Excitement Brewing at Talladega Superspeedway

Excitement Brewing at Talladega Superspeedway for Track’s Debut of Generation 6 Car in Aaron’s 499

TALLADEGA, AL – With the outpouring of positive comments from fans and drivers concerning the exciting competition of the new Generation 6 car, anticipation is at an all-time high for a return to NASCAR’s most competitive track – Talladega Superspeedway – for the May 5^th Aaron’s 499.

And why not!  Talladega leads the way in NASCAR in a number of categories with a host of records that puts the facility in a league of its own, where racing three and four wide on the high banks are the norm.  The excitement surrounding the new Generation 6 car should be icing on the cake for the unpredictable 2.66-mile layout.

“Talladega is fun,” said Kyle Busch, NASCAR’s most recent winner as well as the 2008 Aaron’s 499 victor.  “It certainly has its own aspect of challenges.  I’m sure many drivers have led into the reasons of those, just with all the unknowns surrounding the place, but it’s exciting.  It’s certainly its own form of racing and it’s almost its own form of motorsports.  It’s Talladega and you never know what to expect.”

Some of the categories where Talladega separates itself from other venues include:

·         Most Lead Changes – 88, twice (TSS leads category in eight of the top 10 in history)

·         Most Leaders – 29 (TSS leads category in nine of the top 10 in history)

·         Closest Finish – 0.002 seconds (Tied with Darlington for closest ever)

·         NASCAR’s steepest (33 degrees) and biggest (2.66-miles) track

“You white-knuckle it, hold on tight,” says Jeff Gordon, a six-time winner at Talladega, including four in the Aaron’s 499.  “If I am a fan, it is incredibly intense.  It’s wide.  It’s crazy.  You’re going to see it.  I mean, that literally is bumper cars at almost 200 mph.

“If I am a race fan, I want to see two and three-wide racing all day long, passing back and forth.  I want to see guys shoving one another.  Guys are going to be aggressive (at the end). They (fans) should be lined up out to the highway (to get into a race at Talladega Superspeedway).”

Joey Logano, who has been in contention to win this year on several occasions, is still chasing his first win at Talladega and knows the track’s Victory Lane is hallowed ground.

“I haven’t seen one predictable (race) at Talladega yet,” said Logano, whose best finish at TSS is third in the 2009 Aaron’s 499.  “You like to think it’s predictable and you like to think you have a game plan – the game plan did come through that time, so that’s exciting.  Crazy race.”

Maybe Carl Edwards, still chasing his first triumph at Talladega, puts it best: “I know what it is like for a fan to watch a race at Talladega. It is just spectacular.” And, it will be in May with Talladega’s debut of the Generation 6 car.

The most competitive racing in NASCAR combined with a mix of southern hospitality returns to Talladega Superspeedway May 3-5 for the Aaron’s Dream Weekend.  Experience the excitement as the superstars of NASCAR attempt to tackle the high-banks of ‘DEGA at 200 mph.  Secure your tickets at www.talladegasuperspeedway.com or by calling 877-Go2-DEGA.  This is more than a race…This is Talladega!

Auto Club Speedway:

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 (ACS) in February 2008.

Notebook

·         There have been 23 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Auto Club Speedway, the track hosted one NSCS race a season from 1997-2003, then two races per season from 2004-2010. In 2011 Auto Club Speedway returned to a single race season.

·         125 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Auto Club; 105 in more than one.

·         Three drivers have participated in all 23 races: Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon and Bobby Labonte.

·         Joe Nemechek won the inaugural pole with a speed of 183.015 mph (39.341 secs.)

·         15 drivers have poles at ACS, led by Kurt Busch with three.

·         Kurt Busch (2006) and Jamie McMurray (2010) are the only two drivers to win consecutive poles at Auto Club Speedway.

·         Youngest ACS pole winner: Kyle Busch (2/27/2005 – 19 years, 9 months, 25 days).

·         Oldest ACS pole winner: Mike Skinner (4/30/2000 – 42 years, 10 months, 2 days).

·         14 different drivers have won at ACS, led by Jimmie Johnson (five). Three other drivers have multiple wins at Auto Club Speedway: Jeff Gordon and 2012 Daytona 500 champion Matt Kenseth each have three wins, Tony Stewart has two.

·         Hendrick Motorsports leads the series in wins at Auto Club Speedway with nine, followed by Roush Fenway Racing with seven.

·         California-native Jimmie Johnson became the first and only driver to win from the pole at Auto Club Speedway in 2008.

