____________________________________________________________ T H E * S T O C K * C A R * G A Z E T T E by MotorSportsNews.Net Do you know for sure? motorsportsnews.net/you-can-know-for-sure ____________________________________________________________ The Stock Car Gazette is sponsored by: Hasco Collectibles 701 Mantooth Ave. Lufkin, TX 75904 hascodiecastcars/ [email protected] 2014 PRE-ORDERS: Dale Jr. 1/24th 2014 NG Michael Baker August Pocono Winner Dale Jr. 1/24th NG Chase Car C. Elliott 1/24th 2014 NAPA American Salute Autographed Dale Jr. 1/24th 2014 NG American Salute Dale Jr. 1/24th 2014 NG Michael Baker Dale Jr. 1/24th 2014 NG Superman Dale Jr. 1/24th 2014 NG June Pocono Winner Dale Jr. 1/24th 2014 NG Daytona 500 Winner (Color Chrome, Vintage, And Raw) Dale Jr. 1/24th 2014 Kelley Blue Book A. Dillon 1/24th 2014 Bass Pro Shop Chevy SS A. Dillon 1/24th 2014 Bad Boy Buggies Chevy SS NEWEST 1/24th 2014 CARS IN STOCK: Dale Jr. 1/24th 2014 NG Daytona 500 Winner & Liquid Color Dale Jr. 1/24th 2014 Mt. Dew Kickstart A. Dillon 1/24th 2014 American Ethanol A. Dillon 1/24th 2014 Cheerios Dealer Exclusive Ty Dillon 1/24th Wesco Chevy SS Ty Dillon 1/24th 2014 Bass Pro Shops Camaro Dale Jr. 1/24th 2014 Diet Mountain Dew Dale Jr. 1/24th 2014 National Guard Ty Dillon 1/24th 2014 NW Yuengling Camaro A. Dillon 1/24th 2014 Dow Chevy SS NEWEST 1/24th 2013 CARS IN STOCK: Austin Dillon 1/24th 2013 Advocare NW Champ Dale Jr. 1/24th 2013 AMP Energy Gold Dale Jr. 1/24th 2013 Mountain Dew Talladega Dale Jr. 1/24th 2013 Time Warner Cable Huge Discounts On Older Model Year Cars, AND Ground Flat Rate Shipping Is Still Available Hasco Collectibles Div. Hasco Services, LLC 701 Mantooth Ave. Lufkin, TX 75904 hascodiecastcars/ ___________________________________________________________ E d i t o r s * N o t e s ___________________________________________________________ NOTE FROM MIKE: We have a glitch in our Lionel contest that were running... (motorsportsnews.net/general/you-can-win-a-lionel-racing-golden-ticket-contest-game-piece-plus-other-prizes/)... We have no way of determining whos liked this post or liked the post on the website, which is how I (Mike) thought to determine the winners. I have 4 really nice diecast cars to give away (plus two of them have Golden Ticket Game Pieces), and entries in the contest have been sparse to say the least. I am going to extend the contest to Monday, 8/11, and change the entry rules somewhat, since I cant figure out who entered. TO ENTER, PLEASE SEND A BLANK E-MAIL WITH SUBJECT LINE CONTEST TO: [email protected] Winners will be randomly drawn from the e-mails that are sent ___________________________________________________________ Stock Car Gazette Columnists Speak Out! ___________________________________________________________ Stock Car Gazette motorsportsnews.net/columnists/chuck-abrams/dale-jr-sweeps-pocono-earns-top-spot-in-chase-seeding/ Dale Jr. Sweeps Pocono, Earns Top Spot in Chase Seeding by Chuck Abrams #*#& Stock Car Gazette motorsportsnews.net/columnists/racing-maniac-track-trash/track-trash-poke-the-nose/ Track Trash - Poke the nose by Racing Maniac ___________________________________________________________ N A S C A R * S P R I N T * C U P * S E R I E S ___________________________________________________________ Courtesy of Catchfence PEAK® Antifreeze & Coolant And Michael Waltrip Racing Announce Christian PaHud As 2014 PEAK Stock Car Dream Challenge Winner - See more at: catchfence/#sthash.cXSNklER.dpuf Race4 Domestic Violence Prevention to Hold Inaugural VIP Event in Chicago LEE’S SUMMIT, Mo. (August 5, 2014) – On September 11, 2014, Race4 Domestic Violence Prevention (Race4DVP) will hold a private VIP Meet and Greet with NASCAR drivers in ... - See more at: catchfence/#sthash.cXSNklER.dpuf Statement from Bobby Rahal This quote is attributed to Bobby Rahal, co-owner of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing with David Letterman and Mike Lanigan: “We were informed this afternoon that the National Guard will ... - See more at: catchfence/#sthash.cXSNklER.dpuf (They also announced leaving the #88 Sprint cup car) Brennan Poole To Sub for Teammate John Wes Townley at Berlin Raceway - See more at: catchfence/#sthash.cXSNklER.dpuf ___________________________________________________________ Courtesy of FrontStretch IN THE NEWS NOW: Marcelo Claure has been named the new CEO of Sprint, effectively ending the phone companys bid to pursue a merger with competitor T-Mobile. The phone company currently is signed as NASCARs title sponsor for Cup through the conclusion of the 2016 season. Top News by Ashley McCubbin Editors Note: With the new website, well provide only a PARTIAL read of the news in the Newsletter with a link to the top story on our website. With the new Frontstretch, there will be far more times the website is updated 24/7 so be sure to check the website for all the latest news and information on NASCAR! Ryan Reed to Run NASCAR K&N Pro East Series Race this Weekend at