Friday, December 28, 2012
McMurray Primed For Daytona KartWeek
McMurray set for Daytona
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
star and 2010 Daytona 500 champion
Jamie McMurray is enjoying the off-season by returning to his roots in karting.
McMurray is among
the entries participating in the annual Daytona KartWeek World Karting
Association events at Daytona International Speedway. Practice began on Friday
with races scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.
Hundreds of karters from
across the country will spend their holidays at Daytona International Speedway
participating in WKA races on three different courses – the 3.56-mile road
course, the sprint track located in Turns 3 and 4 and the quarter-mile dirt
track outside Turns 1 and 2.
Tickets for Daytona KartWeek
can be purchased at Ticket Booth E located above the Turn 1 tunnel near
Williamson Boulevard.
• A
three-day weekend pass is available for 30ドル
• A
two-day pass is 25ドル (valid for Saturday, Dec. 29 and Sunday, Dec. 30)
• A
single-day passes is 15ドル (valid for Sunday, Dec. 30 only).
Children ages seven and
under are 20ドル for a three-day weekend pass, 15ドル for a two-day Saturday and
Sunday pass, and 10ドル for a single-day Sunday pass.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
140 BUZZ Adds Wright, Dryden
Amanda Wright
Mike Calinoff’s 140 BUZZ has
announced expansions to its team. Amanda Wright joins 140 BUZZ as Client
Services Manager and Cortney Dryden has been appointed Director of Digital
Media.
Learning her way around the NASCAR
garage in 2010, Amanda Wright is recognized as one of the most endearing
"Miss Sprint Cup" brand ambassadors. Stepping out of the firesuit,
Wright hit the books and focused on a college education. Graduating from The
University of North Carolina at Charlotte in December 2012 with a degree in
Marketing, Wright's knowledge of both NASCAR, Marketing and Social Media will
be an asset to the 140 BUZZ team.
Courtney Dryden
Cortney Dryden has worked in NASCAR
with RAB Racing for the past two years. With a talent and passion for all
things digital, Dryden is expanding her experience both in and out of NASCAR
since joining the team. Her work is featured on the new 140 BUZZ website,
Calinoff's personal website
and across all the company’s social media projects.
On the management front, Amanda
Ebersole has been promoted to Vice President of Operations. With the company
since June, Amanda works hands-on with every client and development driver and
prides herself in doing so.
"This is a very exciting time
for us," Calinoff said. "As we continue to grow, we're recruiting the
best possible people to facilitate premier service for our clients. Both Amanda
and Cortney will be great assets to our company."
Friday, December 21, 2012
Thursday, December 20, 2012
US Serviceman Wins Trip To Daytona
1Sgt. Jason VanKleek is headed for Daytona
As a soldier in the United States
Army deployed in Afghanistan, NASCAR fan Jason VanKleeck was some 7,700 miles
from Daytona International Speedway when he watched this year’s season-opening
Daytona 500 on television.
He’ll be considerably closer to the
action in 2013 as the Grand Prize winner in “The Great American Race Fan” Photo
Contest, a joint promotion of the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and Daytona
International Speedway (DIS). VanKleeck, a First Sergeant of the 287th
Military Police Company from Fort Riley, Kan., submitted the winning entry. The
photograph was taken in February 2012 as he watched the 54th running
of the Daytona 500 from Kandahar Province.
VanKleeck, who returns to the U.S.
this month following his fourth combat tour in support of the global war on
terrorism, gets the keys to a 2013 Chevrolet Camaro 2SS convertible as the
Grand Prize winner. He’ll also receive a Daytona 500 VIP experience for two
that includes grandstand tickets to the race, a tour of the NASCAR Sprint
Cup Series garage and an introduction to the crowd during pre-race
activities.
“I look forward to returning to
America with my soldiers after ensuring their safety and care for the past
year,” said VanKleeck, a 16-year Army veteran whose most recent deployment has
covered the last 11 months. “Being able to go to Daytona is a great prize.”
To enter the contest, VanKleeck and
others submitted photos showing what makes them the “greatest” and “most
authentic” race fan to www.motorracingnetwork.com or www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com.
