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The TV ratings still continue upward surge according to Speed and the Jayski.com web page for NASCAR’s Truck Series. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race from Atlanta scored a Nielsen Household Rating of 1.00 (732,000 households), a dramatic 79-percent increase from last year’s .56 (410,000 households). As a growing number of race fans continue to tune in to the closest points race in all of NASCAR’s top three national divisions, the Atlanta race peaked at a rating of 1.17 (855,000 households), up 44 percent from last year’s peak of .81 (588,000 households). |
The Atlanta numbers mark the sixth time this season that Truck Racing on SPEED has hit or surpassed a full 1.00 rating and the 16th time Nielsen ratings have increased year-to-year on SPEED. Younger audiences continue to tune into NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series racing on SPEED, as ratings for Men 18-49 were up 84 percent from Atlanta and ratings for Men 18-34 were up 92 percent. This report came from the Speed Channel. Some attribute the up tick to the fact that the competition and action is much better than in the Sprint Cup and the Nationwide Series.
It’s pretty much a different story for the top tier NASCAR division. The final Atlanta TV ratings ARE down. ABC’s coverage of the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway earned a final national rating of 3.6, down from the 4.0 the race earned last year when it also was telecast on ABC. The race averaged 5,611,102 viewers. Ratings for the Chase for the Sprint Cup on ABC are even with last year at an average of 3.8 through seven races. This report came from ESPN and StockCarGazette.com.
SPEED released the live event schedule for season three of its hit television show, PINKS All Out (PAO) presented by NAPA. The 2009 schedule encompasses nine of the ten episodes constituting season three, which, along with its sister series PINKS All Outtakes, is currently set to premiere in July of 2009. The first shoot of season three is set for Montgomery (Ala.) Motorsports Park on Nov. 15.
Hosted by executive producer Rich Christensen, creator of PINKS, PAO events witnessed a great deal of at-track growth in 2008, topping out with more than 30,000 fans in attendance at last season’s shoots from Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio and Gateway International Raceway, a track on the outskirts of St. Louis. The series features Christensen’s now famous ‘arm drop’ starts, as he and his team of technical advisors pour through the elapsed times and credentials of more than 450 grassroots drag racers in an effort to find a $10,000 winner (and a new NAPA tool chest) for the episode.
“This (2008) has been a banner year for this series, exceeding our hopes and expectations in numerous ways,” said Robert Ecker, SPEED VP of Programming and Executive Producer of PINKS All Out. “None of this would have been possible without the enthusiastic support of our many partners at tracks all across America. With this in mind, the schedule for 2009 reflects the ongoing commitment of everyone involved to ensure that participants and fans enjoy an even better one-of-a-kind experience when PAO comes to their local track.”
PINKS All Out opens 2009 just outside New Orleans on Feb. 28 at owner Pat Joffrion’s No Problem Raceway – closing out a week of activity including the famous Mardi Gras celebration. On April 25, the show will be shot at Charlotte’s new zMax Dragway, coined ‘The Bellagio of Drag Racing’ for its plentiful fan amenities and expansive grandstands.
Historic venues will also be a part of next year’s mix, as PAO visits the hallowed grounds of both O’Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis and Auto Club Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif. Just a week after the Indianapolis 500 is complete; PINKS All Out will visit the home of NHRA’s historic U.S. Nationals, the world’s most prestigious drag race. To close out the season, PINKS All Out will shoot an episode at Auto Club Famoso Raceway, a track many consider the epicenter of Southern California hot rod culture.
Memphis (Tenn.) Motorsports Park (May 9), U.S. 131 Motorsports Park (Martin, Mich.) (July 11) and Pacific Raceways (Aug. 15) will each be hosting the show for the first time, while both the Texas Motorplex in Ennis (March 21) and Maryland International Raceway in Budds Creek, Md., will become the first two return tracks on the schedule. Each hosted PINKS All Out events in season one. Upon the completion of season three, PINKS All Out will have been shot at 28 different drag strips throughout the United States.
Those who want information on racer entry or spectator tickets to a PINKS All Out live taping need to visit SPEEDtv.com or each host track’s website.
2009 PINKS All Out Event Schedule for Season Three*
(Pre-Registration & Test n’ Tune Held Friday Prior to Every Shoot)
Date Track Marketplace
Nov. 15 (’08) Montgomery Motorsports Park (Montgomery, Ala.)
Feb. 28 No Problem Raceway (Belle Rose, La.)
March 21 Texas Motorplex (Ennis, Texas)
April 25 zMax Dragway (Concord, N.C.)
May 9 Memphis Motorsports Park (Millington, Tenn.)
May 30 O’Reilly Raceway Park (Clermont, Ind.)
June 20 Maryland International Raceway (Budds Creek, Md.)
July 11 U.S. 131 Motorsports Park (Martin, Mich.)
Aug. 15 Pacific Raceways (Kent, Wash.)
Sept. 12 Auto Club Famoso Raceway (Bakersfield, Calif.)
