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Yeah… Wednesday…. and day 3 of being a member of the army of the unemployed. But I have “employed” all the skills I have to put together today’s NASCAR news for you in the current Stock Car Gazette! |
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T H E * S T O C K * C A R * G A Z E T T E
by MotorSportsNews.Net
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E d i t o r ‘ s * N o t e s
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Yeah… Wednesday…. and day 3 of being a member of the army of the unemployed.
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Stock Car Gazette Columnists Speak Out!
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Let your thoughts be known here….
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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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Courtesy of Google Alerts
Moms of NASCAR drivers share their recipes
Dallas Morning News – Dallas,TX,USA
NASCAR may have already blown through North Texas, but fans will be happy to learn they can get a little more of the inside story from two drivers’ moms in …
NASCAR an old love for former NBA All-Star Brad Daugherty
USA Today – USA
He’s an analyst on ESPN and ESPN2’s NASCAR coverage. “This happens to me all the time. People come up to say they were flipping TV channels, saw my face, …
www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/hiestand-tv/2009-05-05-brad-daugherty-nascar_N.htm
NASCAR goes Hollywood!
Reuters – USA
No longer content to watch its cars race around a track or turn up only on ESPN’s Sports Center and other news shows, NASCAR is turning to Hollywood. …
blogs.reuters.com/fanfare/?p=3756
Stuntman Stanton Barrett seeks Indy 500 spot
USA Today – USA
His father, Stan Barrett, was a longtime Hollywood stuntman and NASCAR driver and 30 years ago piloted a rocket car at almost 740 mph, becoming the first …
www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/2009-05-05-1670638001_x.htm
NASCAR: Kentucky could land Sprint Cup race
AutoWeek – USA
By AL PEARCE Bruton Smith’s Kentucky Motor Speedway currently hosts IndyCar, Nationwide, ARCA and Camping World Truck Series races. …
www.autoweek.com/article/20090505/NASCAR/905059981
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Courtesy of Insider Racing News
Martinsville Reduces Ticket Prices For Fall Race
Martinsville Speedway has announced reduced ticket prices for the track’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Tums Fast Relief 500 on Oct. 25. The track said many prices have been reduced to levels of a decade ago, with tickets starting at $25, down from $42.
Other reductions include:
• All seats in the Bill France Tower are now $40
• Seats in the Clay Earles Tower are now $55, down from $72
• Seats in the Sprint Tower are now $65, down from $77
The track also said anyone who bought tickets in areas affected by the price reduction will be contacted by the Martinsville ticket office in the next few weeks.
Smith Requests 2010 Kentucky Date
Speedway Motorsports Inc. officials say they have asked NASCAR to add Kentucky to the 2010 Sprint Cup Series schedule. Any chance SMI has is contingent on the former owners of Kentucky Motor Speedway dropping an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR and International Speedway Corp., its sister company. SMI chairman Bruton Smith, who traveled to the Kentucky Derby last weekend to make a case for dropping the suit, has so far been unsuccessful in his efforts. “We’re trying to persuade these people to try to drop that appeal, and then they are out of the way of NASCAR, and it would make it much simpler,” Smith said. “We haven’t been able to make that occur. There’s only two people holding it up.” Smith is willing to give up a race date at one of his seven other facilities to get Kentucky on the schedule. He would not reveal which track he is considering, and SMI president Marcus Smith said no decision has been made on which track would lose a date if NASCAR adds Kentucky to its 36-race schedule.
Daytona Tire Tests Wrap Up
Ten NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers are finishing up a two-day Goodyear tire test at Daytona International Speedway today. Hendrick Motorsports’ Mark Martin, JTG Daugherty Racing’s Marcos Ambrose, Penske Racing’s Sam Hornish Jr., Red Bull Racing’s Scott Speed, Yates Racing’s Paul Menard, Richard Childress Racing’s Clint Bowyer, Earnhardt Ganassi Racing’s Aric Almirola, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Joey Logano, Roush Fenway Racing’s Jamie McMurray and Richard Petty Motorsports’ AJ Allmendinger participated in the test, which was scheduled to conclude at 5 p.m. EDT Tuesday. This test, designed to help Goodyear choose a tire for the Coke Zero 400 Cup race at Daytona in July, featured an atypically large group of drivers. Goodyear tests held at other tracks this year have typically featured no more than four drivers, with one driver representing each manufacturer.
