NASCAR Sprint Cup Series™ driver Tony Stewart’s reaction to being named recipient of the 2013 NMPA Myers Brothers Award was emotional and heartfelt.

“This is crazy,” said the three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion. “What an honor. It’s very humbling.”

Stewart was honored by the National Motor Sports Press Association (NMPA) during Thursday’s annual NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Awards Luncheon at Wynn Las Vegas for a variety of reasons – as a fierce competitor, championship team owner and race track promoter.

“But he’s also helped others on many occasions; quietly and without recognition,” said NMPA President Kenny Bruce. “The stories of our winner’s big heart have gotten around; much to his dismay, I’m sure. Trust me, they’re endless.”

Bruce’s introductory remarks were echoed by master of ceremonies and FOX Sports broadcaster Mike Joy. “What he does for the sport makes him one of a kind.”

The NMPA Myers Brothers Award is presented in the names of pioneer NASCAR competitors Billy and Bobby Myers. Past recipients are a virtual who’s-who of the industry – drivers, owners, track operators, sponsors and members of the media – and include nearly every current member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Stewart was cited for a longtime body of work – and specifically for his role in taking NASCAR back to its roots. He and his staff at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, produced the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series “Mudsummer Classic,” the sanctioning body’s first national points competition on a dirt surface in more than four decades.

“I’d always joked around that having a dirt race on the schedule would be really great,” Stewart said.

Stewart, however, prefers to credit others – specifically NASCAR Senior Vice President of Racing Operations Steve O’Donnell and Eldora Speedway manager Roger Slack – for the ultimate success of the “Mudsummer Classic.”

Stewart’s 2013 season was cut short by a broken leg suffered in a sprint car accident in early August. He crossed the stage on Thursday without the aid of crutches to accept his award and should be ready to battle for his fourth NASCAR Sprint Cup title when the 2014 season opens with February’s Daytona 500.

“It was hard sitting on the sidelines watching,” he said addressing his 13 fellow drivers who competed in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup™. “It’s given me a different perspective.”

Dale Earnhardt Jr. was named the NMPA NASCAR Most Popular Driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for a record, 11th consecutive season. He matched Bill Elliott’s mark a year ago although the 1988 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion continues to hold the overall record of 16.

Earnhardt said many things motivate a driver to compete at a high level.

“None impacts us more than the fans,” he said. “This year we feel like we were giving them a lot to cheer for on the race track and paying them back for all the years they’ve voted for us to win this award.”

In the end, more than one million votes were tallied for 39 eligible drivers with Earnhardt collecting in excess of 700,000 votes.

A complete list of awards presented during Thursday’s NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Awards Luncheon can be found at the end of this release.

Brian France, NASCAR chairman and CEO, addressed the media prior to the NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Awards Luncheon calling the just-concluded season “a good year.”

“Obviously, there’s some business things we’ve got accomplished like getting our media rights secured for the next decade,” he said. “That’s tremendous for the industry; great visibility. NBC is going to do a really good job (beginning in 2015).”

France pronounced the roll-out of the Gen-6 Chevrolet SS, Ford Fusion and Toyota Camry successful.

“There were some fair questions and expectations – would we get that right and in ‘08 (with the Car of Tomorrow), we didn’t,” he said. “I think we changed that in a big way getting the car manufacturers, the teams and others all on the same page and we have a better racing product, which is the center of it for all of us.”

The premier series’ three manufacturers were named joint recipients of the 2013 Buddy Shuman Award for their role in creating race cars styled to better connect the sport with the pride of car ownership shared by millions of North American consumers.

The 2013 season also saw the emergence of future – and diverse – stars such as Kyle Larson in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and Darrell Wallace Jr. in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Larson is the first Asian-American to win a Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award in one of NASCAR’s national series. Wallace was the first African-American driver to win a NASCAR national series race in nearly 50 years.

“You saw a mix of things coming in the future,” France said. “They’re going to be with us; Kyle Larson being one, at the Cup level beginning next year. Darrell Wallace had a bit of a breakout year for himself.”