Consumers also were able to enter the contest by visiting MRN and DIS Facebook
pages.
“Motor Racing Network and
Daytona International Speedway have built a strong partnership through the
years and we were honored to have Chevrolet join us for this program,” said MRN
President and Executive Producer David Hyatt. “It’s a great way to create
additional excitement for a new NASCAR season, tap into the enthusiasm and
passion of our fans, and steer them to the broad range of information and
services available on our respective websites.”
A committee comprised of staff from Motor
Racing Network and Daytona International Speedway selected 10 finalists
from among all contest entries. Internet voting was conducted from Nov. 9-30
and the winning entry was drawn earlier this month.
VanKleeck and his wife, Amanda, were
married in November 2011 just prior to his most recent deployment. He grew up
in Indianapolis, and watched his father drive Late Models and open-wheel
Modifieds throughout the Midwest – saying he’s “been a race fan since I could
talk.”
Start Times Set For Speedweeks 2013 at Daytona
For
the fourth consecutive year, NASCAR’s biggest, richest and most prestigious
race; the 55th annual Daytona 500 is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start
time on Sunday, Feb. 24.
Start
times for the other remaining events of Budweiser Speedweeks 2013 at Daytona
International Speedway are as follows:
The
51st anniversary Rolex 24 At Daytona GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car
Series race, Jan. 26-27, 3:30 p.m.
·The
Lucas Oil 200 ARCA Racing Series, Saturday, Feb. 16, 4:30 p.m.
·The
Daytona Shootout non-points event, Saturday, Feb. 16, 8 p.m.
·Daytona
500 Qualifying Presented By Kroger, Sunday, Feb. 17, 1 p.m.
·Budweiser
Duel At Daytona, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2 p.m.
·NextEra
Energy Resources 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, Friday, Feb. 22,
7:30 p.m.
·DRIVE4COPD
300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race, Saturday, Feb. 23, 1 p.m.
Penske
Racing’s Brad Keselowski will begin his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title defense
in the season-opening 55th annual Daytona 500, which will mark the
debut of the new 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car. Dubbed “Gen 6,” the
new-look sixth generation cars highlight greater brand identity for the
manufacturers.
Matt
Kenseth, who won the 2012 Daytona 500 with Roush Fenway Racing, will attempt to
be the first driver since Sterling Marlin (1994-1995) to win “The Great
American Race” for a second straight year with his new team Joe Gibbs Racing.Tickets
for NASCAR’s biggest, richest and most prestigious race – the 55th annual
Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 24 – start at 65ドル and are available at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by
calling 1-800-PITSHOP.
For
the second straight year, the Speedway is offering special youth pricing for
the Daytona 500. Children 12 and under will receive 50 percent off all
backstretch grandstand seats for the Daytona 500 while supplies last. In
addition, children 12 and under are free in the Sprint FANZONE throughout
Budweiser Speedweeks.
Kevin Harvick Foundation Awards "Happy's Chevy"
Harvick and happy winner Michael Gatz
Christmas came early for
one lucky winner on Thursday when Kevin Harvick handed over the keys to a
brand-new 2012 Chevrolet Camaro 2SS convertible as part of "Win Happy's
Chevy," proceeds from which benefit the Kevin Harvick Foundation.
Michael Gatz, from Elkhorn,
Wis., won the Camaro valued at 48,280,ドル and drove it home from the Kevin
Harvick Foundation's North Carolina headquarters. Gatz had purchased the
winning ticket in the second-annual raffle for which nearly 2,500 tickets were
sold at 29ドル each. Harvick drives the No. 29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
Proceeds from "Win
Happy's Chevy" will be used to further the initiatives of the Kevin
Harvick Foundation, whose mission is to enrich the lives of children across the
country through programs such as Kevin's Krew, Chase Your Dreams Scholarships
and the Kevin Harvick Athletic Scholarship Fund, among others.
"I've driven my
share of cool cars over the years, and the Chevrolet Camaro is one of my
all-time favorites," Harvick said. "It is a powerful machine that
personifies America's passion for fast cars. I am honored to partner with
Chevrolet to not only play 'elf' and present Michael this dream car, but also
to help many underprivileged children at the same time."
