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ROUSH YATES TO POWER JEREMY MCGRATH

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Official Release
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Riverside, California (January 13, 2011) –  Stronghold Motorsports has reached an agreement with premier engine   builder, Roush Yates Engines, to provide the engines for the Pro 2 Unlimited short course of road racing program of Seven-time Supercross Champion, Jeremy McGrath.

  Stronghold Motorsports Managing Partner, Scott Bailey spoke about these recent developments with the team.  “Roush Yates represents the highest level of performance in Ford Racingengine technology.  This is a fantastic opportunity to align ourselveswith an engine

  Roush Yates, a premier manufacturer of Ford racing engines, continues to develop its reputation as an industry leader with an expanded presence in the short course off road racing arena.  “Jeremy McGrath and Stronghold Motorsports have established themselves as championship contenders in short course off road racing,” said Doug Yates, CEO, Roush Yates Engines. “We are proud to stand behind Jeremy and the team with the technology and support to help take his program to the next level.”

builder that has won at the most elite levels of motorsports.”  He continued. “This is yet another significant step we are taking to ensure that our drivers have the very best resources available. We are looking forward to the upcoming season knowing that with Roush Yates power behind Jeremy and his program, he will have very best opportunity for success.”

About Roush Yates Engines Roush Yates Engines designs, engineers and crafts high performance racing engines with the power to perform and the horsepower and durability you’d expect from legendary NASCAR pioneers Jack Roush and Robert Yates. The partnership of power and precision has come from merging the knowledge and experience of two legendary engine builders, both with a passion for winning today and powering up for tomorrow. In 2009 Doug Yates purchased his father’s half of Roush Yates Engines to become a co-owner in the company.

  As CEO, Doug Yates leads a staff of 180 engineers and technicians who design, assemble, test, and service racing engines at two separate state-of-the-art facilities in Mooresville, North Carolina. Here, the best minds and latest technology are hard at work producing nearly 1,500 racing engines each year for teams in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, ARCA, Grand-Am, FIA GT3, Dirt Late Model, Sprint cars, and NHRA Pro Stock. At Roush Yates Engines, the mission is Power Performance, which is achieved through innovation, design, precision engineering, and skillful craftsmanship. Building the best engines in racing today, providing service that’s second to none, and honoring a commitment to research and development are the heart of Roush Yates Engines.

APR Motorsport Signs Gary Gibson and Josh Hurley to Compete for the 2011

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Official Release
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Opelika, AL: APR Motorsport is proud to announce the return of the Audi S4 to Grand Sport competition with IMSA Lite star Gary Gibson partnering APR veteran Josh Hurley. Both drivers have been working hard to prepare for their Grand Sport debut at the Grand Am 200 in Daytona, FL.

Despite the Audi being the first production-based racecar he had driven, Gibson was on front running pace within a handful of laps, quickly adapting to the Audi S4’s quattro all wheel drive. “We were very impressed with Gary’s approach to our first test. He asked all the right questions and clicked with the team straight away. His engineering based approach fits in perfectly with APR Motorsport’s methods and I expect Gary will be as competitive as possible when we roll off the trailer in Daytona,” said APR Motorsport Director, Jeff Mishtawy.

“I am excited about the coming season with APR Motorsport and the new challenges of the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge,” Gary said after testing with APR Motorsport. “It was a very difficult decision to leave prototype racing and make the switch to sedans but I feel confident that teaming up with APR Motorsport in the Audi S4 will be the best possible way to make this transition. It is also the perfect situation for my marketing partner, Perfect Pedal. We feel that Grand Am and APR Motorsport represent the best way to grow and market Perfect Pedal.” Perfect Pedal is an aftermarket upgrade for the Logitech G25 and G27 equipped Racing Simulation Systems, which provides a realistic braking feel by using a hydraulic load cell to mirror real world brake pedals.

Despite being a rookie to Grand-Am, Gary brings a diverse racing background with him. He has raced both motorcycles and cars at the top levels of the sport and has contended for the IMSA Lite championship for the past three years. With that experience to build on, look for Gary to add wins in yet another form of racing to his resume this year.

