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Joey Coulter to Drive for RCR’s Second NCWTS Team in 2011

By
Official Release
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WELCOME, N.C. (November 30, 2010) – Richard Childress Racing has signed Joey Coulter to drive its second NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team in 2011.

Coulter, 20, recently finished eighth in the 2010 ARCA Racing Series point standings, his second full season of competition, on the strength of his first series victory and six other top-five finishes. He also earned the Bill France Four Crown Award, which showcases driver talent on four distinct types of race tracks during the month of August. In 2009, his rookie year, the Miami Springs, Fla., native finished fourth in the point standings, earning two pole positions and seven top-five finishes. He will be the NCWTS teammate of Austin Dillon, who finished fourth and earned rookie-of-the-year honors in the series.

“We’re excited to have Joey Coulter join RCR and to expand our NASCAR Camping World Truck Series program in 2011,” said Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. “Joey is a very talented young driver who has had a lot of success in every series he’s competed in so he will be a great addition to our Truck Series program.”

Coulter made his racing debut in 1998 driving go-karts, winning more than 50 races and multiple Florida state championships through 2005. He graduated to the Florida FASTRUCK Series in late 2005 where, in less than two seasons, won four races and finished fifth in the 2006 point standings. He competed in the former USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series and the Whelen All American Late Model Series in 2007 and 2008, earning his first stock car victory in December 2008 at Southern National Raceway Park in Kenly, N.C.

“Driving for Richard Childress Racing is an unbelievable opportunity for me,” said Coulter. “My goal when I was a kid was to make it into NASCAR and to be able to do so with an organization like RCR is a dream come true. Austin and I raced together in the ARCA Series so we’ve had a chance to get to know each other a little. His team has obviously put together a great notebook from last season that we can tap into and, hopefully, we can push each other across the finish line for the win a couple of times.”

Further details of the program will be made at a later date.

About Richard Childress Racing

Richard Childress Racing has earned more than 180 victories and 12 NASCAR championships, including six in the Sprint Cup Series with the legendary Dale Earnhardt. RCR was the first organization to win championships in the Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series. Its 2010 Sprint Cup Series lineup includes Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet), Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet) and Clint Bowyer (No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet). Bowyer drives the No. 21 Zaxby’s Chevrolet in the 2010 Nationwide Series, Austin Dillon drives the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet in the 2010 Camping World Truck Series and Tim George Jr. drives the No 31 RCR Development Chevrolet in the 2010 ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards. Ty Dillon and Ryan Gifford are RCR developmental drivers in both asphalt and dirt track racing.

Toyota NASCAR Notes & Quotes Champion’s Week

By
Official Release
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TOYOTA TIDBITS — November 29 – December 5, 2010 Here Are the Headlines:   Camry Drivers Compete in Chase   Toyota Takes Titles   Busch Breaks More Records   Tundras Tally Record Total Wins

COUNTING CAMRY CUP NUMBERS:  Toyota drivers combined for 12 wins, 41 top-five results and 81 top-10 finishes in 36 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) races in 2010.  Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) teammates Denny Hamlin (eight wins) and Kyle Busch (three wins) each captured multiple checkered flags, and David Reutimann drove to victory lane once.  Busch and Hamlin qualified for the 2010 Chase for the Sprint Cup championship playoff — ending the year second (Hamlin) and eighth (Busch) in the final standings.  Joey Logano (16th) and Reutimann (18th) also finished the season in the top-20 in points.

NATIONWIDE NUMBERS:  Camry drivers combined for 17 wins, 73 top-five finishes and 146 top-10 results in 35 NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) races in 2010.  Busch — the 2009 series champion — won a series-high 13 races, and finished third in the point standings despite running only 29 of the 35 races.  Busch also helped Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) earn a third straight NNS owner’s title.  Other Toyota racers to win NNS events in 2010 were Logano (three wins) and Marcos Ambrose (one win).  Camry drivers Logano (eighth), Jason Leffler (ninth) and Steve Wallace (10th) finished in the top-10 in points, and Toyota won its third consecutive Nationwide Series manufacturer’s championship.

RECORD-BREAKING RESULTS:  Busch enjoyed a record-setting year in the Nationwide Series in 2010.  He set a record for the number of NNS race wins in a single season with 13 — breaking the old record of 10 race wins which Busch (2009) held with Sam Ard (1983).  Busch also became the first driver to win in all three of NASCAR’s premiere series at the same race track during the same weekend when he won NSCS, NNS and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) races at Bristol Motor Speedway in August.

TUNDRA TRIUMPHS:  Tundra drivers combined for 15 wins, 59 top-five results and 123 top-10 finishes in 25 NCWTS races in 2010.  Busch won a series-high eight NCWTS races in just 16 starts with his first-year race team, Kyle Busch Motorsports  (KBM).   Tundra drivers Aric Almirola (two), Todd Bodine (four) and Timothy Peters (one) also won races in 2010.  The 15 victories by Tundra drivers were the most in a season for Toyota since joining NCWTS competition in 2004.  The previous mark for wins in a season by Tundra drivers was 14 in 2009.  Toyota drivers Almirola (second), Peters (sixth), Mike Skinner (eighth) and David Starr (ninth) also finished in the top-10 in points.

