Have you heard the one about the cat and the vet emergency room? No? That was the tail here (he he) on Monday night.. thus no sleep, thus no Stock Car Gazette yesterday.
The cat is fine, and so here we are, back with another edition of the world-famous Stock Car Gazette for you. Well, maybe that’s overstating it a bit at “world-famous”.
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T H E * S T O C K * C A R * G A Z E T T E
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E d i t o r ‘ s * N o t e s
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Have you heard the one about the cat and the vet emergency room? No? That was the tail here (he he) on Monday night.. thus no sleep, thus no Stock Car Gazette yesterday.
The cat is fine, and so here we are, back with another edition of the world-famous Stock Car Gazette for you. Well, maybe that’s overstating it a bit at “world-famous”.
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Stock Car Gazette Columnists Speak Out!
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TV Times - Daytona 500 Winner Ryan Newman To Visit NASCAR Now
by: Lou Modestino
Fresh from his victory in the 50th Daytona 500, Ryan Newman will be on the set of NASCAR Now, ESPN’s daily NASCAR news and information program, when it airs Tuesday, Feb. 19, at 6 p.m. ET.
MORE: motorsportsnews.net/archives/1090
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Book Review: “In High Gear”, by Gina Wilkins
by: Heather Meyer
“In High Gear” is a partner book to “Forbidden Attraction“. The books’ story lines cross over, with the Grosso family and Murphy family included in both volumes.
MORE: motorsportsnews.net/archives/1091
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N A S C A R * S P R I N T * C U P * S E R I E S
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Stewart: ‘…one of the most disappointing moments in my racing career’
Can you explain your feelings after such a strong run in the race? “It’s pretty tough to come in here and say that I’m happy to go from first to third on the last lap of the Daytona 500. I just made the wrong decision on the backstretch and tried to get down in front of [...]
feeds.feedburner.com/~r/autoracingsport/~3/236798468/
Hendrick struggles at Daytona
JEFF GORDON: “We had suspension failure. We had some issues testing; all of us did. We prepared for it and felt like we had the issues fixed. The suspension is just so tough on these cars with these bumps here. You don’t know what’s taking all the load. You keep fixing one thing and it just [...]
feeds.feedburner.com/~r/autoracingsport/~3/236857573/
Penske, Ganassi sign extensions with Dodge
Dodge executives have taken team owners Roger Penske and Chip Ganassi out of the Toyota equation by signing new contracts with the two. That keeps Dodge with a four-team lineup, including Petty Enterprises and Gillett-Evernham. When Toyota first announced its NASCAR plans, there was considerable speculation that both Penske and Ganassi would eventually switch. Winston Salem Journal Bookmark [...]
feeds.feedburner.com/~r/autoracingsport/~3/237060858/
RCR teammates Burton, Bowyer in altercation after Daytona 500
Shortly after the finish of Sunday’s Daytona 500, SPEEDTV’s cameras spotted Richard Childress Racing drivers Jeff Burton and Clint Bowyer in a heated exchange in the garage area, and it appeared that Burton was repeatedly grabbing and pushing Bowyer as he was trying to walk away. Sources say that Burton was extremely upset that Bowyer was [...]
feeds.feedburner.com/~r/autoracingsport/~3/237425273/
IROC comes to an official end, all assets to be liquidated
The International Race of Champions (IROC series) officials announced today the All-Star auto racing series will liquidate all tools, equipment, race cars and memorabilia in a two-day public auction on March 7th and 8th at IROC headquarters in Tinton Falls, NJ. The IROC series has been dormant since the conclusion of the 2006 season due [...]
feeds.feedburner.com/~r/autoracingsport/~3/237814340/
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NASCAR Racer Kasey Kahne to Appear at Polaris Open House
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
snipurl.com/200bb-stockc
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Courtesy of www.Catchfence.com
Speedway Children’s Charities Atlanta Chapter To Host Inaugural Clay Shoot and Barbecue at Cherokee Rose: The Atlanta Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities will host the inaugural Clay Shoot and Barbecue on Thursday, March 6. The event will begin with lunch sponsored by Huckleberry’s and end with an awards ceremony following the shoot. Participants can test their skills with NASCAR drivers, local celebrities and media personalities as well as many corporate supporters. The Cherokee Rose Sporting Resort is located in Griffin, Georgia just a few minutes from Atlanta Motor Speedway. The Rose has a beautiful, state of the art sporting clays range. The fully automated course is set among towering pines and beautiful old hardwoods and offers exciting targets for all shooters, from the beginner to the experienced competitor. Registration and lunch provided by Huckleberry’s Barbecue will begin at 11:30 a.m. Shooters can warm-up, receive instruction while preparing for the shotgun start at 12:30 p.m. Awards will be presented immediately following the shoot. The entry fee for the March 6 Clay Shoot is $150 per participant or $500 per foursome. Tournament and station sponsorship opportunities are available at various levels. To register or learn more about the sponsorship opportunities, contact Shaun Birindelli via e-mail at shaunb@atlantamotorspeedway.com or register online at speedwaycharities.org. Speedway Children’s Charities was founded in 1984 by Bruton Smith, Chairman of Speedway Motorsports, Inc. and Sonic Automotive. Smith wanted to give back to the community and created Speedway Children’s Charities, which provides funds to charities that meet the direct needs of children. SCC best affects children’s lives by supporting organizations that work tirelessly to see that children’s needs are met and that no child is left behind regardless of illness, social environment or disability. Thanks to the generosity of many supporters, the Atlanta Chapter was able to distribute nearly $350,000 to 28 local charities at its annual grant ceremony in December 2007. - Atlanta Motor Speedway, Press Release
