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March 2 event to be called The Profit on CNBC 500 presented by Small Business Fueling America

CNBC’s television show "The Profit" has partnered with Phoenix International Raceway to secure naming rights for the track’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race in March.

The March 2 event will be called The Profit on CNBC 500 presented by Small Business Fueling America, with the green flag scheduled to drop at 3 p.m. ET. The announcement came Friday on CNBC via PIR President Bryan Sperber, "The Profit" star Marcus Lemonis and NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Steve Phelps.

"We are excited to partner with Marcus and his team at ‘The Profit’ and CNBC on our NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race next month," Sperber said in a track release. "Small businesses have been fueling NASCAR from its very beginning, so this partnership is a great match."

"The Profit" television show has Lemonis hunting for struggling businesses, in which he invests his own money to turn the company around. The program also served as the primary sponsor for a NASCAR Nationwide Series race in 2013 at New Hampshire and presented the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Eldora Speedway.

"This unique partnership is a great opportunity to draw attention to small business which is the heart and soul of the American economy," Lemonis said. "We are proud to be a race sponsor and what better way to celebrate the launch of a new season of ‘The Profit’ than with passionate NASCAR fans."

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Accell Construction to serve as primary sponsor for No. 7 car in six races

Accell Construction will serve as the primary sponsor for six races with NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rookie Michael Annett.

Annett will drive the No. 7 Chevrolet SS this season for Tommy Baldwin Racing this season. The Oklahoma-based company will be the primary sponsor for both races at Phoenix International Raceway, Texas Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway in 2014.

"I’m looking forward to having Accell come on board the No. 7 car this season," Annett said in a release. "Their support is a key element in bringing forward momentum to TBR."

This is Accell Construction’s fourth season in a partnership with Tommy Baldwin Racing.

Earlier this week, Tommy Baldwin Racing announced that Reed Sorenson would drive the No. 36 car in the Sprint Cup Series with Todd Parrott serving as the team’s crew chief.

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Both drivers to compete part-time in Truck Series, full-time in K&N Pro Series East

NTS Motorsports announced Friday morning that NASCAR Next driver Gray Gaulding will take the wheel for eight NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races this season.

The Colonial Heights, Va., native — who turns 16 Monday — will get his first experience in NASCAR national series competition in the No. 20 Chevrolet. Gaulding will be allowed to compete on oval tracks measuring one mile or shorter, plus road courses, until he turns 18 years old.

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The team also announced that Brennan Newberry, who finished 19th in the standings after competing in all but one Truck Series race last season, will embark on a 12-race truck schedule in the team’s No. 24 Chevrolet this year. He’ll pair with Gaulding in a two-car effort from NTS full-time in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.

Former Daytona truck race winner John King will drive the No. 20 in the season-opening NextEra EnergyResources 250. The drivers for the remaining races for both trucks will be announced at a later date. Four-time series champion Ron Hornaday Jr., who competed full-time for NTS Motorsports last season, was not mentioned in the team’s plans.

Gaulding finished seventh in the K&N Pro Series East standings last season, recording eight top-10s in 14 races and snaring his first pole position in April at Richmond International Raceway, setting a series youth record. He closed the season by prevailing in the K&N Pro Series West finale at Phoenix International Raceway in November, bumping past race-long dominator Cole Custer in the final lap to become the series’ youngest winner at 15 years, 8 months and 30 days.

Newberry won the Keystone Light Pole Award for the season-opener last year at Daytona, but collected just one top-10 finish — a 10th at Pocono Raceway. He missed the series’ event at Chicagoland Speedway with a stomach ailment; former series champ Austin Dillon filled in and drove the No. 24 to its best finish of the season, seventh place.

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Posted on by Zack Albert

JR Motorsports driver looks to contend for Nationwide title, earn a Sunday spot

In looking back at the 2013 season, Regan Smith knows where things went wrong, where the once-commanding 58-point lead in the NASCAR Nationwide Series standings fizzled. He also knows where the pressure to regain the advantage took its toll on driver and team alike. 

