NASCAR Press Releases

Updated: 2008

Friday, February 27, 2009

Toyota Becomes Official Vehicle of Martinsville: Martinsville Speedway president W. Clay Campbell announced that Toyota has become the Official Vehicle for the historic Virginia track. Toyota vehicles will pace both the Kroger 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on March 28 and the Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on March 29. “We are proud of our new partnership with Toyota,” said Campbell. “Toyota has become a driving force in our sport. We are excited about seeing Toyotas pace our races here for years to come.” The three-year agreement between Martinsville Speedway and Toyota begins in 2009, said Campbell. “Our new partnership with Martinsville Speedway as the official vehicle of the historic motorsports facility provides us an opportunity to showcase a diverse line-up of products to a wide pool of dedicated race fans,” comments Les Unger, Toyota national motorsports manager.(Martinsville Speedway PR)

Thursday, January 22, 2009

TRG Motorsports announces Mike Wallace in no. 71 at Daytona: TRG Motorsports announced today their entry in the 51st running of the Daytona 500. The team is taking its experience garnered at the top levels of professional sports car racing and in the Camping World Truck Series, where they posted their first win in 2008, to NASCAR's biggest stage. The team will have veteran driver Mike Wallace pilot the No. 71 TRG Motorsports Chevy on Sunday, February 15 at the World Center of Speed. "This is a huge opportunity for TRG Motorsports," Kevin Buckler, team principal said. "With the group of partners we have and very competitive team and package we decided to put a program together and race at the 500. We have been on a very steep growth curve with our entries in the Truck Series and ARCA. With the economic situation, it is always nice to be able to look for opportunity wherever possible and that what we have done. This will be defining moment in our team's history. The plan we crafted two years ago is in place, objectives are being met and we are trying to reach our goals." With more than 55 entries expected to compete for 43 starting positions in the 200-lap Daytona 500, the biggest goal for TRG Motorsports is to make it in the show. TRG has enlisted one of the most competent super speedway drivers in the world to pilot their entry in "The Great American Race". Mike Wallace, who has often been regarded as a restrictor plate specialist, will drive for TRG in their debut in Daytona Beach, Florida. "I'm excited about the opportunity to work with TRG Motorsports in regard to their new Sprint Cup effort," Wallace said. "With all of the success that they've had in road racing and the championship caliber organization that they've put together on the NASCAR side, I'm really excited about he opportunity to race for them at Daytona. They are true racers and that's the type of group that I want to be associate with. They've proven that they can win in the Truck Series and to be able to help with their first effort in Sprint Cup is exciting." Wallace will have a solid chance after pairing with TRG Motorsports and veteran Crew Chief, Butch Hylton. Hylton is a Daytona winner, having led Kevin Harvick Inc.'s No. 33 Nationwide team to a win in the 2005 Daytona 300. Hylton was also responsible for helping Yates Racing place two cars on the front row for the 2007 Daytona 500. TRG Motorsports has purchased a super speedway car from one of the most powerful teams in NASCAR, Richard Childress Racing. Through their association with Chevrolet, TRG and RCR have entered into a technical alliance which will benefit both teams. "With a former Richard Childress Racing car and engines supplied by ECR Engines we have accelerated our learning curve substantially," Buckler explained. "Couple that package with the experience that Mike brings and I believe we have a very competitive package. While the competition will be very, very tough with Mike behind the wheel and Butch calling the shots as the crew chief, we should have a legitimate shot at qualifying our way into the field and making our Sprint Cup debut in this prestigious race! This will be a real honor to be able to see our time take that green flag." TRG Motorsports is based in Mooresville, North Carolina where they run two Camping World Truck Series teams as well as a two car ARCA series effort. The company founded in 1993 has been competing at the top level of motor racing ever since. The team has the most wins of any team in the Grand-Am Rolex Series with 25, including the 2005 and 2006 Rolex Series GT championship trophy to go along with wins at the Rolex 24 at Daytona and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. More info about the team at theracersgroup.com.(TRG Motorsports PR)

