Wheaties FUEL Puts ‘Bowyer in Black’ for Coke Zero 400 at Daytona With FanVote and Sweepstakes Promotion
WELCOME, N.C. (June 6, 2011) – General Mills Inc. is putting Sprint Cup Series driver Clint Bowyer back in black. Beginning today through June 15, fans have the opportunity to put “Bowyer in Black” by voting which black Wheaties FUEL paint scheme Richard Childress Racing driver Bowyer will pilot at the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 2nd, 2011.
By visiting the official “Bowyer in Black” website at , fans can simply log on and vote for their favorite orange-and-black paint scheme. The site boasts four options for the No. 33 Chevrolet and features an opportunity for fans to enter-to-win a sweepstakes with a grand prize VIP trip for two to a Sprint Cup Series race. The package features airfare, hotel accommodations, VIP passes and $500.
The event marks the return to familiar surroundings for the four-time Sprint Cup Series winner, who drove a primarily black paint scheme the first three NSCS seasons of his career at RCR.
“I’m very excited that General Mills is giving me the opportunity to drive a black car again,” said Bowyer, the 2008 Nationwide Series champion. “It was fun to drive the Wheaties FUEL Chevrolet at Las Vegas earlier this season and any of the black paint schemes in the vote will look sharp under the lights at Daytona.”
Fans who visit the website can vote for their favorite paint scheme one time per day (with a valid e-mail address) from June 6-15 and the winning scheme and sweepstakes winner will be announced on June 20th. The sweepstakes winner will have the choice of attending a NSCS event at Daytona, Indianapolis in July or Richmond in September.
“This really is a cool deal for my fans or any fans of the sport for that matter. Not only do you get to pick the black paint scheme for my Wheaties FUEL Chevrolet at Daytona, but two fans will get to come out to the track for a VIP experience of a lifetime,” added Bowyer.
About General Mills Racing
One of the world’s leading food companies, General Mills operates in more than 100 countries and markets more than 100 consumer brands, including Cheerios, Häagen-Dazs, Nature Valley, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Green Giant, Old El Paso, Progresso, Yoplait, Cascadian Farm, Muir Glen, and more. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, General Mills had fiscal 2010 global net sales of US$16 billion, including the company’s $1.2 billion proportionate share of joint venture net sales. General Mills has been fueling race teams since 1998. In 2011 Cheerios and Hamburger Helper are the primary sponsors of Richard Childress Racing’s No. 33 Chevrolet Impala SS with Clint Bowyer behind the wheel. Visit www.cheeriosracing.com.
About Richard Childress Racing
Richard Childress Racing has earned more than 190 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 2011 Sprint Cup Series lineup includes Paul Menard (No. 27 Menard’s Chevrolet), Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet), Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet) and Clint Bowyer (No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet). Its Camping World Truck Series program includes 2010 Rookie of the Year Austin Dillon (No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) and Joey Coulter, Jr. (No. 22 RCR Development Chevrolet). Tim George Jr. (No 31 RCR Development Chevrolet) and Ty Dillon (No. 41 Chevrolet) will compete in the 2011 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards. For more information, visit www.rcrracing.com.
Robin Buck Scores First NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Win at Circuit ICAR
In the final laps, Alex Tagliani and Andrew Ranger made contact, which opened up the door for Robin Buck to capitalize and score his first career NCTS victory in the inaugural visit to Circuit ICAR.
On lap 28, Tagliani and Ranger made contact as they battled for the lead heading into turn 11 on the 15-turn, 2.113-mile road course. The incident caused Tagliani, who had led a race-high 24 laps after winning the Keystone Light Pole Award, to hit the guard rail, which brought out the caution. NASCAR then penalized Ranger a pass-through penalty for aggressive driving.
Ranger had made his way through the field after starting at the back after missing qualifying yesterday due to another racing commitment. The penalty caused Ranger to finish 21st, while Tagliani worked is way back to eighth on the final green-white-checkered.