Record Breaking Car Goes To New Zealand
The fastest NASCAR (car) in the world is heading to New Zealand to star in the third annual Speedshow at the ASB showgrounds. Driven by multiple land and water speed record-holder Russ Wicks, the NASCAR-spec Dodge Charger set the world land speed record for NASCAR of 397km/h in 2007 on the Bonneville Salt Flats. Now, its new owner Ken Vincent will use the car in an attempt to break the current New Zealand land speed record of 348.24km/h (246.68 MPH) held by Aucklander Owen Evans.
Fan Appreciation Day At Michael Waltrip Racing
It’s time for Fan Appreciation Day at Raceworld USA and this year it is bigger and better! We are holding the event as a big thank you to all of our fans and we are pleased the JTG-Daugherty Racing team is joining us to celebrate your continued support of our teams and sponsors. So, we want to welcome all of you to Raceworld USA on Wednesday, May 20th from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. “David Reutimann, Marcos Ambrose, Scott Speed, Ryan Truex, Michael McDowell and I will be on site to welcome everyone and sign autographs for the two hours (300 wristbands to be distributed – details below),”said Waltrip. “Many of our partners will be on site with displays, show cars, giveaways…there will be something for everyone. We will also have food and beverages available.”
Kurt Busch Says Repave Indy
Kurt Busch has a solution to the tire problem at Indianapolis Motor Speedway — repave the track. Goodyear Tire Co. has tested extensively since last year’s Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, an extremely problematic race for teams in the Sprint Cup Series. In the first Brickyard race in NASCAR’s new race car, drivers were unable to compete at speed for more than a few laps without the danger of a blowout. Busch, who will participate in a 12-team tire test at Indy in mid-June, says repaving the track would ameliorate many of the problems. He doesn’t expect that to happen, though, because the much lighter IndyCars perform well on the present surface, and, after all, the Indianapolis 500 is the marquee event at the speedway. Indy was last repaved in 2004 and treated with a diamond-grinding process in 2005, before the disastrous 2005 Formula One race that saw all teams running on Michelin tires pull out because of safety concerns. “They need to repave that place,” Busch said. “They need to admit they made a mistake and repave it.
New AMP Energy Drink
AMP Energy has announced the launch of Tradin’ Paint, a new limited time only Dale Earnhardt Jr. themed energy drink. The beverage is a collision of three flavors: Orange, Lime and Berry, with all the energy ingredients and great taste that consumers expect from AMP. “Dale Jr. was very involved in creating this new AMP Energy flavor and it is a true representation of his taste and his sport,” said Lauren Hobart, VP of energy drinks, Pepsi-Cola North America Beverages. “The flavor and packaging embody the thrills and excitement of side-by-side racing at intense speeds – complete with a look that features all the bumps, scratches and crashes that Dale’s car endures as it advances track position.”
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Courtesy of Jayski
Smith close to signing for 2010 ride? UPDATE: Regan Smith and Furniture Row Racing have been discussing an arrangement for 2010. The number of races has not been determined at this time — the ultimate is to have Smith run a full schedule in the #78. Furniture Row Racing is currently working on sponsorship opportunities and is optimistic about 2010.(Furniture Row Racing PR)(5-6-2009)
Sorenson to test at Infineon TODAY: #43-Reed Sorenson will come to Infineon Raceway on Wednesday, May 6, for a one-day test session. Sorenson has a best finish of 29th (2006) in two starts on the Sonoma Valley road course. Sorenson is expected to test the challenging 10-turn, 1.99-mile road course in late-model stock cars provided by a Northern California-based race team. He will be coached by road-course veteran Chris Cook, who has also worked with NASCAR drivers David Reutimann, Johnny Sauter and Los Gatos’ AJ Allmendinger in Sonoma. Sorenson will return for the Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR weekend, June 19-21 (Father’s Day weekend), at Infineon Raceway. For tickets, call 800-870-RACE or visit www.infineonraceway.com.(Infineon Raceway PR), also hearing other drivers will also test including: #20-Joey Logano, #47-Marcos Amrbose and #00-David Reutimann.(5-5-2009)
UPDATE: Sorenson is the only scheduled Sprint Cup driver for Wednesday’s test, the others are expected to test at Infineon Raceway on June 9th and 10th.(5-6-2009)