SPEED™ Delivers Major Daytona Speedweeks Ratings Increases - Gatorade Duel At Datona No.1 Show On Cable In Time Slot; Peaks at Nearly Two Million U.S. Households; ARCA RE/MAX Series Race Scores Best Numbers In Network History: In its second year of live and exclusive coverage of the Gatorade Duel at Daytona, SPEED delivered a 12 percent ratings increase over 2007, with race coverage scoring a final Nielsen Household Rating of 2.10 (1,512,000 households) compared to last season’s 1.87 (1,307,000 households), making it the second-most watched program in SPEED history. According to Nielsen Media Research, SPEED was ranked No. 1 among the 69 basic cable networks in Households and Total Viewers during the live Valentine’s Day broadcast of the Gatorade Duel at Daytona. “SPEED recognizes The Gatorade Duel at Daytona as an integral piece of the fabric that makes up Daytona Speedweeks,” said SPEED President Hunter Nickell. “And as a network, we never took it for granted that The Duel was a major part of a huge SPEED presence at a very historic weekend of NASCAR competition. Simply having the Duel on SPEED is great … the fact that we delivered significant ratings growth is absolutely awesome.” This year’s Duel coverage peaked at 2.65 (1,910,000 households), topping last year’s peak of 2.48 (1,728,000 households). The SPEED ratings growth continued a trend that began early in Speedweeks, with the pre-Bud Shootout edition of NASCAR RaceDay scoring a Nielsen Household Rating of 1.53 (1,101,000 households). On the first Saturday of Daytona coverage, five SPEED programs scored a Nielsen mark of “1” or better. NASCAR RaceDay was up 17 percent from a year ago, the ARCA RE/MAX Series race scored its best ratings in network history, up 16 percent (1.46 vs. 1.26), NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice was up 8 percent (1.11 vs. 1.03) and two episodes of NASCAR Live! were up 18 percent and 26 percent respectively. SPEED is the nation’s first and foremost cable television network dedicated to motor sports and the passion for everything automotive. From racing to restoration, motorcycles to movies, SPEED delivers quality programming from the track to the garage. Now available in more than 78 million homes in North America, SPEED is among the fastest-growing sports cable networks in the country and, the home to NASCAR on SPEED and an industry leader in interactive TV, video on demand, mobile initiatives and broadband services. For more information, please visit SPEEDtv.com, the online motor sports authority. - SPEED TV, Press Release
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Courtesy of Stock Car Gazette subscriber Ed B. - thanks!
Who’s the happiest man in Daytona?
www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008200813664
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Courtesy of Google Alerts
NASCAR’s foreign invasion
Canada.com - Hamilton,Ontario,Canada
Like many among the legions of diehard fans that make up NASCAR Nation, Mark Mackey wonders whether the growing invasion of foreign-born drivers - two of …
snipurl.com/200ab-stockc
Inside the mind of NASCAR’s defending champion
AutoWeek - USA
Across town or across the motor-coach lot at a NASCAR track, Chad Knaus, his crew chief, often gets the same feeling. “Yes, I have a fear of failure,” says …
snipurl.com/200bd-stockc
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Courtesy of Insider Racing News
www.insiderracingnews.com
Pat Tryson: Crew Chief Award
Pat Tryson, crew chief for the No. 2 Penske Miller Lite Dodge driven by Kurt Busch in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series, was named the WYPALL Wipers “Crew Chief of the Race” for Sunday’s Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Tryson will receive a $1,000 check as a result of his leadership and strategic thinking during the race. Despite facing tough obstacles throughout the race, Tryson and his team rebounded to finish second in the “Great American Race,” helping propel teammate Ryan Newman to victory.
A Pat on the Back From Harvick
Kevin Harvick will recognize students from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo on Friday, February 22 at 2:05 p.m. in the California Speedway media center. These students designed and built a prototype vehicle that traveled 1,902.7 miles per gallon using conventional fuel to win the 2007 Shell Eco-marathon Americas competition. The Shell Eco-marathon Americas challenges college teams to travel the farthest distance using the least amount of fuel. Teams compete using prototype vehicles fueled by conventional or alternative fuels or energy sources. The winning team receives a grand prize of $10,000 that is awarded to the team’s educational institution. The winning vehicle will also be on display at the California Speedway media center.
Pepsi Named California Title Sponsor
California Speedway has announced a multi-year agreement with Pepsi to serve as the title sponsor for the Speedway’s fall NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race. The race which traditionally takes place at the end of the Labor Day weekend and this year will run on August 31, 2008 will now be known as the Pepsi 500. In addition to its role as the title sponsor of the race, Pepsi will continue to serve as the “official soft drink and non-alcoholic beverage provider” of the Speedway, a designation the brand has held since 1997.