·         Only two ACS races have been won from the front row both by five-time series champion Jimmie Johnson,  fall of 2008 (pole); and the fall of 2007 (second-place).

·         12 of the 23 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Auto Club Speedway have been won from a top-10 starting position.

·         Seven of the 23 races have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.

·         The deepest in the field that a race winner has started was 31st, by Matt Kenseth in the spring of 2006.

·         Youngest ACS winner: Kyle Busch (09/04/2005 – 20 years, 4 months, 2 days).

·         Oldest ACS winner: Rusty Wallace (04/29/2001 – 44 years, 8 months, 15 days).

·         Jimmie Johnson leads the series in runner-up finishes at Auto Club Speedway with five; followed by his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon with four.  

·         Jimmie Johnson lead the series in top-five finishes at Auto club Speedway with 12; followed by Jeff Gordon (10) and Matt Kenseth (eight).

·         Jimmie Johnson leads the series in top-10 finishes with 14; followed by Matt Kenseth (13), Carl Edwards (12) and Tony Stewart (12).

·         Jimmie Johnson leads the series in average finish at ACS with a 5.389;

·         Jimmie Johnson (5.3)and Carl Edwards (8.7) are the only two active drivers with an average finish in the top 10 at Auto Club Speedway.

·         There have been two green-white-checkered finishes at Auto Club Speedway: 2005 (250/254) and 2006 (250/251).

·         Kyle Busch won his first pole (2/27/05) and first series win (9/4/05) at Auto Club Speedway. Jimmie Johnson also posted his first series career win at ACS in (4/28/02).

·         Greg Biffle (4/28/02) and J.J. Yeley (9/5/04) made their first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career starts at Auto Club Speedway.

·         Jimmie Johnson is the only driver to win consecutive races at Auto Club Speedway (fall of 2009 – spring of 2010).

·         12 of the 14 NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers who have won at Auto Club Speedway participated in at least two or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Jeff Gordon (1997 – inaugural event) and Jimmie Johnson (2002) are the only drivers to win at ACS in their first appearance.

·         Tony Stewart competed at Auto Club Speedway 18 times before winning in the fall of 2010; the longest span of any the 14 winners. Only Stewart (18) and Kevin Harvick (17) have made 10 or more attempts before their first win at Auto Club Speedway.

·         Jeff Burton and Bobby Labonte lead the series with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Auto Club Speedway without visiting Victory Lane at 23.

·         Since the advent of electronic scoring, the closest margin of victory in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Auto Club Speedway was the March 27, 2011 race won by Kevin Harvick with an MOV of 0.144 second.

·         Three reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions have gone on to win at Auto Club Speedway the following season: Jeff Gordon (1999), Jimmie Johnson, whois the only one to do it multiple times,(2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010) and Tony Stewart (2012).

·         Two drivers have won at Auto Club Speedway and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship in the same season: Jeff Gordon (1997) and Jimmie Johnson (2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010).

·         This weekend will be Danica Patrick’s first attempt at Auto Club Speedway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Shawna Robinson is the only female driver to have made a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start at Auto Club Speedway to date. She did so on April 28, 2002 starting 43rd and finishing 42nd.

·         Only three car numbers have produced three or more Auto Club Speedway NSCS wins:

Car Number – Drivers – (Years)

o    No. 48  – Jimmie Johnson (2002, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010)

o    No. 17 – Matt Kenseth (2006, 2007 and 2009)

o    No. 24 – Jeff Gordon (1997, 1999 and 2004)

HOMESTEAD-MIAMI SPEEDWAY LAUNCHES REFER A FAN PROGRAM

HOMESTEAD-MIAMI SPEEDWAY LAUNCHES REFER A FAN PROGRAM

Ford EcoBoost 400 ticket purchasers that refer friends or

family receive incentives including coveted garage access

MIAMI – Homestead-Miami Speedway today announced its Refer A Fan program where ticket purchasers receive benefits when they refer an individual who also purchases tickets to the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship race, the Ford EcoBoost 400 (Nov. 17).  Track President Matthew Becherer made the announcement.

The incentive, available to any fan that has purchased tickets for the Ford EcoBoost 400, automatically activates when a new purchaser provides the account number of an existing seat holder at the time of purchase.

                                                                                                                                                                

“Our most loyal fans are the greatest advocates,” said Homestead-Miami Speedway President Matthew Becherer. “Post-event surveys show consistently that our fans have an emotional connection to our track and races.  We are thrilled to offer this program, both as a way of saying thank you to our guests that return year after year and as a means to encourage new generations of fans to experience firsthand the thrill of NASCAR championship racing.”

