Monday, October 28, 2013
Larson Back For Phoenix Racing At Texas
Phoenix Racing will partner with the Dallas Convention &
Visitors Bureau for this weekend's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Texas Motor
Speedway, with Kyle Larson returning to drive the No. 51 Visit Dallas Chevy SS.
The Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau is an independent,
non-profit organization that promotes Dallas as a meeting, convention and
leisure destination. Dallas is the ninth-largest city in the nation and is part
of the fourth-largest metropolitan area. Each year, more than 30 million people
visit the area, making the surrounding metropolitan area the top visitor
destination in Texas.
"Big things happen in Dallas and Texas Motor Speedway is one
of the many sports venues in our region that make Dallas the ultimate sports
destination," said Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau Chief Marketing
Officer Noelle LeVeaux. "The opportunity to brand Kyle Larson's car for
the AAA Texas 500 will show the television viewing audience and the tens of
thousands of fans at TMS that Dallas is doing things big. We want to pique
people's interest and encourage them to come see what Dallas is all
about."
"It's really exciting to be partnering with the Dallas
Convention & Visitors Bureau for the race at Texas Motor Speedway,"
added Harry Scott Jr., owner of Phoenix Racing. "Texas Motor Speedway does
such a great job putting on the races and the surrounding area of Dallas is
always one of our favorite places to visit, so it's great to be spotlighting this
city and showcasing a new sponsor in our sport. Kyle is going to do a great job
representing them and Phoenix Racing."
Larson will be making his third NSCS start at Texas Motor
Speedway, after making his debut at Charlotte Motor Speedway two weeks ago and
competing at Martinsville Speedway this past weekend. Larson will also compete
in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Texas on Saturday, driving the No. 32
Chevy Camaro for Turner Scott Motorsports, which is co-owned by Scott.
"Getting to compete in the Sprint Cup Series has been a great
learning experience for me," commented Larson. "I'm looking forward
to driving the No. 51 Visit Dallas Chevy SS at Texas Motor Speedway this
weekend. Hopefully, we can avoid any issues, complete all the laps and get the
finish that we deserve."
NASCAR Hall Of Fame To Unveil Glory Road 2.0
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The
NASCAR Hall of Fame is set to unveil a complete makeover of one of its
signature exhibits, Glory Road, in January. To mark this major exhibit revamp,
the Hall will provide an exclusive sneak peek of artifacts included in the
coming weeks via in-person and social media unveils. Each of the eight debuts
will culminate with a behind-the-scenes media preview of all 18 cars in
January. The exhibit will be open to the public beginning Jan. 11, 2014.
“Glory
Road has consistently ranked as one of our guests' favorite exhibits since
opening three years ago,” says NASCAR Hall of Fame Executive Director Winston
Kelley. “We find that guests are in awe of the breadth and depth of the
historic cars on display."
Glory
Road has served as one of the Hall’s most prominent focal points since opening,
featuring 18 historic stock cars from the first 60 years of NASCAR that
encircle the Great Hall. Speedways from across the country are illustrated here
as well, where guests can touch the texture of various tracks and feel the
intense banking that drivers do week-to-week. Glory Road 2.0 will revise all 18
cars to reflect the six generations of premier series race cars that have been
driven and built by some of the sport’s most celebrated drivers, owners and
mechanics. The new theme will be to document the six generations of cars that
NASCAR has raced over the past 65 years.
Prior
to each Glory Road 2.0 announcement, stay tuned to the NASCAR Hall of Fame on nascarhall.com, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for
sneak peek details of the NASCAR stock cars that will find a new home in this
exhibit. In-person photo opportunities that will be open to the public will be
announced accordingly. The first sneak peek will take place in person at the
NASCAR Hall of Fame Tuesday afternoon on Nov. 5 with upcoming details to
follow. Please note, stock car generations and dates are subject to change.
November
December
Nov.
5: Generation 4
Dec.
3: Generation 2
Nov.
12: Generation 5
Dec.
10: Generation 4
Nov.
17: Generation 2
Dec.
17: Generation 1
Nov.
29: Generation 4
Dec.
26: Generation 1
"Glory
Road is truly an immersive experience that fully represents the pageantry,
sportsmanship and heritage of NASCAR," says Kelley. "We have often
been told that this exhibit will be challenging to change. In fact, Darrell
Waltrip reiterated that during his Induction Ceremony week in 2012. Our goal
with Glory Road 2.0 is to have an equally impressive and historic exhibit as
our inaugural exhibit."
Kicking
off this significant milestone for the Hall was the first artifact unveil on
Oct. 12, where Buck Baker’s 1957 Chevrolet, nicknamed the “Black Widow,” was
announced. The stock car marked the first time an American auto manufacturer
offered a model with NASCAR racing in mind. During the 1957 season, Baker, a
2013 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, made 40 starts and led all drivers in wins
with ten and poles with six. He became the first driver to win back-to-back
NASCAR Grand National (now Sprint Cup) Championships.
Tickets to the NASCAR Hall
of Fame can be purchased by calling (877) 231-2010 or at nascarhall.com .
Admission is 19ドル.95 for adults, 17ドル.95 for seniors and military, 12ドル.95 for
children 5-12 and free for children younger than 5. Memberships are available
starting at 25ドル for children and 50ドル for adults. The NASCAR Hall of Fame is
open daily 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and is closed on Christmas Day.