Motorcraft to sponsor Wood Brothers nine races in '09: For the ninth consecutive year, Ford Customer Service Division’s Motorcraft brand will team with legendary Wood Brothers Racing to compete in the highest form of stock car racing. Motorcraft, a Ford Motor Company brand of automotive parts ranging from filters and spark plugs to engines and transmissions, will be the primary sponsor on the Wood Brothers #21 Sprint Cup Ford Fusion for nine races (see schedule below), beginning in February at the Daytona 500 and culminating with the season-ending Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Bill Elliott, the 1988 NASCAR champion driving a Coors/Motorcraft Thunderbird, is scheduled to be the driver for all of Motorcraft's races. Elliott, Motorcraft and the Wood Brothers first joined forces in 2007. “We are very proud to continue our long-standing relationship with Wood Brothers Racing and Bill Elliott,” said Darryl Hazel, Ford Customer Service Division Vice President. “The Woods are synonymous with Ford, and we are thrilled to be associated with such a tremendous group of people.” “We are very pleased to have Motorcraft back with us for the 2009 season,” said Wood Brothers Racing co-owner Eddie Wood. “Motorcraft first sponsored us in 2001 and we value their involvement in the sport for the past nine years. They have been loyal to us, we have always been loyal to them and Ford. It makes you feel good. It makes you feel like family. Without Ford Motor Company, the outlook for this season would probably be different.” The Wood Brothers are acknowledged pioneers in the sport of stock-car racing, and have earned 96 wins in over 50 years of NASCAR competition – second most in Ford Racing history. “Ford’s appreciation for our loyalty throughout the years is what kept us going, and, in turn, we keep on going for them, too,” said Wood Brothers Racing co-owner Len Wood. The nine races: Daytona, Atlanta , Texas, Charlotte , Michigan, Chicago, Indy and Homestead. Motorcraft offers a complete line of original equipment-approved parts that are designed, engineered, and recommended by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to underhood and powertrain repairs, Motorcraft parts offer exceptional value with the highest quality and right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available locally and are backed nationwide by Ford Motor Company's Service Parts Limited Warranty. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.(Motorcraft/Quick Lane PR)

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Burger King announces two race Stewart sponsorship: Burger King Corp. announced that the company has signed a multi-year sponsorship agreement with Tony Stewart and Stewart-Haas Racing. As part of the sponsorship agreement, BKC has two primary paint schemes on the No. 14 Sprint Cup car which will be featured at the July 4th Sprint Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway and the September 27th race at Dover International Speedway. The company also has a personal services agreement with Stewart that includes appearances in commercials, restaurant promotions and at BKC sponsored events. "I'm extremely happy to welcome Burger King Corp. to the team and really proud to be associated with such a great brand," said Tony Stewart. "This demonstrates another important step in getting Stewart-Haas Racing ready for the season. I am a huge fan of Burger King restaurants, especially of the Whopper Sandwich, and even received my own customized BK Crown Card!" BKC will leverage the sponsorship both on and off the track, through comprehensive national marketing programs and promotions. "This sponsorship with Tony provides the perfect scenario to get back into NASCAR. His passion, both on and off the track, resonates very well with our core Burger King customers," said Russ Klein, president, global marketing, strategy and innovation. "We've long understood the power of NASCAR, and its millions of fans, and are looking forward to an exciting season." Additionally, BKC will be the exclusive quick service restaurant sponsor of Eldora Speedway in 2009, giving the company the chance to speak to fans on a grassroots level. Activation surrounding this sponsorship will include Burger King signage at the track, hospitality and other on-site activities.(Edelman/True Speed PR)

Friday, January 16, 2009

Langenstein recipient of 2008 Papa Joe Hendrick Award of Excellence: Charlie Langenstein, mechanical director for the Hendrick Motorsports # 24 and # 48 Sprint Cup Chevrolets driven by Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson was awarded the 2008 Papa Joe Hendrick Award of Excellence on December 19, 2008 at the Embassy Suites Hotel and Spa in Concord, North Carolina during the annual Hendrick Motorsports Company Christmas Party. A 40 year motorsports veteran and 9 year employee of Hendrick Motorsports, Charlie was voted by his fellow teammates and company peers as the winner of this very prestigious award. While a select and deserving group of nominees throughout the Hendrick Motorsports complex were considered, Charlie Langenstein was selected as the person who stood out the most among this honored group. The Papa Joe Hendrick Award of Excellence was started in 1995 and each year a Hendrick Motorsports employee is selected. It is awarded annually to the Hendrick Motorsports team member displaying outstanding job performance, leadership, teamwork and contributions above and beyond expectations in order to help the organization succeed.( HM PR)

Thursday, January 15, 2009

ServiceMaster Vlean named official sponsor of NASCAR caution periods: ServiceMaster Clean announced that it has signed a unique partnership agreement to be the first-ever official sponsor of the caution period during races at International Speedway Corporation (ISC) and Speedway Motorsports Incorporated (SMI) race tracks across the nation. When there is a problem on the track, the ServiceMaster Clean Yellow Flag will wave, and the company’s familiar yellow trucks will be dispatched to clean the track. In racing, a yellow flag means cleaning. Restoration must be done quickly and professionally in order to get back to racing. In homes and businesses across North America, a yellow ServiceMaster Clean van means cleaning and restoration is being done quickly and professionally by America’s number one cleaning team. ServiceMaster Clean will have official and exclusive sponsorship of the Yellow Flag– now to be known as ServiceMaster Clean Caution periods – at all 19 ISC and SMI race tracks around the country. These racetracks feature 31 Sprint Cup, 24 Nationwide and 17 Camping World Truck Series races and hundreds of other racing events. In fact, there will hardly be a race for the next five years where ServiceMaster Clean does not have a large presence. All cleaning and drying vehicles and equipment will feature the ServiceMaster Clean logo and colors, and the clean-up teams will wear bright yellow ServiceMaster Clean jumpsuits. The multi-year agreement is not limited to what happens on the track, but also includes national coverage on the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and Performance Racing Network (PRN), hospitality events for franchise owners, the right to create and sell promotional merchandise and a host of other marketing opportunities designed to generate consistent visibility.(C4 Explosive Communications PR)