One year later and one year wiser, Smith has distinct, direct goals on his to-do list — not the least of which is a return to NASCAR’s premier division.

"I would say this year is about two things for me — it’s about winning the championship and proving to the right owner that I need to be back racing on Sundays," Smith said. "That’s as brutally honest as I can put it. That’s what the goals are. I’d want to be back there tomorrow if I could. With that said, I’m focused on what the goals are in the Nationwide Series this year and winning the championship for JR Motorsports, but I’ve got goals long-term as a driver as well and I’d like to see those through."

For the short-term, Smith is back for his second season at the wheel of the JRM No. 7, eager to bolster his credentials in NASCAR’s second-tier series. He returns with much the same crew and equipment, plus a new crew chief in Ryan Pemberton, whom he was paired with briefly in 2007.

Smith also returns with a point to prove. After he parted ways with Furniture Row Racing during the 2012 season, the 30-year-old New York native found refuge with Dale Earnhardt Jr.‘s team, winning that year’s finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway and establishing himself as a title contender with a full-time Nationwide campaign ahead. 

Smith held the championship lead from early May to mid-July, grabbing the initial lead with a wild, photo-finish win at Talladega Superspeedway. He pushed the margin to a high mark of 58 points with his second victory of the season, in June at Michigan International Speedway. From there, the foundation unraveled — Smith collected just four top-five finishes in the final 20 races of the season, eventually fading to a distant third in the standings, 72 points back of series champion Austin Dillon. 

Instead of bearing down and staying the course when the lead shrank, Smith said the situation spiraled.

"When you look back on it, in hindsight we kind of did things desperate too early in the year," Smith said. "I think as a team, we learned a lesson there. As a driver, I know I did. I started doing stuff a little bit differently and maybe pressing a little too hard at times and making mistakes that I hadn’t made early on in the season. That kind of continued on. There was enough blame for it to go around. We all had a hand in it. There were 10 of us on our team and we all could’ve done stuff better, myself included, and at the end of the day, we didn’t.

"You’ve got to learn from those lessons and you’ve got to make sure you use them the following year and do better." 

Another helping hand comes from the offseason addition of rookie teammate Chase Elliott, who brings stability to the JR Motorsports lineup. A patchwork of seven drivers shared seat time for the team’s second car over 33 races last year; this season, Smith will turn to a familiar face for feedback on a given race weekend. 

"It was obviously a lot of very talented guys, but week in and week out, you had different personalities, you had different feels in the race car out of different drivers," Smith said of his 2013 cast of teammates. "Toward the end of the year, we got a little consistency with Brad (Sweet) being in it more often, but with that said, we’re going to have a teammate that’s running the whole year that we know if we go one direction in practice and they go another direction, we can look at what they did or vice versa … and ultimately I’ll end up back at a point that’s, ‘this is going to work.’ 

"That’s going to take a little bit of the stress off of being a one-car team, which is what it kind of felt like at times, and it’s going to give us more opportunity to dabble with stuff a little." 

One uncertainty that Smith hasn’t quite figured out is what to do with himself after the season-opening Drive4COPD 300 on Feb. 22. Barring a last-minute deal for The Great American Race, Smith will miss the Daytona 500 for the first time since 2007. "Am I just going to drive home? Am I going to stay down there?’" Smith wondered out loud. "I don’t know what I’m going to do." 

If one of his Nationwide Series goals is met this year, that may not be an issue come 2015.

"Confidence is sky-high," Smith said. "We’ve got the same cars, the same key people — if anything, faster cars because we’ve learned a lot since this time last year, so I think from that standpoint, I go into the season as confident as ever and as motivated as ever."