McDowell To Leavine Family Racing In 2014
Leavine Family Racing has announced
that Michael McDowell will drive the team's No. 95 Ford Fusion NASCAR Sprint
Cup Series entry in 2014.
The announcement was
made at Texas Motor Speedway - the team's home track, where the Glendale,
Arizona native signed a single-year deal to drive for Leavine Family Racing. McDowell
will make his debut when the team fields an entry for the February
season-opening race at the 56th annual DAYTONA 500 at Daytona International
Speedway.
McDowell, 28, has competed
in the Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series since 2007 and in the
Sprint Cup Series since 2008. McDowell has 144 career starts in the NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series. His best finish was ninth at the season-opening DAYTONA 500
this year.
"This is an
extremely good opportunity for me," said McDowell, who has worked with the
Leavine Family Racing Sprint Cup team before, at this season's Sprint All-Star
race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. "Bob and I first started talking
about the possibilities months ago. I'm happy to be a part of this
organization."
"Michael
drove for us at the Sprint All-Star race and he left a great impression,"
Leavine said. "When we started thinking about a driver for next year, he
was at the top of our list.
"He has always
impressed me. Michael gets the most out of his car, no matter what he's driving
or who he's driving for. He takes care of his cars and gets good finishes. With
his experience and ability, we feel he can excel in our equipment. As a team we
are very excited, and his ability to work with everyone here at Leavine Family
Racing will be important."
Vice president of
marketing and partnerships Jeremy Lange said the goal of the organization is to
run one full-time team in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in addition to competing
in select Nationwide Series races in the No. 95 car.
Childress And Harvick Deserved A Better End
Since confirming in November of last year that Kevin
Harvick would leave Richard Childress Racing for a new position with Stewart
Haas Racing in 2014, both driver and team have provided a case study in how to dissolve
partnerships in a professional, dignified manner. They have steadfastly avoided
the kind of second-guessing and finger pointing that doomed other “lame duck”
teams in the past, setting new standards for civility and competitiveness while
winning races and qualifying for this year’s Chase For The NASCAR Sprint Cup.
Unfortunately, all that good will went out the
window in the blink of an eye Saturday at Martinsville Speedway.
When Harvick and Ty Dillon tangled in the waning
laps of Saturday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series “Kroger 200,” it unleashed
an eruption of animosity and ill-will that has apparently simmered beneath the
surface for quite some time.
Driving in a one-off role for NTS Motorsports,
Harvick tangled with Dillon while racing for second place Saturday, causing
both drivers to crash out of contention. Dillon, grandson of team owner Richard
Childress, rammed Harvick repeatedly after the crash, while Childress goaded
him via in-car radio to “turn (Harvick’s) ass over.”
Harvick drove his damaged truck to pit road and
stopped briefly in Dillon's pit stall, where he was swarmed by several members
of the RCR crew. Heated words were exchanged before NASCAR officials
intervened, and one of Dillon’s crewmen hurled a hammer at Harvick. After the
race, an angry Harvick leveled charges of nepotism against RCR, calling Dillon
and older brother Austin “punk-ass kids” and Saturday’s incident, "exactly
the reason why I'm leaving RCR.
“You've got those kids coming up, and they've got
no respect for what they do in this sport,” said Harvick. “They've had
everything fed to them with a spoon."
Childress responded angrily, saying he was
"very disappointed" in Harvick’s comments and conduct. "I've got
too much class to say what I want to say right now,” claimed the longtime
NASCAR team owner. “When I say it, I will say it to (Harvick’s) face."
Harvick apologized for his comments the following day, telling FOX
Sports 1’s NASCAR
RACEDAY, “I hate it for everybody at
RCR. When you go back and look at the things that happened, sometimes you
regret the things that you say. Yesterday was definitely one of them.
“I hate it for my guys, and everybody working on
the cars,” said Harvick, a 13-year RCR employee. “Obviously, when those emotional
situations come about, you say things that you really don't want to say. I want
to apologize to all of those guys (and ask them to) work hard today and try and
do everything we can to win the race.”
While confirming that Harvick will finish the season in the No. 29 Chevrolet, Childress stressed Sunday that his longtime driver’s comments are unlikely to be forgotten.
"What happened on the track was one thing,
but the comments afterward are where I'm really upset,” he said. “I'll never
apologize for giving my grandsons an opportunity, just like the France family, the
Earnhardt family, the Wood Brothers. Go down the list of the people that have
been given opportunities (and) all of them didn't make it. You've got to go out
and earn what you've got... and these boys earned it."
Childress said he spoke with Harvick Sunday
morning and will give him “everything humanly possible to win that championship.
I'm committed to him for four more races,” he said. “I shook his hand and
committed I'd give him 100 percent, and I'm going to do it. But I'm not going
to be backed into a corner.”
After 13 years and a laundry list of successes --
on and off the racetrack – both Childress and Harvick deserved a better end
that what happened Saturday in Virginia. Unfortunately, both men were betrayed
by the same competitive nature that made them so successful to begin with.
“I didn't do the right thing
yesterday,” admitted Harvick. “I think it's best for all of us to just cool
down and have a sensible conversation about things. I wish that's what I would
have done yesterday... but I don't have anybody else to blame but myself."
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