Several reasons can explain why Scott Speed can't wait for Saturday night's Coke Zero 400 at the Daytona International Speedway, but none are more important than another good opportunity to drive the No. 95 Leavine Family Racing Ford to Victory Lane. 

Though the team makes selected appearances in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS), the team's strength has come at the two restrictor-plate tracks, including Daytona.

A 23rd-place finish at the season-opening Daytona 500 and a ninth-place effort at the Aaron's 499 at the Talladega Superspeedway are the two best finishes for Speed and Leavine Family Racing this year.

"Even at Daytona we led laps," Speed said.

The team last raced at the Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 26. The five-race break is the longest planned by the third year team. It also gave the team more than a month to make minor adjustments to their No. 95 Ford Fusion.

"This car finished ninth the last time it was on the track, so there's not a lot that has to be done with it," crew chief Wally Rogers said. "This car is fast and it drives really well. More than anything else we've gone over our strategy."

But once the race starts at 7:30 p.m., Speed said a lot of the planning will be pointless.

"Everyone goes into a plate race with a strategy, but it's not very often things work out to plan," Speed said. "Once everyone starts finding their place in the draft you usually get what you can get, not what you want."

Restrictor-plate tracks like Daytona and Talladega also are known for colossal multi-car accidents. Speed, however, has one of the better records for avoiding "the big one," especially at Daytona. He's finished in four of five career starts on the 2.5-mile tri-oval.

Speed has completed 877 of 886 laps in his career at Daytona International Speedway.

"You have to make sure you always understand your surroundings," he said. "You try not to be around guys who have a habit of not finishing these races. And once you find your comfort zone, if it's possible to actually find a comfort zone at Daytona, you have to be committed to everything you do. There's no time or room for second-guessing. You make your decisions, you pick your line and you hope for the best."

Speed and Leavine Family Racing's next scheduled race will be the Crown Royal Presents the Samuel Deeds 400 at The Brickyard Powered by BigMachineRecords.com at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 28.

LFR PR

Brad Keselowski gave Penske Racing their fifth win of the season in the Nationwide Series Friday night at Kentucky Speedway. Just one week after AJ Allmendinger put the #22 Ford Mustang in Victory Lane at Road America, Keselowski brought home his second win of the season in the Feed the Children 300.

Arguably the class of the field, Keselowski led four times for a total of 59 laps on the flat 1.5-mile track. After taking four tires during the last round of pit stops under caution on lap 144, he quickly moved through the pack to take the lead from Elliott Sadler on lap 156 and held him off when the rain began to fall on lap 164. NASCAR stopped the race on lap 170 of 200 when more showers moved through the area.

“It certainly was a great race for us, but I didn’t want it to end this way,” said Keselowski. “The No. 22 team did a great job. They’ve been working so hard, and they deserve these results. A car that was this good is just an honor to have. I felt really lucky today.”

Josh Richards completed a perfect weekend Saturday night during the seventh annual Firecracker 100 at Lernerville Speedway. Richards started the weekend with preliminary victories Thursday night and Saturday afternoon and became the first driver in history to sweep the Firecracker 100 weekend since it was expanded to three full nights.

In the final race Richards overtook the polesitter and defending Firecracker 100 winner Scott Bloomquist for the lead on lap 16 and never gave up the top spot. The race was slowed by 11 caution flags and 2 red flags as it stretched into the early morning hours of Sunday. Richards was able to pull away at the final restart with four laps to go and win by 0.976 of a second with his Roush Yates powered 436 Ford.

“It means a lot to me to win a race of this much prestige – as well as this is the place that I ran my first World of Outlaw race in 2004,” said Richards, who captured his sixth World of Outlaw victory of 2013. “There are a lot of great cars here and just to be able to win one of the weekend races means a lot – to win all three is unreal.”

Johnny Scott took home the Allgayer, Inc. Southern Region point’s championship after winning three races this weekend in the USMTS series. Scott captured his third straight victory Friday night at RPM Speedway in Crandall, TX after leading his group with the fastest time in qualifying and winning his heat race from outside of the second row.

The win was his seventh of 2013 in the USMTS Series with his Roush Yates powered USMTS 410 Chevy spec modified engine.