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Posted on by Staff Report

The March 2014 pilgrimage to the Last Great Colosseum just became more affordable for season ticket holders as Bristol Motor Speedway and Food City announce a five-year partnership extension and unveil the new “Fuel for Fans” program.

The program loads two Food City Gas-N-Go Fuel Bucks stops on the iBelong Membership card/Food City ValuCard of every iBelong member and BMS season ticket holder, good for 15 cents off each gallon of gas up to 20 gallons at all Food City Gas-N-Go locations.

Additionally, Food City is offering a third discounted fill-up to iBelong members who spend more than $15 at one of their stores prior to March 16.

 “This latest extension takes the partnership between Food City and Bristol Motor Speedway beyond the 25-year mark, and when a relationship lasts that long you begin to view each other as more than business associates. You become friends and family,” said BMS General Manager Jerry Caldwell.

 “We also view our season ticket holders as members of the BMS family as well and are committed to elevating their visit any way we can. They remain dedicated, even through recent economic challenges, and this is one way we, along with our partners at Food City, can express our appreciation.”

Food City officials also see the program as a means of honoring BMS fans for their continued loyalty.

“We are pleased to announce the extension of our relationship with Bristol Motor Speedway and offer the Fuel for Fans program as a way to thank those who have faithfully supported this longtime partnership,” said Steve Smith, president and CEO of K-VAT. “It is the mission of Food City to provide value to our customers as they shop for the staples of everyday life, and this program allows us to extend that value to those who support us both in our stores and at the Speedway.”

Tickets to experience a full season of battles inside the Last Great Colosseum tickets start at just $160 and offer ticket holders more than $300 in savings. For information on the Fuel for Fans program and how you can belong to the BMS family, visit www.bristolmotorspeedway.com or call (855) 580-5525.

Posted on by Staff Report

Meet Sorcrachi (a.k.a. Patrick)

Name:  Sorcrachi (a.k.a. Patrick)

Current City: Tucson, Ariz.

Hometown:  I was born in Detroit, Mich., but I grew up mostly in Tucson, Ariz. I spent a year in California when I was 15.

Member since: 2008

Getting to know patrick

 

Q. Why did you join the Official NASCAR Fan Council?

A: “I thought it would be a great opportunity to let my voice be heard. I was blown away when I got the invitation, to be honest.”

 

Q. What comes to mind when you think of NASCAR? What’s your favorite NASCAR memory?

A: “Watching races with the ones I love. When I was very young I’d watch the races with my Dad and my brothers. When I was a teenager I’d watch with my best friends. Now I GO to the races with my wife and friends. Life is good.”

 

Q: Do you have a favorite in any of the following categories?

A.    Driver: “Carl Edwards.  Even though I kinda hate him.”

A.    Track: “Phoenix”

A.    Memorabilia: “I took a picture of a Kodak camera guy taking a picture of another Kodak camera guy who was taking a picture of Stealing Angels. I used an Pentax camera, so I think that broke the curse.”

 

Q: If you could go to any NASCAR race/track, where would you go?

A: Martinsville

 

Q: Tell us about your family. Do you have children and/or pets?

A: “I have been married to my wife, Kathy, for 25 years.  We can’t have kids. We do have 37 nieces and nephews, so we get to play with them.  We have a lot of pets. We take in strays and find them homes. We bred AKC Siberian Huskies for a long time, but we had a change of direction back in the ’90s. Now we only have rescued dogs: Midnight, Domino, Digger and George. We also have three cats and three turtles.

 

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

A: “I spend a lot of time on the computer. I also hang out and drink a few beers with my friends. I sometimes play the guitar. I’m not good, but I’m not awful. Nobody has ever smashed a guitar on my head, anyway.”

 

Q: What’s your dream car?

A: “I think it would be great to drive a really cherry Hudson Hornet. One with the straight-six Hemi. Especially with the fender skirts on.”

 

From all of us at nascar, we thank patrick for his continued support and look forward to hearing from him in 2014!