Harvick hand-selected
the vehicle's Summit White exterior and gray interior packages. The Camaro also
features 21" black-painted aluminum wheels, six-speed manual transmission,
V8 engine, high-intensity discharge headlamps with LED halo ring and much more.
"Win Happy's
Chevy" marks the final fundraiser of 2012 for the Kevin Harvick
Foundation, founded in 2010 by Harvick and his wife, DeLana. This year's
multi-pronged efforts raised valuable funds to assist underprivile ged children
across the United States.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Junior Johnson's Midnight Moon Shine & Sign Added To NASCAR Acceleration Weekend
Fans
headed to NASCAR Acceleration Weekend will have the opportunity to meet
inaugural NASCAR Hall of Famer Johnson at Junior Johnson’s Midnight Moon Shine
& Sign. The new event will feature a fan Q&A and autograph session with
Johnson and a free tasting at the Midnight Moon moonshine bar.
All
fans with a NASCAR Preview 2013 ticket will have free admission to the Shine
& Sign, which will be held immediately following the NASCAR Preview on
Saturday, Feb. 9 at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Tickets
are available now at www.nascaracceleration.com and the NASCAR Hall of Fame box
office. A 20ドル ticket will gain fans all-day access into NASCAR Preview, the
NASCAR Hall of Fame and Junior Johnson’s Midnight Moon Shine & Sign.
NASCAR
Preview 2013 is a fan festival featuring autographs and on-stage Q&A
sessions with top drivers from all three NASCAR national series. Fans also will
be among the first to see the new sixth-generation NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
cars and 2013 paint schemes.
NASCAR
Acceleration Weekend also features the 2013 NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction
Ceremony, held at the Charlotte Convention Center Friday, Feb. 8. Fans can be
part of history as five NASCAR legends – Buck Baker, Cotton Owens, Herb Thomas,
Rusty Wallace and Leonard Wood – are enshrined into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Tickets for the Induction Ceremony start at 45ドル.
Acceleration
Weekend wraps up Sunday, Feb. 10 with the unveiling of the new NASCAR Hall of
Fame inductees’ granite markers in the Ceremonial Plaza.
Burton, Stanleys Partner To Boost Quarter Midgets
Jeff Burton
Jeff Burton Autosports,
Inc., and Robbie Stanley Racing, Inc., announced today that the two entities
have partnered to create an easier way for families to get started in the sport
of quarter midget racing.
The new alliance brings
together Jeff Burton, a noted successful NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver who
has been a part of many technological advances in NASCAR, and Ryan and Ron
Stanley, respected leaders in innovation and supporters in the quarter midget world
since 1977.
The goal of the new
"Robbie Stanley Racing" joint venture is to provide youngsters a
simple, easy and effortless way to compete in quarter midget racing, and to
provide easy access to state-of-the-art quarter midget race cars and the very best,
ground-breaking products at affordable pricing.
"I have a huge passion
for quarter midget racing," said Burton, whose 12-year-old son Harrison
has competed in the open-wheel series since he was five. "We want to
expose the sport to families and let them try it out. We are going to have the
best original parts, the best service, the best pricing, and we will make it
easier for beginners to get started in the sport, and help the ones at the top
of their game become better.
"Ryan and Ron have the
best reputation of anyone in the sport. Ask any family who has ever needed help
at the track, and they will tell you that the Stanleys are always willing to
lend a hand. We all want to educate people about a sport that is a 'best kept
secret.'"
Quarter midget racing has
been around for more than 50 years. Both USAC (United States Auto Club) and QMA
(Quarter Midgets of America) sanction many race tracks (1/20 mile ovals) across
the country. The series allows families to spend time together, and the young
drivers (5 to 16 years old) help work on the race cars (1/4 the size of
full-size midget cars) and see what it takes to be successful. They learn
skills and sportsmanship, providing lessons in life.
Get your kid in a Quarter Midget!
"That is why we are
going to make it easy for racers to find whatever parts and pieces they need.
