As part of its ongoing commitment to top-line fan engagement, Roush Fenway Racing (RFR) will host its annual Spring Fan Day on Thursday, May 23^rd at its World Headquarters in Concord, N.C.

The event leads into one of the most exciting racing weekends of the year, and fans attending will have the opportunity to meet all of the RFR drivers, as well as interact with RFR partner displays, grab a bite to eat and receive free samples.

Sirius XM NASCAR Radio will broadcast live from the event and drivers, fans and partners will take part in an ‘all day’ Google+ Hangout live from RFR’s award-winning social channel. In addition fans can take part in unique interactive social media activities, including scavenger hunts to win RFR prizes.

Fans looking to take part in the autograph sessions should arrive at 8:00 a.m. to pick up tickets. Autograph sessions will begin at 10:00 a.m. with team owner Jack Roush, Greg Biffle, Trevor Bayne, Travis Pastrana and Chris Buescher.

Two-time Nationwide Series Champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will sign autographs at 11:30 a.m., followed by fan favorite Carl Edwards at 12:00 noon.

Several RFR partner displays will be on site and fans will have the chance to check out RFR race cars, interact with Miss Sprint Cup and take part in an epic mascot challenge featuring Lugnut (Charlotte Motor Speedway), Tony The Tiger (Kellogg’s), Rameses (University of North Carolina), Tim E. Gator (Kannapolis Intimidators), Bump and Run (Bristol) and the 3M Pit Bull.

RFR corporate headquarters is located at 4600 Roush Place in Concord, N.C.

The Roush Fenway Spring Fan Day runs from 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Fans who stop by can take advantage of extended gift shop hours throughout Charlotte race weekends.

For more information visit:www.roushfenway.com

RFR PR

Each season before the summer stretch of the schedule begins, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series returns "home" to Charlotte Motor Speedway for two weeks. The leadoff event is the Sprint Showdown, providing two additional drivers the opportunity to compete in the Sprint All-Star Race. Casey Mears and the GEICO Racing team not only looked to transfer to the big show, but also to build their data notebook before next week's points race, The Coca-Cola 600.

Prior to qualifying on Friday afternoon, the Germain Racing team made a substantial amount of changes to the No. 13 GEICO Ford. Those tweaks proved to be the right call as Mears placed his Fusion in the fifth starting position for Saturday night's 40-lap event.

A brief rain shower delayed the start of the Sprint Showdown on Saturday, but once the track dried, Mears was ready to charge to the front of the field in the two 20-lap segments. During the first segment, Mears quickly reported the GEICO Ford was hitting the racetrack very hard, making it difficult to carry momentum into turn one. Despite this condition, Mears successfully ran in the sixth position. A caution-free opening segment provided a competition yellow at lap 20 to allow teams the opportunity to make adjustments on pit road.

After a quick discussion, Mears and crew chief Bootie Barker made the decision to forego visiting pit lane and gain track position at the start of the final 20-lap shootout. Leading the field to the green flag, fresh rubber quickly prevailed as Mears was shuffled back to 10th-place by lap 30. Over the final 10 laps, the veteran driver held his position to bring home a top-10 finish. While the end result was not what the team had hoped for, the GEICO Racing crew was able to gain crucial information leading into next week's prestigious event.

"We made a substantial change before qualifying with it being an impound race," said Mears after the Sprint Showdown. "It worked out well for qualifying, but it was hitting the track way too hard. The splitter was hitting the track so hard that I couldn’t even get into turn one. We knew we would like to come in and put on fresh rubber, but we knew we were gonna hit the track and not have a chance, so we figured we’d do all we could and that was to start up front and give it a shot. We knew if we came in and took tires we’d finish where we were or worse because it was hitting the ground so hard, and we just figured with high air pressures maybe we could smoke off a few laps and kind of hang in there, but, obviously, it fell off pretty bad. I wish we could have raced because I feel like we’ve got a good racecar. We were one change away from being pretty close and that gives us good direction for the 600, but I really wanted to go down swinging there and, instead, we were just hanging on."

