Jimmie Johnson: Former NFL coach convinced me of dynasty
Gilbert Sam, Jr.
http://www.racewayreport.com
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Hendrick: Kasey Kahne is a future star: Mark Martin, 51, currently
drives the No. 5 and is signed through the 2011 season. �Mark wants to
drive that car and that�s where we are headed, right now,� Rick
Hendrick said. So where does Kasey Kahne go in 2011? Hendrick said it
was his responsibility to find a suitable temporary residence. �There
wasn�t any doubt in my mind that this is a commitment I would make to
Kasey, put the burden on my shoulders, because I see him as a future
star and a guy that will be racing here a long time winning
championships and races,� Hendrick said. �We�re going to figure out
�11. If it was under the old regime, I have a building over here and I
would have five teams, but I can�t do that.� (Charlotte Observer)
http://www.racewayreport.com/drivers/news/kasey_kahne.html
Jimmie Johnson: Former NFL coach convinced me of dynasty: Jimmie
Johnson was asked if his run of success is a dynasty? �I never thought
about a dynasty,� Johnson said. �I heard about it after three
championships. After we won the third one, the following day I was
walking through ESPN, and the night before there were comments about
whether we were or were not a dynasty. �Mike Ditka was walking down
the hallway and he said to me, �You�d better believe you�re a
dynasty.� That was a way to get my attention. I guess I�ll believe
him.� Johnson has 50 victories, a milestone only 12 drivers have
reached. He got there in 296 starts, making him the third quickest to
the mark. Johnson is well on his way to matching Petty�s and
Earnhardt�s seven titles. His team also has one of the hallmarks of a
dynasty - being able to flip the switch when the stakes are highest.
Once the Sprint Cup Chase for the Championship begins, there are none
better than Johnson and his Hendrick Motorsports team. He also has a
great coach in crew chief Chad Knaus and a great owner in Rick
Hendrick. (Dallas Morning News)
http://www.racewayreport.com/drivers/news/jimmie_johnson.html
Ambrose to be honored: Marcos Ambrose will receive a Sportsmanship of
the Year award in his second year of full-time competition during the
Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame (TMHoF) dinner and induction ceremony
Friday night in the Grand Ballroom of the Speedway Club at Texas Motor
Speedway. "I am honored to receive the Sportsmanship award and would
like to thank the Motorsports Hall of Fame panel, Eddie Gossage and
everyone at Texas Motor Speedway," said Ambrose, who will be among
other TMHoF award winners, such as, Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, John
Sturbin, Robert Yates and inductee Joe Gibbs. "I have such a great
appreciation for our sport. When I came into NASCAR I promised myself
I was going to appreciate every single day and not get mad or angry. I
remind myself every day that I'm doing something that millions of kids
out there girls and guys would love to do when they grow up. I am
lucky enough to be a driver. Sure, you may get disappointed at times
and there are compromises. However, you can never lose sight that
there are not many downs when you are a racecar driver. I love what I
do. So, to be recognized like this for the first time - especially
when I'm a goofy Tasmanian coming from 14,000 miles away - is pretty
awesome."(JTG Daugherty Racing)
http://www.racewayreport.com/drivers/news/marcos_ambrose.html
Kahne to drive No. 5 in 2012; 2011 plans remain unclear: It was
reported initially that Kahne's deal with Hendrick would begin in
2011. A source close to the situation told ESPN.com that Kahne will
take over the No. 5 car for the 2012 season, but his 2011 plans are
still undecided. "I've actually thought a lot about that but I'm not
sure what I'm going to do next year," Kahne said after taking batting
practice with the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park on Tuesday. "I've
given it some thought though." Sources confirm that Mark Martin will
drive the No. 5 car through the 2011 season. There is room for Martin
and Kahne in the Hendrick family. Stewart Haas Racing receives
chassis, engines and technical support from HMS. So Kahne could be
housed there until Martin's contract was up. Kahne is in the final
year of his contract with Richard Petty Motorsports, and plans to
finish the season in the No. 9 Ford, sources said. It is unknown
whether Kahne's sponsor, Budweiser, will accompany him to HMS. Mark
Wright, vice president of media, sports and entertainment marketing
for Anheuser-Busch, Inc., said Budweiser is currently focused only on
the current season with Kahne. "There have been no discussions
relative to our sponsorship as of yet. We look forward to having those
at the appropriate time," Wright said.(ESPN)