RYE PR

JR Motorsports announced today that Speedco Truck Lube and Tires, which is heavily involved in the JRM late model program, will sponsor Regan Smith’s No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro in the July 21NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Chicagoland Speedway.

Coming off a discouraging finish at Road America, Mike Bliss and his No. 19 TriStar Motorsports crew worked feverishly at the Bluegrass State’s fastest 1.5-mile oval. At the start of the race Bliss knew he had his work cut out for him as he rolled off 24^th for the 12^thAnnual Feed the Children 300 at Kentucky Speedway.

Within the first 40 laps, Bliss gained a few spots and merged into the top-20 and stayed there for 12 laps.  A caution fell at lap 51 just as Bliss’ car started to feel a “wrecking loose.”

“The car is tighter when I’m on the gas, but I’m really loose on entry,” said Bliss.  This was the beginning to a series of adjustments throughout the action packed event. Bliss and Crew Chief Paul Clapprood made track bar, air pressure, shock and wedge adjustments all in an attempt to find a balance with Bliss’ Toyota.

By lap 87 Bliss was racing in the 20^th position and radioed to Clapprood, “I can’t turn the wheel in the center of three and four; it seems like it’s going to snap loose on me.”

At lap 110 there were only nine cars on the lead lap as Bliss fluctuated between 19^th and 23^rd.  At this point the team met their limitations as to what they could do to accommodate the ill handling No. 19.  Simultaneously, Bliss’ spotter Toby Whealdon radioed, “I’m feeling some rain up here on the roof.”

With rain sparsely falling over Kentucky Speedway; the field ran under caution for seven laps. Bliss maintained the 19^th position as NASCAR made the official decision to end the Feed the Children 300 at lap 169 due to excessive precipitation.

“The fact that the race was shortened by rain didn’t hurt our finishing efforts. My crew worked really hard and we tried everything we could think of to balance the car out,” said Bliss. “I can’t say enough about my guys; they never gave up.”

Bliss’ 19^th place finish at Kentucky is the 12^th top-20 finish of the season.  Falling one spot in the NASCAR Nationwide Series driver points standing to 13^th, Bliss and his crew set their sights on NASCAR’s iconic track, Daytona International Speedway.

TMI PR

One of the hottest drivers in NASCAR right now will heat up Martinsville Speedway’s new Party Plaza on October 27.

Jamie McMurray, who finished second in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup event and was the pole winner two weeks ago, will stop by the Party Plaza on the morning of the Goody’s^™ Headache Relief Shot™ 500. Jeff Gordon, four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, and Rookie of the Year candidate Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will also make appearances in the Party Plaza.

The Party Plaza is a new addition to Martinsville Speedway’s race-morning lineup.

There will be food vendors in the Party Plaza selling great treats and Pepsi products will be available for purchase. There will be a beer garden with an assortment of beer at affordable prices.

McMurray, whose half-dozen career Sprint Cup wins have all come on tracks over a mile in length, has been surprisingly successful on Martinsville Speedway’s tight half-mile layout.

He finished seventh in last spring’s STP^® Gas Booster™ 500 and has finished in the top 10 in 11 of his 21 Martinsville starts. He’s finished second twice at Martinsville, in the spring of 2004 and again in the fall of 2004.

He won the pole for the spring race in 2011 and wound up finishing seventh. McMurray has also won a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville, picking up the victory in the fall of 2004.

“Jamie is a great addition to our new Party Plaza. He’s probably got some good Martinsville stories because he has been good here,” said Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell. “We’re building a really strong lineup of drivers for the Party Plaza on race morning with Jeff, Jamie and Ricky and we’ll have more drivers to announce.”

Admission to the Party Plaza, which also includes a Pre-Race Track Pass to walk along the front-stretch of Martinsville Speedway, is just $49.

The drivers will appear at different times and each will participate in an emceed question and answer session during their appearance.

Martinsville Speedway PR

Headstrong?”Not when it comes to the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series post race concert on Aug.17 featuring rock band Trapt as part of a low dough show in conjunction with 98.9 the Rock.