With the upcoming Coke Zero 400 Weekend Powered By Coca-Cola on July 2-4 two months away, 10 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers participated in a two-day Goodyear tire test on Monday and Tuesday at Daytona International Speedway. Among the drivers participating in the test includes #5-Mark Martin, #47-Marcos Ambrose, #77-Sam Hornish Jr., #82-Scott Speed, #98-Paul Menard, #33-Clint Bowyer, Aric Almirola, #20-Joey Logano, #26-Jamie McMurray and #44-A.J. Allmendinger. “When you get here, they let you get your stuff sorted out and get your car handling good and then they start throwing tires at you and getting your input on which one you think is best,” said Bowyer on Monday after the first day of testing. “We were able to get out there and draft a little bit and just try to get the speeds up as much as possible and go through the motions of the different tires and which we think is best.” Having such a big group of drivers here for the two-day test on the 2.5-mile tri-oval has helped Goodyear engineers gather a significant amount of information. “Just having three or four cars out there drafting, you don’t get the effect, you don’t get the sensation of the speed, what the cars go through in the draft, so we needed a few more cars here then just two or three cars out there drafting for a tire test,” said Bowyer, who drives for Richard Childress Racing. “The tire doesn’t get the abuse that it does when you are under the loads of drafting with 40 cars out there. I think they got a good amount of cars here, the right amount.”
Said McMurray, a 2007 Coke Zero 400 champion, after the first day of testing: “We did 15-lap runs, maybe we did 10 of them, different compounds, different construction. I think they are trying to eliminate heat in the tire and also get your feedback on how the car drives – better or worse.” McMurray, who drives for Roush Fenway Racing, nipped Kyle Busch in the 2007 mid-summer classic by .005 seconds, the second closest finish in NASCAR history. He says he frequently looks back on that triumph. “Pretty much every day I think about that,” McMurray said. “It’s so cool to get to win at Daytona. Every kid growing up, if you want to make it in NASCAR, the Daytona race is what you think about.”
For Marcos Ambrose, this was his second Goodyear tire test and the Tasmania native was thrilled to get more laps around DIS. “I’ve had a few laps around Daytona now, but you never get sick of driving around here,” Ambrose said on Monday. “The bumps, the car moving around, just the feel of the place is spectacular and it’s great to be down here running. We just done the simple stuff, single-car runs and a little bit of drafting this afternoon trying to get use to the way the car moves around here in the heat. It’s definitely different than what it’s here for the 500. The track is a lot slicker and there’s less grip to use. It’s fun and it’s a learning experience for me.”(DIS PR)(5-5-2009)
Jeff Gordon’s Team Wins Tissot Pit Crew Award in Richmond: Jeff Gordon’s #24 crew claimed the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award in Saturday night’s (May 2) Sprint Cup race at Richmond. It was the third win in the last five races for the #24 crew, which has a solid lead in the season-long Tissot pit road competition. After 10 of 36 Sprint Cup races, Gordon’s team has three pit crew wins while seven other teams each have one. The pit crew win at the .75-mile Richmond track was a result of Gordon’s DuPont Chevrolet Impala SS spending the least amount of time on pit road – 279.607 seconds. The quick effort helped lift Gordon to an eighth-place finish and a return to first place in the Sprint Cup driver point standings. Gordon’s pit crew consists of: Clay Robinson (front-tire changer), Mike Houston (front tire carrier), Tim Ladyga (rear-tire changer), Jeff Knight (rear-tire carrier), Jeff Cook (jackman), Caleb Hurd (gasman), Jamie Frady (catch can) and Andy Kruep (eighth man). The pit crew coach is Greg Morin. Gordon’s crew will receive $5,000 for the Richmond pit road win. The team with the most Tissot Pit Road Precision Award victories at the completion of the 36-race schedule will earn a $100,000 bonus plus Tissot watches for the crew and driver.(Tissot PR)(5-6-2009)
Tony Gibson Named Crew Chief of the Race at Richmond: Tony Gibson, crew chief for te #39 U.S. Army Chevy driven by Ryan Newman, has been named the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race following Saturday’s Crown Royal Presents the Russ Friedman 400 at Richmond International Raceway. The #39 team finished a respectable 4th place in Saturday’s race after qualifying 10th. The team, led by Gibson, was strong early in the race, putting Newman in the lead four times (for a total of 45 laps) by lap 313. After being involved in a wreck on lap 314, Newman lost valuable track position, putting him back in 15th following the pit stop on lap 316. Determined to get back up front with the lead pack, Gibson continued to coach his driver as he worked his way through the field. With Gibson’s guidance, Newman was back up to 4th with 44 laps remaining. In addition to the $1,000 check, the winning crew chief will receive signage to announce the win on their pit box the following week. The crew chief with the most weekly wins will be honored as the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Year and will be presented a $20,000 check at the season finale in Homestead.(Wypall Wipers PR)(5-6-2009)
