Travis Pastrana wheels in Ford Championship weekend ticket package
X Games and reality TV star turned NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Travis Pastrana is giving fans a new reason to follow him in NASCAR. Pastrana, regarded as one of the most talented motorsports competitors in the world, will participate in a fan Q&A session prior to making his NASCAR Nationwide Series race debut at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Saturday, November 16.
Well known among action sports fans, Pastrana has raced just about everything with wheels, from motorcycles to monster trucks. The 11-time X Games gold medalist is currently running his first full NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule. He drives the No. 60 Ford Mustang for Roush Fenway Racing.
The $120 package -- valued at more than $200 if priced individually -- will benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
It includes:
► One ticket to the Ford EcoBoost 300 on November 16
► One ticket to the Ford EcoBoost 400 on November 17
► Question and answer session with Pastrana before the Ford EcoBoost 300
► Pre-Race Pit Pass (valid for Saturday and Sunday)
► Donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation
“It is our pleasure to announce our partnership with Travis Pastrana for Ford Championship Weekend,” said Homestead-Miami Speedway President Matthew Becherer. “Travis brings a wave of new fans to NASCAR from his success in other forms of racing and his reality TV show, Nitro Circus. This is a tremendous opportunity for fans and the Miami community to come out and meet one of NASCAR’s most popular drivers before he gears up for the season finale. Best of all, it’s a chance for all of us to support him and his desire to be a ‘wish granter” for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.”
HMS PR
Tommy Baldwin Racing "Plugs In" New Sponsor, Welcoming C&C Audio, Visual and Appliances
C&C Audio, Video, and Appliances joins Tommy Baldwin Racing for a four race deal as an associate sponsor on the No. 36 Chevy of JJ Yeley.
Owner Roger LeBlanc commented on the sponsorship with TBR, "Our first partnership with TBR and JJ Yeley was in 2012, we are very excited to have the opportunity to team up with them again."
Michael McDowell to Pilot No. 51 SEM Chevy at NHMS
Phoenix Racing announced today that SEM Products, Inc. will sponsor the No. 51 Chevrolet SS driven by Michael McDowell in this weekend's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Joe Gibbs Racing Launches Chase Digital Magazine
Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) currently holds the first and second position in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship standings, and now fans will have a unique way to follow the team over the next nine weeks with the launch of a new digital magazine.
The magazine will be available on both Apple and Android devices including tablets. It will be available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store and accessed through the following direct link: www.joegibbsracing.com/chaseapp.
The magazine, which will be updated throughout the Chase and through the conclusion of the season, will feature profiles on each of Joe Gibbs Racing’s three teams in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
“NASCAR has some of the most savvy, passionate fans in all of sports and they crave content about their favorite drivers and teams,” said Dave Alpern, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Joe Gibbs Racing. “By creating this Chase App, we have packaged tremendous content into a fun, interactive format. This app has everything from information on the Chase tracks and car set ups, to never seen before photos and driver profiles. Every feature is designed for interaction with the fan and I think they will discover something new each time they open it. Our digital team hit it out of the park with this one."
The digital magazine will be informative for all NASCAR fans and not just those passionate about JGR’s three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams. It includes educational pieces that provide in-depth and interactive aspects of the sport including the importance of camber and toe to the performance of a race car. In addition, there is an infographic on each of the race tracks featured in the Chase. Of course there is plenty of information specific to JGR, including photo essays, video profiles of each driver, a feature on driver Darrell Wallace, Jr. and statistical analysis of each driver.
JGR PR
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has learned quite a bit in his first full year racing in the Sprint Cup Series but he knows some lessons remain this season, especially at the circuit’s shortest track.
“I still have a lot to learn about Martinsville Speedway,” Stenhouse said when asked about his first trip to the famous half-mile track during a promotional event for Martinsville Speedway on the campus of North Carolina State University Tuesday.
Stenhouse’s initial visit to Martinsville was earlier this year. He started 20th and finished 25th. Stenhouse is a two-time Nationwide Series champion, but the series never made a stop at Martinsville in his days on that tour.
“For me, there are a lot of things I think I can do different as far as driving style. I probably overdrove the corner too much and I didn’t let the car handle the way it should have,” stated Stenhouse.
Stenhouse and his teammates at Roush Fenway Racing have scheduled three days of testing at Martinsville Speedway prior to the Goody’s® Headache Relief Shot® 500 Powered by Kroger.
“Roush Fenway struggled there in the past. We will have a whole lot of effort coming into Martinsville Speedway,” added Stenhouse. “It’s an event where we want to run well.”
Stenhouse leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Rookie of the Year standings, and is coming off back-to-back top-10 finishes. But the 25-year-old Mississippi native admits that one trip to Martinsville just doesn’t provide enough time to learn.
“I’m really looking forward to the test. We gotta get our cars a little bit better,” added Stenhouse.
Stenhouse will be sure to take plenty of notes during the test.
“I feel really comfortable on the longer tracks, Daytona and Talladega and the mile-and-a-half tracks, I’m fine,” Stenhouse explained. “But it’s the shorter tracks, especially Martinsville where I need to pick it up. That’s the reason the test is so important to me.”