Despite cooler than normal temperatures, thousands of fans lined The Strip – Las Vegas Boulevard – as the top-13 drivers celebrated the conclusion of the 2013 season with the fifth annual Victory Lap. Engines rumbled and smoke from burnouts filled the air during the popular event that started and finished in front of the Miracle Mile Shops on Las Vegas Boulevard.

Additional events Thursday included the NASCAR After The Lap^TM sponsored by Ford and Coca-Cola at the Pearl Palms Concert Theater inside the Palms Casino Resort, a “tell-all” driver-fan interaction that lived up to its promise as one of the most sought after off-track tickets.

Here is the complete list of Thursday’s award winners from the NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Awards

Luncheon:

·        NMPA Myers Brothers Award: Tony Stewart

·        NMPA NASCAR Most Popular Driver Award: Dale Earnhardt Jr.

·        Buddy Shuman Award: Chevrolet Division of General Motors, Ford Motor Company and Toyota

·        NASCAR Marketing Achievement Award: Coca-Cola

·        3M Lap Leader Award: Matt Kenseth

·        American Ethanol Green Flag Restart Award: Kyle Busch

·        Coors Light Pole Award: Denny Hamlin

·        Duralast Brakes “Brake in the Race” Award: Jimmie Johnson

·        Freescale “Wide Open” Award: Matt Kenseth

·        Goodyear Tires Award (Champion): Jimmie Johnson

·        MAHLE Clevite Engine Builder of the Year Award: Scott Fox, Hendrick Motorsports No. 48 team

·        Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award: Hendrick Motorsports No. 88 team

·        Mobil 1 Driver of the Year Award: Matt Kenseth

·        MOOG Steering & Suspension Problem Solver of the Year Award: Matt Borland, crew chief No. 39 Stewart-Haas Racing team

·        Sherwin-Williams Fastest Lap Award: Carl Edwards

·        Sunoco Diamond Performance Award (Champion): Jimmie Johnson

·        Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

·        Champion Sponsor Award: Lowe’s

·        Champion Crew Chief: Chad Knaus

Here are upcoming Champion’s Week events at a glance (all times local PT unless noted):

Friday, Dec. 6

·        NASCAR Pit Stop Tour: The NASCARPit Stop Tour consists of Official Partner show cars featured in iconic locations throughout the Las Vegas Strip from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. each day. Fans can get up close and personal with the cars at the following locations: Tropicana (Chevrolet), The Palazzo (Ford), Harrah’s (Ford), the “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign (2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion show car), the Coca-Cola store and M&M’S World.

·        M&M’S^® To Make the NASCAR CHAMPION’S WEEK™ ‘BETTER WITH M’: M&M’S will celebrate the 2013 NASCAR season and the strongest finish yet for Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 M&M’S Toyota Camry, by giving away one million free bags of M&M’S. The giveaway in Las Vegas will be part of the NASCAR Pit Stop Tour and NASCAR Victory Lap.

Friday, Dec. 6

·        2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards: The postseason black-tie event will begin at 5 p.m. at Wynn Las Vegas, where the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion driver and owner will be crowned and the top-10 drivers in the final standings will be honored. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards, the culmination of Champion’s Week, will feature the NASCAR Fan Reception, Red Carpet Walk, celebrity guests, music and entertainment. FOX Sports 2, www.NASCAR.com, Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90 will provide coverage of the event.

NASCAR PR

The National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) announced today that Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the recipient of this year's NMPA NASCAR Most Popular Driver Award. 

It is the 11^th consecutive year Earnhardt Jr. has been selected through a vote of the fans, breaking a tie with Bill Elliott for most consecutive awards received. Elliott continues to hold the overall mark, having been named the series' most popular driver 16 times.

"I don't really keep track of the stats or the score, but Bill was a great driver and ambassador for the sport," Earnhardt Jr. said. "He represents the sport really well to this day, as does his son Chase, who's coming up and carrying on the family name. But, I've always looked up to Bill as a driver so it's pretty neat."