RPM plans to use new Dodge engine: Richard Petty Motorsports plans to switch to the new Dodge engine in time for the May 31 race at Dover, vice president of race operations Robbie Loomis said Tuesday. Loomis said only one of the organization’s four drivers likely will use the R6P8 that the other Dodge organization, Penske Racing, has used all season. A decision on which driver will use it will be made in the upcoming weeks. #9-Kasey Kahne could get the nod if the organization believes the engine will help get him back into the top 12 to qualify for the Chase. RPM’s marquee driver is 17th in points after Saturday night’s 29th-place finish at Richmond. If not Kahne, then #44-A.J. Allmendinger (28th), #19-Elliott Sadler (29th) or #43-Reed Sorenson (22nd) will get the engine. “We talked about using it for the All-Star race or maybe the [Coca-Cola 600],” Loomis said of the upcoming races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. “It’s just risk versus reward. We were not comfortable bringing it out in the 600.” Loomis said RPM is about a month behind the planned schedule to introduce the engine. He said the process was slowed when the organization committed to Allmendinger beyond the first five races, noting that engineers who might have spent time on the R6P8 had to build engines for an additional car. Loomis said the lack of horsepower with the old engine has been obvious, particularly at Talladega Superspeedway, where RPM’s top driver qualified 35th.(ESPN.com)(5-5-2009)
Junior Johnson’s son wins first race: In his first race of his young career, Robert Johnson, the son of NASCAR legend Junior Johnson and wife Lisa started sixth in the Sportsman division race at Caraway Speedway in Asheboro NC and won the race by a half a car length. Johnson is sponsored by Carolina Carports and Junior Johnson’s country ham.(Robert/Jr. Johnson PR)(5-5-2009)
State Water Heaters alters approach to stay in NASCAR: State Water Heaters, a NASCAR team sponsor since 2006, went into this season wanting to maintain the benefits of its marketing and hospitality program while trimming expenses. After visiting just about every NASCAR team as a free agent, State went in a markedly different direction. It decided to sponsor no one at all. Instead of spending the $5 million to $7 million a year for a low-level, often noncompetitive car, as it had done before, State opted for a unique program conceived by North Carolina-based 919 Marketing with former driver Ward Burton. It’s a plan that has allowed State to keep its vibrant hospitality program at the track despite axing the costly sponsorship. Burton, a five-time winner and one of the sport’s elite drivers from 1999 to 2002, essentially serves as State’s NASCAR ambassador for anywhere from 30 to 100 of the company’s guests on race day at a Sprint Cup event. He guides them on pit and garage tours, explains the race to guests in a suite and even talks sales on State’s behalf. Until this year, State Water Heaters was known in NASCAR circles as a loyal sponsor of teams such as [#4 Chevy] Morgan-McClure Motorsports and [#66 Chevy] Haas CNC Racing. Burton enables State to deliver that race-day experience at the track with a noted driver, even though State’s white, blue and orange car no longer competes. State wouldn’t say how much State will save this year, but the company is not writing a hefty sponsorship check and it will be entertaining at about 10 races this year instead of 36, so the savings will be in the millions. In addition to the race-day activities, State puts on driving and ride-along excursions. During one such event on April 18 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Burton took State guests on trips around the track at 160 mph, using cars from the Richard Petty Driving Experience.(SportsBusiness Journal)(5-5-2009)
Special scheme for #99 at Darlington: The #99 Aflac Ford of Carl Edwards will take on a different look at Darlington Raceway. The #99 Ford will sport a special paint scheme in support of Disney Pixar’s upcoming release, “Up”. “Up” is a comedy adventure about 78 year old balloon salesman Carl Fredrickson and his lifelong dream of taking a fantastic adventure.(Roush Racing PR)(5-5-2009)
