2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Rookie of the Year set to compete in select ARCA Racing Series events in 2012

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (February 14, 2012) – Coulter Motorsports, along with veteran driver Joey Coulter, is pleased to announce the continuation of their partnership with Rip It Energy Fuel for the 2012 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards season.

For the third consecutive year, the dynamic duo will kick off the season at the historic Daytona International Speedway for the season-opening Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 with Coulter behind the wheel. The 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) Rookie of the Year will pilot the No. 61 Rip It Energy Fuel, Darrell Gwynn Foundation Chevrolet Impala SS for five races in 2012.

The 2012 partnership with Rip It Energy Fuel stems from two extremely successful seasons with the Coulter Motorsports team. The organization and its driver have accumulated one win, seven top-five and 11 top-10 finishes along with 117 laps led. In 2010 they captured the Bill France Four Crown Championship.

“I am proud to represent Rip It Energy Fuel once again with Coulter Motorsports,” Coulter commented. “They have been a great partner of Coulter Motorsports and my racing career, and are a proven supporter of the ARCA Racing Series. Daytona is one of those tracks everyone wants to win at and the ability to showcase our sponsorship with Rip It makes that goal much more special.”

Along with the season opener at Daytona, Coulter will vie for ARCA wins at Talladega Superspeedway (May 4), Toledo Speedway (May 20), Michigan International Speedway (June 15) and Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis (July 27).

Coverage for the upcoming Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona will be live on SPEED beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET Saturday, February 18th.

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You can get LIVE updates wherever Coulter Motorsports travels by following on Twitter at http://twitter.com/CoulterMtrsprts

Facebook at www.facebook.com/CoulterMotorsports

Also please be sure to support Joey’s sponsors at:

Shell Shock: shellshock.homestead.com

Tempest Cycles: www.tempestcycles.com

MAD Industry: www.areumad.com

WileyX: www.wileyx.com

About Rip It Energy Fuel:

www.RipItEnergy.com

Rip It Energy Fuel by National Beverage Corp. (NASDAQ: FIZZ) is available in fifteen exhilarating flavors, including three sugar-free varieties. Great-tasting and power-packed, Rip It provides REAL energy for REAL people at a REAL value. In an office, on the job, on a mountain, riding waves, doin’ flips, doin’ tricks, jammin’ all night, crammin’ all night, whatever your life calls for, Rip It is there to fuel you. Crack open an ice-cold Rip It Power and Feel the REAL Taste of BOLD energy surge through your body. Or maybe you prefer the sweet taste of Sugar FREE Citrus X to slap your tongue back to life. Rip It Energy Fuel has the complete line of Regular and Sugar FREE flavors in both 16 oz cans and 2 oz shots to make Rip It a REAL part of your everyday life.

About Darrell Gwynn Foundation (DGF)

www.darrellgwynnfoundation.org

The Darrell Gwynn Foundation (DGF) is a certified non-profit 501(c) 3 agency. DGF exists to prevent, provide for and ultimately cure spinal cord injuries and other debilitating illnesses. To expedite specific cures, the Foundation assists in the funding of targeted research. DGF is also dedicated to injury prevention, with special emphasis on programs targeting children. The Foundation helps improve the quality of life for those already afflicted with injury or illness, by providing necessary equipment or special services. DGF is an official charity of the Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction, National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) and has a close affiliation with NASCAR and the NASCAR Foundation.

Daytona car will also have country artist Chris Cagle on decklid

GAFFNEY, S.C. (February 14, 2012) – JD Motorsports will have a familiar look on their car for the season opener at Daytona with G&K Services returning to the fold for the 2012 season.

Mike Wallace will open the NASCAR Nationwide Series driving the No. 01 G&K Services Chevrolet at Daytona International Speedway. The following week, G&K Services will return as the primary sponsor and will do so for other races throughout the year. For races they are not a primary partner, they will be an associate throughout the season.

Also on board for Daytona will be country gold recording artist Chris Cagle. The singer has earned two No. 1 hits, seven top-10 and 12 charted songs. His sixth album is titled “Got My Country On” produced and released by Bigger Picture Group.

G&K Services is returning to JD Motorsports for the third season. What started out as a being involved for a handful of races in 2010 turned into a tripled effort in 2011.