Martinsville Speedway PR
Texas Motor Speedway's Monumental Announcement Monday Evening Available To Fans Via Special Internet Broadcast
Texas Motor Speedway wants to ensure that its loyal fans can watch the biggest announcement it has made since the facility opened in 1997 unfold live as Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage delivers the news Monday evening from the Grand Ballroom of The Speedway Club.
Texas Motor Speedway will not only announce its 2014 season schedule, but also a monumental addition to "The Great American Speedway!" that fans can view live online Monday, beginning at 6:30 p.m. CT, via LiveStream on www.texasmotorspeedway.com.
"We have made some big announcements in the past, but this one surpasses them all," Gossage said. "There are so many exciting new things in store for 2014 that fans will want to be sure and tune in."
TMS PR
Second Annual Busch Whacked To Be Held October 31
Kurt Busch has teamed up with the Armed Forces Foundation and Texas Motor Speedway for the 2nd Annual Busch Whacked on Thursday, Oct. 31. Registration is now open at www.getbuschwhacked.com.
"I'm excited to continue Busch Whacked this year to raise funds for the Armed Forces Foundation and Speedway Children's Charities," Kurt Busch, 2004 Sprint Cup Champion, said. "Last year was a lot of fun and I'm glad we could work out another challenging mud run. This year, I'm training to beat Jimmie Johnson's time!"
Busch Whacked was first held in 2012 at Texas Motor Speedway. For 2013, the cost of participation is $35 and the event will be run in three waves beginning at 6:30 p.m. CT. Last year's participants included: Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Paul Menard, Sam Hornish Jr., Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Fox Sports 1's Matt Clark and Jeff Hammond, Miss Coors Light, Miss Sprint Cup, Fox Sports Girls, wounded service members, and many more. For more information and to register, please visit www.getbuschwhacked.com. For updates, follow the Armed Forces Foundation on Twitter @SupportAFF and the hashtag #BuschWhacked.
"A military-inspired mud run at Texas Motor Speedway is a great way to promote a healthy lifestyle and to raise awareness for those suffering from the invisible wounds of war," said Patricia Driscoll, President of the Armed Forces Foundation. "I want to thank Texas Motor Speedway and Speedway Children's Charities for their help and dedication to our motto of 'Serving those who Serve.' With more than 600,000 veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and one veteran committing suicide every 65 minutes, we need every citizen to band together and help save our troops."
You can donate to the Armed Forces Foundation at www.armedforcesfoundation.org or by texting "AFF" to 50555 to donate $10 to the Armed Forces Foundation. Reply with YES to confirm your donation. Full Terms: mGive.org/T.
TMS PR
NASCAR Proud to Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month
NASCAR will partner with the Hispanic Scholarship Fund to commemorate National Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 – Oct. 15) through a new, dollars-per-lap donation program and five new film shorts highlighting Latino contributors to the sport.
In partnership with the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, NASCAR will donate $5 for every lap completed by a Hispanic or Latin American driver in one of the U.S. series. The drivers included in the initiative are: Cuban-American Aric Almirola, Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya, Brazilian Nelson Piquet Jr., Mexican German Quiroga, Brazilian Miguel Paludo, Puerto Rican Bryan Ortiz, Mexican and Spanish-American Jack Madrid as well as Mexico-born Daniel Suarez. The funds will benefit Latino students pursuing an education in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) programs.
“The Hispanic Scholarship Fund is excited about this opportunity to partner with NASCAR and to showcase, through film, outstanding Latinos in the sport of racing. We are pleased that NASCAR shares our commitment to higher education, while inspiring the best in each individual. And we welcome our growing partnership with NASCAR to increase scholarships for talented STEM students,” said Fidel Vargas, President and CEO of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund.
To highlight the contributions Latinos are making to the sport both on and off the race track, NASCAR Productions partnered with Latino director Danny Hastings on a five-part series of film shorts. Hastings is best known for his music videos and documentary-style filmmaking. Aside from featuring drivers, the films also highlights industry personnel, including pit crew member Pedro Martinez, Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Co-Owner Felix Sabates, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Official Kim Lopez and Chevrolet Racing Program Manager for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Alba Colon. One new film will premiere on NASCAR.com every week during Hispanic Heritage Month, starting with the first one, titled “The Future,” that features up-and-coming drivers in NASCAR’s regional and touring series.
Click here for this short film.
“Hispanic Heritage Month not only gives us the opportunity to celebrate the contributions Latinos make on and off the track, but also to show our support for the Latino community across the nation”, said Steve Phelps, NASCAR’s chief marketing officer. “Through our partnership with the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, we hope to introduce more students to the many STEM opportunities that exist within our sport.”
Fans can join the conversation online at NASCAR.com/Español and on Twitter @VivaNASCAR.
NASCAR PR
Rev Racing Looking to Return to Victory Lane at New Hampshire
Rev Racing is headed to New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) to compete in the North American Power 100 on Saturday, Sept. 21 at 2:30 p.m. ET, where Kyle Larson took the team to victory lane last season.
