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NASCAR’s Jason Fensler Gambling On Getting His His Third Win In-A-Row In Las Vegas

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It’s been close to two months since TeamCassRacing’s Jason Fensler, has sat behind the wheel of his NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race car when the team competed in the Toyota/Napa AutoCare 150 in Roseville, California. Fensler, who started the race 15th, led the final eight laps in his TCR / Pick-n-Pull / Simple Green sponsored Chevrolet, and went to victory lane in only his second start for team owners Jim and Terri Cass.

[media-credit name=”TCR” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]The win was Fensler’s second points win in-a-row in only five starts; with his first one coming at Altamont Motorsports Park in 2008 when he drove for SpeedWong Racing. “We didn’t qualify that well. We started 15th. We had to start toward the back of the pack,” said Fensler after his win at Roseville. Fensler also added that, “We just kept ourselves in position the whole entire race and that was the key. We didn’t have real good car, but we put ourselves in position and I just knew on the last restart to get the best run I could of off of two and it worked out for us.”

“At the close of the Roseville event when we were able to take the lead, my spotter Justin did a great job. It really enabled me to focus on hitting my marks and drive a good consistent line.” Fensler who is racing as a rookie in the series is running a limited schedule because of sponsorship restrictions, and will make his next start on Saturday in the O’Reilly Auto Parts 200 at the Bullring in Las Vegas, Nevada. This will mark the Elk Grove, California natives second start in a point’s race with the team, his first start came at the season opening Toyota All-Star Showdown which is a non-points event.

Fensler qualified seventh for the showdown, and ran as high as eighth before Derek Thorn slid into race leader Paulie Harraka coming through Turn 4 on lap 206. Fensler, Dale Quarterley, David Mayhew, Darrell Wallace and Chad Boat were all involved as each driver had nowhere to go and ended in the grass in Turn 4, which ended Fensler’s night where he would finish 28th. With Fensler’s last win coming two months ago, he was asked what he’s done within that time to prepare himself for this weekend’s race, and how hard is it to get back in the car and be competitive after a two month layoff?

“I have changed a few things inside the car for comfort. Foreseeing hotter weather this weekend in Las Vegas I mainly worked on driver cooling and fluids for myself. When you have Roger Bracken preparing a car, a great crew working on it and owners like Jim and Terri Cass it makes it so much easier on myself as a driver. It really enables myself to speed that process up of getting settled back behind the wheel,” said Fensler.

Crew chief Roger Bracken has been hard at work since the last race working on the ways to improve the team, and make them stronger by communicating with Fensler as well as the team owners. “I tell ya, it’s hard to win these races, and to be the only other driver to win this season in the K&N Pro Series West, once again shows what a great team TCR is,” Fensler said.

Fensler finished with, “Roger and myself communicate very well. We have talked a lot about qualifying, since we didn’t qualify that well at Roseville, to try and improve on that. We both agree, we don’t want to spend too much time on it and let ourselves get behind on race setups.” Even though Jim and Terri are still seeking sponsorship to cover the rest of the season and are considered an underfunded team, they are still able to provide Fensler with a fast and competitive race car as well as a team that gels really well together.

Fensler added that, “Everyone on the team gives 110% to do the best we can, and at the close of the day know we can walk away knowing we did the best we can. We win as a team, we lose as a team and with that being said I personally focus on giving the best feedback I can to Roger on the chassis, and drive a smart race. These races are long races and you have to race smart and put yourself in the right spot at the end to have a shot at a victory or getting the best finish you can.”

Ford Pocono Friday Advance (Matt Kenseth)

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TJ Bell Racing Green Smoke Camry at Pocono Raceway

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Green Smoke® Driver TJ Bell Slated to Race “Tricky Triangle” Bell Hopes His Road Racing Background Will Lead to a Great Racing Performance at Pocono Raceway with No. 50 Green Smoke Camry

(Mooresville, NC June 10, 2011) – Green Smoke®, one of the nation’s leading electronic cigarette brands, first sponsored TJ Bell in his second attempt to race on NASCAR’s largest stage, the Sprint Cup Series, in the Memorial Day weekend event at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and again at Kansas Speedway. Bell and Green Smoke® learned together what many teams and accomplished drivers have learned before them – starting a new team in the highest level of competition in NASCAR is not the path of least resistance.