TOYOTA TITLES:  Bodine earned his second NCWTS driver’s championship in 2010 — becoming Toyota’s first two-time driver’s champion.  In the team’s inaugural season of competition, KBM earned the 2010 NCWTS owner’s championship with four drivers piloting the No. 18 Tundra during the season.  Toyota won its fifth consecutive Camping World Truck Series manufacturer’s title in 2010.  Toyota has won the award every year since 2006, and this season clinched the championship at Texas in November with two races remaining.  

TOYOTA TALLY:  Toyota drivers competed in a total of 96 NASCAR races across all three national touring series in 2010 and accumulated 44 total victories.  In 36 NSCS races, Camry drivers recorded 12 wins (33 percent) and seven poles (19 percent).  In 35 NNS races, Camry drivers accounted for 17 race wins (48 percent) and 18 poles (51 percent).  In 25 NCWTS races, Tundra drivers registered 15 victories (60 percent) and 10 poles (40 percent).

REMARKABLE JGR RESULTS:  Since the team started using Toyotas in 2008, JGR drivers — Busch, Hamlin, Logano and Tony Stewart (2008) — have earned a total of 98 wins behind the wheel of Toyota Camrys and Tundras across all three NASCAR series.  JGR has earned 30 NSCS wins and 49 NNS wins.  In addition, Busch has picked up one NNS win driving for Braun Racing and registered a total of 18 NCWTS wins — eight with KBM and 10 with Billy Ballew Motorsports.

KYLE COLLECTS CHECKERS:  This year, Busch had a season across all three of NASCAR’s national series that would be considered a good career for most drivers.  Making 81 total starts (36 NSCS, 29 NNS and 16 NCWTS), Busch won a remarkable 24 races — nearly 30 percent of the races he entered.  The Las Vegas-native recorded 45 top-five results and 57 top-10 finishes, and had 11 poles.  Busch has also earned the most victories in a Toyota with 65 total wins in a Camry or Tundra in 251 starts (15 NSCS wins, 32 NNS wins and 18 NCWTS wins).

TRUEX TAKES SECOND TITLE:  Ryan Truex clinched his second consecutive NASCAR K&N Pro Series East (NKNPSE) driver’s championship when he took the green flag at Dover International Speedway in September.  In 2010, Truex had two wins and nine top-10 finishes in 10 races. The 18-year-old Mayetta, N.J.-native posted both of his victories at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and needed only to start at Dover in the No. 00 NAPA Camry to secure the title.  Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) also won its second owner’s championship in the series.

HOLMES NOTCHES WEST CHAMPIONSHIP:  Camry driver Eric Holmes won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West (NKNPSW) championship with a 16th-place finish in the season-finale at Phoenix International Raceway to help Toyota drivers sweep the NASCAR regional series titles in 2010.  Driving the Bill McAnally Racing No. 20 Camry, Holmes won five of 12 events in 2010 en route to his third series title.  The 36-year-old Escalon, Calif., native previously won the NKNPSW championship in 2006 and 2008.  

BACK STORY:  Background information on the Toyota NASCAR program is available at www.toyotaracing.com and members of the media can access Toyota images at www.toyotamotorsportsmedia.com. TOYOTA 2009 NASCAR STATISTICS: Series Races Starts (Drivers) Wins Top-5s Top-10s Poles Times Led Laps Led NSCS 36 458 (33) 12 41 81 7 225 2,890 NNS 35 379 (37) 17 73 146 18 181 3,430 NCWTS 25 250 (32) 15 59 123 10 119 2,051

LEE WHITE, president and general manager, TRD U.S.A. (Toyota Racing Development) What are your thoughts about the success of Toyota drivers and teams across NASCAR in 2010? “We are very proud of our Toyota Camry and Tundra teams and drivers this season.  We and our teams were able to earn two manufacturer’s championships, two owner’s championships and a driver’s title.  We all supported Denny Hamlin and Joe Gibbs Racing as they battled through the final race in the Chase for the Sprint Cup title at Homestead-Miami, and we could not be prouder of their efforts.  It was an honor to once again share in the success of Joe Gibbs Racing in its Nationwide Series owner’s championship, as well as the success of Kyle Busch Motorsports in its inaugural season in the Camping World Truck Series. Celebrating Toyota’s first repeat champion with Todd Bodine is the icing on the cake.  A lot of hard work and dedication by all the Toyota teams and drivers went into the 2010 season — from the Toyota drivers and teams to all the personnel at Toyota and TRD in California and North Carolina that contributed to the program.  We look forward to carrying the momentum from this season into 2011.”

DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FedEx Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing Will the outcome of this year’s Chase provide motivation for next year? “Obviously coming this close is tough, especially the small, little things that could have changed the outcome of this Chase in one lap.  But that part of it hurts, but — you’ve got to get better at all aspects and I feel like that’s where that teams been — the 48 (Jimmie Johnson) team has been strong over the last few years.  They really have no weak spots.  There are several parts of our car, there are several parts of our team that we can improve on, and that’s a good thing, because as competitive as what we are right now, I know I need to get better in qualifying.” What emotions will you take into the off-season? “It’s going to be fuel for me.  I’m just going to try to get better.  There’s things that I can improve on as a driver.  I’ve got to work on qualifying.  I’ll study that in the off-season.  I’ve got to work on my outright speed on the short go’s, on restarts.  Those are the things that I’ve got to get better at and as a team I’ll debrief with them and tell them the things that I feel like our cars need to be to be better in the future.  I can assure you we’re going to hang our heads high because we came close this year.  We had a great year.”

