____________________________________________________________
T H E * S T O C K * C A R * G A Z E T T E
by http://MotorSportsNews.Net
Do you know for sure?
http://motorsportsnews.net/you-can-know-for-sure
____________________________________________________________
The Stock Car Gazette is sponsored by:
Hasco Collectibles
Div. Hasco Services, LLC
701 Mantooth Ave.
Lufkin, TX 75904
http://www.hascodiecastcars.com
ha...@diecastcars.net
866-66-HASCO (866-664-2726)
WATCH FOR OUR NEW SALE COMING SOON!
We Have AMP/NG/Dupont/Lowes/Cheerios/Home Depot/Budweiser/
Bass Pro/Fed-Ex/Nicorette, And Many More At Our Web Store:
http://www.hascodiecastcars.com.
Hasco Collectibles
Div. Hasco Services, LLC
701 Mantooth Ave.
Lufkin, TX 75904
http://www.hascodiecastcars.com
ha...@diecastcars.net
866-66-HASCO (866-664-2726)
___________________________________________________________
E d i t o r ' s * N o t e s
___________________________________________________________
Welcome to our Thursday edition. We took a break yesterday because we were having SMTP e-mail problems from the website's e-mail accounts. I could have put together an edition and sent it via GMail, but I didn't discover I even had a problem until it was too late.
___________________________________________________________
Stock Car Gazette Columnists Speak Out!
___________________________________________________________
Dear Brian.
by: John Kokolski
I read an article last week that I found very upsetting about Brian France. A man who is supposed to be leading our sport as the head of the France family, has moved to New York City and has time to pursue other interests. Maybe he should show his other interests to someone who really cares. What follows is an open letter to Brian France. Read it at http://motorsportsnews.net/archives/2939
For more by John, visit http://motorsportsnews.net/archives/category/pipe-smoke
__________
Like a race victory burnout, what goes around, comes around.
by: Robyn Snell
(Photo credit: Harold Hinson for Lowe's Motor Speedway)
Since NASCAR banned testing in this past off season, it appears that fans, sports writers, commentators and such are frothing at the mouth to microanalyze every little thing that happened during Speed Weeks within all of three major racing series.
Every driver has been subject to this microanalyzation and I, for one, cannot wait to move onto California. Read more at http://motorsportsnews.net/archives/2948
For more from Robyn, visit http://motorsportsnews.net/archives/category/robyn-reacts
___________________________________________________________
N A S C A R * S P R I N T * C U P * S E R I E S
___________________________________________________________
Courtesy of Carolyn's Jeff Gordon Newsletter
Hendrick teams not a factor
http://www.thatsracin.com/115/story/3795.html
NASCAR's super group didn't exactly get off to a super start. Again. None of Hendrick Motorsport's drivers - Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mark Martin - placed in the top 10. It was the second straight year of Daytona struggles for the powerhouse team. Gordon's 13th-place the best of the bunch. Martin faded from the outside pole to 16th, Earnhardt was 27th and three-time defending series champion Johnson was 31st. It wasn't exactly the performance expected out of NASCAR's highest-profile organization. Gordon led 14 laps during the middle of the race before tire problems forced him to pit. He dropped all the way to 32nd before scrambling back into the top 15, but ran out of time. Martin, a sentimental favorite after a couple of near-misses in the 500, never got going. He led one lap but floated between fifth and 13th for long stretches before dropping back late, making him 0-for-25 in the season-opener
1on1: Sadler loves dog-day afternoons on the hunt
http://www.nascar.com/2009/news/features/02/17/1.on.1.esadler/index.html
Elliott Sadler was on the hunt for Victory Lane in the Daytona 500, eventually finishing fifth in his No. 19 Dodge for Richard Petty Motorsports. There was nothing unusual about him hunting down something he wanted, as that is one of his favorite pastimes. He sat down and talked about one of the great off-the-track passions of his life -- the Walker Hound hunting dogs that he raises by the dozens on his land in Emporia, Va Q: So how many of these dogs do you have? Sadler: Sixty or 65 of 'em. We use 'em for hunting white-tail deer. My dad and I bought our first 10 dogs probably when I was 10 or 12 years old. We kept messin' with them, and then I kind of decided I wanted to raise my own. I've always been an animal lover. We've always had pets and stuff around the house. I just started my own kennel and raising dogs. They're like my kids. It's been a lot of fun -- using them, raisin' 'em, watchin' 'em grow. It's just something to get me as far away from racin' as I can, to kind of let my body and mind reset.
ENTRY LIST
Fontana, CA
Auto Club 500
Auto Club Speedway
February 22, 2009
Race 2 of 36
CAR DRIVER HOMETOWN MAKE SPONSOR OWNER
00 David Reutimann Zephyrhills, FL Toyota Aaron's Dream Machine Michael Waltrip
1 Martin Truex Jr. Mayetta, NJ Chevrolet Bass Pro Shops / Tracker Teresa Earnhardt
2 Kurt Busch Las Vegas, NV Dodge Miller Lite Walter Czarnecki
5 Mark Martin Batesville, AR Chevrolet Carquest / Kellogg's Mary Hendrick
6 David Ragan Unadilla, GA Ford UPS Mike Dee
7 Robby Gordon Orange, CA Toyota Jim Beam Robby Gordon
07 Casey Mears Bakersfield, CA Chevrolet Jack Daniel's Richard Childress
8 Aric Almirola Tampa, FL Chevrolet Guitar Hero Chip Ganassi
9 Kasey Kahne Enumclaw, WA Dodge Budweiser George Gillett, Jr
09 Sterling Marlin Columbia, TN Chevrolet Miccosukee Resort & Gaming James Finch
11 Denny Hamlin Chesterfield, VA Toyota FedEx Freight J D Gibbs
12 David Stremme South Bend, IN Dodge Penske Racing Roger Penske
14 Tony Stewart Rushville, IN Chevrolet Old Spice / Office Depot Margaret Haas
16 Greg Biffle Vancouver, WA Ford 3M Jack Roush
17 Matt Kenseth Cambridge, WI Ford Carhartt John Henry
18 Kyle Busch Las Vegas, NV Toyota Interstate Batteries Joe Gibbs
19 Elliott Sadler Emporia, VA Dodge Best Buy George Gillett, Jr
20 Joey Logano* Middletown, CT Toyota The Home Depot Joe Gibbs
24 Jeff Gordon Pittsboro, IN Chevrolet DuPont Rick Hendrick
26 Jamie McMurray Joplin, MO Ford Crown Royal Geoff Smith
28 Travis Kvapil Janesville, WI Ford Farmers Insurance Jeffrey Moorad
29 Kevin Harvick Bakersfield, CA Chevrolet Shell / Pennzoil Richard Childress
31 Jeff Burton South Boston, VA Chevrolet Caterpillar Richard Childress
33 Clint Bowyer Emporia, KS Chevrolet Cheerios / Hamburger Helper Bobby Ginn
34 John Andretti Indianapolis, IN Dodge Window World Teresa Earnhardt
36 Scott Riggs Bahama, NC Toyota Red Bank Outfitters Tommy Baldwin Jr.
37 Tony Raines La Porte, IN Dodge Long John Silver's Brad Jenkins
39 Ryan Newman South Bend, IN Chevrolet Haas Automation Tony Stewart
41 Jeremy Mayfield Owensboro, KY Toyota All Sport Jeremy Mayfield
42 Juan Montoya Bogota, Colombia Chevrolet Target Teresa Earnhardt
43 Reed Sorenson Peachtree City, GA Dodge Charter Comm. Richard Petty
44 A.J. Allmendinger Los Gatos, CA Dodge Charter Comm. George Gillett, Jr
47 Marcos Ambrose Launceston, Tasmania Toyota Little Debbie / Kingsford / Clorox Rob Kauffman
48 Jimmie Johnson El Cajon, CA Chevrolet Lowe's / Kobalt Tools Jeff Gordon
51 David Starr Houston, TX Dodge BlackJack Racing David Bean
55 Michael Waltrip Owensboro, KY Toyota NAPA Michael Waltrip
64 Todd Bodine Chemung, NY Toyota Gunselman Motorsports Larry Gunselman
66 Dave Blaney Hartford, OH Toyota Prism Motorsports Phil Parsons
73 Mike Garvey Lakeville, MN Dodge Jani-King / Quality Concrete Barry Haefele
77 Sam Hornish Jr. Bryan, OH Dodge Auto Club Bill Davis
82 Scott Speed* Manteca, CA Toyota Red Bull Dietrich Mateschitz
83 Brian Vickers Thomasville, NC Toyota Red Bull Dietrich Mateschitz
88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Kannapolis, NC Chevrolet Amp Energy / National Guard Rick Hendrick
96 Bobby Labonte Corpus Christi, TX Ford Ask.com Jeffrey Moorad
98 Paul Menard Eau Claire, WI Ford Quaker State / Menards Max Jones
99 Carl Edwards Columbia, MO Ford Aflac Jack Roush
171 David Gilliland Riverside, CA Chevrolet TRG Motorsports Kevin Buckler
187 Joe Nemechek Lakeland, FL Toyota NEMCO Motorsports Andrea Nemechek
* Denotes Rookie
To subscribe for Jeff Gordon #24 News e-mail her at cake...@juno.com and submit your first and last names, plus e-mail address.