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Ask.com to Become Official Search Engine of NASCAR: Ask.com, a leading search engine and an operating business of IAC, announced it has entered into partnerships NASCAR, NASCAR.com, and Hall of Fame Racing. Under the terms of the partnership with NASCAR, Ask becomes the Official Search Engine of NASCAR, with category exclusivity and a broad set of promotional rights in order to reach the sport’s estimated 75 million loyal fans. “As part of our strategy to go deeper into the highest-volume categories and provide the best answer, the first time, every time, we want to be the first place fans search online for NASCAR information,” said Ask.com Chief Executive Officer Jim Safka. “Through these partnerships, we will break new ground by applying our semantic search technology capabilities to NASCAR-related content while also tapping one of the largest marketing channels in America. Our goal is to win over the millions of loyal fans by providing them with the best NASCAR search experience on the Web, and introduce them to all of Ask’s capabilities when they come.”
Ask.com enters agreement with Hall of Fame Racing: Ask.com’s agreement with Hall of Fame Racing will make Ask the primary sponsor of the #96 Ask Ford in the Sprint Cup Series, the sport’s premier level, giving the brand a frequent presence in front of NASCAR’s massive at-track crowds and broadcast audiences. Former NASCAR Cup Series champion Bobby Labonte will pilot the car in 2009, beginning with the Daytona 500 in February. Ask.com is also in discussions with NASCAR-sanctioned track operators and media rights holders to identify strategic opportunities that will allow the brand to reach the sport’s 75 million fans through on- and off-line channels during the 2009 NASCAR season, including at-track displays and in-arena media. Tom Garfinkel, Owner, Hall of Fame Racing: “Jeff Moorad and I are excited to add Ask.com as a primary sponsor on the #96 car. We’ve been working closely with Ask.com for several weeks now, and their talented management team has come up with more creative ideas to serve NASCAR fans than I’ve seen in a long time. With our new Yates partnership and having a true champion and class person in Bobby Labonte behind the wheel, we’re expecting great things on the race track as well.”
Bobby Labonte, Driver of the #96 Ask.com Ford: “I’m excited to be part of what Ask.com is bringing to our sport. In a time like this, it’s great to see a sponsor come in with technology and ideas that will help all of the competitors in NASCAR and enhance the experience for all of our fans, no matter which driver or team they cheer for.”(Ask.com/Taylor PR)

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Paul Menard in #98 Robert Yates Racing Ford: Yates Racing is pleased to announce Paul Menard as the driver of the No. 98 Menards Ford Fusion in 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition. Following his first full season in the Sprint Cup Series, Menard finished 26th in the point standings, while earning his first career pole at Daytona International Speedway and his first career top-five finish at Talladega Superspeedway. "I'm really looking forward to starting this new chapter of my life with Yates Racing and behind the wheel of the No. 98 Ford Fusion," said Menard. "The No. 98 has been to victory lane 25 times, many times with Marvin Panch and Lee Roy Yarbrough. It's exciting to be starting with Max (Jones) and Doug (Yates), and having Larry Carter on the box making the calls. I�ve seen how solid the Roush/Yates engine program has been over the years and I know we can have a really good season in the No. 98 Menards Ford Fusion." Helping Menard make the transition to Yates Racing and Ford Motor Company will be veteran crew chief Larry Carter. Carter comes to Yates Racing from Roush Fenway Racing, where in 2008 he helped Jamie McMurray earn four top five and 11 top-10 finishes. Prior to working with McMurray, Carter worked with veteran driver Rusty Wallace in his final season of Sprint Cup racing. Yates Racing co-owner Max Jones is pleased with the addition of the No. 98 to the team's racing stable. "Paul is a focused and determined young man. His efforts combined with the strength and compatibility of our sponsor partners, and with Ford, will take him to new levels," Jones said. (RYR PR)