JOE GIBBS, team owner, Joe Gibbs Racing What difference did you see in Denny Hamlin and the No. 11 team this year? “I just think that it’s a maturing process.  Denny (Hamlin) and Mike (Ford, crew chief) have an unusual feeling for each other.   Their team here is very solid and the pit crew.  In pro sports you can’t win if you’re missing something — a pit crew, a crew chief or whatever.  I feel like they’re a very solid team and I think they proved that this year.  And, of course, Denny is maturing.  He’s still young so hopefully we’ve got a lot of good years in front of us.”

KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 Z-Line Designs Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing What does it mean to be part of another Joe Gibbs Racing NNS owner’s championship? “It’s a great testament to the people that I’m surrounded with, with Jason (Ratcliff, NNS crew chief) and the Gibbs family and everybody that’s helped me.  I feel like we’ve done a lot of things that we really didn’t expect to do on the Cup side this year.    We had a lot of good finishes.  I felt like that was something to build upon and go into next year with a stronger feeling and a better relationship with Dave (Rogers, NSCS crew chief), and a better relationship with Dave that he has with Mike (Ford, 11 NSCS crew chief) and Zippy (Greg Zipadelli, 20 NSCS crew chief), so we can all work together again to get all three Gibbs cars in the Chase, and hammer out another championship.”

KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 TRAXXAS Toyota Tundra, Kyle Busch Motorsports What does it mean to win the NCWTS owner’s championship in the first season for Kyle Busch Motorsports? “It’s excellent — that’s what we set out in the beginning of the year to do was to come out here and work as hard as we could, to work with two different drivers at first, myself and Brian Ickler, but when Brian got the call to go drive some Roush Racing stuff, we brought in Johnny Benson for a race and we brought in Kasey Kahne for a race, and without all those guys being able to give us good, solid finishes we wouldn’t be in this position.  So it’s to them, it’s to Eric (Phillips, crew chief), it’s to Rick (Ren, general manager), all the guys.  For myself, it’s just the name on the door that said Kyle Busch Motorsports, and maybe that’s who the checks are signed by, but it takes a lot more than just that to go to the race track week in and week out.  Their families and their families’ support and my support from Samantha (Sarcinella, fiancé) and my mom and dad and my brother, too — I mean, being 25- years-old and being in this spot now, winning an owners championship, we never would have thought.”

TODD BODINE, No. 30 Germain.com Toyota Tundra, Germain Racing How does it feel to be a two-time NCWTS champion? “I never thought that I’d be a one-time champion, let alone two-time champion.  It’s because of these guys up at the track and all the guys back at the shop that — I appreciate the hard work.  It’s hard in a career to be a part of a group that cares as much as this one, and is as good as this one.  I’m fortunate now, this is our fifth year together and we’re going strong and I count my blessings every day to be a part of a group like this — that care and want to win and want to run up front and can do it every week.”

What did you do different this year compared to last year to win the title? “We didn’t really do anything different.  Last year, we just had bad luck — wrong place, wrong time.  A lot of times, we just weren’t handling well.  But, everybody stuck it out.  They dug deep, they dug within themselves to build trucks last winter.  That is one thing, last winter we went to work and re-did our trucks, re-engineered them.  We made them a lot better.”

NASCAR Champ Johnson Even More Dominating on Television than the Track

By
Official Release
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Networks Centered Their Attention Around Series Superstar in 2010

ANN ARBOR, MI, December 1, 2010 – While it should come as no surprise five-time NASCAR Champion Jimmie Johnson received the most attention during race telecasts this past season, the degree to which he dominated is staggering when considering Johnson was interviewed an entire half-hour longer, and mentioned 1,800 more times by the announcers than Series runner-up Denny Hamlin throughout the year.

       According to research conducted by Joyce Julius & Associates, Inc. — which has monitored every NASCAR race telecast over the last 25 years — Johnson’s name was mentioned 7,875 times during the 36 live event telecasts (and replays) of the 2010 season.  Johnson also appeared in a series-high 88 interview segments, which collectively added up to one hour, 31 minutes, 35 seconds (1:31:35) of television face time for the driver.

       Hamlin in comparison, who won the most races (eight) and was leading The Chase heading into the final race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, drew 6,072 announcer mentions and 56 interviews totaling 1:01:50.

       Kyle Busch also proved to be a popular interview subject, as the eighth-place driver finished tied for third among all racers with 47 interviews lasting a combined 1:07:13.

       In contrast, Matt Kenseth, a top-five points finisher, appeared in front of the cameras just 14 times in 2010 for a little more than 10 minutes.

       Of the three network combinations televising the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series this past season, TNT proved to be the most interview-friendly, as the six mid-summer races on the cable network averaged 15 driver interviews per telecast, with each lasting about 1:15.  Races on Fox saw 13 driver interviews clocking in at 1:08 apiece, while live broadcasts on ABC/ESPN generally saw 10 interviews conducted for an average of 1:03.