Winning Car Inducted
After one of the most competitive and exciting Daytona 500s in event history, Ryan Newman had his winning 50th running of the Daytona 500 car – the No. 12 alltel Dodge – inducted into Daytona 500 Experience on Monday morning. Newman, owner Roger Penske and crew chief Roy McCauley inducted their winning race machine into Daytona 500 Experience as part of the Banquet Brown ’N Serve Champions Breakfast – a day after 42 lead changes and 16 different leaders made for one of the most exciting Daytona 500s in event history. The trio participated in a fan forum inside the attraction and received their winning Daytona 500 leather jackets from Daytona International Speedway President Robin Braig. In addition, Gatorade presented the 2008 Daytona 500 champ with a framed photo from Gatorade Victory Lane.
Newman’s Plans Changed
Daytona 500 champion Ryan Newman has a few busy days ahead. He will be on “Late Show with David Letterman” tonight and on “Life with Regis and Kelly” tomorrow. Newman was born in South Bend, Ind., and he is the first driver from the state to win the Daytona 500, which could be a topic with Indiana native Letterman. “As far as Letterman and Regis and all those, I don’t watch a whole lot of TV,” Newman said. “I have watched some Letterman, and I know he’s a Hoosier and I know he’s very quick-witted and all of those things. I’ll try to give him a run for his money.”
Race and Commercial Breakdown For The 2008 Daytona 500
Total number of commercials: 122
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 65
Total number of brief promos of products/services during the race broadcast: 37
Total number of companies or entities advertised in brief promos or crawlers: 26
Start time to record race/commercial periods: 3:20 PM
End time to record race/commercial periods: 6:58 PM
Total minutes: 218
Minutes of race broadcast: 166
Minutes of commercials: 52
Number of missed restarts: 0 MORE AT…(www.cawsnjaws.com)
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Courtesy of Jayski
www.jayski.com
NEXT RACE: California Race Info/Rundown Page
www.jayski.com/next/2008/2cal2008.htm
Go or Go Home Drivers to Qualify Together: NASCAR announced in January that starting with the Cup race at California, teams outside the top 35 in owners points will be allowed to qualify together at the end of the qualifying session. The Nationwide and Truck Series used this procedure at Daytona. Sprint Cup didn’t use the new procedure at Daytona due to the unique/somewhat complicated qualifying session/races there. The thought is that nobody would have an advantage in track conditions.(2-19-2008)
Entry List for the Auto Club 500 at California Speedway is posted, 51 teams/drivers [for 43 spots] are listed, including:
Not in top 35 of 2007 owners points (2008 race attempts/owners pts standings in parens):
#00-David Reutimann (1/18)
#08-Burney Lamar (1/53)
#2-Kurt Busch [Past Champ 1](1/2 switched with #77)
#10-Patrick Carpentier (1/48)
#21-Bill Elliott [Past Champ 3](1/45)
#27-Mike Skinner (1/51)
#34-John Andretti (1/40)
#37-Kevin Lepage (1/49)
#44-Dale Jarrett [Past Champ 2] (1/17)
#49-Ken Schrader (1/46)
#55-Michael Waltrip (1/28)
#60-Boris Said (1/47)
#78-Joe Nemechek (1/41)
#87-Kenny Wallace (1/43)
#83-Brian Vickers (1/13)
#84-A.J. Allmendiner (1/44)
In the event qualifying is cancelled:
the eight who would make it [8]: #’s 2,44,21,83,00,55,34,78
missing the race would be [8]: #’s 87,84,49,60,10,37,27,08
See the full entry list at my Jayski’s California Entry List
www.jayski.com/stats/2008/entries/2cal2008-entry.htm
Lamar to run the #08 at Calif and Vegas: EM Motorsports announced that Burney Lamar will be at the wheel of the #08 Rhino�s Energy Drink Dodge Charger in this weekend�s Sprint Cup Auto Club 500 at California Speedway.� Lamar will also pilot the #08 Dodge at Las Vegas next week. Lamar is a veteran of 31 Nationwide Series starts, with his best finish being a 2nd at Daytona in the 2006 Hershey�s 300.� Lamar also has two Craftsman Truck Series starts and three ARCA RE/MAX Series starts.(EM Motorsports PR)(2-20-2008)
Different look for the #10 at Calif: Patrick Carpentier in the #10 Charter Dodge Charger seeks to make his fourth career start. The #10 will feature the purple and yellow paint scheme of Charter Communications for the Fontana race. Carpentier will be one of the few drivers in the field that have experience in both stock cars and open wheel at the 2-mile oval. He has raced there in both the Champ Car Series and the IRL. The #10 Charter Dodge Charger test at California Speedway this past January. Being outside the top-35 in owner points, Carpentier will have to qualifying for this race on time. He will battle 16 “go or go homers” for the eight open qualifying spots.(GEM PR)(2-20-2008)
U2 on the hood of the #19 at Calif: The #19 Best Buy Dodge of Elliott Sadler will feature the “U2 3D” concert movie on its hood, sides and decklid at California Speedway this weekend. Filmed in South American during their Vertigo Tour in front of 90,000 fans, “U2 3D” continues the band’s use of modern technology. With this endeavor, they once again raised the bar in creating the first digital, multi-camera real time production of its kind. The film opens February 22nd in IMAX Theaters.(GEM PR)(2-20-2008)
