Sprint Media Tour – Day Three Continued – Front Row Motorsports and Wood Brothers Racing
Day Three of the Sprint Media Tour concluded with visits by Front Row Motorsports, the Wood Brothers racing team and Team Penske. Team Penske will be addressed with a separate article. It was all a part of Ford Day at the four-day program. Front Row introduced their returning drivers – David Ragan, winner of their first race at Talladega, and David Gilliland, but there was a new face on the stage.
Eric McClure will pilot a Ford Mustang in the Nationwide Series for FRM during the 2014 season. He also will start the 2014 Daytona 500 in the No. 35 Ford Fusion.
“I’ve only recently been cleared to compete so a lot of dominoes are starting to fall into place,” McClure said. “The plan is the Daytona 500 for sure, Speedweeks too, and hopefully we will qualify.” McClure admitted that the Daytona 500 is on his bucket list and his ride will be sponsored by Hefty.
Front Row Motorsports drivers agreed that the new qualifying procedure could benefit small teams.
“I think that we’ve got to continue to evolve our sport based on the fans that we have in the world as it changes,” said Ragan, who drives the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford. “The fundamental parts are always going to be there. You’re going to have 43 cars you’ve got to go and race, and the best guy is going to win. But I’m excited about the upcoming season, the possible changes. I think that it definitely fits into our favor as a smaller team trying to grow in this world. It’s a big benefit if we can be in the Chase, for our sponsors, for our team, for everyone. I think it’s a good thing to help everybody grow.”
Gilliland went a step farther.
“I think they said with David (Ragan) winning at Talladega last year, if the points were the exact same this year, he possibly would have made (the Chase),” Gilliland said. “That’d be a huge shot for Front Row Motorsports, so that’s kind of what we’re focusing on, all the while keeping focus on getting our whole team elevated to run better each and every week.”
Appearing with the Front Row gang was the legendary Wood Brothers Racing team. The Woods’ will once again feature Trevor Bayne in its Ford Fusions for 2014. Only 12 races are scheduled this year, but Ford Racing boss Jamie Allison mentioned that the Woods only needed two wins to reach 100 all-time NASCAR wins and looked at Bayne for approval. “That would be a tall order if we’re only running 12 races.”
Bayne has had his ups and downs on and off the track with Wood Brothers Racing, but through it all, including a Daytona 500 win and being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, he’s kept an even keel.
“It is a diagnosis, but to me it has not changed my way of life or any daily activities or anything like that so for me that’s all it has to be right now is a diagnosis,” Bayne said of learning to live with MS. “It changes one thing about your mindset… you appreciate every day and you make the best of it.”
Team co-owner Eddie Wood says that with sponsorship, the team could run 15-16 races a year.
“We’d love to do it (more races), but the money just isn’t there,” Wood said. We bought four new cars this year—four intermediate cars and our Daytona car, and that’s about all we can do. We have all the good stuff that Roush has. Donnie Wingo, (crew chief) has all the stuff they’ve learned right on his computer every day. We’re ready to roll, but the sponsors just haven’t stepped up.”
Team Penske Ends Day 3 of the Sprint Cup Media Tour
Day three of the Sprint Media Tour concluded with Team Penske. Penske’s lineup is somewhat different this year. Returning members are 2012 Sprint Cup Champion Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, and Ryan Blaney. Blaney will split his time between the Nationwide Series and the Camping World Truck Series in 2014.
Keselowski, who drives the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford Fusion, had a down year in 2013 with only one victory to his credit—the fall race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Climbing back to the top of the charts is Keselowski’s main goal for 2014.
Dramatic changes were made within the middle ranks of Team Penske when it comes to the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford. The Blue Deuce’s consistent mechanical failures and gaffes on pit road were costly in 2013, enough to keep the 2012 champion from defending his title.
“We weren’t where we needed to be last year,” said Keselowski. “But we’ve revamped our pit crew and made some changes internally, at the shop, and now it’s up to me as a driver to capitalize on these positive changes.”
“We had some reliability problems and it just wasn’t as smooth as 2012,” said team owner Roger Penske. “But look, it’s racing and you’re not going to win every year. When it comes to Brad, he’s got it as a driver. He’s been to the top. Now we just have to give him better tools to get there.”
Car owner Roger Penske knows he has drivers with a great future. Looking down the line at his lineup, The Captain said, “There are three drivers with an average age of 26. That’s the future right there. Our goal as a team is no different than anyone else. We want to be at that head table at the end of the 2014 season.”
Joey Logano embraces change. His first year in the No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford was respectable. He made the Chase and finished eighth, a good finish for a driver learning a new team, but changes in qualifying procedure, as well as the proposed Chase format, were to Logano’s liking.