http://www.racewayreport.com/drivers/news/kasey_kahne.html
Richard Petty Motorsports close to restructuring debt with creditors:
Richard Petty Motorsports agreed Monday night to a deal that would
restructure the debt of the company, a source close to the situation
told ESPN.com on Tuesday. According to the source, the deal is subject
to final signatures and that 10 of the 11 banks involved in the
restructuring have agreed to terms. This comes on the heels of a
report that RPM, owned by George Gillett, has been in default on a
loan of about $90 million since February. The source said the loan is
closer to $70 million and that it was allowed to lapse with the hope
that it would provide leverage with the banks to restructure. Had the
banks opted to foreclose on the loan they could have taken possession
of team assets and some revenue from sponsors, but none of Gillett's
personal assets. Gillett would not comment on specifics of the deal
but said RPM has no plans of going under. "I don't think we'll just
survive, we'll thrive," Gillett said. Gillett said RPM is operating in
the black and making a profit. He said debt incurred over the past few
years is the result of trying to survive in a tough economy that saw
RPM lose financial support from Chrysler, forcing the move to Ford,
and sponsors. "When you look at some of the curveballs thrown at us
they're substantial," Gillett said. "Yet we've overcome them. We've
overcome the loss of all that revenue from sponsors and Chrysler.
Based on everything I know our intention is to restructure the debt,
enter into an agreement with banks and buy out the debt with new
capital that our family would put into and end up with a company that
may end up a few million in debt but end up with a company that is
fundamentally debt-free," he said.(ESPN)
http://www.racewayreport.com/rpm
Hendrick statement on Kasey Kahne: Beginning with the 2012 NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series season, Kasey Kahne will drive the No. 5 Chevys of
Hendrick Motorsports after signing a long-term contract with the
organization. Mark Martin, 51, the current driver of Hendrick
Motorsports' No. 5 team, will complete the 2010 and 2011 seasons. When
Kahne takes over in 2012, he will join teammates Jeff Gordon, Jimmie
Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. in Hendrick's four-car stable. "In
Kasey, we saw an opportunity to cement a big piece of our future,"
said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. "He possesses
incredible talent and a tremendous dedication to his craft, and we
know he'll be a great fit within our company. Kasey has earned the
respect of his future teammates by the way he's handled himself on and
off the racetrack, and we know he'll be a contributor to the success
of Hendrick Motorsports for many years to come. To have someone of his
caliber join our team is an unbelievable opportunity for us." "I have
a comfort level with Mr. Hendrick, my future teammates and the culture
of the organization," said Kahne, whose contract with Hendrick
Motorsports will run through the 2015 Sprint Cup season. "For me, it's
the right fit on every level, and I think it gives me a great chance
to win races and compete for championships. "Determining the next step
in my career has been an important process, and I'm excited and
relieved to have the decision made and announced. Now it's my
responsibility to put all of my energy into winning races and having a
successful 2010 with my current team and our sponsors." Although 2012
and beyond has been solidified, Kahne is not scheduled to drive a
Hendrick Motorsports entry in 2011 due to NASCAR's four-car limit.
While who he will race for has not yet been determined, Kahne intends
to drive a full Sprint Cup Series schedule next season. "If this
opportunity was going to happen, I knew having some unanswered
questions would be part of the scenario at this stage," Kahne
acknowledged. "Hendrick Motorsports has a commitment to Mark Martin
that they want to fulfill, and that's important. It's part of what
attracts me to the team."(Hendrick Motorsports)
http://www.racewayreport.com/news/hendrick.html
Lance Armstrong tests a A2 wind tunnel in Mooresville: This past
weekend Lance Armstrong was in the A2 Wind Tunnel in Mooresville, NC
performing aerodynamic testing for the 2010 season. Wind tunnels are
long chambers more commonly associated with stock-car testing. Gary
Eaker, former aerodynamics chief at Hendrick Motorsports, opened A2
several years ago beside his larger AeroDYN Wind Tunnel. Along with
the Bo-Dyn bobsled project that led our USA 4-Man team to a Gold medal
after a 62 year winless streak, the racing technology is now
transferring to pro cyclist such as Lance and other top athletes.
(Charlotte Observer)
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