For Immediate Release on behalf of MacDonald Motorsports: Saturday, November 14, 2009
Alex Tagliani #81 // NASCAR Nationwide Series Event—Phoenix International Raceway
Start Position: 41st // Finish Position: 38th // Laps Completed: 14 of 200
*Alex Tagliani is driving for the 2nd time this season for MacDonald Motorsports in the NASCAR Nationwide Series event at Phoenix International Raceway. This will be Alex’s first oval race in a NASCAR sanctioned event.
Alex Tagliani, Driver #81
“The worst possible scenario that we could imagine, happened to us today. I crashed the car in qualifying and we didn’t have a spare short oval car, the only spare was a speedway car that was set-up for Homestead next week. Which makes it rough as the car isn’t built for this type of track so we knew that we were going to be lucky to get very many laps in on the race. It was very unfortunate but we knew we could start the race and then we would pretty much have to park it pretty fast since the speedway car has totally different brakes and set-up than the short oval set-up that we need for Phoenix. This was a tough deal. I said to the guys, ‘I don’t know what to say, I don’t know if it was me’ and the bummer is that we didn’t even need to push hard in qualifying because we were locked in already. The car seemed like it had a wheel hop and then I was in the wall in Turn 4. I thought I was through the turn, and then the car just stepped out. I’m not sure if I got too high or what really happened but the rear really started to move on me and then bam, I’m in the wall. I don’t think I’ve ever had that happen. The car wasn’t loose or anything and I wouldn’t have risked it anyway. It was really disappointing. Even though it was my first time on an oval in this car, I adapted quickly and we had a good practice yesterday so this was really unexpected. This was disappointing for everyone that works on the car and I guess sometimes this is the way it goes in racing. It would be nice to have a “do-over” but that doesn’t happen too often. I am just sorry for the guys and hope they have a good weekend in Homestead.”
Media contact: Jana Watt // FAZZT Race Team
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Alex Tagliani NASCAR Nationwide Race Results - Phoenix
NASCAR Canadian Tire Series 2010 Schedule Announced... Honda Indy Toronto included
(NCATS is Toronto bound!)
NASCAR Canadian Tire Series 2010 Schedule Announced
· 13 Dates Cover 13 Tracks In Six Provinces
· Season Opens June 5 at Delaware Speedway
· Toronto Date Highlights 2010 Slate
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Nov. 14, 2009) – NASCAR announced today the schedule for the fourth season of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1, which will take the series to some of the top racing facilities throughout Canada.
The schedule features 13 dates at 13 different tracks across six provinces. The slate includes tracks and events familiar to the series, but the addition of a shared date with the Indy Car Series in Toronto is new for 2010.
Andrew Ranger will commence his title defense when the season begins on Saturday, June 5 at Delaware (Ont.) Speedway. The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series made its first visit to the half-mile oval last season at which DJ Kennington, competing on his home track, made his way to Victory Lane for the first time since September 2007. The track is also part of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.
"This is our fourth year in Canada and the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 just keeps getting better," said George Silbermann, NASCAR's managing director of racing operations. "All of the facilities we visit are top notch which certainly enhances our product. I think the great race fans of Canada will enjoy another exciting season in 2010."
While the schedule has remained consistent since the series' inaugural season in 2007, there have been additions each year to better position the series, drivers and teams in the marketplace. This year's new component to the schedule is a Saturday, July 17 race in Toronto as part of the Toronto Indy weekend. Additionally, the 1.721-mile, 11-turn temporary track on the streets of Toronto also adds a fifth challenging road course to the slate of events.
Once again next season, the annual swing through Western Canada will consist of three dates. However, in a subtle change the order of the stops is different for the upcoming year.
The first western event will take place on Sunday, July 25 on the demanding 1.973-mile Rexall Speedway in Edmonton, Alberta. In a return to the 2008 format, both the Indy Car Series and the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series will race on the same day at the Rexall Edmonton Indy.
From there, the series makes its way to the speedy half-mile tri-oval of SunValley Speedway in Vernon, B.C., on Saturday, July 31. Last season, Ranger earned his first oval-track victory in front of a standing-room-only crowd.
The final stop on the western swing is set for Wednesday, Aug. 4 at Auto Clearing Motor Speedway in Saskatoon, Sask. In 2009, the series made its debut at the track in the first ever NASCAR-sanctioned event in the province of Saskatchewan that sold out weeks in advance. Scott Steckly overcame a blown engine in practice and a start at the rear of the field to collect the historic victory.
The signature event on the schedule takes place on Sunday, Aug. 29 on the legendary Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, a 2.71-mile temporary street course, on Montreal's IÎe Notre Dame. The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series again will join the NASCAR Nationwide Series and Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series for the very popular event. JR Fitzpatrick picked up the win last season to spoil Ranger's bid to win all four road-course events on the 2009 schedule.
In what has become a tradition, the season will close and a new champion will be crowned at Kawartha Speedway, a .375-mile oval near Peterborough, Ont., on Saturday, Sept. 25. Last year, Kennington picked up his fourth series-career win in the event while Ranger celebrated his second title.
Other 2010 highlights include:
* The schedule includes races on eight ovals: Auto Clearing Motor Speedway, Autodrome St. Eustache, Barrie Speedway, Delaware Speedway, Kawartha Speedway, Mosport Speedway, Riverside Speedway and SunValley Speedway; and five road courses: Circuit de Trois-Rivieres, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Mosport International Raceway, Rexall Speedway and the temporary street course in Toronto.
* On June 12-13, the series will run at Mosport International Raceway in Bowmanville, Ontario at the facility's 2.459-mile, 10-turn road course. The race is part of an eventful weekend at the 750-acre facility. The series will also visit Mosport's half-mile oval on Saturday, Aug. 21, which is a little later in the calendar than it traditionally has been.
* The popular visit to Quebec's Autodrome St. Eustache is scheduled for Saturday, July 3. A huge crowd is always on hand at the .4-mile flat oval located northwest of Montreal. Steckly won this event last season while Canadian racing hero Jacques Villeneuve made his series debut.
* The Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres in Quebec is on tap for Aug. 13-15. Last season, Ranger thrilled the fans of his home province with his second straight victory on the 1.53-mile temporary street course. Joining the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series in Trois-Rivieres will be the Grand-Am KONI Sports Car Challenge.
* The Barrie (Ont.) Speedway date is set for Saturday, Sept. 11. Each of the past three trips to Barrie on this weekend has resulted in overflow crowds. The .333-mile tri-oval always produces one of the most exciting and action-filled events of the season.
* The trip east to the Maritime Province of Nova Scotia for a Saturday, Sept. 18 event at Riverside International Speedway is a popular stop for the competitors. Tackling the high-banked turns of the .333-mile scale version of the legendary Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway is always a thrill for both competitors and fans. Ranger collected his sixth win of the season in this event in 2009 to cap off his dominant season.
For more information contact: Shon Sbarra, NASCAR Public Relations, (704) 309-5493 or ssbarra@nascar.com
2010 NASCAR CANADIAN TIRE SERIES SCHEDULE
Date Track (Length) Location
Sat., June 5 Delaware Speedway (.5-Mile) London, Ont..
Sun., June 13 Mosport Int'l Raceway (2.459-Mile road course) Bowmanville, Ont.
Sat., July 3 Autodrome St. Eustache (.4-Mile) St. Eustache, Que.
Sat. July 17 Toronto Indy (1.721-Mile road course) Toronto, Ont.
Sun., July 25 Rexall Speedway (1.973-Mile road course) Edmonton, Alberta
Sat., July 31 SunValley Speedway (.5-Mile) Vernon, B. C.
Wed., Aug. 4 Auto Clearing Motor Speedway (.333-Mile) Saskatoon, Sask.
Sun., Aug. 15 Circuit de Trois-Rivieres (1.53-Mile road course) Trois-Rivieres, Que.
Sat., Aug. 21 Mosport Speedway (.5-Mile) Bowmanville, Ont.
Sun., Aug. 29 Circuit Gilles Villeneuve (2.71-Mile road course) Montreal, Que.
Sat., Sept. 11 Barrie Speedway (.333-Mile) Barrie, Ont.