___________________________________________________________
Courtesy of www.Catchfence.com
Auto Club 500 Weekend Schedule - http://www.autoclubspeedway.com/Tickets-Events/Events/2009/Auto-Club-...
___________________________________________________________
Courtesy of Stock Car Gazette subscriber Ed B. - thanks!
Richard Petty's team nearly pulled off a 1-2-3 finish at Daytona - Tom Bowles - SI.com*
http://www.emailthis.clickability.com/et/emailThis?clickMap=viewThis&...
wendys-gives-you-the-chance-to-hang-out-with-nascar-driver-kyle-petty
http://contests.about.com/b/2009/02/17/wendys-gives-you-the-chance-to...
Is the Liberal Media Trying to Run NASCAR Off the Road?
http://foxforum.blogs.foxnews.com/2009/02/17/cupp_nascar/
NASCAR all wet for cutting 500
http://www.benningtonbanner.com/sports/ci_11728926
___________________________________________________________
Your ad could be displayed here... very reasonable rates. E-mail M...@MotorSportsNews.Net
___________________________________________________________
Courtesy of Insider Racing News
http://www.insiderracingnews.com
Autographs and Appearances
David Ragan will be signing autographs at Speedzone (17871 Castleton Street, City of Industry, CA) on behalf of Discount Tire on Thursday, February 19th from 6-8 PM.
John Wes Townley will be participating in the "Fast Cars & Country Stars" concert at the Citizens Bank Arena in Ontario, CA on Thursday, February 19th. The event is hosted by NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion, Jimmie Johnson and includes driver autographs, NASCAR displays and a country music concert starring Jason Aldean and special guest, Jason Michael Carroll. Townley will be signing autographs from 6-7 p.m.
Sam Hornish will appear at the Auto Club Speedway Fan Zone on Saturday, February 21 at 11:45 a.m. PST and at the Auto Club display in the Fan Zone on Sunday, February 22 at 11:20 a.m. PST.
Justin Allgaier will sign autographs at the Penske Racing souvenir trailer on Saturday, February 21 from 12-12:30 pm. PT. The trailer is located on souvenir row on the front stretch at Auto Club Speedway.
Casey Mears will sign autographs at the Jack Daniel's souvenir trailer located in Auto Club Speedway's display area, outside the front straightaway, on Sun., Feb. 22 at 11:30 a.m. Autographs will be available on a first come, first served basis and will be limited in number due to time constraints. -- And Mears will appear at the Jack Daniel's Experience Sun., Feb. 22 at Noon. The Jack Daniel's Experience (JDX) will be positioned in the display area, outside the front stretch, on speedway property. The JDX is a 42-foot tractor- trailer filled with artifacts, state-of-the art video monitors, sound system and graphics to give race fans a taste of Lynchburg (pop. 361), Tenn. and the Distillery. The JDX will be open Fri., Feb. 20 from 9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m., Sat., Feb. 21 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. and Sun., Feb. 22 from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
On Sunday, February 22, Sam Hornish will be on hand to sign autographs at the Penske Racing souvenir trailer from 10 -10:30 a.m. PST -- The Penske Racing trailer is located along the front stretch at Auto Club Speedway
David Stremme will be signing autographs at the Penske Racing souvenir trailer on Sunday, February 22 at 11 am PST. The Penske Racing trailer is located along the front stretch at Auto Club Speedway
Kenseth Continues Victory Tour In San Francisco
Daytona 500 champion Matt Kenseth learned how to crack a Dungeness crab, enjoyed world-class chocolates and was given a magnum of Sonoma Valley wine on Wednesday in San Francisco. Kenseth (No. 17 DeWalt Ford), who won NASCAR's Great American Race on Sunday, celebrated his historic win with a Victory Tour Through the Streets of San Francisco on-board a motorized cable car, complete with a California Highway Patrol escort. Kenseth and his wife, Katie, enjoyed a first-class tour of San Francisco, crossing the Golden Gate Bridge and visiting legendary Fisherman's Grotto No. 9 at Fisherman's Wharf. Kenseth learned how to cook and crack a Dungeness crab under the guidance of co-owner Anthony Geraldi. The tour continued to Ghirardelli Square where the Kenseths received a large basket of gourmet chocolates and were treated to ice cream sundaes...
Reggie Jackson Will Drive Pace Car At California
Baseball Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson, who played for both the Oakland A's and the New York Yankees during his career, will drive the Auto Club Speedway's 2009 Chevy Impala pace car prior to Sunday's Auto Club Speedway NASCAR Sprint Cup race. "In my lifetime I've played in six World Series, hobnobbed with movie stars and been a part of the excitement of New York and the Yankees," said Jackson. "With all that, it's hard to get excited over many things. But being behind the wheel of the pace car for the Auto Club 500 is right up there with some of the most exciting things I've ever done." Jackson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993. In 27 World Series games, he hit 10 home runs - including four in consecutive at-bats - and had 24 runs batted in and a .357 batting average. He hit 563 home runs in his career
Most Popular Vote Starts
Voting for the 2009 NASCAR National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) Chex Most Popular Driver Award is now under way. For the first time in its history, the award will incorporate a format change, with the Top 10 drivers battling for fans' votes at season's end. As in years past, voters can visit (www.chexmostpopulardriver.com) and vote once a day for their favorite NASCAR Sprint Cup driver. Following the race event at Richmond International Raceway, voting for the full field of 44 drivers will end on September 13 at 11:59 PM CT. At that point, the ten drivers with the most votes will be announced as finalists and the vote count will reset to zero. Fans will then have 10 race weeks to cast their vote once a day to determine the 2009 NASCAR NMPA Chex Most Popular Driver winner from the final field of 10 drivers. Voting will conclude November 23 at 11:59 PM CT and the winner will be announced at the NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Luncheon in New York City in December
Crew Chief Of Race: Drew Blickensderfer
Drew Blickensderfer, crew chief of the No. 17 DEWALT Ford Fusion driven by Daytona 500 winner Matt Kenseth, has been named the WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief of the Race following Sunday's Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. After starting from 43rd position and being forced to a back-up car after an accident in Thursday's Gatorade Duels, Kenseth and team didn't give up as they worked their way to the top 10 on lap 30 and then moved to fourth on lap 68. Kenseth never ran outside of the top five again. A solid pit stop by the Blickensderfer-led team shot Kenseth back out in the third position on lap 132. He moved to second four laps later. With rain looming on caution number seven, Blickensderfer opted to keep his driver out in an effort to hold track position. "The decision was easy, we were fast and hadn't gone even a third of our fuel run yet," said the winning crew chief. In addition to the $1,000 prize, WYPALL Wipers will be donating $5,000 in Blickensderfer's name to the Victory Junction organization.
Ratings Down At Daytona
Fox says its broadcast of Sunday's rain-shortened Daytona 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Daytona International Speedway earned a Nielsen Media Research fast national rating of 9.2 and a 19 household share. The rating was down 9.8 percent from last year's 10.2/20. Fox said the rating for this year was hurt by the cancellation of the race's final 48 laps because of rain during "what are historically its most-watched laps" but still averaged 16.0 million viewers. The network says the race drew more people than the 15.4 million viewers for the NCAA Final Four, 15.2 million for the Beijing Olympics, 14.9 million for the National Basketball Association Finals, the 14.2 million for the Kentucky Derby, the 13.1 million for the final round of The Masters golf tournament and 7.2 million for last year's Indianapolis 500.
Gilliland To Drive No. 71
David Gilliland will drive the No. 71 TRG Motorsports Chevrolet Impala SS in round two of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California on Sunday, February 22. Daytona 500 winning crew chief, Richard "Slugger" Labbe, has also joined the team. The 33-year old Gilliland raced in 2008 for Robert Yates behind the wheel of the No. 38 and was the 2007 Daytona 500 Pole Winner. Gilliland is originally from Riverside, California, just up the road from Fontana. He cut his teeth on ovals all over the West Coast in his ascension up the NASCAR ladder. "I was at Daytona when Kevin (Buckler, TRG Motorsports team principal) called me," Gilliland said. "It is a good opportunity, we are going to lean on each other."
