Speedway Digest Staff - Results from #55480

Aric Almirola is eager to head to the first intermediate track of the year, the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. After posting the fastest time in January testing at the similar Charlotte Motor Speedway, the team has confidence it can be fast this weekend. The No. 43 Farmland Ford team finished the 2012 season with solid finishes at intermediate tracks and showed at the Charlotte test that their intermediate program is still strong with the new car. Almirola will make his fifth start at the Nevada track this weekend.

WESCO International has agreed to renew its primary sponsorship of Ty Dillon and Richard Childress Racing's No. 33 Chevrolet Camaro for six races during the 2013 NASCAR Nationwide Series season. WESCO will also serve as an associate sponsor on Dillon's No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for all races in 2013.

WESCO is a leading full-line wholesale distributor of electrical, industrial, utility and communications products and advanced supply chain procurement services. The Pittsburgh-based company will be the primary sponsor for the following races:

• Las Vegas Motor Speedway, March 9;
• Talladega Superspeedway, May 4;
• Dover International Speedway, June 1;
• Bristol Motor Speedway, August 23;
• Texas Motor Speedway, November 2; and
• Homestead-Miami Speedway, season-finale race, November 16.

WESCO joined RCR in 2012 as the primary sponsor for two Nationwide Series events with Dillon: Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Richmond International Raceway where Dillon posted third and seventh-place finishes, respectively.

"I'm looking forward tothis upcoming season in the Nationwide Series," Dillon said. "I'm honored to have the opportunity to race under the WESCO colors and represent their supplier partners on the race track. WESCO and RCR have similar values and that makes us a great team."  

"WESCO is proud to sponsor Ty Dillon and the No. 33 car for the 2013 season," said John Engel, Chairman, President and CEO of WESCO International. "We look forward to the exposure and brand recognition this type of sponsorship brings to WESCO. It creates opportunities for us to strengthen our customer and supplier relationships and engage with other companies who do business in the markets we serve."

RCR PR

As the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season begins, Kwikset is announcing a partnership agreement with Richard Childress Racing and driver Jeff Burton. Kwikset will have its logo on the No. 31 Chevrolet for every race this season, and will also be the primary paint scheme for the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 6. Throughout the 2013 season, Kwikset will be announcing opportunities to engage fans and customers in unique ways.

Kwikset will activate this partnership with a VIP infield hospitality presence at five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race weekends beginning with Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 10. There will also be significant activation at Dover International Speedway on June 2, Chicagoland Speedway on September 15, Charlotte Motor Speedway on October 12 and Texas Motor Speedway on November 3.

"Richard Childress Racing's focus on elite innovation strategies falls right in line with Kwikset's brand promise to deliver smart, innovative security options to our customers," said Greg Gluchowski, president, Hardware & Home Improvement Group at Spectrum Brands. "We are proud to align ourselves with excellence for the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season."

The company sees value in working with NASCAR teams, which it has done in the past, and spreading the message of safety and innovation for families to race fans nationwide. Having a presence at the track provides an opportunity to fuel the passions of Kwikset consumers, employees and NASCAR fans.

"Safety and innovation are very important to Kwikset's business, and as a driver, two areas that I'm very passionate about myself," said Burton. "I am proud to have Kwikset as a partner this season."

Burton has experienced tremendous success throughout his career in NASCAR's premier division, which spans more than 20 years. The veteran driver has won 21 Sprint Cup Series races, and earned 132 top-five finishes, as well as 248 top-10 finishes with six pole awards.

RCR PR

The Shop, located at 2 North Franklin Street in the village of Watkins Glen, is now located atwww.TheGlen.com too! Watkins Glen International successfully unveiled its online merchandise store today.

“Launching the online store provides us with the ability to serve our fans all over the United States and abroad,” Watkins Glen International President Michael Printup said. “We are thrilled that it is in place just in time for the 2013 season at The Glen.”