Sat., Sept. 18 Riverside Int'l Speedway (.333-Mile) Antigonish, N. S.
Sat., Sept. 25 Kawartha Speedway (.375-Mile) Peterborough, Ont.
Tentative - Subject to Change
PHOTO: The CASCAR Super Series made several appearances at the Toronto Indy. 2010 will mark the first time that Canada's national stock car championship will race there, under the NASCAR banner. (photo by www.davefranksphotos.com)
PHOTOS: Alex Tagliani pre-race NASCAR Nationwide at Phoenix
WHEELS.ca: Celebrating Ranger & Taking AIM at NASCAR
After that, McDonald interviews AIM Autosports' Ian Willis about his plans to get his Woodbridge, ON-based, championship road racing operation into NCATS, possibly with a two-car operation (funding permitting).
I did a double-take when I saw Ian chatting with people on the grid at the final Canadian Tire Series race of the season, in late-September, at Kawartha Speedway. Now it makes sense.
UPDATE: For those interested in watching Ranger honoured tonight in Charlotte, it's being streamed at: www.nascarhometracks.com.
WATCH the Inside Track Breaking News Blog as major news involving the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series' 2010 season is expected as soon as today.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Philip Morris Crowned National Champion At Annual NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Awards Banquet
CONCORD, N.C. (Nov. 13, 2009) – A week of activities and celebration in the hub of NASCAR racing concluded Friday evening as Philip Morris was crowned national champion at the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Awards Banquet in the Embassy Suites and Concord Convention Center.
Morris, from Ruckersville, Va., joined Larry Phillips as the only drivers in the history of the Whelen All-American Series program to earn three or more championships with yet another stellar performance in 2009. Morris finished first in the nation in 2006 and 2008, and a third national title this season was accented by his seventh track championship at Motor Mile Speedway in Radford, Va., and a third straight Virginia State Championship.
“What a great privilege it has been to drive the No. 26 Clarence’s Steakhouse car,” Morris said. “Since combining forces with Clarence and Allen Pickurel, it seems like a blur of one celebration after another.”
Morris recorded nine wins, 20 top fives and 23 top 10s in 28 starts this season and accumulated 841 points to clinch the title by 25 over Keith Rocco of Wallingford, Conn.
As driver and owner of the No. 26 Chevrolet Late Model, Morris also took home the Lincoln Electric Car Owner Award and his crew chief, Chad McCoy, was recognized with the Lunati Crew Chief Award.
“This team has incredible depth and expertise,” Morris said. “Every man contributed to this championship. As a car owner I marvel at their pursuit of excellence, self control, focus and selflessness.”
Rocco, who competed in the Modified division at three Connecticut ovals (Stafford Motor Speedway, Thompson International Speedway, Waterford Speedbowl) during the season and won the track championship at Thompson, had the best season of his career. After finishing third in the nation in 2008, the two-time Connecticut State Champion tallied 13 wins, 31 top fives and 35 top 10s in 45 starts.
Nick Joanides from Woodland Hills, Calif., finished third in the national standings thanks to 13 wins with top-five efforts in each of his 21 starts. Joanides was the California State champion and the track champion at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale.
Headlining the evening’s special awards was the inaugural Whelen All-American Series National Rookie of the Year Award presented by Jostens. Jacob Gomez, a 16-year-old from Manteca, Calif., took home the award on the strength of three wins and 14 top 10s in 18 starts between three California short tracks.
Jason Romero, who captured the track title at All American Speedway in Roseville, Calif., was bestowed the prestigious Wendell Scott Trail Blazer Award. Tommy Lee, the crew chief for driver Eric Blackard at Colorado National Speedway, took home Craftsman Mechanic of the Year honors.
Also honored Friday were:
· NASCAR Whelen All-American U.S. State and Canadian Province champions: Erica Thiering (Alberta), Richie Davis (Arizona), Dave Haworth (British Columbia), Joanides (California), Bruce Yackey (Colorado), Rocco (Connecticut), Paul Antley (Georgia), Ricky Bilderback (Illinois), Andy Eckrich (Iowa), Mark Underwood (Louisiana), Mike Rowe (Maine), Terry Senneker (Michigan), Adam Royle (Minnesota), Bill Leighton Jr. (Nebraska), Jeff Connors (Nevada), Phillip Baril (New Hampshire), John Fortin (New York), Travis Swaim (North Carolina), Donnie Hill (Ohio), Steve Robblee (Ontario), Jeff Strunk (Pennsylvania), Marty Ward (South Carolina), Morris (Virginia), Naima Lang (Washington) and Kevin Nuttleman (Wisconsin).
· NASCAR Whelen All-American track champions: Chris Spieker (Adams County Speedway), Romero (All American Speedway), Joe LeMay (All-Star Speedway), Gord Shepherd (Barrie Speedway), Rowe (Beech Ridge Motor Speedway), Tim Brown (Bowman Gray Stadium), Swaim (Caraway Speedway), Yackey (Colorado National Speedway), Hill (Columbus Motor Speedway), Robblee (Delaware Speedway), Eckrich (Dubuque Fairgrounds Speedway, West Liberty Speedway), Thiering (Edmonton International Raceway), Lang (Evergreen Speedway), Ron Klein (Farley Speedway), Strunk (Grandview Speedway), Roger Powell (Greenville Pickens Speedway), Andy Mercer (Hickory Motor Speedway), Justin Shepker (Holland Motorsports Complex), Leighton (I-80 Speedway, Junction Motor Speedway), Senneker (Kalamazoo Speedway), Justin Alsip (Kil-Kare Speedway), JT Herbst (LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway), CE Falk III (Langley Speedway), Antley (Lanier National Raceway), Kyle Gottula (Madera Speedway), Underwood (Monroe Motor Speedway), Morris (Motor Mile Speedway), Mark Cottone (Motordrome Speedway), Willard Lawrence II (Old Dominion Speedway), Royle (Raceway Park), Fortin (Riverhead Raceway), Jerry Gille (Rockford Speedway), Justin Johnson (South Boston Speedway), Amy Catalano (Spencer Speedway), Haworth (SunValley Speedway), Adam Hensel (Superior Speedway), Connors (The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway), Rocco (Thompson International Speedway), Davis (Thunder Raceway) and Joanides (Toyota Speedway at Irwindale).
· NASCAR Whelen All-American U.S. State and Canadian Province Rookies of the Year: Lloyd Spearchief (Alberta), Davis (Arizona), Gomez (California), Nick Burton (Colorado), Joey Allegro (Connecticut), Scott Riechers (Iowa), Underwood (Louisiana), Bradley Babb (Maine), Brian Bergakker (Michigan), Bob White (Minnesota), Timmy Solomito (New York), David Wilson (North Carolina), Sloan Henderson (Ohio), Addison Meitzler (Pennsylvania), Bouchard Paquin (Quebec), Justin Ashley (South Carolina), David Polenz (Virginia) and Natalie Sather (Washington).
For the first time, the Whelen All-American Series Awards Banquet was streamed live online at www.nascarhometracks.com. Saturday night’s NASCAR Touring Series Awards Gala will also be streamed live from the Concord Convention Center, starting at 7 p.m.
For more information, contact: Jason Christley, NASCAR Public Relations, (386) 547-2469 or jchristley@nascar.com.
NASCAR Nationwide: Alex Tagliani Phoenix practice quotes
For Immediate Release on behalf of MacDonald Motorsports: Friday, November 13, 2009
Alex Tagliani #81 // NASCAR Nationwide Series Event—Phoenix International Raceway
Final Practice Position: 23rd
*Alex Tagliani is driving for the 2nd time this season for MacDonald Motorsports in the NASCAR Nationwide Series event at Phoenix International Raceway. This will be Alex’s first oval race in a NASCAR event.