The account holder will receive additional benefits for each referral as follows:

§  For every grandstand account created with purchased tickets from each referral, the current guest will receive

o    One (1) Pre Race Pit Pass for the first account;

o    One (1)  Coke Zero Fan Zone pass for the second account (in addition to the above);

o    Garage access for two (2) for a third account (in addition to the two items above).

§  For every Premium account created by way of referral, the referring account holder guest will receive garage access for two.  Premium accounts include Speedway Club, Pit Box and Champions Club seating areas.

The garage access incentive affords guests the opportunity to see behind-the-scenes activity that most race fans only see on television.

A Coke Zero Fan Zone pass includes: A buffet lunch and snacks; Q&A sessions with the Coca-Cola Racing family of drivers; and a Pre-Race Pit Pass.

A Pre-Race Pit Pass allows:  Guests to walk on pit road and the frontstretch of Homestead-Miami Speedway; access to the pits on both Saturday and Sunday during specified times; an opportunity to sign the Start/Finish Line; and have an up close view during Ford EcoBoost 400 driver introductions.

The Refer A Fan program is available online at homesteadmiamispeedway.com/referafan or by calling the Homestead-Miami Speedway Ticket Sales department at 305.230.5255.  The incentives are subject to availability.

Ford Championship Weekend, set for November 15-17, features season-ending championship races in NASCAR’s top three series.  It begins Friday evening with the running of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship Ford EcoBoost 200 and is followed by Saturday’s Nationwide Series finale, the Ford EcoBoost 300.  The finale is Sunday afternoon with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship Ford EcoBoost 400.  This year marks the 12^th consecutive year South Florida will serve as host for the championship races in American motorsports most popular series.

About Homestead-Miami Speedway

The Speedway has been open since 1995 following an initiative to spur economic recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew.  The 640-acre facility is active more than 280 days per year and will host NASCAR’s championship races during Ford Championship Weekend (November 15-17, 2013) for the 12^th consecutive year.  The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship Ford 400 is broadcast live on TV and radio to 175 countries in 24 languages.  Homestead-Miami Speedway, featuring a 1.5-mile oval and 2.21-mile road course, generates more than $250 million annually for the region.

CHARLOTTE

CONCORD, N.C. (March 15, 2013) – Construction is underway on six additional pit road suites at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Crews have begun pouring the concrete pylons which will support the new structure along pit road.
The suites are 11 feet above pit road and are as close as fans can get to the action, overlooking the race team pit boxes. The original suites, built in 2012, were sold out prior to last year’s NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. The open-air, covered seating areas can accommodate up to 15 people and include exclusive access to the Winner’s Circle Lounge located adjacent to Victory Circle. The lounge includes a bar, meeting room, seating areas, televisions and restrooms. 
“Our goal is to bring fans to the 50-yard-line of racing. The suites are at the epicenter of all of the excitement of the race and provide a place to sit and enjoy the experience, with easy access to the amenities of the Winner’s Circle Lounge,” said Dan Farrell, senior vice president of corporate sales for Charlotte Motor Speedway. “It’s like having a seat on the sidelines of an NFL game. These suites provide a bird’s eye view of all of the action on pit road.”
The new suites will be added on to the existing structure toward the Turn 1 end of pit road. Suite holders receive 15 tickets to each of eight NASCAR events and have the option to purchase catering for the suite. Farrell says four of the six new suites are already sold, and he expects a complete sellout within the next few weeks before the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race on May 18.

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; Jack Smith won the event (with relief from Johnny Allen).

·         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, and the turns were ground down last season to eliminate part of the progressive banking.

Notebook

·         There have been 104 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Bristol Motor Speedway since the first race 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.

·         421 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Bristol; 293 in more than one.

·         Terry Labonte has participated in the most Bristol NASCAR Sprint Cup races among active drivers with 57 starts.

·         Fred Lorenzen won the inaugural pole with a speed of 79.225 mph.

·         45 different drivers have poles at Bristol, led by Mark Martin and Cale Yarborough with nine each.  Martin swept both poles at Bristol in 2009.

·         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.

·         Four drivers have won from the pole position more than once: Bobby Allison (1972 twice), Cale Yarborough (1973, 1977 twice, 1980), Darrell Waltrip (1981 twice, 1982) and Rusty Wallace (1991, 1993, 1999, 2000).