Monday, November 17, 2008

Regan Smith Named Raybestos Rookie of the Year: Rean Smith in the #01 The Principal Finacial Chevy clinched the Raybestos Rookie or the Year in the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The year-end payout for 2008 Raybestos Rookie of the Year in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is $75,000, the same amount Darrell Waltrip earned from R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company for his 1982 Cup series championship. Smith will earn a grand total of $91,500 from Raybestos brand Brakes for his efforts in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series this season. Smith became the first Raybestos Rookie of the Year in the 52-year history of the program without a DNF (did not finish). He was running at the finish in all 34 starts he made this season.
- This is the first Raybestos Rookie of the Year title for Dale Earnhardt Inc.
- Smith led or shared the lead in Raybestos Rookie standings in the 26 of the 36 Sprint Cup Series races this season.
- Smith scored a 34th-place finish in the Ford 400 and captured Raybestos Rookie of the Race honors for the 11th time in 2008.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Jimmie Johnson's Cup three-peat: In becoming only the second driver to win three consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships, Jimmie Johnson joins an exclusive list of sports legends. Cale Yarborough is the only other driver to win three NASCAR Sprint Cup championships in a row (1976-78). The New York Yankees were the last Major League Baseball team to win three straight, from 1998-2000. The Los Angeles Lakers were the most recent NBA team to do it, from 2000-02. The last NFL team to win three consecutive championships was the Green Bay Packers (1965-67). Like other championship-winning greats, Johnson once again thrived in playoff pressure. During this season's 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Johnson had three wins, six top fives, eight top 10s, an average finish of 5.7 and a Driver Rating of 116.2. His season statistics are likewise strong. In 2008, Johnson had seven wins, 15 top fives, 22 top 10s, an average finish of 10.5 and a Driver Rating of 107.3. He also had a career-high six poles. Johnson becomes the eighth driver to win three or more championships. (NASCAR PR)

#48 Lowes Crew wins 4th Quarter pit crew award: The #48 Lowe's Chevy team from Hendrick Motorsports put together a string of seven consecutive top-10 finishes including two wins to earn four-quarter honors in the Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award competition. The eight-race fourth quarter began with New Hampshire and ended at Texas. The Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award has been given quarterly throughout the 2008 Sprint Cup season. The winning pit crew was determined by a vote of each team's crew chief. The four quarterly winners are eligible for the year-end Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award and a check for $100,000. The presentation will be made at the 2008 NASCAR National Motorsports Press Association Myers Brothers Media Luncheon in New York City in December. The voting for the overall winner from among the four quarterly winners will take place this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The Lowe's team collected four more points in the eight races this season compared to 2007. This year, he has scored 116 more points than Carl Edwards who is currently second in the Chase standings. The #48 Hendrick Motorsports team, led by crew chief Chad Knaus, swept fourth-quarter honors last year en route to its second year-end award and $100,000 bonus. The team also won the title in 2004. In 2008, the #18 M&M's over-the-wall crew from Joe Gibbs Racing emerged the first-quarter winner while the #9 Budweiser Dodge team from Gillett Evernham Motorsports prevailed in the second quarter. Third-quarter honors went to Edward's #99 crew from Roush Fenway Racing. (Mechanix Wear PR)

Chad Knaus named Crew Chief of the Year: Chad Knaus, Crew Chief for the winning No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet driven by Jimmie Johnson, was named the WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief of the Race in Sunday's Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. Lightening quick pit stops helped ensure Johnson stay near or at the top of the running order all day in the Valley of the Sun. The team started from the pole, led the most laps and cruised to the victory, extending their championship point lead to 141 over Carl Edwards. Johnson needs to finish 36th or better in this weekend's season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway to capture the team's third consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship. Also at the Homestead-Miami Speedway this weekend, WYPALL will announce the 2008 WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief of the Year during a press conference in the track's media center at 5:45pm on Friday. The winner will be presented a check for $20,000. The 2008 WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief Challenge was a season-long contest that determined the best crew chiefs in the NASCAR Sprint Cup garage. Following each Cup race, a panel voted to determine which crew chief demonstrated the most outstanding strategy and leadership during the race. It wasn't necessarily the crew chief that went to victory lane, but the crew chief that made the biggest difference to his team. (WYPALL PR)

Bush's Baked Beans to sponsor Ambrose's #47: JTG Daugherty Racing announced a 2009 Sprint Cup sponsorship agreement with Bush Brother’s and Company. Based in Knoxville, Tennessee, the company will enter its 7th season as a partner. For the first time, Bush’s Baked Beans will serve as a primary sponsor in the Sprint Cup Series for Marcos Ambrose’s #47 Toyota in Richmond (5/2) and Darlington (5/9). The brand will also serve as a major associate sponsor for 10 events next season. Jay Bush, Brand Ambassador and star of the brand’s advertising campaign added, “Duke and I are really excited about our partnership with Marcos Ambrose and JTG Daugherty Racing. They are a great team, and have represented our brand very well in the past. We are excited about continuing our relationship in the Sprint Cup Series. If I can just keep Duke from selling Marcos the Secret Family Recipe, we're in for a great season. (JTG Racing PR)