Returning to APR Motorsport for the 3rd consecutive year, 2008 VW TDI Cup Champion Josh Hurley shared his thoughts on campaigning the Audi S4 in 2011, “I can’t wait for Daytona to start; we’ve made some serious improvements during the off season and on top of that, I have a stellar co-driver in Gary Gibson. He has not only shown the necessary pace, but he and I work well together and with the team. That team wide chemistry is what’s necessary to win championships, and that is our goal for 2011”.

About APR: APR LLC is an automotive engineering firm operating a 36,000 sq. ft. performance campus in Opelika, AL. APR was founded in 1997 with a corporate philosophy of Integrity, Excellence and Innovation. APR’s Sole Mission is to provide the highest quality and most highly engineered aftermarket performance products available for Porsche, Audi and Volkswagen vehicles. Learn more at www.goapr.com

About Gary Gibson: A lifelong racer, Gary has been racing since the age of 5, starting with short track speed skating. By his early 20’s Gary began road racing motorcycles and was a consistent front runner in the AMA Pro F-2 series. He then moved on to racing with four wheels, starting with SCCA Spec racers and the IMSA Sports Toyota Championship where he was the season runner up twice. Since 2008, Gary has been competing in the IMSA Lite championship with multiple wins and several podiums in the last three seasons.

About Josh Hurley: A Fort Lauderdale native, Hurley was the 2008 VW TDI Cup Champion. In 2009, he stepped up to the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge class, winning the MESCO Rookie of the Year award, as well as one race victory, two poles and five podiums. With backing from Fortis Watches Josh is once again charging to the front in 2010. To learn more about Fortis Watches visit www.Fortis-Watches.com. To learn more about Josh Hurley, please visit www.GoJoshHurley.com

Budweiser Shootout Eligibility Criteria Expands For What Purpose?

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SM Staff
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NASCAR announced that the eligibility criteria for the 2011 Budweiser Shootout would be expanded.

Last year it included the previous year’s 12 Chase for the Championship drivers and drivers who have competed in the past two seasons who are past Cup champions, past Budweiser Shootout winners and past Daytona Cup points race winners.

This year it includes the criteria, along with including Rookie of the Year winners from the past 10 years.

“When you take a look at the field for this year’s Budweiser Shootout at Daytona, it’s loaded with all-star caliber drivers,” said Robin Pemberton, vice president of competition, in the press release. “From former series champions and Chase drivers, to the past 10 rookie of the year performers, to drivers who have had success at Daytona, we believe the fans are in store for a terrific and highly competitive event on a brand new racing surface.”

The new format allows Kasey Kahne, Joey Logano, Kevin Conway, Juan Montoya and Regan Smith to be qualified in to the field.

The old format of the Budweiser Shootout included only pole winners and past winners of the race. The idea was to give those who had worked hard to win a pole throughout the year a bonus – just like the Sprint All-Star Race gives race winners a bonus.

Though when Coors Light took over the rights of the Pole Award, it was demanded that the format get changed from Budweiser.

So what is the bonus now for pole winners? Besides starting first and getting first pit selection with some extra cash, pretty much nothing. With the way the races are, on most tracks it doesn’t matter where you start as you can always work your way to the front to win one way or another. The pole isn’t as big as it was before.

Therefore qualifying day is off of people’s radars a lot as they don’t count that towards if their driver will run well. They just care how their driver is in practice. With that being said, the views on qualifying are down, making things look bad there.

How can this be fixed? Either go back to the old format or give bonus points for qualifying. 15 for the pole, 10 for second and five for third sounds right – that is what the ARCA Racing Series does and in the end, that could seperate first and second.

Now NASCAR just comes up with something that looks like an interesting format that has some “criteria” to get as many big faces as they can in. If they want to do that, they might as well just say, “Okay, look – everybody is allowed in. It’s just a non-points race with a big cash bonus.” That is the way it is going as the only drivers in the top 35 not locked in are David Reutimann, A.J. Allmendinger, Martin Truex Jr., Paul Menard, David Ragan, Brad Keselowski, Marcos Ambrose, Elliott Sadler, Sam Hornish Jr., Scott Speed, David Gilliiland, Travis Kvapil and Robby Gordon.

Kyle Fowler Leads Venturini Motorsports 1-2 in ARCA Wednesday Morning Speed Chart

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SM Staff
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Kyle Fowler led the speed charts following day one and after the morning session day two, Fowler was still on top of the standings.