Year-End Top-20 Interview Results:

Rank Driver Points Interviews Interview Announcer
    Finish   Time Mentions
1) Johnson, J. 1 88 1:31:35 7,875
2) Hamlin, D. 2 56 1:01:50 6,072
3) Busch, Ky. 8 47 1:07:13 5,500
3) Harvick, K. 3 47 0:55:00 5,346
5) Gordon, J. 9 46 0:59:03 5,039
6) Stewart, T. 7 40 0:39:29 3,957
7) Busch, Ku. 11 38 0:35:32 3,114
8) Bowyer, C. 10 36 0:36:08 3,482
8) Edwards, C. 4 36 0:51:20 3,133
10) Burton, J. 12 33 0:32:51 3,483
10) McMurray, J. 14 33 0:49:44 2,899
12) Kahne, K. 20 31 0:28:37 2,269
13) Biffle, G. 6 30 0:30:06 3,357
14) Logano, J. 16 27 0:26:59 1,982
15) Earnhardt, Jr., D. 21 21 0:18:45 2,155
16) Ambrose, M. 26 16 0:15:22 1,641
16) Montoya, J. 17 16 0:08:57 3,343
18) Newman, R. 15 15 0:14:24 1,966
19) Kenseth, M. 5 14 0:10:43 2,601
19) Keselowski, B. 25 14 0:12:44 1,143

About Joyce Julius & Associates, Inc.:

         Joyce Julius & Associates, Inc. is the sports and entertainment industry leader in accurate measurement and evaluation of sponsorships and promotional programs.  Joyce Julius’ fully customizable, third party research is highlighted by in-broadcast television exposure monitoring, full media impact measurements, and fan/consumer perception analyses.

         The Ann Arbor, Michigan-based firm has been measuring the impact of corporate sponsorships across all forms of media since 1985.  These forms of media include national and regional event television broadcasts, television highlight and news programming, event radio, print media, Internet articles, along with exposure stemming from promotions and advertising, as well as event on-site elements.

MIS Fan Appreciation Program continues to reward fans

By
Official Release
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Longtime MIS ticketholders Carl and Susan Overbeck to attend NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Ceremony on Friday courtesy of MIS

BROOKLYN, Mich. (Dec. 1, 2010) ­— The reach of Michigan International Speedway’s Fan Appreciation Program has now gone to the far west of the United States.

Morristown, Arizona to be exact.

That is where longtime MIS ticketholders Carl and Susan Overbeck reside and have received the experience of a lifetime from the track’s Fan Appreciation Program.

The Overbeck’s will attend the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Banquet in Las Vegas on Friday, courtesy of MIS’ Fan Appreciation Program. Both Carl and Susan will receive two tickets to the fan area of the banquet, plus get to walk the red carpet with the stars of NASCAR and attend fan forums that will take place with NASCAR personalities.

“I was eating lunch when I received a call from MIS telling me they were giving us two tickets to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Awards Banquet,” Carl Overbeck said. “I was totally surprised and thought it was a prank or something! My wife and I have been longtime race fans and this is an opportunity we couldn’t pass up.

“Even though we retired to Arizona, we still renew our MIS tickets every year and try to get to as many races as possible. Thanks to MIS! We are looking forward to it,” Overbeck continued.

The Overbeck’s, who are fans of five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, watched the championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway and wished they could attend the banquet to see Johnson be honored for his tremendous achievement. Their wish is now a reality.

“We never thought this would ever be possible. We’ve already made our travel arrangements and will make the short trip from our Arizona home to Las Vegas to be a part of something truly special,” Carl Overbeck said. “I’ve been a race fan for over 20 years and my wife and I are very excited for this trip.”

With the ever-growing popularity of its Fan Appreciation Program, MIS continues to touch as many fans as possible. The Fan Appreciation Program provides experiential prizes to fans throughout the year, including race weekends. Since its inception in 2009, the program has given away thousands of prizes to lucky winners on a random basis.

Following the Nov. 16 renewal deadline, MIS selected Vic Loomis as its winner of the Race to Vegas contest. Loomis and his guest received a trip for two to Las Vegas to attend the awards ceremonies.

After Loomis was selected, MIS President Roger Curtis wanted to go even farther by giving away two more banquet tickets to the Overbeck’s for their support of the speedway over the years.

“Even though they live in Arizona, the Overbeck’s continue to support us by renewing their tickets every year and we appreciate that,” Curtis said. “The ultimate goal of our Fan Appreciation Program is to touch as many fans as possible and give away these unbelievable experiences. It’s exciting when we can do these things for our fans because they are the reason why we are here.”

Nestled in the lush Irish Hills of Southeastern Michigan, Michigan International Speedway is the Great Escape, a venerable NASCAR national park where fans can get away and enjoy the very best in racing and camaraderie. It’s the love of racing and the thrill of a great time for race fans and drivers alike. 

New customers can still log onto www.MISpeedway.com or call 800-354-1010 to leave a $30 deposit for the 2011 season. That deposit ensures race fans get the best pricing for 2011.

Michigan International Speedway – 2011 Schedule

Saturday, May 21       Great Lakes Wine Fest

Friday, June 17           ARCA Racing Series RainEater Wiper Blades 200

Saturday, June 18      NASCAR Nationwide Series

Sunday, June 19         NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400

Friday, Aug. 19           Gatorade Pole Day

Saturday, Aug. 20       NASCAR Camping World Truck Series VFW 200

Sunday, Aug. 21         NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

RICHMOND INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY ACCEPTING DEPOSITS ON BEST SEATS AVAILABLE FOR SPRING 2011 NASCAR RACE

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Official Release
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Crown Royal Presents The Your Name Here 400 Highlights Tripleheader Weekend

Richmond, VA (December 1, 2010)—Richmond International Raceway is accepting deposits in advance of its on-sale date for the Saturday, April 30, 2011 Crown Royal Presents The Your Name Here 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. For a $20 per ticket deposit, guests may reserve seats for the race at America’s Premier Short Track. Tickets go on sale to the general public Friday, January 14, 2011.

