Home Blog Page 5906

Lofton Joins Germain Racing for 2011 Season

By
Official Release
-

Mooresville, NC (1-7-2011) – After a solid rookie season in 2010, 24-year-old Justin Lofton will join Germain Racing for his sophomore effort in 2011, racing a Germain entered No. 77 Toyota Tundra full time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

“I am very excited to be teaming up with Germain Racing. Fresh off of their 2010 championship, it was clear to me that Germain was the best place for me,” Lofton said.

“Todd (Bodine) served as a mentor to me through my rookie season and really helped me learn the ropes of the Camping World Truck Series. To have him, Max (Papis) and Brendan (Gaughan) as teammates, I am really excited about the upcoming season.”   Lofton, who hails from Southern California, earned the 2009 ARCA Racing Series championship after winning six of the 21 races. He moved full time to NASCAR last year, notching four top-five and eight top-10 finishes with a best finish of third, giving him a solid 12th place finish in the driver point standings.

“I’m really excited about having Justin as a teammate at Germain Racing as we’ve become friends over the last season. He’s a real good kid and I think he’s got real potential as a race car driver,” said Bodine, who thinks Lofton will play a key role in the expansion of Germain Racing’s Tundra fleet. “I’m looking forward to Justin’s input and seeing him grow as a driver.”  

Germain Racing entered truck competition in 2004 and has since accumulated 22 race victories, nine pole awards and two division championships. Germain Racing earned Toyota’s first Truck Series title in 2006, and repeated the feat in 2010, earning the No. 30 Tundra team the nod as the most dominant Tundra team in active competition.  

“Germain Racing takes a lot of pride in the championships we’ve won for Toyota and our record of having the leading Tundra team. We’ve gotten to where we are having a team that’s been a blend of youthful ambition and veteran skills. Adding Justin Lofton to our Tundra lineup gives our Truck Series program a fresh, young driver who can bring Germain Racing more wins and more championships for many years to come,” said general manager Mike Hillman Sr.  

At 24, Lofton will be the youngest driver in the Germain Racing stable.   “I wish the season started sooner because I am very excited to go racing with the Germain team. They have established themselves as the team to beat in the Truck Series,” Lofton added.

Lofton’s crew chief will be announced at a later date.   For more information on Justin Lofton, visit LoftonRacing.com.   For more information on Germain Racing, visit GermainRacing.com.  

Follow us on Twitter:  Twitter.com/jlracing and Twitter.com/GermainRacing

NORTHEASTERN SUPPLY COMPANY RETURNS FOR 18TH NASCAR SEASON

By
Official Release
-

NORTHEASTERN SUPPLY COMPANY RETURNS FOR 18TH NASCAR SEASON; STAYS WITH JASON LEFFLER/TURNER MOTORSPORTS FOR 2011 TITLE RUN

BALTIMORE, MD – One of NASCAR’s longest standing sponsors, the Northeastern Supply Company, will return to Nationwide Series support for the 18th consecutive year in 2011 when it returns to Turner Motorsports, driver Jason Leffler and the #38 Great Clips Chevrolet.  

The highly successful regional distributor of plumbing, heating, HVAC, water systems and hardware products will again provide associate sponsorship to a NASCAR team that began way back in 1994 in the Busch Grand National Series.  

2011 will mark the company’s fourth straight season with Turner Motorsports, previously Braun Racing, and in support of Leffler and his Great Clips race team. In each of the first three seasons, Leffler has finished well up in the NASCAR Nationwide Series point’s standing and has been a fixture in the lead pack of cars in many races.  

“Our customers and employees have grown quite fond of Jason (Leffler) and the crew members and officials for what is now Turner Motorsports, and we are excited about what the 2011 season may offer. We know that Jason is one heck of a competitor and is about ready to break through with multiple victories and to seriously challenge for a Series championship. We wanted to be there with him and the Great Clips team when that all happens,” said Steve Cook, Northeastern Supply Company president and CEO.  

Having supported professional contractors, builders and architects with a wide range of products and services for decades, the Northeastern Supply Company has used its NASCAR involvement to aid its solid growth. The company boasted just six branches in two states when its NASCAR programming first started and today has 32 sales outlets in five Middle Atlantic States ( Maryland , Delaware , Virginia , West Virginia and Pennsylvania ).  

“Our racing program has always focused on our customers and it has proven to be quite successful for us,” Cook explained. “We have always operated with the understanding that once the support of our NASCAR sponsorship has within our customer base and our vendors began to wane that we would get out and spend our marketing dollars elsewhere.

“The hard fact, however, is that interest with our racing activity continues to grow and is stronger than ever, and we have to thank our numerous vendors and the many fine race teams and drivers that we have sponsored over the years for understanding our objectives and for working with us to help us achieve them. We are really looking forward to working with Steve Turner and his organization in 2011 and in helping Jason (Leffler) achieve his goals of winning races and challenging for a championship,” Cook added.  

