Speedway Children’s Charities Teams With The NASCAR Foundation And Motorsports Charities To Offer Fans The Ride Of A Lifetime

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Feb. 20, 2010) – The NASCAR Foundation has teamed up with Speedway Children’s Charities and several other motorsports charities to offer fans the experience of a lifetime by taking a lap around the track with their favorite NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver and help support children’s organizations across the country through the “Ride of A Lifetime” charity auctions.

Lucky race fans will have the chance to ride in the pre-race parade lap with their favorite driver at several race tracks prior to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races throughout the 2010 season. The pre-race parade lap rides with select drivers will be available through both online and live auctions throughout the season at 10 race tracks based on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season schedule including Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Infineon Raceway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Speedway Children’s Charities has partnered with The NASCAR Foundation, the official host of charity auctions on NASCAR.COM, to run the online auctions for rides at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Infineon Raceway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway, while live driver auctions will be held in Las Vegas and at both races at Texas Motor Speedway.

The Ride of A Lifetime program launched this week with bidding on the first event at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 7. Fans can bid on the chance to ride with a number of drivers including Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards, Jeff Gordon, Robby Gordon, Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, Bobby Labonte, Joey Logano, Mark Martin, Jamie McMurray, Ryan Newman, David Ragan, David Reutimann, Scott Speed, Tony Stewart, Martin Truex Jr., and Brian Vickers. Rides start at $500.

All of the proceeds from the Ride of A Lifetime program will benefit numerous children’s organizations across the country through The NASCAR Foundation and Speedway Children’s Charities.

For more information, a list of auction dates and locations, or to bid on a ride with your favorite driver, please visit www.sccrideofalifetime.com or www.nascar.com/foundation.


Source

Ratings slide tied to motorsports' move

For the first time in 34 years, the Daytona 500 wasn't on the FM dial in Charlotte last weekend.

Motorsports are moving this year from WSOC-FM (103.7), their home since 1976, to sports station WFNZ-AM ("Fan" 610).

Charlotte, the heartland of NASCAR, without a strong FM signal for the races?

It's another sign of the fast-changing media landscape, particularly regarding sports programming.

While motorsports have dedicated fans, the ratings have been dipping in radio along with a three-year slide for TV. This year's Daytona 500 TV ratings were off about 15 percent from last year, though there were two long viewer-bleeding delays while the track was repaired.

And a new challenge for radio is the personal people meter, which will be introduced in Charlotte this year. Racing is one of those formats that doesn't do as well under the new measuring devices.

"It was a business decision" to move the races to AM, says D.J. Stout, WFNZ's operations manager, one he says he's thrilled with. His station has added Tar Heels sports and the Bobcats broadcasts, and he says NASCAR belongs there, too.

"I just wish the race didn't have a two-hour delay because of potholes," he says.

"It's a sports station," says Bill Schoening, market manager for CBS Radio's Charlotte stations, which include both WSOC-FM and WFNZ-AM. "It'll allow a further connection between the talk shows and the broadcasts."

David Hyatt, president of Concord-based Motor Racing Network, says he was surprised by the switch "with the racing industry based here."

Most of MRN's affiliates are FM stations, with about 450 stations carrying Sunday cup races during the season.

Nationally, there have been concerns at some stations about what the new personal people meters will mean for race ratings, but he says he thinks with proper promotion motorsports will continue to thrive on radio.

Cheryl Knight, director of affiliates for MRN, says WSOC-FM was the No. 1 station in Charlotte on Sunday afternoons during racing, according to Arbitron figures.

MRN has talked to other Charlotte stations about picking up the coverage, but no one was prepared this season. "My biggest hope is that WSOC will come around and put the cup races back on the FM," Knight said. "We'd like to continue the relationship for years to come."

Racing won't entirely disappear from WSOC-FM. May and October races at Charlotte Motor Speedway will still be carried on the station. Race fans on the northern end of the city can also get racing from WTQR-FM (104.1) out of Greensboro.

Station still on standby

Technical problems are delaying the debut of WZGV-AM ("The Groove" 730).

Lanny Ford, general manager of the station that will feature classic hits of the late '60s to early '80s, had hoped to have WZGV on the air in early February. Now it looks like it will be early March.

"Weather messed us up some with construction delays," said Ford. Now tests on the transmitter in Belmont are being conducted. Ford says he's just awaiting FCC approval to launch.

Media movers

News 14 Carolina anchor Heather Childers has left the Time Warner Cable channel after eight years. That leaves chief meteorologist Jeff Crum and sports director Mike Solarte as the last of the original on-camera workers at News 14 there since for the station's launch in 2002. ...

Natalie Pasquarella moves up from the WSOC (Channel 9) morning newscast to 10 p.m. anchor on sister station WAXN (Channel 64) and will also co-anchor Channel 9's "Eyewitness News at 5:30 p.m." with Blair Miller beginning at the end of March. "They told me they thought I was a great fit for the shows, and I think I said 'yes' immediately ... I thought, wow, I get to sleep in until 8 in the morning now," says Pasquarella, who was anchor in her native Steubenville, Ohio, before moving to Channel 9 in 2008 ...

Replacing Pasquarella on the morning and midday news will be Robyn McGlohn, formerly morning anchor at the NBC affiliate in Huntsville, Ala. ... Former Channel 9 anchor Kim Brattain will travel to Haiti next month with the Charlotte-based charitable group A Hand Up for Haiti. A medical team will spend a week in the countryside, and Brattain will send video blogs and develop a documentary ...

Bonita "Bo" Griffin, the S.C. native best remembered locally as a host of "Blue Ribbon" on the old Turner South network, died of intestinal cancer at age 51 ... From the Facebook site "Friends and Fans of Jon Robinson," where news of the former TV anchor's struggle against drug addiction is posted: "We feel we have a responsibility to report that Jon left the 'Refuge' treatment program in Ohio over the weekend. He apparently went on a binge but has checked himself in to the detox center in Mecklenburg County and promises to get into another treatment program. Anyone who knows about addiction treatment knows it often takes several tries to stick." ... That was Monroe's Jason Looney playing a bell clerk in this week's episode of the CW's "One Tree Hill."