The Crown Royal Presents The Your Name Here 400 marks hometown hero Denny Hamlin’s return to Richmond International Raceway following his runner-up finish in the 2010 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Hamlin will attempt to win back-to-back races at America’s Premier Short Track following his victory on September 11 this past season.

Kyle Busch, the two-time defending Spring race champion, will defend his title against the likes of five-time series champion Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Hamlin, Tony Stewart and all the stars of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

The Spring 2011 NASCAR Tripleheader Weekend begins with the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race on Thursday, April 28, followed by the BUBBA burger 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series race “under the lights” on Friday, April 29. Friday’s events include practice and pole qualifying for both the NASCAR Sprint Cup and NASCAR Nationwide Series.

To place your deposit on the best available seats for the Saturday, April 30, Crown Royal Presents The Your Name Here 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, please call the ticket office at 866-455-RACE (7223). For additional information on the April 28-30 NASCAR Tripleheader Weekend at Richmond International Raceway, log on to www.rir.com.

About Richmond International Raceway:

Richmond International Raceway, known as America’s Premier Short Track, offers exciting night racing action and a commitment to the fan experience. One of the most popular facilities among drivers and fans in all of motorsports, Richmond International Raceway annually hosts all of its major events—two NASCAR Doubleheader weekends, featuring the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series—under the lights on its ¾-mile D-Shaped oval. The unique layout consistently produces the thrill of side-by-side racing, coupled with high enough speeds for a superspeedway feel. Combined with first-class amenities (including the new-for-2010 Video Scoring Tower) and a focus on the fans, guests at Richmond International Raceway can expect to experience what “Racing Perfection” truly is. For tickets to events at Richmond International Raceway, call 866-455-RACE or visit www.rir.com online. Find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @RIRInsider.

HOORAHS AND WAZZUPS: Left over Turkey

By
SM Staff
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During the gap between the conclusion of the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup season and the beginning of champion’s week in Las Vegas we thought there might be a shortage of interesting story lines. Surely time off for Thanksgiving dinner with families would have curtailed any and all NASCAR activity. That didn’t turn out to be the case.

[media-credit name=”FMCM” align=”alignleft” width=”300″][/media-credit]Over the past several days we watched a king reclaim his kingdom. We welcomed a new member to the NASCAR nation from a racing team that seemed to have a lot of babies this year and we even got to see Danica Patrick fuel the fantasy of Homer Simpson. With those thoughts in mind let’s begin with:

HOORAH to King Richard Petty for pulling off a major coup that many of us thought was not possible. Petty, along with new partners Medallion Financial Corporation and DGB Investments put up the funding to completely purchase the assets of Richard Petty Motorsports from former majority owner George Gillett. Under the troubled Gillett regime, Richard Petty Motorsports, (RPM), was named after the king of stock car racing primarily for marketing purposes. Petty was, in fact, a minority owner reported to have only four percent of the team. Under the new program he is now the Chairman of RPM and will oversee day to day operations.

Since Monday’s announcement we are starting to learn more details. It seems that the new partnership has relieved RPM of an estimated $100 million in troublesome debt which completely clears the slate for the team to focus on the 2011 season. Considering the state of the overall national economy, it’s also quite remarkable how fast Petty was able to put this investment team together.

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A HOORAH and GOD BLESS goes to Christy and Jamie McMurray who welcomed the arrival of their first child on Thanksgiving day. Carter Scott McMurray became the newest member of the NASCAR nation weighing in at seven pounds, 12 ounces and measuring a full 20 inches. Mom and son are reported to be doing terrific.

As we all know McMurray is the driver of the #1 Chevrolet for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. The arrival of young Carter McMurray marks the eighth child that has blessed a member of this racing team in 2010. It suggests that it may be time for team owners Teresa Earnhardt and Chip Ganassi to check the water that’s being distributed to their buildings.

Another HOORAH and GOD BLESS goes to Regan Smith, the driver of the #78 Chevrolet fielded by Furniture Row Racing. Smith and his long time girl friend, Megan, officially announced their engagement last weekend and we wish them the very best.

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HOORAH for a very animated Danica Patrick who made a guest appearance on the Fox Network’s popular program “The Simpsons” last Sunday night. During the episode Homer Simpson wandered off to one of his frequent fantasies. That’s when Danica Patrick appeared saying “I have a sponsor obligation to appear in men’s fantasies whenever they tell me to.” It was a very cute and funny moment.

However, WAZZUP with Homer’s wife, Marge Simpson, appearing in the middle of the scene and calling Danica Patrick “a garage bimbo?”

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From our 2011 forecast department, WAZZUP with all of the speculation we’ve been seeing and hearing regarding Hendrick Motorsports’ #48 team winning a sixth, consecutive, Sprint Cup championship in 2011? It’s even been designated as “Jimmie Johnson’s six pack.”

