Thursday, July 30, 2015
COMMENTARY: Kauffman's Decision Bodes Badly For MWR
Kauffman (R) is changing teams
Michael
Waltrip Racing majority owner Rob Kauffman will leave that team in the near
future, assuming a new, minority ownership role at Chip Ganassi Racing with
Felix Sabates
No
matter how you slice it, that is bad news for MWR, its fans and employees.
No-one
on earth – including the team’s namesake – knows more about the inner workings
and financial viability of MWR than Kauffman. Michael’s name may be over the
door, but since coming aboard as majority owner in October of 2007, Kauffman has
effectively run the show. Sources close to the team say the former investment
banker has made virtually every critical decision in the past eight years, providing
the financing necessary to build new cars, invest in technology and keep the
team on-track.
“Without
Rob Kauffman,” said one team member on the condition of anonymity, “Michael
Waltrip Racing would have been out of business long ago.”
Even
with Kauffman’s assistance, it has sometimes been a rocky road.
MWR lost Truex and NAPA
In
October of 2013, the team seemed poised to make a multi-car championship run. Heading into the regular-season finale at Richmond International Raceway, Clint
Bowyer ranked second in the championship standings, with teammate Martin Truex,
Jr. in solid contention for a Chase berth in 13th place. Late in the race, however,
Bowyer spun his car under questionable circumstances to bring out a caution
flag that benefitted Truex greatly. General Manager Ty Norris then ordered teammate
Brian Vickers to pit road just moments before the race’s final restart,
allowing Truex to secure the final on-track position necessary to secure a spot
in the Chase.
NASCAR immediately investigated,
pulling back the curtains on what quickly became a major, on-track controversy.
The sanctioning body ultimately fined MWR 300,000ドル – the largest fine in the
history of the sport -- removed Truex from the championship format, placed
all three MWR crew chiefs on probation for the remainder of the season and suspended Norris indefinitely.
Even after those crippling
blows, the hits just kept on coming.
NAPA Auto Parts
left the team, reducing MWR’s roster from three full-time entries to two. Truex
was forced to leave due to lack of sponsorship, followed in short order by No.
55 team crew chief Rodney Childers, who went on to superstardom (and a Sprint Cup
Series championship) with Kevin Harvick at Stewart Haas Racing.
Vickers then fell
by the wayside, as repeated bouts with blood clots forced him to the sidelines
on three different occasions.
By virtually any
meaningful yardstick, MWR today just a shadow of what it was in October of 2013.
Bowyer is currently 15th in points and clinging to the final spot in
the 2015 Chase and David Ragan (driving in place of Vickers) ranked 24th.
Longtime sponsor
Aaron’s is in the final year of its contract with the team, and should they elect
to go elsewhere in 2016 – not hard to imagine based on the instability of its
No. 55 entry in recent years -- MWR would almost certainly find itself reduced
to a single-car operation.
Rob Kauffman knows
all this and more, and his decision to jump ship comprises a stunning `no confidence’ vote for the team he
has run for the better part of a decade.
The
team issued a somewhat vague written statement earlier today, saying that MWR
and Ganassi“will continue to operate
separately and compete against each other for the remainder of the 2015 season.
They are also currently evaluating ways to field the most competitive race
teams possible to provide an excellent platform for their partners and
employees for the 2016 season and beyond. More details will follow in due
course.”
For
those not fluent in corporate fluff, that translates to “we’re racing now, and
hope to continue.”
CGR
co-owner Felix Sabates offered a slightly clearer view, telling Sirius XM NASCAR Radio's Jim Noble,"I'm not going anywhere. This is about making our team stronger. A three-car team is stronger than a two-car. But the rumors that Rob is buying me out are not true. My last race will be five years from September 9th. I will be 75 years old then, and will be done."
The third car in the CGR stable next season will almost certainly be Bowyer’s No. 15, transported from Waltrip’s shop in Cornelius, NC to Ganassi’s Concord, NC digs.
The third car in the CGR stable next season will almost certainly be Bowyer’s No. 15, transported from Waltrip’s shop in Cornelius, NC to Ganassi’s Concord, NC digs.
Aside
from fuzzily worded statements designed to keep the media wolves from the door
(at least temporarily), none of the other involved parties are saying much right now,
on or off the record. That’s understandable, since multi-million dollar deals
of this sort require plenty of I’s to be dotted and T’s to be crossed. When the
legal maneuvering is eventually completed, all parties will be free to step in
front of the cameras and microphones and explain what’s happening, and why.
We can only hope that
when it’s Michael Waltrip’s turn to speak, he is able to deliver some good
news.