Scott Steckly, last week’s race winner, finished second, followed by Don Thompson Jr., L.P. Dumoulin and Mark Dilley. Jeff Lapcevich finished sixth while JR Fitzpatrick fought his way back to seventh after having a flat tire on lap 26. Tagliani was eighth while John Farano and Jason White rounded out the top 10.
The race was slowed by a total of four cautions as the first came out on lap seven for debris in turn 13. The second caution was for Isabelle Tremblay stopping in turn 11 on lap 14 while the third was on lap 24 for debris in turn three.
The race will air on TSN at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday June 12th while the next Canadian Tire Series race is Keystone Light 200 at Delaware Speedway on Saturday June 11th.
Second again and moving up; Earnhardt Jr. is back
[media-credit name=”Brad Keppel” align=”alignright” width=”215″]
[/media-credit]Dale Earnhardt Jr. has done everything but win thus far in 2011. He’s won a pole, wrecked, led laps and finished well. But he still hasn’t found a way to snap the looming over 100 race winless streak.
He’s come close in races such as Martinsville and Charlotte where he was in the lead until Kevin Harvick came along for the win on both occasions. Sunday in Kansas, Earnhardt Jr. and the No. 88 National Guard/AMP Energy team worked themselves to another great finish, but it came in a way they would have preferred to avoid.
During a period where Earnhardt Jr. said he was trying to find more speed and gain ground, he “busted my butt in three and four” and spun out. It sent him to the rear of the field after making a pit stop. That however set them up to run the race with just one remaining stop while the leaders would have to pit twice.
Leaders started to pit as the laps wound down and Earnhardt Jr. climbed up the board. Eventually he found himself running second to Brad Keselowski who was making the fuel gamble also. In the end, Earnhardt Jr. would tie his best finish of the season, second.
“We got lucky at the end on fuel mileage to get second place,” said Earnhardt Jr. “We ran real good. We found some speed at the end of the last practice and when the race started the car was pretty good and I think we made it better in the race. It’s just so hard to pass here, the worst I’ve ever seen it and starting where we did wasn’t easy.”
Luckily points are given where you finish and not where you start. Earnhardt Jr. moved into third in the series points standings, just 41 out of the lead. He also has the second best average.
While some are quick to point out that Earnhardt Jr. has appeared more lucky than good this season, he’ll agree to a point. Acknowledging that his team has been performing very well.
“We’ve had some runs were we drove ourselves into the position we finished,” he said. “We finished well by running well and by getting lucky. That’s what championship teams do. You always scratch your head when Jimmie [Johnson] and those guys look like they’re out of it in and the next thing you know at the end of the race they’re right in the middle it. Now, I guess I’m on that side of the fence.”
The 2011 season is the first in many were Earnhardt Jr. has been in contention. Revealing last weekend after Charlotte that he looks forward to coming to the racetrack each weekend, no longer having to force himself to find something to be happy about. Other members of the team say they love being able to come to the track knowing they have a chance to win.
Earnhardt Jr. has had fast cars and a few chances to win already. A little luck here or strategy there and who knows.
A different Earnhardt Jr. attitude has taken center stage and no longer is it a stretch to talk about an eventual win. Such as what almost was on Sunday in another fuel mileage race.
“We did what we had to do, I’m happy,” said Earnhardt Jr.
He was also happy to praise his new crew chief, who has been credited with a big part in Earnhardt Jr.’s turnaround. For the second week in a row, Steve Letarte knew that the only way to get his driver back in contention with the cards they were dealt was through pit strategy.
Last Sunday night in Charlotte they were just a few hundred yards from the win, but ended up seventh. But Letarte didn’t shy away from trying again and kept Earnhardt Jr. on the track and coached him toward the front and a second place finish.
“Me and him get along great,” said Earnhardt Jr. “He’s a good crew chief and he’s real smart with the cars. He’s not afraid to try what he sees other people doing. He’s just sharp, we all could do better and be better at our job. Right now it’s working out. We’re getting along great, we’re running good. Hopefully we can keep it up, it’s going along good. I’m not going to do anything to mess it up, I’m going to stay on the positive side and work hard right along with him and give him everything he needs.”