___________________________________________________________
Courtesy of Jayski
http://www.jayski.com
Special Decal for Harvick at Calif: The #29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevy driven by Kevin Harvick will feature a special decal on the deck lid this weekend for the running of the Auto Club 500 at Auto Club Speedway. The Mater Dei High School (Evansville, Indiana) name will be featured on the deck lid of the Richard Childress Racing machine in honor of the 2008 Shell Eco-marathon Americas winning student team. The Shell Eco-marathon, held at Auto Club Speedway each April, invites teams of students to design and build the most energy-efficient vehicle powered by either conventional or alternative fuels. The students from Mater Dei High School set a record for fuel efficiency during the 2008 competition with a rating of 2,843 miles per gallon. The team claimed a $10,000 prize for their victory and also beat the overall mileage record that was set in 2007 by Cal Poly.(RCR PR)(2-19-2009)
Haas Automation scheme for Newman: So, how does a Hoosier claim the California track as home? The answer lies in #39-Ryan Newman's affiliation with newly formed Stewart-Haas Racing as the driver of the #39 Chevy. The team is co-owned by two time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart and Oxnard, Calif.-based Haas Automation, the largest CNC tool manufacturer in the western world. The company's 1 million square-foot facility in Oxnard employs 1,200 people, and is the largest, most modern machine tool manufacturing operation in the United States. This weekend, Haas Automation will also adorn the hood of Newman's black #39 Chevy. Newman, who has one pole and four top-10 finishes in 12 career Sprint Cup starts at Auto Club Speedway, including a 10th-place effort last February, is hoping to post a solid showing for his co-owner and sponsor in their own backyard.(Stewart-Haas Racing PR), see images of the scheme on my #39 Team Schemes page.(2-19-2009)
http://www.jayski.com/schemes/2009/39cup.htm
California Raybestos Rookie Notes: #82-Scott Speed was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the Daytona 500, scoring a 35th-place finish. Speed took top rookie honors for the first time this season. Speed leads #20-Joey Logano by one point (11-10) in the Raybestos Rookie standings entering the Feb. 22 Auto Club 500 at Auto Club Speedway. As a Raybestos Rookie, Kyle Busch won the pole for the 2005 Auto Club 500 at Auto Club Speedway, becoming the youngest pole winner in NASCAR's premier series (19 yrs.., 9 mos. and 24 days). Jimmie Johnson is the only Raybestos Rookie to win in 12 previous spring races at California Speedway. Johnson captured the 2002 event by .620 seconds over Kurt Busch. Regan Smith won 2008 Raybestos Rookie of the Year honors in the Sprint Cup Series, edging Sam Hornish Jr. by seven points (236-229). Smith became the first Raybestos Rookie of the Year in the 52-year history of the program without a DNF (did not finish). He was running at the finish in all 34 starts he made this season. The most recent Raybestos Rookie to win a Sprint Cup Series race is Juan Pablo Montoya. Montoya captured the 2007 Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway, crossing the finish line 4.097 seconds ahead of second-place Kevin Harvick (56 races). The most recent Raybestos Rookie to win a pole position in the Sprint Cup Series is Patrick Carpentier. Carpentier captured the top starting spot for the 2008 LENOX Industrial Tools 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (20 races).(Camp & Assoc./Raybestos PR), see Rookie history, rules, standings and more on my 2009 Rookie Page.(2-19-2009)
http://www.jayski.com/stats/2009/roty2009.htm
Hornish to have AAA scheme at Calif: Sam Hornish Jr., driver of the Penske Racing #77 Auto Club Dodge Charger, will debut the Auto Club of Southern California paint scheme this weekend at Auto Club Speedway. The Automobile Club of Southern California and its affiliated clubs (AAA) have joined the Penske Racing partner family as primary sponsor of the #77 car for three events in 2009 and as co-primary for an additional two races. On Thursday, February 19, Hornish will visit the Auto Club headquarters in Costa Mesa, Calif., to meet with employees and kick off the race weekend at Auto Club Speedway.(Penske Racing PR), see images of the scheme on my #77 Team Schemes page.(2-19-2009)
http://www.jayski.com/schemes/2009/77cup.htm
Tryson wins award: #2-Miller Lite Dodge crew chief Pat Tryson won the "Moog Chassis Parts Problem Solver of the Race Award" in Sunday's Daytona 500. "It was a great team effort in being able to get a top-10 finish out of Sunday's race," Pat said. "We got caught up in the big one, but Kurt and all of our Miller Lite Dodge team refused to give up. We pitted every time we could (under the caution) to make repairs and got it fixed as well as we could without going a lap down. Kurt put on a helluva' show out there in coming up from 29th to finish 10th.(Tom Roberts PR)(2-19-2009)
Todd Bodine in the #64 at Calif: Todd Bodine, just as planned, will drive the #64 Toyota for Gunselman Motorsports at the Auto Club Speedway in the Auto Club 500. The youngest of the racing Bodine brothers takes over for Geoff, who attempted the Daytona 500, just as planned in the underfinanced Toyota of Gunselman Motorsports. Keeping with the plan, the team is doing the West Coast swing consisting of the California and Las Vegas races. Larry Gunselman, team owner: "Everything is going to plan. We are putting Todd in the car for the races that don't conflict with his Truck Series schedule. When he can't do it, then Geoff will be in the car. I take a lot of pride in having Todd get in our Toyota fresh off his Truck win at Daytona. I just hope that winning feeling carries over to California this weekend when it comes to qualifying on Friday. I like our chances for making the next two races. Once we do, then we can go racing and get this team moving forward in the right direction. Geoff has been a huge help doing everything from working on the car in the shop and at the track; to helping get it ready for loading. He's going to be out West with us to continue helping, too." In addition to being the crew chief, Doug Richert is also capable of jumping over the wall to change tires; just like in the old days when he first started out in racing. Gunselman just might have to call him into action - stay tuned. The team will be using Car No. 8, the same one they used in their attempt to make the Daytona 500. The team still has openings for unique sponsorship opportunities for anyone who want to get involved in NASCAR racing. Send inquiries to i...@larrygunselman.com. Like many NASCAR team since the schedule started having back-to-back West Coast races in California then Las Vegas, the Gunselman team will remain in the Pacific Time Zone until after the Vegas race.(Gunselman Motorsports PR)(2-19-2009)
Chris Economaki Named 2009 Recipient of Pocono Raceway's Bill France Award of Excellence: Chris Economaki, the Dean of Motorsports Journalists, has been named the 2009 recipient of Pocono Raceway's Bill France Award of Excellence. The Pocono Raceway Bill France Award of Excellence has been presented annually to the person, corporation or organization that has made outstanding contributions to the sport of Sprint Cup Series Racing. This prestigious award, first presented in 1977, is dedicated to the inspiration of William H.G. France, founder of NASCAR. Economaki's selection is especially significant since it marks the first time a journalist has been named to receive this award.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, on October 15, 1920, Economaki has been involved in racing most of his life. He saw his first race at the age of nine and was hooked for life. By the time he was 14, he was a fixture around race tracks doing anything he could to be involved with the sport. He began selling a daily newspaper, which had a racing section, in the grandstands of many tracks. When the National Racing News became a spin-off of the daily newspaper, he began writing his first by-line columns. He later took over as editor, publisher and owner of National Speed Sport News and turned it into the most influential weekly motorsports publication in the country. The newspaper is considered "America's Weekly Motorsports Authority" and Chris continues to write his column "The Editors Notebook" which has appeared in National Speed Sport News for more than 50 years.
Chris became one of the most popular track announcers in the 1940's and 1950's. His style grew to legendary status and soon caught the attention of ABC and CBS television executives in the early 1960's. He covered many of the world's major auto racing events for TV including the Indianapolis 500, the Daytona 500 and the 24 Hours of LeMans in a TV career that spanned four decades.
"Chris Economaki gained the respect of the entire racing community for his fair and insightful reporting and enjoys a first-name relationship with the entire automotive and racing world," stated Dr. Joseph Mattioli, Pocono Raceway Chairman of the Board. "Chris Economaki helped bring NASCAR onto the national scene and I am honored to announce that Chris has been named the recipient of Pocono Raceway's 2009 Bill France Award of Excellence," concluded Dr. Mattioli.