Watkins Glen Roush Fenway Racing announced Tuesday that Ryan Reed will run both the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and NASCAR Nationwide series events this weekend at Watkins Glen International. Reed will drive the No. 99 Ford for Bill McAnally Racing in the East event, a one-off ride to gain experience before compering in his full-time car, the No. 16 Ford in the Nationwide Series. Read more. Nelson Piquet, Jr. to make Sprint Cup Series Debut this Weekend Randy Humphrey Racing announced that they will have Nelson Piquet, Jr. behind the wheel of their No. 77 Ford this weekend at Watkins Glen. It will mark Piquet, Jr.s inaugural Sprint Cup Series start and his first NASCAR race of 2014. Read more. NASCAR Penalizes Two CWTS Teams Following Pocono Infractions NASCAR announced on Tuesday that a pair of NASCAR Camping World Truck Series teams have been penalized following this past weekends race at Pocono Raceway. Read more. Rick Ware Racing Penalized Following Iowa Infraction NASCAR has announced that Carl Long and the No. 23 of Rick Ware Racing have been penalized for a rules infraction that occurred during practice on August 1st at Iowa Speedway. Crew chief Jonas Bell was fined $10,000 and placed on NASCAR probation until December 31st. Read more. Carlos Contreras to Run Watkins Glen for Tri-Star Motorsports After finishing 15th earlier this year at Road America, Tri-Star Motorsports announced Monday that Carlos Contreras is back behind the wheel of the No. 44 38 Special/Ingersoll Rand/Voli Camry at Watkins Glen this weekend and Mid-Ohio Motorsports Park next Saturday. Read more. ___________________________________________________________ Courtesy of Google Alerts NASCAR driver blown away at Orion Assembly Clarkston News Chevrolet NASCAR driver Austin Dillon rode through a different setting at General Motors Orion Assembly last week, and learned a thing or two about ... clarkstonnews/Articles-News-i-2014-08-06-255795.113121-sub-NASCAR-driver-blown-away-at-Orion-Assembly.html NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Champion Bobby Santos Officially Enters 58th annual Budweiser ... Oswego Daily News OSWEGO, NY – Former NASCAR Whelen Modified Series champion and open-wheel driving veteran Bobby Santos has officially entered Oswego ... oswegocountytoday/nascar-whelen-modified-tour-champion-bobby-santos-officially-enters-58th-annual-budweiser-international-classic-200/ Is NASCARS Kevin Harvick the new Jay Z? RedEye Chicago Sounds dangerous, but all are parts of NASCAR driver Kevin Harvicks life. While the driver of the No. 4 Jimmy Johns/Budweiser car is best known for ... redeyechicago/sports/redeye-kevin-harvick-talks-racing-and-mma-20140805,0,6597269.story The King Still Rules NASCAR in Retirement ABC News Long removed from his era as perhaps the greatest driver in NASCAR history, Petty sill serves as an ambassador, corporate pitchman and team owner ... abcnews.go/Sports/wireStory/king-rules-nascar-retirement-24869935 NASCAR: Stewart marks 1-year anniversary of injury in Iowa Salt Lake Tribune Charlotte, N.C. • Tony Stewart was exactly where he wanted to be when he marked the anniversary of the devastating injury that cost him the second ... sltrib/sltrib/sports/58268110-77/race-win-cup-indycar.html.csp NASCAR: An Earnhardt championship is no longer pie in the sky Cecil Whig Dale Earnhardt Jr. celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series GoBowling 400 at Pocono Raceway on Sunday in ... cecildaily/sports/pros/article_e049e49c-91de-5163-b03a-afda497ae3e9.html NASCAR Courts Latino Fans With New TV Broadcast, Business Partnerships Latin Post Cuban-American NASCAR driver Aric Almirola, driver of the #43 GoBowling Ford, was one of several drivers competing this past weekend for the ... latinpost/articles/18700/20140806/new-tv-broadcast-business-partnerships-set-2015-nascar-expand-fan-base.htm NASCAR driver draws big crowd to new bargain store in Aiken The Augusta Chronicle NASCAR fans flocked to the new Ollies Bargain Outlet store in Aiken early Wednesday to meet veteran driver Kevin Harvick, but stayed for the ... chronicle.augusta/news/business/local-business/2014-08-06/nascar-driver-draws-big-crowd-new-bargain-store-aiken Wallace inducted into Motorsports Hall of Fame Minneapolis Star Tribune DETROIT — Former NASCAR driver Rusty Wallace was one of seven men inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America on Wednesday. startribune/sports/motorsports/270242831.html NASCAR stars race in Knoxville Journal Express Knoxville — Four NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers, all of whom would be in town for the Nationals anyway, took time out of their day on Wednesday to take ... Slideshow: NASCAR stars at Slideways - Journal Express startribune/sports/motorsports/270242831.html Martin Truex Jr. hopes to turn season around with Watkins Glen win NBCSports Martin Truex Jr.s first season with Furniture Row Racing started with an ... Ive been fortunate over the