Source

Honda 2010 Motorsports Overview

TOKYO, – February 19, 2010 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – In its motorsports activities, the symbol of Honda’s challenging spirit, the company has aimed for the world’s top level from the days of its founding and taken on challenges in a variety of racing categories. Last year marked Honda’s 50th anniversary of first racing at the Isle of Man TT, in the Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix (WGP). With the know-how and challenging spirit cultivated in its motorsports activities, Honda will develop activities to meet more customers’ expectations. The company will bring joy to customers in each racing category and share with them the dreams and excitement generated by these activities.

1. Motorsports Strategy

- Motorcycle activities

In the MotoGP, the premier class of the Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix (WGP), the Repsol Honda factory team will compete with two riders: Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso, while the satellite team will enter three teams with four riders. Their machine, the RC212V has been matured to develop a more highly competitive model. Through improvement of both team structure and machines, Honda will take on the challenge of winning all three championship titles, capturing the rider’s title as well as the team and constructor’s.

The Moto2 class has been established as a new WGP racing category this season. Honda will participate in this category as the sole official engine supplier. Honda will supply all teams with engines developed exclusively for the Moto2 class but derived from the in-line 4-cylinder engine of Honda’s commercially sold, supersports model CBR600RR.

Repsol Montesa Honda will compete in the World Trial Championship Series (WCT), entering two Honda riders in this class: Toni Bou, who puts up an impressive set of skills, and Takahisa Fujinami, a veteran Japanese rider. Honda aims to capture both the rider’s and manufacturer’s titles as it did last season.

Honda will carry out a wide range of racing activities that include Suzuka 8hours Endurance Road Race, all categories of the All-Japan Championship Series, and international championships, and compete in each race aiming for the highest height.

- Automobile activities

In North America, Honda began its participation in open wheel racing in 2003 and has been the sole engine supplier to the IRL(R) IndyCar(R) Series since 2006. Once again this year, Honda will provide all teams with a V8 HI10R engine running on 100% ethanol fuel. Japanese drivers show full participation in the IRL(R), including Hideki Mutoh racing for Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing and Takuma Sato, who was active in Formula One, racing for the KV Racing Technology team this season.

For racing activities within Japan, Honda will compete in the Super GT Series with a newly developed HSV-010 GT, entering five teams and five race cars. As part of the Honda GT Project, this new machine was developed under the leadership of Honda R&D Co., Ltd. with the collaboration of M-TEC Co., Ltd. and Dome Co., Ltd. With this machine in hand, Honda is shooting for a title win in this machine’s debut.

In Formula Nippon, where Honda won the dual titles of driver and team championship last season, Honda will enter three teams and equip five cars with the 3.4-liter V-8 HR10E engine.
With the objective of developing drivers who can claim the podium at top-level races both inside and outside of Japan, Honda will actively strive to develop young racers through the Honda Formula Dream Project (HFDP). Honda will promote the cultivation of new talent through the Suzuka Circuit Racing School Kart (SRS-K) and Suzuka Circuit Racing School Formula (SRS-F) racing schools in addition to Formula Challenge Japan (FCJ), the Japanese Formula 3 Championship and Formula Nippon.

2. Expanding the Popularity of Motorsports

Mobilityland Corporation will continue to host racing events and actively create venues and opportunities for people to watch, participate in, and enjoy racing, contributing to the further growth of motorsports culture in Japan.

Mobilityland will be hosting the Grand Prix of Japan, Round 2 of the Road Racing World Championship; the Grand Prix of Japan, Round 3 of the World Trial Championship Series at Twin Ring Motegi; and the Japanese Grand Prix, Round 16 of the 2010 Formula One World Championship at Suzuka International Racing Course. Through these races, the company provides fans with opportunities to watch and feel a variety of Japanese and international motorsports events including these premier two- and four-wheel races.

To provide Honda vehicle owners with opportunities to watch, participate, and enjoy, the Enjoy Honda program will be held again this year and is scheduled for Suzuka Circuit on April 17-18 (Sat.-Sun.) at the same time as the Suzuka 2&4 Race and for Twin Ring Motegi on August 7-8 (Sat.-Sun.) during Formula Nippon Round 4.

The Honda Exciting Cup One-Make Race – Civic Series will also continue this year, with events held in a variety of areas where customers can participate and enjoy.

To read the full Honda release with the complete “Overview of Motorcycle Racing Strategy” and “Overview of Automobile Racing Strategy”, please go to http://world.honda.com/news/2010/c100219Motorsports-Overview/.
About Honda

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (TSE:7267/NYSE:HMC/LSE:HNDA.L) is one of the leading manufacturers of automobiles and power products and the largest manufacture of motorcycles in the world. Honda has always sought to provide genuine satisfaction to people worldwide. The result is more than 120 manufacturing facilities in 30 countries worldwide, producing a wide range of products, including motorcycles, ATVs, generators, marine engines, lawn and garden equipment and automobiles that bring the company into contact with over 19 million customers annually. For more information, please visit http://world.honda.com .


Source

Michelle Smith, first female to win championship at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park, dies

Michelle Smith’s intensity was always what impressed veteran drag racer Louie Hall the most.

“Sweet as sugar, tough as nails,” said Hall, of Portage. “That’s what she had written on the back of her Camaro.”

Mrs. Smith of Belmont died Thursday of liver cancer.

Mrs. Smith, who was the first female to win a track championship at the U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, was 46.

Mrs. Smith was a veteran Martin competitor, and she won the track’s Street Tire championship in 2004 and 2005. Mrs. Smith never backed down from the boys -- not even her husband. In fact, Mrs. Smith edged out her husband, Daniel Smith, to capture her first title. Daniel also is a Martin veteran.

“She was a quite a gal and a great racer,” said U.S. 131 Motorsports Park spokesperson Stephanie Peterson.