More than 1 million votes were tallied for 39 eligible drivers from this year's first race to the last at the site www.MostPopularDriver.com. Fans voted once per day with Earnhardt Jr. collecting more than 700,000 votes. 

The award was presented to the Hendrick Motorsports driver today during the annual NMPA Myers Brothers Luncheon, a part of the season-ending Champions Week activities in Las Vegas.

The final top-10 drivers, in order of votes received were: Earnhardt Jr., Kasey Kahne, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Danica Patrick, Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards. Earnhardt Jr. is still honored to receive the trophy.

"We always have such great support from our fans," Earnhardt Jr. said. "They always come through every year, and this year we feel like we were giving them a lot to cheer for on the race track and paying them back for all the years they've voted for us to win this award."

The NMPA Most Popular Driver distinction has been presented every year since 1956. Initially determined by a poll among drivers taken at season's end, it was later changed to allow members of the media to determine the winner. Today, race fans from all over the world make the ultimate decision. 

"We congratulate Dale Earnhardt Jr. for this record-breaking achievement," said Kenny Bruce, President of the NMPA. "This is NASCAR fans opportunity to be heard during Champions Week here in Las Vegas.  On behalf of all those who voted, we thank you and are proud to continue to support the NMPA NASCAR Most Popular Driver Award."

For more information about the NASCAR NMPA Most Popular Driver Award, visit www.MostPopularDriver.com.

NMPA PR

The Coca-Cola Company was honored today with the 2013 NASCAR Marketing Achievement Award at the NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Awards Luncheon held in the Encore Ballroom at Wynn Las Vegas. An official partner since 1998, Coca-Cola becomes the first three-time recipient of the prestigious award. Utilizing an immersive integrated marketing approach, Coca-Cola has engaged fans, customers and employees across virtually every facet of the NASCAR ecosystem, including intellectual property, promotions, public relations, B2B, online, broadcast, at track, event marketing, social media and retail.

“Over the course of our 15-year relationship Coca-Cola has become one of the most recognized brands in our sport,” said Jim O'Connell, NASCAR chief sales officer. “Once again Coca-Cola raised the bar by creating innovative activation and an integrated marketing approach to engage with millions of NASCAR fans, embodying the spirit of the award.”

This year, Coca-Cola introduced a series of brand spots titled, “Coca-Cola Racing Family Road Trip,” featuring NASCAR stars Tony Stewart, Danica Patrick, Greg Biffle, Ryan Newman, Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano. The four-part series premiered during the Daytona 500 and its creative mirrored storylines that were playing out on the track throughout the season. 

“The Coca-Cola partnership with NASCAR is rich in history and passionately multifaceted. We’re honored and humbled to receive this prestigious award from such a valuable partner,” said Sharon Byers, senior vice president, sports and entertainment marketing, Coca-Cola North America Group. “From our Coca-Cola Racing Family members to decades of supporting local, regional and national activation, together our properties talk to a broad scope of fans. In 2013, the NASCAR partnership extended across 19 tracks, 13 current and alumni drivers, two entitlement races, activation with 36 national retail partners in over 250,000 retail locations, 2.8 million My Coke Rewards entries in NASCAR-themed sweepstakes and nearly 12,000 participants in our Coca-Cola Family Track Walks.” 

In 2013, Coca-Cola executed a number of integrated marketing campaigns designed to reach its key stakeholders, including:

·        Coca-Cola’s two entitlement races, Coca-Cola 600 and Coke Zero 400, which bookend the summer months – a particularly important selling-season for Coca-Cola.

–       Coca-Cola 600 activation included a Coca-Cola Racing Family Track Walk and iHeart Radio Trace Adkins Concert attended by 1,500 members of the military in Charlotte, N.C.

–       The “Coke Zero Enjoy Everything Island” was created on Lake Lloyd during the Coke Zero 400 in Daytona Beach, Fla., featuring games / prizes, driver interviews and live music.