Fowler completed 12 laps in the morning session on Wednesday with a best lap of 48.668 seconds (184.926 mph). This lap stands as the best of the two days, also.

“I’m really pleased with (Kyle) Fowler in the 15,” general manager Billy Venturini said. “That’s been a real pleasant surprise. That car has been awfully good, and was really good in the wind tunnel. It’s good to see a kid that’s never been here before run that well.”

His teammate Hal Martin ran 15 laps to end up second on the charts with a lap of 48.697 seconds (184.816 mph).

“Wow, we have fast cars! The PME engine we’re using, that’s a lot of horses under the hood,” Martin told the ARCA Racing Network. “The car is driving really well; we’re hugging the yellow line and slamming the nose to the ground into the corners. It’s driving really fast and flat into the turns. We’re going to continue with single-car lines this afternoon. I’m looking forward to it. It’s been a really solid day so far.”

The 25-year old Louisiana native will race five races for Venturini Motorsports in 2011 – Daytona, Talladega, Chicagoland, Pocono and Michigan.

“I’m really looking forward to hitting the track again at Daytona,” Martin said. “I had a bit of a head start on the field by being able to participate in the Hoosier Tire test here in December for Venturini Motorsports – so I feel I had a good chance to get somewhat acclimated to the track with some laps logged.”

Martin has made six career ARCA Racing Series starts, including one with Venturini. He finished 10th at Talladega last season.

“We’ve got strong talent among all of our drivers, and our reputation stands behind the equipment and support we’re able to provide each and every one of them,” Tom Venturini, a team representative said. “Hal has proven his talent for our organization in the past, as well as on the Gulf Coast Late Model tracks. We’re really excited to see how he’ll perform this season. He has tremendous talent. We’re hopeful he will not only add more top-10s to that resume, but also top-fives and maybe even a trip to Victory Lane.”

Along with Martin, Venturini Motorsports will run rookies Alastair Jackson, Max Gresham, and Darren Hagen in the 2011 season.

Richard Childress Racing development driver Tim George Jr. drove 11 laps to end up third on the charts with a lap of 48.985 seconds (183.73 mph).

“That’s the car we ran at Talladega, and it was really fast at Talladega,” George said after yesterday’s test. “I was comfortable with the car right out of the box; it’s not like getting used to a new car. I’ve been running the banking for the past four days here in the Rolex Series, and we were third on the board there, so it feels good to be back on top of the board with a different tire and a different car.”

Venturini Motorsports driver Steve Arpin finished the morning fourth with a lap of 49.222 seconds (182.845 mph) while Cunningham Motorsports’ driver Dakoda Armstrong ended up fifth with a lap of 49.438 seconds (182.046 mph).

Armstrong, the 2010 ARCA Racing Series Rookie of the Year, plans to run both the February 12th Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona International Speedway and the April 15th Talladega ARCA 250 at Talladega Superspeedway, as according to Cunningham Motorsports. Armstrong won two races – Talladega Superspeedway and Salem Speedway – last year for them driving the No. 22.  

Scott Stenzel, Ty Dillon, Joey Licata Jr., Grant Enfinger, and Ryan Glenski rounded out the top 10 for the morning.

For Dillon, it marked his first laps ever on a Superspeedway as he looks to run his first full ARCA racing season.

“It’s awesome,” Dillon said of the experience yesterday. “It’s really exciting. You go really fast. The track’s really smooth, so it’s fairly easy to get up to speed. We have a good car and there’s still some speed to gain. We’re just going to keep working on it. I just want to learn. I’ve got to learn to make our car better, and I’ve got to learn a lot, especially in the draft. We’ll just get as many laps as we can get and hopefully keep it up.”  

Dillon’s teammate George Jr. said he looks forward to working with Dillon after having some years of ARCA experience under his belt.

“He’s been racing cars way longer than I have,” George said. “You know, he’s much younger than I am. I’m going to lean on him for some stuff and he’ll probably lean on me for some stuff on the road courses and maybe the superspeedways. There’s a lot that he’s done in his racing career that I’m looking forward to doing, including winning in the ARCA Racing Series. It’ll be good to have support between him and I, and I’m looking forward to it.”

IndyCar star Milka Duno was 16th on the speed charts today after being in the top 10 throughout the day yesterday.Other notables include six-time Daytona ARCA winner Bobby Gerhart ended the three-hour session tied for 21st, at 50.007 seconds (179.975 mph), and nine-time ARCA Racing Series champion Frank Kimmel finished 36th, at 50.733 seconds (177.399 mph).