“I remember when we had our second lady’s race, Michelle Smith was the first one in the lane, and there was no one in the other lane because no one wanted to race her. They were hanging back.

“Her and husband are here every Saturday bracket racing. She will be greatly missed.”

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Michelle Smith Memorial Fund.

Visitation is scheduled 7-9 p.m. Sunday and 2-4 p.m. and 7:30-9 p.m. Monday at the Pederson Funeral Home, 127 North Monroe Street, Rockford. A reading of the rosary is 7 p.m. Monday.

The funeral is 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Assumption Catholic Church, 6369 Belmont Ave. NE, Belmont.


Source

GENE PRICE MOTORSPORTS LATE MODEL RIVER SERIES HIGHLIGHTS HAVASU 95 ACTION THIS SATURDAY

The Havasu 95 Speedway will present its fans with another full evening of ASA sanctioned racing this Saturday night highlighted by an appearance from the Gene Price Motorsports Late Model River Series. Also making a contribution to the racing excitement level will be the ASA street stocks, factory stocks and the vintage sprints and midgets. The most scenic quarter mile asphalt oval is located within the Sara Park complex in Lake Havasu City-Arizona.

The phenomenally popular Gene Price Motorsports Late Model River Series is now at the half way point of the current winter racing season. The series' schedule is equally divided between the Havasu 95 Speedway and the Lucas Oil I 10 Speedway. In its brief history the series has quickly become a fan favorite because it features close quarter competition from a highly talented field of late model stock car drivers who range from veterans, who know the fast way around a short track, to youngsters who are looking to climb the ladder of their budding racing careers.

Going into Saturday night's race, the series' championship picture is being led by a youngster who has been impressing everyone for several years now. "Awesome" Austin Murphy will be looking for another series win in Lake Havasu City in an effort to pad his current points lead. In four series events the Lancaster-California high school student has two feature wins, along with a second and third place finish. Making his competitive level even more "awesome" is the fact that his team, After Hours Racing, will be debuting a newly constructed late model this weekend.

Murphy will arrive at the Havasu 95 Speedway this weekend with a 28 point lead over former series champion Bobby Keirns. The local driver is well aware of the fact that he has some work to do to towards eradicating Murphy's lead and said "we just need some really good racing and some really good nights. But I do think that we've got something for him, (Murphy). We've got a lot of points to make up and four races to do it in. Our car is fast, I'm pretty excited and optimistic about the whole deal. I can't wait to get this thing going again, we're looking forward to this Saturday night."

But that pair of drivers will have to keep a sharp eye on another pair of drivers expected to be on hand Saturday night. One of them is Mark Schriner a veteran of late model campaigns who fully understands what it takes to win feature races and track championships. Schriner is currently ranked sixth in the series standings but that's only because circumstances caused him to miss a race back in November. He has a feature win during the current campaign and will be a pre race favorite to get another one Saturday night.

Yet another strong factor in the series 50 lap feature will be the presence of Lake Havasu City driver Jerry Snell. Jeff Murphy, the father-crew chief-car builder of the series points leader, has regarded Snell as a major source of competition for his team. Snell is currently ranked eighth in the standings. Unfortunately circumstances forced him to miss two of the four completed events. But it can't help but be noticed that the two races Snell did compete him resulted in a feature win and a second place finish.

Yet another exciting level of racing action, at the Havasu 95 Speedway Saturday night, will be the presence of the ASA street stocks. This ASA street stocks have been completely dominated by the series' elder statesman Ralph Adams. Then again, at age 69, Ralph Adams is the elder statesman at any race track he chooses to show up at. In four events during the current winter racing season Adams has four feature wins and a repeat track championship seems to be eminent. That success is based on years of experience, a race car that is always well prepped and an extremely smooth driving style.

While Adams has been busy taking his much younger competition to racing school this season, there are a trio of younger drivers in this division who are currently engaged in a very tight battle for second in the championship standings. Phillip Waterman and Rick Maddox Jr are tied for second at 174 points each while Rick Benzansen is only four points behind them.

The fan favorite factory stockers will be bringing their special blend of racing excitement to the Havasu 95 Speedway this Saturday night. The series' teams will also be bringing a very close championship battle to the track this weekend. Shawn Deitch and Scott Allen are tied at the top of the rankings with 256 points each. The rotating drivers from the Big O Tire team is also a very big part of the championship profile and are only two markers away from the co leaders. Also never to be overlooked here is the presence of Lisa Snell who is only two points away from third and just 12 points away from the top of the standings.

The Havasu 95 Speedway loves to bring back the exciting racing days of yesteryear. They will be doing just that again Saturday night with a special exhibition race featuring vintage sprint and midget open wheel racers. These cars hold a very prominent place in the history of racing in America. For old school racing fans their presence will be a blast in the past to the days when these open wheel cars barnstormed their way to race tracks all over the country. For younger racing fans the presence of these vintage racers will be an exciting look at history.

The Havasu 95 Speedway racing weekend actually begins on Friday night with a test and tune session for the teams from 6 to 9 pm. Spectators will be admitted free to watch the practice session.

On Saturday race day the spectator gates will open at 4pm with the racing getting underway at 6pm. General admission tickets for Saturday are $12. Tickets for seniors, 55 plus, the military and the handicapped are priced at $10. Kids tickets, ages six to 16, are $6 while kids five and under are admitted free when accompanied by a paid adult. The speedway also offers a family package for $25 which admits two adults and two kids. Fans can also enjoy the special amenities from the speedway's VIP section for $25 which features the best seats in the house for watching the racing action.

For out of town teams and fans the Days Inn is the official motel of the Havasu 95 Speedway. They offer beautiful and spacious rooms at very affordable rates. Call toll free for reservations at 800 835 2410. Reservations can also be made online at www.thehavasuinn.com.

For more information about racing at the Havasu 95 Speedway dial up their official website at www.havasu95speedway.com or contact promoter Bill Rozhon at 928 716 6300.