·        Coke Zero teamed up with Danica Patrick to release new Enjoy Everything creative that aired during the Coke Zero 400.

·        Partnered with NASCAR’s three auto manufacturers (Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota) to create three My Coke Rewards promotions that resulted in more than 2.8 million entries and a total of 160,000 opt-ins for the auto manufacturers.

·        Implemented a sweepstakes program in 180 military commissaries across the country during the “NASCAR: An American Salute” program in May.

·        Through various retail and local market activations Coca-Cola executed more than 100 programs leveraging its status as the Official Soft Drink of NASCAR. 

·        Continued to execute an at-track recycling program that places approximately 10,000 recycling bins at NASCAR race tracks throughout the season, resulting in more than 15 million cans and bottles recycled to date, enabling NASCAR to become the largest recycler in sports.

Previous winners of the NASCAR Marketing Achievement Award include: Anheuser-Busch; Mars, Incorporated; ESPN; FOX / TNT / NBC; Gillette; Kmart; Nationwide Insurance; Office Depot; Sprint; The Home Depot; and Toyota.

This year’s awards will take place Dec. 6, returning to Wynn Las Vegas with FOX Sports 2 and NASCAR.com providing coverage from 9 p.m. – midnight ET. Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90 will provide live coverage beginning at 8 p.m. ET. The show will also re-air on FOX Sports 1 at noon ET on Dec. 8.

NASCAR PR

NASCAR today announced a number of changes to the selection process for the NASCAR Hall of Fame (NHOF), including a modification to driver eligibility parameters and the creation of a new award to honor significant contributions to the growth and success of the sport.

In all, six changes and updates will be made starting with the selection of the Class of 2015 – all designed to improve upon an already strong process that has led to the selection of 25 deserving inductees.

“We’re very proud of how the NASCAR Hall of Fame has evolved and believe the first five classes reflect the strength of the nominating and voting procedures, with voices from every corner of our industry included in the selection process,” said Brett Jewkes, NASCAR vice president and chief communications officer. “Based on feedback from voters, industry leaders, media who cover our sport and the fans, we believe the changes announced today are a strong recognition of the uniqueness of our sport and will make the overall selection process even stronger in how we honor those who have driven NASCAR to great success on and off the track.”

Following is a summary of changes:

Driver Eligibility

Currently, drivers who have competed in NASCAR for at least 10 years and been retired for three years are eligible for nomination to the NHOF. That will not change.

Moving forward, however, drivers who have competed for a minimum of 10 years and reached their 55th birthday on or before Dec. 31 of the year prior to the nominating year are immediately eligible for the NHOF. Also, any competitor who has competed for 30 or more years in NASCAR competition by Dec. 31 of the year prior to the nominating year is automatically eligible, regardless of age.

Drivers may continue to compete after reaching any of the aforementioned milestones without compromising eligibility for nomination or induction.

Nominating Committee Will Select Five Fewer Nominees for Enshrinement

Throughout its history, the NHOF Nominating Committee has selected 25 nominees each year to be discussed and voted on for NHOF enshrinement. That number will be reduced to 20 starting with the selection process for the 2015 class.

Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR

Beginning with the 2015 class, a new award – Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR – will be initiated to honor significant contributions to the growth and esteem of NASCAR.

Potential Landmark Award recipients could include competitors or those working in the sport as a member of a racing organization, track facility, race team, sponsor, media partner or being a general ambassador for the sport through a professional or non-professional role. Award winners will remain eligible for NHOF enshrinement.

Five nominees will be selected by the NHOF Nominating Committee and then be voted on by the Voting Panel. To win the award, an individual must appear on at least 60 percent of the ballots and no more than one award will be presented annually. Voting for this award will occur immediately following the voting for the NHOF class and be monitored by the same independent accounting firm that oversees NHOF voting.