PMI PR

NTS Motorsports Rookie Brennan Newberry went into Friday night’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) race at Charlotte Motor Speedway with great confidence and came out with his career-best finish in the NCWTS with an 18th-place finish, as well as some great experience racing in the top 10.

As the sun went down Friday night, Newberry would roll off the grid with his Qore-24 truck in the 15th position.

The first caution came on lap 17 and Newberry radioed to the team that he was really tight on the first green-flag run. Crew chief Eddie Pardue called him down pit road for four tires and fuel. Newberry would restart in the same position as his truck number, 24.

After a quick caution where Newberry stayed out, he began to find his groove with help from spotter Rick Carelli.

The trucks raced for 40 laps before the next caution. Newberry explained to the crew he was too tight and the guys behind him were catching him. Pardue brought Newberry down pit road for four tires and a full tank of fuel for the Qore-24 truck. When they went back green, Newberry would be racing the No. 5 truck for the lucky dog position. He was able to gain that position and as the caution came out on lap 84, he returned to the lead lap after another set of four tires and topping off with fuel. Newberry restarted from the 17th position. Just as Newberry was racing through the field and gaining positions, teammate Ron Hornaday blew a tire and was hit in the rear-end by a competitor causing another caution.

The Qore-24 ambassador would gain great track experience running in the top 10 for 20 laps in the closing laps of the race. Unfortunately, Newberry was unable to avoid damage to his No. 24 truck after two competitors collided in front of him to bring out the caution on lap 123. After examining the truck, the team realized it had only slight damage. Newberry would restart 16th with eight laps to go and after dropping a few spots before the checkered flag, he earned his best finish of the season and his career with an 18th-place finish.

Newberry Knowledge:

“That was so much fun; I can’t get over how much fun it is to race up there in the top 10. Eddie (Pardue, crew chief) and the Qore-24 crew gave me a great truck and we were hauling it. Not quite the finish I wanted, but it was such a cool night of racing where I was able to get up on the wheel and drive.”

NTS Motorsports PR

Veteran Ron Hornaday’s night ended early after a blown tire and late-race incident ended his hopes for a top-10 finish in the N.C. Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

During sunny skies early Friday afternoon, Hornaday took to the track for qualifying where he would lay down a lap of 30.318 to give him a top-25 starting position.

Under the Friday night lights at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Hornaday took the green flag from the 22nd position and quickly gained spots in the first few laps. In only three laps, the four-time Champion was up to the 15th position. As the first caution came out on lap 17, Hornaday told his crew he was having handling issues. Crew chief Bruce Cook felt it was too early in the race for tires, so he called Hornaday down pit road for fuel only.

When the field returned to green, it was a mix of old tires, two new tires or a set of four new tires. The guys with fresher tires began passing Hornaday as Cook told him he was doing a good job and they would get him fixed up on the next stop.

The caution flew again on lap 73 giving Cook the chance to bring his NTS Motorsports driver down pit road. The No. 9 crew made a great stop gaining two spots while they changed four tires, filled it with fuel, made a trackbar adjustment and pulled tape from the grill. Hornaday restarted from the 13th position.

As the caution flew on lap 84, the driver of the No. 9 requested a little more of the last adjustments and Hornaday returned to pit road for four fresh tires, fuel and adjustments. The veteran restarted 14th and set sail racing three wide with eventual winner Kyle Busch.

A few laps later, Hornaday called to the crew that he had a flat tire and before he could get to pit road he was hit in the rear-end by a competitor to bring out the fifth caution. The No. 9 crew went to work on pit road to fix the damage. Hornaday returned to the track five laps down, but felt the truck still was not tracking right. Cook told him to take it to the garage where the NTS Motorsports crew met him to survey and repair the damage the best they could. Hornaday would return to the track and complete a few more laps before calling it a night and finishing in the 30th position.

Hornaday Hype:

“I can’t say enough about Bruce Cook and my NTS Motorsports crew. We had just found something really good and were headed to the front when I had a tire go down. They did everything they could to fix the damage and get me back out there to gain Championship points. It just wasn’t our day here at Charlotte. We’ll take the week off and head to Dover.”