The Northeastern Supply Company logo has adorned Busch Grand National and Nationwide Series race cars driven over the years by such Series’ notables as Jason Keller, Mike and Kenny Wallace, Brian Scott, Kyle Busch, Phil Parsons, Hank Parker, Jr., Kevin Lepage, Sterling Marlin and Tim Fedewa.

Jeff Gordon ‘Has At It’ with Jimmie Johnson, Sonoma Raceway and Jeff Burton

By
SM Staff
-

Past the stories of Kyle Busch’s behavior and the Carl Edwards-Brad Keselowski feud, there were many other stories that hit the headlines with the new ‘Boys, Have At It’ policy. Lots of other drivers showed their displeasure with each other in their own unique way.

[media-credit name=”Simon Scoggins” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]Jeff Gordon is one of the subjects to this discussion via his dustups with teammate Jimmie Johnson, the road course race at Sonoma and the fight with Jeff Burton.

All of these have created controversy surrounding Gordon as people are questioning whether this is due to frustration with the lack of success, or if Gordon is finally letting his personality show.

The fun all began in April at Texas Motor Speedway after some contact between the teammates. When they were racing side-by-side, Gordon made contact with Johnson while it could appear that Johnson crowded his teammate.

“I guess four-time doesn’t like how I was racing him.” Gordon commented on the radio following the contact and some radio discussion.

Then at Talladega later in the month, Gordon blamed Johnson for getting him caught in the big wreck after a controversial move in the draft.

“I am mad right now,” he said in the interview after the race. “It takes a lot to make me mad and I’m pissed right now.”

Jealousy is something that some stemmed to believe from the pair of incidents as Gordon was taking out of his frustration on Johnson. With both of them being in the same shop, it would be believed that both would have the same equal amount of success. This has not happened as while Johnson won the championship this year, Gordon finished ninth in points with no wins. Some people have questioned how even things are in the shop, though Rick Hendrick stands by the fact that all the information is shared from one team to another to therefore benefit all.

A lot of people have said the difference between the teams has been the lack of chemistry. As a result, Gordon will be working with Alan Gustafson in 2011. Whether the combination produces success is definitely a question that will be interesting to see answered.

Another interesting dynamic is how Gordon is now moving to the same shop as Mark Martin while Dale Earnhardt Jr. moves up to the shop with Johnson. Does this come as a result of what happened in April? Or as a result of what happened later in the year with the pit crew swap? Or is Hendrick looking to just combine the best combinations and not as a result of anything above?

According to those inside at Hendrick, they say that things are still good between everybody and that it was a co-operative effort within the organization with the pit crew swap.

A couple months later when it came to the road course at Sonoma in late June, Gordon found himself in the middle of it again. Multiple drivers complained after the race about Gordon driving too hard and as a result, causing problems for them. Martin Truex Jr. came out and said, “The 24 turned me around.” and vowed for payback.

Rather than jealousy, this could have been driven by frustration on Gordon’s part due to being so close to winning at tracks recently, yet still not finding victory lane. It could also be the new coming with Gordon in where he realized that if he wants a piece of the Chase and wants to be in the middle, he has got to fight for it. Maybe he interpreted that the wrong way and instead caused more problems then he intended.

Gordon’s most dramatic move, however, came in Texas with the argument with Burton.

Burton is known for being the mayor of the garage, having the voice of reason and being able to represent the drivers’ views in general.

Gordon is known for being the professional who became NASCAR’s first young-gun star that seemed polished. As he’s grown to be a more mature driver, he’s taking a role like Burton’s in having a professional representation of the sport.

Though following the events of what happened, it looked like both of their roles within the sport had fallen apart.

Under a caution for Martin Truex Jr. wrecking, Jeff Burton made contact with Jeff Gordon, causing them both to wreck.

“That sucker killed it,” Gordon said after the contact on the radio. “What the hell? He’s the one being a dumb###.’’

Gordon was angry about the whole event and proceeded to get out of his car and throws some punches at Burton.

For Gordon, the entire trickle of events led back to the previous green flag lap before the caution.

“He went wide going into turn three, I went underneath him,” Gordon said after the incident. “There were three car lengths between us and he came right down to me and got into me.

“Under caution, I went up to him to tell him what I thought; I never even touched him. He just drove into my right rear and put me into the wall under caution. Out of all the people, I never would have thought that Jeff Burton would do something like that. I had a lot of respect for him and now I’ve lost a lot of respect.

“I was walking toward him, and I started going through all the scenarios in my mind. Thankfully, I had a long walk down there to him, because I did about the least amount I wanted to do. I wanted to show him how upset I was, but I wanted to do a whole lot more than that. I held back.

“I’m just still in disbelief. I like Jeff. Usually he’s a guy that’s very rational and I respect his opinion. He apologized. It’s over.”