It’s way too early for that speculation. We should wait until he’s officially presented with the fifth championship this Friday night before we starting engraving his name on next year’s trophy. The only “six pack” we should be discussing at this point in time should be about beer.

As many fans are aware, NASCAR officials are considering making some adjustments to their Sprint Cup Chase For The Championship format. One of those changes could involve elevating the Chase line up from the top 12 drivers in the points standings to the top 15.

That leads to a WAZZUP for some of the names the NASCAR bloggers have devised for this possible change. They seem to be calling it “the Dale Earnhardt Jr. rule” and, in some cases “the Dale Earnhardt Jr. pension plan.” I must admit that second one is pretty funny.

HOORAH for some pre 2011 season bravado, along with the power of positive thinking, displayed by driver Carl Edwards. When recently asked if he felt that Jimmie Johnson was en route to becoming the greatest driver in NASCAR, Edwards, without so much as a blink of the eye, quickly responded “no, I feel like I’m better than him.”

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HOORAH to Tony Stewart for spending a portion of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend winning the first round of the Las Vegas Sprint Car Nationals. Already scheduled to be in town for the upcoming NASCAR champion’s week, Stewart arrived early and climbed into one of his self owned sprint cars to sling some mud at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s dirt track. The result was his first ever win in the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series.

It also confirms something that I’ve said for many years now. “Smoke” can drive, and win, in literally any form of racing he chooses to participate in.

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The final HOORAHS of the week goes to some humorous NASCAR notable quotables observed on “Twitter”. 

The first HOORAH goes to Darrell Waltrip and his “Twitter” report on Thanksgiving dinner where he wrote “we’ve done it again, this time (it was) honey baked ham, carrot cake and more pumpkin pie. My stretch pants won’t stretch anymore. I need a restrictor plate.”

When it comes to creative “Twitter” messages, NASCAR wife and team owner Delana Harvick is really good at it. On Thanksgiving day she wrote “dog decided to eat every piece of s**t out of the litter box. Cat litter everywhere. My fun meter is pegged.”

U.S. Army Renews Partnerships with Don Schumacher Racing in NHRA, Stewart-Haas Racing in NASCAR

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Official Release
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Tony Schumacher and Ryan Newman to drive Soldiers’ cars in 2011

FORT KNOX, Ky. (Nov. 30, 2010) – The U.S. Army Accessions Command  announced today that the U.S. Army has renewed its motorsports partnerships with Don Schumacher Racing and Stewart-Haas Racing for 2011. The U.S. Army will again sponsor Tony Schumacher’s Top Fuel Dragster in the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, while Ryan Newman’s No. 39 Chevrolet Impala will sport the U.S. Army colors as the primary sponsor for 15 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races next season. The U.S. Army also is set to continue its associate sponsorship with NHRA Full Throttle driver Antron Brown in 2011, as well as its role as the official military partner of the NHRA.

“Ryan Newman, Tony Schumacher, Antron Brown and their race crews continue to demonstrate our Army values and exhibit the mental, emotional and physical strength which are the hallmark of our Army Strong Soldiers,” said Lt. Gen. Benjamin C. Freakley, Commanding General U.S. Army Accessions Command. “Their passion for the Army and their willingness to serve as strong advocates for the great men and women who serve our country is a tremendous asset. We are extremely pleased to continue our participation in the National Hot Rod Association and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and we will use the opportunities those relationships present to tell our Soldiers’ stories and connect with Americans all across our nation.”

Next season will mark the 11th straight in which Tony Schumacher, Don Schumacher Racing and the U.S. Army will together chase an NHRA Top Fuel world championship. Schumacher has already captured seven titles, including six in a row from 2004-2009, while piloting the 22-foot U.S. Army Top Fuel Dragster. During the 2010 campaign, he drove his way to victory lane five times, raised his NHRA record for career wins to 67, and finished the season in second place in the Top Fuel points standings.

The U.S. Army will serve as the primary sponsor on Schumacher’s Top Fuel dragster for all 22 NHRA national events and as an associate sponsor for Schumacher’s DSR teammate, Antron Brown.  Brown, who piloted a U.S. Army Pro Stock Motorcycle for more than four seasons (2003-2007), rejoined the Army Racing team in 2010. He wrapped up the 2010 campaign with one win and a fourth place finish in the Top Fuel points standings. As part of the continuing partnership, he will again make personal appearances in key markets to assist the Army in reaching young Americans and their influencers. The Army will again return as the Official Military Partner of the NHRA and presenting sponsor of the NHRA Youth and Education Services Program (Y.E.S.) in 2011.

“It’s clearly been a great ride with the U.S. Army,” said Schumacher. “I’m ecstatic our relationship is going to continue. I’ve often said I would not want to drive for anyone else. There’s nothing more gratifying than to be representing of the Army Strong way of life. I definitely look forward to standing side-by-side with our brave Soldiers once again in 2011.”

The 2011 campaign will be the U.S. Army’s ninth as a primary car sponsor in NASCAR and its third teamed up with Newman and Stewart-Haas Racing. After qualifying for the Chase for the Championship in 2009, the No. 39 team just missed delivering the Soldiers’ car a spot in NASCAR’s playoffs this season.  Newman, who owns 14 career Sprint Cup victories including the 2008 Daytona 500, registered his first win in the No. 39 car at Phoenix International Raceway in April, and also racked up a pole, four top-five and 14 top-10 finishes during the 2010 campaign.

