Reflections on the 2013 Sprint Media Tour
I was a rookie. It seemed strange after covering more than 200 races live and knowing many of the people at the Sprint Media Tour, I had never attended the pre-season event. I didn’t get hazed because most of the people there either knew me or had heard of me, but I learned it was at once exhilarating and fatiguing at the same time. As I look back on it, it was worth every 15-hour day. These are my reflections on what happened behind the news and a little commentary.
First, NASCAR does not take a back seat to any professional sports organization. It’s so much different when I started covering event in 1996. It’s first class all the way and a lot of that credit goes to Scott Cooper of Charlotte Motor Speedway. We were treated to luxuriously appointed meeting rooms and a schedule that would kill a horse. More on that later. The access to drivers and teams was second to none and there was always someone there to answer questions. Most days started at 8:00 AM and ended near midnight. Yeah, my advancing years were evident with that schedule.
The tour started out with the information on the Sprint Unlimited, something you started calling the Busch Clash years ago, and ended with a trip to Joe Gibbs Racing Shop in Huntersville, NC after four days. The tour brought teams to the guest hotel or the media was bussed to shops around the area. We saw Stewart-Haas, Michael Waltrip Racing, Furniture Row Racing, and had a dinner with Chevrolet and breakfast with Ford Racing. The Ford breakfast gave us access to Richard Petty Motorsports, Wood Brothers Racing, Front Row Motorsports, Germain Racing, and all their drivers. The Chevrolet dinner featured no drivers. In addition, we made trips to Richard Childress Racing, Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing, Hendrick Motorsports, Penske Racing, and Joe Gibbs Racing at their racing shops. We met with Roush-Fenway Racing at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Meeting with the 25 top teams in Sprint Cup and many others in the Nationwide Series, was hectic but rewarding. Attempting to grade the visits will be harder, but here goes.
Best Shop Visit – Penske Racing. No matter what anyone says, Roger Penske is the class of the circuit. All his NASCAR racers were on site and presented for everyone to see. It was even more interesting to see Ford’s racing boss, Jamie Allison there along with Edsel Ford II. It was obvious that Ford is banking a lot on Penske’s switch to Ford. Second place went to Richard Childress Racing. Even though two accidents on I-85 delayed us nearly two hours, and the program Childress had planned for us had to be abbreviated, every driver was present from Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, and Paul Menard to his Nationwide drivers (grandson Austin Dillon and Brian Scott) and truck campaigners Brendan Gaughan and grandson Ty Dillon).
Best Non-Shop Visit – Earnhardt-Ganassi. It was held at a hangar at Concord Regional Airport, which was confusing to some, but it became apparent once inside the hangar. Ganassi had not only his NASCAR people there, but his IndyCar and sports car racing drivers. On display were not only the No. 1 Chevrolet for Jamie McMurray and the No. 42 of Juan Pablo Montoya, but show cars and drivers for his IndyCar and sports car teams. It was an opportunity to talk with Dario Franchitti, Scott Pruett, and others. Also present was Cessna’s fantastic Citation airplane, since the company has joined EGR as a sponsor for 2013. Honorable mention was the Stewart-Haas presentation that presented the media with Danica Patrick. Amid rumors of a relationship with another driver, Patrick refused to comment and looked marvelous in her $2,000 high heels.
Best Eye-Opening Team Function – Roush-Fenway’s presentation at the Hall of Fame. After a buttoned-downed presentations featuring Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards, Trevor Bayne, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., and Travis Pastrana, in the Hall’s theatre. Later, the drivers moved to their stations overlooking the Hall exhibits for interviews. Soon, we were told to move to the outside plaza for the Ford event. The event was each Ford team would be driving their 2013 cars through the streets of Charlotte. One by one, the new Fusions came out of the garage under the Hall—Biffle was first followed by Keselowski, Logano, Edwards, Stenhouse, Bayne, David Ragan, David Gilliland, and Casey Mears. An F-150 truck of photographers and a production Fusion led the parade with drivers doing burnouts and generally having fun. Crowds lined the streets of Charlotte and gathered at the plaza where fans could get autographs and take pictures of each team with driver and car owner present. It was something to see and created a lot of attention. Edsel Ford II and Jamie Allison also appeared to put the exclamation point on the exercise. I’ve never seen anything like it. No honorable mention. Nothing compared to that.
It was a glorious week that included two stops at Charlotte Motor Speedway and wonderful food. Would I do it again? You bet. I’m now ready for the season to start. To a team, everyone was optimistic about 2013, but baseball Spring Training brings out the same attitudes. It’s just time to get racing going again. The Rolex race this weekend got me going. With 19 days until the Sprint Unlimited and only 27 until the Great American Race, it’s time to be looking forward to a new season of racing. I’m fired up. Are you?