Trapt, who is on tour supporting their sixth studio album “Reborn”, started opening for Papa Roach before the members of the group graduated from high school. The group’s song “Headstrong” reached #1 on Billboard’s Modern and Mainstream Rock charts. Over the years, the band has toured with the likes of Nickelback, Chevelle, Three Days Grace and taken part in Motley Crue’s Crue Fest.

Advance tickets are $9.89 and give fans access to the Turn 1 Terrace only for the entire day on Aug. 17, which includes both GRAND-AM races and the Trapt concert. On the day of the event, tickets will be $15. Fans with Turn 1 Terrace tickets can access the area through Gate D and should park in parking lots 5 and 6.

Tickets are on sale now for the GRAND-AM weekend by calling 866.460.RACE (7223) or logging onto www.kansasspeedway.com. Infield general admission tickets for Aug. 17 are $60 and fans can also purchase paddock (garage) access for $15. Aug. 16 is free general admission access and fans can purchase a paddock (garage) pass for $15.

Tickets for Kansas Speedway’s October races are on sale now, too, by calling 866.460.RACE (7223) or logging onto www.kansasspeedway.com. The Hollywood Casino 400 (the fourth race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup) is Oct. 6 and tickets start at $64. The Kansas Lottery 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race is Oct. 5 and the Kansas Lottery 98.9 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards race is Oct. 4. Season ticket holders have access to the Kansas Army National Guard Pre-Race, which features a concert and driver introductions, with their TrackPass.

Kansas Speedway PR

Drivers, charge your engines. NASCAR announced today a new multi-year official agreement with Eaton, a leader in developing global solutions for today’s most critical electrical power management challenges. The new alliance makes Eaton an Official NASCAR Green Partner, with the designation ‘Official EV Charging Solution Provider of NASCAR’ bolstering the growing roster of companies utilizing the NASCAR Green platform to validate technologies that positively impact the environment.

The new collaboration includes the installation of 20 Eaton Level 2 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at NASCAR offices in Daytona Beach, Charlotte and Concord. The stations will power electric and plug-in hybrid EVs of NASCAR employees and guests. Eaton is a leading provider of EV charging infrastructure in the United States. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, EV charging infrastructure build out is critical given its benefits include lowered Greenhouse Gas and particulate emissions, improved public health, increased energy security and lower operating cost per mile. For example, based on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) fuel economy ratings (fueleconomy.gov), fully charging a Ford Focus EV every day for a year equates to saving 211 trees which equates to the GHG emissions from five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races. 

“The dedication put behind the NASCAR Green platform has translated into NASCAR not only being the leader in sports sustainability, but in establishing a business model that benefits our partners, customers and the planet,” said Dr. Mike Lynch, NASCAR managing director, green innovation, strategic development. “Through the installation of Eaton’s industry-leading EV charging station technology, Eaton provides NASCAR with yet another impactful way to reduce the sports’ impact on the environment in the future.”

According to a 2012 study commissioned by NASCAR and conducted by Toluna, NASCAR fans are twice as likely as non-fans to view their household as very green – always looking for new ways to positively impact the environment. The same research shows that NASCAR fans are multiple times more likely than non-fans to closely associate NASCAR with being environmentally responsible.

“As a former NASCAR driver, I have seen firsthand how motorsports are not only an incubator of significant technology advancements in transportation, but also a key platform in driving public awareness of the technologies,” said Johnny Miller, global client director, Eaton’s electrical business. “As a leader in energy management and in the emerging market of grid connected vehicles, Eaton is a perfect fit for the NASCAR Green Team.”

NASCAR’s transformative efforts in Green have established it as the leader in sustainability across all of sports. Through strategic partnerships with teams, tracks and Official Partners, NASCAR Green continues to set new benchmarks. NASCAR features the world’s largest solar-powered sports facility (by more than two times), a tree planting program capturing 100 percent of the emissions produced by on-track racing, and the largest recycling program in sports. Its corporate headquarters in Daytona Beach, the International Motorsports Center, has achieved Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (“LEED”) Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Additionally, NASCAR launched a long term biofuels program to reduce emissions in all its racing series with partners Sunoco, American Ethanol and the National Corn Growers Association. NASCAR recently surpassed four million miles driven across its three national series on Sunoco Green E15.

