I’ve been in a tough spot, he’s always prevailed and pulled me through. I know that he has a plan for everything. And at the time it seemed like the worst thing in the world that could possibly happen, losing the deal at DEI. But now, the opportunities that have been created, it’s been amazing to me. To see the plan going into action that God has laid out for my life, it’s pretty awesome.”

    His calm self assurance and media friendly good looks are reminiscent of Jeff Gordon. He also has the competitive edge of Kyle Busch, without the brashness. These qualities combine to make Trevor Bayne the perfect candidate for the future of NASCAR.