Alex Tagliani, Driver #81
“This weekend is my first time in the stock car on an oval and so far, I think it has gone pretty well. I think the most difficult thing for an open-wheel guy to remember is that you have to focus on not overdriving the car. If you try to be more aggressive to shave some time off on your lap you actually will lose more time than you gain. That is tough to remember because in the open-wheel car, you can push harder and shave tenths off your time but if you do that in the stock car you can actually drive the car in too far, and lose a second a lap. So it is a steep penalty for overdriving the car. In the 1st session the car was a little tight with understeer but we kept making changes and by the 2nd session the car was much freer and we ran much better and improved our lap times. We are going to make a small change tonight for qualifying tomorrow and I think we should conceivably be a top-20 car. Our main goal for the race tomorrow is to try and stay out of trouble and out of the way and bring home a good result for the team. These guys are really excited this weekend and they are putting forth so much effort. For a small team, they really do an excellent job and I hope I can bring them a good result.”
Randy MacDonald, Team Owner—MacDonald Motorsports
“We are all so happy to have Alex here with us again this weekend. The team really puts all of their effort into their preparation and so does Alex and that really shows when he is here to drive for us. It is such a pleasure to see the boys so excited and motivated! We had our best team result going in Montreal when we got involved in an incident on the last restart so I think there is a feeling of unfinished business going into this weekend. I think we are all looking forward to a good race and a good result.”
Media contact: Jana Watt // FAZZT Race Team // jwatt@mi-connection.com
NASCAR: Jimmie Johnson Phoenix Press Conference Transcript
NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES: CHECKER O’REILLY AUTO PARTS 500
PHOENIX INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY // NOVEMBER 13, 2009
JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE'S IMPALA SS met with media and discussed racing at Phoenix, off-road racing in Arizona, crashing and losing points at Texas last week, the emotions of going for a fourth consecutive championship, and more. Full Transcript:
THE MODERATOR: We're now joined in the infield media center by driver of the No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet, currently No. 1 in points, Jimmie Johnson. Jimmie, thoughts about racing here at Phoenix International Raceway?
JIMMIE JOHNSON: I look forward to it. This track is a lot of fun to drive with the two different ends of the track. We've been very strong here in the fall race. So I look forward to it.
I just look forward to getting back on the racetrack so that I don't have the memories and thoughts of Texas in my head and have something new to think about and focus on. So eagerly awaiting practice to start, looking forward to it.
THE MODERATOR: We'll take questions.
Q. Jimmie, jumping behind, I guess, can you kind of take your mind back to that 2004 race at Homestead. What was going through your mind entering that race and then when Kurt had that issue with the tire, brought the caution, can you sort of go through your mindset and recount it now five years later?
JIMMIE JOHNSON: To me, that year I really felt like was our year. The plane crash obviously took place. We won at Martinsville. We came back to Atlanta and won the following weekend. Guys were having trouble. We made up a lot of points. The Homestead race was going very good for us. We were running well. Kurt has his issues. You know, it just felt like, whatever that feeling is when it comes through your body, and you feel it's going to happen, whatever it may be, I had all those sensations.
Then with a restart or two left, I knew I needed three or four cars between me and Kurt. I look in the mirror, he's two cars back. I'm like, Oh, man, he's coming back. He recovered from his trouble.
On the last restart we had, if I could have gotten by Biffle, I think the way the points worked out, I would have been the champion by a couple points. I ended up finishing second. I think I restarted fourth, got a couple guys, got to second. I guess I was only eight points behind him when it was all said and done.
It was just a weird experience to feel like it was going to happen, the emotions that went with the plane crash, the way we were making up points, the end of the season was going, and then to not get it, you know, to not have it take place was, you know, a great lesson in the end. Certainly not one that was fun to experience, but a good experience.
Q. I know you started on motorbikes, things of that nature. When you're looking at grass-roots racing, California, there's so many good short tracks, do you have any fond memories growing up on any of the neighborhood local tracks when you started racing?
JIMMIE JOHNSON: All of my racing was on the dirt, motocross, off-road trucks and buggies. I've raced a lot here in Arizona. My local track for motorcycles when I was a kid growing up was a track called Barona Oaks.
Then through California, we'd race as far north as a track called Gorman, I guess a little further north of that. I guess we get to Vegas, is where the mini nationals were each year. But there were many tracks along the West Coast that we'd race in, a little bit in Nevada and Arizona.
From a stock car standpoint, the first time I drove a stock car I think was in '97 at the track in Kenley, North Carolina. I drove an ASA car. So I had driven late model nothing. I had a chance to drive Bud Given's No. 4 ASA car that Dave Sensiba was driving. Then Gary St. Amant was leaving to combine forces and drive.
For me, the local short track scene that I experienced was watching my dad. One of his friends from high school had a late model at El Cajon Speedway, a guy named John Dineen, and my dad would work on his car from time to time. I would sit in the grandstands with a clipboard, some stopwatches, eating corn dogs, cotton candy, and watch from time to time. But we weren't there all the time because we had our own racing stuff to do.
Then some of my friends that I went to high school with also raced. Their dads raced. They grew up racing at the speedway. So I'd watch them, you know, on off weekends for ourselves.
But never drove a lap at El Cajon Speedway or any tracks in the area. My first time was at Kenley.
Q. Is El Cajon still there with the Speedway?
JIMMIE JOHNSON: No. Unfortunately it went away four or five years ago.
Q. Do you know what they put on it?
JIMMIE JOHNSON: I don't know. I haven't been back through there to see it. I know it was close to an airport, so I would assume some type of industrial complex.
Q. How do you compare the feeling of this championship to your other three championship runs? I mean, each one has to have a different feel to it. Also the fortune you felt by having a race up on the field when last week happened?
JIMMIE JOHNSON: Yeah, up until last week, things just seemed to be going really, really well. A lot of positive emotions and thoughts that went with all of that. And then to get through Talladega, I felt like we missed the big one, everything was in great shape. We roll into Texas, lap three we take our lumps there.
So I'm used to leaving Texas with a strong performance, a lot of momentum coming into the Phoenix race with a ton of momentum. I don't really have an emotion for how last week went. I mean, obviously it's a negative one. I'm disappointed to lose the points, but we didn't perform poorly. We didn't have a chance to perform good or bad. So I just kind of have this blank spot about how last week went. Unfortunately, we lost 111 points.
We ran really good here in the spring, overcame a lot of issues to finish well. The fall race has always been good to us. So I'm finding a lot of, you know, positive thoughts, a lot of hope in what we have done here in the past at this track and the way the spring race went.
So I can't wait to get on track so I can start thinking about something else. All I can think about is three laps of Texas right now. That's all I've thought about for the whole week. Ready to get that out of the brain.
Q. How does this compare?
JIMMIE JOHNSON: It's just a big, empty negative feeling right now because last week was just a major letdown, where before I'd leave with a win or very good run with a lot of momentum and positive thoughts.
Q. Did you have an empty feeling when you left Talladega four years ago after Vickers?
JIMMIE JOHNSON: I'd say in 2006, there was a rollercoaster ride of emotions then. The other two years, there were positive things building as we got to Phoenix. We were able to win here and carry that on into Homestead.
So this year, outside of 2006, it's been much different.
Q. Jimmie, two questions. When you look at the stats, it's like why should anybody show up here, Hendrick is going to win the race. Why do you think not only you but Hendrick cars have been dominant? Last weekend, unsung heroes, guys that names don't get thrown out in the media, talk about what they meant last weekend and to your career.
JIMMIE JOHNSON: Yeah, I can say first of all, when I started driving for Hendrick, I don't think that Phoenix, this track, was one that was circled on the calendar for any of the teams. I think Terry had some luck. Jeff didn't really run well here. So from my time at Hendrick, I think we as an organization, as a group, have figured out how to get around this track, the setups we needed. I think it's relatively new. I'm not sure if the stats show that. I can remember Jeff in 2000 or 2001, something like that, when I first started working with the team, he didn't have a lot of good things in his mind about this track. I think he won a Nationwide race, was his first win here at the raceway. That's a new stat. We hope to keep it going.
I feel like the 2 car is going to be strong, especially off of his win. Those guys have been strong here typically. The Childress cars have been running better. I think this is a great track for Harvick and also Bowyer. There's no telling how it's going to shake out for us. I certainly hope the 48 car wins this thing.
The unsung heroes, those guys worked their guts out to get the car back on the track. The first report I had was, We're going to put it on the truck. That's kind of why I didn't get out of the car. I'm like, I'm not getting out. You guys have to figure out a way to fix it. I'll sit here till you roll it on the lift gate.