“It’s been an awesome responsibility and honor to represent more than one million Army Strong Soldiers,” said Newman. “The Army branding on our Chevrolet and uniforms inspires every individual on the No. 39 team. I can’t think of having better teammates than our brave Soldiers who have dedicated their lives to preserve our freedom. There is nothing we want more than to drive the Soldiers’ car to victory lane.”   

In addition to serving as the primary sponsor for 15 races, including the Daytona 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 Memorial Day weekend event at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway, the U.S. Army will serve as an associate sponsor on the No. 39 car for the remaining races. The U.S. Army also will serve as an associate sponsor on Tony Stewart’s No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet.

“We’re honored to continue the strong partnership with the U.S. Army,” said Stewart, co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing along with Oxnard, Calif.-based Haas Automation – the largest CNC machine tool builder in the western world. “Together, we have accomplished great things both on and off the track, and shared some very impactful experiences with the Soldiers who defend our country. Those brave men and women are inspiring to all of us at Stewart-Haas Racing, and we’re proud to represent them again in 2011.”

The U.S. Army Motorsports Program began in September 2000 when Congress directed the Secretary of the Army to conduct a five-year motorsports outreach test.  In 2003, building upon the success of the NHRA program, NASCAR was added.  In addition to sponsorship of Newman and Schumacher, the programs also include an educational outreach to high school, vo-tech and junior college students focusing on career planning, goal setting, and career opportunities in motorsports and the Army. On-site interactive displays also allow prospects and their influencers to experience what it is like to be a Soldier and to interact with Soldiers.

About The U.S. Army Accessions Command:

The U.S. Army Accessions Command (USAAC), a subordinate command of U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, meets the human resource needs of the Army by transforming volunteers into officers, warrant officers, and enlisted Soldiers.  In providing the force, the 20,730 men and women of Accessions Command prepare these future Soldiers and leaders for their initial military training. Commanded by Lt. Gen. Benjamin C. Freakley, USAAC is located at Fort Knox, Ky.

PHOENIX INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY ANNOUNCES TICKETS SALES FOR 2011 SEASON

By
Official Release
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NASCAR Sprint Cup Race Weekend Moves to February

(PHOENIX, Ariz.) – Race fans can expect great sports and entertainment value again at Phoenix International Raceway for the 2011 NASCAR season – kicking off with the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ race weekend Feb. 25-27. PIR remains the only facility in the West with two Sprint Cup Series events and the first and last stop on the West Coast for NASCAR.

PIR will host a total of seven races in 2011, including two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, two NASCAR Nationwide Series races, one NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race and two NASCAR K&N Pro Series West races. The same great individual pricing options are still available for both 2011 race weekends with Sprint Cup tickets starting at just $25, Nationwide Series for $15 and Camping World Truck Series for $7.  Add free daily on-site parking with regular tram service, live music entertainment and interactive fun throughout PIR’s interactive Midway and fans experience first-hand the “best value in NASCAR.”

New to race fans in 2011 is value pricing – fans can receive extra savings by purchasing tickets for the 2011 SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ early. The value pricing period takes place now through December 31, 2010. Regular pricing will begin on Jan. 1 and run up to the start of the event weekend.

Also new are GO Value packages starting at $40. GO 2 Days to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ 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.

Season tickets will remain at the same low price as last season, with packages starting at $99. By purchasing a season ticket, buyers will receive significant savings over the regular ticket prices along with all the benefits that come with being a season ticket holder; including appreciation events and a dedicated phone line to a PIR Fan Experience Specialist.

The SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ will kick off PIR’s 2011 event season, featuring races in NASCAR’s three top series. The SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race will take place Sunday, Feb. 27 – the series’ second stop of the season following the Daytona 500. The SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ event weekend will also feature the Bashas’ Supermarkets 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race on Saturday, Feb. 26 and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on Friday, Feb. 25.

NASCAR returns to Phoenix for its traditional fall weekend in November, featuring the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series semi-final race in the Chase for the Sprint Cup – the Kobalt Tools 500 – on Sunday, Nov. 13. The Kobalt Tools 500 event weekend will also feature the WYPALL*200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race.

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.

POCONO ANNOUNCES MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR IMPROVEMENTS

By
Official Release
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Increased Driver Safety Top Priority

Long Pond, PA. (November 30, 2010)… On June 4th of this year, Pocono Raceway officials announced, safety improvements were to be in place for the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events at the Pennsylvania Superspeedway. Work on those improvements: the installation of a SAFER (Steel and Foam Energy Reduction) barrier in the infield and a catch fence along the back stretch started in mid October and is expected to be completed by the year end.

The ‘new generation’ SAFER barrier, designed by Dr. Dean Sicking and his team at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Midwest Roadside Safety Facility and approved by NASCAR, will run on the entire length of the inside of the track from the exit of turn # 1 to the entrance of turn # 3, a total of 5,516 feet. Pocono Raceway already has SAFER barriers in place in each of the three turns that make up the ‘Tricky Triangle.’

The new catch fence will run from the end of the front stretch and connect with the existing catch fence in turn # 2, a total of 6,155 feet. A catch fence will now surround the entire 2.5 mile length of the race track.

“These improvements are aimed at increased driver safety,” stated Brandon Igdalsky, Pocono Raceway President. “We had these projects in the planning stages, before the 2010 Pocono NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events took place.”