“The people at G&K Services have really been great to work with and I’m glad they are on board with us again this year,” Wallace said. “The work they do with uniform services and their other initiatives is high quality all the way around. We look forward to giving them the results they deserve on the track, and off, this season.

“They know what a big deal Daytona is for me and we almost got them to Victory Lane last year at Talladega. We’re just going to do our best for them at Daytona and start the season off on a good note.

“It’s also going to be fun to have my friend Chris Cagle on our car. He’s an excellent country artist with songs everyone can relate to in life. Maybe we can inspire him to write a song about racing for us.”

About G&K Services

Founded in 1902 by Alexander and Morris Gross in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, G&K Services today has approximately 7,500 employees throughout North America and Europe and has approximately 165,000 customers with more than 160 facilities in North America and Europe. G&K Services is a North American market leader in branded identity apparel programs and facility services.

G&K Services enhances a company's image and safety by consistently providing superior customer service and high quality work apparel and facility products and services. The company has been committed to enhancing image and safety in the workplace for more than 100 years. More than rental work uniforms, G&K's technical expertise extends to food safety, facility services, high visibility and flame resistant solutions, as well.

CONCORD, N.C. (February 10, 2012) - RAB Racing with Brack Maggard announced today that as a result of his recent DUI arrest, John Wes Townley will be replaced as driver of their No. 09 Toyota Tundra until his return is deemed appropriate.

"Obviously, this is an unfortunate situation," said Robby Benton, owner of RAB Racing with Brack Maggard. "However, we have to react to the severity of the incident accordingly. His actions do not reflect those of RAB Racing, nor the sponsors associated with the team.

"John Wes has accepted full responsibility, and will take the necessary personal steps in order to correct his actions, among other internal sanctions," Benton continued. "We stand by John Wes, and will welcome him back to the team at the appropriate time."

GAFFNEY, S.C. (February 8, 2012) – To better strengthen its overall program, JD Motorsports will field a second car for the 2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series season.

Johnny Davis, owner of JD Motorsports, will race a No. 4 Chevrolet to double their efforts on the track this season.

Mike Wallace will continue to drive the No. 01 Chevrolet for JD Motorsports on a full-time basis with Newt Moore as the crew chief. The second car will have several drivers in the seat including Danny Efland and Darryl Harr; with the possibility of Mike’s daughter, Chrissy Wallace, driving if marketing partners can be found.

Efland will drive the No. 4 Chevrolet for JD Motorsports in the upcoming NNS race at Daytona International Speedway. Both cars are locked into the first five races via their Owner’s Points from the 2011 season.

“We needed to do this because a two-car operation is better than one,” Davis said. “Any time you can get twice as much information from two drivers and teams, the better understanding you have of what’s going on out there on the track.

“Pairing this new venture with a veteran like Mike (Wallace) adds an even bigger dynamic and improves the feedback we’ll be getting this year. All information is good and we’re looking forward to this being a big part of our success this year.

“This is just another step to making JD Motorsports a stronger team, and more improved all around. We’re feeling pretty good about our outlook this year. We just need to get the marketing partnerships to make it even better.”

Parrott will work with Ryan Blaney, Ryan Truex and Bobby Santos
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (February 7, 2012) – During the off-season, Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) announced an expansion into the NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS). NNS veteran crew chief Brad Parrott will head the team of young drivers, Ryan Blaney, Ryan Truex and Bobby Santos, in an eight-race schedule for the No. 36 Chevrolet.

Parrott brings more than 20 years of knowledge to the rookie NNS program. The Charlotte, N.C., native has a plethora of experience in both the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) and NNS. He has worked as crew chief and car chief for many successful teams in both series, including Yates Racing, Earnhardt Ganassi Racing and Roush Fenway Racing. Parrott complied 18 wins as a NNS crew chief. He won the 1999 NSCS Championship as the car chief at Yates Racing, where he compiled 23 victories in his five-year tenure as Car Chief of the team.

