NASCAR’S GENRATION-6 CAR ‘PASSES’ WITH FLYING COLORS AS TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY’S NRA 500 APPROACHES
Trick Shot Video Has Texas Motor Speedway Seen By More Than 1.3 Million Viewers
Pastrana Making A Different Kind Of Jump
FORT WORTH, Texas (March 13, 2013) – NASCAR’s Generation-6 Sprint Cup Series chassis received its first test on a 1.5-mile track last weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and the car exhibited the promise that the industry was expecting, especially on the 1.5-mile ovals that are predominant on the series schedule.
Sunday’s race won by Matt Kenseth of Joe Gibbs Racing featured 22 lead changes among eight drivers and that statistic was telling among others. The total marked the most lead changes at Las Vegas since 2007, which also happened to be the year before the Gen-5 “Car of Tomorrow” was introduced at intermediate race tracks.
This is a promising sign of the anticipated action to come from the Gen-6 car when the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ next visit to a 1.5-mile speedway will be Saturday, April 13, for the NRA 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. With both speedways at 1.5 miles and sharing similar configurations, drivers are excited about the performance of the car.
“I had a lot of fun driving it, and I thought it was a heck of a race,” said Hendrick Motorsports driver Kasey Kahne, who finished second in Sunday’s race. “I got to race through cars, traffic and battle for the lead four, five, six times. I felt really confident with our Chevy SS.”
The passing wasn’t relegated to only those running up front. NASCAR’s loop data, which is compiled across 10 scoring loops around the oval, recorded a striking 2,342 green-flag passes throughout the race, compared with 1,301 last year.
Another prominent statistic was the 31 green-flag passes for the lead (including intra-lap passes scored at loops other than the finish line), which was the most in a Sprint Cup Series race since NASCAR started recording loop data in 2005.
“It was a really interesting race from my seat, so the groove really moved around a lot,” Kenseth said. “You could manipulate your car’s handling a lot by where you decided to run on the race track, and you don’t necessarily always have that. I thought it was interesting and you had to pay a lot of attention all the time, and you had to keep looking and keep trying to find more grip and a place to make your car faster.”
The Generation-6 car was instituted this year to give the stock cars an identity with the cars that are found in each of the manufacturer’s showrooms. The Chevrolet SS, Toyota Camry and Ford Fusion have unique body designs, helping put the stock back in stock car racing.
The Generation-6 car will make its debut at Texas Motor Speedway under the lights in the first primetime race of the season with the NRA 500 on Saturday, April 13. Tickets are available by visiting www.texasmotorspeedway.com or by calling (817) 215-8500.
Basket Case
Texas Motor Speedway is enjoying the most-watched viral video in its history thanks to a visit by the Dude Perfect basketball trick-shot artists and renowned YouTube videographer Devin Super Tramp.
Using Texas Motor Speedway and its unique features as the backdrop for their trick shot artistry, Dude Perfect’s latest trick shot video already has been seen on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nm1eHE5domI by more than 1.3 million online viewers since it made its debut at the speedway’s annual Media Day on March 4.
The five-man team of Texas A&M graduates Coby Cotton, Cory Cotton, Cody Jones, Garrett Hilbert and Tyler Toney took part in a two-day shoot filmed by Devin Super Tramp at the speedway in February. The 3-minute, 52-second video features a variety of trick shots highlighted by Toney making a shot from the roof above the speedway’s frontstretch grandstands in a basketball goal that was suspended in the air high above the infield by weather balloons.
Banking On Success
The third and final Dude Perfect trick-shot video at Texas Motor Speedway, scheduled to premiere the week of April 8th leading into the NRA 500 race week at Texas Motor Speedway, will showcase some well-known amateur talents.
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rookie Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Nationwide Series driver Travis Pastrana, reigning Camping World Truck Series champion James Buescher and IZOD IndyCar Series driver James Hinchcliffe took part in a special trick-shot competition at the speedway after being the special guests at the annual TMS Media Day last Monday.
With some mentoring from the Dude Perfect members, the foursome went head to head to determine the “motorsports champion” of basketball trick-shot artistry. With the basketball goal situated on the apron between the 24-degree banking of Turns 1 and 2, the drivers attempted four different trick shots. They had to make an attempt from behind the basket while bouncing the ball off the banking; bounce one down the banking into the basket; launch a three-point range jumper from the SAFER Barrier wall; and another over their head with their back facing the basket. Each driver made one of the trick shots to force a “playoff,” which ended with Stenhouse Jr. walking away with the bragging rights and silver basketball championship trophy. “It’s all about the trophy,” Stenhouse Jr. said.
This is Dude Perfect’s third video at Texas Motor Speedway, the first coming Dec. 31 with the New Year’s Eve (Basket)Ball Drop and then last week’s video produced by Devin Super Tramp that has been seen by more than 1.3 million online viewers.