Photo: Jared Tilton/NASCAR
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Truex Poised For Shot At Pocono Double
Martin Truex Jr. is in
position to help Pocono Raceway establish a Super 8 Sweeper’s Club.
No, there is no new hotel being
built on the grounds of the Long Pond, Pa. track. Truex has an opportunity Sunday
to become only the eighth driver in history to sweep the two Sprint Cup season
races at the 2.5-mile triangular venue in the same season.
Truex went to Victory Lane
at Pocono in early June, driving the No. 78 Furniture Row/Denver Mattress
Chevrolet. A win in Sunday’s Windows 10
400 will place him in the company of some of the sport’s greatest drivers.
The seven drivers who have
achieved the Pocono sweep are Bobby Allison (1982), Bill Elliott (1985), Tim
Richmond (1986), Bobby Labonte (1999), Jimmie Johnson (2004), Denny Hamlin
(2006) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2014).
“That’s a stout group of
drivers and it would be pretty special to be included with them,” said Truex.
“After winning there last month, how can you not feel good and upbeat about
returning to Pocono? We're going to have a big target on our back, but
that's ok. We'll use everything we learned last time and more to hopefully
achieve a Pocono sweep.”
Truex was dominant in his
June the Pocono victory, leading a race high 97 laps and securing a
1.346-second margin of victory. He is well aware, however, that an even better
effort will be required for a duplicate performance.
“Our Furniture Row guys
have been working hard to find more speed for this weekend,” explained Truex,
a native of Mayetta, N.J. “All the teams are also working harder as
we get closer to the Chase. The toughest thing about Pocono is to find the
right balance for all three corners. The three unique corners at Pocono
are all different and the challenge is to figure out a way to make your car
work in each of them. Conditions for this Pocono race will most likely be
different, especially with the weather being hotter than in early June."
Truex, who is coming off a
fourth-place Brickyard 400 finish, has claimed one win, six Top-5 and 15 Top-10
finishes in 20 starts this season. He currently ranks fifth in driver points.
His overall record at
Pocono includes 19 starts, one win, three Top-5 and seven Top-10 showings.
Lally To Road America With Anderson's Maple Syrup
One year after
making an impressive return to NASCAR’s XFINITY Series, four-time Rolex 24 at
Daytona winner Andy Lally will return to the Road America circuit in Elkhart
Lake, Wisconsin, driving the No. 90 Anderson’s Maple Syrup Chevrolet for King
Autosport/SSGreenlight Racing in the Road
America 180 Fired Up by Johnsonville on Saturday, August 29.
“I can’t wait to
get back behind the wheel of a NASCAR XFINITY machine,” said Lally. “We showed
a lot of speed during last year’s event, and this year we’re coming back with a
really strong effort. It’s been unbelievable how supportive Steve Anderson and
everyone at Anderson’s Maple Syrup have been since we first came in contact,
and we’re doing everything we can to deliver a strong result for them, on and
off the track. Additional thanks to Ray Atchinson and everyone at Quicksilver
Powersports Lubricants, they’ve been a great new partner as well, and when
combined with Bobby Dotter and his crew, this should be a phenomenal
opportunity. Bobby and his team are the definition of an underdog team that
gets results with a lot of effort and experience. They do so much with so
little, and we’re all hoping our trip to Road America, one of my favorite
tracks, will be an opportunity for their hard work to pay off.”
Competing last
year in the same car, the 2011 Sprint Cup Rookie of the Year teamed with crew
chief Jason Miller to run as high as third in the closing laps, only to have a
broken track bar bolt to relegate them to seventh place in the final rundown. The
team is hoping that past experience and additional sponsorship will move them
further up the finishing order this season.
Located in
Cumberland, Wisconsin, just a few hours from the circuit, Anderson’s Maple
Syrup has been a family-run business for over 80 years. A small, tight-knit
organization very similar to King Autosport/SSGreenlight Racing, the company
will take part in the “Anderson’s Maple Syrup Fan Appreciation Ride;” an
interactive campaign for Lally’s fans and the motorsport community at large.
Lally and his
team will give away 90 prizes between now and his Road America return. Hosting
a weekly contest that begins today on the Anderson’s Maple Syrup Facebook page,
the Georgia resident will give away autographed prizes, free Anderson’s Maple
Syrup and the driving gloves used by Lally during the event. Additionally,
Lally and Anderson’s will give away an opportunity for all 90 winners to ride
along with him, placing every winner’s name on the TV panel of his Chevy Camaro
for the race.