 

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Sophomore season could continue with team, pending sponsorship

Jeb Burton found a ride for Daytona — with the team that currently owns the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship.

ThorSport Racing announced Thursday that it signed the 21-year-old driver to a deal for Speedweeks, in which Burton would compete in the Truck Series opener at Daytona International Speedway in a No. 13 entry. The son of former Daytona 500 winner Ward Burton will also drive a car for ThorSport in the ARCA race on the 2.5-mile track.

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Any additional races for Burton with ThorSport were yet to be determined, and would hinge partly on sponsorship. The rising star on the Truck Series lost his No. 4 ride at Turner Scott Motorsports last week, after that program was shut down because its former primary sponsor defaulted on payment.

Based in Sandusky, Ohio, ThorSport has enjoyed a long and successful run in the Truck Series that culminated last season, when Matt Crafton won the organization’s first championship and teammate Johnny Sauter won three races to finish fourth in the standings. The team also won the 2013 ARCA crown with Frank Kimmel.

"The opportunity to come to ThorSport is a big deal for me, my career and my family," Burton said in a statement released by the team. "It’s an honor to me that (owners) Duke and Rhonda Thorson would make the call to put me in their vehicles — the best there is in both series. Mr. Thorson has proven his commitment to the Truck Series — he’s a racer, that’s what it’s all about and it feels good to be here. I feel like it’s a place where I can race, and win for many years."

Burton won one race and seven poles last season, his first full campaign on the Truck Series. The Virginia native completed 99.4 percent of the laps he attempted, and finished fifth in the final standings — one spot behind his new teammate Sauter. He also finished eighth in his Nationwide Series debut.

"I can’t tell you how great it is to get this deal done in a very short amount of time," ThorSport team manager David Pepper said. "This gives us a great driver that can win both the Truck and ARCA races over the next couple weeks. We’ve had our eyes on Jeb the last few years and one thing that really stands out is how well he gets along with Matt and Johnny and the respect they have for each other. To have the opportunity to get Jeb into our ThorSport family of drivers is a great move for both parties."

Last week, Burton said he and his family were "devastated" by the shutdown of his No. 4 team at Turner Scott, which shaped up as a prime contender for the championship. He and his father Ward spent the ensuing days working the phone, trying to put a deal together. Burton’s No. 13 truck for Daytona will be backed by Carolina Nut Company, and ThorSport hopes to find funding to field him in additional events.

"Having Jeb join the ThorSport family, without question, gives us the strongest driver lineup in the Camping World Truck Series and a talented young man that gives us an opportunity to win another championship," said Matt LaNeve, ThorSport vice president of corporate partnerships. "We are actively seeking sponsorship and feel like his team and our organization have a lot of value to any potential partner."

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Qualifying procedure for road courses still being finalized

CONCORD, N.C. — Continuing to fine-tune its new group qualifying format, NASCAR will likely move road courses into the procedure used for shorter tracks, and is considering allowing teams to make minor adjustments to cars during qualifying sessions.

In a media briefing on competition matters Thursday at the NASCAR Research & Development Center, series officials said road courses will likely use the group qualifying procedure reserved for tracks of less than 1.25 miles — which includes a 30-minute first round, a 10-minute second round comprised of the fastest 12 cars and a 10-minute break in between. The tweak stems from feedback from race teams and the length of laps on circuits like Sonoma and Watkins Glen.

NASCAR will move to group qualifying this season for all three of its national series, with the exception of the Daytona 500, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Eldora, and non-points events. Tracks of 1.25 miles or longer will utilize a three-step process consisting of an opening 25-minute segment for all cars, a 10-minute segment for the fastest 24 vehicles and a final five-minute segment for the fastest 12 drivers. Road courses had originally fallen under that format, but will likely instead use the two-segment procedure.