Darlington hoping for another sellout: Several times a day, Darlington Raceway president Chris Browning walks over to the track’s ticket office to get a progress report on sales. Recently, he’s liked what he’s seen. Even so, a fifth consecutive sellout for the historic facility is far from certain as Darlington gears up for Saturday night’s revival of the Southern 500. “We’re slightly behind where we were this point last year. If we sell it out, it’s going to come down to the wire,” Browning said Monday. “We’re still optimistic we’ve got a shot at it. We had a great week last week. About the last probably two and half, three weeks, our daily sales have beaten the daily sales of the previous year. That’s all positive.” Darlington has sold out four consecutive races since its lone event was moved to the Saturday of Mother’s Day weekend prior to the 2005 season. This year the track is bringing back a Southern 500 race name that was a fixture at the South Carolina facility from its founding in 1950 until 2004, when it was phased out. With a seating capacity of roughly 62,000, Darlington is one of the smaller facilities on the Cup Series tour. Yet the track is bidding to become only the third venue this season — along with Daytona and Bristol — to announce a sellout. In past years, Darlington sold out a week or more in advance. That was before the current economic recession, which has made it very difficult for many tracks to sell tickets. “We have a shot at it, but everything’s going to have to line up perfectly for us to do it. But we still do have a shot at it,” Browning said. “I know that if we sell it out, it will probably end up being on race day.”(NASCAR.com)(5-6-2009)
Darlington welcomes Car Hauler Parade: The Darlington Car Hauler Parade and Festival will be 4 to 7:30pm Thursday, May 7th at the Florence [SC] Civic Center with entertainment and live music performed by Southern rock and country band Southern Blue. NASCAR transporters and take pictures next to your favorite team’s haulers. Meet the hauler drivers and get autographs plus free give-a-ways from vendors. Kids can enjoy the multiple inflatable rides and games throughout the fun-filled festival. Fans, join in on the exciting Silent Auction full of great NASCAR items and more to benefit the American Red Cross. At 7pm the parade of Sprint Cup Series haulers begins to make its way along the 12-mile route to Darlington Square, where the anticipating crowd celebrates with added live entertainment and the fireworks of Race Fest. Florence welcomes NASCAR to the Darlington Race track that’s “Too Tough to Tame” for the Mother’s Day weekend races.(Florence Civic Center)(5-6-2009)
New Hampshire catch fences to be replaced: The chain-link fences at New Hampshire Motor Speedway will be replaced in time for its June race, partly in response to Carl Edwards’ airborne accident at Talladega Superspeedway. Speedway Motorsports Inc. will spend $400,000 to put up fences made of welding wire. “Let’s fix it because the sport is at risk,” SMI chairman Bruton Smith said Monday. “The thing we need to do at all the speedways (is) to make sure we have the strongest (fencing) there is.” Smith said he had started the process of replacing the fence before Edwards’ accident at Talladega two races ago. Edwards’ car was sent airborne into the frontstretch fence, which bowed upon contact. Although the fence held, debris from the accident flew into the grandstands and injured seven fans. Talladega’s fencing is a mix of chain link and steel cable. The Alabama track is owned by International Speedway Corp., the sister company to NASCAR. “A chain-link fence, you might think it’s strong, but it’s not,” Smith said. “I had already made a decision to (change New Hampshire). We were a little ahead of the curve on that. It was not adequate. It looked bad, it was bad, and I thought, very unsafe.”(Boston Herald/Associated Press)(5-5-2009)
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Courtesy of Racin’ Today
Woody: The Lady In Black Has A Very Firm Grip
www.racintoday.com/archives/3340
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Your ad could be displayed here… very reasonable rates. E-mail Mike@MotorSportsNews.Net
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Courtesy of That’s Racin’
Drivers defend Goodyear during testing at Daytona
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – A few minutes after finishing a 10-car Goodyear tire test at Daytona International Speedway, both Clint Bowyer and Jamie McMurray jumped to the embattled tire-maker’s defense.
www.thatsracin.com/115/story/8517.html
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Hauler Parade … Dennis Gammons, driver of the No. 33 transporter, will take part in Darlington’s annual Hauler Parade on Thursday, May 7. The parade is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m., from the Florence Civic Center, then parade along US Highway 52 to downtown Darlington. A festival follows on the Public Square with food and souvenir vendors, a car show, racing simulators and a fireworks display. For more information, contact the Greater Darlington Chamber of Commerce at (843) 393-2641.