We want the sport to continue to grow nationwide, and for other families to see
what they are missing," said Ryan Stanley of RSR, which is based in
Concord, NC. "We will completely upgrade to a state-of-the-art website
(www.robbiestanleyracing.com) to make it simple for customers to get the items
they need quickly and in an efficient way. We also have dealers across the
country who will carry our products as well.
"Jeff has seen
motorsports from pretty much every aspect. He built race cars as a youngster
and has driven for nearly 40 years. His knowledge of technology used at the
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series level only helps us. We will be able to learn from his
experience, his expertise, vision and desire to be the best. This partnership
will help take us to the next level."
The website is being
revamped so that anyone can easily maneuver their way on the site to find the
items they are in need of. In addition to showcasing hard-to-find products, the
web will also showcase tutorials to educate the novice on the specifics of
quarter midget race cars. There will also be additional education videos to
assist each customer.
The new Robbie Stanley
Racing will serve as an outlet for anything related to quarter midgets and will
offer "exclusive" items that won't be able to be purchased anywhere
else. Inventory will be large, offering more parts and pieces with the best
prices.
"We want to see the
sport grow," said Ron Stanley, Ryan's father, who started the business.
"Seems like we have been in business forever and we have always tried to
do the right thing with our customers. We certainly have good intentions with
this endeavor.
"Jeff has some great
ideas, and knows a lot of people throughout all forms of motorsports. He will
be able to help us get in new doors to ultimately help make our sport better.
He knows and understands what families need to be in quarter midget racing. He
brings a technological savvy to our organization. We have some great things
coming down the pipe."
Many recognizable names in
motorsports today got their start in quarter midget racing. Some include:
NASCAR Champions' Jeff Gordon, Terry and Bobby Labonte, and this year's titlist
Brad Keselowski, along with legendary, four-time Indy 500 winner A. J. Foyt and
1996 Indy Car Series Champion Jimmy Vasser.
A quarter midget car is a
scaled-down version of an actual midget racer, approximately ¼ scale. The cars
are built around a tubular frame and are fully suspended with springs or
torsion bars and shocks. The bodies are fiberglass and the driver is surrounded
by roll cage and nerf bars.
To learn more about how to
get involved in quarter midget racing, contact the new Robbie Stanley Racing
via website at www.robbiestanleyracing.com, or by phone at (704)-STANLEY
(782-6539).
Newman Named NMPA Spirit Award Winner
Members of the National
Motorsports Press Association have selected NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Ryan
Newman as the fourth quarter winner of the NMPA Speedway Motorsports Spirit
Award.
The award is designed to
recognize character and achievement in the face of adversity, sportsmanship and
contributions to motorsports. Each year, quarterly winners are selected, and an
overall winner is determined by a vote of the National Motorsports Press
Association membership.
Newman was recognized
for hosting the 8th Annual Charity Dinner and Auction and annual fishing
tournament in December, raising funds for animal welfare, education and
conservation efforts. The evening featured entertainment from Nashville singer/songwriters
and NASCAR drivers and raised more than 340,000ドル. Newman helped raise awareness
of a memorial fund after crewman Andy Rueger lost his son in an ATV accident on
Nov. 22.
Clint Bowyer, Rockingham
Speedway President Andy Hillenburg and Brad Keselowski are also quarterly
winners this year. The 2012 winner will be announced on Jan. 20.
Also receiving votes
were: Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, Texas Motor Speedway and
Martin Truex Jr.
Harold Holly Follows Coulter To Kyle Busch Motorsports
Harold Holly
Kyle Busch Motorsports
announced today that veteran crew chief Harold Holly has joined the
organization to lead Joey Coulter in his quest for the 2013 NASCAR Camping
World Truck Series championship.
Additionally, the team
announced that Coulter will pilot the team's flagship truck, the No. 18 Tundra,
while team owner Kyle Busch will run a partial schedule in the team's second
entry, the No. 51 Tundra. Busch's schedule and the rest of the team’s driver
lineup will be announced at a later date.
With Holly calling the
shots, Coulter earned his first Truck Series win at Pocono Raceway in August of
last season for Richard Childress Racing, while also capturing three pole
awards. Coulter also posted eight Top-5 and 15 Top-10 finishes en route to a
third-place finish in the championship standings. Coulter's 749 driver's points
accumulated over the final 20 races this season were more than any other Truck
Series driver during that span.