Also, NASCAR is considering allowing teams to make some minor adjustments — such as tape, tire pressure and wedge — to cars during the sessions. As it stands now, such tweaks can only be made during the breaks in between segments. But teams are asking to be able to make adjustments during the sessions, in an effort to more immediately improve their qualifying efforts.

The procedure for group qualifying is also coming into clearer focus. The lineup will be set by a random draw conducted one hour before opening practice, and cars will line up two to a pit stall, their noses pointed toward the wall. When the track goes green, it will be up to the teams’ discretion as to when they go out, and how many laps they make in any given session. Series directors will now watch qualifying from the tower, and count down every five minutes over the radio so drivers know how much time is left.

NASCAR will enforce pit-road speed during group qualifying, but not as tightly as it would during a race. Any egregious misbehavior could get drivers parked for the duration of the session, and the sanctioning body will take action if it determines that one driver is intentionally trying to impede another competitor’s lap.

Other notes of interest:

• NASCAR said the issue that contributed to Michael Annett‘s broken sternum in a NASCAR Nationwide Series crash last year at Daytona was that the driver’s belts were anchored too far forward on his seat. A change was recommended across all series. For this season, NASCAR also changed the foam under the driver’s seat to better prevent jackhammer-type vertebra injuries, and is moving toward a seven-point harness to be implemented by 2015.

• Camping World Truck Series teams will receive two extra hours of practice at four events this season, during which they can use data acquisition: Martinsville, Charlotte, Gateway and New Hampshire. Nationwide teams will receive an extra set of tires at 15 different races, with the goal of improving practice and offsetting the lack of testing in that series. Nationwide teams will also have an open test day at Iowa in May and at Kentucky in June, when they can gather data.

• A change in NASCAR’s appeals process will allow both sides in the deliberation room at the same time, which is different from the previous method where NASCAR and teams argued their cases separately. Track operators have also been removed from the pool of appeal board members and replaced by industry experts, though the number of appeal board members will remain consistent at around 35.

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Posted on by NASCAR Official Release

NASCAR installs Eaton EV charging stations at Charlotte offices

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 6, 2014) — At the NASCAR Plaza in Charlotte, N.C., today, officials from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), NASCAR and Sprint Corp. announced the companies’ participation in the Department’s Workplace Charging Challenge — a collaborative effort to increase the number of U.S. employers offering workplace charging. The Challenge also supports the broader efforts of the Department’s EV Everywhere Grand Challenge to make plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) affordable and convenient for the American family.

"As the market for electric vehicles continues to grow, partners in the Workplace Charging Challenge are giving drivers more transportation options that save money and benefit the environment," said Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy David Danielson.

As part of today’s announcement, NASCAR unveiled five Eaton Level 2 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at its Charlotte location, bringing the total number of EV charging stations to 20 across NASCAR facilities located in Daytona Beach, Concord, Charlotte and at Michigan International Speedway. The charging stations power electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles of NASCAR employees and guests. Last year, NASCAR entered a Memorandum of Understanding with the DOE to jointly promote clean, efficient energy technologies that strengthen U.S. competitiveness. NASCAR’s participation in the Workplace Charging Challenge is the latest example of these ongoing collaborative efforts to build a cleaner, more sustainable energy economy.

"Working with the Department of Energy to help build out an EV charging infrastructure was critical given its benefits which include lowering greenhouse gas emissions, improving public health, increasing energy security and lowering operating cost per mile," said Dr. Mike Lynch, NASCAR vice president of green innovation. "Our commitment to better the environment has positioned NASCAR as the leader in sports sustainability, and we hope to influence other partners to follow our lead by joining the challenge."

Through the Workplace Charging Challenge, Sprint is installing an electric vehicle charging station in each of the 14 parking garages on its headquarters campus in Overland Park, Kansas. Each station will have the capability to charge two cars at once and will be available to Sprint employees, contractors, campus tenants and visitors. Additionally, four of the stations, funded by Kansas City Power & Light, will be available for public use. Installation has already begun and all of the stations should be ready to use by the end of March.