T-shirts, hats and other collectible items previously only available in-store may now be purchased at The Shop online. Guests are able to select from a variety of items and have them delivered right to their door. Fans can browse the store by visiting www.TheGlen.com and clicking “Merch” on the top navigation bar.

Located in the Finger Lake Region of New York, Watkins Glen International is the premier road racing facility in the United States. Tickets for all 2013 events at The Glen are available now. Fans that purchase tickets during the advance sales period have the chance to save over those that purchase during event time. Gift certificates, licensed merchandise, Thunder Road Tours and tickets are available for purchase at The Shop, located in downtown Watkins Glen at 2 North Franklin Street and online at www.TheGlen.com. The Shop is open Monday-Friday 10 a.m. -4 p.m.

WGI PR

With the ever-changing world of communication through technology, Darlington Raceway is giving its race fans more convenient and enhanced ways to obtain information about the trackToo Tough To Tame with the launch of its new mobile app and redesigned DarlingtonRaceway.com website.

The free mobile app, available for both iOS and Android users, will give fans the most up-to-date information on the track, which includes news, maps, social media, event information and more.

“Our mobile app is just another way we can communicate with our fans in a timely manner,” Darlington president Chris Browning said. “We understand the ever-growing usage of smart phones with our fans and this is another way to update them with what’s going on with our track year-round.”

Visit the iTunes App Store or Google Play to download the free app today using keyword search “Darlington Raceway” or by clicking on the links below via your Sprint Smartphone or other mobile device.

iTunes:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/darlington-raceway/id598293092?mt=8

Google Play:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.avai.amp.iscdarlington&feature=nav_result

The new and improved DarlingtonRaceway.com will offer a more streamlined format that is easier to navigate and also feature Facebook and Twitter RSS feeds, showing the most up to date posts from the track. The improved homepage also give fans a new design that provides better ways to purchase tickets and find content about the track.

“We’re thrilled about our redesigned website. It provides better functionality and easier ways for fans to purchase tickets and access information,” Browning said. “We’ve found over the years that fans want a simple and easy way to navigate throughout our website and our redesign provides that for them.”

Darlington Raceway PR

After a lot of building and a lot of testing, Josh Wise says it's time to go racing. And Front Row Motorsports is ready for it. The driver of the No. 35 MDS Transport Ford says this weekend's race at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway will finally give the team a feel of what many 2013 Sprint Cup Series tracks will be like because the 1.5-mile Vegas oval is one of numerous intermediate tracks the series visits.

The team built its own Gen-6 cars in the off-season, unlike most other smaller teams that get their cars from bigger operations. After testing in Charlotte in January, Wise and his teammates are eager to drive those cars on the first intermediate track on the race schedule.

Wise has one Sprint Cup start at Vegas under his belt and has three starts at the track in the Nationwide Series.

Race fans will get to meet Wise and his Front Row Motorsports teammates in Las Vegas on Saturday. The trio will sign autographs at the Riviera Hotel & Casino from 7 to 8 p.m. local time.

Comments from MDS Transport team driver Josh Wise heading to Las Vegas:

"I think our team as a whole, just in the last year since I've been at Front Row Motorsports, has done a good job building race cars. And I think we showcased that at Daytona. And we tested at Charlotte in January and we learned a lot there as well. So we're excited to get in a position where we can start applying this stuff and just go racing. It's that time of year where everyone's just excited to get going.

"Vegas is really cool. We've had a lot of repaves in the last couple years, and Vegas just has a lot of character. I don't know how many years it's been since its last repave, but it's not smooth by any means, which is cool for us as drivers. You've got some pretty good bumps that you've got to miss into Turn 1 and the track widens out and gets racy. I look forward to going to places like that. And of course, Las Vegas is one of those places that's close to home (Riverside, Calif.), so it's always good to race in your own neck of the woods."

FRM PR

Most people like a nice smooth road when they're behind the wheel. But when it comes to Sprint Cup race tracks, sometimes bumpier is better. David Gilliland, for one, looks forward to the unique surface characteristics of Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway, where the Cup Series will race its third points event of the season this weekend.