The team will receive
support from another Wisconsin-based organization, Quicksilver Powersports
Lubricants. The company’s line of oils, lubricants and fuel care products
for powersports applications, including motorcycles, ATVs, PWCs, snowmobiles,
and boating applications, are engineered to meet and exceed OEM (Original
Equipment Manufacturer) testing standards. These products provide extreme
performance and protection in demanding duty cycles in harsh
environments.
Monday, July 27, 2015
Tanya Tucker To Perform National Anthem At Darlington
Country music icon Tanya Tucker will
perform the National Anthem for the Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington
Raceway on Sept. 6.
“We are excited to have Tanya Tucker
perform our National Anthem for the Bojangles’ Southern 500,” track President
Chip Wile said. “Tanya has been a mainstay in Nashville since the early 1970’s.
Her rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner will be a can’t-miss for our great
race fans.”
For four decades, Tucker’s sultry
voice and vivacious stage presence have made her one of the most admired and respected
female vocalists in country music. Her resume contains groundbreaking songs like
Delta Dawn, What’s Your Mama’s Name and Would You Lay With Me
(In A Field Of Stone). Her early hits also contained some kick-up-your-heels
moments, like Texas (When I Die), San Antonio Stroll, and Here’s
Some Love.
With a new album forthcoming, Tucker
is set to remind listeners why artists like Miranda Lambert and Gretchen Wilson
have called her one of their biggest influences.
Tucker’s anthem performance adds yet
another element to an already exciting 1970’s-style pre-race. She will join
legendary rock band Grand Funk Railroad, which will perform a pre-race concert prior
to the 66th running of the Bojangles’ Southern 500.
Fans have an opportunity to watch
the Grand Funk Railroad concert from the front of the pre-race stage. In
addition to the purchase of a Bojangles’ Southern 500 grandstand ticket, a
pre-race access pass may be purchased for an additional 45ドル. This pass will not
only give fans stage front access for the concert, but will also include an up
close view of the Sprint Cup Series drivers as they are introduced to the
crowd.
Daytona Sign Demolished
The
iconic Daytona International Speedway sign on International Speedway Boulevard was
demolished last week as part of the DAYTONA Rising project, the 400ドル million
frontstretch redevelopment scheduled for completion in January 2016.
Demolition
of the sign -- which was unveiled in January of 1994 and stood 57 feet tall and
48 feet wide -- took only a few hours,
DAYTONA
Rising is scheduled for completion in January 2016 in time for the 54th
anniversary of the Rolex 24 At Daytona and the 58th annual DAYTONA
500. Five expanded and redesigned entrances, or “injectors,” will lead fans to
a series of escalators and elevators, transporting them to three different
concourse levels. Each level features spacious social areas, or
“neighborhoods,” along the nearly mile-long frontstretch.
At
the conclusion of the redevelopment, Daytona International Speedway will have
approximately 101,500 permanent, wider and more comfortable seats, twice as
many restrooms and three times as many concession stands. In addition, the
Speedway will feature over 60 luxury suites with track side views and a
completely revamped hospitality experience for corporate guests. The project is
expected to create 6,300 jobs, 300ドル million in labor income and over 80ドル
million in tax revenue, will be completed in time for the 2016 Rolex 24 At
Daytona and DAYTONA 500.
Busch, Dillon, Harvick, Keselowski Set For Pocono Truck Race
Saturday’s Pocono Mountains 150 at Pocono Raceway
will feature the stars of the NASCAR Camping World Series, along with NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series drivers Kyle Busch, Austin Dillon, Kevin Harvick and Brad
Keselowski.
Busch, who
finished second in his previous Truck Series effort at Pocono in 2011, will
make his first series start of 2015 Saturday. Dillon, the 2011 Camping World
Truck Series champion, returns to “The Tricky Triangle” as the defending Pocono Mountains 150 winner.
Harvick, driving the No. 00 JR Motorsports Chevrolet, has two victories at
Pocono in Truck competition; as an owner in 2010 and as a driver/owner in 2011.
Keselowski, driving his Brad Keselowski Racing Ford, won the 2013 Pocono Truck
race as an owner with driver Ryan Blaney in 2013.
Seven different drivers
have already punched their tickets to Truck Series Victory Lane this season. Defending
series champion – and current point leader -- Matt Crafton has four wins and holds
a 14-point advantage over Tyler Reddick in the battle for the series
championship.
In addition to the
Pocono Mountains 150,
on-track events at Pocono Saturday will include Sprint Cup Series final practice,
Truck qualifying and the ModSpace
125 ARCA Racing Series event.
On Friday, several
NCWTS drivers will participate in an autograph session inside Pocono Raceway’s
Fan Fair area at 12:30 p.m. ET. Wristband distribution for the first 150 fans
in attendance, will begin at 8 a.m. ET, at the Flag Pole located next to Fan
Fair.
