TRACK NEWS UPDATE

• Little to no damage to tracks from hurricane: Racetracks that play host to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races in areas impacted by Hurricane Sandy do not report significant damage from the storm as of Tuesday morning. Dover International Speedway, which is less than 10 miles west from Delaware Bay and 45 miles northwest of Rehobeth Beach, Del., did not sustain any significant damage, track spokesman Gary Camp said Tuesday morning. Pocono Raceway, which is 100 miles west of New York City and about 100 miles north of Philadelphia, was without power Tuesday morning but only lost one of the steeples that towers above its grandstands, according to a tweet from track president Brandon Igdalsky. New Hampshire Motor Speedway, about 80 miles northwest of Boston and 50 miles west northwest of Portsmouth, reported no damage and no loss of power.(Sporting News)(10-30-2012)
  
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• Daytona gets final approval to move forward on site changes: Daytona International Speedway and International Speedway Corporation got the final yes vote they needed out of City Hall to charge forward with their plan to tackle a major overhaul of the Speedway's front stretch grandstands. The unanimous approval of the site plan Thursday night from the city's Planning Board was the last of several hurdles ISC and DIS had to clear before they could move from engineers' drawings to bulldozers in their hopes of redesigning the front stretch grandstands, adding new vendors, creating five new fan entrances, possibly doubling seating and renovating restrooms. The sprawling complex could include up to 2 million square feet of retail space, 1,785 hotel rooms, 1,500 multi-family residential units and movie theaters with a combined 5,000 seats. Speedway officials say it could take decades to reach that full vision, and they're just now beginning to talk to potential developers and businesses. Those future phases of the project will also require the city to approve additional site plans.(Daytona Beach News-Journal)(10-27-2012)
  

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 127 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.

·         57 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.

·         47 different drivers have won, led by Richard Petty’s 15.

·         Jeff Gordon leads active drivers with seven wins. Jimmie Johnson hassixand 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 (5.7), Denny Hamlin (6.4) and Jeff Gordon (7.0).

·         Youngest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Martinsville Speedway winner: Richard Petty (4/10/1960 – 22 years, 9 months, 8 days). Oldest NSCS Martinsville Speedway winner: Harry Gant (9/22/1991 – 51 years, 8 months, 12 days).

·         Youngest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Martinsville Speedway pole winner: Ricky Rudd (4/26/1981 – 24 years, 7 months, 14 days). Oldest NSCS Martinsville Speedway pole winner: Morgan Shepherd (04/26/1987 – 45 years, 6 months, 14 days).

Kansas Speedway:

Kansas Speedway:

History

·         Groundbreaking was held on May 25, 1999.

·         The official opening of Kansas Speedway was in 2001, with the first events being an ARCA race and a NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race on the same day – June 2.

·         The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race was Sept. 30, 2001.

·         During the 2012 season, between the April race and this weekend’s event the 1.5-mile track underwent a repave adding variable banking in the corners and on the frontstretch.

Notebook

·         There have been 13 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Kansas since the track opened in 2001.

·         All of the races have been scheduled for 267 laps.

·         10 drivers have competed in all 13 races at Kansas. Mark Martin has completed the most laps at Kansas with 3,388.

·         Jeff Gordon won the first two NASCAR Sprint Cup races.

·         Jason Leffler won the first pole in September 2001.

·         10 different drivers have won poles, led by Jimmie Johnson with three.

·         Nine different drivers have posted victories, led by Greg Biffle, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart (each with two).

·         Hendrick Motorsports leads the series in wins at Kansas with four, followed by Roush Fenway Racing with three.

·         Seven of the 13 races have been won from a top-10 starting position.

·         Two drivers have won from the pole: Joe Nemechek in 2004 and Jimmie Johnson in 2008.

·         The furthest back in the field that a race winner started was 25th, by Brad Keselowski last season.

·         Two active drivers with more than one start have averaged a top-10 finish: Jimmie Johnson (7.9) and Greg Biffle (8.0).

·         Nine of the 13 races that ended under green had a margin of victory under one second. The 2007 race ended under caution.