Nominating Committee to Meet, Vote on 20 NHOF Nominees / Five Landmark Award Nominees

For the first time, the Nominating Committee will meet in person to discuss, debate and vote to create two ballots – the NHOF ballot and the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR ballot. Previously, the committee submitted nominees via mail to an independent accounting firm that tallies the nominations in order to create the final NHOF ballot.

The Nominating Committee will meet during Speedweeks at Daytona on Friday, Feb. 21, 2014, and the nominees for both ballots will be announced later that day.

Nominees To Be Recused From the Nominating / Voting Process

Any member of the Nominating Committee or Voting Panel who appeared on the previous year’s ballot or current year’s ballot will now be recused from participating in the nominating and / or voting process for as long as he / she appears on the ballot. If an individual who is currently on the Nominating Committee or Voting Panel is inducted, or is no longer included on a final ballot, he or she is immediately reinstated to active participation on the panel(s).

Reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion Added To Voting Panel

As was already announced on Nov. 14 at Homestead-Miami Speedway during the annual NASCAR Championship Contenders Press Conference, the reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion will be added to the following year’s voting panel.

That means Jimmie Johnson, who captured his sixth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship, will be included in the selection meeting and can cast a vote for the NHOF Class of 2015 on Voting Day, Wednesday, May 21, 2014.

NASCAR PR

In the end, there was only one grand prize winner during the fifth annual Fanfest Presented by Las Vegas Motor Speedway held at the Fremont Street Experience, and she chose Kyle Busch and his case.

Her prize? Tickets to Friday night’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards^TM at Wynn Las Vegas (Dec 6., with FOX Sports 2 and NASCAR.com providing coverage beginning at 9 p.m. ET; Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90 at 8 p.m. ET).

The game-show format event featured six contest-winning fans selecting cases containing assorted prize packs from among the 13 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers. Each fan had the opportunity to select a driver and his sealed case during one of six rounds. Before revealing their prize, each fan had the choice to stay with that case or choose four others to eliminate. Between each round the cases were shuffled among the drivers.    

With unseasonably low temperatures for Las Vegas the top-six drivers in the final series standings were rewarded with personal heaters onstage to bear the cold. Unfortunately, Chase drivers finishing between seventh and 13th were seated in the second row and had no such convenience, including a shivering Clint Bowyer.

“Clint, you look cold,” teased host and ESPN pit reporter Jamie Little. “If you finished in the top six, you would have had your own heater.”

Bowyer wasn’t the only driver suffering from the cold. Six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, who had a heater, received laughs from the audience when it was discovered his heater wasn’t working properly as Little picked it up to keep him warm.

As the rounds drew on, the drivers became increasingly helpful in providing the contestants suggestions on which cases to select, despite the banker’s warnings.

“Let me remind the drivers that if they reveal their cases, they will start at the rear of the field for the KOBALT Tools 400 (the March Las Vegas race),” joked the banker.

His warning did little to deter the drivers.

“I think the offer is a really good offer,” Dale Earnhardt Jr. informed the second fan, who ended up winning two tickets to the March race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.  

The fourth fan chose Johnson, who suggested she select a different case based on his knowledge of the contents of his own case. The fan then chose Busch, who offered the same insight, as did Jeff Gordon and Ryan Newman. Kasey Kahne came to the fan’s rescue when he raised his hand and recommended he be selected. The crowd went nuts.

“Trust us, we’re really setting this game up well for the contestants,” Busch said.

Ultimately, the fan accepted the banker’s deal and ended up with race tickets to Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Neon Garage passes.

Every fan walked away a winner with prizes including key chains, hats, race packages and even tickets to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards for the Grand Prize winner.

Also honored on Wednesday were this year’s finalists for the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award – Duncan Dobie, Lisa Hall, Richard Johnson and Don Post – at an afternoon reception at Wynn Las Vegas. The NASCAR Foundation will announce the Award winner during this year’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards. Fans can cast their vote to determine the 2013 Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award winner by visiting www.NASCAR.com/Award before 11:59 p.m. ET on Dec. 5. 

