Haas CNC Racing News
Scott Riggs, Jeremy Mayfield News
#66 |
Scott Riggs - Driver of State Water Heaters Chevy |
#70 |
Jeremy Mayfield - Driver of the Haas Automation Chevy |
June 15, 2007
J. Green with celebrities and athletes to Charity Fundraiser dinner: Jeff Green, driver of the #66 Best Buy Chevy in the Nextel Cup Series, will join sports and music celebrities on the red carpet in New York City this Monday, June 18. Green will be in Manhattan to attend the Sixth Annual Samsung's Four Seasons of Hope gala dinner, which honors sports legends Dan Marino, Boomer Esiason, Joe Torre, Wayne Gretzky, Arnold Palmer, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, as well as former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, for their continuing philanthropic efforts with their respective charities. During the charity fundraiser, Green will accept a check on behalf of the Magic Johnson Foundation (MJF). Founded by basketball legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson, MJF identifies and supports community-based organizations that address the educational, health, and social needs of children, young adults and inner-city communities throughout the nation. Information about purchasing tickets for the Sixth Annual Samsung's Four Seasons of Hope gala can be found on www.fourseasonsofhope.com. (Best Buy Racing PR)
June 27, 2006
Haas pleads not guilty: NASCAR team owner Gene Haas pleaded not guilty to charges of tax fraud and witness intimidation Monday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. Haas, who owns the Haas CNC Racing team with Nextel Cup driver Jeff Green and Busch Series driver Johnny Sauter, is accused of orchestrating a scheme, through the Haas Automation business he operates, that created approximately $50 million in bogus expenses to avoid paying more than $20 million in income taxes. "We know this is going to be a long fight, but we feel that the government has been overzealous in pursuing this case," said Haas attorney Kenneth Barish in a statement last Friday when Haas was released on bail. "Mr. Haas looks forward to going home and going back to work running Haas Automation and his other businesses. (NASCAR Scene)
June 24, 2006
Haas released on $10 mil. bail: A NASCAR team owner accused of defrauding the government of more than $20 million in taxes was released on $10 million bail Friday. Gene Haas, the 54-year-old owner of Oxnard-based Haas Automation and NASCAR's Haas CNC Racing, was arrested Monday for investigation of conspiracy, filing false tax returns and witness intimidation. Charges filed by the U.S. attorney's office accuse him of orchestrating a plan to list $50 million in bogus expenses that could be written off as business costs and save the company $20 million in taxes. Haas, of Camarillo, was ordered to turn in his passport at a hearing before U.S. District Court Judge Patrick J. Walsh. The judge said Haas can travel to NASCAR races and to his business in North Carolina with the court's prior permission. Walsh overruled the government's objections to the bail conditions. "The government's assertion that Mr. Haas is a flight risk was based entirely on conjecture and hearsay," Haas' attorney, Kenneth M. Barish, said in a statement. "Mr. Haas has no prior record or criminal history and has never posed a threat, physical or otherwise, to any witnesses or the community at large." (San Jose Mercury News)
June 23, 2006:
Despite trouble, Haas wind tunnel still planned: The arrest this week in California of Gene Haas, owner of Haas Automation, will not affect plans to build a $40 million wind tunnel in Concord or stop the race shop's move to Kannapolis, said a company spokesman. Joe Custer, general manager of the Harrisburg race team Haas CNC Racing, said the company's assets have not been frozen or affected by the arrest. He also said Haas CNC and the company for the wind tunnel, Wind Shear, are actually separate entities from Haas Automation. "We're not implicated in the indictments and we are not being investigated," Custer said. "We're not financially in trouble, never have been and don't plan to be." Custer said regardless of the investigation and Haas' legal troubles there won't be any impact on any of the Cabarrus County projects. Haas announced in May that he will construct a $40 million wind tunnel in Concord. (Independent Tribune)
June 20, 2006:
NASCAR Owner Haas arrested and indicted in tax scheme: The owner of the nation's largest computerized machine tool maker was arrested yesterday morning at his California home and charged with orchestrating a tax fraud that cost the government nearly $20 million as well as intimidating witnesses and a federal agent investigating the case. Gene F. Haas, 54, of Camarillo, Calif., the owner of Haas Automation and other companies, was accused in a 52-page indictment of running a bogus invoicing scheme to create fake tax deductions. Mr. Haas was held without bail after his arraignment in Federal District Court in Los Angeles. In court papers asking that Mr. Haas be held until his trial, the Justice Department said that he could flee the country in his Cessna jet and head for China, where he has business interests. The Justice Department said China did not have a treaty allowing extradition of accused tax cheats. It called him a flight risk, saying he has few ties to the community, is single, has no children and faces about 20 years in prison if convicted. The indictment also described two other invoicing schemes. One involved a Nascar race team sponsored by Haas Automotive and the other a land title company. The indictment gave few details other than stating that all the money paid in those two schemes was funneled back to Mr. Haas, suggesting that he may have operated them without confederates. (More at NY Times)
May 30, 2006:
Haas makes official announcement on Wind Tunnel: Gene Haas, owner of Haas CNC Racing, formally announced that he will locate a new $40 million wind tunnel project in Concord, N.C. Speaking at a press conference at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord on Sunday, Haas confirmed the tunnel will be constructed on a five-acre parcel of land off of Ivy Cline Road, adjacent to the Concord Regional Airport in Cabarrus County. Cabarrus County recently provided a three-year economic incentive grant for the project, and the city of Concord intends to provide a significant investment in the form of electrical infrastructure at the site. The city already had plans in place to build an electrical substation at Ivy Cline Road, but the timeline for that project will be moved up to accommodate the wind tunnel's construction schedule. Haas CNC Racing General Manager, Joe Custer, shared details of the wind tunnel and its unique rolling road system. "What makes this project so special is that there will be no other wind tunnel like this in the United States," Custer said. "It features a Single Belt FlatTrac Rolling Road system, manufactured by a company called MTS. The system uses a continuous steel belt running under the vehicle to simulate the road beneath a race car traveling on a speedway. It's the most accurate aerodynamic road simulation possible in the industry today. The system also offers repeatability, which is key to gathering valid, usable data. This will be the only wind tunnel in the world to feature this single belt rolling road system that will be available for teams and manufacturers to rent." Custer said the company constructing the wind tunnel, Jacobs Sverdrup, plans to break ground at the Ivy Cline Road site in January, 2007. Construction of the project is scheduled to be completed in late 2007.(GMR Live PR)
Haas: Couple more races for Sauter: Haas CNC Racing had two cars competing in the Coca-Cola 600, but that won't become a regular occurrence on the Nextel Cup circuit this year The No. 70 of Johnny Sauter, who drives for the team in the Busch Series, joined the No. 66 of Jeff Green on the track for the race. "I think we're going to run [Sauter] in a couple of more big races," team owner Gene Haas said Sunday. Indianapolis is likely to be one of those if the logistics can be worked out since Sauter also would be driving the Busch Series race at Indianapolis Raceway Park. "What you're seeing there is we're testing the waters to see if we could have a second team," Haas said. "We have a brand new facility that we're building. It's going to be a beautiful facility. I think that's going to leverage us to attract not only better sponsors but better employees. "We should have the ability to develop and put competitive cars on the track." (NASCAR Scene Daily)
May 29, 2006:
Microsoft sponsors first NASCAR team, #66 Green: Officials from Microsoft and Best Buy announced the new Windows Live OneCare, a security service for personal computers, will be the primary sponsor on the No. 66 Best Buy Chevy driven by Jeff Green at this weekend's Nextel Cup Series race in Dover, Del. "I think it is a very exciting day for me as a driver for Haas Racing and what they have going on with Best Buy," Green said. "To have a partner come on like Microsoft is pretty awesome. For a guy from Kentucky (once) racing popsicle sticks down the gutters to get to hav ethe Microsoft car is pretty awesome." (Kannapolis Independent Tribune)
May 26, 2006;
Microsoft to sponsor Green #66: Microsoft Corp. will be a sponsor of NASCAR race-car driver Jeff Green's No. 66 Chevrolet Monte Carlo in NASCAR's Nextel Cup race series. The Redmond software company will make the announcement May 28 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C., site of Sunday's Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR event, according to a statement. Microsoft will tout its "Windows Live OneCare" computer protection subscription product in the sponsorship, the statement said. No other details about the racing sponsorship were included in the statement from Microsoft and Best Buy. (Seattle Biz-Journal)