Source

HPA Motorsports Crafts Custom 550-HP Scirocco, Offers it to North America

It's been a long 22 years since Volkswagen deemed North America worthy of its Scirocco hatchback. For those V-Dubbers who can't live without VW's newest iteration of the hot hatch, HPA Motorsports will not only import one into the new world, but tune it to your exact specifications.

The volks at HPA Motorsports have worked out a deal to have the Scirocco imported directly to its workshop in British Columbia, Canada, only 10 short miles over the U.S. border. Once the car arrives, the fun begins. While HPA can do just about whatever your heart desires, it strongly suggests its FT565 package. The special setup adds a pair of Garrett H25 turbochargers to the 3.2-liter V-6.

The mechanics at HPA beef up all the internals to handle the 550 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque the new engine produces. Brakes are upgraded to 14-inch rotors and 8-piston calipers in front, along with 13-inch rotors in back. Stock wheels are replaced with 19-inch BBS aluminum rolling stock, wrapped in Dunlop SP Sport Maxx tires.

HPA claims the tuned all-wheel-drive Scirocco can reach speeds of up to 200 mph, and sprint from 0-60 in no more than 3.5 seconds. If that isn't enough, there is a Stage 2 version of the package. This not only gives the car a 100 lb-ft bump, but gets the hatchback down the quarter-mile in 11.3 seconds. 0-60 mph times are shaved down to a scant 3.4 seconds.

HPA plans on only building 10 FT565 Sciroccos each year, and every last one of them is destined for the U.S. Later this year HPA says it will debut its FT640 package which will be paired to VW's 3.6-liter powerplant and is scheduled to make a ton more power. HPA says each car will take a cool $150,000 to get you into one of these custom-built monsters, but we're sure they're worth every penny.


Source

Global Motorsports Group Announces Three Car World Challenge Team for 2010

SANTA ANA, Calif. -- Coming off of its strongest season yet in the World Challenge Championship, Global Motorsports Group is announcing its return to the championship for the 2010 season.

GMG, based in Southern California, will return with a trio of Porsche 911 GT3s to compete in the World Challenge GT class. Leading the team will be team owner and driver James Sofronas of Newport Beach, Calif. Sofronas enjoyed a stellar 2009 season, in which he scored wins at the Long Beach Grand Prix and at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on his way to finishing a career-best second in the championship.

Joining him will be series veteran Dino Crescentini, of Manhattan Beach, Calif., who is back for his third season in the Stoptech/GMG Porsche 911 GT3. Crescentini scored a win in 2009 at Watkins Glen International Raceway, on his way to finishing the season in ninth place. In the third GMG Porsche will be William Ziegler, the 2009 World Challenge Rookie of the Year. All three cars will be outfitted with GMG’s line of World Challenge parts, StopTech brakes, Sparco safety gear and BBS wheels. GMG also enjoys a close association with Porsche Motorsports North America.

“There is no doubt that World Challenge is one of the most competitive and demanding racing series in North America,” said Fabryce Kutyba, co-owner of Global Motorsports Group. “This allows us to develop and test our World Challenge line of components and complete packages for Porsche cars. GMG’s products are the direct result of our involvement in motorsport, and through this race winning experience we are able to develop the best products in the world to enhance performance and maintain factory reliability.”

“We are very happy and proud to announce that we are returning to World Challenge GT with all three of our 2009 drivers for this season,” said Sofronas. “World Challenge has been the foundation on which we have built our race team and our Porsche product line. GMG World Challenge parts can be found not only on our race cars, but our customer’s street and race cars. We are excited to see what 2010 holds for us.

“On a personal level, I can’t wait to get back into the No.14 GMG Porsche GT3 and fight for a championship. Finishing second last year and getting those two wins was great, but now it is time to go after the top spot at the awards banquet. I can’t wait for the lights to go out in St. Petersburg.”

Sanctioned by SCCA Pro Racing, the 12-race 2010 World Challenge Championship begins March 26-28 with a doubleheader race weekend at the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. For more information, please visit www.world-challenge.com.


Source

Dan Gurney To Star at Laguna Seca Motorsports Reunion

Dan Gurney Picture

Dan Gurney exits Turn 9 at Laguna Seca in a Lotus 19 racecar in the early 1960s. Though the photo has faded with time, the Lotus was painted bright red.


Source

The Daytona 500: Like No Other Race In The Motorsports World

The field is already set for the 52nd running of "The Great American Race" on Sunday.

The who’s who of NASCAR, as well as the rest of the sporting world, will have their eyes set on the 43 hard charging warriors who will do battle on one of the sport's most famous and historic asphalt battlegrounds.

With the days leading up to the start of a new decade of NASCAR racing, the fans have already been treated to a sneak preview of what to expect once the green flag drops and the season officially begins.

The story lines that have followed each team from the end of the 2009 season are beginning to quickly take shape, with the hopes and expectations once again taking center stage.

The fans are hungry after their short, and what seemed like a never-ending, hibernation since last season’s final race at Homestead-Miami.

So is it any wonder that while taking a look outside the box at the many story lines that continue to clog the daily internet airwaves, they are not about the drivers or the teams, but instead are a little more internally focused on what is happening to the sport itself?

The sport has gone through a transformation period in the past 10 years, with some of the changes not taken too lightly by those fans who have remained faithful through the trial and error periods.

Change, as we all know, can be for the better depending on the circumstances, as long as they are carefully researched before being put to use.

Now on the flip side, there are those changes that for one reason or another have been instituted at the most inopportune times.

One thing is for sure, and that is once the month of February rolls around, even if for a brief moment, all is forgiven because of the love that each fan has for the sport, along with the excitement the Daytona 500 generates.

Many of our heroes from the past and present have graciously given of themselves, knowing that the fruits of success are not always waiting in the wings.

Exactly what the beginning of the season means to each one of us as individuals can be as precious as the foundations we have built from the very first day we set eyes upon this great sport of ours.