Notes from the NASCAR Nation: At least let them finish diner before you take their picture (Danica & Ricky)
So, it’s now official that NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers Danica Patrick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr are a fully acknowledged dating couple. Realizing their private lives were on the verge of becoming public, Danica Patrick officially revealed the couple’s status during the course of an interview with the “Associated Press.”
Is this really a story? Apparently it is. Patrick and Stenhouse quickly became the focus of alleged legitimate news agencies, sports networks, the entertainment news industry, the Internet and all forms of the social media in virtually no time at all.
In the very near future look for the entertainment media to assign them one of those cute couples monikers based on the fusion of their names. Something like DANRICKY or perhaps PATHOUSE. You can expect those over the top supermarket tabloid papers to run headlines such as: NASCAR POWER COUPLE REDEFINES THE RACING TERM BUMP DRAFTING!
Why is it that two, high profile, people can’t go out on a date without being followed by camera loaded paparazzi? It seems Americans are obsessed with the private lives of celebrities as well as the children of the high profile wealthy who are, for no apparent reason, famous for being famous. We have, in effect, turned celebrity gossip into a billion dollar industry.
Lets face it, if someone with the last name of Kardashian accidentally commits a public act of flatulence the story automatically rises to the top of the news cycle completely over shadowing the more important issues of the day. Somewhere in the vicinity of 1045 pm a talking head, from a local TV news desk with perfectly applied hair and make up, will present a news promo that says: “it’s another Kardashian bombshell, details at 11.”
There must be an element of truth to the national obsession regarding the private lives of public people. Look how I’m spending my very valuable time right now.
Hopefully, the day will soon arrive when Patrick and Stenhouse can enjoy their private lives without all of this attention but it may take awhile. In the meantime, if you see them walk into a restaurant try to show a little respect. At least let them enjoy their dinner before you point your camera loaded cell phones at them.
Kyle Busch to appear at Canadian Motorsports Expo on Sunday February 10th
On Sunday February 10th, Canadian motorsports fans are in for a treat as NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Kyle Busch will be at the Canadian Motorsports Expo Powered by Inside Track Motorsports News. He will be on hand to sign autographs, while participating in an on-stage Q&A session.
Having won 105 race across NASCAR’s top three touring series, ranking him third on NASCAR’s all-time win list, and having won as a car owner with Kyle Busch Motorsports, Busch is the one of the most successful driver in the sport’s history. He is also one of the most popular for the intensity he displays on track, not holding anything back.
Last season didn’t work out as Busch would’ve hoped as he missed the Chase for the Championship, however Busch is hoping for better results this year. During this past week’s media tour, Busch says he hopes the team has worked out all the bugs that plagued previous championship runs, while hoping to work with new teammate Matt Kenseth. One week after his appearance at the CME, Busch will be down at Daytona International Speedway to take part in qualifying for the Daytona 500, making this an opportune time for fans to speak with him.
This isn’t Busch’s first time in Ontario as he has raced at Delaware Speedway in London, Ontario in the past.
“Every time that I’ve raced north of the border – whether it be Late Models at Delaware Speedway or in the Nationwide Series at Montreal – I’ve been really impressed by the enthusiasm of the Canadian fans, so I’m looking forward to being a part of the Canadian Motorsports Expo in Toronto next month,” Busch said. “Although the Sprint Cup Series doesn’t have an event in Canada, most weekends you see Canadian flags flying in the camping areas, especially at the Northern tracks – Michigan, Watkins Glen, New Hampshire – where they draw a lot of Canadian fans, so this will be a good chance to meet those folks and let them know that we appreciate their support.”
The Canadian Motorsports Expo Powered by Inside Track Motorsports News runs from February 8th to the 10th at the International Centre, adjacent to Toronto’s Pearson Airport. The show features stars from all types of motorsports, different tracks from Ontario, drivers and businesses, talking about their plans for the upcoming 2013 motorsports season. Busch join the star-stuttered line-up as Michael Waltrip will be on hand on February 9th while Jeff Gordon’s step father John Bickford will be at Canadian Motor Speedway’s booth on February 8th and 9th.
Discussing Kyle Busch’s appearance at the Canadian Motorsports Expo, show co-promoter David Weber said, “We are extremely excited to announce that Kyle Busch will be our headline staron Sunday, February 10 at the CME. Over the years, the show has presented some of racing’s biggest personalities and having Kyle Busch as this year’s featured guest continues that tradition. We’re very pleased with the way that the 7th annual CME is coming together and we’re confident that with the support of the fans and the racing community, it will be the best CME yet.”
Details surrounding Kyle Busch’s appearance at the CME will be announced shortly. For updates on this and other CME news, visit the website at www.CanadianMotorsportsExpo.com.