Haas unveils wind tunnel plans, to be NC's first: Car owner Gene Haas said Sunday he plans to build a $40 million wind tunnel on property adjacent to the Concord Regional Airport. Cabarrus County officials have approved a three-year economic incentive grant for the project and Haas said city officials will help with electrical infrastructure. The rolling road will be 10.5 feet wide and 29.5 feet long and can accelerate from zero to 180 mph in less than a minute. It will be the first wind tunnel in North Carolina, and the only one in the country with a rolling road system involving a continuous steel belt running under the vehicle to simulate the road beneath a car traveling on a speedway. (WCNC)
May 23, 2006:
Haas wind tunnel in consideration: A second incentive grant is in the works for the $40 million Haas CNC Racing wind tunnel proposed for a site near the Concord Regional Airport. Coming on the heels of a three-year, $626,668 incentive grant given the green light last week by Cabarrus County, Concord City Council on Monday set a public hearing for a second incentive grant for the project. The public hearing is slated for June 8. Concord City Manager Brian Hiatt said the incentive would come in the form of the city’s committal to provide electrical service and a $4 million investment towards electrical infrastructure at the Ivy Cline Road site. Hiatt said the city had plans to build an electrical substation at the site in the future, but the city will expedite its construction for the wind tunnel. (Kannapolis Independent Tribune)
Oct. 17, 2005:
Bliss out? Green in? Mike Bliss is the latest driver to learn he's out after the season finale at Homestead. Jeff Green appears to be the top candidate for Bliss' Haas CNC ride. If he gets it, the dominoes really would start to fall. The most curious possible replacement? Bobby Labonte for the Petty Enterprises ride Green would vacate. Labonte, who drives the No. 18 for Joe Gibbs Racing, has been less than thrilled lately, and his name was mentioned earlier as a candidate for the Penske Racing No. 2 and Richard Childress Racing No. 29. Gibbs is auditioning Busch drivers Denny Hamlin and J.J. Yeley for the No. 11 Chevrolet. Hamlin finished eighth in Saturday night's crashfest at Charlotte, so give him the nod. But should Labonte leave, it would open the door for both drivers to move up to Cup in 2006. (Sporting News/Lee Spencer)
July 26, 2005
Kannapolis invest 6 million in HAAS relocation: Haas CNC Racing Inc. is now two-for-two. Two Thursdays ago, Cabarrus County Commissioners agreed to give the company a $200,000 grant to help pay for the costs of relocating from Harrisburg to Kannapolis. And Monday night, Kannapolis City Council voted to do the same in addition to authorizing the sale of the property in the Kannapolis Gateway Business Park to the race team. Haas is a subsidiary company to the California-based Haas Automation, which is the largest machine tool builder in the United States. The racing side of the Haas team began in 1995, but the company was not formed until 2002. Hass intends to construct a $16.1-million, 140,000-square-foot facility on the 23 acres it has in the deal with Kannapolis. The new building will house the already established Busch and NASCAR series teams, but more are expected to be added. Additional teams are the main reasons Haas needed to relocated from the small 40,000-square-foot building in Harrisburg. The relocation is projected to bring 85 jobs to the city, and would add 15 new ones. City Manager Mike Legg said that over time, it should result in 70 new full-time jobs. The jobs would pay average salaries of $50,000 a year. "There is strong potential for crossover industrial jobs from the Haas CNC presence in Kannapolis," Legg wrote in a memo to council members. Kannapolis' total investment for the team is about $6 million. Over a five-year period, Haas will be eligible for a $212,243 incentive from the city. This will result in a net five-year tax payment to the city of $162,596. After five years, the city will regain its total investment. (Salisbury Post)
July 8, 2005
Haas CNC to relocate: A $16 million proposal to relocate Haas CNC Racing Inc. from Harrisburg could bring Kannapolis Gateway Business Park its second tenant. Haas would bring 130 jobs and a 140,000-square-foot building to the park if all goes as planned. Under the proposal, the company would move from a 40,000-square-foot building in Harrisburg. Haas, a NASCAR team operation that includes drivers Mike Bliss and Justin Labonte, is buying 23 acres in the park, where the operation will likely grow, says Mike Legg, Kannapolis city manager. "They will expand at some future date," he says. The 85-acre park is on N.C. Highway 73 at Kannapolis Parkway, one mile from Interstate 85. (Charlotte Biz Journal)
June 15, 2005