The Pocono Raceway Bill France Award of Excellence, a beautifully sculptured and highly polished piece of anthracite coal mined in Pennsylvania, will be presented to Chris Economaki at an award ceremony on Saturday, June 6, 2009. This ceremony is part of the festivities leading up to the June 7, 2009 Pocono 500 Sprint Cup Series event at Pocono Raceway.(Pocono Raceway PR)(2-18-2009)
Richard comments on Kyle's remarks: from a Dodge Motorsports NSCS Teleconference Transcript:
KYLE (PETTY) WAS VERY VOCAL DURING DAYTONA REGARDING THE 44's PAINT SCHEME, HAVE YOU TALKED TO HIM ABOUT HIS COMMENTS?
A: "It kind of upset him because that's where he started. He started with the 44 car at Daytona and was lucky enough to win the race. When we did our deal with Boston Ventures, we never had a place for Kyle at Petty Enterprises. He sort of got out of the loop. When he got out of the loop, he's been doing his own thing.he run the 24 (Rolex 24) and doing some TV. I've not seen him since Christmas. He's been so busy, I've been so busy. He got snow-bound in Pittsburgh for a few days one time; we just really never have gotten together. I've really not talked to him. I spoke to him a couple of times on the phone; you can't get much done on the phone. He talked to his mother. He was really crushed that we didn't include him in that part of it, and I can understand that. We were so busy trying to get our end of the deal done and make it work with a new team that it fell through the crack and I'm sorry that it did."(Dodge Motorsport PR)(2-18-2009)
Richard Petty about A.J.'s future plans: from a Dodge Motorsports NSCS Teleconference Transcript:
Q: WITH ALLMENDINGER'S THIRD-PLACE FINISH AT DAYTONA, HOW MUCH WILL THAT HELP YOU FIND ADDITIONAL SPONSORS FOR THE 44 CAR?
A: "It's got to be a plus-plus. I think we've got sponsorship for 10 or 12 races right now and we're already committed for the first six or eight races. We feel like if he (Allmendinger) can continue to show promise and do as well as he did at Daytona, then we feel very confident that we'll be able to pick up different sponsors over a period of time to continue running him. If he keeps running like he did at Daytona, I'll just run him out of my pocket because he'll be bringing the money back in."(Dodge Motorsport PR)
AND Charter Communications will be on both #43-Reed Sorenson's and #44-A.J. Allmendinger's Dodges this weekend at Auto Club Speedway.(RPM PR)(2-18-2009)
Window World Extends Sponsorship with FRM: After a successful debut in the Sprint Cup Series during the 51st Daytona 500, Window World Inc. announced it will extend its sponsorship of the #34 Front Row Motorsports team driven by John Andretti. One of the sport's newest sponsors, Window World will be the primary sponsor of the Front Row Motorsports Chevrolet at Auto Club Speedway on February 22, Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 1, Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 8 and Bristol Motor Speedway on March 22. "This is great news for Front Row Motorsports and Window World," said Front Row Motorsports owner Bob Jenkins. "Daytona was the first time Window World sponsored a race car. On the track, and off the track, their program was a success. The Window World customers and employees have all rallied behind this program. We want to continue that momentum for another four races." More info about Window World at windowworld.com.(Breaking Limits/Front Row Motorsports PR)(2-18-2009)
TRG Motorsports will run their #71 Chevy in the next four Sprint Cup Series rounds at the Auto Club Speedway, Las Vegas, Atlanta and Bristol. Kevin Buckler, TRG Motorsports team principal, is working hard to get sponsorship while the team focuses on accruing enough points to be in the top 35 in owner points going into the fifth race at Bristol. "We are pulling out all of the stops to make the next four races," Buckler said. "We want to be in the top 35 in owner points by the time we finish Bristol. We have singed-up David Gilliland and Slugger Labbe to help us accomplish that goal. The water is deep in NASCAR and we are not afraid to dive in with the sharks, but we have a very steep learning curve ahead of us and we will do our best. The team did not hesitate after Daytona getting ready for California. I met with Richard Childress about an engine package and we had a good backup car in the trailer that suits California, Las Vegas and Atlanta. It was just a matter of jumping in with both feet and moving forward. We took a big hit a Daytona by not making the race, but we have taken that and turned it into determination. Everyone involved sees the upside and wants to keep our foot firmly planted on the accelerator to turn this into a full season. With that kind of attitude and a strong team behind the 71, I think we can push it into the field on Friday."(TRG Motorsports PR)(2-18-2009)
___________________________________________________________
Courtesy of Stock Car Gazette subscriber Kent D. - thanks!
STATISTICAL ADVANCE: ANALYZING THE AUTO CLUB 500 AT CALIFORNIA
http://www.racingwest.com/news/articles/19786-statistical-advance-ana...
Fontana races to be tested by a different type of climate
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-nascar-fontana18-2009feb18,0,7275...
___________________________________________________________
Courtesy of Race2Win
http://www.race2win.net
Ron Hornaday on Track Talk TODAY at 1:00 ET
Three-time Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday will be today's special guest on Track Talk Motorsports Radio. The program will broadcast live today at 1:00 pm ET on the Prime Sports Network. Race 2 Win's Jeff Holtzclaw, Heather Meyer and Greg DePalma will look back at Daytona, look ahead to this week's race in Fontana and discuss the top NASCAR news. If you have a question for Hornaday, or would like to join in on the discussion, email nas...@primesportsnetwork.com or call the toll-free line at 1-877-266-1909 to have Ron answer live on the air. Last week's episode featured special guests Randy Humphrey, co-owner of Prism Motorsports, and former drag racer Darrell Gwynn. Be sure to listen to the archive or podcast of this episode at www.primesportsnetwork.com.
___________________________________________________________
Video: Dale Earnhardt, Jr bumps Brian Vickers causing pileup at 2009 Daytona 500
Dale Earnhardt, Jr bumps Brian Vickers causing pileup at 2009 Daytona 500
http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=MsyAy&m=1eYO.3tzfxX3DX&b=PX9ydwumNp9...
Earnhardt, Jr wanted a piece of Vickers
Earnhardt, Jr: "Tell Vickers if he wants to meet me in the garage to get his *** beat, I'm willing." Dale Earnhardt Jr. made two mistakes off the track Sunday, but it was the one on the track that was the most costly. With bad weather closing fast and drivers thinking time was running out in [...]
http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=MsyAy&m=1cbN4uI9IxX3DX&b=EuBaxDG65rw...
Daytona 500 winning team interview
An interview with: MATT KENSETH DREW BLICKENSDERFER JACK ROUSH KERRY THARP: We're going to go ahead and get started with our post race Daytona 500 championship team. That's the No. 17 DeWalt Ford. Your driver is Matt Kenseth. Your crew chief is Drew Blickensderfer. Your team owner is Jack Roush. We're pleased to be joined right now by Drew. Congratulations. [...]
http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=MsyAy&m=1eYO.3tzfxX3DX&b=hiiGVo6y.Vk...
Interview with Richard Petty
In a Dodge interview with Richard Petty, he discusses his teams' top 10 showings in last weeks' Daytona 500, his situation with son Kyle Petty, and more: Q: YOU MUST BE PROUD OF RPM'S THREE TOP-10s AT LAST WEEKEND'S DAYTONA 500? A: I really was. We had all the guys working together. Circumstances beyond our control maybe [...]
http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=MsyAy&m=1duCeEJhYxX3DX&b=oO2hryvK4Jt...
___________________________________________________________
P R E S S * R E L E A S E S
___________________________________________________________
M&M'S® AND NASCAR.COM CELEBRATE
THE COLORFUL PASSION OF NASCAR FANS
Gives Popular "Fan Generated" Contest a Tune-Up for the 2009 NASCAR Season
Mars Snackfood US and NASCAR.COM® announced today the kick off of the popular "The Most Colorful FanT of NASCAR Contest," which celebrates all of the enthusiastic NASCAR fans throughout the country. Just like America's favorite candy known for colorful chocolate fun, the contest: "M&M'S Seeks the Most Colorful FanT of NASCAR" recognizes, celebrates and rewards all NASCAR fans, no matter which driver they root for. The contest is hosted by NASCAR.COM, the official Web site of NASCAR.
Beginning with the Daytona 500 on February 15, and continuing for 24 weeks, fans can showcase their unmatched love for the sport, as well as their favorite teams and drivers, by uploading their most colorful racing-themed photos to www.NASCAR.com/MostColorfulFan. Fans can also share their own colorful photos with their family and friends, through a special "Send to a Friend" feature.