“Well, we wanted to go out and make sure the thing runs real fast,” Kimmel said. “Unfortunately, it’s not running real fast right now. We’ve got some work to do. This is the car we tore up here last year in the race. We qualified 13th, and we expect to be there or in the top 10 by the time we’re done. We have some work to do right now.” 

Drafting testing will take place this afternoon, beginning at 1 p.m. and lasting for four hours. A maximum of six cars per pack will be allowed to test.

DAYTONA INT’L SPEEDWAY TEST – 1/11-13/11  
ARCA RACING SERIES PRESENTED BY MENARDS  
JANUARY 12, 2011, MORNING SESSION    
           
  CAR # DRIVER MAKE TIME SPEED
1 15 Kyle Fowler Chevy 48.668 184.926
2 55 Hal Martin Toyota 48.697 184.816
3 31 Tim George Chevy 48.985 183.730
4 25 Steve Arpin Toyota 49.222 182.845
5 22 Dakoda Armstrong Dodge 49.438 182.046
6 42a Scott Stenzil Ford 49.457 181.976
7 41a Ty Dillon Chevy 49.517 181.756
8 77 Joey Licata, Jr. Dodge 49.549 181.638
9 36 Grant Enfinger Dodge 49.559 181.602
10 18a Ryan Glenski Ford 49.578 181.532
11 14b John Ferrier Ford 49.621 181.375
12 66 Mark Thompson Toyota 49.679 181.163
13 10a Ed Pompa Chevy 49.686 181.138
14 63a Milka Duno Dodge 49.708 181.057
15 6 Jason Bowles Toyota 49.709 181.054
16 18c Jeremy Frankoski Ford 49.714 181.036
17 09 Benny Gordon Ford 49.743 180.930
18 16 Randy Renfrow Chevy 49.763 180.857
19 36b Brett Hudson Dodge 49.849 180.545
20 1 Chad McCumbee Ford 49.978 180.079
21 5 Bobby Gerhart Chevy 50.007 179.975
22 54 Will Vaught Chevy 50.007 179.975
23 12b Maryeve Dufault Dodge 50.021 179.924
24 5c Damon Lusk Chevy 50.054 179.806
25 75b Benny Chastain Chevy 50.065 179.766
26 5a Bobby Gerhart Chevy 50.070 179.748
27 17a Chris Buescher Ford 50.106 179.619
28 11 Bryan Silas Ford 50.139 179.501
29 14a John Graham Ford 50.145 179.480
30 68 Steve Blackburn Dodge 50.213 179.236
31 2 Kevin Swindell Toyota 50.280 178.998
32 95 Tommy Joe Martins Dodge 50.281 178.994
33 75a Hannah Baker Chevy 50.339 178.788
34 10b Rick Clifton Chevy 50.355 178.731
35 82 Sean Corr Ford 50.729 177.413
36 44 Frank Kimmel Ford 50.733 177.399
37 3 Brent Brevak Dodge 50.811 177.127
38 23 Levi Youster Chevy 50.939 176.682
39 08 James Hylton Ford 51.070 176.229
40 58 Chad Hackenbracht Chevy 51.443 174.951
41 17b Chris Buescher Ford 52.126 172.659
42 62 Drew Charleson Chevy 54.853 164.075
43 4 Brian Rose Dodge    
44 16 Brian Smith Chevy    
45 12 Jared Marks Dodge    
46 18 Tyler Speer Ford    
47 25 Hal Martin Toyota    
48 48 James Hylton Ford    
49 97 Matt Lofton Chevy    
50 12c Chase Austin Dodge    
51 16a Joey Coulter Chevy    
52 23a Jake Crum Chevy    
53 42b Joey Gase Ford    
54 42c Ryan Lynch Ford    

 

Improvements Should Mean Better Fan Experience At Martinsville Speedway In 2011

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Official Release
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Improvements Should Mean Better Fan Experience At Martinsville Speedway In 2011  

MARTINSVILLE, Va. (January 12, 2010) – When fans return to Martinsville Speedway in April for the Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 they will find plenty of changes, all aimed at an improved fan experience.  

All seats have been widened to give fans more room … when they aren’t standing up cheering.  

