Thursday, October 11, 2012
Bank of America 500 Pit Note #3
TURTLE TIME – Saturday’s Bank of America 500 broadcast from Charlotte Motor Speedway will feature a fun new family twist. A team of regular NASCAR broadcasters and crew will invite their children into the broadcast booth for a fresh new perspective on NASCAR’s only night race in the Chase for the Sprint Cup.
This special family production will include Scott Joy, son of Gaye and Mike Joy (lead anchor for Fox Sports’ NASCAR broadcast team); Jarrett Andretti, son of former NASCAR driver John Andretti; Brooke and Kendall McReynolds, daughters of Fox analyst Larry McReynolds; Blaise and Meghan Dillner, children of SPEED pit reporter Bob Dillner; Ford Martin, son of NASCAR crew chief Gil Martin; and Gray Gaulding, a 14-year-old Pro All-Star Series driver.
In addition to the special family broadcast, fans will see exclusive scenes from Nickelodeon’s all-new animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series, which launched Sept. 29, and there will be several opportunities to see the turtles live on property at the speedway this weekend, as well.
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will make appearances in the POWERADE Play Zone, posing for photos and greeting fans. They will team with a group of NASCAR Nationwide drivers – including Danica Patrick, Elliott Sadler and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – on Friday for a kids’ party in the Ford Grandstand. For a $20 upgrade, fans can get autographs from their favorite Nationwide drivers, photos with the TMNT and much more.
Finally, the TMNT will sponsor the Bank of America 500 pre-race festivities, including free concerts by Nickelodeon star Victoria Justice and country rockers Big & Rich.
IS THAT A TURTLE OVER YOUR SHOULDER OR ARE YOU JUST HAPPY TO … NEVER MIND – The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are back, and they have infiltrated the NASCAR garage.
Not only will the new 2012-version TMNT sponsor the pre-race festivities for Saturday’s Bank of America 500, they will also grace the cars of Ryan Newman and Jeff Gordon.
While Newman conducted media interviews at the back of his hauler, Raphael the TMNT posed behind his left shoulder. The turtle later strolled the garage while a camera crew followed him and Newman.
The fellow playing Raphael said it was his best day at work ever. A recent transplant to the area, Alan Fuehring came to Charlotte Motor Speedway Thursday as a field producer with SPEED. But when a PR rep needed a volunteer to dress up as a TMNT character, he quickly volunteered.
“I said, ‘I’m down,’” Fuehring said with a youthful chuckle. “This is amazing. I’m a star!”
Crew member Shaun Warren also dressed as Raphael to push the car through technical inspection, providing the garage area with a chuckle.