Chad was going to put all the effort in, but it didn't look good at first. Our 48 guys, on top of the 24 sent some people over, the 5, the 88, we had a lot of different members from other teams at Hendrick working with us to get that car right. Just can't thank them all enough for trying.
You know, and I know it's tough for the 24 to send someone over to help, and the 5, because, you know, I'm sitting here saying hopefully that work gives us the points to win the championship. You know, it may not work out for them if that's the case.
Q. For your career, how big was that group behind you?
JIMMIE JOHNSON: Yeah, the group of people behind the scenes is everything. I think that's why we bore everyone so much with saying 'the guys back at the shop,' mentioning crew members so often, because it really is a team sport. Through my career, from my dad, you know, prepping my dirt bike to go to the track, all the way through the off-road, ASA, all that stuff, those guys, they make the difference. They put in the hours. The relationships you build with them frame in the driver's mind what it takes to be successful, makes you respect the vehicles, the workmanship that goes into it. I think it's helped make me a smarter racer on the track. I try not to tear stuff up. I typically don't. I think a lot of that's because I have personal relationships with these guys, know they're not at home all the time with their families. They're working to make sure this car is right.
Q. Jimmie, I was curious, it seemed like Sam got a lot of the blame both on TV and in your comments. Then maybe looking later, it seemed like Reutimann was more part of that. Have you evaluated that at all? Do you want to clarify?
JIMMIE JOHNSON: Yeah, I had one quick look at it after the race last weekend. I haven't studied much of it. I had a phone call from David, talked a little bit. I guess it was easy for me to blame the 77 because he was the guy that came up inside and got into me. I think he was the one kind of holding up the line. It's just easy to blame him.
But it did take two cars. And I think Sam had some handling issues, wasn't going all that well. As he got into the turn, checked up more than the 00 thought. The 00 made contact and off it went. So there were a lot of ingredients to what went on.
I try not to blame too much. Once I got back to the media center, four hours of sitting there watching the points disappear, I probably put a little more blame on Sam than necessary. You know, I just wish we could have made it through those few laps and Sam, you know, could have hung onto it. Not placing more blame on him than need be. But he almost had that thing saved, then it wiggled, came back up into me.
I guess now there's not a lot of good complaining about it. It's behind us. Can't wait to get on the track so we can talk about something else.
Q. Looking ahead to Miami, you've done this obviously three times now. When you get to Miami, what's the process? Is there a checklist? Kind of talk about how you're going to approach that weekend. I know you're going to say it's not different from any other, but come on, it's a little different. What's the stress level like, that stuff?
JIMMIE JOHNSON: Yeah, so much depends on this weekend and how things go. You know, if things go really well for us, it takes a little bit of pressure off, helps the week go by a little faster. The other side, you know, easy to figure out. If it doesn't go well, you just can't wait to get in the car and get things going.
The more we can keep it the same, the better it is. There is a lot of media leading up to the race, of course, a lot of questions that come about, that I don't really think of things in those terms. I find leaving the media briefing, media stuff we do on Wednesday, Thursday, there's a lot of thoughts swirling in the brain that were never there because I really try to keep it simple, keep things the same.
Hopefully I can leave the media get-together and shake all that stuff out, focus on the race and treat it, you know, like I would a typical race. That's really the goal. Don't end up there all the time. It's not as easy to pull off as it sounds. But that's my goal and I would assume everybody else's goal, to try to keep it the same and try to keep the stress down.
Q. Jimmie, if you didn't feel like you did anything wrong, why were you beating yourself up all week? How hard is it to get that out of your brain? How important is it that you're able to do that? Have you ever struggled with thinking and thinking and thinking and not being able to get it out?
JIMMIE JOHNSON: No, I really do a lot of thinking about what I did wrong. I look back on that, I'm not sure I did anything wrong because we were all on the bottom and someone had the inside lane held up. The corner before, I was hit from behind going into the turn. I thought, man, going into one and two, they're going to check up again, I should be on the outside, avoid being spun out from behind.
I don't feel like I could have done anything differently. But it doesn't help that, you know, the feelings of losing 111 points. Those are still there. I don't know where to equate it. I don't know how to fix it. But that negative feeling's there. That emptiness is there. Man, I just lost 111 points. That part is there. I've thought about it enough. I know I couldn't have done anything differently. So I'm just like, Get me in the car again. I just need to get in the racecar here for practice and start focusing on today, the handling issues of what we experience here, and it will help me get through it.
Q. Even after losing 111 points, do you take some comfort that these two tracks are left for you, you still have the 73-point lead? Is there some comfort factor there?
JIMMIE JOHNSON: Definitely. I feel that a 73-point lead is a very, very healthy lead. With today's racing, the competition, the year that Mark Martin and Jeff have had in the Chase, I feel very good about our points lead. But it's hard to look back at the week before at 184, the comfort that that brought. You know, it's like, Wow, we could have left here with a 184-point lead. Different story. Homestead would have been a very enjoyable experience.
That possibility still exists. I mean, the 5 could have trouble this week. You never know. This is racing. Anything and everything will happen.
Q. Jimmie, you mentioned earlier you had guys on the 5 and 24 working on your car. You got three drivers from the same team battling for the championship. How do you guys at Hendrick keep it on an even keel and not have toxic relationships from team to team when you're all battling for the same thing and you're all fiercely competitive?
JIMMIE JOHNSON: I really think that from my experience I look at how Jeff handled things from the beginning. Mark's been doing this a long time, operating from an area of respect that it didn't need much work on it to fit into the group. I mean, it just didn't. But with the way Jeff handled things from the start, taught me how to respect my teammates, how to work with my teammates. That all comes from Rick, as well.
So from the highest one in command all the way down through Jeff, who is a boss in a sense for me, I believe in the system and I know what we have done before the Chase as a team got us where we are, and we need to keep doing that stuff.
The other thing is experience. There are weeks where we've had the fastest car in the Chase and our teammate that we're racing with for the championship can take our setup and make their car better and put up, you know, a good finish. And we've been doing this long enough to where we have needed the help. So through time, it just kind of balances out. We found a way to do it.
I don't think it's easy. It's challenging for all of us. I don't think that if you put Roush in the situation or Childress, some of the other teams, I'm not sure how they'd handle it. I think that we do a really good job of dealing with all of the issues that come from it and respect one another. I think bottom line is respect. We respect each other enough to have this thing work.
Q. I don't know what it is that you're feeling, what emotion it is, if it's pressure or desire or excitement or whatever that emotion is. What is the difference in the emotion of trying to win your first championship compared to trying not to lose your first championship in four years?
JIMMIE JOHNSON: So hard to think back to 2006. But all those emotions exist, and I think my mind goes through different scenarios where, okay, don't want to lose it, so you feel the pressure of that. Also, Why am I thinking about these emotions? I need to think of being aggressive and playing offense. So I think of it in a way where it brings excitement.
What I find is I go through two or three emotions and it just keeps looping back around, just the brain doing its thing. From the past three years of being in the situation, I understand the peaks and valleys of the emotional rollercoaster I'm on. I try to find a middle ground to relax and be comfortable with, look at the tracks, how you're team has been performing, build confidence in a lot of the tangible things instead of the emotions that fluctuate from day to day, hour to hour. I mean, we all go through it. It's a rollercoaster ride, to say the least. I do feel like I'm chasing my tail day to day, yup.
Q. You are so good here. But because of what happened last week, are you feeling vulnerable at all? Are there guys out there that you get around, although I'd like you to name names, you probably won't, that you want to get away from them and just be out of the line of fire?
JIMMIE JOHNSON: Yeah, I mean, there's definitely a handful of guys that you're concerned about. But in the end, when you're on a short track like this, you'd lap through people and you're in traffic so often, the double-file restarts, it's not so much a car number or a person, it's kind of the situation.
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I don't think, you know, anybody's really safe, especially how you can run side-by-side here in one and two, one line is preferred, three and four another is preferred. It's going to be tough to get single-file.
So I do have concern and worry about contact or something out of my control taking place again. I mean, I think we all fear that. But I find some confidence knowing that everybody's going to deal with that. I don't think lightning can strike two weeks in a row. I'm certainly hoping it doesn't.