Special scheme for Blaney at California: Dave Blaney’s #22 Cat Camry will feature a special “Cat Paving Products” paint scheme this weekend. The design, which features Cat Paving Products machines on both sides of the car and the trunk lid, also has a “highway” look that is integral in the scheme. The equipment depicted on the #22 car for this event represents various stages of the paving process from start to finish. The PM-200 Cold Planer is used for the removal of asphalt and concrete pavements prior to re-surfacing. In addition to preparing the surface for new asphalt, a key new feature is that it has low exhaust emissions - exceeding all emission regulations for off-road applications. The AP655D is a new track-type asphalt paver which handles a wide variety of paving projects - from new construction, to resurfacing - such as the recent repaving of Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif, which was done by working around-the-clock and completed in less than 15 days.(BDR PR), see an image of the scheme on my #22 Team Schemes page.(2-20-2008) www.jayski.com/schemes/2008/22cup.htm
Skinner in the #27, with Bad Boy Mowers: Mike Skinner will run the #27 Bill Davis Racing Toyota at California Speedway, running one of two Toyota Camrys the team tested last month at the two-mile speedway [by Jacques Villenueve]. The #27 Toyota will feature the decals of Bad Boy Mowers this weekend in Fontana. Bad Boy Mowers, a Batesville, Arkansas-based company, began in 1998 with the sole purpose of producing the Bad Boy zero-turn commercial lawn mower.(BDR PR)(2-20-2008)
DIRECTV back on the #07 car: Clint Bowyer’s #07 Chevy will feature DIRECTV colors this weekend at California Speedway. DIRECTV’s corporate headquarters are in El Segundo, Calif., just 68 miles west of California Speedway. Jack Daniel’s, the team’s customary primary sponsor, will be featured on the car’s lower-rear quarter panels and deck lid.(RCR PR)(2-20-2008)
Kenseth going for 3 in a row at Calif: #17-Matt Kenseth, attempting to win the Auto Club 500 for a third-straight year, is the all-time leader in NASCAR wins at California Speedway, posting six wins total; four in the Nationwide Series and two in the Sprint Cup Series. Kenseth will run the Carhartt paint scheme on Sunday for the first of four times this season. He won this event last year in the Carhartt scheme, marking the first time Kenseth had won a Cup event in a paint scheme other than DEWALT. The other three Carhartt races in �08 are Michigan in June, Loudon in Sep., and Charlotte in Oct.(Roush Fenway Racing PR), see an image of the scheme on my #17 Team Schemes page.(2-20-2008) www.jayski.com/schemes/2008/17cup.htm
McMurray back in regular scheme:Jamie McMurray will pilot the #26 Crown Royal Ford Fusion for the first time this season. This will be McMurray�s first time in 2008 back in his Crown Royal purple and gold paint scheme. The #26 Crown Royal Ford Fusion will run a special decal on the rear quarter panel this weekend in support of �Dress for Success,� which is a program to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life.(Roush Fenway Racing PR)(2-20-2008)
Riggs testing at Kentucky: the Kentucky Speedway site reports that #66 Scott Riggs is testing the Haas CNC Racing Chevy at the track today and Wed [Feb 19-20]. Fans can watch from the Turn 3 Fan Center at no charge. Schedule subject to change daily. Test times vary.(Kentucky Speedway)(2-19-2008)
Villeneuve to announce plans: Jacques Villeneuve has scheduled a press conference in Montreal on Wednesday to announce his future racing plans. Supposedly he will race at the 24 hours of Le Mans in June and could announced a Nationwide Series ride for the Canada race and a part time ARCA ride.(2-19-2008)
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Courtesy of Stock Car Gazette subscriber Kent D. - thanks!
Press of Atlantic City.com | Sports :
Stafford Township’s Martin Truex Jr. talks about life on and off the track
www.pressofatlanticcity.com/126/v-print/story/83749.html
Nascar Returns to Basics in Hope Fans Will Return to Nascar - New York Times
snipurl.com/200ao-stockc
Veteran drivers slowing down
snipurl.com/200bg-stockc
All About Respect: NASCAR Veterans Say Young Drivers Need to Respect,
Learn from Elder Statesmen
For DeLana Harvick, few moments in life can match the excitement of watching husband Kevin Harvick wheel the No. 29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet into victory lane in the Sprint Cup Series.
But when it comes to getting her actual racing fix each weekend, the owner of Kevin Harvick Inc. can hardly wait to climb atop the pit box prior to the start of events in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
snipurl.com/200bh-stockc
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Courtesy of Scene Daily
www.scenedaily.com
Daytona 500 win different for driver, crew chief, owner
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. Ryan Newman wanted to end his 81-race winless drought in a big race. Roy McCauley wanted to make a triumphant return to his role as Cup crew chief. Roger Penske, he just hoped to finally break through with a Daytona 500 victory.
snipurl.com/200ar-stockc
‘Underdog’ Dodge stuns the competition
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. Dodge executive Mike Accavitti loved the fact that a Dodge car won the Daytona 500.
snipurl.com/200at-stockc
Jarrett realizes Daytona has been a ’special place’ to him
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. As he wheeled his Toyota around Daytona International Speedway on the final lap, Dale Jarrett thought about this track and what it had meant to him. He knew that this would be his last Daytona 500, his last chance to soak in the view from the drivers seat.