Burton said he didn’t mean to get into Gordon, as he wanted to tell him he was right to be mad.

“Well, we came off turn four and he drove underneath me and when he drove underneath me, I should’ve let him go,” Burton said. “He pulled up next to me to tell me he was upset with me. Then I went to pull up next to him to acknowledge him, to say he was right. I turned left, and he was turning left, and we just hung up. And when we hung up, off we went. I honestly don’t know what happened.

“One hundred percent, it was my fault. It was definitely my fault. We got together, I couldn’t get off of him. I didn’t mean to hit him, I meant to pull up next to him and tell him he was right.”

Burton also said that he’s not mad at Gordon for wanting to say a few words.

“I knew he was going to be mad, and I don’t blame him for being mad,” Burton said. “He didn’t do anything he shouldn’t have done. He was upset, and he should have been upset. I wrecked him under caution – I didn’t mean to wreck him, but I wrecked him under caution – and he meant to tell me he was upset. That’s OK. I don’t have a bit of problem with what he did. He was mad, and he should have been mad.”

Burton also said later in the week, “I can assure everybody that there is no way that I would turn somebody driver-side first into the wall. That’s not just how I am.”

It created an interesting dynamic as a lot of people were surprised, though as Burton said, it was needed via the events.

Whether Gordon’s actions are possibly led by frustration, jealousy, or other reasons, they made for a lot of entertaining moments this year.

Dale Earnhardt Will Never Be Forgotten But It’s Time to Detach His Name From the No. 3

By
SM Staff
-

It would have been easy for Camping World Truck Series driver Austin Dillon to say the same thing Dale Earnhardt Jr. did: no more three for me.

Dillon had driven that number on the local levels but driving with that number on a NASCAR level in a different story. A story that he could have passed up on. Had he, no one would have thought any less of him. Instead when Dillon was promoted to drive for grandfather Richard Childress in the CWTS full-time in 2010, he eagerly jumped behind the wheel of a truck with the 3 on the side.

[media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]Not just any truck, a black truck with a white No. 3. It’s a scheme made famous by Dale Earnhardt Sr., which hasn’t seen the racetrack since that fateful day in 2001.

Going into his rookie season Dillon already had a crucial element on his side: no expectations. The only thing for Dillon was to learn, he wasn’t expected to go out and win races and compete for the championship.

What’s the saying about rookies? What they don’t know they don’t know. Simply log laps and learn, learn, learn.

Dillon logged plenty of laps and he certainly learned. He was a rookie in veterans clothing. When the pressure of driving the No. 3 could have gotten to the young kid and could have been intimidating Dillon instead used it as motivation.

“I put a lot of pressure on myself,” Dillon said after winning his first race at Iowa. “Just try each and every week to get the best finish we can with that number. I know the fans want to see it up front. That’s where I want it to be.”

Rookie of the Year honors were never a doubt. In 25 races Dillon captured seven poles, two wins, seven top fives and 16 top 10s. The championship was over early with the domination of Todd Bodine and Dillon never became a serious factor but he still wrapped up a top five finish.

Competitors have given him high praise and fans have flocked to him. Both his on track success and the number he’s driving have helped. With a full-year of competition now in his back pocket, the hardest part of Dillon’s career will come over the next few seasons.

Getting through a rookie year was hard in itself but remember there were no expectations. Dillon’s success blew a few minds while marking himself a contender from this point forward.

Heading into his sophomore season, this is where the expectations really come into play.

First thing, as with any driver who gets behind the wheel of anything with a three on it, Dillon needs to continue to tune out those pushing for someone to be the next Earnhardt. In a piece written last week it was stated that Dillon’s New Years resolution should be to remain Austin Dillon.

It may not have apparent in 2010 but the longer Dillon drives the 3 the more the more those whispers will surface. The more the comparisons to Earnhardt will surface in every accomplishment Dillon makes.

It shouldn’t be that way however.

Luckily he’s shown he has his head on straight. When talking about his future he clarified that he’s in no rush to run up the NASCAR ladder. The CWTS is where he wants to be and he’ll return for another season in 2011.

Don’t count out a few Nationwide Series races as he begins to test the waters. Dillon’s rumored to be scheduled for both Nashville races, Iowa in May and O’Reilly Raceway Park in the No. 33 for Kevin Harvick Inc.

The great thing is that he’s young and his future is bright, there’s no reason to push too fast.

The logical conclusions for some fans being that as long as Dillon moves up the ladder the No. 3 will as well. There’s a longing for that number to be back in the Sprint Cup Series where it will go back to winning races and championships again.

Right now though, Dillon is in control of his career. It’s important for it to remain that way, let him develop into his own driving style and let his career take its own course. He’s in the perfect position to finally break the belief that the No. 3 should only be driven by an Earnhardt or associated with Earnhardt, etc.

For those that don’t want him to be the next Earnhardt, there are those who want him to succeed in big ways. When a driver gets behind the wheel of that number they’re supposed to become superhuman or at least that’s the belief.