THE MODERATOR: Jimmie, thank you. Good luck this week.
JIMMIE JOHNSON: Thank you.
From GM
Autotecnica announces its participation in the Star Mazda Championship
Three Star Mazda cars have arrived today at Autotecnica’s dedicated 2,500 square foot racing facility. One driver is already confirmed and will soon be announced by the team.
Team Manager Enrico Diano states, “Rigorous testing will begin in late December in Florida and will continue into 2010 as part of our development and full driver training package. Winning is our expertise and we will push hard right out of the box to be competitive. We’ve always set the example with our first-class operations and services and look forward to continuing this in the Star Mazda series with our new clientele.”
Autotecnica will also field multiple F2000 cars to create a development ladder within the team with another driver already confirmed. More details regarding this program will follow in the next few weeks.
The Toronto based team has established itself as a title contender in all of its open-wheeled racing efforts since it was founded seven years ago. Autotecnica started in 2002 in the Formula Renault 2000 category winning sevaral races and a championship. Formula BMW followed from 2004 until 2009 with countless wins and four championships. Now, Autotecnica will enter the Star Mazda Championship to continue as a top-level driver training group and racing services provider.
“We have a lot to give to our clients who hire us for our expertise in professional driver training and for our excellent reputation as a racing service provider,” continues Diano, “We have always been front runners in North America and have won several championships to prove it. 2010 will be an exciting year for Autotecnica.”
Autotecnica prides itself in offering competitive budgets for its clients as well as equal and fair service. Clients will benefit from working with professional, well-trained, experienced and courteous staff who work full time in the shop and at the test and race events. Interested drivers for Formula Mazda and F2000 should contact:
Enrico Diano, Team Manager
Tel: +1.416.628.8214
Email: enrico@autotecnicagroup.com
For more details, please visit:
AutotecnicaGroup.com
StarMazda.com
Tall Pines Rally... Official Program Online
Click here or on the image at right to flip through the pages of the Official Event Program of the 2009 Rally of the Tall Pines. The event takes place next weekend (Nov. 19-21) in Bancroft, Ontario.Produced by Inside Track Communications, the Official Event Program is being distributed prior to and during the event, but is also available online. It's full of information about the rally (schedule, route, entry list, features and profiles).
Be sure to check it out before heading to the event. And while you're in Bancroft, be sure to support the advertisers who make the event and the program possible.
Mark Martin named NASCAR Illustrated's 2009 Person of the Year
Mark Martin is the NASCAR Illustrated Person of the Year presented by Old Spice for 2009. Martin will officially accept the award in a pre-race ceremony at the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 22, 2009. NASCAR Illustrated chose to honor the 50-year-old Hendrick Motorsports driver because of his exceptional talent and extraordinary class. His return to a full schedule in 2009 underscored his ability and gave fans another chance to appreciate his humility and graciousness.
This is the third time Martin has received a Person of Year honor – but only the first that he has been the sole honoree. He joins a list of previous recipients that includes Jeff Burton, Kyle Petty, Tony Stewart and Rusty Wallace.
(h/t Bob Barron)
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Thursday, November 12, 2009
NASCAR CHAMPIONS WEEK: Excitement Continues To Build
CONCORD, N.C. (Nov. 12, 2009) – Champions Week continues to build to its ultimate crescendo – the NASCAR Touring Series Awards Gala and NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Awards Banquet. Track operators have arrived in town and joined the celebration, as well as, taking care of some business items.
NASCAR champions Jason Bowles (Camping World Series West), George Brunnhoelzl III (Whelen Southern Modified Tour), Donny Lia (Whelen Modified Tour), Philip Morris (Whelen All-American Series), Andrew Ranger (Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1) and Ryan Truex (Camping World Series East) are on hand to celebrate their achievements and participate in the Champions Week activities.
While each of the title winners took a few moments off from their busy schedules on Thursday morning, the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series track operators held a business meeting in which the 2010 program was outlined.
“We really enjoy coming to these banquets, with NASCAR and Whelen,” said Gray Garrison of Bowman Gray Stadium, located in Winston-Salem, N.C. “You could not ask for a better sponsor that Whelen is for the weekly series. An engineering company like that is just great and fits a good niche for us. We enjoy coming to these types of things. We learn a lot.”
After lunch, the champions continued to accommodate the many media requests for the week. Bowles, Brunnhoelzl, Lia, Morris and Ranger each taped segments for The Hub on SPEED. Lia and Ranger then made their way to ESPN’s studios for an appearance on NASCAR Now. Bowles visited with ESPN on Wednesday.
The track operators and other guest were treated to a behind-the-scenes tour of the race shop at Penske Racing in the afternoon. The state-of-the-art facility situated on 105 acres in Mooresville, N.C., is the home of NASCAR drivers Kurt Busch, Sam Hornish Jr. and Justin Allgaier. They will be joined next season by Brad Keselowski. All of the guests got an up-close look at the inner workings of the world-class shop owned by the legendary Roger Penske.
“It’s a lot of fun to come back here and see everything that’s going on. We are looking forward to visiting some of the race shops,” said Bob DeFazio of Toyota Speedway of Irwindale (Calif.).
To close out Thursday’s activities, the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series state and provincial champions gathered at the Hendrick Motorsports Museum in Charlotte, N.C., for a special dinner commemorating each of their championship-winning seasons. Meanwhile, the touring series champions and track operators went on a dinner cruise at Queens Landing on Lake Norman.
Wednesday concluded with a reception for the champions and track operators at NASCAR’s Research and Development Center in Concord. On display were all six of the champions’ cars along with NASCAR Sprint Cup Series cars and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series trucks from each of the manufacturers. All of the attendees were treated to a look at the new NASCAR Nationwide Series cars to be introduced next season.
“That’s was exciting to see some of what they are doing out here in research and development and to have NASCAR let us know that any time we need their help, they’re willing to answer any of our questions. Being a new track, that’s really a great asset for us,” said Carol Noceti of The New Stockton (Calif.) 99 Speedway.
The week culminates with the two award ceremonies. The NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Awards Banquet will take place Friday evening at the Concord Convention Center with track and state champions being honored along with Morris, the national champion. The NASCAR Touring Series Awards Gala, which will honor the championship seasons of Bowles, Brunnhoelzl, Lia, Ranger and Truex, will be held at the same venue on Saturday evening. Both banquets will be streamed live online at www.nascarhometracks.com.
For more information contact: Jason Christley, NASCAR Public Relations, (386) 547-2469 or jchristley@nascar.com
Canadian Racing Star Paul Tracy is coming to the Canadian Motorsports Expo
Open-wheel champion to sign autographs and take part in celebration of Mosport’s 50th Anniversary Season(TORONTO, ON // NOVEMBER 12, 2009) Racing fans in attendance at the Canadian Motorsports Expo on Sunday, January 24, 2010 are in for a ‘thrill.’ Paul Tracy, one of Canada’s most successful, entertaining and popular racers will be at the International Centre to sign autographs, chat with fans, and participate in ceremonies celebrating the official kick-off of Mosport International Raceway’s 50th Anniversary Season, in 2010.
Known as ‘The Thrill from West Hill,’ Tracy is the perfect headliner for the CME’s Mosport celebration. He cut his teeth at the legendary Canadian road course, earning his first-ever win in a racecar on the challenging 10-turn circuit that has played a prominent role in Canadian motorsports since first being opened in 1961.
Speaking about his upcoming appearance at the Canadian Motorsports Expo, and paying homage to Mosport, Tracy said, “I’m looking forward to signing autographs at the Canadian Motorsports Expo. It’s always great when you get to go home and get up close and personal with the fans. I’m very excited and I’m sure it’s going to be a great time. Mosport was my home racetrack when I began racing cars. I had my first race and my first win in a racecar there, so I’m thrilled to be a part of kicking off their 50th anniversary celebration.”
CME President Glenn Butt is equally enthused about Tracy’s scheduled appearance. “When you think of successful Canadian racing stars and institutions, Paul Tracy and Mosport International Raceway are near the top of the list. The two have a shared history, and having Paul take part in our celebration of Mosport’s 50th makes it all the more special.”