Bell and Suarez are anxious to race after both earned top-five finishes the last time out at Greenville Pickens Speedway. The second place finish marked the fourth podium finish in the last five races for Suarez, and the fifth place finish by Bell matched her best finish to date, previously at Richmond International Raceway.
Ryan Gifford (No. 2 Universal Technical Institute/NTI Toyota) – Gifford who’s currently fifth in points has six top 10s in 11 starts. His season is highlighted by his first career win at Richmond. He has an average finish of 13th and a best result of fourth in six career starts at NHMS.
Bryan Ortiz (No. 4 Rev Racing Toyota) – Ortiz is anxious to return to NHMS where he finished sixth last season. The Bayamon, Puerto Rico native has one top-five and five top-10 finishes this season with a best finish of second at Virginia International Raceway.
Daniel Suarez (No. 6 Visit Acapulco Toyota) – Suarez ranks sixth in points with six top 10s finishes in 11 races. He captured his first career victory at Columbus Motor Speedway and has finished on the podium in four of the last five races. He has a best result of seventh in three starts at NHMS.
Mackena Bell (No. 21 Toyota Racing Development Toyota) – Bell finished fifth the last time out at Greenville Pickens Speedway, matching her best effort to date, a fifth place finish at Richmond earlier this season. The rookie driver has two top-five, and three top-10 finishes this season.
Our thoughts this week are with all those affected by the Tropical Storm Manuel which hit Acapulco, Mexico, as well as the victims of the Navy Yard shooting and floods in Colorado.
Practice is from 8:30-10 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 20 followed by qualifying at 2 p.m. The North American Power 100 will air on Fox Sports 1, Oct. 4, 11:30 a.m. The drivers will return to the track next Friday, Sept. 27 for the Drive Sober 150 at Dover International Speedway.
Rev Racing PR
The Granite State...Four of the five Turner Scott Motorsports (TSM) drivers will be making their first start at the "Magic Mile" of New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) this weekend in the North American Power 100. With the recent cancellation of the event at Rockingham Speedway, there are now just three events left in the 2013 campaign.
Get Your Sharpies Ready...Come out to the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East (NKNPSE) autograph session on Saturday morning to meet and get autographs from the rising stars of NASCAR, including five of the TSM young stars.
Brandon Jones...Brandon Jones returns to the NKNPSE after making two starts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS). Jones turned some heads in his two NCWTS starts that came at Bristol Motor Speedway and Iowa Speedway. Jones will be making his first start at NHMS this coming weekend.
"I'm really looking forward to turning some laps at New Hampshire this weekend. I feel like being in the truck for a couple weeks has really helped me learn to be more aggressive. I feel like I will be able to translate what I was able to learn there to help us secure a solid finish this weekend in the K&N car."
Kenzie Ruston...Kenzie Ruston comes into NHMS looking to make her first start at the 1.058-mile oval. Ruston is coming off a top-10 finish the last time out at Greenville Pickens Speedway. Ruston currently sits seventh in points but is only one point back of fifth. Ruston currently leads the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings with three events remaining.
"New Hampshire is one of the tracks I've been looking forward to all year. I've had previous success on fast flat race tracks and New Hampshire is just that. I've never seen the track, but I'm looking forward to getting there and hopefully keeping our momentum up going into the last three races."
Ben Rhodes...Ben Rhodes is making his second-consecutive start in the NKNPSE this weekend at NHMS. Rhodes is also a rookie to the track with this marking his first visit to the "Magic Mile." Rhodes has stayed busy racing in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series, recording five victories since August.
"While I was disappointed Rockingham was removed from the schedule a few weeks ago, I am very happy we now have the opportunity to race Loudon. My Turner Scott Motorsports team has worked hard on short notice to get the No. 41 Alpha Energy Solutions Chevrolet ready. We are using the same chassis we used at Greenville Pickens, so we are going to New Hampshire looking to race strong and hopefully battle for the victory."
Dylan Kwasniewski...Dylan Kwasniewski is coming off back-to-back wins in the NKNPSE and looking for his sixth victory of the season. Kwasniewski will be making his second career start at NHMS; last year Kwasniewski raced at NHMS when his NASCAR K&N Pro Series West team made the trek East. Kwasniewski recorded a fourth-place finish after starting 10th. Kwasniewski's team will unload a brand-new chassis this weekend for their quest of a third-straight win.
"I am pretty excited to get to New Hampshire. That is one of the few tracks on the East Series schedule that I have already raced at, so I think we'll be a little ahead of the curve. My Turner Scott Motorsports team has really been on it lately, so I think we'll have another great weekend in the Rockstar/Royal Purple Chevrolet."
Austin Dyne...Like the majority of his TSM teammates, Dyne will be making his first start at the "Magic Mile" in a stock car this weekend. However, Dyne has competed at NHMS one previous time, racing in the Global RallyCross Lites race earlier this year. Dyne and his KMC Wheels team are looking for their first top-five finish of the season.
"We've had a few weeks off, so I'm ready to get back in the KMC Wheels machine. I raced at New Hampshire earlier this year in the GRC Lites car, so it will be cool to get back and race on the oval track in an East Series car."
TSM PR