The No. 38 team will race the Long John Silver's paint scheme for the second consecutive week. Gilliland is eager to make the first intermediate-track race a solid one, after falling victim to accidents during the first two races on the schedule.

The California native has been racing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway since he was a 21-year-old K&N Pro Series West driver. Sunday's Kobalt Tools 400 will be Gilliland's seventh Cup career start at the 1.5-mile oval. His best finish is 14^th (2009).

Fans of Gilliland and his Front Row Motorsports teammates will have the opportunity to meet them in Las Vegas on Saturday. The trio will sign autographs at the Riviera Hotel & Casino from 7 to 8 p.m. local time.

Comments from Long John Silver's team driver David Gilliland heading to Las Vegas:

"The Charlotte test should help us at Las Vegas. We learned some interesting things that they've gone back to the wind tunnel and backed up. So, we've got some good information as a team. Personally, I'm excited to drive the new car on a mile-and-a-half track. Everyone says the cars drive really well and are more fun to drive than last year's car, so I'm looking forward to it.

"Las Vegas has its own unique characteristics. I think getting into Turn 1, there are some bumps that you've got to tune your car around. It puts more in the hands of the individual teams and drivers to make it work. It's unique, it's fast and it's always a lot of fun.

"I'm not much of a gambler but the Vegas weekend will still be fun personally. My wife and family are coming and also some extended family and we're renting a house out there. The west coast races are really our home-away-from-home races with all the family and friend we still have out there, so I always look forward to this part of the season when we spend a lot of time out on that side of the country."

FRM PR

Racing at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway can present a lot of variables with the unique track surface and the unpredictable springtime weather. But David Ragan is actually looking for predictability and stability in this week's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. The driver of the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports got caught up in "wrong place, wrong time" accidents in the series' first two races of the year, so he's looking for a day of no surprises in Sunday's Kobalt Tools 400.

The weekend will produce some uncertainty, however, with the event marking the first time the new Gen-6 car races on a mile-and-a-half track. To help alleviate some of that uncertainty, the team will participate in an open test at the track Thursday before race practice officially begins Friday.

Fans of Ragan and his Front Row Motorsports teammates will have the opportunity to meet them in Las Vegas on Saturday. The trio will sign autographs at the Riviera Hotel & Casino from 7 to 8 p.m. local time.

Ragan has six Cup career starts at Las Vegas with a top finish of seventh (2008).

Comments from Front Row Motorsports team driver David Ragan heading to Las Vegas:

"We learned a lot at the Charlotte test, like that the Gen-6 cars have a little bit more speed and a little more downforce. A lot of it depends on what kind of tires that Goodyear brings. But the Vegas track is a really fast track and a 400-mile race, so it's kind of a fast-paced race and it's always one of my favorite weekends of the year. Hopefully we can take some of the things that we learned at the Charlotte test and try it out on the open test date on the Thursday prior to the Vegas race. And we'll see the telltale signs of who's got the cars figured out, who's better than others and what we have to work on.

"Vegas is a track that has some cold winters but really, really hot summers, so it ages a little different than other places. It gets very windy at times, too. And in the spring, you can have a really hot day followed by a really cold day. So you never know what you're going to get. But it's definitely one of the fun stops. It's always a packed house with a lot of great race fans.

"The race track facility is one of the nicest we go to, and it's just a few miles down from the Las Vegas strip. We all enjoy that, doing a lot of people-watching. I'm not a huge gambler. I'll play a little bit, just for entertainment. But we enjoy finding some good spots to go eat some good meals; there's a lot of good restaurants in Vegas. So we have fun, but not so much fun that it hurts us on Sunday."

FRM PR

Since 1998, ESPN The Magazine has issued a special edition of its publication called “Next.” The special issue has become an annual event that recognizes an elite group of emerging athletes sports fans should keep an eye on as they are competitors on the verge of stardom, and in the unique position of possibly transcending sports into pop culture.

