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Kvapil’s future is still in doubt

By
SM Staff
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Getting a job in the Sprint Cup Series is tough as it is. The economy doesn’t help either.

Travis Kvapil is a former Camping World Truck Series champion. One would believe teams would be throwing themselves at him after his departure from Penske Racing several years back at the completion of the 2005 season.

For the past few seasons, Kvapil drove for the underfunded Front Row Motorsports team. FRM is owned by Bob Jenkins, who owns a series of restaurants such as Taco Bell, Long John Silver, and other multi-million dollar businesses.

At the end of 2011, rumors swirled around the garage about David Ragan signing with FRM once he was released from his former team Roush Racing. Eventually, Ragan signed with FRM. The team also resigned David Gilliland and Josh Wise in the team’s second and third cars, leaving Kvapil without a job heading into 2012.

“That was tough, last year we didn’t have the results we hoped and by the end of the season we put some good runs together. But speaking for them, they were looking at different sponsorship opportunities and eventually landed with David Ragan and they had more sponsorship for things like that and it was a decision they made and they had to look at all opportunities and they’re definitely looking better,” said Kvapil on what made him leave FRM.

Lucky for Kvapil, a new team was forming out of the defunct Red Bull Racing shop.

Kvapil reached out to one of the new owners, sparking talks across the board as both sides were interested in working with one another.

“It all happened pretty quick, but it was a bit of a process for them,” said Kvapil. “It took longer than they expected to get everything together and we didn’t get everything going and the green light until February first, but we have great equipment and some really good people with guys that work really hard.”

It was announced that Kvapil will drive the car after the Daytona 500 where David Reutimann drove the No. 93 Toyota Camry to a 26th place finish in the team’s debut. But, it remains unclear if he will step behind the wheel for every race, or he will be replaced by Reutimann in the select races where he does not drive for Tommy Baldwin Racing.

“It’s not a done deal from what I’ve been told. They’ve talked to me about David Reutimann running for the team, but I think that’s still to be determined as time gets closer to those races. Hopefully, I can go out there and run competitively and have a chance of staying in the car,” said Kvapil.

But, if Kvapil is replaced by Reutimann, it could mean the partnership may last only one year, if that.

“They’ve been straight up with me from day one. They might do something with David in those races, they might not, they didn’t promise me anything that they can’t do. I knew the deal going into it so either its 26 races or the rest of the races,” Kvapil said. I’m thankful for the opportunity. They didn’t promise me more than 26 races, but there’s a possibility of running 35.”

The last time Kvapil qualified for all 36 races was back in 2008, the year he drove for Yates Racing, finishing 23rd in the standings. After the first six races in 2009, Kvapil was released from Yates as the team eventually shut down, due to sponsorship woes.

This time around, Kvapil’s situation is different, much different.

With a possibility of being replaced in several races, Kvapil has to focus on himself more than ever.

“I think it’s harder for the team to work with multiple drivers as the relationship between the driver and the team takes some time to build and you’re changing drivers then you kind of mess up the chemistry,” said Kvapil on whether or not it’s a good idea for BK Racing to split the No. 93 Burger King Toyota throughout the 2012 season.

Expectations for the new team are rather high, well at least according to Kvapil. He believes the team is capable on finishing in the top 25 on a weekly basis and eventually, making it to the top 20.

Fortunately enough, Kvapil took a car which qualified 41st and turned a bad run into an exceptional one as he drove up to 19th place by the time the checkered flag flew this past Sunday at the Phoenix International Raceway. The team proved they’re at the track to run competitive and not just ‘start and park’ like many expected.

Kvapil will head into the Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend with a renewed outlook on what it takes to run upfront. He and teammate Landon Cassill are ‘dark horses,’ but the two have much to prove.

For the entire BK Racing organization, the plan is to run the entire season with Cassill in the No. 83 with Kvapil and possibly Reutimann in the No. 93 with cars from the former Red Bull Racing team. How will they fare remains to be seen. They are off to a strong start, continuing this will easily look themselves in the top 35 in owner points by Bristol.

As a pure racer, Kvapil is determined to revamp his career once again. He is off to a strong start in 2012. His season may progress in a positive or negative way. But, it’s the chance he needed to prove he didn’t forget how to drive considering he outran both FRM drivers, Ragan and Gilliland on Sunday at Phoenix.