Overall, in two Truck
Series seasons together, the tandem accumulated one win, 14 Top-5 and 28 Top-10
finishes in 47 starts, along with one Top-10 finish in two Nationwide Series
starts. Holly also served as the crew chief for Coulter's two full-time seasons
in the ARCA Racing Series, in 2009 and 2010.
Coulter will drive KBM's No. 18 Tundra
"Being able to
join Kyle Busch Motorsports and continue to help Joey grow at the same time is
a pretty special thing," said Holly, who will begin his fifth consecutive
season as Coulter's crew chief. "Kyle brings a lot to the sport and a lot
to the Truck Series, so I'm looking forward to the opportunity to work for his
organization. Joey and I have spent the last couple years learning this series
and what it takes to points race with these guys. We've gotten better each year
and I think we have a good plan going into next season. The biggest thing is that
we need to come out of Daytona with a solid finish. Last year, we got so far
behind at the beginning and had to make up so much ground at the end."
"When we signed
Joey, we made a promise to him that we would do everything that we possibly can
to put him in a position to win the championship in 2013 and we made bringing
in Harold Holly as his crew chief our top priority this offseason," KBM
General Manager Rick Ren said. "After we signed Joey in early November, I
listened to some of their radio communication during practice those last few
races and they really work well together. With having such a short schedule in
the Truck Series, you can't afford to get off to a slow start and we feel like
this move will help ease the transition of moving to a new organization for a
young driver."
A fixture in the
Nationwide Series garage during the late 1990's and 2000's, Holly led Jeff
Green to the 2000 series championship. Green collected six wins, seven poles,
25 Top-5 and 27 Top-10 finishes in 32 starts en route to the crown.
Coulter and Holly will
make their KBM debut Feb. 22 in the season-opening NextEra Energy Resources 250
at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Balash, Auton, Little Promoted By NASCAR
NASCAR Nationwide Series Director Joe Balash and Camping World Truck Series Director Wayne Auton are the
beneficiaries of pre-holiday promotions today.
Auton has been named by the sanctioning body to head-up the NASCAR Nationwide Series, effective immediately. been a part of the NASCAR scene for decades. He is the son of longtime NASCAR official Robert "Hoot" Auton, who oversaw events from the short tracks to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for more than 37 years prior to his passing in February of 2009.
NASCAR's Wayne Auton
Auton replaces Balash, who has served as
the NASCAR Nationwide Series Director since 2004. He will assume a new role as
International Competition Liaison, serving as NASCAR’s point of contact for
competition-related matters on the NASCAR Toyota Mexico Series, NASCAR Canadian
Tire Series, the Euro Racecar NASCAR Touring Series and other international series
with which NASCAR may be involved and/or considering involvement.
Former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competitor Chad Little will
replace Auton at the helm of the Camping World Truck Series, after heading the
NASCAR Mexico and NASCAR Whelen Modified Tours in recent seasons. Little won
six races in what is now the NASCAR Nationwide Series between 1992 and 2002, with
a top championship finish of second in 1995. He also made 217 career Sprint Cup
Series starts over a 16-year career, driving for car owners Chuck Little, Cale
Yarborough, Harry Melling, Greg Pollex and Jack Roush.
“We recently completed a thorough, strategic review of all of our
racing series and believe the changes we’re announcing today will further
strengthen our overall racing and offer us the best opportunity for growth,”
said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR
vice president of competition. “Joe (Balash) is terrific at building
relationships with track operators, sponsors and other key stakeholders, and he
will be an excellent fit in his new role. I’m also pleased our system allowed
us to promote our talent up the ranks, as is the case with Wayne (Auton), Chad
(Little) and Brad (Moran). I think this shows that we have a great deal of
depth in our series director leadership roles and these moves reflect that
depth and versatility.”
George Silbermann, NASCAR vice president
regional and touring, highlighted the fact that these moves will aid NASCAR as
it continues to focus on expanding its reach beyond the United States.