·         The 2009 Chase race holds the record for most lead changes (26) among the most leaders (14) in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series history at Kansas Speedway.

·         Jimmie Johnson has led the most laps (503) in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Kansas Speedway, followed by Greg Biffle with 346 laps led.

·         Denny Hamlin made his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start at Kansas Speedway on 10/09/2005.

·         Jimmie Johnson posted the highest NSCS Driver Rating performance at Kansas Speedway in this event last season with a 149.2. A perfect Driver Rating (150.0) performance in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Kansas Speedway has yet to be achieved.

·         Youngest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Kansas Speedway winner: Ryan Newman (10/05/2003 – 25 years, 9 months, 27 days). Oldest NSCS Kansas Speedway winner: Mark Martin (10/09/2005 – 46 years, 9 months, 0 days).

·         Youngest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Kansas Speedway pole winner: Jason Leffler (9/30/2001 – 26 years, 0 months, 14 days). Oldest NSCS Kansas Speedway pole winner: Mark Martin (10/04/2009 – 50 years, 8 months, 25 days).

Charlotte Motor Speedway:

Charlotte Motor Speedway:

History

·         Construction began on Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1959.

·         The track’s first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was held on June 19, 1960.

·         The track was repaved midseason in 1994.

·         The track name changed from Charlotte Motor Speedway to Lowe’s Motor Speedway in 1999. It changed back to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the 2010 season.

·         The track was re-paved again before the 2006 season.

Notebook

·         There have been 107 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points races at Charlotte Motor Speedway, two races per year since the track opened in 1960. In 1961, there were two 100-mile qualifying points races held the week before the May race. The first six fall races at Charlotte were 400-mile events (1960-65).

·         40 drivers have posted poles, led by David Pearson with 14.

·         Fireball Roberts won the pole for the first race, in 1960.

·         David Pearson posted 11 straight poles at Charlotte from the fall of 1973 through 1978.

·         Ryan Newman leads all active drivers in poles, with nine. Jeff Gordon has eight.

·         Jeff Gordon won five straight poles for the spring races between 1994 and 1998.

·         44 drivers have won races, led by Bobby Allison, Darrell Waltrip and Jimmie Johnson, with six each.

·         Joe Lee Johnson won the first race, in 1960.

·         There have been 13 back-to-back victories, including three consecutive by Fred Lorenzen (fall 1964 and both 1965) and four straight by Jimmie Johnson (both in 2004 and 2005).

·         A sweep has occurred eight times, including each season from 2004-2007.

·         14 races have been won from the pole, the last by Jimmie Johnson (October, 2009).

·         Jimmie Johnson won the 2003 Coca-Cola 600 from the 37th starting position, the furthest back a race winner has started.

·         A number of active drivers earned their first win at CMS: Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth, Bobby Labonte, Jamie McMurray, Casey Mears and David Reutimann. Inactive drivers David Pearson, Buddy Baker and Charlie Glotzbach also got their first series win at Charlotte.

·         Youngest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Charlotte Motor Speedway winner: Jeff Gordon (10/10/1993 – 22 years, 2 months, 6 days).

·         Oldest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Charlotte Motor Speedway winner: Cale Yarborough (10/06/1985 – 46 years, 6 months, 9 days).

Talladega Superspeedway:

Talladega Superspeedway:

History

·         Construction began on what was then known as the Alabama International Motor Speedway on May 23, 1968.

·         The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was held on Sept. 14, 1969.

·         The name changed to Talladega Superspeedway in 1989.

·         Fourth repaving completed on Sept. 19, 2006.

Notebook

·         There have been 86 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Talladega Superspeedway since the track opened in 1969; two a year every year except the inaugural season, which had just one.

·         Richard Brickhouse won the first NASCAR Sprint Cup race.

·         Bobby Isaac won the first NASCAR Sprint Cup pole in September 1969. Isaac won the first three poles there.

·         35 different drivers have won poles. Bill Elliott leads all drivers with eight poles.

·         41 different drivers have posted victories, led by Dale Earnhardt Sr. (10). Twenty-one drivers have won more than once.

·         Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers in victories, with six. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is second among active drivers with five.