For tickets and
additional information about the Windows
10 400 race weekend, visit www.poconoraceway.com or call 1-800-RACEWAY
(1-800-722-3929).
Indy's High-Drag Rules Package Was... A Drag
“Really Bad.”
“Hard to handle.”
“Horrible.”
The verdict from the driver’s seat was impossible to ignore following the Crown Royal presents the Jeff Kyle 400 at the Brickyard at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In the opinion of virtually anyone clad in nomex, NASCAR’s new high-drag rules package was… well, a drag.
Winner Kyle Busch, who might have been expected to give the new rules at least a half-hearted endorsement, had little good to say. While happy with his ability to draft on the 2.5-mile IMS layout, Busch said the package failed to produce the “pack racing” found at Daytona and Talladega.
“When you got back in traffic… you were horrible,” he said. “It was so hard to handle in traffic. You don’t want to feel like you’re going off into the corner and going to crash every time. You want to have some sort of security. I think there’s something to be learned from today, (but) I’m not sure it’s the right combination.”
Former series champion Matt Kenseth called it “terrible… the worst thing I ever drove on a big track.”
Ninth-place finisher Kyle Larson called it “really bad,’’ with veteran Greg Biffle adding that the low-drag package utilized two weeks ago at Kentucky Speedway was “way, way better.”
Don’t take their word for it, though. The on-track action told a similar tale. While drivers appeared able to run down the leader with more ease than in past seasons, actually passing that leader remained problematic. Kyle Busch’s decisive pass of leader Kevin Harvick with 11 laps remaining came on a restart, and once the field sorted out to single-file, Busch was able to maintain a comfortable margin to the finish.
Granted, Indy has never produced an abundance of lead changes and three-wide racing. Its flat turns and long, fast straightaways have always been better-suited to open wheeled Indy Cars than heavier, boxier NASCAR machinery, and Sunday’s race did nothing to change that dynamic. It wasn't any worse, but it wasn't much better, either.
Sunday’s nine-inch tall rear spoilers created visibility issues, while new rear-bumper extensions prevented hot air from escaping from underneath the cars. Cockpit temperatures topped 140 degrees as drivers struggled to deal with the heat, and Landon Cassill lost more than 10-percent of his 155-pound body weight during Sunday’s race, despite paying special attention to pre-race hydration and drinking a whopping 80 ounces of additional fluids during the event.
In the words of 10th-place finisher Brad Keselowski, “I didn’t see any significant gains.”
NASCAR withheld comment Sunday, preferring to examine the official loop data before delivering a final verdict. In the aftermath of the Kentucky race -- featuring a 132-percent increase in green-flag passes over the previous season -- Indy paled in comparison.
NASCAR intends to utilize its high-drag package once again at Michigan International Speedway in three weeks. In fairness, the MIS oval is significantly different than the Brickyard, and could provide the kind of Talladega-esque pack racing that Chairman Brian France hoped to see this weekend, but did not.
Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin offered hope of that Sunday, saying, “This package was really intended for a track like Michigan, more than it was here at Indy.”
Drivers and fans can only hope he’s correct.
Sunday, July 26, 2015
Busch Appears Ready To Contend For A Title
Kyle Busch’s comeback is now
officially the stuff of legends.
He is the Boston Red Sox, overcoming an 0-3 deficit with four consecutive
wins to beat the rival New York Yankees for the 2004 American League
championship, just days before claiming a long-awaited World Series victory with
a four-game sweep of the Cardinals.
He is Willis Reed in Game Seven of the 1970 NBA Finals, hobbling onto the court for the opening tap and gritting his teeth
through a badly torn thigh muscle to lead his New York Knicks to the league
championship.
He is backup quarterback
Frank Reich, replacing Hall Of Famer Jim Kelly and leading the Buffalo Bills
out of a 32-point second-half hole, en route to a 38-35 OT win and a spot in
their third consecutive Super Bowl.
He is Michael
Jordan, returning from a 17-month stint on the baseball diamond to lead the
Chicago Bulls to yet another NBA title; all the while looking like he had never
missed so much as a shoot-around.
By now, now fans know Busch’s
story by heart. He missed the first 11 races of the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
campaign with a compound fracture of his right leg and a broken left foot suffered
in a savage XFINITY Series crash at Daytona International Speedway in February.