Responding to the news that ‘PT’ will be participating in the Mosport Anniversary festivities at the CME, Myles Brandt (President & GM, Mosport International Raceway) said, “Mosport has been the home track to many of Canada’s top race drivers over the past five decades, and Paul Tracy ranks as one of the greatest Canadian racers of all time. Everyone at Mosport knew he was something special when he won the Formula Ford title in 1985 and then scored a Can-Am victory here in 1986 to become the youngest Series race winner at age 17.” Brandt continued, “A proud Canadian, Paul has gone on to win many races and titles at circuits across North America and we’re proud that his career began at Mosport; Canada’s Home of Motorsports. I think it’s fitting that he’ll be joining our 50th Anniversary season launch at the Canadian Motorsport Expo in January.”
The Canadian Motorsports Expo is a three-day celebration of Canadian racing that runs January 22 to 24 at the International Centre (6900 Airport Road in Mississauga). The show is powered by Inside Track Motorsport News and supported by companies like Lucas Oil Canada, NASCAR Canada and Mosport International Raceway. In addition to booths and racing vehicles representing the entire spectrum of Canadian motorsports, the show is loaded with seminars and forums to entertain and inform racers and fans alike.
For more information about the Canadian Motorsports Expo, visit www.canadianmotorsportsexpo.com, call Glenn Butt at (905) 721-1762 or email him at glenn@canadianmotorsportsexpo.com. You can reach co-promoters Inside Track at (416) 962-7223 or email expo@insidetracknews.com.
PHOTO: Canadian Racing Star Paul Tracy will make an appearance and sign autographs at the Canadian Motorsports Expo, on Sunday, January 24, 2010 at Toronto's International Centre. (Courtesy of LAT via PMIfirm.com)
Vincec's 2009 season winds down... A quiet year comes to a close in Las Vegas
Stouffville, Ontario (November 10, 2009) - The 2009 racing season is coming to an end with everyone heading to Las Vegas next week for the SKUSA SuperNationals. Mike Vincec, the 2008 Stars of Karting ICC National Champion, is looking forward to finishing off what has been a rather quiet year in karting, with a strong performance for Pserra Racing. Mike will be competing in the highly competitive SuperPro class.
After securing the ICC National Championship last year, Mike received a scholarship to compete in the Skip Barber National Championship. He started the season in Sebring last March and continued through some disappointing races but pulled out of the final races as he prepared to once again attend the European Karting Championships and also concentrate on a run at joining Team Canada for the Rotax World Final. The return to Europe came courtesy of a mid-season switch to Pserra Racing and it would be to run under the Birel factory tent.
“When Pserra Racing approached us with the opportunity to help build the team and get back into competition in Europe, we jumped at the chance” commented Vincec. “There was some restructuring at my current team with the focus shifting away from international competition, and I had reached a point where stepping back was not an option. Peter Serravalle offered us a great package. Pserra Racing was very focused on what we could do across the US and at FIA events. The time was right for a change and I can't thank Peter enough for the opportunity and support he has given me.”
Running a program limited only by the schedule at hand, Vincec first tackled the ASN Canadian Nationals where he just missed the podium in Senior Rotax finishing fourth. Not the result he might have hoped for, but not bad considering the change to a new team and chassis.
Mike and the team learned more about setup and working together at the CIKFIA event in Sarno, Italy where they ran in the KZ1 class. They will now put those lessons into practice at the SKUSA SuperNationals taking place in Las Vegas, November 18-22 at the Rio Suites Hotel and Casino.
Following the event in Las Vegas, Vincec and Pserra Racing will concentrate on doing some extensive testing over the winter and also participate in the Florida Winter Tour.
“We are starting to gel as a team” offered Vincec, “and it is great that we will have plenty of opportunities over the next few months as we go into the 2010 season with the goal of taking some championships along the way.
– 30 –
Photo credit: Chris Walker - Kartpix.net // Media Contact: Chris Jameson // Level Ten Communications
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Karting: Prime Kartsport / CRG heading to SKUSA SuperNationals
Prime Kartsport will make its team debut next week as some of the best drivers on the continent mix with International superstars at SKUSA SuperNationals XIII. Two Prime/CRG drivers will be in the mix at the Rio All-Suites Hotel and Casino as Luke Chudleigh and Reid Arnold are set to take on one of the toughest junior fields in karting. Originally capped at 40 entries, TaG Junior quickly sold out and was extended to its current crop of near 70 drivers heading to Las Vegas.
“We are definitely excited about making our debut at what can easily be described as one of the world’s largest karting events,” said team principal Trevor Wickens. “While the classes being run are unfamiliar to Luke and Reid, I’m confident that we will be able to figure things out. When you go to a race of this magnitude you have to be as efficient off the track as you are on it, and this bodes well for us as the ability to convert data into performance is one of our greatest team assets.”
It’s a fact the drivers are banking on, as both Chudleigh and Arnold realize what is at their disposal. “Trevor and the rest of the team are well qualified veterans and it is a privilege to be racing with them,” said Chudleigh this week. “I am so looking forward to landing in Vegas! A lot of preparation has gone into getting ready for my first SuperNats, and we have been working since the beginning of September to get everything ready. I really have no great expectations as I realize my rookie status, but I’m hoping to show my best abilities through the whole event, and a good, clean race is the most I can hope for.”
Arnold will also be relying heavily on his Prime/CRG team, as along with joining Chudleigh in TaG Junior, he will make his shifter debut in Stock 80cc, S5 in SKUSA lexicon. “I am thrilled to be going back to Vegas and really excited about running the S5 class!” he said while preparing. “I love driving shifter, although I have only put in practice laps and had some instruction, I have never raced it. I’m just hoping to gain some experience and have fun.” Assisting the effort as a Prime/CRG driving coach when action gets underway will be Robbie Wickens, fresh from a second-place finish in the Formula Two Championship. The Red Bull Junior Driver and world-class talent got his start in karting and is a veteran of four SuperNats events himself.
In seeing double-duty, Arnold will be looking for much more in TaG Junior based on his 2008 performance. Racing as he hobbled to the kart on crutches due to a broken ankle, Arnold came 22 positions forward in heat races and was taking more in the final when the race was called early. “The key to the heats was getting through the starts and keeping out of trouble,” he said on his success in Vegas. “It was really hard, as most of the heats were held at night and when you were coming down the straight to take the green you couldn’t see anything from the exhaust and lights! Then we had two red flags during what was supposed to be a 25 lap final. The first one was on lap 8 and I had already moved up a few spots, then we had another at lap 14 and they called the race. I was tenth and moving up as my tires were coming in, but scoring went back a lap and put me in 11th. I was happy overall, considering the injury and with such a tough group to race against. It was great.”
For his part, Wickens has been to every SuperNats since 2001 and worked with an impressive array of drivers. He guided brother Robert to the podium in the formation stages of his career, and the senior Wickens also assisted both Gianmarco Raimondo and Michael Vincec to the podium in Vegas, including Vincec charging to fifth last year in headlining SuperPro.
After moving in early next week, the Prime Kartsport/CRG drivers will have practice days on Wednesday and Thursday before qualifying and Heat 1 on Friday. Heats 2 and 3 will be contested on Saturday before things wrap up on Super Sunday.
From Jason Holland // Photo Credit: www.otp.ca // Cutline: Prime/CRG will make its team debut at SuperNationals XIII.
NASCAR Champions On The Go At Hub Of Stock-Car Racing
NASCAR Champions On The Go At Hub Of Stock-Car Racing
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Nov. 11, 2009) – NASCAR champions from coast to coast are busy with a week of activities at the hub of stock-car racing, leading up to a special two-night end-of-year celebration in the Concord (N.C.) Convention Center.
The NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Awards Banquet, which honors champions from across North America in the series that is NASCAR’s grassroots foundation, will be Friday night. The inaugural Night of Champions Touring Awards Gala, which brings together the top drivers and car owners from NASCAR’s top developmental series, will be held on Saturday night.
Taking part in the inaugural Champions Week in the Charlotte, N.C., area are Jason Bowles (Camping World Series West), George Brunnhoelzl III (Whelen Southern Modified Tour), Donny Lia (Whelen Modified Tour), Philip Morris (Whelen All-American Series), Andrew Ranger (Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1) and Ryan Truex (Camping World Series East).