Fans will find new and improved restrooms and concession stands on the first-turn end of the front stretch. In that same area, the concourse under the grandstands has been widened by almost 30 feet, making the flow of pedestrian traffic much easier.  

A new, state-of-the-art speaker system has been installed which will provide much better sound quality than in the past.  

Carry-in and cooler policies have also been relaxed to allow fans to carry in larger coolers and bags for souvenirs and race gear.  

“We have always worked hard to make things better for fans and I think this has been one of our biggest off-seasons ever for that,” said Martinsville Speedway President W. Clay Campbell. “With everything that has changed for 2011, from wider seats to new restrooms to a new cooler policy and an improved sound system, fans should have a better experience than ever at Martinsville.”  

Here is a look at some of the improvements for the 2011 season:

·         Every grandstand seat has been widened giving each fan more seat room.

·         New and much larger restrooms and concession stands at the first-turn end of the front stretch will be completed in time for the Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 on April 3.

·         The concourse area has more than doubled in the area of the new restrooms and concession stands allowing much more room for pedestrian traffic.

·         Martinsville Speedway’s carry-in policy has changed to allow one soft side bag or cooler, no larger than 14 x 14 x14. Also one lightweight backpack, similar to a daypack carried by school students, roughly 17 inches in length is now allowed.

 ·         The new sound system will feature 50 hi-tech speakers which will improve the quality of sound.

All of the speakers have been positioned  closer to the grandstands than in the past.  

Tickets for the Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 weekend are on sale and may be purchased by calling 877.RACE.TIX or by visiting www.martinsvillespeedway.com. Tickets for the Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 on April 3 start at just $25.  2011

Schedule

April 1: Pole Day April 2: Kroger 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race

April 3: Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup race  

October 8: Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 Pole Day

October 9: Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 Late Model Stock race  

October 28: Pole Day October 29: Kroger 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race

October 30: TUMS Fast Relief 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup race    

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PHOENIX INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY OFFERS FANS ’48-HOUR SPECIAL’ ON FEBRUARY RACE TICKETS IN HONOR OF NASCAR CHAMPION JIMMIE JOHNSON

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Official Release
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Jimmie johnson Special ticket promotion offers $90 tickets for $48 during 48-hour window  

(PHOENIX, Ariz.) – Phoenix International Raceway will kick off the 2011 NASCAR season by honoring five-time defending Sprint Cup Champion Jimmie Johnson – driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet – with a special No. 48-themed ticket offer for February’s SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™.

The ‘48-Hour Special’ will offer fans a unique discounted opportunity to take in NASCAR Sprint Cup action at PIR on February 27. Beginning at noon today, January 12, and ending at noon on January 14, race fans can purchase a regularly-priced $90 ticket to the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ for just $48. This ticket, located in the Upper AJ Foyt Grandstand, offers a full view of PIR’s one-mile oval and pit road. ‘48-hour Special’ tickets will be available at PhoenixRaceway.com/Jimmie-Johnson or by calling 866-408-RAC E beginning at noon Arizona time today, January 12, and ending at noon on January 14.  

About Phoenix International Raceway

Since 1964, Phoenix International Raceway has served race fans as the premier motorsports venue in the Southwest. Watch the brightest stars in NASCAR take on PIR’s famed one-mile oval – including five-time defending Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Tony Stewart and many more – on February 27, 2011 in the Subway Fresh Fit 500.

Tickets for the entire Subway Fresh Fit 500 weekend at Phoenix International Raceway can be purchased online at PhoenixRaceway.com/Tickets or by calling 1-866-408-RACE (7223). For more, visit PhoenixRaceway.com, Facebook.com/PhoenixRaceway and Twitter.com/PhoenixRaceway.

RACE FANS CAN VOTE FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA’S 2010 GREATEST MOMENTS IN SPORTS

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Official Release
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~ Nominations include SoCal native and 5-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champ Jimmie Johnson’s 2010 history-making performance ~  

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY, Calif. (Jan. 12, 2011) –  Southern California native Jimmie Johnson’s performance at Auto Club Speedway, en route to his unprecedented fifth straight NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title in 2010 has been nominated by the Los Angeles Sports Council as one of the L.A. area’s most memorable sports moments.

Fans can visit www.lasports.orgto vote for the L.A. Sports Council’s “Greatest Sports Moments of 2010” in the L.A.-area.  Voting takes place through January 31st.