RCR Brings Force to Reckon With in Nationwide Series

By
SM Staff
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[media-credit name=”Simon Scoggins” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]The headlines were going crazy last season when Kevin Harvick Incorporated (KHI) announced that it was closing its doors at the conclusion of 2011. The result of that closure saw KHI’s Nationwide Series program be put under Richard Childress Racing.

The merger was met with some questions, however, they have been quickly answered this far into the season. After the second race of the season, Elliott Sadler leads the point standings, 10 points over rookie teammate Austin Dillon. Sadler won the last race at Phoenix International Speedway while Dillon and Kevin Harvick finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

The win marked a special win for Sadler as he hadn’t been to victory lane in one of NASCAR’s top three divisions since 2010 in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The win also marked a bit of revenge for last year as despite finishing second in points, the season was considered disappointing due to no victories.

One of the first moves that was made when Sadler made the shift from KHI to RCR was a change in his crew chief. Richard Childress partnered Sadler with Luke Lambert, who was the crew chief for Clint Bowyer last year in the Sprint Cup Series. Childress felt the partnership was perfect based on what he saw Sadler needed in a crew chief and how Lambert could benefit from a couple seasons spent in Nationwide.

Sadler now hopes to carry the momentum from the win into Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

“Momentum is huge in this sport,” he said. “Our team is so strong and so focused that I know the win last week at Phoenix will just add to our drive. We have one goal, and that is to win the championship, and I think this week we will continue to go along with our game plan. It was such a great feeling to be in Victory Lane, and I am so proud of our team and excited to home a win for OneMain Financial and Richard Childress Richard Childress.”

The win marked some reassurance for Sadler as he was at first concerned when Harvick told him of the switch.

“When Kevin first came to me and said, ‘Look, I’m going to sell my team to Richard. We’re going to run the team out of his shop’. I said, ‘Where is that going to leave me?’,” Sadler explained. “He said, ‘Elliott, the last time I ran for RCR, we won 13 races. You’re going to be okay.’

“When you’re affiliated with the Cup teams and the simulation programs that they have and when you’re on the same campus, you feed off of it. We race against the Cup affiliated teams all the time – Roush and Gibbs – so it just puts us on an even playing field.”

In the past couple of years, the Nationwide Series has been dominated by Roush Racing, Penske Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing – all three teams having a cup affiliation.

“I think Kevin and Delana did a great job with the Nationwide,” Childress commented after Phoenix. “But running against what Jack, Gibbs, Penske have, they weren’t quite there and that was the difference. I think Kevin once he saw that, wanted to come back. I think the difference is having a cup affiliation. I had the Cup crew chiefs scanning the three radios telling me what was going on. Now that we’re back in Nationwide, I think it helps back to the Cup due to the cars being so similar except for the motor.”

The success now puts pressure on the team to keep it going, as stated by Brendan Gaughan, who will run his first Nationwide race of the season.

“I’m really excited to race for such a great organization,” he said in the team preview. “The only downside, if there is one, is that now it’s my turn to keep the hot streak going that RCR has started off the season with.”

As the season continues, there’s no question there will be a continued battle between Joe Gibbs Racing, Jack Roush, Roger Penske and Richard Childress for the championships. It’ll all be about who can put the best package together, and right now, Childress looks to have the upper hand. It’s also known that this isn’t his first rodeo as he has won five championships in the Nationwide Series.

NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: WHO’S GOING TO CASH IN AT LAS VEGAS?

By
SM Staff
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[media-credit name=”Simon Scoggins” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]All eyes with be on the bright lights of Las Vegas when the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series makes its annual visit, to the city that never sleeps, for Sunday’s running of the Kobalt Tools 400. NASCAR racing at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway offers features a blend of hard racing to the checkers combined with the element of fuel mileage and who saved enough of the finish.

It’s also about a massive amount of fun for the fans. From the special events waiting for them at the speedway to the shows and the casinos, let’s face it: Las Vegas and NASCAR simply belongs in the same sentence. Don’t be too surprised if you look over and see one of your favorite Sprint Cup drivers sitting at a slot machine next to you.

THE STORY BREAKDOWN

One of the major stories you will hear about this weekend is “penalty watch.” We’re all still waiting to see how the appeal process will turn out for Jimmie Johnson’s #48 team. It’s been well documented that Daytona was a disaster for this five time championship team. Between the lap two crash and the harsh penalties from failing a tech inspection, this team began the 2012 season standing in a very large hole.