“I’m glad to be a part of TBR,” Parrott said. “Tommy has a long history in the sport, as do I. We’ve both been to the top ranks of the NASCAR, as well as smaller teams. Now as a young team owner, I can relate to where his race team is going and look forward to many years ahead. I have been a crew chief in the Nationwide Series since 2002 and won 18 races. With the experience that I have, I look forward to bringing a young team with young drivers to the winner’s circle. I’m thrilled to work with Ryan Blaney, Ryan Truex and Bobby Santos, as well as our partners. 2012 will be very exciting for all involved.”

This season will mark TBR’s fourth season of competition. TBR began as a part-time, one-car NSCS team in 2009 and developed into a top-35 team by 2011. In 2012, TBR plans to compete with two NSCS teams and a part-time NASCAR Nationwide Series team. The team would like to increase the number of races in both the NSCS and NNS schedules, provided more sponsorship can be found.

“Brad has been in the sport for many years in many different positions,” explained Tommy Baldwin. “His variety of experiences will help us build the Nationwide team from the ground up, in addition to assisting with some of the Cup program. His strengths will complement a lot of areas we need help with. I look forward to working with him and growing our program.”

About Tommy Baldwin Racing:

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) Crew Chief Tommy Baldwin formed Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) in 2009. Baldwin utilized a declining economy to open a NSCS team with a stringent budget. The team worked to build to full-time competition, and by the 2011 season, the team’s third season, TBR competed in every race and locked the No. 36 Chevrolet in the top-35 in NSCS Owner Points. Dave Blaney drove the No. 36 Chevrolet to TBR’s highest finish of third in the October 2011 event at Talladega Superspeedway. TBR also fielded a second car for select races in the past two seasons with multiple drivers.

Based in Mooresville, N.C., TBR will compete in the NSCS in 2012 with NASCAR veterans David Reutimann and Dave Blaney. The team will also compete in the NASCAR Nationwide Series with Ryan Blaney, Bobby Santos and Ryan Truex.

For more information on Tommy Baldwin Racing, visit tommybaldwinracing.com or follow us on Facebook, facebook.com/TBR.HBR, and Twitter, twitter.com/TBR_Racing.

Duo teamed up for top-10 points finish in 2009

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (February 8, 2012) – Spraker Racing reached back into their history books a bit to find a driver for the ARCA race on Saturday, February 18 at Daytona International Speedway.

Alex Kennedy of Aztec, N.M. will wheel the No. 08 Ford for the team. The 20-year old driver and team raced together in 2009 where they achieved a top-10 points finish in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. He also ran one race in 2010 for the team.

Since then, Kennedy has gone on to make 11 NASCAR Nationwide Series starts the past two seasons achieving one top-20 finish and six finishes better than 25^th place.

And, as has been the case in almost all of his NNS starts, he will be carrying the Dream Factory on board for Daytona. Dream Factory (http://www.dreamfactoryinc.org/) is a non-profit volunteer organization granting dreams to children with critical or chronic illnesses between the ages of three and 18. Other marketing partnership opportunities are still available for the race.

This will be Kennedy’s first time racing the 2.5-mile high banks of Daytona.

“New venues are nothing for us with Alex,” said Jeff Spraker, team owner. “We went to Dover with him a few years back and he was third on the sheet after the first practice. This car has been tested at both Daytona and Talladega and we’re pretty confident we have a good Ford. Alex is a quick study and adapts quickly to new tracks.

“We have a Roush engine and will be getting some pit support from them for the race, too. They have been very helpful towards our team and this couldn’t happen without them.

“You know, the first time we had Alex in our car at Caraway (N.C.) Speedway he was all of 15-years old. And now, five years later, the same group of guys is going to Daytona with him. There aren’t too many teams that can say that these days.”

For Kennedy, the chance to race at Daytona is something he’s been looking to do for years.

“When this all came together, I couldn’t believe the opportunity to finally race the historic track of Daytona was finally going to happen,” he said. “We’ve always had a good relationship with Spraker and were fairly successful during our K&N Pro Series East days together.

“We’re going to have a Roush motor and some crew guys helping us out on the track and NASCAR veteran Jimmy Kitchens is going to spot for me. I’m going to take it all in and learn everything I can during every lap.”

Qualifying takes place on Friday, February 17 with race action starting at 4:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, February 18. The 80-lap race can be seen live on SPEED TV.