The final video of the trick shots featuring the four drivers will be uploaded on Dude Perfect’s YouTube page – www.youtube.com/user/corycotton — heading into the week of the NRA 500. The official date will be announced.
Making The Jump Look Easy
Most NASCAR Nationwide Series rookie drivers don’t come into the series with more than 14 years of motorsports experience, but Travis Pastrana is unlike most drivers. Pastrana, in his first full season of Nationwide Series competition with Roush Fenway Racing, is making the jump from action motorsports to NASCAR.
While the move has been a challenge, Pastrana is beginning to find a groove as he earned his second 10th-place finish on the season this past weekend at Las Vegas. Pastrana, who also finished 10th in the season-opening race at Daytona, is enjoying the early-season success, but understands the obstacles he will encounter during his transition.
“I enjoy challenges,” Pastrana said during Texas Motor Speedway’s Media Day last week. “Nothing has really come easy, but if it comes easy, that’s why I jump on to the next challenge. This is my first full season, but really I’ve been in it for three years now and we’ve yet to win a race. For me, this is the biggest challenge I’ve ever had.”
Pastrana makes the jump after an illustrious career in action motorsports, where he won 11 X Games gold medals and four consecutive Rally America championships from 2006-09.
He made the transition to stock car racing in 2011, competing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series and a limited number of Nationwide Series races. The move has been a challenge, but Pastrana understands the work it will take to reach the same status he held in action motorsports.
“Without a doubt, it’s been extremely tough,” Pastrana said. “I knew it was going to be tough and I didn’t expect to necessarily be doing any better than I am now. But when you look at it from a distance, you don’t know why it’s going to be tough. You know that to be the best at anything, it takes a lot of work.”
Texas Flavor
Texas Motor Speedway’s own Brad Gillie, the host of the speedway’s Total Access Radio Network that boasts more than 60 affiliates, also is serving as a host on three SiriusXM NASCAR Radio shows (Channel 90) for the season. Gillie opens the week by co-hosting “Late Shift” with NASCAR legend Buddy Baker on both Monday and Tuesday from 6-9 p.m. CT. On Saturdays from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. CT, he hosts “Press Pass,” which also features one of the prominent NASCAR media members that travels with the circuit as a co-host. Gillie closes out the week by joining Claire B. Lang for the SiriusXM NASCAR Radio pre-race and post-race shows. The shows are available two hours prior to the start of each NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race and for two hours following the checkered flag.
Last Lap
The media credential deadline for the NRA 500 weekend is Friday, March 29. To apply for credentials, visit www.smicredentials.com. Those not yet registered for the website will first need to apply for access through the site. Once a registration confirmation e-mail is received, the credential request can then be submitted. No credentials will be issued following the deadline. … Speedway Club members can choose between hot or cold when it comes to garage access during the NRA 500 weekend. Members can purchase one of two different packages that provide exclusive, behind-the-scenes access. The Speedway Club Experience Package includes a meet and greet, access to the Sprint Cup Series drivers’ meeting, Victory Lane following the O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 Nationwide Series race, and a ticket to the post-race party and champagne toast for $1,500. Members also have the option to purchase the cold garage pass package that includes weekend-long garage access, entrance to the “No Limits” Garage Party presented by WinStar World Casino, pre-race show pass, and post-race party and champagne toast for $499. Members, or those interested in Speedway Club membership, can call (817) 215-8529 to purchase their package.
NRA 500 WEEKEND SCHEDULE
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10
TMS Credentials Office Open, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
THURSDAY, APRIL 11
TMS Credentials Office Open, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Practice, 1 – 3 p.m.
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Practice, 3:30 – 5 p.m.
NASCAR Nationwide Series Practice, 5:15 – 6:30 p.m.
FRIDAY, APRIL 12
TMS Credentials Office Opens, 8:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
NASCAR Nationwide Series Final Practice, 10 – 11:20 a.m.
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Practice, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Final Practice, 2 – 3:30 p.m.
NASCAR Nationwide Series SportsDay Qualifying Day Powered by The Dallas Morning News, 4:05 p.m.
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series SportsDay Qualifying Day Powered by The Dallas Morning News, 5:40 p.m.
O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race (200 Laps, 300 Miles) 7:30 p.m. Race broadcast partners: TV – ESPN2 (national/local) Radio – PRN (national)/KRLD The FAN 105.3 FM (local).
SATURDAY, APRIL 13
TMS Credentials Office Opens, 12 – 6:30 p.m.
“No Limits” Garage Party presented by WinStar World Casino Opens, 1:30 p.m.
NRA 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race (334 Laps, 501 Miles) 6:30 p.m. Race broadcast partners: TV – FOX Sports (national/local) Radio – PRN (national)/KRLD The FAN 105.3 FM (local).