“Champions Week has been awesome. NASCAR has really taken care of us and made us all feel like champions,” said Brunnhoelzl, a first-time NASCAR champion. “I really can’t thank them enough for this special event.”
Although a golf tournament scheduled for Wednesday was cancelled, due to wet weather – the champions were still on the go. Some drivers opted for a tour of the Childress Vineyard, while others were taking advantage of special media opportunities in the area.
“It was really great to visit Childress Wineries,” Ranger said of Wednesday’s activity. “I was able to take my girlfriend along and Richard Childress was there. It was a special afternoon.”
The evening’s schedule includes a VIP Reception at the NASCAR Research & Development Center in Concord.
Championship week got into full swing on Tuesday with a full day of media activities – which included the Second Annual NASCAR Toyota Champions/Media Go-Kart Showdown presented by Sirius XM Radio, a visit to the MRN and PRN radio studios and a photo shoot at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, which is under construction and slated to open in May of 2010.
“It’s something special, and I’m very happy to be a part of the NASCAR family,” Ranger said. “We did the media tour and karting, which was a great activity. I’m very proud to be here.”
Tuesday was capped off with a Series Champions’ Dinner at the Sam Bass Gallery in Concord, in which NASCAR President Mike Helton presented each of the drivers with a personalized championship helmet to commemorate their 2009 title. Bass gave the champions a special tour of his gallery and shared many stories with them.
The rest of the week’s activities are scheduled to include the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series State Champions Dinner on Thursday and the Driver Briefings Friday morning.
The week culminates with the two award ceremonies. The NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Awards Banquet will take place Friday evening at the Concord Convention Center with track and state champions to be honored along with Morris, the national champion. The NASCAR Touring Series Awards Gala, which will honor the championship seasons of Bowles, Brunnhoelzl, Lia, Ranger and Truex, will be held at the same venue on Saturday evening. Both banquets will be streamed live online at www.nascarhometracks.com.
For more information, contact: Jason Christley, NASCAR Public Relations, (386) 947-6788 or jchristley@nascar.com
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
2010 IHRA Nitro Jam Schedule Includes Edmonton and Grand Bend
With a brand new look and format to the series comes a revamped schedule as the IHRA Nitro Jam series welcomes one brand new facility and one former track back to the fold as part of the 2010 Nitro Jam schedule which was released on Tuesday.
Palm Beach International Raceway, which signed with the International Hot Rod Association earlier this year, will open the 2010 season while the series also welcomes Virginia Motorsports Park back to its family of tracks with the final spot on the 2010 calender.
IHRA will also add Rocky Mountain Raceways in Salt Lake City to the Nitro Jam schedule after hosting one of the new format style events in 2009.
“With a new year comes a brand new look to the series and to the schedule and we couldn’t be any happier with the direction things are going,” said IHRA President Aaron Polburn. “Never in all my years have I been more excited to get a season underway. Next year will look completely different while at the same time retaining that same IHRA feel. We are still going to focus on the core values of what makes IHRA unique in the motorsports world, just with an exciting new format.”
One of the biggest changes to the 2010 schedule will be the trimming of all Nitro Jam events except for two from three days down to two and the implementation of the “race only” format for professional classes. While sportsman racing will remain exactly the same with the exception of one less day of racing, the professional categories will have invitation only fields with a new race and winner being named at the conclusion of each day of racing.
Professional categories primarily consisting of Top Fuel, Pro Fuel, Prostalgia Nitro Funny Car and Pro Stock will still be awarded points and will crown a champion at the end of the year. The rest of the professional categories will be an exciting mixture of classes unique to each individual track and event.
Sportsman competitors will continue to crown champions at the completion of each event with the winners earning a spot in the Tournament of Champions to be run at the season finale at Virginia Motorsports Park.
Check back with NitroJam.com at a later date for a full lineup of professional classes and exciting extras at all Nitro Jam events in 2010.
The use of the word “nationals” will also be dropped as the series will restructure to help stand out in a crowded drag racing marketplace. The series will be known simply as Nitro Jam and concentrate primarily on nitro burning machines as the core of the show.
“More than anything else we have had a history of looking at what is successful and what is not successful. We know that after looking at other forms of entertainment it is critical that we package a program into a three hour window with the right ticket price while still providing a great show,” Polburn said. “By doing what we are doing I think we can expand our audience, put on a better show in a shorter period of time and work inside a budget for each of the marketplaces.”
Kicking off the new-look Nitro Jam season will be a stop in West Palm Beach, Fla. in late January. Palm Beach International Raceway will begin the 2010 season the weekend of January 29-30 with an event at one of the top facilities in the country.
The state-of-the-art track will be the first to experience the new Nitro Jam as the IHRA returns to Florida with a national event for the first time since 1999.
PBIR will be followed by a trip to State Capital Raceway in Baton Rouge the weekend of March 6-7. After an extremely successful debut last season, State Capital Raceway will once again bring its unique personality to the schedule in 2010.
Rockingham Dragway will retain its spring date the weekend of May 1-2 and will provide the last stop in the southeast before a hectic June that features the IHRA’s version of the western swing.
Following Rockingham the series will pick up and head west as Rocky Mountain Raceways in Salt Lake City hosts a Nitro Jam June 18-19 followed closely by the a pair of three-day events in Canada.
Castrol Raceway in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada will retain its status as a three-day event the weekend of June 25-27. Grand Bend Motorplex in Grand Bend, Ontario, Canada will complete the Canadian portion of the schedule July 16-18.
The final half of the schedule will remain similar to 2009 with U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Mich., Maryland International Raceway in Budds Creek, Md. and New England Dragway in Epping, N.H. holding down summer dates. Maryland International Raceway will host its event August 28-29 and New England Dragway will hold down a date the weekend of September 11-12.
U.S. 131 Motorsports Park is still working out its official date.
Virginia Motorsports Park will bring the season to a close October 15-16.
After hosting a national event in 2009 Dallas Raceway will be taking a year off from the IHRA schedule, but will still play an important role in the sportsman season in 2010.
2010 IHRA Nitro Jam Schedule
Jan. 29-30 (Fri-Sat) Palm Beach International Raceway West Palm Beach, FL
March 6-7 (Sat-Sun) State Capital Raceway Baton Rouge, LA
May 1-2 (Sat-Sun) Rockingham Dragway Rockingham, NC
June 18-19 (Fri-Sat) Rocky Mountain Raceways Salt Lake City, UT
June 25-27 (Fri-Sat-Sun) Castrol Raceway Edmonton, ALB *
July 16-18 (Fri-Sat-Sun) Grand Bend Motorplex Grand Bend, ONT *
TBD U.S. 131 Motorsports Park Martin, MI
Aug. 28-29 (Sat-Sun) Maryland International Raceway Budds Creek, MD
Sep. 11-12 (Sat-Sun) New England Dragway Epping, NH
Oct. 15-16 (Fri-Sat) Virginia Motorsports Park Richmond, VA
* Denotes 3 day event
From Larry Crum // Manager of Media and Publicity // IHRA - Feld Motor Sports
Monday, November 09, 2009
Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard - Winners of the 2009 Bertrand-Fabi Trophy
At the wheel of their Rockstar Royal Group Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X, Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard contest the Canadian Rally Championship, which they currently lead with one remaining event. Antoine has amassed a total of 17 overall Canadian national victories and with strong results on both sides of the border, he is on track for his third consecutive North American Rally Championship title. His co-driver and five-time North American Champion,Nathalie Richard, is the first woman to ever receive this prestigious award.
For us it’s a great honour to receive the Bertrand-Fabi Trophy, especially since it has not been awarded to a rally competitor in over 20 years highlights Antoine L’Estage. L’Estage and Richard now share the company of previous winners including Patrick Carpentier and Alexandre Tagliani but not since 1987 (Alain Bergeron) has this trophy been engraved with the name of another driver from the sport of rallying.