Here are upcoming Champion’s Week events at a glance (all times local PT unless noted):

Wednesday – Friday, Dec. 4-6

·        NASCAR Pit Stop Tour: The NASCARPit Stop Tour consists of Official Partner show cars featured in iconic locations throughout the Las Vegas Strip from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. each day. Fans can get up close and personal with the cars at the following locations: Tropicana (Chevrolet), The Palazzo (Ford), Harrah’s (Ford), the “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign (2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion show car), the Coca-Cola store and M&M’S World.

·        M&M’S^® To Make the NASCAR CHAMPION’S WEEK™ ‘BETTER WITH M’: M&M’S will celebrate the 2013 NASCAR season and the strongest finish yet for Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 M&M’S Toyota Camry, by giving away one million free bags of M&M’S. The giveaway in Las Vegas will be part of the NASCAR Pit Stop Tour and NASCAR Victory Lap.

Thursday, Dec. 5

·        NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Awards Luncheon: The annual awards luncheon and industry gathering will be held from 11 a.m. – 1:15 p.m. in the Encore Ballroom at Wynn Las Vegas, where several team and individual awards will be presented. Among those awards included are the Champion Sponsor, Champion Crew Chief, Sunoco Rookie of the Year and NMPA Most Popular Driver awards. The event will be live-streamed on www.NASCAR.com.

·        NASCAR Victory Lap: The green flag on the fan-favorite NASCAR Victory Lap will wave at 3:30 p.m. with pre-lap festivities beginning at 2:45 p.m., when the 13 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers parade down Las Vegas Boulevard in their race cars. NASCAR Victory Lap will start and finish in front of the Miracle Mile Shops on Las Vegas Boulevard and will once again provide fans with a unique experience to feel the excitement of NASCAR, featuring driver introductions, an authentic pit stop in front of the Fountains of Bellagio (performed by members of the NASCAR Drive

for Diversity Pit Crew Development Program Presented by Sprint) and two burnout sections – with viewing areas along the route. Portions of the event will be broadcast live on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90 and www.NASCAR.com will live-stream the event.

·        NASCAR After The Lap sponsored by Ford and Coca-Cola: One of the premier events of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion’s Week, NASCAR After The Lap sponsored by Ford and Coca-Cola will be held from 5 – 6:30 p.m. at The Pearl Palms Concert Theater inside the Palms Casino Hotel. Fans can purchase tickets at www.NASCARAfterTheLap.com for $20 each (all ticket proceeds benefit The NASCAR Foundation) to attend the fan-favorite event featuring all 13 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers. Among the many highlights from NASCAR After The Lap’s humorous history are Jeff Gordon break dancing and Denny Hamlin doing “The Dougie.” The event will be broadcast live on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90 and www.NASCAR.com will live-stream the event.

Friday, Dec. 6

·        2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards: The postseason black-tie event will begin at 5 p.m. at Wynn Las Vegas, where the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion driver and owner will be crowned and the top-10 drivers in the final standings will be honored. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards, the culmination of Champion’s Week, will feature the NASCAR Fan Reception, Red Carpet Walk, celebrity guests, music and entertainment. FOX Sports 2, www.NASCAR.com, Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90 will provide coverage of the event.

For more information on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion’s Week in Las Vegas, visit www.NASCAR.com/ChampionsWeek.

NASCAR PR

Fans are invited to watch NASCAR Sprint Cup Series testing free of charge on Monday, Dec. 9 at Charlotte Motor Speedway from The Speedway Club’s enclosed Clubhouse seating. The open test will help define rules packages for the 2014 season and more than 20 teams are expected to participate.

Testing will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday. Speedway Club Clubhouse seating will open at 9 a.m. for the public to enjoy the test session. Fans should park at the main entrance to the speedway, enter through the main ticket office on the second floor of Smith Tower and take the elevator to Clubhouse seating on the fifth floor. Refreshments will be available for purchase in the Clubhouse seating area.