“Our sport is ever-evolving and we plan to grow in regions of the
world where an increasingly strong appetite exists for NASCAR racing,” said
Silbermann. “Joe (Balash) certainly will help us achieve our international
goals which not only include conducting our existing series at a best-in-class
level but also attracting new partners for global exhibitions and/or series.”
McCall Farms To Sponsor Ragan
South Carolina's McCall
Farms will return to the No. 34 Ford of David Ragan for four races in the 2013
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for the second consecutive season.
After first joining
Front Row Motorsports in May 2012 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, McCall Farms
returned to the No. 34 car for additional races at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor
Speedway, Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway and Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway. The
company's Margaret Holmes Peanut Patch brand will serve as the primary sponsor
of the Front Row Motorsports entry at the same four venues in 2013.
The Peanut Patch Ford
will make its 2013 debut just miles from McCall Farms' Effingham, S.C.,
headquarters in the May 11 race in Darlington. Peanut Patch will also adorn the
car at Bristol on Aug. 24, Atlanta on Sept. 1 and Charlotte on Oct. 12.
"Boiled peanuts
have long been known as the South's favorite snack," said Woody Swink, a
representative of the fifth-generation family company. "We're very pleased
to be continuing our relationship with Front Row Motorsports and David Ragan.
"What better fit
for a fifth-generation family-run company, marketing a snack that has been a
southern tradition for many years, than by sponsoring a second-generation
driver from South Georgia in races at four of NASCAR's most historic and
entertaining venues?"
David Ragan said he is happy to
welcome Peanut Patch back to the No. 34 team.
"Having grown up in
South Georgia, I've been eating boiled peanuts my whole life," Ragan said.
"McCall Farms has been a great partner for Front Row Motorsports and I'm
happy to be representing the Peanut Patch brand for the second consecutive year
in 2013."
"McCall Farms and
Peanut Patch are a great example of a partnership that gets great value working
with Front Row Motorsports," commented the team's marketing director, Mike
Laheta. "They do a great job of taking their sponsorship to the consumer
at the retail level and getting results. We're happy to have them back in 2013
and help them get great exposure once again."
Cargill Backs Bayne In 2013
Roush Fenway Racing’s No. 6 Ford
Mustang will have a familiar look when Trevor Bayne takes the reins of the NASCAR
Nationwide Series championship team in 2013. The organization announced today
that Cargill will return as a partial-season primary sponsor next year, beginning
with the season opener at Daytona International Speedway. Crew chief Mike
Kelley will return to lead the team.
“I’m really excited about the
opportunity to work with Mike and this team and run for the Nationwide Series
Championship in 2013,” said Bayne, who in 2010 became the youngest winner of
the famed Daytona 500. “And it’s great to have Cargill Beef back on board with
the No. 6 next season. I’ve enjoyed learning about their business and meeting a
lot of their people through their partnership with Roush Fenway, and I look
forward to representing them on the track and hopefully in Victory Lane.
“I’ve developed a bit of a
reputation at the track for grilling out a lot,” continued Bayne. “Maybe
Cargill can give me a few tips on the best way to grill hamburgers for big
groups so I can cookout for Mike and the rest of the No. 6 Cargill Beef team
for some post-race celebrations.”
“Our partnership with Roush Fenway
and the No. 6 Ford Mustang has been a great one for our business,” said Tammy
Shaw, VP of Cargill Beef. “We’re thrilled to see Ricky Stenhouse Jr. transition
to the next level after winning two championships for Cargill Beef, and look
forward to continuing to grow our business, while interacting with customers at
the race track.”
“We still have room for one or two
more primary sponsors next season on the remaining races with Trevor and the
No. 6 team,” added Roush Fenway president Steve Newmark. “It’s an unusual but
exciting opportunity for a potential partner to join a proven team seeking its
third consecutive championship in the Nationwide Series, and with a driver who
is one of the most popular in the sport.”
Townley Confirmed To Red Horse Racing
JWT to RHR in 2013
Red Horse Racing confirmed
today what GodfatherMotorsports.com
first reported on November 21, that John Wes Townley will join the team in 2013
to drive the No. 7 Red Horse Racing Toyota Tundra. The truck will carry primary
sponsorship from Zaxby's for the 22-race NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
season.