Through the contest page at NASCAR.COM, fans can also cast their vote to help choose the weekly winners, as well as three finalists who will vie for the title as The Most Colorful FanT of NASCAR. As NASCAR's elite head into The Chase for the Sprint Cup, the 24 weekly winners will compete head-to-head during the "Photo Playoffs," a three round elimination tournament where photos with the most fan votes advance to the next round until only three finalists remain.
"The Most Colorful FanT of NASCAR Contest was a huge success last year, which is why we're so excited about bringing it back in 2009," said Suzanne Beaudoin, vice president, Sponsorships and Sports Marketing, Mars North America. "We think the contest is so unique because everything is 'fan generated' - they upload and share their own photographs, as well as decide the weekly winners and the grand prize winner."
"NASCAR.com is extremely pleased to again partner with Mars to extend this fan-favorite," commented Walker Jacobs, senior vice president of Turner Sports and Entertainment Digital. "We're always seeking innovative ways to allow our advertising partners to connect with our audiences, and The Most Colorful FanT was one of our most successful promotions. The contest leverages the NASCAR.COM community with user-generated content to allow them to interact with both brands in a totally new way."
"Focusing on fans, the core of our sport, is essential to NASCAR's success," said Jim O'Connell, vice president of Corporate Marketing for NASCAR. "M&M'S' 'Most Colorful FanT of NASCAR' is an outstanding promotion which brings out the passion and creativity of our fans, and rewards them in a fun and memorable way."
Each week of the contest, the votes submitted on NASCAR.COM will be tabulated and the photo with the highest average rating and a minimum number of votes will be selected as that week's winner. Each weekly winner will receive a $200 gift card and will also be automatically entered into the "Photo Playoffs" for a chance to win the grand prize, a VIP trip to the Sprint Cup Race in Homestead-Miami in November. In addition, this year's promotion features an instant-win game with two hundred (200) twenty-five dollar ($25.00) gift card instant-win prizes available.
M&Ms is the official chocolate of NASCAR. For more information about The Most Colorful FanT of NASCAR Contest, visit www.NASCAR.COM/MostColorfulFan.
__________
Making a Pit Stop . Before heading to Fontana, Calif., Caterpillar driver Jeff Burton will stop in Burbank, Calif. where he will trade in his firesuit and helmet for an acting role on ABC Daytime's "General Hospital.' Burton, a 21-time winner in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition, will visit the set of the daytime series Thurs., Feb. 19 and take part in scenes with top neurosurgeon and Port Charles resident Dr. Patrick Drake. Drake's character, which is played by Canadian actor Jason Thompson, is an avid fan of racing on the popular daytime Emmy award-winning series.
Tradin' Roles . After Thompson teaches Burton the ins and outs of being a soap opera actor, the roles will reverse when Thompson visits Auto Club Speedway to shadow Burton on the day of the Auto Club 500. The veteran driver will treat the actor to a pace car ride before heading out to Caterpillar's hospitality tent where both will participate in question-and-answer and autograph sessions. Before taking a seat atop the Cat Racing team's pit box for the Sprint Cup Series race, the Edmonton, Alberta, Canada native will participate in pre-race festivities by attending the driver's meeting and driver introductions.
__________
David Ragan will be signing autographs at Speedzone (17871 Castleton Street, City of Industry, CA) on behalf of Discount Tire on Thursday, February 19th from 6-8 PM.
__________
Bobby Labonte on racing at Auto Club Speedway in the Auto Club 500:
"We're no longer a brand new team; last week we learned a lot. These Ford engines are fast and I know we can get this car to where it needs to be to get a win in this week. Todd and I have been talking a lot and I'm ready to see how well his changes feel on the two-mile, D-shaped oval. I'm so thrilled to be back with Ford and have such a motivated sponsor in Ask.com. I'm looking forward to racing this Hall of Fame car into the Chase this year. I hope to start that momentum this week in Fontana."
__________
PARTY LIKE A KING AT THE AUTO CLUB SPEEDWAY LAUGHLIN PARTY ZONE
San Bernardino County, Calif. (February 18, 2009) - The Auto Club Speedway Laughlin Party Zone is the only place for fans to party with the King of NASCAR Richard Petty, in addition to many of NASCAR's stars, during the West Coast Premiere of NASCAR at Auto Club Speedway February 20-22, 2009.
The Laughlin Party Zone is an exclusive hospitality area where fans have the opportunity to see NASCAR drivers during exclusive Q&A sessions and enjoy food and beverage service all from the Party Zone tent outside Turn Four at the west end of the Opportunity, California FanZone. Closed circuit televisions, celebrity sightings, pit passes, raffles, souvenir gifts and live musical entertainment make the Laughlin Party Zone a great value and the place to be.
Also confirmed to appear at the Laughlin Party Zone includes:
Saturday, February 21st, 10:00am - 11:45am
Ron Hornaday, Jr.
Jason Leffler
Jason Keller
Kenny Wallace
Sam Hornish, Jr.
Sunday, February 22nd, 11:00am - 12: 20pm
Scott Speed
Richard Petty
Kurt Busch
AJ Allmendinger
Casey Mears
Laughlin Party Zone Pricing*
Saturday: $85 per person (includes Saturday Pit Access)
Sunday: $125 (Includes Sunday Pit Access)
Saturday and Sunday: $175 (Includes Saturday and Sunday Pit Access)
*Party Zone tickets do not include a grandstand ticket(s). Event tickets must be purchased separately.
To purchase tickets or for more information on the Laughlin Party Zone at Auto Club Speedway call 800.944.RACE (7223) or visit www.autoclubspeedway.com.
About Auto Club Speedway: Auto Club Speedway is the premier Speedway in Southern California. Hosting two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events as well as NHRA and AMA events, a day at Auto Club Speedway is a full day of excitement and entertainment that includes sponsor displays, live musical entertainment, great food and fun for the whole family. Enjoy the Speedway's fan amenities, including escalators, shade structures and misting zones, souvenir shopping and quality restaurants. To purchase tickets for as low as $35, visit the new autoclubspeedway.com or call 888-849-RACE (7223).
___________________________________________________________
N A S C A R * N A T I O N W I D E * S E R I E S
___________________________________________________________
Courtesy of Carolyn's Jeff Gordon Newsletter
ENTRY LIST
Fontana,CA
Stater Bros. 300
Auto Club Speedway
February 21, 2009
Race 2 of 35
CUP drivers in RED
CAR DRIVER HOMETOWN MAKE SPONSOR OWNER
0 Danny O'Quinn Jr. Coeburn, VA Chevrolet SponsorDavis.com Johnny Davis
1 Mike Bliss Milwaukie, OR Chevrolet Miccosukee Resort & Gaming James Finch
01 TBA1 No Home Town Chevrolet SponsorDavis.com Lori Morgan
05 Casey Atwood Nashville, TN Chevrolet 31-W Insulation Wayne Day
6 David Ragan Unadilla, GA Ford America's Tire Jack Roush
07 David Green Owensboro, KY Toyota Supercuts Armando Fitz
09 John Wes Townley* Watkinsville, GA Ford Zaxby's Jay Robinson
10 David Reutimann Zephyrhills, FL Toyota Beringer Vineyards Todd Braun
11 Scott Lagasse Jr.* St. Augustine, FL Toyota Gatorz Precision Tuned Eyewear Bryan Mullet
12 Justin Allgaier* Riverton, IL Dodge Verizon Wireless Tad Geschickter
15 Michael Annett* Des Moines, IA Toyota Pilot Travel Centers Bob Germain
16 Greg Biffle Vancouver, WA Ford CitiFinancial Jack Roush
18 Kyle Busch Las Vegas, NV Toyota Z-Line Designs Joe Gibbs
20 Joey Logano Middletown, CT Toyota GameStop Joe Gibbs
22 John Borneman III Ramona, CA Ford Trail Motorsports Arthur Shelton
23 Ken Butler III Lilburn, GA Chevrolet Aaron's Dream Machine Johnny Davis
24 Eric McClure Chilhowie, VA Ford Hefty Ed Rensi
26 Brian Keselowski Rochester Hills, MI Dodge Schweitzer Title Dusty Whitney
27 Jason Keller Greenville, SC Ford Cottonelle Mike Curb
28 Kenny Wallace St. Louis, MO Chevrolet U.S. Border Patrol Jay Robinson
29 Jeff Burton South Boston, VA Chevrolet Holiday Inn / Holiday Inn Express Richard Childress
31 Stanton Barrett Bishop, CA Chevrolet Interush.net Stanton Barrett
32 Brian Vickers Thomasville, NC Toyota Dollar General Todd Braun
33 Kevin Harvick Bakersfield, CA Chevrolet Rheem DeLana Harvick
38 Jason Leffler Long Beach, CA Toyota Great Clips Ralph Braun
40 Scott Wimmer Wausau, WI Chevrolet Key Motorsports Curtis Key
42 Kenny Hendrick Chino, CA Dodge "Real Deal" Holyfield / Smith Ironworks Chip Ganassi
47 Michael McDowell* Phoenix, AZ Toyota Pacific Packaging Jodi Geschickter
49 Kertus Davis Gaffney, SC Chevrolet Jay Robinson Inc. Jay Robinson
52 Scott Gaylord Lakewood, CO Chevrolet Motel 6 Hesperia Jimmy Means
60 Carl Edwards Columbia, MO Ford Scotts Jack Roush
61 Brandon Whitt El Cajon, CA Ford Specialty Racing Charlie Shoffner
62 Brendan Gaughan* Las Vegas, NV Chevrolet South Point Hotel & Casino Rusty Wallace
66 Steve Wallace Mooresville, NC Chevrolet US Fidelis Rusty Wallace
81 D.J. Kennington St. Thomas, Ontario Dodge Crusader Staffing Associates Pat MacDonald
84 Mike Harmon Birmingport, AL Chevrolet Mike Harmon Racing Mike Harmon
85 Justin Ashburn Joelton, TN Chevrolet 31-W Insulation Todd Wilkerson
87 Joe Nemechek Lakeland, FL Chevrolet NEMCO Motorsports Andrea Nemechek
88 Brad Keselowski Rochester Hills, MI Chevrolet GoDaddy.com Dale Earnhardt, Jr
89 Morgan Shepherd Conover, NC Chevrolet Faith Motorsports Cindy Shepherd
90 Johnny Chapman Stony Point, NC Chevrolet MSRP Motorsports Marcia Parsons
91 Terry Cook Sylvania, OH Chevrolet MSRP Motorsports Randy Humphrey
99 Michael Waltrip Owensboro, KY Toyota Aaron's Dream Machine Michael Waltrip
102 Andy Ponstein Hudsonville, MI Chevrolet Stott Classic Racing Corrie Stott
141 Derrike Cope Spanaway, WA Chevrolet MetalJeans.com Rick Ware
234 Tony Raines La Porte, IN Chevrolet Long John Silver's Bob Jenkins
* Denotes Rookie
To subscribe for Jeff Gordon #24 News e-mail her at cake...@juno.com and submit your first and last names, plus e-mail address.