Fans are invited to take advantage of The Speedway Club Lounge area to purchase lunch or dinner from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., or to make lunch or dinner reservations in The Speedway Club dining room by calling 704-455-3216.

After testing concludes, fans are encouraged to enjoy Speedway Christmas, the region's largest holiday light show. The 3.1-mile course allows families to experience more than 3 million lights and 800 holiday displays. The show is open from 6 to 10 p.m. and admission is only $15 per car on Monday through Wednesday when the infield Christmas Village is closed, and $20 per car Thursday through Sunday when the Christmas Village is open.

The Charlotte Motor Speedway ticket office will also be open with special holiday deals available. Fans who purchase $200 in gift cards, tickets, camping or pit passes will receive a $50 gift card free. Other ticket deals include: buy four frontstretch tickets to a NASCAR Sprint Cup event and receive four free pole night tickets, buy one pit pass and get the second at half price, buy four Saturday or Sunday NHRA tickets and get two Friday tickets free, and buy four Coca-Cola 600 or Bank of America 500 tickets in Club seating and keep the FanVision device.

CMS PR

The 17^thAnnual Martinsville Speedway Toy Drive got a jumpstart Wednesday afternoon when Patrick Henry Community College and the Patrick Henry Community College Foundation Board donated over 75 toys.

The donation came during an appreciation luncheon for foundation board members in Uptown Martinsville. Everyone attending the luncheon had been urged to bring a toy, and the more than 50 foundation members and PHCC staff members attending dropped presents off under the Christmas tree.

The Martinsville Speedway Toy Drive is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on December 14 in the infield of Martinsville Speedway.

“Patrick Henry Community College and the Patrick Henry Community College Foundation are more than happy to help the Grace Network and Martinsville Speedway with the toy drive to help the less fortunate in Martinsville and Henry County,” said Gary Collins, chairman of the Patrick Henry Community College Foundation Board. “We have been blessed with local generosity over the years and this is just a simple way of giving back and saying ‘thank you.’ I hope December 14^th will be a huge event for the speedway and the Grace Network.”

This year’s toy drive will provide a full day of activities, with the Girls on the Run 5K kicking things off at 9 a.m. and the toy drive beginning at 10 a.m. The 5K is open to anyone and is a fundraiser for the Girls on the Run organization.

Anyone donating a toy or making a $10 donation will be able to drive their personal vehicles around the track.

Fans will also be able to take laps around the historic oval with Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell in a real Sprint Cup car. They will be dressed in full racing gear, fire suit, helmet and HANS Device. Cost for the ride-along is a $50 donation to the toy drive.

The Martinsville Speedway staff will be making and serving The Famous Martinsville Speedway Hot Dog™. Hot dogs and Pepsi products are $1 each, with proceeds going toward purchasing toys.

Santa Claus will be making his annual appearance at the track at noon.

Anyone who would like to donate a toy, but cannot make it to the toy drive, can drop them off at the Martinsville Speedway ticket office Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monetary donations can also be dropped off at the Martinsville Speedway ticket office. All checks should be made out to the Grace Network. All monies raised will be used to buy additional toys.

The day will begin with the Girls on the Run 5K. Entry fee is $30 or $45 for stroller runners. Entry forms may be picked up at the YMCA of Martinsville and Henry County. Proceeds will go to Girls on the Run of Martinsville and Henry County. Registration will be open on the morning of the event.

Martinsville Speedway PR

Veteran motorsports broadcaster Paul Page will return in 2014 as chief announcer of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network, a role he also held from 1977-87.

Page will serve as the lead voice on IMS Radio Network broadcasts of the Indianapolis 500 and all other IndyCar Series races on terrestrial stations nationwide, Sirius XM Satellite Radio, indycar.com and the INDYCAR app from Verizon. The Indianapolis 500 race broadcast also is available globally on the American Forces Radio Network and LeSEA Broadcasting Network.

"The Speedway has always been my first love, and it's good to be home again," Page said. "There is no better racing than IndyCar."