“Racing in the Sprint Cup Series means racing against champions, veterans, the best racecar drivers in the world who drive for the best racing organizations in the world. LTD Powersports is a new team, and we are anxious to give Green Smoke® their first appearance on the Sprint Cup Series stage. The playing field in NASCAR is as level as it has ever been, which means it’s tougher than ever to qualify for the 43-car fields that race on Sunday. We’ve learned so much about our No. 50 Green Smoke® Camry that I think we are the most confident heading into Pocono Raceway that we’ve been,” said Bell, who was impressive in his Sprint Cup Series debut at Darlington Raceway.

Green Smoke’s sponsorship of Bell is the company’s first NASCAR endeavor, as well as the first NASCAR sponsorship by any organization within the electronic cigarette industry.

“LTD Powersports is the first team to bring an electronic cigarette sponsor, Green Smoke®, into the Sprint Cup Series garage. They’ve been with us for two race weekends at Charlotte Motor Speedway and in Kansas. We hope that Pocono Raceway will be the event where we get the opportunity to put Green Smoke® in the field for Sunday’s race,” said Bell, of Sparks, NV.

Bell, a NASCAR competitor since 2003 cut his teeth in road racing and he likes his chances for getting a good starting position at Pocono Raceway with the Green Smoke® Camry.

“Pocono Raceway is a three-corner road course. It’s not an oval. I love the track. I’ve been there in the ARCA Racing Series with cars that you shift, and cars that you don’t shift. To head back there with the Green Smoke ® Camry, a car that I’ll be shifting, I couldn’t be more excited. I love racing at Pocono and it should be a great opportunity for this race team,” said Bell, who currently resides in Mooresville, NC.

T.J. Bell (Timothy Peter Bell, Jr.), born August 25, 1980 in Sparks, NV, has raced in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series. Prior to joining the stock car racing scene, he made a name for himself in the Toyota Atlantic Series. Bell has raced for more than two decades, accumulating 20 top-10 finishes in ARCA competition and 13 NASCAR career top-10s.

About Green Smoke® Green Smoke® Inc. is based in Miami, Fla. and was founded to provide smokers with an exciting new alternative to traditional cigarettes. As a leading electronic cigarette brand, Green Smoke® was amongst the first companies to deliver a simple two piece e-cigarette. Today, Green Smoke® continues to pride itself on consistently delivering the highest quality products and the most authentic e-cigarette smoking experience.

To follow T.J. Bell, visit or on Twitter @TJBell_Racing. For sponsorship information on T.J. Bell & NASCAR, contact: Dan Leon; danleon@comcast.net; 610,291.7418.

Richard Childress Press Conference Transcript

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Photo Credit: Ed Coombs

Childress Pleads the Fifth at Pocono

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Ed Coombs
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Photo Credit: Ed Coombs

Richard Childress made a brief statement but would not take questions at the Pocono Raceway Friday morning. A press release had indicated that Childress would take “Q&A” at 10 AM at the hauler of his No. 31 team. However, shortly after Childress arrived at the hauler the public relations staff came and asked what we were doing there to a bevy of laughter. He said, “Richard will make a brief statement but will not take any questions.

[media-credit id=18 align=”alignright” width=”202″][/media-credit]Childress appeared a few moments later and was very candid but the one thing that was missing was an apology. Childress basically said he was very passionate about his race teams. Childress said, “Here is the deal. I am going to make one statement on this deal. I appreciate everyone’s patience during the last week when I couldn’t talk to everyone. The main thing is I take all the responsibility for my actions last week. I am very passionate about this sport. I am passionate about my race teams, our fans and I let my emotions get…come in front of my passion. But that is behind us.”

Busch said in the media center that it was a “congratulatory bump”. He also said he’s an owner and he understands how passionate it can be. He also said that he was “racing for fifth, in the truck series.”  Busch’s conference was very interesting, if you get a chance review the entire thing here on Speedway Media.

Childress said about the fine, “We had a lot of fans to send in donations last week toward our fine, I am going to pay it personally. All that money that has been sent in, that is still coming in, we’re going to take and donate to the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma.  At least in every bad situation, something good will come out of it.”

I think its over, but it has certainly been entertaining.

Clint Bowyer to Lead Cheerios Walk for a Healthy Heart Across Golden Gate Bridge During NASCAR Week in Sonoma

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Jeremy Frankoski Ready To Hammer Down

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Johnny VanDoorn Prepared To Put Period To Bad Luck At LOR

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Maryeve Dufault; Tony Marks Racing Take Momentum To Pocono

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Germain Racing Teammates Ready to Battle for the Title of Mr. Texas

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SM Staff
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Todd Bodine during the 2011 North Carolina Education 200

Todd Bodine hasn’t had a lot go right thus far in 2011. After winning the championship last season he’s suffered what’s known as the champions curse.