Compare it to those who believe because Dale Earnhardt Jr. is his father’s son, Earnhardt Sr. must have just spit a piece of himself out. Therefore Earnhardt Jr. is supposed to be the second coming of the Intimidator.

The same now for Dillon as he drives the Intimidators number.

“You know, it’s so awesome to see that number running well again,” said Dillon. “When you see it on top of the board when you leave the track, that was a really cool sight. That was cool for me and my grandfather … It’s a powerful number. It makes the people in the stands stand up and cheer. I love driving it. It’s a lot of fun.”

Fun. A few drivers have said in the past that the day racing isn’t fun anymore is the day a driver knows they need to move on and find something else to do. Dillon’s rookie year was a blast filled with much success. It was also marked the beginning of Dillon making the number his own as he started to etch his imprint onto the sport.

Austin Dillon, that is his name. The No. 3 is his truck, his number and his future. Together they will write their own pages in the NASCAR history books. Together they can rise to the top and be feared and famous.

But, when doing so they can only get the due they deserve if the name Earnhardt doesn’t keep appearing next to them and if the expectations of a legend don’t get into his head.

Waiting For the Season to Start

By
SM Staff
-

NASCAR’s annual winter Media Tour usually harvests some news and that’s a good thing because things are pretty quiet right now. After an early flurry of news before Christmas, things have quieted down. That period right after the close of the season last year was dominated by the revitalization of Richard Petty Motorsports with Richard himself in control. Part of the reason for this is the Media Tour itself (why announce something early when you have most of the reporters all together at one time?). The Media Tour starts on Monday, January 24th.

[media-credit id=26 align=”alignleft” width=”300″][/media-credit]The last two weeks, RPM announced they had renewed a sponsorship contract with Best Buy for A.J. Allmendinger’s No. 43 Ford Fusion. With Stanley Tools already shored up for Marcos Ambrose in the No. 9 Ford, it looks like RPM will start the 2011 season on firm footing. RPM’s four-car team performed admirably last season amid speculation of its demise. With that monkey off their backs, we could see an increase in performance for that team.

We also saw Ray Evernham return home, but not to help Hendrick Motorsports on the track. Apparently, Evernham and his marketing arm will help HMS market a new line of performance parts and automobiles, somewhat like Jack Roush does with Ford. This means Evernham no longer will co-host the ESPN NASCAR broadcasts, citing the fact that it would be hard to be critical of HMS, and thus stifle objective reporting. He will be missed on the broadcasts.

So we wait. Lots of questions will have to be answered at the Concord, NC-based tour, and that is usually the case. The biggest question will be about the Chase. Will they actually introduce elimination into the recipe? Are there other changes we haven’t even addressed? Yes, we wait. And the Daytona 500 is less than 40 days away. Patience is sometimes a very hard concept.

JASON LEFFLER LOOKS TO CAPTURE COVETED PRIZE AT THE 25TH ANNUAL CHILI BOWL MIDGET NATIONALS FOR KASEY KAHNE RACING

By
Official Release
-

Leffler to carry the colors of long-time sponsor, Great Clips, Inc.

MOORESVILLE, NC (January 6, 2011) – For years, the Chili Bowl Nationals Golden Driller trophy has been a coveted, yet elusive, prize for three-time Midget National Champion, Jason Leffler. However, when close to 300 entries show up for the Silver Anniversary of the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals at the ¼-mile Tulsa Expo Raceway, January 11-15, Leffler feels he will have his best shot yet at capturing the famed trophy. The NASCAR Nationwide Series veteran who drives for Turner Motorsports, will wheel the No. 91x entry for Kasey Kahne Racing, carrying the colors of his Nationwide Series sponsor of six years, Great Clips, Inc.

Leffler’s illustrious USAC career boasts multiple championships, over 40 Midget feature wins and six Silver Crown victories. In 1998, he captured the USAC Silver Crown Championship and, in 1999, he etched his name in the record books by becoming only the third driver in history to claim three consecutive Midget National Championships. He has captured victories in almost every elite national Midget race over the last decade including wins at the Belleville Nationals and Hut 100 (both in 1997), the Copper Classic (1999), the Night Before the 500 (2002) and two Turkey Night events (1999 and 2005).

It is the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals title that has always eluded him but he looks to change that in next week’s 25th-annual running of what he deems “the greatest spectacle in racing.” His best performance in the five day-long event occurred in 1998 when he came away with a second-place finish. Other top finishes include a 5th-place in 2004 and 9th in 2000. Leffler did lay claim to the title as an owner when Damion Gardner won in the event in 2008, driving under the Leffler Racing banner. Still, Leffler hungers to win the event as a driver, a win which would certainly round out his USAC career quite nicely.