snipurl.com/200av-stockc
Daytona 500 win doesn’t hurt Newman’s contract talks
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. Did a win in the Daytona 500 solidify Ryan Newmans future at Penske Racing?
snipurl.com/200aw-stockc
Daytona 500 TV rating higher than last year
Sunday’s running of the Daytona 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Fox scored increased average audience, total audience and household ratings compared to a year ago, according to fast national figures released today by Nielsen Media Research.
snipurl.com/200ax-stockc
51 drivers entered for Sprint Cup race
Fifty-one drivers are entered in the Auto Club 500 at California Speedway this weekend, with only a few changes from the lineup at Daytona last week.
snipurl.com/200bo-stockc
NASCAR begins campaign that targets core fans
NASCAR is unveiling a brand message for the season dubbed Our NASCAR that targets its core fans, the same ones who have complained that the sport left them behind during its growth.
snipurl.com/200br-stockc
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Your ad here could be seen by hundreds of dedicated racing fans!
Contact Mike@MotorSportsNews.Net for rates and information.
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Courtesy of That’s Racin’
www.thatsracin.com
It’s an absolutely wonderful time to be Ryan Newman
THATSRACIN.COM OPINION
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - One of the biggest stories to come out of Daytona International Speedway this week, as big as Ryan Newman winning and as big as Rick Hendrick’s drivers failing to, is Kurt Busch.
www.thatsracin.com/topstories/story/11178.html
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Courtesy of Valvoline.Com
Yes, He REALLY Said That
Ryan Newman, on the push Kurt Busch gave him on the last lap of the Daytona 500. “He was the best teammate ever.”
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P R E S S * R E L E A S E S
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Martin to Make 700th Cup Start at California Speedway
Veteran will become only 13th driver in history to reach milestone
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Feb.19, 2008) – Mark Martin will make his 700th career Sprint Cup start this weekend when the green flag drops at California Speedway, becoming only the 13th driver in NASCAR history to reach the milestone.
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N A S C A R * N A T I O N W I D E * S E R I E S
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Courtesy of Jayski
www.jayski.com
NASCAR News & Notes: for the Stater Bros. 300 are posted on the California Race Page.(2-19-2008) www.jayski.com/nationwide/2008/next/02california.htm#notes
California Entry List: There are 43 drivers on the preliminary entry list for Saturday’s Stater Bros. 300 at California Speedway. The complete list is posted on the California Race Page.(2-18-2008) www.jayski.com/nationwide/2008/next/02california.htm#entry
Nationwide Series Action Live from California Saturday Night: ESPN2 continues its season-long coverage of the Nationwide Series with live, flag-to-flag coverage of the 300-mile race from California Speedway, Saturday, Feb. 16, beginning at 7 p.m. ET with NASCAR Countdown. ESPN2 will be the home of the Nationwide Series all season, with selected races on ESPN and ABC. Dr. Jerry Punch will be the lead announcer for ESPN2’s coverage, joined in the booth for analysis by Dale Jarrett and Andy Petree. Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Mike Massaro and Shannon Spake will report from the pits, while Tim Brewer will be in the ESPN DISH Tech Center. Allen Bestwick will host NASCAR Countdown with analysis by Rusty Wallace and Brad Daugherty in the ESPN pit studio.(ESPN PR)(2-18-2008)
Panther Racing announced it has signed former NASCAR driver Brent Sherman to pilot its Indy Pro Series car for the 2008 season. Sherman recently completed a test with Panther on the road course at Homestead Miami Speedway, and Panther team owner John Barnes believes the Minnesota-born driver can lead his IPS team to another championship season.(2-19-2008)
Camping World on the #2 at California: After sporting its traditional burgundy, white and gold BB&T colors last weekend at Daytona, Clint Bowyer’s #2 Chevy will showcase a Camping World paint scheme for this weekend’s Stater Bros. 300.(RCR PR)(2-19-2008)
Ferguson Named Interim Crew Chief of #64 Team: Rusty Wallace Racing has announced that the team’s lead engineer, Dale Ferguson, has been named interim crew chief for its newly founded #64 entry in the Nationwide Series. The #64 Chevy is piloted by David Stremme, Max Papis and Chase Austin. Ferguson replaces Steve Darne at the helm of the #64.(NASCAR.com)(2-19-2008)
Raybestos Rookie Notes for California: Bryan Clauson was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the Camping World 300 at Daytona. Clauson scored a sixth-place finish in the race, his best finish in six Nationwide Series races. Clauson holds a six-point lead (16-10) over Dario Franchitti in the Raybestos Rookie standings entering the Stater Bros. 300 at California. At least two Raybestos Rookies have been in the top-10 in the Nationwide Series championship standings for 21 consecutive races, dating back to the 2007 race at Kentucky. Timothy Peters was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the 2007 Stater Bros. 300, scoring a 17th-place finish. David Ragan scored the best finish by a Raybestos Rookie last season at California Speedway. Ragan grabbed a 10th-place finish in the September event.(Raybestos PR)(2-19-2008)
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Lee Montgomery: Just call him Coach Keller
If the guy in front of the bench happens to look familiar, thats because he is. Hes Coach to his young players on the Travelers Rest (S.C.) First Baptist girls and boys basketball teams, but hes known to most as the most prolific driver in the history of wha t is now known as the NASCAR Nationwide Series.