The beneficiary of solid orthopedic surgery, a dedicated rehabilitation program
and an uncanny ability to heal on the fly, he returned on May 24 at Charlotte
Motor Speedway with a steady – if not spectacular – 1th-place showing. A pair
of crashes at Daytona and Michigan slowed his roll temporarily, but an unlikely
June 28 win on the Sonoma road course triggered a five-week run of dominance that
has seldom been equaled in the history of the Sprint Cup Series.
Four victories in those last
five weeks – at Sonoma, Kentucky, New
Hampshire and Indy – have boosted Busch from “unlikely longshot” to “championship
contender.” Sunday, he became the first driver to win three consecutive Sprint Cup
races since Jimmie Johnson in 2007, and if his hot streak continues much
longer, he can add the work “favorite” to his resume, as well.
"I
can't believe this run,” said a beaming Busch, moments after the
customary post-race kissing of the IMS bricks. “I just can't believe what's going on. I’m still
in shock. I’m still in shock from last week. It all goes by so fast. Every
week, it’s `on to the next (race)… on to the next one.’ I said after New
Hampshire that nothing would be more impressive to me than winning with all
three different aero packages in as many weeks, and now we did it.”
In the aftermath of his
Indianapolis triumph, Busch has now claimed as many checkered flags in just nine
starts as multi-time champion Johnson has managed in 20. His four victories are
at least twice as many as every other competitor, and he now trails 30th-place
Justin Algaier by just 23 points in his quest for the all-important 30th spot
and a place in the 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
The question
is no longer “can Kyle Busch crack the Top-30 in points?”
It is now, “will he do it
this week, or next?”
“It’s one of the best
stories I’ve been around in sports,” said car owner Joe Gibbs, who witnessed a
few Cinderella stories in his 16-year tenure as head coach of the NFL’s
Washington Redskins. “The agony of the first part of the year, the tragedy he
went through; how many guys come back from that? He’s going up against the best
people (in the sport) and he’s performing. It’s not often you get to be a part
of something like this, and I just thank him for letting us be a part of it.
“We were behind at the
start of the season, and we spent half a year getting caught up engine-wise,
chassis-wise and aero-wise. But now we’re there.”
Crew chief Adam Stevens agreed, saying the No.
18 Toyota team is ready to contend for the title.
"We've had
some good fortune (this season), but today we flat-out earned it," said the
rookie pit boss. "It's a championship run. We're transitioning from making
the Chase to trying to win the championship."
"Maybe I found my happy
place," admitted Busch, his bright red fire suit soaked with a glorious combination
of perspiration and Victory Lane Gatorade. "This has been a phenomenal
return. I guess I'll take (an) 11-week vacation any year, if it's going to look
like this.”
Friday, July 24, 2015
Stanton Barrett Returns At Indy With Zombie Backing
After finishing his latest motion picture, Hollywood
stuntman Stanton Barrett carries the adrenaline to Indianapolis Motor Speedway,
site of Saturday afternoon’s NASCAR XFINITY Series Lilly Diabetes 250.
Barrett has teamed up with Rick Ware Racing to compete in
his third XFINITY Series race of the season. Earlier this year, Barrett
competed in events at Auto Club Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway.
Barrett has had to take a short sabbatical from the race
track for a life on the road building his “other career” as a top Hollywood
stuntman. This weekend though, he makes a grand return to NASCAR with his
newest Hollywood credential completed.
“I enjoy and appreciate every opportunity I have to
compete in NASCAR,” said Barrett. “I’ve been fortunate enough to be around the
sport for a long time, but never race at Indianapolis. I get goose bumps just thinking
about it. For me though, Indianapolis is important for many more reasons.”
Barrett will utilize the 18th race of the
season to promote the upcoming movie Navy
Seals vs. Zombies, which also marks his directorial debut. Coming in the fall
of this year, Navy Seals vs. Zombies --
released by Anchor Bay Entertainment -- is an action/horror film starring
Michael Dudikoff, Rick Fox, Ed Quinn and Lolo Jones. The film also features
actual Navy Seals utilizing realistic tactics.
“We’re real proud of the film,” added Barrett who flew to
Indianapolis Thursday after wrapping up post-production obligations of Navy
Seals vs. Zombies. “This movie marks my directorial debut and through the hard
work and endless efforts of the cast and staff, this fall we’ll have a film
that we hope we’ll leave a lot of people satisfied.”
While earning a solid finish in Saturday afternoon’s
Lilly Diabetes 250 is a top priority, the Bishop, California native also knows
that the NASCAR market is prime source for exposure.