As part of this collaboration, Eaton joins the NASCAR Fuel for Business Council®, which brings together an exclusive group of more than 60 Official NASCAR Partners four times per year to buy and sell products and services from one another. This exclusive business-to-business environment offers unique opportunities for many FORTUNE 500 companies to bypass the time and layers of corporate coordination that may exist and construct customized deals to help address specific business needs.

NASCAR PR

What started as a contingency decal on a quarter-panel of a stock car in Connecticut has grown into an international partnership.

Whelen Engineering, a long-time sponsor and supporter of NASCAR's touring and regional series, became the official entitlement sponsor of the European stock-car series in an announcement Monday morning in Paris.

The first race under the newly re-named NASCAR Whelen Euro Series will be this weekend at France's Tours Speedway. The first-of-its-kind, temporary oval is located just outside Paris. The series, which was founded in 2008, is in its second year under the NASCAR banner.

The Whelen entitlement sponsorship agreement is through 2019.

"This is a landmark day for the series," said Jerome Galpin, general manager of Team FJ, which owns and operates the European-based series. "Whelen's support of NASCAR at every level is exemplary and to have them on board with the Euro Series brings another level of prestige and support to the series."

Last year, Spain's Ander Vilarino became the first NASCAR European champion. He again leads the championship points after three race weekends.

Galpin and Vilarino were joined at Monday's announcement on the Seine River by Nicolas Deschaux, president of FFSA (Fédération Française du Sport Automobile); Bob Duvall, NASCAR senior director of business development; and Joe Balash, NASCAR international competition liaison.

The NASCAR Whelen Euro Series competes on road courses in France (Circuit Paul Armagnac in Nogaro, Circuit de Dijon-Prenois in Dijon, and the championship round at Circuit Le Mans Bugatti in LeMans), England (Brands Hatch Circuit), Spain (MotorLand Aragón, near Alcañiz) and Italy (Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, north of Milan).

Many of those facilities have signed long-term agreements to hold Euro Series races.

The Tours track is a nearly .400-mile track. The success of the first event last year, won by NASCAR K&N Pro Series driver Ben Kennedy, has prompted the series to make it a more permanent structure with additional banking.

"NASCAR is a globally recognized brand that is synonymous with excitement, family entertainment and close door-to-door competition," said George Silbermann, NASCAR vice president of regional and touring series. "And that's exactly what the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series represents in Europe. We are extremely proud to partner with Team FJ and Whelen Engineering, and help take this series to the next level."

The signing of Whelen as an entitlement sponsor is yet another example of the growth and potential of the series.

"NASCAR has been a tremendous partner for Whelen Engineering, and having our products at the tracks and used by teams is really at the core of what we're about," said Phil Kurze, vice president of motorsports for Whelen Engineering. "We enjoy helping to provide people with exciting weekend entertainment, and providing an opportunity for drivers, mechanics, crew chiefs and fabricators to display their talents. As we continue to expand our distribution throughout Europe, partnering with Team FJ is a natural fit."

Whelen has been in NASCAR since the early 1990s, getting its first involvement with Ted Christopher in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East back when it was known as the NASCAR Busch North Series.

Whelen progressed in car sponsorship, eventually landing as a primary sponsor for Dave Blaney in the 2004 Daytona 500. The Connecticut-based company has also been involved in sports car racing, sponsoring Boris Said and Eric Curran in the GRAND-AM Rolex Series.

Whelen's involvement in NASCAR increased in 2005, when it became the entitlement sponsor for the NASCAR Modified Tour in 2005, sponsoring the oldest series in NASCAR. That same year, Whelen became the sponsor for the newly-formed Southern Modified Tour.

In 2007, Whelen added to its NASCAR presence by becoming the title sponsor of NASCAR's grassroots weekly series. The NASCAR Whelen All-American Series encompasses 55 short tracks throughout the US and Canada. Recently, Whelen re-affirmed its commitment by extending its contract through 2019.