·         Richard Childress Racing has won more than any other organization at Talladega with 12 wins.

·         33 of 86 races have been won from a top-two starting positions, including 13 from the pole; 24 have been won from a starting position outside the top 10. The most recent driver to win from the pole was Jeff Gordon in 2007 (spring).

·         The furthest back in the field a race winner started was 36th, by Jeff Gordon in 2000.

·         Brad Keselowski leads the series among active drivers in average finishing position at Talladega with a 13.0. Trevor Bayne leads the series among active drivers in average starting position with an 8.6.

·         Mark Martin’s pace in the 1997 spring race set an all-time NASCAR Sprint Cup record for the fastest race ever. He won the caution-free race with an average speed of 188.354 mph and covered the 500-mile distance in two hours, 39 minutes and 18 seconds.

·         The 2010 spring race set the all-time and track records for lead changes (88) and lap leaders (29). Last season’s spring race tied the 2010 record for most lead changes with 88 (amongst 26 lap leaders). The previous highs were 75 lead changes (set on May 6, 1984) and 28 lap leaders (set on Oct. 5, 2008). Both previous records also were set at Talladega.

·         Dale Earnhardt Jr. had four consecutive victories (October 2001 through April 2003), the most ever by a driver at Talladega Superspeedway. Buddy Baker (three – May 1975 through May 1976) is the only other driver to win more than two consecutive races there.

·         Since the inception of electronic scoring in 1993, every race that has ended under green has had a margin of victory under half a second.

·         The 2011 spring race tied the 03/16/2003 Darlington race won by Ricky Craven for the all-time record of the closest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series finish (0.002 seconds) since the inception of electronic scoring.

·         Youngest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Talladega Superspeedway winner: Bobby Hillin Jr. (07/27/1986 – 22 years, 1 month, 22 days).

·         Oldest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Talladega Superspeedway winner: Harry Gant (05/06/1991 – 51 years, 3 months, 26 days)

 

PHOENIX INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY SIGNS HISTORIC AGREEMENT

PHOENIX INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY SIGNS HISTORIC AGREEMENT

TO HOST FIRST EVER NASCAR MEXICO TOYOTA SERIES RACE IN THE UNITED STATES

(Phoenix, Ariz.) -  Phoenix International Raceway President Bryan R. Sperber, NASCAR and OCESA announced today that the NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series will make its United States debut at PIR during the March, 2013 race weekend. 

The landmark international event will run on Friday, March 1, as part of the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekend at PIR.  The race will be televised in the United States, Mexico and Latin America. 

“This is a truly significant day in the history of Phoenix International Raceway, we are both humbled and excited to play host to the NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series’ first race in the United States,” said Sperber.  “We look forward to welcoming the Series’ great drivers, teams and fans to Phoenix and eagerly anticipate a great event.”

"NASCAR is proud to make this historic announcement with Phoenix International Raceway and OCESA. It represents the next step in the growth of the sport and the international impact NASCAR is making. This is a terrific opportunity to expose our fans in the United States to our exciting series from Mexico and continue to help the series and its impressive array of drivers reach new fans," said Brian France, NASCAR CEO and Chairman.

The 75-lap event will feature a format that includes a scheduled break after the first 50-laps followed by a 25-lap sprint to the finish.  A full field of drivers from the NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series is expected to participate in this history making race, including current points leader Daniel Suarez, driver of the No. 3 Equipo TELCEL.

“After 10 years of tremendous efforts, NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series has achieved a points race in the U.S. market,” said Federico Alaman, Managing Director of the NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series.  “All of our competitors, series officials and partners are delighted to showcase our sport at a venue as prestigious as Phoenix International Raceway and bring the NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series to an American audience.”

“This is an important day for Toyota Mexico and the Series to showcase our teams, drivers and partners to a new audience,” said Ana Maria Vallarino, Director of Marketing for Toyota Mexico. “We look forward to kicking off the season at Phoenix International Raceway.”

The NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series will kick off its 10th season overall and seventh under the NASCAR banner at Phoenix International Raceway on March 1, 2013, followed by 14 races at eight different tracks throughout Mexico.