*All Dates & Locations Subject to Change; Rain Dates Scheduled for the Following Sunday
Motorcycle stars Ricky Carmichael, Scott Russell and Jason Pridmore were at Daytona International Speedway last week – this time on four wheels. The motorcycle legends were shaking down a Spirit of Daytona Racing Porsche Coyote Daytona Prototype during the first day of a three-day October Test Days session in preparation for a potential run in the 47th anniversary of the Rolex 24 At Daytona sports car classic on Jan. 24-25.
More than 20 sports cars were turning laps on the 3.56-mile road course as part of a three-day test that will include two evening sessions. For Russell and Carmichael, it was their second sports car test at DIS while for Pridmore, it was his first. All three-motorcycle stars have been testing at other road course facilities as they look to make an attempt to compete in the upcoming Rolex 24, the grueling and challenging twice-around-the-clock challenge.
In recent years, the Rolex 24 has turned into an All-Star race showcasing different competitors from different racing series. But having the trio of motorcycle legends in Carmichael, Russell and Pridmore in the star-studded field is unique. All three riders carry a strong tradition of success at Daytona International Speedway. Russell, whose nickname is “Mr. Daytona,” is a five-time Daytona 200 By Honda winner, a record that he shares with Miguel Duhamel.
“This is one of my favorite races to come watch,” Russell said. “For years, I just thought how cool it would be to be out there. To have the opportunity is just amazing for me. I pinched myself everyday to make sure this is real.” Carmichael, who has retired from Supercross and is now pursuing a NASCAR career, is a record five-time Daytona Supercross By Honda winner and is nicknamed G.O.A.T – the Greatest Of All Time.
“It’s neat to be here and see it from this angle,” Carmichael said. “I’ve been around the motorcycle stuff for so long. This is a racer’s heaven for sure. It’s awesome to be able to have done it on a motorcycle, do it on a Daytona Prototype and next on the list is a stock car.” Jason Pridmore anchors the trio of motorcycle champions with two 750 Supersport victories at Daytona. “It’s exciting because we’re all nervous,” Pridmore said. “We’re all scared. I don’t think any of us will lie to you. We’re all a little bit nervous for what we’re getting ourselves into. There’s a lot of respect for the guys that do this full time.”
All three riders are being tutored by sports car veteran Guy Cosmo for the potential Rolex 24 start. Having Cosmo showing them the ins and outs of sports car racing at DIS has been a huge asset for Carmichael, Russell and Pridmore. “There’s zero ego involved here I think between all three of us,” Pridmore said. “We just want to learn and we got a great guy. Guy Cosmo has helped us so much. You’ve got to give full credit to him. He has really helped us. The whole team has been very accommodating. There all a bunch of motorcycle heads any way. They all knew who we were when we came which is nice. It’s made it very comfortable.”
Russell, a native of Conyers, Ga., has regularly attended the Rolex 24 and only dreamed of competing in the race. So far, he is enjoying the challenge of learning something new. “It’s a great challenge to come in cold like that with no real car experience,” Russell said. “I don’t think any of us have much car experience. You got a lot of great drivers in this series and I look forward to chasing them around and trying to see if I can get my times down to where they are. It’s such a new challenge for me. It’s great.”
If any of the three motorcycle legends have an edge on learning the Daytona Prototype, it might be Carmichael. The native of Havana, Fla., is pursuing a NASCAR career with Kevin Harvick Inc. and has competed in the NASCAR Camping World East Series as well as recently in the ARCA RE/MAX Series at Talladega Superspeedway. But even with some stock car experience, Carmichael says that himself, Russell and Pridmore are pretty much on the same playing field. “I do have some time from racing stock cars,” Carmichael said. “I’ve got quite a bit more seat time than these guys but unfortunately not in this kind of car. We’re all about even in this Prototype car. It is comforting to know we’re all on the same playing field. It’ll be fun and we can learn together.”
This is the first of three off-season tests for the Rolex Series at Daytona. Teams will test with 2009 tires Nov. 11-12. A star-studded lineup is expected for the Jan. 2-4 session, the last major session prior to the 2009 season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona.
Manufacturers Ferrari and Toyota warned they could quit Formula One if the sport’s governing body continues with its plans to reduce costs, according to UK press reports. The Guardian newspaper reports that the Italian team sent a firm signal to the FIA president, Max Mosley, that his idea of introducing so-called standard engines into the sport would take away their raison d’être for competing in motor racing.
In a statement to the press, Ferrari said that whilst they “fully agreed with the need for a substantial and necessary reduction of costs”, they maintained “major reservations” over any proposals that would lead to teams using the same engines. “It would deprive formula one of its whole reason for existing, which is based on competition and technological development,” the statement continued. “If these elements were to become obsolete, our administrative council [board] reserves the right, after consultation with its partners, to evaluate whether we remain committed to the discipline [of formula one].”
Ferrari have been historically closely aligned with the FIA and the sport’s commercial rights holder, Bernie Ecclestone, are one of the few Formula One teams who have, in the past, successfully forced the governing body to back down from rule changes with which they disapproved, forcing the FIA to abandon plans to ban V12 engines in favor of V10s in 1986.