Toronto, ON, Feb 3rd, 2012…Effective Feb15th, 2012 Go Canada Racing will become GC Motorsports International (GCMI). "The name change is a result of numerous developments in the offseason and more clearly represents our company, our partners, drivers and sponsors going forward." said team owner Steve Meehan. rd NASCAR Canadian Tire Series championship, it will be great working with Dave again, and I am really looking forward to get back behind the wheel in the Nationwide series. GCMI is developing a very strong strategy to grow the team and I think I am at the perfect point of my career to grow with them" states Andrew Ranger.

About Andrew Ranger

Continue reading this post »

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (February 6, 2012) – Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) hired Ryan Pemberton to lead the No. 36 team as crew chief for Dave Blaney. Pemberton will join the team as they attempt to make the 54^th Annual Daytona 500 February 26. The No. 36 team’s 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) schedule is still being finalized as the team seeks funding for all 36 events.

Pemberton comes from a family of racers. The Saratoga, N.Y., native started out sweeping floors at Roush Fenway Racing and worked his way up to a NSCS crew chief in 1997. Most recently, he served as crew chief for Brian Vickers at Red Bull Racing. During his career as a NSCS crew chief, he compiled two wins, 21 top-fives, 92 top-10s and 15 poles.

“I’m thrilled to join Tommy Baldwin Racing,” explained Pemberton. “TBR has shown a lot of growth in a short time, and I’m looking forward to the challenge of stepping up the program this year. Tommy, Dave and I all come from families of racing and have similar backgrounds, so I think it will be a good fit.”

This season will mark TBR’s fourth season of competition. TBR began as a part-time, one-car NSCS team in 2009 and developed into a top-35 team by 2011. In 2012, TBR plans to compete with two NSCS teams and a part-time NASCAR Nationwide Series team. The team would like to increase the number of races in both the NSCS and NNS schedules, provided more sponsorship can be found.

“Hiring Ryan is another stepping stone for TBR,” Tommy Baldwin commented. “Ryan brings experience and a wealth of knowledge from all the years he has been in the sport. He has been successful with every team he has worked for, and we are excited to have him be a part of our program.”

About Tommy Baldwin Racing:

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) Crew Chief Tommy Baldwin formed Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) in 2009. Baldwin utilized a declining economy to open a NSCS team with a stringent budget. The team worked to build to full-time competition, and by the 2011 season, the team’s third season, TBR competed in every race and locked the No. 36 Chevrolet in the top-35 in NSCS Owner Points. Dave Blaney drove the No. 36 Chevrolet to TBR’s highest finish of third in the October 2011 event at Talladega Superspeedway. TBR also fielded a second car for select races in the past two seasons with multiple drivers.

Based in Mooresville, N.C., TBR will compete in the NSCS in 2012 with NASCAR veterans David Reutimann and Dave Blaney. The team will also compete in the NASCAR Nationwide Series with Ryan Blaney, Bobby Santos and Ryan Truex.

For more information on Tommy Baldwin Racing, visit tommybaldwinracing.com or follow us on Facebook, facebook.com/TBR.HBR, and Twitter, twitter.com/TBR_Racing.

WELCOME, N.C. (February 6, 2012) - Entering their ninth season with Richard Childress Racing driver Paul Menard, PEAK® Performance announced today the No. 27 Chevrolet will sport an exciting and electric look during 2012 Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway.

Expanding on their hood sponsorship of the Menards Chevrolet, PEAK has redesigned the No. 27 Impala to be completely adorned with the signature "PEAK blue" and "Menards yellow" as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series kicks off the season with the 54th running of the "Great American Race" on February 26. The special paint scheme will also be showcased in the Budweiser Shootout on February 18 and the Duel 150 qualifying race on February 23.

"PEAK has been a great partner to work with over the years," commented Menard. "This year, to kick off the season at Daytona with a little extra punch, PEAK decided to run a vastly different paint scheme on the No. 27 Chevrolet. There is always a special energy going into Daytona and I know the team and I are all excited to get there and do everything we can to put the No. 27 PEAK car into Victory Lane."

PEAK first partnered with the 2011 Brickyard 400 champion in 2004, but their relationship with Menards dates back to the home improvement chain's IndyCar days. To celebrate the occasion and generate excitement with fans, PEAK will feature exclusive online Menard content in the days leading into the Daytona 500. The blog can be followed at www.peakauto.com/blog. Fans can also follow the march to Daytona at @peakauto on Twitter and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/peakauto.