But these distractions clearly has not impacted Jimmie Johnson’s ability to focus on the task at hand. He proved that with a strong run at Phoenix last week that elevated the team from 44th to 37th in the points standings. Had it not been for a pit road situation, involving a loose wheel, he likely would have won the Phoenix event.  He’s heavily favored to win the Las Vegas race and still favored to win the championship despite the Daytona disaster.

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If a strong sense of human emotion still means anything in NASCAR racing, then Jeff Gordon has 20 great reasons to win at Las Vegas this Sunday. It’s the 20th anniversary of the marketing team of Gordon and Dupont Automotive Finishes. Gordon’s #24 Chevrolet will be adorned by a special paint scheme this weekend, created by NASCAR artist Sam Bass, to commemorate the occasion.

It was believed by many that Dupont took a Las Vegas sized gamble when they signed with Gordon back in 1992. That was 85 Sprint Cup wins and four NASCAR championships ago. Apparently the gamble paid off in a very big way.

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2012 also marks the 25th anniversary of team owner Jack Roush in NASCAR racing and, after winning at Daytona with Matt Kenseth, this special occasion is off to a special start. It could get better because Roush Fenway Racing has some phenomenal numbers at Las Vegas. In 14 Sprint Cup events, held there, RFR drivers have won seven of them.

Roush driver Carl Edwards is the defending race champion. It’s also the last time this driver has found victory lane. Edwards is heavily favored to end that year long win less streak this Sunday.

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If fuel mileage becomes an issue at Las Vegas, and it wouldn’t be the first time if it did, then expect to see a variation from the traditional approach to saving fuel due to the presence of the new electronic fuel injection, (EFI), engines. After what Tony Stewart went through last weekend at Phoenix, it’s a safe bet that no one is going to try the traditional turn the engine off and on maneuver. It seems that the EFI electronic system just can’t handle that.

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THE LAS VEGAS BREAKDOWN

So, who’s going to cash in at Las Vegas and who’s going to tap out? For the answer to that question we turn to the professional Las Vegas number crunchers from the World Sports Exchange, (WSE).

Topping the WSE list is the aforementioned Jimmie Johnson at 6 to 1 odds. Let’s face it, this driver has Las Vegas numbers to beat. That includes a series high four wins along with four top five finishes and five top tens along with a very healthy average finish ratio, (AFR) of 10.6. By the way, Johnson also tops the WSE list as their favorite to win his sixth Sprint Cup championship.

He needs to improve his points situation, 37th, following the season opener at Daytona. The other motivation here for Johnson is the fact that his long time primary sponsor, Kobalt Tools, is also the race sponsor. That tends to make a driver dig a little harder for the win. He also wants to be the one to give team owner Rick Hendrick his 200th Sprint Cup win.

Joining Johnson at 6 to 1 odds is the Las Vegas hometown hero Kyle Busch. The youngest Busch brother, ranked ninth in the points standings, also brings some impressive Las Vegas numbers to the table that includes two wins, two top fives and three top tens in eight starts. He also has a decent AFR of 15.0 at his home track.

At 7 to 1 is Carl Edwards who is absolutely a pre race favorite as well as the defending race winner. Ranked seventh in the current points, Edwards has some great numbers at Las Vegas including two wins, two top fives, three top tens and a healthy AFR of 11.0. Also remember that Edwards drives a Roush Fenway Ford and that team seems to excel at Las Vegas.

The WSE has Tony Stewart listed at 8 to 1 who’s 15th in the points due to the aforementioned fuel mileage move at Phoenix last weekend. “Smoke” is still seeking his first win at Las Vegas but does have five top fives and eight top tens. He also has a 13.8 AFR. His Steve Addington led team is expected to be strong again this weekend and, at 8 to 1, Stewart is another rock solid wager consideration.

Next on the WSE’s list is the dynamic duo of Jeff Gordon and Kevin Harvick at 10 to 1 odds. Again, Gordon would love to get his second win at Las Vegas in honor of Dupont’s 20th anniversary with his team. Like his team mate, Johnson, he also wants to be the one to give the boss that important 200th win. It’s no secret that Rick Hendrick has been transporting a large bag of racing caps, commemorating win number 200, for quite some time and Gordon would love to pass those hats out while his car is parked in victory lane. Gordon is currently ranked 22nd in the standings, due to a blown engine at Daytona, and he’ll want to improve that situation. He has six top fives at Las Vegas and a 14.9 AFR. He also has a series leading driver rating of 112.1 there.

Kevin Harvick is off to a solid start in the still young 2012 season and is ranked third in the points. He’s still seeking his first win at Las Vegas, but he does have three top fives, four top tens and a 13.2 AFR. Here’s yet another driver and team that’s wager worthy.