The Auto Club Speedway record books were rewritten in February 2010 as El Cajon, Calif., native Jimmie Johnson won his fifth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Auto Club Speedway, making him the Speedway’s winningest Cup driver. 

  The victory at the time, the 48th of his career, set the tone for Johnson which would continue throughout the year, culminating with his unprecedented fifth straight NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title, something that has never, ever been done in the sport.

Johnson’s feat is up against local standouts who repeated as winners at the Farmers Classic Tennis Tournament, Corey Pavin named Captain of the U.S. Ryder Cup Team and Zenyatta’s winning streak in the Individual Sports category. Award-winners will be revealed during the sixth annual L.A. Sports Awards presentations on Feb. 24 in Los Angeles.  The awards show will be televised initially on Fox Sports West on Feb. 25 and will include special appearances by many of the athletes and coaches whose achievements helped make 2010 such a memorable year in sports. In addition to the Sportsman award, the ceremony also will feature a countdown of the Top 10 moments for 2010 as selected by a blue-ribbon media panel, along with the naming of the Sportswoman, Coach and Sports Executive of the Year.    

# # #    

About Auto Club Speedway Look for some amazing racing when the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series returns to Auto Club Speedway for the Auto Club 400 on March 27.  During the Pepsi MAX 400 in October, drivers, media and spectators proclaimed that race as possibly the best ever at Auto Club Speedway- five-wide racing at over 200 mph on the NASCAR circuit!  For tickets call 800-944-RACE (7223) or visit www.autoclubspeedway.com more information.

TURNER MOTORSPORTS ANNOUNCES MARK MARTIN TO DRIVE THE NO. 32 DOLLAR GENERAL CHEVROLET IN SELECT 2011 NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES EVENTS

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Official Release
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TURNER MOTORSPORTS ANNOUNCES MARK MARTIN TO DRIVE THE NO. 32 DOLLAR GENERAL CHEVROLET IN SELECT 2011 NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES EVENTS

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (January 12, 2011) – Turner Motorsports is pleased to announce the addition of racing legend, Mark Martin, to its 2011 driver line-up. Martin will pilot the No. 32 Dollar General Impala in NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) events at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Auto Club Speedway, Michigan International Speedway and Kentucky Speedway with crew chief, Trent Owens, calling the shots. He will also drive the No. 32 Silverado in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) races at Michigan International Speedway and Pocono Raceway.  

“I’m excited to be running back in the Nationwide and Truck Series again,” said Martin. “Everyone at Dollar General and Turner Motorsports has been great and I’m looking forward to hitting the track with them next year. Working with Turner [Motorsports], I get to extend my relationship with Chevrolet and continue to have Hendrick horsepower under the hood which is really, really good.”  

Martin brings unparalleled experience to Turner Motorsports. With a NASCAR career spanning 30 years, he has 40 wins in 794 Sprint Cup Series starts, holds the all-time Nationwide Series records for most wins (48) and most pole positions (30), and seven wins in 23 NCWTS starts. In 2006, motorsports media members acknowledged his accomplishments by naming him the greatest Nationwide Series driver of all-time. Martin continues to compete full-time in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports machine.  

“The races we picked for both series are personal favorites of mine. I’d love to win another truck race, and I’ve got to get back to Victory Lane in the Dollar General car so I can keep Kyle [Busch] from breaking my Nationwide Series record,” Martin joked.  

Martin has experienced tremendous success at the tracks at which he will compete for Turner Motorsports. In five Nationwide Series starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Martin has three wins, four top-fives, five top-10s and two pole awards to his credit. In only two Nationwide starts at Auto Club Speedway, he has earned one win and a third-place finish. At Michigan International Speedway, he has two wins, eight top-five and nine top-10 finishes and one pole position in his 11 starts. Martin will make his Nationwide Series debut when the team travels to Kentucky Speedway in July.  

Team owner, Steve Turner, is very pleased with the experience that Martin brings with him and has high expectations for his organization in 2011.  

“We are thrilled to announce the addition of Mark Martin to our stable of drivers,” commented Turner. “Mark [Martin] shares my same passion for helping groom young talent and has expressed interest in helping us get our young drivers to the NASCAR Sprint Cup level. I can’t think of a better mentor than Mark Martin. Everyone at Turner Motorsports knows the value and experience he brings to our organization and we are all delighted to have him join our team. We look forward to getting Mark [Martin] and Dollar General into the winners circle in 2011.”  