·         10 different drivers have posted consecutive poles at Bristol Motor Speedway; Mark Martin is the only driver of the 10 to win four consecutive poles at Bristol: Fireball Roberts (swept 1962), Fred Lorenzen (swept 1963), Richard Petty (1967-’68), Bobby Allison (swept 1972), Cale Yarborough (swept 1973; swept 1977; swept 1980), Darrell Waltrip (swept 1981), Geoff Bodine (swept 1986), Mark Martin (swept 1995-1996– all four races; and swept 2009); Rusty Wallace (swept 1998) and Jeff Gordon (swept 2002).

·         Jeff Gordon leads (active drivers) the series in average starting position at Bristol with a 6.775. 

·         Youngest Bristol pole winner: Joey Logano (3/21/2010 – 19 years, 9 months, 25 days) – his first series career pole.

·         Oldest Bristol pole winner: Harry Gant (8/27/1994 – 54 years, 7 months, 17 days).

·         40 different drivers have won at Bristol, led by Darrell Waltrip (12). Kurt Busch, Jeff Gordon and Kyle Busch each have five wins, the most among active drivers.

·         Junior Johnson leads the series in car owner wins at Bristol with seven; Roger Penske and Jack Roush are tied among active car owners for the most wins at Bristol with 10 each.  

·         83 of the 104 races have been won from a top-10 starting position; including 53 from the first four spots.

·         34 of the 104 races at Bristol have been won from the front row: Pole position (22 wins); Second-place (12 wins).

·         Five of the 104 races have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.

·         The deepest in the field that a race winner has started was 38th, by Elliott Sadler; in 2001.

·         Youngest Bristol winner: Kyle Busch (3/25/2007 – 21 years, 10 months, 23 days).

·         Oldest Bristol winner: Dale Earnhardt (8/28/1999 – 48 years, 3 months, 30 days).

·         Mark Martin leads the series (among active drivers) in runner-up finishes at Bristol (six); followed by Kevin Harvick and Terry Labonte with four.

·         Darrell Waltrip and Richard Petty lead the series in top-five finishes at Bristol with 26 each. Terry Labonte leads the series among active drivers with 19 followed by Jeff Gordon and Mark Martin (16).

·         Richard Petty has 37 top-10 finishes, more than any other driver. Terry Labonte leads the series among active drivers in top-10 finishes with 33; followed by Mark Martin with 23.

·         Kyle Busch leads the series (active drivers) in average finish at Bristol with a 10.313.

·         Seven of the last eight races have ended with a margin of victory of less than a second.   

·         There has been three green-white-checkered finishes at Bristol – all three were the spring race: 2007 (500/504); 2008 (500/506); 2009 (500/503).

·         Kurt Busch posted his first series career win at Bristol (2002), and Joey Logano won his first pole at Bristol (2010).

·         12 drivers have won consecutive races at Bristol led by Darrell Waltrip with seven consecutive victories from 1981-1984. The other 11 are Fred Lorenzen (1963-1964 sweep), David Pearson (1968 sweep), Bobby Allison (1972 sweep), Cale Yarborough did it twice (1974 sweep and four straight from 1976-1977), Richard Petty (1975 sweep), Dale Earnhardt also twice (1985 sweep and 1987 sweep), Alan Kulwicki (1992 sweep), Rusty Wallace (2000 sweep), Kurt Busch (2003 sweep and 2004 spring race), Kyle Busch (2009 sweep) and Brad Keselowski (2011 fall-2012 spring).

·         All 14 active NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers who have won at Bristol Motor Speedway participated in at least two or more races before visiting Victory Lane – among the active winners Kurt Busch won in the fewest starts (third) at Bristol.

·         Jeff Burton competed at Bristol Motor Speedway 28 times before winning (2008 spring race); the longest span of any of the 14 active winners. Burton is the only active driver to have made 20 or more attempts before his first win at BMS.

·         Bobby Labonte leads the series (active drivers) with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup starts at Bristol without visiting Victory Lane with 40.

·         Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Bristol was the 3/25/2007 race won by Kyle Busch with a MOV of 0.064 second.

·         Two female drivers have made NASCAR Sprint Cup starts at Bristol: Janet Guthrie and Danica Patrick.

Driver	Starting Pos.	Finishing Pos.	Date
Janet Guthrie	21	11	4/17/1977
Janet Guthrie	9	6	8/28/1977
Danica Patrick	43	29	8/25/2012