Menard had an outstanding 2011 season, capturing his first-career Sprint Cup Series win with an emotional trip to Victory Lane at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and finishing 17th in the driver championship standings, his highest career finish. Menard enters his sixth year of NSCS competition in 2012 and will make his second career appearance in the annual Budweiser Shootout at Daytona.

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About PEAK

PEAK products are manufactured, marketed and distributed by Old World Industries, which is among the largest privately-held companies competing in the automotive aftermarket. The Northbrook, Illinois-based company enjoys a presence in various consumer product markets, energy exploration, and chemical manufacturing in more than 50 countries worldwide. Old World's brands include a full line of PEAK® Performance Products; Mr. Clean® Windshield Wash, Wiper Blades, and Auto Care Products; SIERRA®, the safer antifreeze; Fleet Charge® Fully Formulated Coolant; Final Charge® Heavy Duty Global Extended Life Antifreeze/Coolant; SmartBLADE™ Premium Wiper Blades; HERCULINER® Truck Bed Liner Kits; SplitFire® Spark Plugs. For more information, please visit www.oldworldind.com or www.peakauto.com.

About Richard Childress Racing

Richard Childress Racing (www.rcrracing.com) has earned more than 200 victories and 14 championships, including six in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with the legendary Dale Earnhardt. RCR was the first organization to win championships in the Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series. Its current Sprint Cup Series lineup includes Paul Menard (No. 27 Menards Chevrolet), Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Budweiser/Rheem/Jimmy John's Chevrolet) and Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar/Wheaties/BB&T Chevrolet). Its Nationwide Series program includes Elliott Sadler (No. 2 One Main Financial Chevrolet), 2011 Camping World Truck Series champion Austin Dillon (No. 3 Advocare/Bass Pro Shops/American Ethanol Chevrolet) and Kevin Harvick/Brendan Gaughan/Paul Menard (No. 33 South Point Hotel & Casino/Menards/Hunt Brothers Pizza/Armour/Fast Fixin'/ Chevrolet). Tim George Jr. and Brendan Gaughan (No. 2 Potomac Family Dining Group/South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet), Joey Coulter (No. 22 RCR/Armour Chevrolet) and 2011 ARCA Racing Series champion Ty Dillon (No.3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) compete in the 2012 Camping World Truck Series season.

Fellow NASCAR blogger and cartoonist Lori Munro posted an awesome guessing game at her site today, Lori's War Wagon (http://www.war-wagon.com). Think you know the makes of cars competing in NASCAR's top series? Give it a shot, I bet you don't.

Oh and don't be fooled by the red herring that has been placed in there. In order from top to bottom pick the four NASCAR manufacturers out of the five cars shown. Good luck!

So what have we learned from this task? We all complain that the CoT looks the same no matter what the manufacturer is, and yet the normal everyday street cars are the same too - so what are we complaining for?

Special thanks to Lori for letting me post this at NASCAR RnR.

New 2013 Ford Fusion NASCAR Sprint Cup Car Brings the "Stock Car" Back to NASCAR

CONCORD, n.c, Jan. 24, 2012 - Manufacturer brand identity is back in NASCAR.

The 2013 Ford Fusion NASCAR Sprint Cup car, unveiled today as part of the Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour, was worked on by Ford designers in an effort to bring brand identity back to the sport. The result is undeniable with the 2013 Sprint Cup car mirroring the recently unveiled 2013 Ford Fusion production car.

Featuring a completely redesigned sleek new silhouette and fresh face, the 2013 Fusion Sprint Cup car was designed to be the face of a new era of stock car racing.

"We wanted Fusion to be the car that helped return ‘stock car' to NASCAR." stated Jamie Allison, director, Ford Racing. "I think fans, when they see the car, are just going to smile and cheer. It is going to reengage them with the sport and make the sport better because there is just something natural about seeing race cars that look like cars in their driveways."

This marks the third time Ford simultaneously launched production and NASCAR versions of a new model. The first dual launch came in 1968, with the sleek fastback Ford Torino. Legendary NASCAR driver David Pearson drove the Torino to back-to-back NASCAR championships in 1968 and 1969. The second time came in 2006, when the then newly introduced Ford Fusion appeared in showrooms and on the track.