“The Chili Bowl is one of the most exciting races events you could ever see,” said Leffler. “You have over 300 guys competing for 24 spots in the A-Main feature with one prize. It is some of the fiercest on-track competition you could ever witness. If you are a race fan, The Chili Bowl is something you should experience at least once in your lifetime. I am excited to be driving for Kasey Kahne Racing and very proud to have long-time sponsor, Great Clips, on board with me for this event.”

The excitement begins for Leffler on Tuesday night as an exclusive club of 16 event champions and series legends will compete in the Chili Bowl Race of Champions, a special 20-lap race. He is then slated for the Thursday night qualifying round, when he will make a bid for a top-four finishing position to lock himself into Saturday night’s Chili Bowl Championship feature event.

###

Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals Quick Facts

What: 25th Annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals

Where: Tulsa Expo Raceway – ¼-mile clay oval inside the QuikTrip Center at the Tulsa State Fairgrounds

When:

January 11-15, 2011

Tuesday – Warren CAT Qualifying Night plus Vacuworx Int’l Chili Bowl Race of Champions

Wednesday – River Spirit Casino Qualifying Night

Thursday – Qualifying Night

Friday – Vacuworx International Qualifying Night

Saturday – Lucas Oil Championship Feature Events

Past Winners: Kevin Swindell (2010), Sammy Swindell (2009, 1998, 1996, 1992 and 1989), Damion Gardner (2008), Tony Stewart (2007 and 2002), Tim McCreadie (2006), Tracy Hines (2005), Cory Kruseman (2004 and 2000), Dan Boorse (2003 and 1999), Jay Drake (2001), Billy Boat (1997), Donnie Beechler (1995), Andy Hillenburg (1994), Dave Blaney (1993), Lealand McSpadden (1991), Jon Heydenreich (1990), Scott Hatton (1988), Rich Vogler (1987).

Trade Show: Always a popular attraction at the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals is the Trade Show, which is open to the public each day (Tuesday through Saturday) free of charge. All variety of racing products, apparel and more is available with well over 100 different vendors. The Trade Show covers approximately 20,000 square feet.

Tickets: A limited number of reserved seats for Tuesday night’s Warren CAT Qualifying Event and the Third Annual Vacuworx International Chili Bowl Race of Champions are available for $43 per person and may be obtained by calling 918-838-3777 or at the gate if still available. Pit passes for all five nights are available at the gate as well.

Chili Bowl on TV: Portions of the 25th Annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals will be broadcast on SPEED TV on a tape-delayed basis.

Chili Bowl on the Net: All official news pertaining to the 25th Annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals, including official entry lists, race results and recaps, is available first at http://www.chilibowl.com/ www.chilibowl.com. Also, all five nights of the Chili Bowl Nationals will be broadcast live (audio) on http://www.racinboys.com/ www.racinboys.com.

HOUR SPECIAL’ IN JOHNSON’S HONOR

By
Official Release
-

Race fans can win chance to attend the event by logging on to PIR’s Facebook and Twitter pages

(PHOENIX, Ariz.) – Five-time defending Sprint Cup Champion Jimmie Johnson will visit the Valley of the Sun on Jan. 12 to celebrate the start of the 2011 NASCAR season with local fans from Phoenix International Raceway. Johnson – driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet – will participate in a one-of-a-kind fan event at Casino Arizona’s Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale and will help PIR unveil a 48-hour ticket special for the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500T at PIR on Feb. 27.

The ’48-hour Special’ will offer fans a unique discounted opportunity to take in NASCAR Sprint Cup action at PIR this February. Beginning at noon on January 12 and ending at noon on January 14, race fans can purchase a regularly-priced $90 ticket to the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500T 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 http://PhoenixRaceway.com/Jimmie-Johnson PhoenixRaceway.com/Jimmie-Johnson at noon on January 12.

Fans that follow Phoenix International Raceway at http://Facebook.com/PhoenixRaceway Facebook.com/PhoenixRaceway and http://Twitter.com/PhoenixRaceway Twitter.com/PhoenixRaceway will also have the opportunity to participate in a happy hour event with the only driver in NASCAR history to win five straight Sprint Cups. Johnson will be appearing in an exclusive event at Casino Arizona’s Talking Stick Resort for fans that participate in PIR’s “GO” promotion.

For a chance to attend this very special reception with Johnson, fans may send an email to fanexperience@phoenixinternationalraceway.com explaining why they should GO to this event. A limited number of PIR fans with the most interesting GO stories will be chosen to attend. One lucky winner and a guest will win a private meet-and-greet with Johnson. Details for this promotion can be found at http://Facebook.com/PhoenixRaceway Facebook.com/PhoenixRaceway, http://Twitter.com/PhoenixRaceway Twitter.com/PhoenixRaceway and http://PhoenixRaceway.com/Jimmie-Johnson PhoenixRaceway.com/Jimmie-Johnson. Let the GO begin. Entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. (PST) on Monday, January 10, 2011. Winners will be announced/contacted the morning of Jan. 11.