snipurl.com/200bm-stockc
RWR names interim crew chief
Rusty Wallace Racing officials say that Dale Ferguson has been named interim crew chief for the teams No. 64 NASCAR Nationwide Series team.
snipurl.com/200bp-stockc
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C R A F T S M A N * T R U C K * S E R I E S
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Courtesy of Jayski
www.jayski.com
California Speedway: Stater Bros. & San Bernardino County 200 — Saturday, February 23, 2008, broadcast live on Fox/tv beginning at 3:00pm/et. Complete race information is posted on the California Race Page. www.jayski.com/cts/next/2008/2california2008.htm
Preliminary Entry List: There are 35 trucks [including two with drivers yet to be named] on the entry list for the San Bernardino County 200 at California Speedway. Complete entry list is posted on the California Race Page.(2-18-2008) www.jayski.com/cts/next/2008/2california2008.htm#entry
Clanton out; Kvapil replacing at California: Roush Fenway Racing announced today that 2003 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Travis Kvapil will replace Joey Clanton in the #09 Zaxby’s Ford F-150 for this weekend’s Craftsman Truck Series San Bernardino County 200. Kvapil, who has nine wins in 121 Truck Series starts, will take the wheel at a track where he has three top-10 finishes in five starts. “We are going to have Travis Kvapil run the Zaxby’s Ford F-150 at California this weekend,” Jack Roush said. “After that race we will re-evaluate our plans for the rest of the season. We wish Joey Clanton the best of luck in his future endeavors and we look forward to continuing our relationship with Zaxby’s throughout the season.”(Roush Fenway Racing PR)(2-20-2008)
Melling Calif sponsor for Setzer: Dennis Setzer will sport the #18 Melling Dodge during the second race of the season. Melling is the number one supplier of oil pumps and high performance engines parts in the United States and Canada. Setzer’s tenth place finish last Friday night was his best finish at Daytona since 2004. Setzer, along with teammate Stacy Compton, both finished in the top 10 in the 2008 opening event.(BHR-Virginia PR)(2-20-2008)
Carl Burgers on board with Compton at Calif: Stacy Compton will be sporting the Carl Burger’s Dodge paint scheme this weekend at California . The Carl Burger’s Dodge dealership won the recent Dodge Dealers California promotion during January. Dodge challenged the top 20 Southern California dealers to sell the most Dodge vehicles during January. Carl Burger’s Dodge won by attaining the highest percentage of their Dodge sales objective for that month and won their name on the #4 Dodge Ram truck. Compton will be making his 17th NASCAR start this weekend at California.(BHR-Virginia PR)(2-20-2008)
Bliss teams with SS-Green Light Racing at Calif: UPDATE: One-race deal: A team representative for Green Light Racing has announced that Mike Bliss has been named the driver of the #07 Chevy for the San Bernardino County 200 at California Speedway this week with team owner named as Ken Smith of SS-Green Light Racing.(SS-Green Light Racing)(2-19-2008)
UPDATE: Former Craftsman Truck Series Champion, Mike Bliss will pilot the #07 SS-Green Light Racing Chevy truck at California Speedway. Bliss has been brought aboard for a one-race deal with the newly formed joint-venture SS-Green Light Racing. The team had an open seat for the California event and sought after a veteran named driver.(SS-Green Light Racing PR)(2-19-2008)
Hometown double duty for Skinner: Mike Skinner [#5 Toyota Tundra Toyota] won the San Bernardino 200 in front of his hometown crowd here last year before he went on to claim three wins in a row. Skinner will once again return to his hometown; he was born in Ontario , Calif. and raised in Susanville, CA which is right outside of Fontana . Double Duty… Not only will Skinner qualify and race his Toyota Tundra at California’s two-mile track, but the NASCAR veteran will also attempt to qualify the second Sprint Cup Camry for Bill Davis Racing as well this weekend. The #27 Toyota Camry will feature the decals of Bad Boy Mowers this weekend in Fontana.(Bill Davis Racing PR)(2-19-2008)
Raybestos Rookie News & Notes: #9-Justin Marks was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the February 15 Chevy Silverado 250 at Daytona International Speedway. Marks scored an eighth-place finish, his second top-10 in five career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts. Brian Scott also had a great night at Daytona, scoring a ninth-place finish. He scored his best Craftsman Truck Series finish in eight starts and first top-10. Marks holds a two-point lead (14-12) over Scott in the Raybestos Rookie standings entering the Feb. 23 San Bernardino County 200 at California Speedway. Rookie point standings following Daytona; Justin Marks 14, Brian Scott 12, Andy Lally 9, Phillip McGilton 8, Marc Mitchell 7, Colin Braun 6.(Raybestos PR)(2-19-2008)
Red Horse Racing remembers fallen teammate: Red Horse Racing and David Starr mourn the loss of fallen teammate Cornell Speas. Speas, who was the second hauler driver for the team during the 2007 season, suddenly passed away of an apparent heart attack at the age of 46 on February 7th. A lifelong dream was fulfilled by team owner Tom DeLoach and crew chief Jamie Jones when they hired him to support team hauler driver Willie Divel. Speas was laid to rest last Monday in his Red Horse Racing shirt, hat and credential pass for the last race he attended for the team last November in Texas. Starr and his Red Horse Racing team will honor Cornell during the 2008 season with their thoughts and prayers as well as a memorial sticker adorning the b-post of their #11 Toyota Tundra.(Red Horse Racing PR)(2-19-2008)