At 12 to 1 odds you will find the highly interesting duo of Kasey Kahne and Matt Kenseth. As the newest member of Hendrick Motorsports, Kasey Kahne’s bad luck, in the first two events of the season, has him at a disappointing 32nd in the points. However, when you combine this driver with long time crew chief Kenny Francis along with the resources from Rick Hendrick, there’s no reason why they shouldn’t turn into a super team. Kahne is also looking for his first visit to the Las Vegas victory lane. He has two previous top five finishes and a 14.9 AFR.  If you’re into long shot wagers, then Kasey Kahne is worthy of your consideration. The law of averages says the bad luck mini streak has to turn around somewhere and it might be at Las Vegas.

The fact that Matt Kenseth is rated at 12 to 1 seems rather surprising because of the past numbers he’s compiled at Las Vegas. He’s a two time winner there with five top fives, six top tens and a very healthy 11.7 AFR. He’s currently fourth in the points and is still carrying the momentum from winning his second Daytona 500 last month. He’s also driving one of those powerful Roush Fenway Racing Fords who has won seven of the 14 Cup races at Las Vegas. This is an outstanding long shot wager consideration because, at 12 to 1 odds, Kenseth is highly capable of becoming a Las Vegas bookie’s worst nightmare.

Looking now at the WSE’s middle tier, Greg Biffle leads a trio of drivers at 20 to 1. Biffle is off to a great start this year and is currently ranked second in the points. He also another member of that powerful Roush Fenway Racing organization.

Also in the 20 to 1 group is fan favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr who is also seeking his first win at Las Vegas. Then again, Earnhardt simply wants to rid himself of that troublesome win less streak that dates back to 2008. He also would like to be the driver that gives Rick Hendrick that 200th win.

Also in this 20 to 1 group is Brad Keselowski. He’s only had three starts at Las Vegas and is still seeking his first top ten finish there. He’s ranked this high because he’s “Bad Brad” and, on any given weekend, he’s more than capable of surprising us all.

Turning now to the WSE’s lower tier, the trio of Martin Truex Jr, Ryan Newman and A J Allmendinger are rated at 30 to 1. At 35 to 1 you will find another trio led by Clint Bowyer along with Las Vegas home town hero Kurt Busch and previous Las Vegas winner Mark Martin.

The WSE Las Vegas rankings closes with a 40 to 1 trio led by two time Las Vegas winner Jeff Burton along with Juan Pablo Montoya and Joey Logano.

If you do not see your favorite driver’s name on this week’s WSE rankings then they are automatically ranked at 8 to 1 odds. Surprisingly, this includes the name of Denny Hamlin who won last weekend’s race at Phoenix, currently leads the Sprint Cup points standings and has a healthy 11.7 AFR at Las Vegas. Also, let’s consider that the team of Hamlin and new crew chief Darian Grubb is off to a very strong start this year. That alone makes Hamlin a strong wager consideration.

Now for the disclaimer: NASCAR wants us to remind you that these odds rankings should be viewed for informational and entertainment purposes only. They neither encourage, nor condone, the placing of wagers on their races.

Not meaning to be overly sarcastic here, but that’s a very tough point to sell when the race is being held at Las Vegas.

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THE RACE BREAKDOWN

The Kobalt Tools 400 will be 267 laps/400.5 miles around the Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s 1.5 mile oval.

The race has 45 entries vying for the 43 starting berths. Ten of those entries are on the go or go home list. These teams are not guaranteed a starting berth because they are currently outside of NASCAR’s top 35 in owner’s points. These ten teams will have to depend solely on qualifying speeds to make Sunday’s race.

The Las Vegas Motor Speedway was officially opened in 1996. The first NASCAR sanctioned race, a K&N Pro Series West event, was held in November of that year and was won by Ken Schrader. The first Las Vegas Sprint Cup event was held in 1998 and was won by Mark Martin. Since that time there has been 14 Sprint Cup races held at Las Vegas that has sent eight different winners to victory lane. Jimmie Johnson tops the win list with four. Jeff Burton, Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth each have two wins at the speedway. Roush Fenway Racing tops the team win chart and has won seven of the 14 Cup races at Las Vegas including the first three races in a row.

Track position is always going to be a valuable commodity in any NASCAR Sprint Cup race and that also applies to racing at Las Vegas. Matt Kenseth holds the track qualifying record, 188.884 MPH, set in March of last year. Kyle Busch was the first driver to score a Las Vegas win from the pole position back in 2009. Six of the 14 Las Vegas Cup races have been won from starting positions within the top ten while four have been won from starting berths outside of the top twenty.