Ford took a different approach with the development of the 2013 Fusion racer. Ford Design Center staff, led by Garen Nicoghosian, and Ford aerodynamicist Bernie Marcus, spent the past year doing the early design development, freeing up the Ford race teams to concentrate on weekly NASCAR competition.

"This is a seminal moment in the sport where we had a chance to get it right once again and make sure the race cars are race versions of street cars. And I am proud because I believe we have accomplished just that," continued Allison. "The 2013 Fusion is a stunning car and the 2013 NASCAR Fusion is even more stunning and I can't wait to see it perform on the track and connect with race fans."

Ford designers, led by Nicoghosian, addressed three main issues to mirror the 2013 Sprint Cup Fusion to the 2013 production Fusion found on showroom floors.

Design Features of the 2013 Fusion Sprint Cup Car

· Designers addressed the overall proportion of the race car to reflect proportions found in the production Fusion.

· Brand and design cues in the side of the vehicle.

· An identifiable front end grill with the distinctive look of a Ford.

"It looks fun to drive and very much eager to go and tear up the track. It has a very aggressive stance from the outside and the inside. From all angles the vehicle exudes performance and I think it reflects our general attitude of how we go about setting up our cars very, very nicely," said Nicoghosian. "It brings a certain level of nimbleness and lightness and agility to the NASCAR platform, much like we do in our production cars, because all of our production cars have that nimbleness and agility and eagerness about them."

The new NASCAR Fusion entries will be tested throughout the 2012 campaign in preparation for their racing debut at the 2013 Daytona 500 in February.

NASCAR families, friends, resident enthusiasts and new fans looking for their first affordable weekend getaway of the New Year will find it at the NASCAR Hall of Fame and the Charlotte (N.C.) Convention Center, where NASCAR Acceleration Weekend 2012 will hit into high gear. The action-packed weekend, slated for Jan. 20-22, provides an opportunity for audiences to interact with the sport’s legends, current stars and catch a sneak peek at the upcoming season.

A snapshot of events includes:

· Friday, Jan. 20: Storytelling with 2010 and 2011 NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductees in the Great Hall (4 p.m.), followed by the Red Carpet event (4:30-6 p.m.) featuring past and current Hall of Fame Inductees, celebrities and NASCAR executives leading up to the 2012 Induction Ceremony. The Hall will welcome its third class – Darrell Waltrip, Cale Yarborough, Glen Wood, Dale Inman and Richie Evans (posthumously) – with enshrinement.

· Saturday, Jan. 21: NASCAR legend Junior Johnson will serve breakfast to Hall of Fame guests, free with paid admission to the NASCAR Hall of Fame (7-9 a.m.) kicking off NASCAR Preview 2012, Presented by Sprint. Top NASCAR drivers and legends will be on hand throughout the day (9 a.m. – 5 p.m.) for autographs and on-stage Q&A sessions, as well as interactive experiences for fans held at the Charlotte Convention Center. To put a nightcap on the day’s events, NASCAR legends and new Hall Inductees will be stationed at their respective exhibits telling stories and visiting with fans (7-9 p.m. ET).

· Sunday, Jan. 22: Fans will have the opportunity to mingle with the 2012 Hall of Fame class as they get their first glimpse of each inductee’s Hall of Fame cars and exhibits (9:30-10:30 a.m.). A perfect exclamation point to the weekend!

· Ticket special: Combo tickets for the NASCAR Hall of Fame and NASCAR Preview 2012 start at $20. Children under five-years old are FREE.

For more information on NASCAR Acceleration Weekend, visit NASCARacceleration2012.com or call 1-800-745-3000

The Return of one of NASCAR RnR's more popular features: Sound Bites!