After competing for
Rookie of the Year honors in 2012 and collecting his career-best series finish
of eighth at Pocono Raceway, Townley enters his second full-time season
credited with 28 total starts.
"I'm a competitive
race car driver, and I want to race and compete for wins," said the
22-year old Georgia resident. "Red Horse Racing has worked hard and
continues to excel in the truck series. The success that this Red Horse Racing
organization was able to accomplish last season, is the same success we are
looking forward to next year."
Veteran crew chief Mike
Beam will join John Wes Townley at Red Horse Racing on the No. 7 Toyota Tundra.
Beam has been atop the pit box since the early 80's and is credited with 25
national series victories.
"The Truck Series
proved to be the most competitive series in 2012, said Beam. "I want to be
a part of that, and be a part of one of the top-tiered teams in the series.
Playing an integral part in John's career is important to me and I'm anxious to
see our results."
Team Principal, Tom
DeLoach said of the signing, "John showed vast improvement on the track
this past season. Red Horse Racing is eager to move him to the next level in
his racing career. Pairing him with Mike Beam is a great way to give John the
insight from Mike's impressive background. We had a fantastic 2012 season and
we are anxious to see what 2013 will hold."
Photo: Motorsport.com
Monday, December 17, 2012
Nielsen, Twitter Combine To Measure TV Conversations
Nielsen and Twitter have announced
an exclusive multi-year agreement to create the “Nielsen Twitter TV Rating” for
the US market. Under this agreement, Nielsen and Twitter will deliver a
syndicated-standard measurement of the reach of the TV conversations on
Twitter, slated for commercial availability at the start of the fall 2013 TV
season.
“The
Nielsen Twitter TV Rating is a significant step forward for the industry,
particularly as programmers develop increasingly captivating live TV and new
second-screen experiences, and advertisers create integrated ad campaigns that
combine paid and earned media,” said Steve Hasker, President of Global Media
Products and Advertiser Solutions at Nielsen. “As a media measurement leader we
recognize that Twitter is the preeminent source of real-time television
engagement data.”
“Our
users love the shared experience of watching television while engaging with
other viewers and show talent. Twitter has become the world's digital water cooler,
where conversations about TV happen in real time. Nielsen is who the networks
rely on to give better content to viewers and clearer results to marketers,”
said Chloe Sladden, Twitter’s vice president of media. “This effort reflects
Nielsen's foresight into the evolving nature of the TV viewing experience, and
we’re looking forward to collaborating with Twitter ecosystem partners on this
metric to help broadcasters and advertisers create truly social TV
experiences.”
TV
viewers discuss TV on Twitter, creating a new dynamic between audiences and
programming. The service’s more than 140 million active users send one billion
Tweets every two and a half days, the vast majority of which is public and
conversational, making Twitter data a necessity in producing standardized
metrics representing online and mobile conversations about television.
The
Nielsen Twitter TV Rating will compliment Nielsen’s existing TV ratings, giving
TV networks and advertisers real-time metrics to understand TV audience social
activity.
“The
proliferation of smartphones and tablets has generated a substantial
‘connected’ TV audience that is simultaneously watching television and
accessing the Internet through these devices. This, in turn, will continue to
create the opportunity for content providers like CBS to
offer engaging interactive features for our viewers. As this form of viewer
engagement evolves into a mainstream activity, it presents ways for CBS to
enhance the viewing experience for our viewers and our advertisers. We are
already engaged with Nielsen and Twitter in a program of research and
experimentation in this exciting new area,” said David F. Poltrack, Chief
Research Officer, CBS Corporation. “We are pleased to see Nielsen and Twitter
join together to provide a comprehensive measurement system that will allow us
to employ these social networking tools to their full advantage."
“Twitter
is a powerful messenger and a lot of fun for fans of our shows, providing them
with the opportunity to engage, connect and voice their opinions directly to
each other and us,” said Peter Rice, Chairman and CEO, Fox Networks Group.
"Combining the instant feedback of Twitter with Nielsen ratings will
benefit us, program producers, and our advertising partners.”