“I’ve been fortunate enough through my NASCAR career to
have some great sponsors who have seen tremendous return-on-investment and
exposure because of the loyalty from NASCAR fans and the industry as a whole
from driver to teams and even race tracks. Several major motion pictures and
actors have utilized NASCAR to promote an upcoming film and I’m ecstatic we’re
the latest to continue that path.”
While promoting Navy Seals vs. Zombies is important, Barrett isn’t losing focus on
another project, 4Caring.org.
Founded by Barrett, 4Caring.org is an
organization to reach out and comfort those with personal crisis. The organization’s
primary desire is to reach out those in hospital waiting rooms like children’s
cancer centers, intensive care units and other related children’s area.
However, the organization is not restricted to just children, but people in
need for care.
“4Caring.org is very important to me,” added Barrett, driver of
the No. 15 Navy Seals vs. Zombies/4Caring.org Ford Mustang. “It’s an organization that helps
those dealing with crisis situations on a variety of different levels. I’m here
to do a job this weekend to do a good job behind the wheel – but spreading the
word that there are options for those who need it the most.”
In addition to 4Caring.org ,
Rick Ware Racing and Barrett welcome ZIPPO as an associate sponsor for
Barrett’s 196th career NXS start.
RTA Engaged For Voter Registration Effort
Co-chairmen
and former U.S. Congressmen Heath Shuler (D-NC) and Connie Mack (R-Fla) have announced
today that Rev the Vote, a nonpartisan Washington D.C.-based organization, has
engaged the Race Team Alliance (RTA) to help promote increased voter
registration among racing fans.
Formed
in 2014, the Race Team Alliance represents 17 top racing organizations that
compete in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series. Rev the Vote will leverage the assets
and national reach of the RTA membership to amplify the importance of voter
registration and participation in local and national
elections.
“This
is a first,” said Shuler, a former college football star at the University of
Tennessee and NFL quarterback. “While other initiatives have targeted
motorsports racing fans in the past, this agreement creates a unique
partnership, where the racing industry’s owners and teams will be assisting in
delivering the message to its incredibly loyal fans about the importance of
civil engagement.”
“This
is a significant announcement for the RTA and its members,” said RTA Chairman
Rob Kauffman. “The RTA was formed to have a collective voice and it is an honor
that Rev the Vote selected the power of that voice to deliver an important
message to American racing fans everywhere about registering to vote. We know
racing fans like to be heard and we will promote taking that passion to the
voting booth.”
This
agreement allows Rev the Vote to utilize the broad reach of the RTA Member
teams. The teams will provide social and digital outreach, as well as, at-track
experiences, like hauler tours, pit box seating, meet and greets, hospitality
and activation.
“Today
marks a key milepost in our drive to bring the millions of unregistered racing
fans into the electoral process,” said Mack, the great grandson of MLB Hall of
Famer Connie Mack. “We are determined to play the lead role in making sure race
fans, who represent a huge cross section of Americans, are heard as loudly on
Election Day as they are on race day. With this important partnership, our
mission becomes all the more attainable.”
Shuler,
Mack and Kauffman made the announcement at a news conference Friday at the
Indianapolis Motor Speedway as NASCAR Sprint Cup teams prepared for Sunday’s Brickyard
400.
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
"Ronnie The Limo Driver" To Drive Eldora Pace Truck
Ronnie
Mund, also known as “Ronnie the Limo Driver” from “The Howard Stern Show” on
SiriusXM, has been selected to drive the Chevrolet Silverado pace truck for the
1-800-Car-Cash Mud Summer Classic NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race
Wednesday night at Eldora Speedway.
“I
was blown away when I got the invite,” Mund said. “I’m so excited and
especially honored that it is at Tony’s (Stewart) track. I can’t wait to
experience the legendary Eldora and an event that is becoming a must-see event
for NASCAR fans.”
Mund
has worked with Stern since 1985. He will work with Stern on Wednesday morning
and then fly to Ohio for the race.
“This
is a dream come true for Ronnie,” said Roger Slack, general manager of Eldora.
“He is a huge NASCAR fan, a big fan of what we do here at Eldora and we’re
pumped to have him drive the Chevrolet Silverado pace truck outfitted with
SiriusXM in the 1-800-Car-Cash Mud Summer Classic.”
The
150-lap Truck Series race is contested in 60-50-40 lap segments. As is
dirt-track tradition, the starting field is set by five qualifying heat races.
For
the third straight year, the American Legion Post 648 Honor Guard from St.
Henry, Ohio , will present the colors of the United States and the St. Henry
(Ohio) High School marching band will perform the National Anthem.
Pocono Adds Windows 10 Race Sponsorship
Pocono Raceway and
Microsoft have announced the renaming of the track’s August NASCAR Sprint Cup
Series race as the Windows 10 400.