About Turner Motorsports

Turner Motorsports, LLC, established in 1999, is in the midst of its sophomore season of NASCAR competition. Owned by Texas-native, Steve Turner, the racing organization has expanded in 2011 from a two-truck operation in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series to become the largest stand-alone multi-series team in NASCAR’s top-tier touring series.  Turner Motorsports operates out of an 110,000 square-foot state-of-the art facility in Mooresville, N.C., and will house three entries in both the NASCAR Nationwide Series and the Camping World Truck Series.  The team boasts an all-star driver line-up that includes Mark Martin, Kasey Kahne, Reed Sorenson, Jason Leffler, Justin Allgaier, Ricky Carmichael, James Buescher and Brad Sweet.  The Chevrolet-backed team has created alliances with General Motors powerhouse teams Hendrick Motorsports, who will provide engine support for both its NNS and NCWTS programs, Kevin Harvick Inc. for body and aero support, and Earnhardt Technology Group for drive train and suspension technology assistance. Turner Motorsports’ marketing partners includes Dollar General, Great Clips, Monster Energy, BRANDT, AccuDoc Solutions, Wolfpack Rentals, Rexall, Fraternal Order of Eagles, ABF Freight, Bigspot.com, Northeastern Supply, Deft Paint, SEM and Safety-Kleen.

For more information on Turner Motorsports, visit www.teamturnermotorsports.com.

SS Green Light Racing Adds Team Engineer

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Official Release
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Mooresville, NC.  January 11, 2011 – SS Green Light Racing is pleased to announce that Matt Faulkner has joined the organization as a team engineer for the 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Season.

The native of Memphis, TN earned his engineering degree from Brigham Young University and has worked for several top NASCAR teams including Kyle Busch Motorsports where he was part of the 2011 NCWTS Owners Championship team.

“I really enjoyed being part of Kyle’s championship team last year, winning eight races was really cool,” Faulkner said. “I’m really looking forward to my new opportunity at SS Green Light Racing. I think this will be a fun and exciting challenge to help a team that is already on the rise improve to the next level and be able to compete for victories on a weekly basis.”  

Growing up, Faulkner watched NASCAR races on television with his father and that motivated him to study engineering and join the NASCAR fraternity. Since moving to Mooresville area, his versatility has earned him the nickname “Slash” from his friends in the NCWTS garage. “I was asked what my duties were a few years back and I answered, a fabricator/engineer/mechanic/do it all guy. From then on I’ve been known as slash!” he joked.  

Faulkner spent several season behind the wheel of a late model while attending BYU and he feels having some real world experience behind the wheel helps to understand what the driver is looking for in the handling of the race truck. “It was never my aspiration to be a race car driver, but I felt it was something that would help me to understand the engineering side better as my career progressed.”  

At SS Green Light Racing, Faulkner will be reunited with Crew Chief Jason Miller. The pair previously worked with David Starr at HT Motorsports during parts of the 2008 and 2009 seasons. “I can’t be more excited to have Slash join us this year. We communicate very well and he’s a real team player. His experience will help both of our race teams.”  

Faulkner is married and has twin one-year old sons. “I really enjoy the boys, but they are a handful getting into everything. They tell me it gets worse when they turn two, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

SS Green Light Racing co-owner Bobby Dotter is excited to have Faulkner join the SS Green Light team, “We feel that Slash has a lot to offer to our race teams. Not only his engineering skills, but also his experience and versatility will help us bring the No. 81 and No. 07 teams to the next level. Ken (Smith) and I feel he is a great addition to our team.”  

Sponsorship and driver announcements for the SS Green Light Racing team will be released in the coming weeks before the season opener at Daytona on February 18, 2011.

Chris Buescher, Tim George Jr and Ty Dillion Top Morning ARCA Daytona Test

By
SM Staff
-

Eighteen-year old rookie Chris Buescher drove the Roulo Brothers Racing Ford, marked with an orange No. 17, to a lap of 49.315 seconds (182.5 mph) in the opening session to top the charts.