Musgrave’s stats impressive at Calif: Heading to California Speedway, Ted Musgrave has one of the best, if not the best history, of drivers entered to compete at the 2-mile track. In seven consecutive starts with the first one dating back to 2001, Musgrave has accumulated an impressive 2.6 average finish; including winning three in a row in his first three NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts at the track. When he wasn’t finishing first, Musgrave was following close behind the leaders, posting top-five finishes in each of the last four events.(HT Motorsports PR)(2-19-2008)
Hornaday returns home to compete at California Speedway: Ron Hornaday [#33 Camping World/VFW Chevy], a Palmdale, California native, will make a return visit to his home state for this weekend’s running of the San Bernardino County 200 at California Speedway. He has six Truck Series starts at California Speedway, with last year’s second-place finish being his best at the track. Hornaday’s first NASCAR Truck Series start at California Speedway came back in 1997 when he drove the #16 NAPA Chevrolet for Dale Earnhardt.(Kevin Harvick Inc PR)(2-19-2008)
Germain Racing adds Chrissy Wallace to NASCAR’s diversity program: Mike Wallace’s daughter Chrissy has been picked up by the team [Germain Racing] for NASCAR’s diversity program. She’ll start driving in ARCA and short-track races in June. “She’s a good, real cute girl who will mix it up with the guys,” [Bob] Germain said. “The first team that gets one female driver in the Cup will be helped from a marketing standpoint.” (The News-Press)(2-19-2008)
First time on the oval for Braun: Colin Braun [#6 Con-way Freight Ford] has no previous starts on the oval at California, however he has two wins in three starts on the road course. He won two Formula Renault 2000 races in 2004 at the age of 15. He also ran the Rolex Grand Am race in 2005 where he finished 13th.(Roush Fenway Racing PR)(2-19-2008)
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Courtesy of TruckSeries.Com
www.truckseries.com
Bodine Wins Toyota Shootout at Daytona
02-15-2008 | Tom Jensen, TruckSeries.com
Todd Bodine held off a fierce late-race challenge from Kyle Busch and Johnny Benson to win the season-opening Chevy Silverado 250 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race Friday night at Daytona International Speedway. It was Bodine’s first victory at Daytona. Bodine outfoxed pole-sitter Erik Darnell during the race’s final pit stop on Lap 86 to take a lead he would never surrender, bringing his Lumber Liquidators Toyota Tundra across the start-finish line 0.077 seconds over Busch’s NOS Energy Drink Toyota. Benson drove from the 35th starting position to finish third, while David Starr was fourth in the Red Horse Racing Tundra, making it an all-Toyota sweep of the top four positions. Rounding out the top five was Rick Crawford in the Power Stroke Diesel by International Ford. “This is my 20th year coming to this speedway,” said an exuberant Bodine, who was joined in victory lane by brother Geoffrey, the 1986 Daytona 500 winner. “I came here three years as a crew member, 17 years as a driver. Finished second and third, crashed hard, burned a couple times. Finally!”
truckseries.com/cgi-script/NCTS_08/articles/000001/000151.htm
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A R C A (Automobile Racing Club of America)
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Courtesy of ARCA
www.arcaracing.com
Allgaier on the March; 2nd at Daytona Headed to Salem
TOLEDO OH (2-19-08) - Justin Allgaier didn’t win the 45th annual ARCA 200 at Daytona, but it probably felt like it. Allgaier, in his family-owned no. 16 AG Tech-Hoosier Tire Midwest Chevrolet, survived the big one (barely) and finished second to Michael Annett. With record numbers watching from SPEED and a very healthy crowd in the stands, it was his career-best superspeedway finish.
www.arcaracing.com/news.cfm?contentid=6174
Crane Cams® Joins the ARCA Family of Sponsors
TOLEDO OH (2-15-08)–Officials from the Automobile Racing Club of America and Crane Cams® have announced a marketing sponsorship within the ARCA Performance Partners Program, positioning Crane Cams® as an official sponsor of the ARCA RE/MAX Series.
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Hiring Opportunity Available Through Sheltra Motorsports
Sheltra Motorsports, a full-time competitor in the ARCA RE/MAX Series is seeking a full-time employee with experience as a tire carrier to join the team in their Whitesville, Kentucky shop. General mechanic duties will be primary responsibility in the shop.
Candidate must be willing to relocate to Whitesville, Kentucky area. Competitive salary and benefits are available.
Interested parties are urged to submit a resume to Chris Knight by email at Knight849@aol.com or contact by phone at 270.233.0095 or 239.834.9797.
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U S A R (United Speed Alliance Racing)
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Courtesy of USAR
usarprocup.com
Hooters Pro Cup Series To Air on VERSUS
Friday, February 15, 2008 3:36:00 PM
Races to air in record number of Households in 2008
Myrtle Beach, S.C.-The Hooters Pro Cup Series will once again air its full schedule on a national network in 2008. However, for the first time the ultra-competitive races will air on VERSUS, a national sports network available in 74 million homes that celebrates real competition in all its forms.