___________________________________________________________
Courtesy of Jayski
http://www.jayski.com
NEXT RACE: Stater Bros. 300, 7:45pm/et, Saturday, February 21, 2009 at Auto Club Speedway
http://www.jayski.com/nationwide/2009/next/02california.htm
Team Too Termite and Pest Control sponsoring #0: Team Too Termite & Pest Control and JD Motorsports announced an agreement to sponsor the #0 Nationwide Series car driven by Danny O'Quinn at Auto Club Speedway on Saturday. Team Too Termite & Pest Control is recognized as the foremost leader in pest related services in California and Team Too Termite & Pest Control recently was named as the first pest management company in the nation that holds both a QualityPro and QualityPro Green certification from the National Pest Management Association and the ECOWISE designation as a certified ECOWISE provider.(JD Motorsports PR)(2-18-2009)
Nationwide Race most viewed ever on ESPN2: The Nationwide Series Camping World 300 at Daytona was the most-viewed Nationwide Series race ever on ESPN2 with an average of 3,238,062 viewers. ESPN2 had live, flag-to-flag coverage of the event on Saturday, Feb. 14. The viewership number represented a slight increase over the telecast of last year's race, which also set a viewership record. The race earned a 2.4 household coverage rating, down from the 2.5 earned for last year's race that also aired on ESPN2, and even with the rating earned for the event on ESPN2 in 2007.ESPN2 will again be the home of the Nationwide Series in 2009, with select races televised on ESPN and ABC. Season ratings for the series on ESPN2 were up seven percent in 2008 from 2007.(ESPN PR)(2-18-2009)
Raybestos Rookie Notes for California:
* Michael McDowell was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the Camping World 300 at Daytona. McDowell scored a 14th-place finish, matching his best effort in six Nationwide Series starts.
* McDowell leads Brendan Gaughan by one point (11-10) in the Raybestos Rookie standings entering the Stater Bros. 300 at Auto Club Speedway.
* Dario Franchitti was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the 2008 Stater Bros. 300, scoring a 24th-place finish.
* Scott Riggs is the only Raybestos Rookie to win a Nationwide Series race at Auto Club Speedway. Riggs won the 2002 event by .991 second over Jeff Green.
* Greg Biffle is the only Raybestos Rookie to lead the most laps in the 17 Nationwide Series races at Auto Club Speedway. Biffle led six times for 90 laps in the 2001 race.(Camp & Associates / Raybestos PR)(2-18-2009)
Killzone on the #20 at California: Killzone 2, available exclusively for the Playstation 3, will adorn the #20 Toyota this weekend alongside GameStop.(Joe Gibbs Racing PR)(2-17-2009)
Brad Parrott is new crew chief for Townley: RAB Racing announces Brad Parrott as crew chief of the #09 Zaxby's Ford in the Nationwide Series, effective immediately. Brad Parrott, son of legendary Sprint Cup crew chief, Buddy Parrott brings with him 20-plus years of experience in the NASCAR industry, working his way up through the ranks with some of the top teams in the motorsports industry including: Penske Racing, Robert Yates Racing, Roush Fenway Racing and most recently Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates.(RAB Racing PR)(2-17-2009)
Smith filling in as Burton's crew chief at California: Pat Smith, the original crew chief for the #29-Holiday Inn Racing team, will be back atop the pit-box calling the shots for the race this weekend. Smith comes back to work as Dan Deeringhoff and his wife Sandy await the birth of their first child in North Carolina.(RCR PR)(2-17-2009)
___________________________________________________________
Courtesy of The Hot Lap
http://www.TheHotLap.com
While a familiar sight would be Sebastian Janikowski trolling the sidelines of an NFL game, the Oakland Raiders star did not appear any less comfortable as he made his way down pit road at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday at the NASCAR Nationwide Series race.Over the last few years, Janikowski has made this an annual pilgrimage and has been seen canoodling with the likes of Dale Earnhardt, Jr, Kevin Harvick and others while enjoying the exciting atmosphere that Daytona offers. While some people may prefer Sunday's Daytona 500, Janikowski has grown to appreciate NASCAR's number two series."A lot of people want to come on Sunday, but I've enjoyed going to the race on Saturday," Janikowski said. "It's a great combination of NASCAR's best drivers with the new talent that is up and coming. I come every year and I always have a great time, which is why I brought Lori (wife), my dad and my brother-in-law with me this time."
___________________________________________________________
Holiday Inn Racing Wins, You Win . The Holiday Inn No. 29 team is bringing the thrill and excitement of race day to NASCAR and Holiday Inn Racing fans with a promotion that rewards them for the team's victories. At the end of every race, registered fans will receive an email announcing the winners of that race. If Holiday Inn Racing wins, 290 winners will be selected to win a free night at Holiday Inn® Hotels and Resorts or Holiday Inn Express® hotels in the U.S. For more details please visit www.holidayinn.com/car29. The promotion runs through the March, 21st event at Bristol Motor Speedway.