[media-credit name=”arcaracing.com” align=”alignleft” width=”287″][/media-credit]”It was a little unexpected, for sure, being the first session out on a speedway for me,” said Buescher, who has two wins in 15 ARCA Racing Series starts over two seasons. “To be honest, I’m not at all comfortable yet. I was a little bit all over the place, but that means I’ve got a good piece under me. We did a good job preparing.”

Buescher has experience in the ARCA Racing Series as he won both races at Toledo last year, however this marks his first full-season now that he has become of age.

Buescher was followed by Richard Childress Racing Development driver teammates Tim George Jr. (49.368 seconds) and Ty Dillon (49.497 seconds). The 2011 season marks George’s third full season in ARCA while Dillon, grandson of Richard Childress and brother of Camping World Truck Series driver Austin Dillon, enters his first full year of ARCA Racing.

Benny Chastain and Dakoda Armstrong rounded out the top five and Matt Lofton was sixth.

IndyCar driver Milka Duno, who recently announced she had joined forces with Sheltra Motorsports, ended the morning seventh. Scott Stenzel, Mark Thompson, and 2010 ARCA Racing Series champion Patrick Sheltra completed the top 10.

DAYTONA INT’L SPEEDWAY TEST – 1/11-13/11  
ARCA RACING SERIES PRESENTED BY MENARDS  
JANUARY 11, 2011, MORNING SESSION    
           
  CAR # DRIVER MAKE TIME SPEED
1 17a Chris Buescher Ford 49.315 182.500
2 31 Tim George Chevy 49.368 182.304
3 41a Ty Dillon Chevy 49.497 181.829
4 75b Benny Chastain Chevy 49.680 181.159
5 22 Dakoda Armstrong Dodge 49.755 180.886
6 97 Matt Lofton Chevy 50.059 179.788
7 63a Milka Duno Dodge 50.066 179.763
8 42a Scott Stenzil Ford 50.149 179.465
9 66 Mark Thompson Toyota 50.151 179.458
10 63 Patrick Sheltra Dodge 50.180 179.354
11 5a Bobby Gerhart Chevy 50.204 179.269
12 36b Brett Hudson   50.227 179.186
13 5c Damon Lusk Chevy 50.244 179.126
14 77 Joey Licata, Jr. Dodge 50.262 179.062
15 16b Joey Coulter Chevy 50.290 178.962
16 68 Steve Blackburn Dodge 50.317 178.866
17 14b John Ferrier Ford 50.318 178.862
18 5 Bobby Gerhart Chevy 50.337 178.795
19 54 Will Vaught Chevy 50.356 178.727
20 1 Chad McCumbee Ford 50.383 178.632
21 82 Sean Corr Ford 50.744 177.361
22 44 Frank Kimmel Ford 50.877 176.897
23 12c Chase Austin Dodge 50.897 176.828
24 36 Grant Enfinger Dodge 51.089 176.163
25 11 Bryan Silas   51.140 175.987
26 10a Ed Pompa   51.233 175.668
27 58 Chad Hackenbracht Chevy 51.244 175.630
28 14 John Graham Ford 51.685 174.132
29 2 Kevin Swindell Toyota    
30 3 Brent Brevak Dodge    
31 4 Brian Rose Dodge    
32 5 Brian Smith Chevy    
33 6 Jason Bowles Toyota    
34 10 Rick Clifton      
35 12 Jared Marks Dodge    
36 12 Maryeve Dufault Dodge    
37 15 Kyle Fowler Chevy    
38 16 Randy Renfrow Chevy    
39 18 Ryan Glenski      
40 18 Tyler Speer      
41 18 Jeremy Frankoski      
42 23 Rob Jones Chevy    
43 25   Toyota    
44 42 Joey Gase Ford    
45 42 Ryan Lynch Ford    
46 48 James Hylton Ford    
47 49 Jimmie Nowell      
48 55 Steve Arpin Toyota    
49 62 Drew Charleson Chevy    
50 73 John Sendo      
51 75 Hannah Baler Chevy    
52 95 Tommy Joe Martins      
53 08 James Hylton Ford    
54 09 Benny Gordon Ford    
55   Russell Henderson      
56   Ricky Byers      
57   Hal Martin Toyota    
58   Jake Crum Chevy    
59   Bobby D Earnhardt      
60   Chris Davis    
1...5,9005,9015,902...6,019Page 5,901 of 6,019

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