The Windows 10 400 race
weekend will take place from July 31st to August 2nd,
just two days after the launch of Windows 10. For the first time ever,
Microsoft’s operating system will be offered as a free upgrade to customers
with qualified Windows 7 and Windows 8 devices.
“Today is an
exciting day for us,” said Brandon Igdalsky, Pocono Raceway President/CEO.
“Microsoft has been on the cutting edge of technology and innovation since its
founding in 1975. The launch of their Windows 10 platform is something Pocono
Raceway is extremely proud to promote during our final NASCAR race weekend of
2015. We look forward to celebrating with everyone from Microsoft, NASCAR and,
most importantly, the race fans on Sunday, August 2nd.”
Microsoft, an
Official Technology Partner of NASCAR, will have device displays and
interactive experiences in the Fan Fair and Paddock areas at Pocono Raceway
during the Windows 10 400
race weekend. Race fans and members of the NASCAR industry will be able to
relax and enjoy Windows 10 devices at these locations. Additionally, everyone
is invited to interact on their social media channels using the official race
hashtag, #Windows10_400.
Additionally,
Hendrick Motorsports driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., the defending winner of the
August Sprint Cup Series race at Pocono, will drive the No. 88 Microsoft
Chevrolet during the Windows 10 400
race weekend.
Microsoft will
also be promoting the Windows 10 free upgrade by “upgrading” some lucky fans’
race experience. Fans are encouraged to visit the Windows 10 experience in the
Fan Fair for unique giveaways, and to enter to win an upgraded race day
in-field party experience for several fans. Four of those fans are scheduled to
get a special VIP experience with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and an opportunity to
watch part of the race from the No.88 team’s pit box.
“We’re thrilled to
build on our relationships with NASCAR and Hendrick Motorsports by engaging
race fans in unique ways,” said Jeremy Korst, GM of Windows Product Marketing
at Microsoft. “We’re upgrading their experiences not only at the Pocono Windows
10 400 race, but also off the track with Windows 10. It’s the best Windows
ever. In fact, we built it in collaboration with our fans – over 5.5 million
Windows Insiders. And we’re excited to offer a free upgrade, so that people all
over the world can use Windows 10 to do great things.”
Tickets for theWindows
10 400on Sunday, August 2nd start at 45ドル for adults. For
kids, ages 12 and under, Sunday Grandstand tickets start at 22ドル.50. Again, fans
are encouraged to visit the Windows display in Pocono Raceway’s Fan Fair area
and to use #Windows10_400 when interacting on social media. For more
information, and to purchase tickets, visit www.poconoraceway.com
or call 1-800-RACEWAY (1-800-722-3929).
Monday, July 20, 2015
NASCAR Will Address Thrown Water Bottles
NASCAR executive vice
president and chief racing development officer Steve O’Donnell said today that
the sanctioning body will address drivers tossing water bottles out of their
cars during races, a practice that appeared to play a role in a pair of caution
periods during Sunday’s race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
O’Donnell told
SiriusXM NASCAR Radio’s The Morning Drive
that while drivers routinely discard empty water bottles while exiting pit road
under caution, NASCAR sometimes struggles to determine the nature of debris on
the track apron.
“Coming off pit road,
sometimes you see (debris) down on the apron where water bottles are discarded,’’
he said. “In this case, we candidly weren’t really sure (what it was). We knew
it was potentially one of the (bottles) that are a little bit different with
the material they’re made out of.”
Many drivers use
Gatorade-branded plastic bottles, which constitute little or no threat when
run-over by race cars. Not all bottles, however, are made of the same plastic, creating
issues for NASCAR in their attempts to determine whether or not to call a
debris caution.
O’Donnell said
officials were not able to determine who threw the offending bottles, but
promised to address the situation with drivers this weekend at Indianapolis
Motor Speedway.
“If someone is
purposely trying to manipulate a caution, that’s not something that is going to
be tolerated,” he said. “We’ll have to look into that further as we go and
we’ll address that with the teams. It’s something that we’ve addressed in the
past, and we’ll continue to do that with the drivers.”
Thursday, July 16, 2015
Wallace, Boat Set For Series Debuts
Matt Wallace
A pair of
second-generation drivers are set for career landmarks this weekend, with Matt
Wallace and Chad Boat making their respective debuts in the NASCAR XFINITY and
Camping World Truck Series.
Wallace, son of NASCAR
veteran racer Mike Wallace, will make his NASCAR XFINITY Series debut this
weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The 19-year old racer will drivethe
No. 26 Toyota for JGL Racing in the Lakes Region 200.
