Friday, March 30, 2012

NASCAR in Virginia

NASCAR in Virginia
·         There have been 274 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in Virginia.
Track Name
City
NSCS Races
Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville
126
Richmond International Raceway
Richmond
111
Langley Field Speedway
Hampton
9
Norfolk Speedway
Norfolk
2
Old Dominion Speedway
Manassas
7
Princess Anne Speedway
Norfolk
1
South Boston Speedway
South Boston
10
Southside Speedway
Richmond
4
Starkey Speedway
Roanoke
4
TOTAL

274
 
·         162 drivers in NASCAR’s three national series (all-time) have their home state recorded as Virginia.
·         There have been 18 race winners from Virginia in NASCAR’s three national series:
Driver
NSCS
NNS
NCWTS
Joe Weatherly
25
0
0
Ricky Rudd
23
1
0
Jeff Burton
21
27
0
Denny Hamlin
18
11
1
Curtis Turner
17
0
0
Ward Burton
5
4
0
Glen Wood
4
0
0
Elliott Sadler
3
7
1
Emanuel Zervakis
2
0
0
Lennie Pond
1
0
0
Wendell Scott
1
0
0
Tommy Ellis
0
22
0
Jimmy Hensley
0
9
2
Rick Mast
0
9
0
Hermie Sadler
0
2
0
Elton Sawyer
0
2
0
Stacy Compton
0
0
2
Jon Wood
0
0
2
 

Martinsville Speedway:

Martinsville Speedway:
History
·         Opened in September 1947 by H. Clay Earles, Martinsville, originally a dirt track, is one of the oldest continuously-operating race tracks in the United States.
·         The first NASCAR-sanctioned race at Martinsville was on July 4, 1948.
·         The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was Sept. 25, 1949.
·         The track was paved in 1955.
·         The first 500-lap event at Martinsville was in 1956.
·         Concrete corners were added atop asphalt in 1976.
Notebook
·         There have been 126 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Martinsville Speedway, one in the inaugural year and two races per year since 1950.
·         Curtis Turner won the pole for the first NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Martinsville in 1949.
·         Red Byron won the first NASCAR Sprint Cup race.
·         56 drivers have won poles, led by Darrell Waltrip with eight. Jeff Gordon, with seven poles, can tie that mark this weekend.
·         Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin and Darrell Waltrip share the consecutive pole record, each with three.
·         46 different drivers have won, led by Richard Petty’s 15.
·         Jeff Gordon leads active drivers with seven wins. Jimmie Johnson has six and Denny Hamlin has four.
·         19 races have been won from the pole, the last by Denny Hamlin in October 2010.
·         Petty Enterprises has won 19 races, more than any other organization. Hendrick Motorsports, with 18 wins, can tie that mark this weekend.
·         Kurt Busch won the 2002 fall race from the 36th starting position, the furthest back a race winner has started.
·         Three active drivers average a top-10: Jimmie Johnson (5.4), Denny Hamlin (6.4) and Jeff Gordon (6.8).
·         Youngest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Martinsville Speedway winner: Richard Petty (4/10/1960 – 22 years, 9 months, 8 days).
·         Oldest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Martinsville Speedway winner: Harry Gant (9/22/1996 – 51 years, 8 months, 12 days)

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Bruton Smith say changes will be made at Bristo