The speedway was reconfigured, to include progressive banking, in 2006. The four corners are now banked at 20 degrees. The front stretch, measuring 2,275 feet long, and the backstretch, 1,572 feet, each have nine degrees of banking. The speedway presently has grandstand seating to accommodate 142,000 plus fans.

Weather is not expected to be any concern regarding Sunday’s race. The Las Vegas weekend forecast calls for sunny skies with daytime highs between 72 and 75 degrees.

A NASCAR weekend in Las Vegas is famous for a high number of driver meet and greet with the fans. Dial up www.lvms.com for all of the details.

The Kobalt Tools 400 will be broadcast live by Fox Sports beginning with the pre race show at 230 pm eastern time. The race re-broadcast will be on Wednesday, March 14th, on SPEED beginning at 1230 pm et. PRN, Performance Racing Network and Sirius XM Satellite NASCAR Radio Channel 90 will carry the live radio broadcast of the race.

Make sure you reset your clocks, one hour forward, this weekend. Whether you’re going to be attending the race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, or watching on television, you will not want to miss a single lap of the Kobalt Tools 400.

Four-Time Champion Gordon To Headline Martinsville Speedway Fan Zone

By
SM Archive
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TENNESSEE AIR NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS TO SING NATIONAL ANTHEM FOR FOOD CITY 500; MONROEVILLE TO PERFORM SATURDAY — Going out this afternoon

By
SM Archive
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[media-credit name=”bristolmotorspeedway.com” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]TENNESSEE AIR NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS TO SING NATIONAL ANTHEM FOR FOOD CITY 500; MONROEVILLE TO PERFORM SATURDAY

BRISTOL, Tenn. (Thursday, March 8, 2012) – Members of the Tennessee Air National Guard’s 119th Command and Control Squadron from McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base in Knoxville, Tenn. will sing the national anthem Sunday, March 18 prior to the start of the Food City 500.

The McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base Quartet consists of native Tennesseans First Lieutenant Stephanie McKeen, Second Lieutenant Sarah Miller, Senior Airman Amanda Winkler and Technical Sergeant Jeannine Brown.

The foursome has been handpicked to perform for numerous local, state and federal celebrations and events, including the National Guard 375th Anniversary Celebration and numerous senior leaders military events.

Monroeville will perform the anthem Saturday, March 17, prior to the Ford EcoBoost 300/Widow Wax 125.

The six-man group, all of whom hail from Northeast Tennessee, boasts a crossover sound between progressive bluegrass and acoustic country. Group members are Daniel Salyer, Eli Johnson, Travis Houck, Zane Petty, Matthew Munsey and Matt Flake.

The group’s debut album, “Monroeville”, was released on the newly-created Monroeville Records label last May. Produced by GRAMMY nominated producer Jim Van Cleve, the project includes songs written by Skip Ewing, and Chris Stapleton, as well as songs written by Monroeville’s own Daniel Salyer. “Monroeville” also features a guest appearance by Ewing and a duet with Cia Cherryholmes.

A young band, Monroeville’s members already have reached significant career milestones as four are GRAMMY nominated artists, one is a prolific songwriter for several industry artists, and four have won National instrumental competitions.

Over the last year, Monroeville has performed at a number of nationally recognized festivals and showcases such as an appearance at Grey Fox and IBMA, and the group also has appeared on The Today Show.

Monroeville also will perform at the St. Patrick’s Day Celebration at BMS on Saturday evening.

March race weekend ticket packages, which include the March 18 Food City 500 and the Ford EcoBoost 300/Widow Wax 125, also are available, starting at $99. A package in the Wallace Tower for both Sprint Cup races also is available for $99, while packages for fans 15 and younger are available for the March races at half price. Lower-row seating for the Food City 500 is available with tickets starting at $65 for adults and $32 for children 15 and under.

Tickets for the Ford EcoBoost 300/Widow Wax 125 doubleheader also are available, starting at $35 for adults and $17 for kids 15 and under, and may be purchased by calling toll free at 1-866-415-4158, 423-BRISTOL, or online at www.bristoltix.com.

Guests are encouraged to purchase in advance while the price is $5 less per grandstand ticket than the race-day cost for the same seat.