SocialGuide, recently acquired by
Nielsen and NM Incite, currently captures Twitter TV activity for all U.S.
programming across 234 TV channels in English and Spanish, and more than 36,000
programs. Through a sophisticated classification process, SocialGuide matches
Tweets to TV programs to offer key social TV metrics including the number of
unique Tweets associated with a given program and rankings for the most social
TV programs.
Check Out More Of The New 2013 Race Cars
Jimmie Johnson will drive a yellow Lowe's/Jimmie Johnson Foundation Chevy SS in some events next season.
Bobby Labonte's new House Autry Toyota out of the JTG Daugherty Racing shops.
Austin Dillon will wheel this sharp Advocare Camaro in 2013 Nationwide action.
Kasey Kahne's 2013 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet.
Joey Logano debuted his No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford at Daytona last week.
Photos: Shell Racing US, Lionel NASCAR, JTG Daugherty Racing, Hendrick Motorsports.
NASCAR Acceleration Weekend Set For Feb. 8-10
For
NASCAR fans who have been eagerly counting the days to the opening of the 2013
season, their wait is almost over.
Almost.
Almost.
For
the second-consecutive year, reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Brad
Keselowski, five-time champ Jimmie Johnson and NASCAR’s most popular driver,
Dale Earnhardt Jr., will help race fans celebrate the past, present and future
of NASCAR. The return of NASCAR Acceleration Weekend – a fan-friendly,
interactive experience – is scheduled for Feb. 8-10, 2013, at the Charlotte
(N.C.) Convention Center and includes the 2013 NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction
Ceremony and NASCAR Preview 2013.
NASCAR
Acceleration Weekend tickets are on sale now at www.nascaracceleration.com and the NASCAR Hall of Fame box office. Tickets
for Friday night’s Induction Ceremony start at 45ドル. In addition, a 20ドル ticket
will gain fans all-day access into NASCAR Preview 2013 and the NASCAR Hall of
Fame on Saturday, February 9.
More
than 50 drivers across NASCAR’s three national series – NASCAR Sprint Cup,
NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series – are scheduled to
participate in the all-day NASCAR Preview 2013 event. Fans will have the
opportunity to interact with drivers and secure autographs, participate in
driver Q&A sessions, get a first-look at the new sixth-generation NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series race cars and paint schemes and check out various interactive
displays, among other activities.
“We
are excited about bringing NASCAR Acceleration Weekend back to Charlotte this
year,” said Kim Brink, NASCAR managing director of brand, consumer and series
marketing. “It is one of our biggest fan events to kick off the season and
provides unprecedented access to our best drivers, new cars and the NASCAR Hall
of Fame.”
The
weekend’s activities begin Friday, February 8, with the 2013 NASCAR Hall of
Fame Induction Ceremony. The five inductees are Buck Baker, Cotton Owens, Herb
Thomas, Rusty Wallace and Leonard Wood. Legendary broadcasters Ken Squier and
Barney Hall will also be honored with the inaugural Squier-Hall Award for Media
Excellence for their significant contributions to the success of NASCAR during
their distinguished careers as media members covering the sport.
The
following day, Saturday, February 9, NASCAR Preview 2013 begins at 7 a.m. in
the Charlotte Convention Center. Similar to last year’s event, the all-day fan
festival will feature autograph and on-stage Q&A sessions by top drivers
from all three national series, the new sixth-generation NASCAR Sprint Cup cars
and paint schemes, giveaways and activities for fans of all ages.
Among
other marquee names scheduled to participate are four-time series champion Jeff Gordon, three-time series
champion Tony Stewart, two-time
NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Ricky
Stenhouse Jr., reigning NASCAR Nationwide Series most popular driver Danica Patrick, and 2012 NASCAR
Camping World Truck Series champion James
Buescher.
Also
on Saturday, February 9, the newly inducted NASCAR Hall of Fame members and/or
their family representatives will be on hand for the unveiling of their Hall of
Honor exhibits commemorating their NASCAR careers. On Sunday, February 10, each
inductee’s granite marker will be unveiled in the Ceremonial Plaza as well as
other exclusive member-only events.
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