  • Bruton Smith say changes will be made at Bristol: After more than a week of studying requested fan input, Bruton Smith, Chairman and CEO of Speedway Motorsports, announced he has ordered the go-ahead to make changes to the track surface at Bristol Motor Speedway. "The race fans have spoken," Smith said. "We had input that included a wide range of opinions. But the majority we heard from said they wanted to see changes made. As a result, I have ordered the equipment and work will begin within the next two weeks to allow time to have everything ready for August." Smith said an announcement regarding the scope of the work will be made soon. "The question we wanted to answer as quickly as possible was 'Is something going to be done?' Smith said. "The answer to that is 'yes.' We will have the details in two weeks as to what that 'something' is.(BMS)(3-28-2012)
  • Atlanta introducing new ticket specials for 2012: For spectators looking to enjoy a great racing event experience at a favorable cost, Atlanta Motor Speedway is rolling out new ticket specials for the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AdvoCare 500 weekend, Aug. 31-Sept. 2. Two frontstretch Lower Petty or Lower Winners grandstand tickets will be offered for $99 while they last for the AdvoCare 500 on Sunday, Sept. 2. Fans will have a view of pit road and will see the high-speed racing action up close as the cars race down the frontstretch. Danica Patrick will make her Atlanta Motor Speedway debut this Labor Day weekend, and her fans can watch her race in both of her starts with the "Danica Deal." In this package, customers will receive a ticket in the Lower Earnhardt Grandstand for Sunday's AdvoCare 500 and a general admission ticket for Saturday's Nationwide Series race. Included will be a limited-edition Danica Patrick hero card to commemorate her first start at the historic 1.54-mile speedway. Both of these specials are only available while they last for a limited time, so fans are encouraged to lock in their seats today for the biggest Labor Day party in the USA.(AMS)(3-28-2012)

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Atlanta Motor Speedway Introducing New Ticket Specials for 2012

Atlanta Motor Speedway Introducing New Ticket Specials for 2012
Two Different Ticket Packages Available for Under $100

HAMPTON, Ga. (March 27, 2012) – For spectators looking to enjoy a great racing event experience at a favorable cost, Atlanta Motor Speedway is rolling out new ticket specials for the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AdvoCare 500 weekend, Aug. 31-Sept. 2.

Two frontstretch Lower Petty or Lower Winners grandstand tickets will be offered for $99 while they last for the AdvoCare 500 on Sunday, Sept. 2. Fans will have a view of pit road and will see the high-speed racing action up close as the cars race down the frontstretch.

Danica Patrick will make her Atlanta Motor Speedway debut this Labor Day weekend, and her fans can watch her race in both of her starts with the “Danica Deal.” In this package, customers will receive a ticket in the Lower Earnhardt Grandstand for Sunday’s AdvoCare 500 and a general admission ticket for Saturday’s Nationwide Series race. Included will be a limited-edition Danica Patrick hero card to commemorate her first start at the historic 1.54-mile speedway.

Both of these specials are only available while they last for a limited time, so fans are encouraged to lock in their seats today for the biggest Labor Day party in the USA.

NASCAR night racing returns to Atlanta Motor Speedway on Labor Day weekend, Aug. 31-Sept. 2, 2012. Reserve your AdvoCare 500 ticket now. For more information, call the Atlanta Motor Speedway Ticket Office at (877) 9-AMS-TIX, (770) 946-4211 or visit www.atlantamotorspeedway.com.

-AMS-

Friday, March 23, 2012


Auto Club Speedway:
History
·         Groundbreaking for California Speedway, as Auto Club Speedway was originally known, took place in November 1995.
·         The first race at Auto Club Speedway was a NASCAR K&N Pro Series, West race won by Ken Schrader on June 21, 1997.
·         The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was held on June 22, 1997 and won by Jeff Gordon.
·         September 2004 was the first night race at Auto Club Speedway and that also was the first year both the NASCAR Sprint Cup and NASCAR Nationwide Series ran two races in a season there.
·         The track name was changed to Auto Club Speedway in February 2008.
 
Notebook
·         There have been 22 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Auto Club Speedway since the track opened in 1997.
·         Four drivers have competed in all 22 races: Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon, Bobby Labonte and Joe Nemechek.
·         Joe Nemechek won the pole for the inaugural race in 1997.
·         There have been 15 different pole winners, led by Kurt Busch (three). Jamie McMurray and Jeff Gordon each have two poles.
·         Fifteen different drivers have posted victories. Jimmie Johnson leads all drivers with five wins. Jeff Gordon and Matt Kenseth each have won three races.
·         Hendrick Motorsports has won nine races, more than any other team.
·         Eleven of the 22 races were won from starting positions outside the top 10; only one has been won from the pole (Jimmie Johnson in 2008). The most prolific two starting positions are third and 24th, with three victories each.
·         Matt Kenseth won the 2006 spring race from the 31st starting position, the deepest in the field that a race winner has started.
·         Three active drivers have averaged a top-10 finish: Jimmie Johnson (5.1), Carl Edwards (9.0) and Matt Kenseth (9.9).
·         Jimmie Johnson (9.0) is the only active driver to have an average starting position in the top 10 at Auto Club Speedway.
·         Kyle Busch won his first NASCAR Sprint Cup pole (2/05) and first race (9/05) at Auto Club Speedway.
·         Jimmie Johnson won his first NASCAR Sprint Cup race at ASC on April 28, 2002.
·         Youngest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Auto Club Speedway winner: Kyle Busch (9/5/2005 – 20 years, 4 months, 2 days). This was Busch’s first career NASCAR Sprint Cup victory.
·         Oldest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Auto Club Speedway winner: Rusty Wallace (4/29/2001 – 44 years, 8 months, 15 days)
 