Created in 1986 in honour of Sherbrooke driver Bertrand Fabi, this trophy awards driving excellence for Quebec competitors excelling on national and international levels. Fabi had won three Formula 2000 titles and was considered a future F1 star of his time when he lost his life during a Formula 3 testing session accident at England’s Goodwood track. Questioned about the best drivers he’s ever seen race, Formula 3 team owner Dick Bennetts maintains that he’s only ever seen two - Ayrton Senna and Bertrand Fabi.
Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard’s 2009 season comes to and end on November 21 with Ontario’s Rally of the Tall Pines Rally, the final round of the Canadian Rally Championship. Antoine and Nathalie participate in the 2009 Canadian Rally Championship with the proud support of Rockstar Energy Drink, Royal Group, Mitsubishi Canada, Yokohama Tires, Mobil, Energie Cardio, Libra Racing, OMP Racewear, and MBF Racing. For more details on the team or general rally information, please visit the Coyote Rallye Website.
Merrittville Speedway: World of Outlaws Late Models coming in 2010!
For Release - Monday November 9, 2009 From Jim Irvine
Thorold, Ontario (November 9) … You may have enjoyed the 2009 World of Outlaws World Finals live on the SPEED cable network in the comfort of your own home this past Saturday Night or perhaps you may have been trackside in the grandstands at the Dirt Track at Lowe’s Motor Speedway amongst fellow race fans from all over North America.
On the heels of one of the closest WoO Late Model Points Races in series’ history comes the announcement that the Great Northern Tour will make a stop in 2010 at Merrittville Speedway – Thursday June 17th.
News of the one of the newest events was broken by Raceline Radio’s Erik Tomas during the November 8th show on CHML. Race fans can listen locally Monday November 9th starting at 9:06 PM on 105.1 The River.
“It’s so new … even to us,” prides (Merrittville GM) Erica Bicknell, “maybe it will sink in soon … we have the best racers week in and week out every Saturday Night … the addition of the World of Outlaw Late Model Series allows our fans to see the drivers up close and in person that they may have only seen on TV … until now!”
Drivers such as Steve Francis, Josh Richards, Darrell Lanigan, Rick Eckert, Shane Clanton and Chub Frank and a host of others are expected to make their first ever visits to the d-shaped Thorold show place.
No strangers to Merrittville however are drivers like Billy Decker, Tim McCreadie, Tim Fuller and Russell King – all WoO LM competitors as well in 2009 who have had plenty of experience at the Thorold Track in DIRTcar Modifieds.
Fuller went into the World Finals fourth in WoO Late Model Points while King – from the BRP Modified Tour – is the leading contender for Rookie of the Year honors and both drivers remained in those positions after the two day show.
“The anticipation is building and the countdown has begun,” adds Bicknell, “will our DIRTcar Modified Drivers have the edge … or will it be a first timer that steals the show … whatever the outcome … it’s an exciting highlight of our 59th season and a thrilling start to the summer of 2010.”
The inaugural World of Outlaw Late Model Event at Merrittville Speedway will feature time trials, qualifying heats and B Mains as necessary – culminating with a blockbuster of a 50 lap Finale – June 17th.
Justin Haers set the standard this past August with a lap of 15.044 seconds. That mark is sure to fall this June.
Fans following the 2010 World of Outlaws Late Model Series may wish to visit Merrittville Speedway and all that the surrounding Niagara Region has to offer.
Located in the heart of one of the most famous tourist destinations in the world – the track is minutes from the roar of Niagara Falls with its world class casinos and attractions. The Niagara Peninsula is also the most well-known and developed wine region in Canada and North America. Race fans may also wish to make it a doubleheader and enjoy all the action of Saturday June 19th’s Lucas Oil Weekly Racing Series Program.
Support divisions and ticket information will be made available in the very near future.
Several sponsorship opportunities are available around the historic event.
Interested businesses can contact Erica Bicknell at the Speedway’s Winter Office located at Bicknell Racing Products in St. Catharines by calling 905-685-7223 or via e mail at ebicknell@cogeco.net.
For further information on Merrittville Speedway’s 59th Consecutive Season – visit www.merrittvillespeedway.com
American-Canadian Tour: Partial 2010 Schedule Released
Waterbury VT ---- The American Canadian Tour (ACT) has announced the majority of its 2010 US Tour schedule. The confirmed schedule shows a total of 13 events, which will take place at nine (9) different racing facilities. There are two additional events that are expected to be announced within the month, according to Darla Hartt, Vice President and Director of Administration.
"The ACT Tour has enjoyed tremendous support in the Northeast and throughout the provinces of Quebec and Ontario over the past five years. We had many opportunities to book additional events as we continue to enjoy growth with our Late Model business model, but we feel at this time it is in the best interest of our affiliate tracks and race teams to continue to concentrate in helping our weekly affiliate tracks and marketing areas that best serve our various sponsors and team needs. We continue to study the possibility of how we might be able to accommodate an expanded schedule in the future as the popularity of regional Late Model racing continues to develop," said Tom Curley, President of ACT.
"We have reserved two dates for events that we are very hopeful will be a part of the 2010 campaign. We plan to release those dates before the end of this month, but wanted our present and interested race teams to have the benefit of the completed schedule to date," concluded Curley.
There have been two new tracks added to the 2010 schedule. An April event will be staged at the historic Albany Saratoga Speedway in Malta, NY in the greater Albany region. The popular former paved speedway will undergo improvements and a repaving project. The ACT will be the initial asphalt tour to be a part of the opening event of this major change by the CVRA (Champlain Valley Racing Association) organization.
A return to the 5/8th Riverside Speedway (formerly Autodrome Ste-Croix) will take place in August. The event will be the '$40,000 CAN-AM Confrontation by the Seaway' a $40,000.00 combination event with the Série ACT Castrol division of the American Canadian Tour. Jean Bergeron, owner and manager of the new Riverside complex, has agreed to major renovations in the pits, pit road alterations, and improvements and repaving of the full 5/8th mile track. "This opportunity to race on what will become one of the premiere short track facilities in Canada will be a great opportunity for the competitors in both our series. Speeds of up to 130 mph with the long straight-aways will continue to provide our veteran and younger teams with a different and important kind of racing experience," continued Curley.
The US Tour season will open at the Lee USA Speedway in mid-April with the annual Governor's Cup event and will continue through the final event, the 48th annual Milk Bowl at Thunder Road to be held the first weekend of October 2010. Return mid-summer trips to Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in Maine, and the Twin State Speedway in Claremont, New Hampshire, along with the long supporting tracks Oxford Plains Speedway, White Mountain Motorsport Park, Airborne Speedway in New York and Thunder Road in Barre, Vermont will round out the 13 event 2010 schedule.
There will be additional 'special events' available to the teams of the ACT Late Model divisions on both sides of the border. The largest event of the race season, the TD Bank 250 at Oxford Plains Speedway will be held for Late Model teams on the weekend of July 18th. Thunder Road will present the Memorial Day Classic on May 30th and the Vermont Governor's Cup in June. The third annual $5,000 to win Showdown at Chaudiere, which is contested by the best of the ACT teams in the US and on the Castrol Série, will again take place in August in Valle Junction, Que.
"For 2010 ACT feature events, we have requested that the features be started no later than 8:30 pm. We continue to try and accommodate the fans and teams of ACT racing in our efforts to make the tours friendlier to compete in and to attend. We are anxious to complete the US schedule and expect to have the final two dates in place within a couple of weeks," concluded Curley.
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2010 Série ACT Castrol SCHEDULE
# DATE DAY TRACK LAPS
1 APR 18 SUN Lee USA 150
2 APR 25 SUN Albany-Saratoga 100
3 MAY 02 SUN Thunder Road 150
4 MAY 08 SAT Airborne 100
5 MAY 16 SUN Oxford 150
6 JUN 19 SAT Oxford 150
7 JUN 26 SAT White Mnt 150
Jul 18 Sun Oxford 250
8 JUL 24 SAT Beech Ridge 150
9 JUL 30 SAT Twin State 100
10 AUG 14 SAT Riverside (COMBO) 200
Aug 28 Sat Chaudiere (SHOWDOWN) 200
11 SEP 05 SUN Thunder Road 200
12 SEP 12 SUN Airborne 300
13 OCT 02/03 SA/SU Thunder Road 150
From ACT
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