Many challenges and obstacles have stood the test of time, yet the dreams that each driver envisions are carefully withheld in the grasp of destiny’s hands, along with the fans that are there in spirit to also partake of them.

This is Daytona, and for this one weekend the track will come alive, while shining down its glory upon the one driver who can tame the wicked high banks of this hungry asphalt beast.

Good luck to all our drivers, and may the 2010 season be one to remember.


Source

Crozier Roberson Motorsports Signs with DNA Beverage Corporation

DAYTONA BEACH, FL (February 12, 2010) - Crozier Roberson Motorsports are pleased to announce that they have inked a sponsorship agreement with DNA Beverage Corporation, makers of DNA Energy Drink® and DNA Shred Stix (meat snacks), to sponsor their AMA Pro Road Racing team in the 2010 AMA Pro Daytona SuperBike Series.



“We are excited to fly the DNA Energy Drink® banner,” said team owner Robbie Roberson. “DNA Beverage Corporation is an outstanding company. They are well-versed in the motorcycle industry and their business savvy and aggressive, up-beat marketing fit right in with our racing program. We know that their association with our team will be extremely beneficial.”



Headquartered in Boca Raton, Fla., DNA Beverage Corporation was founded in 2006. Known for superior and delicious taste, DNA’s drinks and meat snacks are favorites with athletes across the country. And, in fact, their citrus flavored energy drink was selected as the world’s best tasting energy drink at the World Beverage Competition held in Geneva, Switzerland in December of last year.



“We are very excited to have DNA Energy Drink as the title sponsor of C&R Motorsports for 2010 and beyond,” said Geoff Armstrong, DNA Beverage Corp.’s VP of Marketing. "C&R has laid out a solid plan to build their team over the next few years and we feel the momentum of the DNA brands will help them achieve this.”



For the upcoming season Crozier Roberson Motorsports will field two Ducati 848s in this year’s AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Series. Boasting the riding talents of Mark Crozier, who earned the 2009 AMA SunTrust Moto-GT 1 title and another top racing ace to be named next week, this team will be looking to put the DNA colors on the podium at each race in this year’s series.


Source

Hendrick Motorsports clinches top three starting positions for Daytona 500

DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. -- Hendrick Motorsports made NASCAR history last November by sweeping the top three positions in the battle for the 2009 Sprint Cup championship.

On Sunday, the Hendrick juggernaut will kick off NASCAR's season-opening Daytona 500 in the same dominant fashion, with Jimmie Johnson winning the first of two 150-mile qualifying races Thursday to lock up starting spot No. 3.

Johnson's teammates Mark Martin and Dale Earnhardt Jr. had claimed the front row last Saturday by running the fastest qualifying laps -- upwards of 193 mph -- around the high-banked, 2.5 mile oval.

On Thursday, Johnson prevailed in a furious, side-by-side battle with Kevin Harvick exiting Turn 4 on the final lap of the 60-mile event to roar across the finish line 0.005 of a second in front.

Kasey Kahne edged Tony Stewart in the second race in a last-lap duel that was just as heated and nearly as close, taking the checkered flag with 0.014 of a second to spare.

Both races featured plenty of bumping and jostling at nearly 200 mph down the straightaways. But the first race was a testament to Johnson's skill and his race team's might, given that he was skating around the track on worn tires over the final laps and competing in a backup car after his best Chevrolet was mangled in a pileup during Wednesday's practice.

The 150-mile qualifying races cull the 50-plus entrants for the Daytona 500 to 43 and set the starting order for positions No. 3 on back. They also serve as a preview of what's in store for the Daytona 500 -- a race that can be riveting one year and tedious the next, depending on many variables.

Last year's race ended on more of a whimper than a roar, with rain halting the proceedings 48 laps shy of the finish just after Matt Kenseth had taken the lead. NASCAR officials cut the event short and awarded the trophy to Kenseth, who had crept across the finish line at a 55-mph crawl under the caution flag.

NASCAR is unique among pro sports in starting its season with its marquee event. But last year's anticlimactic 500 was a buzzkill, generating little momentum for the races that followed. And the TV ratings were a disappointing 9.2 -- down 16 percent from 2005, when the 500 drew a 10.9 rating.

With an eye toward reversing the trend, NASCAR officials have given the racecars more horsepower and, in turn, more speed, for this year's race. They also lifted the ban on bump-drafting -- the practice of intentionally ramming a car ahead to create an aerodynamic boost through traffic. And on the eve of Thursday's 150-milers, NASCAR officials announced they'll make three attempts to finish races at top speed (under green-flag conditions) rather than having them end on a caution flag.

That new rule may come into play in Sunday's 500, which is notorious for multi-car wrecks as drivers jockey for position over the final laps. Each restart that follows a caution tends to breed subsequent wrecks as 43 drivers frantically accelerate from 55 to 190 mph as quickly as possible.

Martin, who will start Sunday's race from the pole, has warned that three attempts at a so-called "green-white-checkered finish" could result in "a circus."


Source

Key Motorsports Acquires Sponsor For Daytona

Key Motorsports announced today Bad Boy Buggies and Buck Commander have teamed up to sponsor the #40 Chevrolet and driver Mike Bliss for Saturday's Drive4COPD NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Daytona. Bad Boy Buggies, a Mississippi-based company, sponsored Bobby Labonte and the RCR Nationwide Series team in the 2009 season opener at Daytona.



Bliss practiced the #40 near the top of the speed chart during Wednesday's Nationwide Series practice session, turning in the third-fastest time of the day and drawing the attention of Bad Boy Buggies company officials.



"When we found out the 40-car driven by Mike Bliss was avialable we contacted Richard Childress, who was at the race track," a Bad Boy Buggies spokesperson said. "We told him the car had ESPN in-car cameras and we had the opportunity for a primary sponsorship. Richard said it was a steal, so we jumped on it.”



Bad Boy Buggies executives contacted Buck Commander about the possibility of teaming up with Key Motorsports for Daytona.