"This is an
absolute thrill and honor," said Wallace. "I am getting to do
what a lot of teenagers in the world today would love to do. This program
came together very quickly and I appreciate the opportunity that everyone at
JGL Racing has given me."
Wallace is currently
racing Late Models for his family owned team. He made his ARCA Series
debut in May with a 10th-place finish at Toledo Speedway. After his
NASCAR XFINITY Series debut this weekend, Wallace will compete in the ARCA
Racing Series at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis next weekend, before
returning to the No. 26 Toyota for JGL Racing the following weekend at Iowa
Speedway.
"It is a pleasure
to welcome Matt Wallace to the JGL Racing team," added James Whitener,
owner of JGL Racing. "His father Mike has raced for us and it is
neat to now put his son into one of our cars. Our JGL Racing organization
has some exciting things happening and it has been fun bringing along young
talented racers such as Matt."
Chad Boat
Boat, meanwhile, will make his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut
in the Billy Boat Motorsports No. 15 CorvetteParts.net Chevrolet Silverado on
Wednesday night at Eldora Speedway.
After starting his open-wheel racing career at the young age of
five, Boat will add a NCWTS race to his 17-career NASCAR XFINITY Series
starts. The 23-year-old’s resume includes over 100-career wins on dirt,
including USAC Rookie of the Year titles in both the midget and Sprint Car
divisions. He also holds the
record as the youngest driver in USAC history to win a dirt track Sprint Car
race.
“I’m thankful for the incredible opportunity CorevtteParts.net and
BBM has given me to be able to get back behind the wheel on dirt next week,”
said Boat. “Growing up racing midgets and sprint cars, Eldora will always be
one of those tracks that have a certain type of nostalgia when racing
there. For that reason, making my first NCWTS start here is really special.
I look forward to taking my dirt track experience and the progress that BBM has
been making on the track to capture a solid finish in the No. 15
CorvetteParts.net Chevrolet Silverado.”
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Driscoll Resigns From Armed Forces Foundation
Patricia
Driscoll has resigned from her post as executive director of the Armed Forces
Foundation.
The organization’s board of directors
placed Driscoll on administrative leave last week, and accepted her resignation
Tuesday. She has been accused of
financial impropriety in her role at the helm of the veterans’ organization. A
May 22 Outside the Lines report by ESPN Senior Writer Mike Fish revealed that FBI and IRS officials are investigating a series
of questionable financial practices during Driscoll’s 12-year tenure with the
AFF.
A federal
whistleblower complaint filed by a former AFF employee alleges that Driscoll
was loaned money by the foundation to pay personal expenses, including legal
fees associated with a child-custody case, the purchase of security equipment for
Driscoll’s home and vacations to Paris and Morocco. Over a 19-month period from
2012 to 2013, the foundation allegedly made 17 monthly payments totaling more
than 100,000ドル on a credit card linked to Driscoll's business, Frontline Defense
Systems. Those expenses included grocery bills, medical expenses, massage and
dermatologist treatments and toy store bills. Driscoll also allegedly received
substantial fundraising bonuses that were not reported by the foundation.
Her
attorney issued a statement in the days following the Outside The Lines story, saying his client "unequivocally
denied any allegation that she has used AFF funds to pay any of her personal
expenses."
During her tenure with the AFF, Driscoll was a
fundraising dynamo, increasing donations from roughly 100,000ドル in 2001
to more than 13ドル million in 2013. Her high-profile relationship with Busch
ended abruptly late last year, when Driscoll accused Busch of choking her and
slamming her head against the wall of his motorhome at Dover International Speedway
on September 22.
The former Sprint Cup Series champion denied those charges,
saying he merely cupped Driscoll’s face in his hands while repeatedly asking
her to leave. His attorney described Driscoll’s allegations as “a
complete fabrication by a woman who has refused to accept the end of a
relationship.”
The Delaware Department of Justice announced in early March that no
charges would be filed against Busch, citing insufficient evidence of any
assault.
On
February 20 of this year, Driscoll alleged in a FOX and Friends interview that
she is not the only woman to be abused in NASCAR.
“I’ve had a lot of women come forward to me from the NASCAR community, to
say they were also abused and that they’re being harassed by other team
members,” said Driscoll. She declined to cite specific
instances or name names.
Driscoll issued a written
statement today, praising the AFF’s efforts without addressing the charges
against her or commenting on her resignation. The foundation also issued a
statement thanking Driscoll for her work, saying, "We are appreciative of
Patricia's 12 years of service to our armed forces, veterans, and their families."
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