Kurze pointed out that Whelen's products -- which are all manufactured in the U.S. by is more than 1,400 employees at its plants in Connecticut and New Hampshire -- are used extensively by police and fire departments, towing companies and emergency personnel. Many of those same people help make up the racing community.

"It just makes sense for us to be involved here and that we're supporting their sport," said Kurze. "As time has gone on, we saw an increase in sales, which we attributed directly to our involvement in NASCAR.

Whelen's sponsorship of the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series is in addition to the commitments it has made to the U.S.-based series.

Kurze said that as the company has expanded distribution into many parts of Europe, it's a natural fit to partner with the Euro Series.

The NASCAR Whelen Euro Series crowns champions in its Elite Division, as well as an Open Division.

The top drivers will be recognized at the NASCAR Night of Champions Touring Awards at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C., in December, along with the champions from all of NASCAR's touring series.

TriStar Motorsports is pleased to announce that Moen, the No. 1 faucet brand in North America, will debut as a sponsor on Cole Whitt’s No. 44 Toyota Camry during Friday night’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Daytona International Speedway.  Moen, a brand known for performance and excellence, joins Whitt following his season-best performance of the year; eighth at Road America last weekend.  Whitt will show off his Moen Camry when he takes to the high banks at the “World Center of Racing” for the 12^thAnnual Subway Firecracker 250.

“The Moen brand stands for performance and excellence, and we’re excited to have our name associated with Cole Whitt and the entire No. 44 TriStar Motorsports racing team,” said Laura Ostenkamp, Marketing Communications Manager for Moen.  “It’s clear that Cole is driven to succeed on the track, and we’re thrilled to play a role in getting him there.”

Whitt is equally excited.  “Daytona is such a historical track and I’m proud to have a historic and innovative brand like Moen on my car for Friday night,” said Whitt. “Moen’s a household name in home furnishings and I hope to secure a good finish for them.”

Whitt will make his fourth start at Daytona for the Subway Firecracker 250; his best finish came last year when he placed fourth.  Tune in Friday night to the NASCAR Nationwide Series race on ESPN at 7 p.m. EST to catch Whitt and the No. 44 Moen Toyota Camry race the high banks of NASCAR’s most iconic track. 

TMI PR

David Reutimann and the No. 83 Burger King / Dr. Pepper Toyota Camry team drove to a 27th-place finish on Sunday afternoon at Kentucky Speedway.  Changing track conditions left the No. 83 BK Racing team fighting a loose condition and after 400 miles on the bumpy course Reutimann was scored in the 27th position. 

On a track the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series only visits once a year, the No. 83 Burger King / Dr. Pepper Toyota team had only two practice sessions to dial in their Camry.  Reutimann picked up more than half-a-second from final practice to qualifying and secured the 36th starting position. 

Heavy rain moved into the Sparta, Ky. area just before the scheduled start time for Saturday's Quaker State 400 presented by Advance Auto Parts.  After losing the track surface, NASCAR officially postponed the event to Sunday at noon.  Teams immediately went to work determining adjustments to their cars for an event that would be run in the heat of the afternoon instead of during the evening hours.

Reutimann's No. 83 BK Racing team started the event with a well-balanced race car, and the driver of the Burger King / Dr. Pepper Toyota Camry was immediately able to begin picking up positions to be scored inside the top 30 by lap 45.  As the race progressed and the sun broke through the clouds, the track surface began to heat up.  On the warmer surface, Reutimann's Toyota Camry developed a loose-in condition.  The BK Racing team continued to work throughout the race to tighten the car and help the No. 83 Camry rotate through the corners.  After 400 miles of racing competition, Reutimann crossed the finish line in the 27th position. 

"Kentucky is always a tough track; the bumpy surface adds another layer to an already difficult track to master," commented Reutimann.  "Our Burger King / Dr. Pepper Toyota Camry team put in a lot of time this weekend to dial in the car, and I was really happy with our set up by the time the green flag waved.  As the sun started to come up the track lost a lot of grip and we had some trouble getting into the corners, the guys worked really hard making adjustments on pit road and we were still able to salvage a good finish.  I'm looking forward to getting back to Daytona next weekend.  We have always been competitive there, so I'm really excited to get back in the car."

BK Racing PR