Labonte fills in for Daytona Testing: With Mike Bliss still recovering from recent hernia surgery, NASCAR Busch Series driver Justin Labonte got behind the wheel of the No. 0 NetZero Chevrolet fielded by Haas CNC Racing during a one-day test session at historic Daytona International Speedway in preparation for the 47th annual Pepsi 400 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race on Saturday, July 2. (Insider Racing News)
June 8 2005
Gaughan to relieve Bliss, After Successful Surgery: Truck Series driver Brendan Gaughan will share driving duties in the #0 NetZero Best Buy Racing Chevrolet with Mike Bliss, who underwent successful hernia surgery Monday morning, for this weekend’s event at Pocono Raceway. “When it became obvious to us that Mike would need some help this weekend our thoughts immediately went to Brendan,” said Joe Custer, General Manager of Haas CNC Racing. “Brendan, along with Orleans Racing and its sponsor Jasper Engines and Transmissions, have been gracious enough to agree to let us borrow him for the weekend even though he is competing for his fifth win at Texas Motor Speedway Friday night. A big part of what is great about this sport is the willingness of the competitors to jump right in and help each other out in situations like this. Our main focus is to make sure that Mike is healthy for the remainder of the season and whatever we need to do this weekend to make sure that happens is what we will do.” Gaughan will take part in the scheduled practice and qualifying sessions at Texas Motor Speedway before heading to Pocono Raceway Friday. Bliss plans to make several laps during practice for the Pocono 500 Friday afternoon before Gaughan takes over. Bliss is scheduled to qualify the car Saturday and start the race before giving up his seat in the NetZero Best Buy Chevy during the first possible opportunity. (NetZero Best Buy Racing)
March 31, 2005
Haas Sponsorship: Camarillo, CA- DP Technology Corp. just completed signing a two-year Motorsports Sponsorship Agreement with Haas CNC Racing, owned by Haas Automation, Inc., that will last through the end of the 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup season. This sponsorship, with the NetZero team, marks the seventh NASCAR Nextel Cup team currently using ESPRIT in their racing programs. Other teams DP sponsors include, Dale Earnhardt Incorporated, Penski Racing and PPI Motorsports. As a part of the collaboration and sponsorship agreement, DP Technology will provide Haas CNC Racing with ESPRIT licenses for use on Haas CNC machines in their racing program. “Haas CNC Racing is excited about entering a new partnership with ESPRIT,” said Carl Cline, Marketing Manager of Haas CNC Racing. “With the ever changing challenges of producing racing parts and trying to stay on the leading edge of technology, ESPRIT’s compatibility with major CAD programs will save us valuable programming time. ESPRIT will allow us to deal with these changes easier and faster.” DP Technology executives also agree that the partnership is a step in the right direction. “We believe the new relationship will provide a great platform for advancing ESPRIT’s capabilities on Haas Machines in high tech applications,” said DP Technology’s Chief Financial Officer, Bill Haas (no relation to Haas Automation, Inc.). Look for the ESPRIT logo on the NetZero, #0 car driven by Mike Bliss, currently ranked 15th in the Nextel cup standings this season. visit the company web site at www.dptechnology.com.(DP Tech PR)
January 25, 2005:
Best Buy Joins NetZero Racing: NetZero, a leading Internet Service Provider that offers high-quality, easy-to-use, free and value-priced Internet service to millions of people nationwide, and Best Buy Co., Inc., North America's leading retailer of consumer electronics, will head into the 2005 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season together as co-sponsors of the #0 NetZero Best Buy Chevrolet. Former Craftsman Truck Series Champion Mike Bliss will pilot the NetZero Best Buy Racing Chevrolet for Haas CNC Racing team owner Gene Haas. "Many of our customers and store associates are among the 75 million people who have declared NASCAR one of their favorite sports," said Michael Linton, chief marketing officer at Best Buy. "Our co-sponsorship with NetZero appeals to race fan interests with countless racing thrills on the track and then transports the excitement of NASCAR back into our own stores." "We are very excited to be partnering with Best Buy on the 2005 NetZero Best Buy Race team," said Barbara Palmer, senior vice president marketing at NetZero. "Our ongoing relationship with Best Buy makes it easy for consumers to sign-up for our value-priced NetZero Internet services right in their local Best Buy store through Best Buy's knowledgeable sales associates. We believe this co-sponsorship provides what we have not had in past NASCAR seasons: a physical location where consumers can meet and interact with our team, driver and race car and sign up for our service at the same time." (WhoWon)