[media-credit name=”Brad Keppel” align=”alignright” width=”243″]Todd Bodine during the 2011 North Carolina Education 200[/media-credit]He entered Friday night’s race in Texas with only two top fives and two top 10s after eight races. He’s yet to find victory lane.

Unlikely statistics for a driver who could do no wrong a year ago, the Onion stunk up the show. No pun intended. Even in races where he spun put and could have lost points, Bodine came back to win. Not the case in 2011 as his team has struggled to remain on track, plagued by accidents and ignition problems.

Last weekend in Kansas, Bodine finally had an uneventful race, finishing third. Now he heads to a track that during the last five visits he’s been unstoppable.

Texas Motor Speedway is Todd Bodine. Last June he won for the sixth time at the speedway, and it was his fourth win in the last five Texas races. Just as Jimmie Johnson or Denny Hamlin are guarantees at Martinsville in the Sprint Cup Series, Bodine is a guarantee in the Lone Star state.

“We always feel like we can go win at Texas any time we race there,” said Bodine.

Now is a great time to go there and for Bodine to win. Currently sitting ninth in points his Germain Racing team is working hard to repeat as champions. Unlike how easy it appears for him to find victory lane in Texas, it’s not as easy to go back-to-back as the Camping World Truck Series champ. In fact, it has yet to be done.

If Bodine is going to climb back into the title hunt Texas would be a great place to start. This time around though, Bodine believes he and his No. 30 team are going to have to work a little harder to be first to the finish line.

“Goodyear’s coming back with a different tire so the advantage we had with our old setup for our NTB/Service Central/Valvoline Tundra is one we’ll have to work on with the tire change,” said Bodine. “We’ll just have to work hard to get out Toyota to go as fast as it normally does, but I’m sure this Germain Racing team will have no problem doing just that.”

Bodine has good reason not to be concerned. Texas will be the second time that chassis GR-019 has seen the racetrack, the first being its debut at Kansas. Bodine led laps and earned just his second top five of the year. It’s given him added confidence heading into the weekend.

“The good thing about this NTB/Service Central/Valvoline Tundra is its brand new and it really responds,” he said. “This Toyota Tundra was awesome and I can’t wait to see how it runs in Texas.”

Neither can teammate and returning CWTS star, Brendan Gaughan. Back full-time in the series after what might be described as rough stints in Cup and Nationwide, Gaughan is also looking for a Texas turnaround of his own. He might also be the only challenge to Bodine as he looks to recapture his TMS magic.

Bodine has been the Mr. Texas of the last few seasons but it was Gaughan who first wore the crown. In 2002 and 2003 the competition might as well not have shown up as Gaughan won four straight races, the first driver to accomplish the feat. However, Friday night will be the first time that he’s run at the facility in a Truck since 2008.

“Big Red is on the No. 62 Tundra this week and I couldn’t be more excited to have a sponsor and they couldn’t have picked a better race for me,” said Gaughan. “Texas is a race I’ve been looking forward to racing with this Germain Racing team and I hope Todd and I can be there at the end, battling it out for a win between Germain teammates. It would make for a great race for our Texas sponsor, Big Red.”

Gaughan sits 10th in points with only three top 10s but no top fives or wins. Far from the driver who was once a weekly contender in the sport. And who was one race away in 2003 from potentially winning the championship. Now back in the CTWS, Gaughan is eager to return to prominence and Germain Racing is the place to do so.

Things just haven’t gone as planned because like his teammate, Gaughan has also been plagued by various problems. Texas couldn’t come sooner for the two. Every trip to the Lone Star state though is special for Gaughan, as Friday night will be and not just because of his history there.

Gaughan says the facility is special to his whole family and calls it one of the most important venues on the CWTS schedule next to his home track of Las Vegas. Gaughan also knows of the expectations not only on himself but the entire Germain Racing team. The company has a combined 11 Texas victories heading into Friday night.

“Texas feels different than any other race track because of the history there,” said Gaughan. “It feels great to show up at Texas, knowing that we are capable of winning with our Big Red Tundra but it’s a double-edged sword. If I have a bad race at Texas, it makes it that much worse.”

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