“I think it’s great. You’re going to have a Richmond (the last race of the regular season) scenario within the Chase, almost a make it or break it every three races,” said Logano, noting NASCAR’s potential elimination Chase system. “There’s going to be some really desperate drivers taking chances and I think that’s great for the fans. It’s going to add a lot of drama.”
Ryan Blaney also wants to win a championship. The 20 year old will run 15 Nationwide Series races as well as his truck schedule for Brad Keselowski Racing. He will also make his Cup debut this season in at least two races. He will be running the No. 12 SKF Ford in the Cup Series.
“It just makes me feel really good to have people trust me to make my first Cup start, and do all these Nationwide races to try and win that Owner’s Championship,” said Blaney. “We’ve really improved our relationship with Ford, across the board, so I’m truly excited to get this season going.”
Win-Tron Racing Announces 2014 Plans; Includes Full-Time NCWTS Season
Win-Tron Racing and Mason Mingus will move their program to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) full time beginning next season. Mingus, 19, will pilot the team’s No. 35 entry after being with the team last season in the ARCA Racing Series.
Mingus, and Win-Tron, debuted in NASCAR after the conclusion of the ARCA season last year. They competed at Phoenix International Raceway, Talladega Superspeedway and Homestead Miami Speedway – finishing a best of 22nd at Phoenix.
“Obviously, I’m very excited and anxious to start the season,” said Mingus. “Having the opportunity to run full-time in the NCWTS is an unbelievable opportunity for me and is one step closer to accomplishing the ultimate goal of racing in the Sprint Cup Series.
Mingus finished second, behind Frank Kimmel, in the ARCA points standing last season after posting 18 top-10’s and two poles. During the course of the 21 races Mark Rette was the crew chief for Mingus that led him to incredible results. The two – Rette and Mingus- will continue there duo together in the NCWTS this season.
Mingus will be attempting to win the ROY, the Rookie of the Year award. He’ll be competing against Ben Kennedy and Tyler Reddick, both Kennedy and Reddick are partnering with teams that have had success in the NCWTS before. However, Mingus is determined to win his one goal: win the ROY honors.
“I expect to be able to compete for Rookie of the Year and run up front every week. I have a lot of?my team. The group of guys that Win-Tron Racing has put together for me has given me top-notch equipment in ARCA over the past year and I know we will have that same caliber in the truck series.”
Mingus and Win-Tron both are entering their first full season as NASCAR competitors, and if they’re past results continue they could be a force to reckon with in years to come.
INDYCAR NEWS AND NOTES – Jan. 30, 2014
Today’s IndyCar Series and Mazda Road to Indy headlines:
1. Catching up with… Marco Andretti
2. Media honors INDYCAR drivers with All-America honors
3. Alfe returns to sponsor Foyt team
1. Catching up with… Marco Andretti: Marco Andretti enters his ninth season as an IndyCar Series driver coming off a career best of fifth in the championship, which he credited to work before the 2013 season. For 2014, Andretit will sport the blue and yellow colors of Snapple, and he aims to take the next step and win the IndyCar Series championship.
In the latest installment of Catching Up With…, the third-generation driver talks about his Andretti Autosport car’s new look, his offseason exploits and the new addition to his family — a bulldog named Moodie.
Q. You’ll be carrying the Snapple colors in 2014, and while Dr Pepper/Snapple isn’t a new sponsor for you, is carrying one of the name brands is a big deal for you?
A. Those guys (at Dr Pepper/Snapple) have been so loyal, really to the whole team, but to me, especially. (To have a sponsor for) six years and running is awesome. Really, I want to give those guys what they deserve and that’s a bunch of wins, the Indy 500 and the championship.
Q. Before last season, you took the step to work with a driver coach and do what needed to be done to improve as a driver. What have you been doing in this offseason to take the next big step in your career?
A. If you look at what cost us wins last year, really we just need to do a lot of the same things we did last year and really capitalize on leading those laps by leading the right laps. The disappointing stat for me is 1,000 laps led (Andretti has led 907) but only two victories. Really, we need to be there when it counts.
Q. The offseason is also a time for you to kick back and relax with your friends. I know you try to take trip each year with (comedian) Kevin Hart and (recording artist/actor) Ludacris. Where did you guys head off to this year?
A. We went to Anguilla and did some island-hopping (in the Caribbean). We went to St. Maarten and then the Dominican Republic with Ice-T and Coco on the way back. We really spoiled ourselves this offseason. That’s what we normally do. I take some prize money and just get away and relax. But as soon as I get there, all I want to do is come back and get to work.
Q. And you adopted a bulldog puppy from Ice and Coco as well. How is life with Moodie?
A. She’s a lunatic, that dog. Moodie always wants to play when we’re sleeping, which I don’t know how that’s going to work when I’m staying at home for Pocono. She’s probably going to my mom’s, for sure.
