Official Release

The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg marks the competition debut of aerodynamic bodywork kits designed, manufactured and supplied by Chevrolet and Honda. Cars will be differentiated by their shape on the street course as the manufacturers have designed separate aero kit specifications for road and street course/short ovals and speedways for the Dallara IR-12 chassis. References to the cars will incorporate the name of the corresponding manufacturer.

“Martinsville is a difficult half-mile track that I have struggled at in the past. Last fall, I felt more comfortable there and could give the needed feedback to get our car dialed in. We are coming off two top-15 finishes so hopefully our Fastenal team can leave Martinsville with another top 15.”

Going into Sunday's Goody's 500,Bliss will be making his 11th career start in the NSCS at Martinsville Speedway. The Oregon native has a best NSCS finish of 14th, which came back in 2002. Bliss also earned a runner up finish in the Camping World Truck Series back in 2002.

With two wins in the first five races by Team Penske, Ford Performance’s NASCAR teams will look to the half-mile oval of Martinsville Speedway for another chance at reaching victory lane this weekend.

Richard Childress Racing's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series history at Martinsville Speedway ... In 146 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Martinsville Speedway, Richard Childress Racing has earned four pole awards and posted seven victories with drivers Dale Earnhardt (five times), Ricky Rudd (1983) and Kevin Harvick (2011). RCR Chevrolet teams have earned 28 top-five and 56 top-10 finishes at Martinsville dating back to the team's first start there on April 10, 1972.

Throughout the years, there hasn't been an organization that has dominated at Martinsville Speedway like the Pettys. From 1949-2008, Petty Enterprises accumulated 19 wins, 53 Top-Five and 75 Top-10 finishes in 158 starts. What's even more impressive? Richard Petty, himself, was accountable for 15 of the 19 wins during that time, the most wins of any driver at the track.

Sitting 10th in points, Aric Almirola is off to his best career-start after five races. As the No. 43 team enters a track filled with Petty history, they will bring the historic STP paint scheme and hope to continue the success that Richard Petty tallied at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. Petty earned the most clock trophies in the garage, and now, Almirola would like to win one of his own.

Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) completed their three-race West Coast swing Sunday afternoon at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. After an 11th-place finish, Aric Almirola and the No. 43 Smithfield Ford team are now 10th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship points after the first five races.

NASCAR fans continue to demonstrate the greatest loyalty toward a sponsor’s brand among all sports fans in the U.S., according to SponsorLink research released today by Repucom. Seven out of 10 NASCAR fans said they are loyal to a sponsor’s brand when the brand supports their sport, which is nearly 20% higher than a typical sports fan.

NASCAR® and Sherwin-Williams, the nation’s largest specialty retailer of paint and paint supplies, announced a three-year extension to their Official Partnership. The newly signed extension will designate Sherwin-Williams as the “Official Paint of NASCAR” through 2017.