Page began his first tenure with the IMS Radio Network as a pit reporter from 1974-76 before becoming the chief announcer in 1977 after the death of the legendary Sid Collins. As chief announcer, Page called a number of iconic moments during the Indianapolis 500, including A.J. Foyt's historic fourth victory in 1977, Gordon Johncock's triumph in 1982 after a thrilling late-race duel with Rick Mears, Danny Sullivan's "spin and win" in 1985 and Al Unser's fourth victory in 1987.

Indiana native Page moved to television to become the lead announcer of NBC and ABC-ESPN's coverage of CART and the IndyCar Series from 1979-2004. He led an admired and respected booth trio with three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Unser and Indianapolis 500 veteran Sam Posey during part of that tenure.

Page then became the lead announcer for NHRA Drag Racing coverage on ESPN2 from 2006-12 while also serving as a color commentator for the IMS Radio Network from 2009-13.

"Radio and its theater of the mind have always been special for me," Page said. "Since I left the chief announcer's post after 10 years in 1987 to work in television, returning to radio has always been my hope. The past five years as a booth expert for the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race have shown me how very special this broadcast is and how far it has come. The broadcasters are excellent. They are a very skilled and professional team, and I am proud to be one of them."

Said IMS President J. Douglas Boles: "We're happy to welcome Paul back to the IMS Radio Network's main chair. His voice is immediately associated with exciting IndyCar racing through more than three decades of describing the action of the sport. He has an incredible passion for IndyCar and is the consummate professional."

Page and his wife, former IMS Radio Network pit reporter Sally Larvick, live in Indianapolis. They have a son, a daughter and two grandchildren.

IMS PR

ExxonMobil has strengthened its ongoing commitment to NASCAR by renewing its multi-year sponsorship with three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart and Stewart-Haas Racing. Mobil 1will adorn the hood of Stewart’s No. 14 Chevrolet for 11 races in 2014, while taking a high-profile associate role in the remaining races. 

“Tony and Stewart-Haas Racing have done an incredible job highlighting the value of Mobil 1 technology, so it was an easy decision to renew our sponsorship with one of NASCAR’s top drivers and teams,” said Artis Brown, global motorsports manager, Mobil 1.  “The entire ExxonMobil team is looking forward to Mobil 1 technology helping Stewart-Haas Racing remain a championship-caliber team in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.”

Although Stewart saw his 2013 season cut short due to a leg injury, he has been one of the most successful Sprint Cup drivers since joining NASCAR’s elite series in 1999. In 2011, Stewart’s debut season for Mobil 1 Racing, he won an amazing five of the 10 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup races, including the finale at Miami-Homestead Speedway, where he clinched his third Sprint Cup title.  In the 2012 season, Stewart earned three wins and 12 top-five finishes while making the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup for the eighth time since the Chase’s inception in 2004. In total, Stewart has earned nine Sprint Cup victories and 43 top-ten finishes with Mobil 1 lubricant technology in the No. 14 car.

“We’re very pleased to extend our multi-year technology partnership with Mobil 1,” said Tony Stewart, co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing with Haas Automation founder Gene Haas. “During the past few years, Stewart-Haas Racing has seen real progress from our collaboration with Mobil 1. We’ve had an improvement in fuel mileage, engine efficiency and reliability, and we’re confident that Mobil 1 will help us contend for another NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.”    

Additional details of the Mobil 1 and Stewart-Haas Racing deal:

• Mobil 1 will serve as the co-primary sponsor of the No. 14 Chevrolet SS with Bass Pro Shops.
• Mobil 1 will also be an associate sponsor of Kurt Busch’s No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet and Kevin Harvick’s No. 4 Budweiser/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet.
• ExxonMobil will provide Mobil 1 lubricant technology and engineering support to Stewart-Haas Racing, including the No. 10 GoDaddy Chevrolet. 

Mobil 1 has been the Official Motor Oil of NASCAR since 2003 and is used by more than 50 percent of the teams in NASCAR’s top-three series. 

Exxon Mobile PR