“They thought it was a great opportunity to promote their brand," stated a Bad Boy company executive. "The split sponsorship was a natural with Buck Commander. We met with Buck Commander last month in Las Vegas, and we formed a partnership with them and Bad Boy Buggies.”



Buck Commander company officials are confident Key Motorsports will provide great representation of their brand.



"Buck Commander is excited to team up with Key Motorsports and driver Mike Bliss for the NASCAR Nationwide race at Daytona. Key Motorsports represents the everyday working man race team...Mike Bliss will bring the buckshot for Buck Commander in this event. NASCAR racing fans love the outdoors, we feel this primary sponsorship is a great fit for our brand."


Source

Level 5 Motorsports enters ALMS LMP Challenge class

Level 5 Motorsports, which finished third overall in Grand-Am's Rolex 24 at Daytona last month, confirmed on Thursday that it will join the American Le Mans Series' Le Mans Prototype Challenge class for 2010.

Based in Madison, Wis., Level 5 will compete in the full nine-round championship with Oreca's FLM09 prototype.

Team owner Scott Tucker and former 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Christophe Bouchut will compete for the full season. The duo plans to participate in the ALMS's annual winter test Feb. 22-23 at Sebring International Raceway in Florida. Level 5 is the sixth team to purchase an Oreca-built LMPC racer. Other teams that have purchased LMPC cars for 2010 include Green Earth Team Gunnar, Intersport Racing, Genoa Racing, Primetime Race Group and P1 Motorsports/Mathiasen Motorsports.

"We are excited to be racing at Sebring this year in the new Le Mans Prototype Challenge class," said Level 5 team manager David Stone, who has an extensive history of competing in the International Motor Sports Association, which sanctions the American Le Mans Series. "The new LMPC class has certainly been intriguing since it was announced last year. The number of cars continues to increase each week, which should make for some great competition."

New for 2010, the LMPC class features ORECA cars with a minimum weight of 1,984 pounds and about 430 hp. The FLM09 features a full carbon-fiber chassis, carbon brakes and an Xtrac sequential gearbox with paddle-shift actuation. All LMPC cars will race on spec Michelin tires.

Tucker has spent time behind the wheel of an FLM09. He posted two second-place finishes at the Paul Ricard circuit in France during the Le Mans Winter Racing Series despite never having set foot in the car.

To read more visit the AutoWeek ALMS racing news and reports section.


Source

Miller Motorsports Park expands superbike event

The HANNspree FIM Superbike World Championship's annual stop at Miller Motorsports Park is more than motorcycle race.

It is a four-day festival held over Memorial Day weekend that state and track officials want to turn into a Utah tradition.

That was the message delivered by Gov. Gary Herbert Thursday at a news conference at Energy Solutions Arena to announce an expanded event in 2010.

According to Gov. Herbert, this year's HANNspree FIM Superbike Championship will be the largest international sporting event held in Utah since the 2002 Olympics.

"I'm not sure everybody realizes that," he said.

Over 120 million people around the world will watch on television.

According to Jeff Robbins of the Utah Sports Commissioner, that air time is worth $17 million.

An additional $15-17 million will be pumped into the Utah economy by race teams and fans attending the four days of activities, which begin Friday, May 28 and run through Monday, May 31.

On-track action starts Saturday with practice and continues with racing Sunday and Monday.

A classic rock concert featuring the groups Styx, Foreigner and Kansas, plus a fireworks show, will be held Saturday night.

Opening ceremonies on Memorial Day will include a fly-over by F-16 fighter jets from Hill Air Force Base.

Throughout the weekend, members of the United States military will be honored by a 2,010-flag tribute on the Miller Motorsports

Park infield

Activities begin Friday when Gov. Herbert greets superbike competitors at the state capitol building.

A motorcycle parade to the Gateway will be held prior to a public street party at the outdoor mall that will feature live music, stunt demonstrations and autograph sessions.

Two riders attended the press conference and were impressed by the expanded plans for this year's HANNspree FIM Superbike World Championship.

"I don't know if they have to promote as much [in Europe] because motorcycle racing is so big over there," said Roger Lee Hayden of the Pedercini Kawaski team. "People already know about it over there -- like football and basketball here. ...

"But this year, the people here are really stepping up. I'd say Miller is doing as much, if not more, than anyone to advertise, get the fans out and make it a family environment."

Jason DiSalvo of the BE-1ParkinGo Triumph team agreed: "... The events in Europe are easy to promote. You just say, 'We're having a race' and all the people come.

"But I would say as far as the [non-European] events go, this is on a par with Australia, which is another country where the following is tremendous."


Source

APR Motorsport Optimistic After the Fresh From Florida 200

APR Motorsports, contenders in both classes of the Grand Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, performed well in the season’s opening event, the Fresh From Florida 200, run before the Grand Am Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona International speedway. The team is optimistic for the rest of the season.

The team fielded three cars, an Audi S4 in GS Class and the two VW GTi’s in ST. All three ran well, and all three finished, despite unavoidable bad racing luck.

Director of Motorsport for APR, Jeff Mishtawy, said “APR and their engineering team proved once again their abilities to prepare the cars for competition. The S4 and the GTi’s were in excellent condition and ready for the race. I’m excited about the rest of the season as our development progresses and the drivers continue to settle in.”

Drivers Ian Baas and Mark White in the Audi S4, competing in its first race, finished 19th, two laps behind the leaders, after qualifying 36th. The car ran as high as fifth until a flat tire late in the race put the car out of contention.

Mark White said in an APR press release, “My hat is off to APR for taking the Audi S4 from concept to execution in such a short period of time. It's incredibly difficult to develop a solid racecar from a brand new-to-the-market street car because there is no blueprint to follow.”

In ST class, Josh Hurley and co-driver Kevin Stadtlander had worked the #181 GTi into fourth place in class when the car was rear-ended and spun off the track. The #181 Gti finished 15th in class after starting 23rd.

The #171 APR GTi, driven by Mike Sweeney and Mike Halpin, started 16th in class and finished 24th. The #171 car trailed right behind its sister car for most of the race, but numerous minor collisions slowed the car as the race drew to a close.