2. Media honors INDYCAR drivers with All-America honors: IndyCar Series drivers Scott Dixon and Helio Castroneves and 2013 Indy Lights champion Sage Karam have been selected to the 2013 American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association All-America team.
Dixon, who claimed his third IndyCar Series Championship for Target Chip Ganassi Racing, and Castroneves, who finished second in the standings for Team Penske were the top vote getters in the Open Wheel division. Ryan Hunter-Reay of Andretti Autosport and Will Power of Team Penske were named to the second team.
Karam was honored as one of the two top vote getters in the At Large category while Andretti Autosport’s Carlos Munoz was voted the Rising Star award after success in both Indy Lights and a second-place finish in the Indianapolis 500.
Founded in 1955, AARWBA is a motorsports organization comprised of writers, broadcasters, photographers and other media-related professionals.
The organization’s charter is aimed at providing not only proper recognition for members of the motorsports media, but to recognize their work as well as the work of the competitors that they follow in print, on the air, and on film.
3. Alfe returns to sponsor Foyt team: Alfe Heat Treating returns as a major associate sponsor of the ABC Supply/AJ Foyt Racing team in 2014, marking their fourth straight year with the team.
The Ft. Wayne, Indiana-based company has continued to find ways to leverage its motorsports marketing partnership since its entry into the sport.
“We feel Indy car is a great way to present Alfe Heat Treating to the public and show our customers we have a solid relationship to the automotive industry, as well as give our employees something to relate to, look forward to, and enjoy away from the work week,” said Kurt Westman, president and founder of one of the nation’s largest heat treating services company. “Overall the feedback has been positive from both the customer and employee base.”
Beginning as a limited race sponsorship, Alfe’s support has evolved into a season-long association with one of the IndyCar Series’ oldest and most storied teams.
“We’re honored to have Alfe be a part of our team,” said team owner A.J. Foyt. “Everyone I’ve ever met from Alfe has been great. They really seem to enjoy themselves when they come to the races and I’m so glad that they got to experience being in victory lane last year. Hopefully I’m there too the next time.”
Day Three – Sprint Media Tour – Ford Day – Roush-Fenway
Wednesday was Ford Day at the 2014 Sprint Media Tour. We visited with Roush-Fenway Racing and the combination of Wood Brothers Racing and Front Row Racing to begin the day.
Jack Roush was not present for the Roush-Fenway session. RFR President Steve Newmark commented that the whole organization had pleaded with Roush to take more vacation time, but Jack resisted. This time, his family made vacation plans without Jack knowing about it, so he had to go; Jack is on a Disney cruise during the tour.
Newmark went over the accomplishments in 2013. They included two of the three Cup cars making the Chase and the other being Sprint Cup Rookie of the Year. What was less pleasing to the organization was 9-13-19—the final points standings of the Cup drivers.
“There’s a high level of dissatisfaction with last year because we weren’t there, so what I can tell you is the true measure of an organization is how do you respond to a situation like that, and I will tell you that watching this off-season I haven’t been more proud to be associated with this organization watching Robbie Reiser and that team relentlessly pursue what has ailed us,” Newmark said. “We talk about a short off-season, but these guys had no off-season. It was 24/7 and we made some changes and I think what you’re gonna see and you’re gonna hear from the drivers up here is there’s a lot of optimism about where we’re headed and I think a lot of that is because of the efforts we made in the off-season.”
Chris Buescher was named as the driver of the No. 60 Nationwide car while Ryan Reed will pilot the No. 16 Ford Mustang in the same series. The veteran of the group is Trevor Bayne, who will return to the No. 6 Mustang for another shot at the Nationwide Series championship.
“I think we’re in a really good situation. To have AdvoCare on board as a company that’s such a great fit for me and my lifestyle, Bayne said. “I use their products for training all the time and I kind of inherited 400,000 fans with all their distributor base, so that’s really awesome to see. Obviously, last year they were able to build a champion and we’re hoping to continue that this season.”
Carl Edwards feels he did well in the regular season, leading the points before they were re-figured for the Chase, but ended up finishing dead last. He is happy that Jimmy Fennig will return as his crew chief.
“It’s great to have Jimmy back,” Edwards commented. “The guy has dedicated his life to this sport and we want to win races and championships for Ford.”
Greg Biffle has been in the Chase five of the last six years, but he is still chasing the Sprint Cup championship so he can have all three coveted titles. This marks the eighth year 3M has been with Biffle and Roush-Fenway.
Newmark announced a new fan program called, “Race Around America,” that would put fans in a Roush Stage 3 Mustang. Fans will have a chance to follow the drivers on several road trips this season and one fan will be the winner of the customized Mustang.