With the beginning of the test sessions at Daytona this week the drivers are in good spirits as they look forward the opportunities this racing season may provide and that makes them a little more talkative than normal - so listen on;

• NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Director John Darby explains the effect of rules changes at Daytona (50 seconds) CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THIS FILE
  
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. says NASCAR's rule changes at Daytona have been positive steps
  (30 seconds) CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THIS FILE
  
• Mark Martin explains what it would mean to him to become a Daytona 500 champion
  (24 seconds) CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THIS FILE
  
  Danica Patrick says Daytona offers a golden opportunity to perform at a high level
  (17 seconds) CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THIS FILE
  
• Tony Stewart says the testing for the Daytona 500 understandably carries extra emphasis (22 seconds) CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THIS FILE
  
• NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton says there are plenty of changes in the first test of 2012 (49 seconds) CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THIS FILE
  

All sound clips courtsey NASCAR.

With the beginning of testing at Daytona today the main question on the minds of those fans in attendance besides "Where's Danica?" was "How have the teams adjusted to the use of fuel injection?"

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Testing at Daytona in January has always been pretty important. Teams go there with clean slates, everybody is undefeated as the new racing season starts, and are eager to find out if the changes they did to their cars will gain them the much needed speed to compete for the win.

This year however, is a little different for the teams testing on the high-banked 'Birthplace of Speed', not only are they on a quest for speed but they have to now deal with several rule changes that will not only effect the speed of the cars, but also the way in which they handle.

The larger multi-car teams may have an easier time getting a handle on this new rules package since they have many cars to do various set-ups on and then share the collected data (remember these guys can have performance data collection devices on their cars during testing) amongst the rest of the 'team' whereas the smaller pocketed single car teams might struggle trying to find the right set-up for these changes in the rules.

I've been doing some thinking about what is going to happen to the Shell/Pennzoil sponsored number twenty-two Dodge owned by Roger Penske now that Kurt Busch has been released. Who exactly is going to drive that car next year in the Sprint Cup Series?

The most obvious contender for the vacated seat is David Ragan, who has reportedly already met with Penske to discuss his options for next year. Ragan has been released from Roush/Fenway and has an agreement to race for Phoenix Racing next year unless something better comes along. Ragan is a likeable guy and has the skill to work with the media quite well, but with only one win to his credit in the last five years at the Cup level he may not be the Championship contending driver Penske is looking for.

(Editor's note: it has also been reported that the newly freed Kurt Busch has been in contact with James Finch, the owner of Phoenix Racing, asking if they'd be interested in him driving for them next year.)

Then there is the Red Bull-less Brian Vickers whose team just folded, but would he drive for Penske? He probably wouldn't say no if he were to be approached by the Penske organization, but will they ask him? I don't honestly know. Although Vickers has won at the Cup level he only has two wins to his credit and has never finished higher than twelfth in the standings. With these stats he certainly is not Championship material any more than Ragan is, but then again he has never had access to the type of equipment that Ragan had either when he was with Roush. And let's not forget that Vickers is well liked by fans and is very media savvy which certainly bodes well for Shell/Pennzoil.

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Smoke or Edwards? Who's it going to be? You tell me. Statistically, at this track, I have to go with Edwards, but my heart is with Stewart.  Either way, I think each man will be a deserving winner as NASCAR RnR's Aaron Rosser pointed out earlier in the week.

My pick to win has be be Edwards because he does better at this track than most others.  Although he and Tony both have two wins each, Edwards has his two on the newly configured/banked track while Stewart has his wins on the old track lay-out.

My dark horse pick is Bowyer, as he is trying to hold onto that thirteenth spot, but I'd keep an eye on that 43 car of The 'Dinger too - I've got a good feeling about his race today.


Starting line-up and the last race-time discussion of the year after the jump.  See you there!

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Although everyone will be watching the Nationwide Driver's Championship today, it is the Owner's Championship that deserves the closer look at.  Sure Sadler still has a chance at winning the Driver's Championship, but I think the Toronto Maple Leafs have a better chance of winning the Stanley Cup this year than Sadler does at winning the Championship.  But I guess anything can happen, this is NASCAR after all - you just might get someone doing a Kyle Busch on Stenhouse early in the race giving the Championship to Sadler.

With that being said, the Owner's Championship is tight, with only one point separating the 60 and 18 cars - that is just one position on the track!  Granted if they do finished tied for points at the end of it, the Championship would go to the 60 car because it has more second place finishes.  Each car has had a number of different drivers in them this season but driving them today will be Edwards (60) and Hamlin (18).  It should prove to be an interesting race indeed, although I kind of wish Kyle Busch was in the 18 car just to see what would happen.