As a veteran driver on the NASCAR circuit, Elliott Sadler has already proven himself as a championship contender and star competitor in the Nationwide Series. During his 16-year NASCAR career, Sadler has won races and contended for championships in both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series. His career Nationwide record includes nine wins, 46 top-fives, 86 top-10s and 15 pole awards. And since returning to the series as a full-time competitor in 2011, the Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) driver has finished a close second in the Nationwide Series championship battle the last two seasons.

With such a decorated career, the opportunity for first-time or new experiences are hard to come by. This weekend however, Sadler will be able to do just that as he’ll become the “next” driver to join the Interstate Batteries Racing family of drivers.

Interstate Batteries and JGR enjoy a partnership that stretches back more than 20 years to 1992, JGR’s first full NASCAR season. And when Sadler takes to the track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for Saturday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series Sam’s Town 300, he will become just the seventh driver to drive an Interstate Batteries-sponsored car, joining the likes of NASCAR champions Dale Jarrett and Bobby Labonte, as well as Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Mark Martin and J.J. Yeley.

It’s a unique fraternity into which Sadler will pledge this weekend, made even more special considering his long relationship with the pioneer of that group – Dale Jarrett.

Jarrett was the first among a string of JGR drivers to sport the Interstate Batteries Racing logo. During his tenure behind the wheel of the Interstate Batteries car Jarrett recorded one of NASCAR’s most memorable moments when he won the 1993 Daytona 500. While holding off one of the greatest competitors in the late Dale Earnhardt to become a Daytona 500 champion, Jarrett made the last circuit around the track while his father, Hall of Famer Ned Jarrett, made the call of the last lap as part of CBS’ broadcast of the race. It was a poignant moment for the father and son that transcended the world of auto racing and made a lasting impression on a new generation of NASCAR drivers – including Sadler.

Ten years after that historic moment, Jarrett would take Sadler under his wing as a teammate at Robert Yates Racing. The two raced and worked together during the course of four seasons from 2003 to 2006, becoming close friends – a natural occurrence given everything the two drivers have in common. Both are natives of the South and come from families with racing history. They each were standout high school athletes who had the opportunity to compete collegiately on scholarship – Jarrett in golf and Sadler in basketball. They share a love of traditional stick-and-ball sports, particularly when it comes to college basketball and the North Carolina Tar Heels.

The commonality that Sadler and Jarrett share is lengthy, and it expands this weekend as they will now share the honor of having driven for the respected Interstate Batteries brand. And while it’s very early in the 2013 season, Sadler hopes the “next” thing he and Jarrett shares is the title of NASCAR champion.

TSC PR

Richard Petty Motorsports announced today that Reed Sorenson will fill in for NASCAR Nationwide Series team driver Michael Annett, who was injured in a crash at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and had to undergo surgery for a fractured and dislocated sternum.

Sorenson will race the No. 43 Pilot Flying J Ford beginning this week at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway and remain the driver until Annett is healed and cleared by NASCAR officials to race. Sorenson made his Nationwide Series debut in 2004 and has collected four wins, 38 top-five and 85 top-10 finishes.

"It's an unfortunate situation for the team and Michael," said Sorenson. "I have been to the hospital to see him, and he will be fine, but it's going to take some time to heal. As a friend for a long time, my initial reaction was concern. I'm glad that he's recovering now."

"It was very unexpected to get the opportunity to step in," continued Sorenson. "The best part is that my friend, Michael, will be cheering for me and the whole 43 Pilot Flying J team. I talked to him about it, and he really wants to see me do well. This is a big deal for me, and I am going to make the most of it."

The No. 43 Pilot Flying J Ford team finished fifth in last year's point standings and now looks to continue their hunt for the Nationwide Owner's Championship. In addition the team wants to be prepared for when Annett is ready to return.

"It's an unfortunate situation to have to deal with," said Director of Competition Sammy Johns. "We had a lot of momentum from last year and we want to make sure we don't lose that and give Michael the best situation possible when he returns."

RPM PR