BMS season tickets, which include the Food City 500 and IRWIN Tools Night Race Sprint Cup races, as well as both the Ford EcoBoost 300, the Food City 250 and the Widow Wax 125, also are on sale. Pricing for all four races begins at just $175 in the Wallace Tower.

Speedway Motorsports is a leading marketer and promoter of motorsports entertainment in the United States. The Company, through its subsidiaries, owns and operates the following premier facilities: Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Infineon Raceway, Kentucky Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway. The Company provides souvenir merchandising services through its SMI Properties subsidiaries; manufactures and distributes smaller-scale, modified racing cars and parts through its U.S. Legend Cars International subsidiary; and produces and broadcasts syndicated motorsports programming to radio stations nationwide through its Performance Racing Network subsidiary. The Company also equally-owns Motorsports Authentics, a joint venture formed with International Speedway Corporation to produce, market and sell licensed motorsports merchandise. For more information, visit the Company’s website at www.speedwaymotorsports.com.

Tommy Baldwin Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Advance — Las Vegas Motor Speedway

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SM Archive
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[media-credit name=”lvms.com” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]Tommy Baldwin Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Advance: Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Race: Kobalt Tools 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: 3 of 36 Track: Las Vegas Motor Speedway Track Length: 1.5 miles

Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) looks to find lady luck in Vegas this weekend. Dave Blaney will attempt to qualify the No. 36 Ollie’s Bargain Outlet Chevrolet at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (LVMS). David Reutimann looks for a solid finish in the Kobalt Tools 400 Sunday, March 11th to propel the No. 10 Accell Construction Chevrolet into the top-35 in 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) Owner Points.

TBR AT VEGAS – TBR made their team debut at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2010 after failing to qualify in the team’s rookie year. Mike Bliss drove the No. 36 to a 30th-place starting spot, the team’s best start. Blaney tallied TBR’s best finish of 36th last season after battling handling issues for most of the race.

MEET TBR DRIVERS – Fans will have the opportunity to meet both Blaney and Reutimann this week. The two drivers will participate in a free autograph session at the Casino Floor in the Riviera Hotel & Casino located at 2901 Las Vegas Blvd. South. The autograph session will take place Friday, March 9 starting at 8 p.m.

KEEPING UP WITH TBR – Keep up with TBR by following twitter.com/TBR_Racing and facebook.com/TBR.HBR.

David Reutimann – No. 10 Accell Construction Chevrolet REUTIMANN AT VEGAS – Reutimann made four starts at the 1.5-mile speedway. In three of his four starts, he finished in the top-15. His best start and finish of fourth came in 2009. The Zephyrhills, Fla., native is ranked eighth in the field for quality passes at LVMS.

ACCELL CONSTRUCTION – Accell Construction, an Oklahoma-based company, sponsored the No. 10 Chevrolet at Phoenix International Raceway last weekend. Following the event, Accell Construction saw a spike in inquiries for business. Seeing the return so quickly, the full-service civil contacting company decided to come back on board the No. 10 this weekend in Vegas. The 20-year-old company also sponsored the TBR No. 36 Chevrolet for six primary events, as well as associate races, last season.

CHASSIS NO. 356 – Chassis No. 356 is a new chassis for TBR purchased in the off-season from Richard Childress Racing.

IN THE POINTS – Headed into LVMS, the No. 10 Chevrolet sits in the 42nd spot in owner points, eight points outside the top-35 with three races before the field is set by 2012 points. The team is one point behind the No. 98 in 41st and five points ahead of the No. 21 in 43rd. Reutimann is 29th in NSCS Driver Points. He is one point behind Terry Labonte in 28th and one point ahead of Tony Raines in 30th.

David Reutimann Quotes: ON RACING AT VEGAS – “I love the mile and a half racetracks. I like going to Vegas. We have a good car, so I feel good about the race. I hope we can shake the bad luck we had last week and get a good finish. I think Vegas will be a good racetrack for us. Our focus right now is getting in the top-35, so we don’t have any issues qualifying later in the season. We’ll go into Vegas and try to make up the points we lost last week.”

Dave Blaney – No. 36 Ollie’s Bargain Outlet Chevrolet BLANEY AT VEGAS – Blaney made 10 starts at the 1.5-mile track in his NSCS career. His best start came in 2002 when he started from the 10th spot in a Jasper Motorsports machine. His best finish came with Richard Childress Racing in 2005 where he finished 13th. The Hartford, Ohio native is ranked as the seventh-best closer among the field at LVMS.