As part of the agreement, all races will air on Mondays between 3 and 7 p.m. ET, eight days after the event.
“This is not only a good deal for this season, but it also gives us room for growth in the future,” said Gene Cox, USAR President. “Being able to put the series and drivers in front of a new national audience, while keeping our core fans, is exciting.”
VERSUS, a wholly owned company of Comcast Corporation, is the national cable home of the National Hockey League (NHL) and the Stanley Cup Playoffs as well as best-in-class events such as The Tour de France, Davis Cup Tennis, the Professional Bull Riders (PBR), World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) and Professional Boxing.
usarprocup.com/view_article.asp?id=2595
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N A S C A R * C A N A D I A N * T I R E * S E R I E S
www.nascarlocalracing.com/content.php?Series_ID=28
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MAHLE Clevite’s new contract with NASCAR reaches into grass roots …
After signing a new contract for the 2008 season, MAHLE Clevite Inc. will enter its second season of sponsorship of the NASCAR Canadian Tire series. A long time supporter of NASCAR racing, the company will also be sponsoring NASCAR’s …
snipurl.com/200bj-stockc
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C O L U M N S / C O M M E N T A R I E S
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Insider Racing News
insiderracingnews.com/Writers/BW/021908.html
There’s Gold On Them Thar Wheels
by Brian Watkins
Ron Ripple - NASCAR’s Biggest Fan
Daytona was Incredible
I am officially back from Daytona and all I have to say is WOW! So I started the weekend off by hanging out in the pits with Todd Bodine, who won the Craftsman Truck Series race on friday night.
feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ronripple/~3/237323020/
Allen Bestwick Emerges From The Shadows
By Daly Planet Editor(Daly Planet Editor)
As the man who hosted Inside Winston/NEXTEL Cup on SPEED for many years, Bestwick now an “esteemed panel of experts” once again. In a style well-known to NASCAR fans, Bestwick made the most of it. On the panel were a veteran driver, …
dalyplanet.blogspot.com/2008/02/allen-bestwick-emerges-from-shadows.html
Insider Racing News
insiderracingnews.com/Writers/CA/022008.html
Dodge Does It!
by Chuck Abrams
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T V * L I S T I N G S
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Courtesy of Race Fan TV
snipurl.com/llya-stockc
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20
12:00m-12:30A espn2 NASCAR Now, Ryan Burr, guest, Ryan Newman, HD, R
1:00A-2:00 SPEED AMA Monster Energy Supercross Series, Quaalcomm Stadium in San Diego, CA, Feb
9/08, HD, R
3:00A-4:00 SPEED AMA Monster Energy Supercross LITES Series, Quaalcomm Stadium in San Diego, CA,
Feb 9/08, HD, R
4:00A-5:00 SPEED CMRC Monster Motocross Nationals, Sand Del Lee, Richmond, ON, Aug 12/07, R
9:00A-10:00 SPEED AMA Monster Energy Supercross Series. Reliant Stadium, Houston, TX, Feb 16/08, HD,
R
11:00A-12:00 ESPN-CL 2003 Automobile Club of S. California NHRA Finals, Pomona Raceway Pomona, CA, Nov
9/03
12:00n-2:00P SPEED Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals, QuikTrip Center, Tulsa, OK, Jan 12/08, R
2:00P-3:00 SPEED CHAMPIONSHIP OFF ROAD RACING, Rounds 9 & 10 of the Pro 4 class from Texas Motor
Speedway, Fort Worth, TX, Oct 20/07
6:00P-6:30 espn2 NASCAR Now, Ryan Burr, HD, L
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21
12:00m-12:30A espn2 NASCAR Now, HD
3:00A-5:00 SPEED Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals, QuikTrip Center, Tulsa, OK, Jan 12/08, R
11:00A-12:00 ESPN-CL 2004 Checker Schuck’s Kragen NHRA Nationals, Firebird International Raceway
Phoenix, AZ, Mar 7/04
12:00n-3:00P SPEED NASCAR Sprint Cup Replay: Daytona 500, Daytona International Speedway, Daytona,
FL, Feb 17/08, HD, R-FOX
2:00P-4:00 ESPN-CL 1999 NASCAR Winston Cup California 500, Fontana, CA, May 2/99, winner, Jeff Gordon
6:00P-6:30 espn2 NASCAR Now, Ryan Burr, HD, L
10:00P-12:30A HDNet NASCAR Sprint Cup Daytona 500, Daytona International Speedway, Daytona, FL, Feb
17/08, HD, R-FOX
Race Fan TV does not list all the programming offered by SPEED; for complete listings go to their website, www.speedtv.com/schedule/
DISC-HDT = Discovery HD Theatre
ESPN-CL = ESPN Classic, US
HDNet = High Definition Network available on DirecTV (Channel 79) and DISH, etc.
Outdoor = Outdoor Channel (US)
VS = Versus (formerly known as OLN, Outdoor Life Network)
Always CHECK YOUR LOCAL LISTINGS!
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The Stock Car Gazette
Copyright 2002-2008 by MotorSportsNews.Net
All Rights Reserved
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Car Insurance Acura NSX for sale