NTS Motorsports PR

Ken Schrader won the Menards 200 presented by Federated Car Care Sundayafternoon at Toledo Speedway, making him the oldest winner in ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards history.

Schrader started second in his Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet and led 163 laps. The NASCAR veteran took command of the lead early in the race and held off a long side-by-side battle with Grant Enfinger and took the checkered flag while waving to a capacity crowd.

Mason Mingus, who entered the race second in points, placed second with Frank Kimmel third, Justin Boston fourth and Matt Tifft fifth.

"I love it," Schrader said in Victory Lane. "That's five (at Toledo). We'll take it. But, now, it means nothing because we have to go to Elko."

Schrader's Federated Car Care team celebrated in victory lane. It was his fifth win at Toledo Speedway and 16th all-time ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards win.

After Enfinger's car slowed, Schrader had a huge lead as Mingus was his closest competitor, but was a good distance away.

"We were just making laps at that point," Schrader said. "We knew we had a big lead. We just had to keep it out front."

Mingus, in the Win Tron Racing Diamond Equipment-811 Call Before You Dig Chevrolet, stayed up front all race but couldn't get close enough to Schrader at the end.

"We're pretty excited with second," Mingus said. "I think we were close. We needed a caution there at the end to bunch up the field a little bit.

"But, I'm really happy with second. We gained 10 points on Kimmel. We're getting closer."

Kimmel, in ThorSport's Ansell-Menards Toyota, spun in turn four on lap 85 and had to pit, but fought back for a third-place finish. He leads the point race heading into the next ARCA Racing Series event at Elko Speedway June 1.

"We kept battling all day," Kimmel said. "To finish third, we're good with that."

Several ARCA Racing Series SCOTT Rookie Challenge competitors turned in great efforts. Mingus was the SCOTT Rookie Challenge winner for the second race in a row. Justin Boston, in the ZLOOP Computer and Electronics Recycling Toyota, was right behind Kimmel and Matt Tifft fifth and Austin Wayne Self sixth. Tifft and Self were making their ARCA Racing Series debuts.

Mason Mitchell placed seventh in the Happy Cheeks-BeavEx-Roulo Brothers Ford; Williams came home eighth in his Southwest Florida Cable Construction Ford while Kelly Kovski, driving for Allgaier Motorsports, and Cunningham Motorsports driver Tom Hessert rounded out the top 10 in his Barbera's Autoland Dodge.

Enfinger's long side by side battle with Schrader kept fans on the edge of their seats for several laps. Smoke was continually coming out of his Hewes Concrete Polishing-Motor Honey-Casite Ford, especially the last laps before his tire went flat.

"I think we had some issues with it from Salem," he said. "It was a really good car, though. It was good all weekend. I think I kind of over drove it a little bit because of that and, eventually, we blew the right front."

Pole sitter Kyle Benjamin led the first 21 laps before Schrader got under him while the two were battling lapped traffic. On lap 44, Benjamin's car slowed and went off the pace and pitted for problems.

The race will be re-broadcast on SPEED at noon Monday.

About ARCA

The Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) is among the leading auto racing sanctioning bodies in the country. Founded in 1953 by John and Mildred Marcum, the organization administers more than 100 events each year in multiple racing series, including the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, the ARCA/CRA Super Series, the ARCA Truck Series and the ARCA Midwest Tour, plus weekly racing at Toledo and Flat Rock Speedways.   

Toledo, Ohio (AP) _ The official finish for Sunday's Menards 200 at Toledo Speedway with starting position in parenthesis, driver, hometown, type of car, laps completed, and reason out of race, if any:

1. (2) Ken Schrader, Fenton, Mo., Chevrolet, 200; 2. (3) Mason Mingus, Brentwood, Tenn., Chevrolet, 200; 3. (4) Frank Kimmel, Clarksville, Ind., Toyota, 200; 4. (11) Justin Boston, Baltimore, Md., Toyota, 200; 5. (7) Matt Tifft, Hinckley, Ohio, Chevrolet, 200; 6. (10) Austin Wayne Self, Austin, Texas, Dodge, 200; 7. (6) Mason Mitchell, W. Des Moines, Iowa, Ford, 200; 8. (12) Josh Williams, Port Charlotte, Fla., Ford, 199; 9. (26) Kelly Kovski, Springfield, Ill., Dodge, 199; 10. (5) Tom Hessert, Cherry Hill, N.J., Dodge, 199; 11. (19) Brian Finney, Merritt Island, Fla., Chevrolet, 199; 12. (14) Kyle Weatherman, Wentzville, Mo., Dodge, 199; 13. (25) Milka Duno, Caracas, Venezuela, Chevrolet, 198; 14. (17) Blake Hillard, Owensboro, Ky., Chevrolet, 198; 15. (8) Grant Enfinger, Fairhope, Ala., Ford, 198; 16. (18) Bobby Gerhart, Lebanon, Pa., Chevrolet, 194; 17. (22) Roger Carter, Sunfield, Mich., Dodge, 193; 18. (24) Thomas Praytor, Mobile, Ala., Chevrolet, 192; 19. (27) Darrell Basham, Henryville, Ind., Chevrolet, 191; 20. (9) Taylor Ferns, Shelby Township, Mich., Toyota, 165; 21. (20) Jake Francis, Painesville, Ohio, Chevrolet, 121, clutch; 22. (13) Charles Evans, Jr., Pasadena, Texas, Ford, 93, handling; 23. (1) Kyle Benjamin, Easley, S.C., Chevrolet, 67, gear; 24. (28) Chris Bailey, Jr., South Park, Pa., Ford, 66, carburetor; 25. (21) Korbin Forrister, Cedar Town, Ga., Ford, 64, rear end; 26. (16) Spencer Gallagher, Las Vegas, Nev., Chevrolet, 52, accident; 27. (15) Cody Lane, Port Richey, Fla., Dodge, 19, rear end; 28. (29) James Hylton, Inman, S.C., Ford, 17, handling; 29. (30) Will Kimmel, Sellersburg, Ind., Ford, 2, handling; 30. (32) James Swanson, Clarksboro, N.J., Chevrolet, 2, handling; 31. (31) Dennis Strickland, Carleton, Mich., Ford, 1, handling.

Time of race: 1 hour, 19 minutes, 27 seconds; Margin of victory: 4.779 seconds; Lap leaders: Benjamin 1-22, Schrader 23-47, Enfinger 48-59, Schrader 60-126, Williams 127-129, Schrader 130-200. 

ARCA Racing PR

At the end of the night, the truck that Scott Riggs pulled on pit road at Charlotte Motor Speedway did not look like one that was a last-lap pass away from a top-ten finish.

Riggs overcame a bruised and battered BTS Tire and Wheel Distributors/Goodyear FleetHQ/QMI/Davis Tire Chevrolet for an 11th place finish in the North Carolina Education Lottery 200. Justin Lofton passed Riggs off of turn tour on last lap to deny the Bahama, N.C. driver of his first top 10 since Martinsville last fall.

"I hate we got passed there at the end," said Riggs, who started 24th, "but after the night we had, I'll take it. We took some speed out of the truck after practice and it hurt us in qualifying, but it made us better during the race.

"The guys did a heck of a job all race. We got behind after the first pit stop but (crew chief) Mike (Hester) called a great race and got us some track position in the mid part of the race. With the damage, the truck just got too tight at the end."

On a restart on lap 88, Brad Keselowski came across the nose of Riggs' Chevrolet severely damaging the truck's left front fender. Riggs was running third at the time.

"(Spotter) Keith (Barnwell) warned me that Keselowski was going to do exactly what he did," said Riggs. "I went down to break his momentum but he just kept going lower down the frontstretch. They had much fresher tires than we did. When we got into turn one, he came right across our nose."

Fortunately for Riggs, another caution came out on lap 95 when Jake Crum and Ron Hornaday, Jr got together in turn four.

"The guys did a great job getting the hole plugged up and getting us back out there without losing a lap," said Riggs.

"Scott drove a heck of a race," said Hester. "It would have been easy to give up after getting the damage on that restart, but he stayed with it and the guys gave us some good stops and we got a good finish out of it."

RBR PR