400TH START – This weekend’s start will mark Blaney’s 400th NSCS career start. The 1995 World of Outlaws Champion has raced in over 1,700 races in NASCAR and sprint car racing throughout his career.

OLLIE’S BARGAIN OUTLET – Ollie’s Bargain Outlet, one of America’s largest retailers of closeouts, salvage and surplus merchandise, joined TBR for the 54th running of the Daytona 500 and returned to the No. 36 Ollie’s Bargain Outlet Chevrolet for the Subway Fresh Fit 500. Due to customer support and good exposure in Daytona and Phoenix, the Pennsylvania-based company expanded their program with TBR to include the Kobalt Tools 400 at LVMS.

CHASSIS NO. 293 – Blaney will drive the No. 293, which he drove to a 23rd-place finish last weekend at Phoenix International Raceway. Blaney also drove his favorite chasses five times during the 2011 season. The Harford, Ohio native’s best start with the No. 293 chassis was 22nd and best finish was 23rd. TBR purchased the chassis from Richard Childress Racing, where Jeff Burton drove the chassis prior to its debut with TBR.

QUALIFY FOR THE SHOW – The No. 36 Ollie’s Bargain Outlet will have to qualify for the Kobalt Tools 400. There are 45 cars on the entry list, meaning 10 cars will qualify for eight positions. The other drivers qualifying on time are Trevor Bayne, Robby Gordon, Timmy Hill, Michael McDowell, Joe Nemechek, Scott Riggs, David Stremme, Josh Wise and J.J. Yeley.

IN THE POINTS – The No. 36 Chevrolet is now in the 16th position in NSCS Owner Points. The team is one point behind the No. 14 Chevrolet in the 15th spot and four points ahead of the No. 15 in the 17th position. Blaney also holds the 16th position in the NSCS Driver Points, one point behind Tony Stewart and four points ahead of Clint Bowyer.

Dave Blaney Quotes: ON RACING AT LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY – “Vegas will be a good test for our new engine package on the mile and a half tracks. We’re looking to have a good point day this weekend as we have so far. That way if we get into a position were we have a bad day or can’t compete because of sponsorship, we should still be solid in the top-35 in points.”

ON HIS 400TH NASCAR START – “It doesn’t feel like it will be my 400th start. I’ve probably made more than 1,700 starts in sprint and stock cars throughout my career, but it sure doesn’t feel like it. I’m just very lucky to be able to do what I love every day.”

About Ollie’s Bargain Outlet Ollie’s Bargain Outlet, founded in 1982, is one of America’s largest retailers of closeouts, salvage and surplus merchandise. Famous for its signature catchphrase Good Stuff Cheap, Ollie’s offers a huge variety of famous brand name merchandise at up to 70 percent off the regular retail price, and the assortment is always changing. Ollie’s Bargain Outlet operates 114 stores in Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Visit www.ollies.us for additional information.

About Accell Construction: Accell Construction, Inc. operates as a full service site civil contractor for the petroleum terminal and bulk storage industries and specializes in tank farm construction, tank foundations and other related site civil construction. Accell Construction’s clients know they can expect excellent safety, reliability and top-notch job performance. Accell, whose projects are always in budget and completed early, enjoys a 20 year reputation that is second to none.

Oklahoma based Accell Construction operates civil construction projects in numerous states across the U.S. and has constructed some of the largest petroleum storage facilities built in the U.S. in the last 15 years.

Accell benefits from a team of employees who bring decades of civil experience. The Accell team, many of whom have been with the company since inception, is committed to excellence and safety. All field personnel are also required to be TWIC certified. Accell has a well known reputation in the petroleum storage industry for performing the highest quality work—always in an expedient, but safe manner.

For more information on Accell Construction, visit www.accellconstructioninc.com.

About Tommy Baldwin Racing:

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) Crew Chief Tommy Baldwin formed Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) in 2009. Baldwin utilized a declining economy to open a NSCS team with a stringent budget. The team worked to build to full-time competition, and by the 2011 season, the team’s third season, TBR competed in every race and locked the No. 36 Chevrolet in the top-35 in NSCS Owner Points. Dave Blaney drove the No. 36 Chevrolet to TBR’s highest finish of third in the October 2011 event at Talladega Superspeedway. TBR also fielded a second car for select races in the past two seasons with multiple drivers.

Based in Mooresville, N.C., TBR will compete in the NSCS in 2012 with NASCAR veterans David Reutimann and Dave Blaney. The team will also compete in the NASCAR Nationwide Series with Ryan Blaney, Bobby Santos and Ryan Truex.