New at Phoenix International Raceway in 2011 are GO Value packages starting at $40. GO 2 Days to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500T and NASCAR Nationwide Series races and pay only $40. GO 3 Days, adding the Lucas Oil 150 Camping World Truck Series, and pay only $47.

Tickets to the February 24-27 SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500T event weekend are available now, with prices starting at just $25. For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit http://phoenixraceway.com http://phoenixraceway.com or call 866-408-RACE (7223).

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 http://www.PhoenixRaceway.com/Tickets PhoenixRaceway.com/Tickets or by calling 1-866-408-RACE (7223). For more, visit http://PhoenixRaceway.com/ PhoenixRaceway.com, http://Facebook.com/PhoenixRaceway/ Facebook.com/PhoenixRaceway and http://Twitter.com/PhoenixRaceway/ Twitter.com/PhoenixRaceway.

Dover International Speedway introduces ‘Dover Insider Tips’ series on DoverSpeedway.com

By
Official Release
-

New online series will introduce improvements and provide fans with advice about navigating the Monster Mile

DOVER, Del. – For first-time fans, a trip to Dover International Speedway can be sensory overload. The full-throttle experience of a race weekend at the Monster Mile can be as intense as the racing on the track. There’s so much to see and do from the time fans set foot on the property that they don’t always get to take advantage of everything that the venue has to offer.

“Dover Insider Tips,” a new series on DoverSpeedway.com, will give race fans insider access to new developments at the track, and advice on everything from purchasing tickets, parking, and who to contact at the track if they encounter a problem on race weekend. The idea for the series stems from two fan council meetings in 2010 where two groups of Dover fans met at the track to candidly discuss their experience with Speedway officials. The groups requested more year-round information about the track and more in-depth information about existing programs at the Speedway for fans.  

The first installment of “Dover Insider Tips” takes a look at the new seating options available for general admission ticket holders for NASCAR Nationwide Series races in 2011. The track received feedback following the 2010 season of cramped general admission seating options, and has since designated 13 additional sections in Turn 1 and Turn 4 for general admission seating.

The story on DoverSpeedway.com explains the variety of seating options now available for Saturday NASCAR Nationwide Series races at Dover in 2011, and details the logic behind expanding the sections in response to requests from fans. 

Fans can log on to DoverSpeedway.com every Thursday to read about a new topic, view corresponding photos and video, and post comments about the subject on Dover’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/DoverInternationalSpeedway.

Tickets are now on sale for NASCAR’s return to the Monster Mile on May 13-15 and Sept. 30-Oct. 2, 2011. For more information, or to purchase tickets, call 1-800-441-RACE or visit DoverSpeedway.com.

# # #

About Dover International Speedway

Dover Motorsports, Inc. owns and operates Dover International Speedway in Dover, Del. and Nashville Superspeedway near Nashville, Tenn. Both concrete tracks are home to some of the most exciting racing in NASCAR. The legendary “Monster Mile” in Dover is known for being tough on drivers and their equipment, and has been hosting two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race weekends each year for over 40 years. Nashville Superspeedway first opened its doors in 2001 and currently hosts two NASCAR Nationwide Series and two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series doubleheader race weekends each year. For further information, log on to www.DoverMotorsports.com.

Kyle Busch Becomes Poster Boy For ‘Have At It Boys’ With Display of Emotion

By
SM Staff
-

When Robin Pemberton uttered those four words last year in January, a lot of people were curious as to how the drivers would react. Most thought it would equal some emotions being shown, but at the end of the year, it went beyond just a little bit of emotion.

[media-credit name=”Barry Albert” align=”alignleft” width=”300″][/media-credit]It was easily seen that Kyle Busch would be the poster boy for it, via some of his antics in the past. These antics have some fans not liking Busch for who he is.

A simple poll of the fans easily shows that one of the drivers that seems to be on everybody’s list is Kyle Busch. In asking a group of fans as to why, you quickly get the sense it has to do with attitude and actions like the above.

“He just gives off this vibe that he is better then everybody else and it’s all about him,” Evan Towle said. “Sort of like a young Tony Stewart used to be. Tony used to get on my nerves when he first started in NASCAR, but now he has matured and I like him.”

“I tend to agree with a lot of the way Kyle Busch acts,” Kyle Sedan said. “Sometimes it’s rather annoying.”

“Arrogant attitude, expects respect on the track but doesn’t give it back, whines about others when he is doing the same thing, fake,” one fan commented.

“His attitude,” Cathy Gamble Costigan simply puts it.

If you take his attitude out of the equation, then a lot of people seem to have respect for him.

“I am, personally, a Tony Stewart fan, but for Kyle, love him or hate him, he is a damn good driver,” Mike Hearty said. “Race wins don’t lie.”

“I do really like his support/involvement and commitment to short-track racing.” Sedan added.