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Meet the Driver … Clint Bowyer will sign autographs at his merchandise trailer, located on souvenir row, Saturday, May 9 at 3:30 p.m. Tickets will be distributed Saturday morning and will be available on a first come, first served basis.
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Meet the Driver … Casey Mears will sign autographs at the Jack Daniel’s souvenir trailer, located in Darlington’s midway area outside the front straightaway, Saturday, May 9 at 3:45 p.m. A limited number of tickets will be available for autographs on a first come, first served basis due to time constraints.
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SHOP TILL YOU DROP – Dale Earnhardt Jr. will host QVC’s “For Race Fans Only” at Whisky River in uptown Charlotte on Friday, May 22nd with a special appearance by the six-time NASCAR Most Popular Driver. JR Motorsports driver Brad Keselowski will also be making an appearance on the show. Reserved tickets for the program are $20 and go on sale April 30. The show will air live on QVC from 8-10 p. m. ET. There are 200 tickets available for standing room only. Limit six tickets per customer. Must be 21 years old to enter Whisky River. For more information please visit www.dalejr.com.
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YATES RACING INAUGURAL FAN DAY TO TAKE PLACE MAY 22ND
Yates Racing will open its door to the public with shop views, driver autograph sessions and more
CONCORD, N.C. (May 5, 2009) – Yates Racing today announced it will open its doors on Friday, May 22 for the Inaugural Yates Racing Fan Day. Fans are encouraged to come out and see the Yates Racing campus and receive a VIP view of the Yates Racing shop. Special autograph appearances from Bobby Labonte, Paul Menard and Doug Yates will begin at 10 a.m. Vendors will also be onsite with free give-aways.
“We’re looking forward to having all the fans come out and see where we build our race cars,” said Yates Racing owner, Doug Yates. “It should be a great event with all kinds of sponsors giving away freebies and our drivers interacting with the fans. We’re excited about our first fan event at the Yates shop and giving the fans a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see behind the scenes.”
Vendors and sponsors will be onsite both Thursday and Friday of the Coke 600 weekend at Yates Racing with interactive booths, games and give-aways. The event will begin at 8 a.m. and doors will close at 5 p.m. EDT. 150 autograph tickets will be distributed at 8 a.m. for the driver autograph session.
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AJ Allmendinger will participate in the King’s Cup Karting for a Cause” to benefit the Paralyzed Veterans of America on May 19 in Mooresville, N.C. For more information on the King’s Cup visit www.pva.org/gokart
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Reid Sorenson will race in the Inaugural “King’s Cup Karting for a Cause” event on May 19th at The Pit Indoor Kart Racing facility in Mooresville, N.C. The event will feature a four-hour endurance go-kart race, along with appearances by Richard Petty and his drivers, entertainment and a silent auction. For more information visit www.pva.org/gokart
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In honor of Memorial Day, Team Lowe’s Racing is offering fans the opportunity to thank the military members who mean the most to them. Fans can submit photographs and stories of friends or family serving our country on LowesRacing.com. Visit lowesracing.com now through Memorial Day to submit pictures and stories (150 words maximum).