"Sprint is proud to support the U.S. Department of Energy’s EV Everywhere vision by joining The Workplace Charging Challenge. It is also a pleasure to make this announcement today with fellow challenge member and long-term partner, NASCAR," said Gene Agee, Sprint vice president of procurement and real estate. "This year, more than a dozen electric vehicle charging stations will be installed at Sprint’s headquarters campus, benefitting employees, contractors, campus tenants and visitors. The stations are enabled by Sprint’s mobile broadband technology to monitor and control use."

More than 55 employers have already committed to the Workplace Charging Challenge, including a number of NASCAR Official Partners such as 3M, Coca-Cola Company, Ford Motor Company and General Motors. Find additional information on the Workplace Charging Challenge at www.electricvehicles.energy.gov.

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Posted on by Holly Cain

Manufacturer signs 11-year deal, has naming rights at one of five fan injectors

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Steel and concrete construction on the $400 million Daytona Rising redevelopment project at Daytona International Speedway began seven months ago, but on Thursday an equally significant element of the foundation was laid.

International Speedway Corporation announced that Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. will be the first founding partner of the massive Daytona redesign, signing an 11-year deal beginning in 2015 that will give Toyota naming rights at one of the track’s five "fan injector" grand entrances as well as a prime presence in the facility’s central "World Center of Racing" zone that will overlook the iconic start/finish line when construction is completed in January 2016.

Toyota will also have branding rights to a "neighborhood" or fan-gathering area near the entry injector and will serve as the official partner of the Daytona 500 with pace car rights beginning in 2015.

The new high-tech, fan-first project is being called a reimagining of NASCAR’s most famous venue with a fresh approach and devotion to fan amenities along the nearly mile-long frontstretch grandstands. That means Wi-Fi, larger and more comfortable seating, escalators, twice the number of restrooms and large concourses with all the bells and whistles fans expect of a modern, major sports facility.

"For us, it’s all about leveraging Daytona," Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III told NASCAR.com Thursday from the Chicago Auto Show, where the announcement was made. "It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us to re-make fan experience. So you want to partner with great companies that believe in the same thing.

"We’ve seen that with Toyota and their involvement in NASCAR, how creative they are and how they are invested in the sport. We couldn’t be more pleased to have a partner that believes in the same things we do."

Likewise, ISC CEO Lesa France Kennedy said Toyota was a natural fit for this venture.

"When we started drafting the designs of Daytona Rising, we envisioned partnering with equally forward-thinking organizations like Toyota to bring forth the very best experience for our fans and guests."

Chitwood said the track intends to find corporate sponsors for the remaining four "fan injector" structures and for the other nine "neighborhoods," which are all the size of a football field and will serve as a gathering spot where fans can buy souvenirs, eat at restaurants and bars and never miss the race action because of dozens of video screens located throughout the concourse.

The "World Center of Racing" zone is essentially a centralized mega-neighborhood — the size of two football fields — that will provide a place for fans to socialize, eat, drink and enjoy displays of historic Daytona memorabilia.

Chitwood said the founding partners, such as Toyota, are not contributing toward the project’s $400 million price tag, but rather are customizing their own space with "innovative ways to showcase their brand."

"The goal for us is to have partners participate and create their own unique hospitality opportunities," Chitwood said. "The partnership is separate from our construction budget. But it’s nice to have partners who want to be invested and own a part of Daytona."

He said the company is already speaking with several other potential partners and hopes to make more formal announcements in the not-so-distant future.

"I’m excited because here we are two years before the project is ready, and already we have a founding partner who is taking ownership of one of the injectors," Chitwood said. "We feel really good about who we’re talking to and what’s next, and like the idea they can work on the plan and design and customers will benefit."­­ 

The above images are an artist’s rendering of what Toyota’s presence could look like at Daytona International Speedway.

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