A lot of people have been debating that he needs to change, which has come with mixed reactions.

Towle says, “We don’t need him, as the sport is doing fine without his babyish acts.”

In some ways, there are certain things that Busch has to become better at, such as some of the things that we saw this past weekend.

However overall, the sport needs somebody like Busch. His actions do spruce things up and add something different to the sport, and are needed to invoke discussion and rivalry. If everybody was the same cut, wouldn’t it get boring after a while?

As Mike Hearty and Kyle Sedan both say, it adds to the sport.

“I personally love Kyle’s attitude myself,” Hearty said. “NASCAR is entertainment and Kyle entertains in any way he can. Each sport needs a standout person the fans can have a choice to love or hate and he is the one. I do believe, though, when he matures more, his attitude will die down. I think he is young, a star and living in the moment right now.”

“People either ‘love him’ or ‘love to hate him’,” Sedan says. “So he most definitely adds to the sport, and it is good for it.”

This year was no exception as he added his own version of “Have at it Boys” to each of the divisions.

Sprint Cup Series All-Star Race with Denny Hamlin

After teammate Denny Hamlin took the air off the back of Busch’s car during the Sprint All-Star Race, Busch wasn’t too pleased at all as he called Hamlin out on it.

“Somebody better keep me from Denny Hamlin after this race!” Busch yelled on the radio. “I had this race won. It was won.”

Busch then drove the car to the garage area, parking directly in front of Hamlin’s hauler. He went inside and waited till Hamlin got there, where they had a discussion with car owner Joe Gibbs in the middle.

“Kyle had a run to the outside and with me moving up and getting real tight, it then took some air away from the front of his car and he slid up into the wall. It’s tough for me,” Hamlin told Speed. “We talked about it and basically Kyle was just frustrated; he felt like he had a really good car. Me, I just came from the back with no practice and got back to the front where we needed to be and I felt like if I gave up the lead right there then I was going to give up the win.

“I don’t think Kyle would do anything different if he was in my situation. It’s just when you’re the leader, my feeling is that you’ve got the whole race track. If a guy is to the outside. then that’s when you need to hold your line.”

Nationwide Series Food City 250 Bristol Race with Brad Keselowski

As the Nationwide race was getting closer to ending, Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski were battling hard for the lead. After contact from Keselowski caused Busch to hit the wall, Busch drove back up to Keselowski’s bumper, spinning him.

“I raced him, raced him, raced him, I don’t know, 12-15 laps? I thought I had him cleared up the back and I moved up in front of him and instead of him doing an [Dale] Earnhardt crossover, he decided to just run into the back of me and put me in the fence,” Busch said.

“That’s Brad Keselowski. So I went down into the next corner and I dumped him. He does it to everybody else, why can’t I do it to him?”

Busch won the race while Keselowski ended up 14th.

“He did a good job, almost cleared me and took it for granted that I would lift to let him in line and I didn’t,” Keselowski said. “That’s his right. We’re going to go to work on beating him next week, and the week after and every other week.”

In his victory celebration, he changed it up by mocking somebody crying like a baby instead of his bow to go along with the reaction of the fans.

Truck Series Built Ford Tough 225 at Kentucky and Championship Battle with Todd Bodine

Early in the race, it was set in stone that it would come down to a battle between Todd Bodine and Kyle Busch. On lap 82 while battling for the lead, Busch took the air off of Bodine’s truck causing him to spin. Though this ended up helping Bodine as with the unscheduled pit stop and resulting strategy, he came out as the winner while Busch finished seventh.

“Our misfortune turned out to be a fortune,” Bodine said in victory lane. “I’d like to thank Kyle Busch for driving dirty, sucking me down and getting me spun out. That (stop) gave me enough gas. He doesn’t cut anybody a break. He drives that way in every division in every race.”

Upon hearing the comments, Busch interrupted Bodine’s victory celebration to display his displeasure.

“He (Busch) doesn’t have to drive like that to win; but he does,” Bodine said. “NASCAR won’t do anything about it. He was mad because I called him out on it.”

This confrontation at Kentucky promoted a long, hard battle for the Owner’s Championship between Germain Racing (Todd Bodine’s team) and Kyle Busch Motorsports.

Martinsville was no exception to their battle as they fought hard side-by-side, and at one point, Bodine was accused of trying to fool Busch on a restart.

“If they think I was trying to do a slow restart to fool Kyle Busch, they are wrong,” Bodine said on the radio at that time. “I just didn’t get a good restart. Message delivered—I’ll work on it.”

In the end, it was KBM coming out on top.

The Complete Texas Weekend

On Friday, Kyle Busch won the Camping World Truck Series race to take over the owner’s points championship standings for Kyle Busch Motorsports.

On Saturday, Busch finished second to Carl Edwards in the Nationwide Series race, though was unhappy about it as he thought Edwards jumped the start.

“Does it f—- matter?” Busch said afterwards. “Race is over, guy’s in Victory Lane.”