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Courtesy of Jayski
With a tractor-trailer bearing the Sun-Drop name and livery in the background, JD Motorsports officials announced Tuesday that the citrus beverage will sponsor the team’s #01 Chevy and driver Danny O’Quinn in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway later this month. More races are planned on the “multirace” sponsorship but were not announced. Choice Beverage USA President Jay Falls said the races would likely be in the Southeast, in Sun-Drop’s distribution areas.(Scene Daily)(5-5-2009)
It has taken more than 10 plus years but Sun Drop Citrus Soda and it’s franchise bottler Choice USA Beverage Inc, are back in racing. On Tuesday, May 5, 2009, it will become official; Sun Drop and JD Motorsports will announce its plans to team together in a multi race partnership that will start at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte, NC, for the Carquest Auto Parts 300. Other races are TBD at this time but will fall in the Sun Drop footprint.(Hufco Promotion / Johnny Davis PR), see an image of the car on the #01 Paint Scheme page.(5-5-2009)
www.jayski.com/schemes/2009/nationwide/01nationwide.htm
#77 crew member suspended: UPDATE: Richard Gray, a licensed crew member for the #77 team in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, has been indefinitely suspended from NASCAR for violating the sanctioning body’s substance abuse policy. On April 30, Gray was found to have violated Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 7-5 (violation of the NASCAR substance abuse policy) of the 2009 NASCAR rule book.(NASCAR PR)(5-5-2009)
UPDATE: Cardinal Motorsports maintains a zero tolerance policy, and the crew member in question has been released from the #77 Nationwide Series team. It is an unfortunate situation for everyone involved, and has been addressed expeditiously so that the team can return its focus to performance on the track. Cardinal Motorsports respects and appreciates NASCAR’s action in this matter.(Cardinal Motorsports PR)(5-5-2009)
Richmond TV ratings equal with last year: ESPN2’s telecast of the Lipton Tea 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series race from Richmond International Raceway on May 1 earned a final household coverage rating of 1.2, even with the rating earned when the race aired on ESPN2 in 2007. Last year’s race was simulcast on ESPN Classic and SPEED. The race averaged 1,554,436 viewers. ESPN2 is averaging a 1.7 rating through six NASCAR Nationwide Series telecasts, slightly down from the 1.9 average through this same point last year but above the 1.5 average for the full 2008 season.(ESPN PR)(5-5-2009)
Jeff Green in the #40 at Darlington: With Scott Wimmer stepping out of the #40 StopRepairBills.com Chevy to fulfill driving obligations with another team [the #5 for JR Motorsports], Jeff Green will be sliding behind the wheel of the Key Motorsports NNS entry this weekend at Darlington. This is not Jeff’s first foray in Key equipment: Jeff competed in three Nationwide events last season for Curtis Key, posting a best finish of 28th.(Key Motorsports PR)(5-5-2009)
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Courtesy of The Hot Lap
NNS Entry List for Darlington
thehotlap.com/modules.php?name=Press_Releases&op=view&rid=3641
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250 And Counting For Ageless Shepherd
HardcoreRaceFans.com – Kannapolis,North Carolina,USA
With a combined 811 starts in NASCAR’s top three divisions, with 511 starts in the Sprint Cup Series and 55 starts in the Camping World Truck Series. …
www.hardcoreracefans.com/nationwide-news/4074-250-and-counting-for-ageless-shepherd
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A R C A (Automobile Racing Club of America)
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Courtesy of ARCA
Kimmel Eyes First Win of the Season at Kentucky
CORNELIUS NC (5-5-09) – The Kimmel Racing crew heads to Kentucky Speedway with their eyes on the team’s first win of the 2009 ARCA RE/MAX Series season during Saturday’s Drive Smart Buckle-Up Kentucky 150.
“We should be really good this weekend,” said Frank Kimmel. “I’d say we’ll be as competitive at Kentucky as we were at Salem, where I really thought we had a shot at the win before we got caught up in that wreck. With the productive test we had last week and with the car we’re bringing to Kentucky, it should be a great weekend.”
[Read More] – www.arcaracing.com/news.cfm?contentid=7932
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Officials from Sheltra Motorsports and Buffalo Wings & Rings officially announced today that the Cincinnati, Ohio based and No. 1 fastest growing restaurant chain in the United States will serve as the primary marketing partner for driver Patrick Sheltra for the remainder of the 2009 ARCA RE/MAX Series (ARS) season beginning with Saturday’s Drive Smart! Buckle-Up Kentucky 150 at Kentucky Speedway. (PR)
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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/CA/050609.html
Junior, Kiss This Year’s Chase Goodbye
by Chuck Abrams
Insider Racing News
insiderracingnews.com/Writers/LV/050609.html
A Curious Thing Happened at Richmond the Other Night
by Larry Van Zandt
The Nascar Insiders
Ask The Insiders Wednesday #22
We’ve made it to another Wednesday, this one the first of May, and that means more reader questions and answers.
feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheNascarInsiders/~3/1R3bYB_4×48/
Did You Notice? … Kyle Busch’s 200-Win Fantasy, Stremme’s Dream Turned Nightmare, And Hendrick’s Big Choice
by Tom Bowles
www.frontstretch.com/tbowles/24164/
Top Ten “Bromances” In NASCAR
by Jeff Meyer
www.frontstretch.com/jmeyer/24158/
Mirror Driving: Does TV Owe NASCAR Underdogs?, Grading The Childress Crew Swap, And Nationwide Surprises
by the Frontstretch Staff
www.frontstretch.com/md/24165/
Don’t Tread On Thee: Three Straight Weeks Of Nostalgic NASCAR Remind Us Of What’s Right With Racing
by Vito Pugliese
www.frontstretch.com/vpugliese/24161/
Frontstretch Sprint Cup Power Rankings: Top 15 After Richmond
compiled by Mike Neff
www.frontstretch.com/mneff/24166/
Jeremy Mayfield’s Bittersweet Music Video
dalyplanet.blogspot.com/2009/05/mayfields-bittersweet-rock-music-video.html
Things Are Shaking At DirecTV And Sirius XM
DirecTV is valued at 24 billion dollars and no one really has any idea what to do with it. Sirius XM Satellite Radio continues to limp along with a single share of stock worth 47 cents. Its demise has long been forecast.
dalyplanet.blogspot.com/2009/05/things-are-shaking-at-directv-and.html
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T V * L I S T I N G S
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Courtesy of Race Fans Stock Car Newsletter
WEDNESDAY, MAY 6
5:00 P-5:30 ESPN 2 NASCAR Now, HD, L
THURSDAY, MAY 7
5:00 P-5:30 ESPN 2 NASCAR Now, HD, L
FRIDAY, MAY 8
11:30 A-1:00 P SPEED NASCAR Sprint Cup PRACTICE, Southern 500, Darlington, SC, HD, L
1:30 P-3:00 SPEED NASCAR Sprint Cup FINAL PRACTICE, Southern 500, Darlington, SC, HD, L
3:00 P-4:30 SPEED NASCAR Nationwide Series QUALIFYING, Diamond Hill Plywood 200, Darlington Raceway, Darlington, SC, HD, L
4:30 P-5:00 ESPN 2 NASCAR Now, HD, L
5:00 P-7:00 SPEED NASCAR Sprint Cup QUALIFYING, Southern 500, Darlington, SC, HD, L
7:00 P-7:30 ESPN 2/TSN 2 NASCAR Nationwide Series COUNTDOWN, Diamond Hill Plywood 200, Darlington Raceway, Darlington, SC, HD, L
7:30 P-10:00 ESPN 2/TSN 2 NASCAR Nationwide Series Diamond Hill Plywood 200, Darlington Raceway, Darlington, SC, HD, L
SATURDAY, MAY 9
10:00 A-11:00 ESPN 2 NASCAR Now, HD, L
12:00 N-6:30 P VS IRL Indy Car Series QUALIFYING SESSIONS – POLE DAY, Indianapolis 500, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, HD, L
5:00 P-7:00 SPEED NASCAR Race Day. Preview of today’s Southern 500, Darlington Raceway, HD, L
7:00 P-7:30 FOX/TSN NASCAR Sprint Cup PRE-RACE, Southern 500, Darlington, SC, HD, L
7:30 P-11:30 FOX/TSN NASCAR Sprint Cup Southern 500, Darlington, SC, HD, L
SUNDAY, MAY 10 (MOTHERS DAY) Happy Mother’s Day
12:00 N- 6:30 P VS IRL Indy Car Series QUALIFYING SESSIONS – DAY 2, Indianapolis 500, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, HD, L
8:00 P- 9:00 SPEED NASCAR Victory Lane at Southern 500, Darlington Raceway, May 9/09, HD, N
9:00 P-10:00 SPEED Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain, HD, L
We do not list all the programming offered by SPEED; for complete listings go to their website, www.speedtv.com/schedule/
Always CHECK YOUR LOCAL LISTINGS!
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The Stock Car Gazette
Copyright 2002-2009 by MotorSportsNews.Net
All Rights Reserved
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Pontiac Trans Am for sale
Those 10 drivers that were testing tires had better be prepared for different conditions come race time. Rolex sports car rubber will also be down on the surface with the Brumos Porsche 250 also scheduled for July 4.