The Pocono 500 kicks off the 2011 Pocono Raceway NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season on Sunday, June 12 followed by the Pennsylvania 500 on Sunday, August 7. Practice and qualifying will be held on the Friday prior to each NASCAR event. A 200 mile ARCA Racing Series event will be run on Saturday, June 11. The second annual Pocono Mountains 125, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event and the ARCA 125 will headline the action on Saturday August, 6.

Ticket information is available on line at www.poconoraceway.com or by calling the Raceway Ticket Office at 1-800-RACEWAY (1-800-722-3929)

NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: The king is now the boss

By
SM Staff
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Monday morning’s announcement that said “King” Richard Petty has successfully put together an investment team to take control of the NASCAR Sprint Cup team that bears his name left us all stunned. It was only this time last week that we were wondering if Richard Petty Motorsports, (RPM), was going to make it to the race track when the green flag fell on the start of the 2011 season next February.

[media-credit id=26 align=”alignleft” width=”300″][/media-credit]On Monday RPM officially signed paperwork to close the sale on the racing assets to an investment group led by Richard Petty himself along with the Medallion Financial Corporation and DGB Investments. Richard Petty will become the Chairman of the new ownership group and will oversee RPM’s day to day operations.

The team will field two Fords next year. The #43 driven by A J Allmendinger and the #9 driven by Marcos Ambrose. Best Buy Stores, and their Insignia electronics brand, was Allmendinger’s primary sponsor this year. Their current agreement was up for renewal and, as of last week, they have not signed the new contract. The speculation here says they may have been waiting to see where the future of RPM was heading. Monday’s announcement of new team ownership and apparent financial solvency will likely be a great help to that cause. Meanwhile, the Ambrose Ford is set for 2011 with primary sponsorship from Stanley Tools.

From a prepared statement, issued by RPM on Monday, Richard Petty said “today is a great day for me, my family, our fans and our wonderful sponsors. Ford, Stanley, Best Buy, Valvoline, Reynolds, the U.S. Air Force, Super 8, the Paralyzed Victims of America, Wix Filters and Menards have supported me through thick and thin and I thank them from the bottom of my heart.”

Petty was also gracious to the Gillett family, who are now the former majority owners of the team. “George and Foster Gillett deserve a great deal of credit for running a successful race team. They made a significant investment into the business and helped get (the team) back to victory lane. Going forward, we have put together an all star ownership team consisting of myself, Medallion and (DGB) VeriFone, Our partnership with Andy Murstein, (Medallion Corp.), and Doug Bergeron, (DGB Investments), will help take us to a whole new level and I could not be more excited about our future.” Petty said.

As far as the new RPM corporate line up is concerned, Petty will be keeping some very impressive company. Andrew Murstein is the President of the Medallion Financial Corporation. At twenty percent ownership, his family is the company’s largest shareholder. Medallion Financial, a publicly traded investment company, has successfully invested over $3 billion in a variety of companies since 1996.

Equally impressive are some of the names who comprise Medallion’s Board of Directors. It now seems that Richard Petty will be doing business with another hall of famer from the world of sports. Major League Baseball icon “Hammerin'” Hank Aaron is a member of the Medallion Board of Directors. Other Board notables include former New York Governor Mario Cuomo and former Connecticut Governor and Senator Lowell Weicker.

From Monday’s RPM official statement, Murstein said “we could not be happier to be able to acquire these assets together. Richard is one of the greatest names, not only in NASCAR, but in all sports. His name and image are a world recognized brand with unlimited potential to grow and expand in racing. Ample working capital has been invested in the company to insure this great team and legend will not only continue to perform, but will thrive and be back in the winner’s circle.”

DGB Investments is owned by Canadian born business investor Douglas G. Bergeron who is also the CEO of the San Jose-California based VeriFone Systems Inc. In 2001, Bergeron and DGB made financial headlines with the participation in acquiring the assets of VeriFone Systems from Hewlett-Packard for a reported $50 million.

Commenting on his latest investment, in the world of NASCAR racing, Bergeron said “with Richard Petty’s unmatched name and reputation in the motorsports industry, I know this investment is well timed to succeed. We are going to help put RPM back in victory lane.”

As early as November 21st Richard Petty was optimistic that his mission to assume control of RPM’s assets from majority owner George Gillett was on track and his team would be active during the 2011 season. “We’re going to make it,” an enthusiastic Petty said at the time. However there were observers who were highly skeptical about RPM’s future. Many of those critics felt that it simply wasn’t possible for Petty to save his team in time for the start of the new racing season. It’s now obvious that Petty knew something last week that the rest of us didn’t.

For over five decades I have been adamantly telling anyone who will listen that I am Richard Petty’s greatest fan. That driver-fan relationship began back in 1958 when a six year old bashful boy from South Carolina obtained the autograph of a future king for the very first time.

It’s sad to have to admit that I was one of those skeptics who openly wondered if RPM’s days were numbered. I also wondered if Petty, at age 73, really needed the stress of trying to put together an investment team to assume control of this racing operation. The stress from trying to keep RPM’s doors open, due to the growing financial collapse of George Gillett, over the past three months alone was enough to bring a much younger man to his knees.

I am thrilled to tell you that I was wrong. Job well done King Richard.

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