___________________________________________________________
C A M P I N G * W O R L D * T R U C K * S E R I E S
___________________________________________________________
Courtesy of Carolyn's Jeff Gordon Newsletter
ENTRY LIST
Fontana,CA
San Bernardino County 200
Auto Club Speedway
February 21, 2009
Race 2 of 25
CUP drivers in RED
CAR DRIVER HOMETOWN MAKE SPONSOR OWNER
1 Johnny Benson Grand Rapids, MI Toyota Red Horse Racing Tom DeLoach
4 Ricky Carmichael* Tallahassee, FL Chevrolet Monster Energy DeLana Harvick
5 Mike Skinner Susanville, CA Toyota Exide Batteries David Dollar
6 Colin Braun Ovalo, TX Ford Con-way Freight Jack Roush
06 Johnny Chapman Stony Point, NC Toyota wyler.com Jeffrey Wyler
7 J.R. Fitzpatrick* Cambridge, Ontario Chevrolet Mammoet Kevin Buckler
07 Chad McCumbee Supply, NC Chevrolet thegpsstore.com / Garmin Ken Smith
08 Butch Miller Coopersville, MI Chevrolet ASI Limited Bobby Dotter
9 Max Papis Como, Italy Toyota GEICO Bob Germain
10 James Buescher* Plano, TX Ford International Maxx Force Diesel Tom Mitchell
11 T.J. Bell Reno, NV Toyota Red Horse Racing Tom DeLoach
13 Johnny Sauter* Necedah, WI Chevrolet Fun Sand / Rodney Atkins / Curb Records Mike Curb
14 Rick Crawford Mobile, AL Ford Circle Bar Truck Corral / International Tom Mitchell
15 Shane Sieg Tucker, GA Toyota Billy Ballew Motorsports James "Billy" Ballew
16 Brian Scott Boise, ID Toyota Albertsons Joe Scott
17 Timothy Peters Providence, NC Toyota Strutmasters.com Steve Stallings
22 Wayne Edwards Shepherdsvill-
e, KY Dodge GunBroker.com Dwayne Gaulding
23 Jason White Powhatan, VA Dodge GunBroker.com Dwayne Gaulding
24 David Starr Houston, TX Toyota Zachry / Harris Trucking James Harris
25 Terry Cook Sylvania, OH Toyota Cajun Industries Sharon Harris
30 Todd Bodine Chemung, NY Toyota Germain.com Steve Germain
32 Chase Austin* Eudora, KS Chevrolet Trail Motorsports Patrick Shelton
33 Ron Hornaday Palmdale, CA Chevrolet Camping World DeLana Harvick
40 Mike Bliss Milwaukie, OR Chevrolet Oakland Metal Buildings Curtis Key
44 Lance Hooper Palmdale, CA Chevrolet Key Motorsports Curtis Key
47 Brandon Knupp Sidney, OH Chevrolet FT-11 Multi-Purpose Degreaser David McClure
51 Kyle Busch Las Vegas, NV Toyota Miccosukee Resort & Gaming James "Billy" Ballew
60 Stacy Compton Grit, VA Toyota wyler.com / Melling Engine Parts Jeffrey Wyler
81 Tayler Malsam* Sammamish, WA Toyota One Eighty Randy Moss
88 Matt Crafton Tulare, CA Chevrolet Menards Rhonda Thorson
121 Marc Mitchell Tallahassee, FL Dodge GunBroker.com Dwayne Gaulding
148 Dennis Setzer Newton, NC Chevrolet Fast Track Driving School Andy Hillenburg
157 Norm Benning Pittsburgh, PA Chevrolet Norm Benning Racing Norm Benning
161 Brett Thompson Jerome, ID Dodge Rich Thompson Trucking Inc. Richard Thompson
189 TBA1 No Home Town Chevrolet Blue Ox / Lafferty Performance Chris Lafferty
190 Gabi DiCarlo Phoenix, AZ Toyota Great Clips Doug Stringer
277 J C Stout Castile, NY Toyota Premier Racing Philip Hudgins
* Denotes Rookie
To subscribe for Jeff Gordon #24 News e-mail her at cake...@juno.com and submit your first and last names, plus e-mail address.
___________________________________________________________
Courtesy of Jayski
http://www.jayski.com
NEXT RACE INFO
San Bernardino 200 - Auto Club Speedway, Saturday, February 21, 2009, 3:00pm Eastern
http://www.jayski.com/cts/next/2009/2california2009.htm
Thompson to make first start of season at Calif: Brett Thompson is looking to make his fifth career NCWTS start and first of the 2009 season. The team will enter their #61 Rich Thompson Trucking, Inc/Windmill Inn & Suites Dodge in three NCWTS races this year. This will be Thompson's first start at Auto Club Speedway. Crew chief for the #61 team is Lonnie Rush Jr.(Thompson Motorsports PR)(2-18-2009)
Trucks continue double-digit ratings climb: UPDATE #1 show on cable in time slot: The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series on SPEED picked up right where it left off in 2008 with a double-digit Nielsen Ratings increase from the season opener in Daytona. The Friday night race, won by Todd Bodine, scored a Nielsen mark of 1.90 (1,393,000 households), up 21 percent from last year's 1.57 (1,128,000 households). The race peaked at a 2.28 (1,673,000 households), up 29 percent from last year's peak of 1.77 (1,272,000 households). The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series enjoyed its most-watched season to date in 2008, as 19 of the 22 races on SPEED saw year-to-year Nielsen Ratings increases, 15 in double digits. The next Truck race will be on FOX with the SPEED broadcast team Friday at 4 p.m. ET from Auto Club Speedway in California. The series returns to SPEED on March 7 at 1 p.m. from Atlanta Motor Speedway.(SPEEDtv PR)(2-17-2009)
UPDATE: The Friday night race, won by Todd Bodine, scored a Nielsen mark of 1.90, making it the No. 1 show on cable during that time period. The next Truck race will be on FOX Saturday at 3 p.m. ET from Auto Club Speedway in California, with Darrell Waltrip, Larry McReynolds and Mike Joy in the booth; Chris Myers, Jeff Hammond and Phil Parsons in the Hollywood Hotel and Krista Voda, Dr. Dick Berggren and Matt Yocum in the pits. .(SPEEDtv PR)(2-18-2009)
Setzer teams up with Fast Track Racing for Calif: Dennis Setzer will take the wheel of the #48 Fast Track Racing Chevrolet Silverado at California this weekend with owner Andy Hillenburg. Bryan Silas is scheduled to return to the seat making his first appearance at Atlanta Motor Speedway next month.(Fast Track Racing PR)(2-18-2009)
Raybestos Rookie News & Notes - California:
*J.R. Fitzpatrick was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the February 13 NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona Int'l Speedway.
*Fitzpatrick scored a fourth-place finish, his best in four NASCAR Camping World Series starts.
*Fitzpatrick leads Tayler Malsam by seven points (18-11) in the Raybestos Rookie standings entering the February 21 San Bernardino County 200 at Auto Club Speedway.
*Fitzpatrick also claimed WIX Filters Lap Leader of the Race honors at Daytona, leading the race once for 17 laps.
*A Raybestos Rookie has scored a top-10 finish in each of the last 13 CONSECUTIVE NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races.
*Colin Braun was the top Raybestos Rookie in the 2008 San Bernardino County 200, scoring a ninth-place finish.(Camp & Associates/Raybestos PR)(2-18-2009)
Oakland Metal Buildings Inc. continues sponsorship of #40: The night before last week's race at Daytona International Speedway, Curtis Key received a phone call from Phillip May, President of Oakland Metal Buildings, Inc., stating that he wanted to sponsor Mike Bliss in the No. 40 Key Motorsports Chevrolet for the Truck Series season opener. After Bliss was forced to resign from the race after a lap 6 crash, Key has decided to run Oakland Metal Buildings, Inc. once again this weekend at no cost. The Florence, Alabama-based company has also signed on to sponsor the #40 at Atlanta Motor Speedway (March 7) and Talladega Superspeedway (October 31).(Key Motorsports PR)(2-17-2009)
Exide Batteries on board #5 again in California: Exide Batteries will once again be the primary sponsor on the No. 5 Randy Moss Motorsports (RMM) Toyota Tundra for this Saturday's race at Auto Club Speedway in California. Last week, Exide was on Mike Skinner's Toyota as the 1995 Champion finished in the seventh position. Exide is the Official Battery of NASCAR and will continue their partnership with Mike Skinner and Randy Moss Motorsports in the future. Returning Home: Mike Skinner will be returning to his home-state this week, as the Truck Series veteran is from Ontario, Calif., a neighboring city to Fontana - home of Auto Club Speedway. (Note: Skinner was raised in Susanville, Calif.) (Randy Moss Motorsports PR)(2-17-2009)
Sponsor returns for Sieg's first trip to Calif: Shane Sieg and the #15 Billy Ballew Motorsports Toyota Tundra team head to the Auto Club Speedway for the running of the San Bernardino County 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race Saturday, February 21, 2009. Phoenix Construction and RedTop Auto Auction will return as the primary and associate sponsors for the #15 Toyota Tundra. This will be Sieg's first race at Auto Club Speedway.(Billy Ballew Motorsports PR)(2-17-2009)
___________________________________________________________
A R C A (Automobile Racing Club of America)
___________________________________________________________
Courtesy of ARCA
http://www.arcaracing.com
ESR's Tim George, Jr Next Up Thurs on '30 at 30'
TOLEDO OH (2-19-09) - In 2008, Eddie Sharp Racing (ESR) became the first team in ARCA RE/MAX Series history to field three full-time programs when drivers' Scott Speed, Ken Butler and Justin Lofton competed all year.
ESR took it one step further in 2009 when it announced that it would field an unprecedented four teams.
One of those teams has rookie Tim George, Jr. at the helm, who is the featured guest on "30 at 30" at arcaracing.com Thursday, February 19th at 3:30 PM eastern.