On Sunday, Busch stirred up controversy again, following repairs that he had to make on pit road after a wreck.

Under caution, Busch sped off pit road to try to beat the pace car and stay on the lead lap. He caught up, but NASCAR penalized him one lap for speeding.

Busch then went on a rant on the radio against NASCAR and showed the officials the middle finger on pit road, which incurred a penalty of two laps for driver misconduct.

“I’m the only one who will stand up to ’em, and they’re gonna show me how far I can stand up,” Busch said on the radio after the penalty. He then added that it was freedom of speech, going against the constitutional rights of everybody.

NASCAR penalized Busch $25,000 and putting him on probation until December 31st for “actions dentimental to the sport of stock car racing”.

Busch released the following statement following the announcement…

“I accept NASCAR’s penalty and realize what I did during Sunday’s race at Texas was inappropriate.

“Even in my relatively short time here in NASCAR, it’s pretty obvious to everyone that I wear my emotions on my sleeve. Sometimes that passion has allowed me to find that little something extra I needed to win, and other times it’s made me cross the line. Sunday at Texas was one of those days.

 “I lost my cool, plain and simple. It’s not acceptable, and I know that. I apologize to NASCAR, its fans, all the partners who support Joe Gibbs Racing, and all the people who work so hard to give me a race car that’s capable of winning races every week. All of those people deserve better from me, and I owe it to them to keep my emotions in check.”

 

Busch had other key incidents this year, including an argument with Jeff Burton. Though with them all, he just kept being himself and holding his part in the “Have at it Boys” policy.

During the next couple of weeks, I will reflect upon these incidents as we look back at what all broke loose in 2010.

ARCA Driver Tom Hessert to Ken Schrader Racing in 2011

By
SM Staff
-

ARCA driver Tom Hessert announced that he would be running the full 2011 ARCA Racing Series schedule with Ken Schrader Racing after finishing third in points in 2010.

Hessert, who drove the No. 77 Cunningham Motorsports Dodge to one win, 10 top-fives, and 15 top-10 finishes in 2010, informed Cunningham Motorsports owner Kerry Scherer last week that he will drive in 2011 for Ken Schrader Racing.

Hessert had a solid year as he was in the thick of one of the tightest points battles in recent years with Patrick Sheltra and Craig Goess.

[media-credit name=”tomhessert.com” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]”It was an awesome year,” Hessert told the ARCA Racing Network last month. “Obviously, I’ll say that this was the best season in my career to this point. I’m a little disappointed to not win after we came from such a difference after the first eight races – 220 points down – to lead the championship for a couple of hours (laughing), at least, after Salem. We got our first win and had a bunch of top-10s and top-fives, so I’m pretty pleased.”

The first win is a moment that many refer to as the highlight of the year, as he held off Ty Dillon to win the Prairie Meadows 200 at Iowa Speedway.

“It’s incredible,” he told me of that first win. “It’s my first win in a quite awhile and to win it in that fashion and leading all those laps at Iowa Speedway in front of a great crowd and with the Camping World Truck Series teams being on hand and all those people in the garage area and on Speed, it couldn’t have been a better day.”

Hessert got into racing through his father.

“My dad raced in sports car for a long time in the late 80s/90s and I grew up going to the races,” he told me. “I went to my first race when I was two weeks old and fell in love with it then.”

His father, among others, has now given him the advice needed to get to where he is.

“My dad’s been a mentor of mine all throughout my career, as he’s obviously a race car driver,” he said. “In our series, it’s Frank Kimmel, which everyone has been saying. Kenny Schrader’s also been a great friend, a great mentor the last year-and-a-half, and there’s Andy Hillenburg.”

Hessert found himself with Cunningham Motorsports this season after a discussion near the end of last year.

“Last year, I drove the first half of the season for Andy Belmont Racing and then the second half of the year for RAB,” he said. “Then near the end of the year, one of the guys from Cunningham Motorsports called me and I went down to Georgia and met with him and it was a very attractive offer. They ran really well last year and their affiliation with some of the big teams in NASCAR was very appealing and so far, so good. I couldn’t be happier.”

Hessert had some experience running some Camping World Truck Series races near the end of the year of 2010 and has expressed interest in moving into the NASCAR ranks. Therefore this move to Ken Schrader Racing puts him in position to do with that with Schrader’s program and connections.

Cunningham Motorsports may be in trouble as Dakoda Armstrong, Hessert’s teammate in 2010, has not yet informed Cunningham Motorsports of his plans for 2011, according to a team press release. 

Cunningham Motorsports is actively looking for sponsored drivers for 2011, and continues to prepare for the January 11-13 ARCA Racing Series open test at Daytona International Speedway.

1...5,9055,9065,907...6,020Page 5,906 of 6,020

© SpeedwayMedia.com. All rights reserved.

Site Map

Archives

Popular Category