Josh Hurley was in good spirits despite the forced off-track excursion, “I was really in a great place to push for the win as time was winding down. The GTi was in great form and Kevin drove very well in the first half of the race to give us a chance to charge for the podium.”

Mike Sweeney said, “We were ready to take over for Josh after his incident and race to the podium but our car suffered similar struggles as well. It was all I could do to get the car to the finish after being hit several times.”

APR returns to its Opelika, Alabama, shop to prepare for the next Grand Am Continental Tire race, the Grand Prix of Miami, at Homestead Miami Speedway in Homestead, Florida on March 6, 2010.


Source

Historic racing series coming to Barber Motorsports Park

Barber Motorsports Park will host the first event in a new historic racing series led by Bobby Rahal, three-time CART champion and winner of the 1986 Indy 500.

The series will feature Formula One, Can-Am, Grand Prix, Trans-Am and other classic cars mostly from the 1960s and 70s competing in eight races May 21-23.

The series, tentatively called Legends of Motorsports, has three races scheduled -- Barber, Watkins Glen in New York in June and Circuit Mont-Tremblant in Canada in July -- with plans to add one or two more, Rahal said Friday.

Rahal said he and his two partners in the series expect 200 to 250 cars to be entered with drivers coming from all over the United States, Canada and Mexico.

“We think 10,000 to 15,000 would be a good number the first year,” Rahal said of expected attendance.

The cars will be required to be historically accurate.

“If the car had drum brakes in its day, it has to have drum brakes for the race,” Rahal said. “It has to be true to the original.”

Tires will be less strict on historic accuracy, but cars like Corvette Stingrays will have to use treaded tires while Can Am cars will have racing slicks.

“We’ll probably have cars worth more than a million dollars in this race,” Rahal said.

That raises the question of whether the driver of a million-dollar car will be willing to mix it up on the track and risk a wreck. Rahal said that shouldn’t be a problem since most drivers of these cars are “Type-A personalities.”

“If you can afford a million-dollar car, you can afford to fix it,” he said.

The event will include qualifying heat races. The races will be 30 minutes each with about 20 to 25 cars per race and no pit stops.

There is also a road rally scheduled from the track to Mountain Brook Village the day before the event starts.


Source

MOTORSPORTS: Milsaps masters mud at Qualcomm

SAN DIEGO ---- When it came to slogging through the slop at Qualcomm Stadium, Davi Milsaps proved to be the best mudder Saturday night at the AMA Supercross race.

Milsaps capped a crash-filled night of dirt-bike racing when he won the main event over Josh Hill and Murrieta's Ivan Tedesco.

"The track was pretty slick, so I was just being smooth and consistent and not making many mistakes out there," said Milsaps, 21, who rode a Honda. "It was an amazing race for me."

Points leader Ryan Dungey went down on the first-lap holeshot along with three other riders, including Ryan Villopoto, last week's race winner in San Francisco. Nick Wey took the hole shot on a Kawasaki, but he was passed by Windham on the third lap of the 20-lap final.

Andrew Short was running in second place for most of the final, but he crashed hard with three lap remaining and had to be assisted off the track. Hill, who had passed Tedesco for third earlier, then secured his third straight runner-up finish.

"I rode conservative at the beginning," said Hill, 20. "I went a little too easy."

Tedesco earned his first podium finish for his new Valli Yamaha team.

The win for Millsaps was his first since the 2008 season, when he won two races. He earned his first podium finish of the year last week with a third-place showing in San Francisco.

Dungey, riding a Suzuki, recovered from two spills to advance from 17th place to sixth, but Suzuki remained winless in 28 Supercross class races in San Diego. Villopoto bounced back from his slow start to finish fourth on a Kawasaki.

A crowd of 51,843 braved the wet weather that sent motorcycles sliding off the track throughout the night. The afternoon rains kept the riders off the track until 5:30 p.m., five hours after the first practice session was scheduled to start. Multiple riders were thrown to the mud by hole-shot crashes in the first two heats for the Supercross Lites class, which had a spectacular eight-bike spill on the first turn of its Last Chance Qualifier race.

Not since 2003 had three different riders been victorious in the first four races of the season. Defending champion James Stewart won the season opener in Anaheim, but he got caught up in a crash with his chief rival, two-time AMA Supercross champion Chad Reed, in the second race of the year at Phoenix. Stewart, who missed most of the 2008 season with a knee injury, tried to race the following week in Anaheim with an injured wrist, but he required surgery after that race and is out for an indefinite period of time. Reed is sidelined with a broken hand as a result of the spill and hopes to return for the end of the supercross season.

Weimer, of Rupert, Idaho, went on to win the Lites final for his fourth win in five starts this year. The margin of victory was 17 seconds over Honda teammates Cole Seely of Newbury Park and Wil Hahn of Decatur, Texas, who crossed the finish line side by side.


Source

JR Motorsports delighted with Danica Patrick’s 6th-place finish

The horde around Danica Patrick followed her from outside her car to her hauler. Photographers, cameramen, some reporters and security walked with Patrick. A whole other group waited outside her hauler. She finished sixth in her stock-car racing debut.

“That’s a bigger crowd than we’ve had around Dale in a while,” said Kelley Earnhardt, Dale Jr.’s sister and part owner of JR Motorsports who has spent a lot of time in contact with Patrick the last few months.

The consensus from the JR Motorsports camp was that Patrick ran great. Tony Eury Jr., her crew chief and another part-owner of the team, said he’d like to see her race in next weekend’s Nationwide race.

Some quotes:

Danica Patrick on her mentality at the end of the race: “I was 5th and I was like I feel pretty good and I thought I’m not going to win sitting right here. I thought I might as well go up high and see what we can do. I was really looking at those last 10 laps as just like, whatever. Let’s see what we can do here and have fun with it. Me and Ricky [Carmichael] were having a little bit of side bumping at the end. He was really cool. I had a lot of fun with him out there.”