[Read More] - http://www.arcaracing.com/news.cfm?contentid=7666
A. Arnold Passes
Former ARCA RE/MAX Series driver A. Arnold, who finished in the top-10 in series driver points for six consecutive seasons from 1971 through 1976, died February 6 at the age of 69.
[Read More] - http://www.arcaracing.com/news.cfm?contentid=7664
___________________________________________________________
N A S C A R * C A N A D I A N * T I R E * S E R I E S
http://localracing.nascar.com/news/6
___________________________________________________________
Calendrier 2009 de la NASCAR Canadian Tire Series
US RACING - ORLEAT,PUY DE DOME,France
Le calendrier de la troisième saison de la NASCAR Canadian Tire Series vient d'être dévoilé. Il comporte 13 dates, sur 12 circuits dans six provinces ...
http://www.us-racing.com/Info.php?ID=3469
Canada's Fitzpatrick Grabs First Daytona Rookie Top Five Since 2001
PaddockTalk - USA
"I'm still trying to bite the nervousness running with these guys, you know," said Fitzpatrick, a NASCAR Canadian Tire Series graduate. ...
http://paddocktalk.com/news/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&fil...
Inside Track Breaking News Blog: NASCAR Canadian Tire Series ...
By GREGM
The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series made its first visit to the .400-mile oval last season, but the track has been a part of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series since 2006. The schedule has a return trip to St. Eustache on July 11 just ...
http://insidetracknews.blogspot.com/2009/02/nascar-canadian-tire-seri...
DJK Racing will field two cars in 2009
Inside Track Motorsport News - Toronto,Ontario,Canada
DJK Racing with Canada's Most Popular NASCAR Canadian Tire Series driver as voted by the race fans DJ Kennington is set to expand their operation for the ...
http://insidetracknews.blogspot.com/2009/02/nascar-canadian-tire-seri...
Dickies and Whitlock Preparing for 2009 Season
TSN.ca - Scarborough,Ontario,Canada
39 entry in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series in 2009. "Dickies are on board with us again for the third year," stated a happy Whitlock. ...
http://www.tsn.ca/auto_racing/story/?id=267607&lid=sublink01&lpos=hea...
___________________________________________________________
C O L U M N S / C O M M E N T A R I E S
___________________________________________________________
Insider Racing News
http://insiderracingnews.com/Writers/BW/021809.html
Picking up Where We Left Off
by Brian Watkins
Insider Racing News
http://insiderracingnews.com/Writers/LV/021809.html
Thank God The Daytona 500 Ended Early
by Larry Van Zandt
RaceTalkRadio.com:
The Junior Rule (And Seeing Races through Amp Colored Glasses) by Dennis Michelsen
http://www.racetalkradio.com/soz/id229.htm
The Nascar Insiders
Ask The Insiders Wednesday #11
The 2009 season is officially on the road to Homestead, and with the end of the first weekend brought an onslaught of reader questions. Keep them coming! If you don't know what this post is, until further notice, we will be answering any and all reader questions every Wednesday, right here. So if you've got one, click on the "Ask the Insiders" tab at the top of the page and send one to us. On to the questions.
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheNascarInsiders/~3/542225750/
Insider Racing News
http://insiderracingnews.com/Writers/CA/021909.html
How do you not finish the Daytona 500?
by Chuck Abrams
The Nascar Insiders
When Pit Road Bites, It Hurts
Just ask Jeremy Mayfield's jackman, Kyle Roland.
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheNascarInsiders/~3/542917332/
___________________________________________________________
T V * L I S T I N G S
___________________________________________________________
Courtesy of Jayski
http://www.jayski.com/pages/tv.htm
Thu Feb 19
1:00 am NASCAR Now ESPN2
12:00 pm Daytona 500 NSCS Replay SPEED
5:00 pm NASCAR Now ESPN2
FRIDAY - February 20th
1:00 A.M. - NASCAR Now ESPN2
12:00 P.M. - NASCAR Live SPEED
12:30 P.M. - NASCAR Nationwide Series - Practice SPEED
3:00 P.M. - NASCAR Sprint Cup Series - Practice (90 minutes) SPEED
4:30 P.M. - NASCAR CWTS - Pole Qualifying SPEED
6:30 P.M. - NASCAR Sprint Cup Series - Coors Light Pole Qualifying SPEED
8:30 P.M. - NASCAR Nationwide Series - Final Practice SPEED
10:00 P.M. - Trackside at Auto Club Speedway SPEED
11:00 P.M. - NASCAR Sprint Cup Series - Coors Light Pole Qualifying (re-air) SPEED
SATURDAY - February 21st
1:00 A.M. - NASCAR Now ESPN2
1:00 A.M. - Trackside at Auto Club Speedway SPEED
11:00 A.M. - Trackside at Auto Club Speedway SPEED
12:00 P.M. - NASCAR Live SPEED
12:30 P.M. - NASCAR Nationwide Series - Coors Light Pole Qualifying SPEED
3:00 P.M. - NASCAR CWTS - San Bernardino County 200 FOX
5:00 P.M. - NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Final Practice (approx 105 minutes) SPEED
7:00 P.M. - NASCAR Nationwide Series - Countdown ESPN2
7:45 P.M. - NASCAR Nationwide Series - Stater Bros. 300 ESPN2
SUNDAY - February 22nd
4:00 A.M. - NASCAR Nationwide Series - Stater Bros. 300 ESPN2
9:00 A.M. - NASCAR Nationwide Series - Stater Bros. 300 ESPNC
8:00 A.M. - NASCAR Angels HALL
10:00 A.M. - NASCAR Now ESPN2
2:00 P.M. - NASCAR Performance SPEED
2:30 P.M. - NASCAR Smarts SPEED
3:00 P.M. - NASCAR in a Hurry SPEED
3:30 P.M. - NASCAR RaceDay SPEED
5:00 P.M. - NASCAR Sprint Cup Series - Pre-Race Show FOX
6:00 P.M. - NASCAR Sprint Cup Series - Auto Club 500 FOX
7:00 pm SPEED Report
9:00 P.M. - Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain SPEED
10:00 P.M. - NASCAR Sprint Cup Series - Victory Lane SPEED
MONDAY - February 23rd
2:00 am SPEED Report
4:00 A.M. - NASCAR Sprint Cup Series - Victory Lane SPEED
8:00 A.M. - NASCAR Sprint Cup Series - Victory Lane SPEED
9:00 A.M. - Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain SPEED
12:00 P.M. - NASCAR CWTS - San Bernardino County 200 (re-air) SPEED
5:00 P.M. - NASCAR Now ESPN2
5:00 P.M. - 1985 Valleydale 500 ESPNC
8:00 P.M. - This Week in NASCAR SPEED
Jayski does not list all the programming offered by SPEED; for complete listings go to their website, http://www.speedtv.com/schedule/
Always CHECK YOUR LOCAL LISTINGS!
___________________________________________________________
The Stock Car Gazette
Copyright 2002-2009 by MotorSportsNews.Net
All Rights Reserved
SUBSCRIBE / UNSUBSCRIBE INFORMATION
http://groups.google.com/group/StockCarGazette
Miss an edition of the Stock Car Gazette? Visit the E-ZINE ARCHIVE:
http://motorsportsnews.net/archives/category/stock-car-gazette/
IMPORTANT PRIVACY NOTICE: The Stock Car Gazette mailing list is maintained completely by MotorSportsNews.Net. Therefore, we can tell you we have not and will not ever share your e-mail address with anyone for any reason.
IMPORTANT LEGAL NOTICE: ALL broadcast, publication, retransmission to e-mail lists, WWW or any other copying or storage, in any medium, online or not, is STRICTLY PROHIBITED without PRIOR written permission from the editor. However, you MAY manually forward an issue by e-mail to your friends IF 1.) The text is forwarded IN ITS ENTIRETY including all subscription and web page information, and 2.) NO FEE is charged. We ALWAYS appreciate readers who report violations of the copyright to webmas...@motorsportsnews.net.
IMPORTANT PERSONAL NOTICE: Do you know for sure? You can. http://motorsportsnews.net/you-can-know-for-sure
___________________________________________________________
|
|
tplimage?lid=41000000023484779&pubid=21000000000023611
2K
Download
|
|
|
|
tplimage?lid=41000000024683071&pubid=21000000000023611
4K
Download
|
|
|
|
tplimage?lid=41000000026993422&pubid=21000000000023611
2K
Download
|
|
|
|
tplimage?lid=41000000026475594&pubid=21000000000023611
< 1K
Download
|
|
|
find_us_on_facebook_badge.gif
1K
Download
|