For more information on Tommy Baldwin Racing, visit tommybaldwinracing.com or follow us on Facebook, facebook.com/TBR.HBR, and Twitter, twitter.com/TBR_Racing.

Bayne, Motorcraft/Quick Lane Team Ready to Flex Ford Muscle at Vegas

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The Numbers — NASCAR Cup Series Races at Las Vegas

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Ken Schrader and Federated Auto Parts Debut with FAS Lane Racing

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FEDEX RACING EXPRESS FACTS — LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY

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RACE INFO: Event: Kobalt Tools 400

Date/Time: March 11/12 p.m. PT

2011 winner: Carl Edwards

2011 polesitter: Matt Kenseth

Distance: 267 laps/400.5 miles

Track Length: 1.5 miles

Banking: 20 degrees

Track Shape: D-shaped Oval

EXPRESS NOTES: Phoenix Recap: Denny Hamlin took the lead on a restart with 58 laps remaining Sunday at Phoenix International Raceway and never looked back, guiding the #11 FedEx Office Toyota Camry to victory lane in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. Hamlin masterfully circled the one-mile desert oval while conserving fuel for the final 84 laps, and had enough gas to be the first to see the checkered flag, ahead of Kevin Harvick, Greg Biffle, Jimmie Johnson and Brad Keselowski. The win is the 18th for Hamlin in the Sprint Cup Series and the 198th for the #11 in NASCAR history, tying it with the #43 for most victories all-time. Hamlin started 13th in Sunday’s 312-lap event but quickly moved into the top-10. Battling a tight condition at corner exit, Hamlin worked with new crew chief Darian Grubb and the FedEx crew to make a host of changes to the car during pit stops. The 31-year-old Virginia native spent the majority of the race’s midpoint hovering around the top-five as the car started to free up. A series of green flag pit stops near Lap 200 saw Hamlin drive up to second and close the gap on then-leader Harvick. When the caution flew on Lap 248, Hamlin was able to restart alongside Harvick and drove to the lead. One final caution helped Hamlin conserve more fuel, and while others ran out in the closing laps, the #11 machine had enough to cross the finish line first. Hamlin leaves Phoenix as the current NASCAR points leader, six points clear of second-place Greg Biffle after two of 26 regular season races.

Las Vegas Preview: Denny Hamlin is making his seventh career Sprint Cup Series start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday. He has four top-10 finishes in six starts at the 1.5-mile oval, including a career-best third-place result in 2007. Last year, Hamlin started from the back of the pack after a post-practice engine change and worked his way to the front for a seventh-place run. He finished 10th as a rookie at Las Vegas in 2010.

Race                            Series          Date Start           Finish          Laps       Led Kobalt Tools 400                        Sprint Cup      March 6, 2011           17              7               267/267 Shelby American                 Sprint Cup      Feb. 28, 2010 27              19              267/267 Shelby 427                      Sprint Cup      March 1, 2009 34              22              284/285 UAW-Dodge 400                   Sprint Cup      March 2, 2008 25              9               267/267 UAW-DiamlerChrysler 400         Nextel Cup      March 11, 2007 17              3               267/267 UAW-DiamlerChrysler 400         Nextel Cup      March 12, 2006 16              10              270/270 Averages/Totals 23.0            11.7            99.9%

FedEx Office – Closest to Las Vegas Motor Speedway: 2288 S. Nellis Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89104, (702) 431-5076

South Las Vegas Along for the Ride at Las Vegas Motor Speedway: The FedEx Freight service center in South Las Vegas, Nev., will be recognized for its outstanding performance and customer service with its “SLV” code letters on the b-post of the #11 FedEx Freight Toyota this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

HAMLIN CONVERSATION – Las Vegas Motor Speedway: Are you surprised with the early-season success with Darian Grubb after last Sunday’s victory? “Absolutely. (Phoenix was) the first chance that me and him have had to work together in a race situation where he’s going to have to make a lot of adjustments, and needless to say, it was going forward the entire day.  It’s still a learning process between me and Darian.  The communication has still got a long way to go, and he’s going to have to figure out my measurements and all that stuff of how much he needs to work on the car.  But to have the success this early just tells me that once we get things down pat, it’s going to be pretty good.”

What are your expectations at Las Vegas? “I’m going to every track this year expecting to win. We took a car in Phoenix that was off in practice and just worked on it and every time, made it a little bit better. I have faith in these guys on the team to bring fast race cars to the track and compete for the win each week.”

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