(Did you enjoy mixing it up?)

“I did enjoy mixing it up. It was fun. Everybody was pretty good about it. I kind of felt like I was getting bumped when I was up there at 6th and I was like loose in the kink and loose into 1 and 2 and then i got up high. I don’t know if I got hit and I don’t really care because I learned something from it.”

(What was the race like?)

“It kind of just felt like a bunch of people out there giving it a whirl. Everybody was just up high, down low. The end of the race got pretty fun.

(What happened on the spin?)

The spin was ar esult of me not coming off the yellow line. … I just held my line … I got really sideways and I slid down the track and it went straight down the grass and I thought grass is not good for grip. And I came back on the track sideways and I took my hands off the wheel and Tony Jr. was screaming for me to get back into it and I hit the gas and it caught and the wheel was so far to the right it was out of control. Once I got it straight I was right.

“I made some mistakes and I also learned a lot. I’m not thinking about next weekend.

Tony Eury Jr.:

On whether or not she’ll run the Nationwide race: “I told her I’ll support you 110% either way you go. We’re ready. … I would like to see her do it but I told her it’s 100% her call.

(How did she do?)

“Great. I mean, I couldn’t ask for too much more. She was put in some predicaments. Her and the spotter worked good together. I was pretty impressed right there in them last 20 laps. I’ll be honest with you. I was like all right she’s getting it done. The biggest goal tonight was to finish. The last 20 laps she really impressed me.

(Was she calm?)

“Yeah, I mean she’s been calm the whole time. i think that little accident she was still calm it was just a matter of us getting her slowed down so we didn’t explode any tires and blow the fenders off and make the situation worse.

“She went through a lot tonight. We put 4 tires on, we stopped for fuel, we spun out, went to the rear, come back up through it. You name it, we’ve done it. It was a good night.”

(Did you find yourself having to explain a lot on the radio?)

“I think we talked constantly because there’s a lot of things a lot of people take for granted on where she comes from and how they do things. Everything’s a lot of opposites. We’ve had this discussion the last couple weeks. She said just feed me all the information you can do. Tell me all the things, act like I’ve never done it before becacuse I haven’t. Sometimes you might hear it on the radio and think man, that’s kind of child’s play, why is he telling her that? But it’s just refreshers. Second gear is the restart, hit your marks, stuff that you’re not thinking about all the time.”

Kelley Earnhardt: “I couldn’t be happier with today. I think she showed us she was able to drive. One time I saw her up on the high side, she pulled down low. I kept thinking, ‘Come on, let’s up pull off an Earnhardt, pass 18 cars in three laps and win this thing.”


Source

Nemco Motorsports Signs Waverly Property Group As Associate Sponsor For Daytona Speedweeks 2010

NEMCO Motorsports today announced a partnership with Waverly Property Group of Daytona Beach, which includes associate sponsorship of driver Joe Nemechek’s entries in this month’s Speedweeks events at Daytona International Speedway.

Waverly Property Group, an independent real estate company with a focus on waterfront properties, will serve as associate sponsor on Nemechek’s No. 87 NASCAR Sprint Cup and No. 87 Nationwide Series cars throughout the events in Daytona. The partnership marks Waverly Property Group’s first venture as a team sponsor with NEMCO.

"We welcome Waverly Property Group to the NEMCO Motorsports team and look forward to giving them the best experience possible," said Nemechek. "We’re guaranteed a qualifying spot in the Nationwide Series race and feel very confident about qualifying for the Daytona 500 given our success rate last season. We’re coming into Daytona prepared not just to qualify well – but to race well."

Nemechek, a four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race winner and former NASCAR Nationwide Series champion, spent the majority of the 2009 season qualifying for races in the hopes of finding funding to race. Fielding both NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series cars out of his family-owned NEMCO Motorsports shop again in 2010, Nemechek says they’ll take it one race at a time.

"We had a lean staff at NEMCO over the off-season but our guys put in the extra hours to get ready for Daytona," Nemechek explained. "Our hope is if we can have a good effort, a potential sponsor may take notice and find NEMCO to be an appropriate and affordable fit. For now, we’re coming to Daytona to race 300 miles in the Nationwide race (Feb. 13) and 500 miles in the Daytona 500 (Feb. 14). We’re thankful for the support of Waverly Property Group in helping us kick off the 2010 season.


Source

Alliance Forges New Team Name: 'Front Row Motorsports With Yates Racing'

Statesville, NC, United States (AHN) - Due to a new ownership alliance with Doug Yates,Yates Racing and Front Row Motorsports, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' new team name is Front Row Motorsports with Yates Racing.

Doug Yates, part-owner of Yates Racing, will be the listed as the owner of the No. 37 and No. 38 Fords with Front Rown owner Bob Jenkins remaining owner of the No. 34 Ford Fusion.

"There has been a lot of movement this past off-season inside the sport," said Yates. "The opportunity came up with Bob (Jenkins) and to continue in the ownership role. I didn't have to think long about making this decision."

"Bob is really putting together a strong team this season and has done so over the past few seasons. He's been smart and making all the right moves as an owner. He's capitalized on the changes in the sports landscape and has built a solid team with great factory support and drivers. That's what excited me about making this move," Yates added.

The alliance assures all three entries of being in the top 35 in owner points and unites Yates with former drivers David Gilliland and Travis Kvapil.

Gilliland and Kvapil raced with Yates Racing in 2008 and 2009 and the move locked in all three, who will share information in a combined Sprint Cup effort.

"There has been so much that has happened for us in the past two months," said Jenkins. "But, having Doug come on board is a big piece of our puzzle coming together heading into this season. He brings such a family tradition of winning and a lot of confidence to everyone here. His relationships with Ford Racing, Roush/Yates Engines, David and Travis immediately make us a stronger team."

Read more: http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7017727473?Alliance%20Forges%20New%20Team%20Name:%20%27Front%20Row%20Motorsports%20With%20Yates%20Racing%27#ixzz0eucTa2yS


Source