Toyota Motorsport president John Howett supported Ferrari’s demand for different engines for the teams. “I don’t think any of the manufacturers want a homogenized engine,” said Howett. He added that any decision would be taken by the board in Japan, “but they want a degree of differentiation between teams.” This report came from SportsBusiness.com.
NASCAR standout Carl Edwards and motocross guru Travis Pastrana will team up this December to represent Team USA in the 2008 Race of Champions held at Wembley Stadium, as the USA aims for its first Race of Champions Nations Cup title since 2002. The back-flipping duo will take on an all star line-up including Michael Schumacher, Troy Bayliss and Sabastien Loeb. A daunting task but one that both Edwards and Pastrana, are up for.
The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is proud to announce that newly crowned 2008 AMA Grand National Twins Champion Kenny Coolbeth is one of five nominees for the 2008 AMA SPEED Athlete of the Year award. The winner will be announced Sunday evening, Nov. 23, at the 2008 AMA Pro Racing Awards Banquet at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in Leeds, Ala.
Dating back to 1976, the AMA SPEED Athlete of the Year award is the highest honor bestowed on a professional motorcycle racer competing in AMA events. Past recipients of the award include such legendary names as Bob Hannah, Scott Parker, Kenny Roberts and Ricky Carmichael.
Coolbeth, from Morris, Conn., earned his nomination for this prestigious award by successfully defending his No. 1 plate in the AMA Flat Track Championship, where he claimed the GNC Twins title for the third year in a row. Coolbeth clinched the title at the Monticello, N.Y., half-mile with two more events remaining on the calendar. Coolbeth won six races on the year and had four more podium finishes.
“It’s an honor to have your name put out there,” Coolbeth said. “There are a lot of great athletes who race motorcycles, and I feel honored to stand up there with them. It would be really cool to win the award, and, if not, it’s still a big accomplishment for me just to get nominated.”
This is the second time Coolbeth has been nominated for the AMA SPEED Athlete of the Year award. In addition to the 2006 and 2007 AMA GNC Twins titles, he also won the 2007 AMA GNC Singles title. Coolbeth turned pro in 1993.
Although he’s an established veteran and a multitime champion, Coolbeth says that he still feels like he’s learning more every year. When asked about the poise he displayed in defending his title in a tight points race with Bryan Smith this season, he says 2008 represented another big year in his development as a rider.
“I think it’s me maturing. It’s me being smarter, thinking more before I do something on the track,” Coolbeth said. “That’s what has helped me make the difference the last three years. If you ride well and use your head, you’ll still be in it. You can’t expect to be in it if you’re missing one of those two things.”
To see first-hand whether Coolbeth wins the AMA SPEED Athlete of the Year award, you have to attend the AMA Pro Racing Awards Banquet, where AMA Pro Racing will honor its professional champions, joined by their families, friends, fans and industry leaders. Held at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum, the banquet will take place among a collection of more than 1,200 historic and popular motorcycles.
From the widely distributed Valvoline Newsletter comes this insight. Yes, He REALLY Said That-Tony Schumacher, on his record-setting NHRA Top Fuel season. “The records we broke this year, I’m sure years ago people thought were impossible to break, too. That’s what records are meant for. In junior dragsters, there are people that are going to be setting their sights on these records we’re setting right now.”
Let’s see what’s happening on TV this weekend as the 2008 racing season moves into the homestretch. VS will air a redo of the AMA Flat Track race held on the Indy Mile on Thursday at 5 p.m. Starting at 11 a.m. on Friday Speed offers NASCAR Nationwide Practice from Phoenix. At 2 p.m. ESPN2 airs Spring Cup Practice from Phoenix while Speed returns at 3:30 p.m. offering NASCAR Nationwide Practice from that same track. At 4:30 p.m. it’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Final Practice on Speed from Phoenix. The Duce comes back at 5:30 p.m. with NASCAR Sprint Qualifying from that same venue. Speed returns at 7:30 p.m. with Sprint Cup Qualifying followed by the CTS race from Phoenix at 8 p.m.
Saturday goes like this with a noon offering on Speed/TSN of the Nationwide Qualifying from Phoenix. Speed comes back at 1:30 p.m. with Sprint Cup Practice from that same track. There’s more from ESPN2 at 3 p.m. with Sprint Cup Final Practice. The Duce and TSN2 both offer the Nationwide Series race from Phoenix at 4:30 p.m. TSN will air that same race SDD at 8 p.m. Stick with Speed for the WoO Late Model race from Lowe’s Motor Speedway at 9 p.m.
On Sunday at 1 p.m. it’s NASCAR RaceDay on Speed at 1 p.m. from Phoenix Intl. Raceway. The NASCAR Sprint Cup race from that track airs on ABC/TSN at 3:45 p.m. (END)
NOTE: INFORMATION FOR THIS COLUMN CAME FROM VARIOUS REFERENCED SOURCES, PRESS RELEASES, NOTES AND OTHER SOURCES.