Discussion and entry-list after the jump.  See you on the other side!

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So who is going to flinch first, Stewart or Edwards?  Interesting enough that the three points Edwards has over Stewart is the three points he got for having a win in the pre-Chase set of races, otherwise the two have made the exact same amount of points so far in the Chase.

I wonder if we'll have another storybook ending like Hornish's yesterday?  Time will tell.

It's sad to see Stremme sitting out this week, even though he ran faster than 6 of the guys who are in the show for today's race.  I still hate the Top 35 rule and starting spots determined by Owner Points and not speed.  I guess I'm a minority in that department.

Starting line-up and group discussion after the jump.  See you on the other side.

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All eyes, both fans and Sprint Cup teams and drivers, will be on this race today.  The two main stories about this race will be; 1) The battle for the Nationwide Championship and 2) How the new racing surface is going to affect the racing on the track.  Of course this may not be exactly in the right order.

The Championship is effectively down to Stenhouse and Sadler.  Will the younger driver prevail with youthful enthusiasm or will the seasoned veteran be hungry enough to prevail and win his first Championship?

For more on this check out what NASCAR RNR's Troy J had to say.

I imagine that there will be more curious eyes peering from the garage area than normal for a Nationwide race because of the new pavement.  Will there be two grooves or just one like pre-paved Bristol?  Will the racing surface hold up or come apart like Texas years ago? And so on ...

There will be a lot to learn from today's race and the answers may be hard learned for some of the drivers on the track. 

For more info and opinion about this subject check out what NASCAR RnR's very own NASCAR Krissy had to say.

Starting line-up and 'in-depth race discussion' after the jump - see you there!

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Wow, what a weekend so far, can it get any more crazy?  Can't wait to find out.

Starting line-up and discussion after the jump.  See you on the other side.

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The following is a statement issued by Kyle Busch through the race team that he owns (Kyle Busch Motorsports):

The following is a letter written by Kyle Busch to his fans, sponsors, teammates, competitors and fellow members of the racing community.

  

To all,

I've had a lot of time today to sit and reflect, and try to put my thoughts into words as best I can.

I want to sincerely apologize for my actions during Friday night's Truck Series race at Texas.

I apologize to my fans, all my sponsors, everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing and Kyle Busch Motorsports.

After talking with my team, it's great to have their support and encouragement to assure me that there are better days ahead. Even though this took place while driving for Kyle Busch Motorsports, I am sorry for how difficult this has been for everyone associated with Joe Gibbs Racing's Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series teams.

I'd also like to apologize to Ron Hornaday Jr., and everyone associated with the No. 33 team in the Truck Series.

I understand why I was taken out of the car for the rest of the weekend. NASCAR officials had to act, and I accept their punishment and take full responsibility for my actions.

As a racecar driver, the hardest thing to do is to sit on the sidelines listening to cars on the track when you know you should be out there competing. For this, I have no one to blame but myself.

Through a lot of support from the people around me, I feel like I've made a lot of strides this year, but this was certainly a step backward. Moving forward, I will do everything I possibly can to represent everyone involved in a positive manner. However, I know my long-term actions will have more of a bearing than anything I say right now.

Sincerely,

 

Kyle Busch

Hey all.  The big story today is Kyle Busch is parked for the weekend for his actions in the Truck race last night.  Does that change anything for this race?  No not really.  I just hope the Cup regulars in this race now realize they shouldn't mess with the Championship contenders in this race.

I think NASCAR got it right by parking Kyle.

Discussion and starting line-up after the jump.  See you there.

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You know, I'm liking this battle for the points.  So much so that I'm going to DVR this race as my son's hockey game starts about the same time as the green flag is going to fly and I'll watch it when I get home.  Don't expect to see me in the comment section either - at least not until I've watched the race.

So who is going to win?  Tough call. If you want a safe bet then go with either Harvick or Busch, but if you must pick a winner out of the Truck regulars than I'd pick any one of the drivers in the top three or four in points, with a nod going to Buesher and Dillon - if for no other reason than they qualified strong (P1 and P2 respectively) and are way out of the pack where a lot can happen.

Starting line-up is after the jump, see you on the other side.

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