Friday, March 16, 2012

Southern 500


Bojangles’ Announces Title Sponsorship Of Southern 500 At Darlington Raceway


March 15, 2012


DARLINGTON, S.C.  (March 15, 2012) – A Southern culinary staple is teaming up with the track Too Tough to Tame.  Bojangles’ today announced its title sponsorship of South Carolina’s only NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, the Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.  The race will start at 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 12, in its traditional spot on Mother’s Day weekend.

Hungry race fans can also look forward to enjoying Bojangles’ at the track!  The sponsorship agreement allows Bojangles’ to serve its delicious Chicken Supremes™, Cajun Filet Sandwich, Seasoned Fries™ and Legendary Iced Tea® at Darlington Raceway.  This Bojangles’ menu will also be served at four other tracks owned and operated by International Speedway Corp.:  Daytona International Speedway, Talladega Motor Speedway, Martinsville Raceway and Richmond International Raceway.

"Just like Bojangles’ famous chicken and biscuits, NASCAR is deeply rooted in the culture of the South," said Bojangles’ President and CEO Randy Kibler.  "We are honored to be sponsoring the only NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race in South Carolina, where we have been in business for more than 30 years and operate 110 of our more than 500 restaurants.  And we’re equally excited to be able to provide our flavorful menu items to avid race fans, many of whom are already loyal Bojangles’ fans, while they’re enjoying their racing experience."

Bojangles’ agreement with ISC and Darlington Raceway is a five-year deal.  Other terms were not disclosed.

"Everyone at Darlington Raceway is extremely excited about this new long-term partnership with Bojangles’," said Raceway President Chris Browning. "Darlington Raceway and Bojangles’ are two very recognizable Southern brands, and this relationship will be a tremendous opportunity for us to develop unique marketing programs and promotional opportunities that will benefit their customers and our race fans.  During our negotiations it was very obvious that the team at Bojangles’ recognized and respected the significance of the Southern 500.  I can already see we are going to do some great things together."

Tickets are now available for the Bojangles’ Southern 500 and can be purchased online at www.darlingtonraceway.com.


About Bojangles’
Founded in 1977 in Charlotte, N.C., Bojangles' Restaurants Inc. serves all of its proprietary menu items, such as made-from-scratch buttermilk biscuits, Legendary Iced Tea®, delicious fixin’s and specially seasoned, never frozen fried chicken.  Bojangles’ boasts more than 500 locations in 10 states, primarily in the Southeast, and the District of Columbia as well as two international restaurants.  For more information, visit www.bojangles.com or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

About Darlington Raceway
Darlington Raceway, or the track Too Tough To Tame as it is known to many, is where the purest of NASCAR competition meets true southern hospitality. A NASCAR staple since 1950, Darlington Raceway has seen some of motorsports most talented drivers thunder to Gatorade Victory Lane. On Mother’s Day weekend, May 11-12, 2012, NASCAR’s biggest stars return to battle the track Too Tough To Tame in the Sprint Cup Series Bojangles Southern 500® and Nationwide Series VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200. Tickets for events at Darlington can be purchased by calling the Darlington Raceway ticket office at 866-459-RACE or online at http://www.darlingtonraceway.com/tickets/. You can keep up with all of the latest news from Darlington Raceway at DarlingtonRaceway.com,

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Bristol Motor Speedway:

Bristol Motor Speedway:
History
·         Groundbreaking for Bristol International Speedway, as Bristol Motor Speedway was originally known, took place in 1960. The track was an exact half-mile.
·         First NASCAR Sprint Cup race was July 30, 1961.
·         In the fall of 1969, the track was reshaped and re-measured to .533-miles.
·         The name changed to Bristol International Raceway in 1978.
·         The first night race was held in the fall of 1978.
·         The surface was changed from asphalt to concrete in 1992.
·         The name changed to Bristol Motor Speedway in May 1996.
·         The track was resurfaced between races in 2007.
Notebook
·         There have been 102 NASCAR Sprint Cup races since the first race there in 1961, two races each season.
·         All races have been scheduled for 500 laps, except for both races in 1976 and the second in 1977, which were 400 laps.
·         Fred Lorenzen won the first pole.
·         The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was won by Jack Smith (with relief from Johnny Allen).
·         There have been 44 different pole winners, led by Cale Yarborough and Mark Martin (nine). Martin swept both poles at Bristol in 2009.
·         39 different drivers have won, led by Darrell Waltrip (12).
·         Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon each have five wins, most among active drivers.
·         The race winner has started from the pole 22 times, the most productive starting position. The last driver to win from the pole was Carl Edwards, in the night race of 2008.
·         81 of 102 races have been won from a top-10 starting position, including 52 from the first four spots.
·         The deepest in the field that a race winner has started is 38th, by Elliott Sadler in 2001.
·         The last six Bristol races had a margin of victory under one second.
·         Youngest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Bristol Motor Speedway winner: Kyle Busch (03/25/2007 – 21 years, 10 months, 23 days)
·         Oldest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Bristol Motor Speedway winner: Dale Earnhardt (08/28/1999 – 48 years, 3 months, 30 days)
Bristol Motor Speedway Data
Race #: 4 of 36 (3-18-12)
Track Size: .533 miles
·     Race Length: 500 laps/266.5 miles
·     Banking/Corners: 26 to 30 degrees
·     Banking/Straights: 4 to 9 degrees
Top 12 Driver Rating at Bristol
Kyle Busch............................... 107.0
Jeff Gordon..............................  100.2
Matt Kenseth..............................99.5
Greg Biffle..................................96.9
Kurt Busch.................................95.9
Jimmie Johnson..........................93.1
Carl Edwards..............................92.8
Kevin Harvick..............................90.2
Ryan Newman............................89.8
Tony Stewart..............................89.5
Brad Keselowski.........................88.5
Denny Hamlin.............................87.7
Note: Driver Rating compiled from 2005-2011 races (14 total) at Bristol.
Qualifying/Race Data
2011 pole winner: Carl Edwards, 128.014 mph. 14.989 seconds
2011 race winner: Kyle Busch,
91.941 mph, 3-20-11)
Track qualifying record: Ryan Newman (128.709 mph, 14.908 seconds, 3-21-03)
Track race record: Charlie Glotzbach (101.074 mph, 7-11-71)


Driver Ratings for Winners



Driver Year Driver Rating Series Driver Rating Rank
Kyle Busch 2011 106.6 3rd
Jimmie Johnson 2010 115.0 1st
Kyle Busch 2009 113.0 2nd
Jeff Burton 2008 97.0 8th
Kyle Busch 2007 96.7 7th
Kurt Busch 2006 92.1 9th
* Pre-Race Food City 500 Driver Ratings of the year the driver won the Food City 500 (the past 6 spring races).
NASCAR in Tennessee
·         There have been 163 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in Tennessee.
·         101 drivers all-time in NASCAR’s three national series have their home state recorded as Tennessee.
·         There have been 14 race winners from Tennessee in NASCAR’s three national series:
Driver
NSCS
NNS
NCWTS
Darrell Waltrip
84
13
0
Sterling Marlin
10
2
0
Bobby Hamilton
4
1
10
Joe Lee Johnson
2
0
0
Trevor Bayne
1
1
0
Paul Lewis
1
0
0
Bobby Hamilton Jr.
0
5
0
Jeff Purvis
0
4
0
L.D. Ottinger
0
3
0
Mike Alexander
0
2
0
Casey Atwood
0
2
0
Brad Teague
0
1
0
Chad Chaffin
0
0
2
John King
0
0
1