years to have good race cars and teams that motorsportstalk.nbcsports/2014/08/06/martin-truex-jr-hopes-to-turn-season-around-with-watkins-glen-win/ Yeah! Joe Nichols Performing Pre-Race Concert At Kansas Speedway PaddockTalk Tickets are currently on sale for the Oct. 3 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, the Oct. 4 Kansas Lottery 300 (NASCAR Nationwide Series) ... paddocktalk/news/html/story-259237.html ___________________________________________________________ Courtesy of Insider Racing News insiderracingnews Earnhardt Jr. Holds Off Harvick To Complete Sprint Cup Season Sweep At Pocono Dale Earnhardt Jr. realized that it took a bit of luck for him to win at Pocono Raceway in June. But he knew his team was firing on all cylinders Sunday when he completed the season sweep. Benefitting from impeccable pit strategy, Earnhardt led the final 14 laps and a car with the performance to hold off Kevin Harvick on a restart with three laps to go to ring up his third victory of the 2014 season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series GoBowling 400. It wasn’t about luck this time, said Earnhardt, who roared past Brad Keselowski in the June race after Keselowski caught a piece of trash in his grill and began to overheat. Earnhardt credited crew chief Steve Letarte and his team for not resting on their laurels at Pocono. We were determined to go home from the last win and improve the car, Earnhardt said. Steve and the guys studied and improved the setup. We had a little luck on the win the last time with Keselowski having the debris and we wanted to be in the driver’s seat this go-round with a faster car. Letarte said the homework paid off in a faster Chevrolet. I feel we unloaded a better car for the second Pocono than we did the first Pocono, he said. You cannot ever assume a winning car is going to be good enough the next week. While we were excited to win (in June) and we’ll take it, there was room for improvement, so we worked very hard between that race and this race. The result was Earnhardt’s second season sweep of his career (Talladega 2002). He also became the first driver to sweep at Pocono since Denny Hamlin in 2006. Almost from the outset, Sunday’s 400-miler was a battle of pit strategies regarding fuel strategy and tires. Throw in a 13-car wreck that took much of the field out of contention for the final 34 laps and crew chiefs had their hands full. Letarte made the ultimate decision to take four fresh tires with 39 laps to go, then bring Earnhardt back for a splash of gas 10 laps later. All we needed to get there was a gallon or two while the rest of the guys in front of us needed four tires and a full tank, Earnhardt said We were on pit road for two seconds in the box and they were in their pit stalls for 12-14 seconds. We were able to leapfrog those guys. We weren’t technically leading the race when the (next) caution came out, but we were ahead of those guys on where we needed to be. It takes a really, really smart guy to understand what to do and take those gambles. Sometimes they pay off and sometimes they don’t. I’ve got a lot of faith in Steve and the strategy he used today gave us the opportunity to get by some guys that we probably weren’t going to pass on the race track. It was the fifth consecutive Sprint Cup victory at Pocono for Hendrick Motorsports, which also had Jeff Gordon in contention for much of the race. Gordon, a six-time winner at Pocono, led a race-high 63 laps. He also became the first driver to lead 1,000 laps at Pocono and passed the 24,000 mark in career laps led in Sprint Cup competition. Joey Logano, who led the first 30 laps, finished third ahead of Clint Bowyer and Greg Biffle. Saving fuel, Biffle found himself with the lead after AJ Allmendinger’s crash brought out a caution with 21 laps left. But Biffle couldn’t hold off Earnhardt, who took command with 14 laps to go. I was heartbroken when that caution came out, said Biffle, who thought strategy had given him a fighting chance. That just killed our day. We had a 20th-place car but got track position and drove our butt off. (If the race stayed green) it was going to be ‘Mickey Mouse’ –- who would run out of fuel -- unless those guys could catch us. Earnhardt had opened a 2.7-second lead on Harvick when Kurt Busch hit the wall, bringing out another caution that created the final restart. With Kevin, I’m racing one of the best, Earnhardt said. That guy is going to get everything he can out of his car. I was anticipating him being right there on the inside going into (Turn) 1. I knew I was just going to have to really get brave, drive it down in there and pray for it to stick. --/-- Harvick, who overcame a pit road speed penalty on Lap 96 and found himself 14th after driving over a storm drain in avoiding major damage during the 13-car melee, gave it all he could. I timed that last (restart) pretty good, Harvick said.. But I couldn’t turn into the corner like I needed to to stay beside him. I thought if I could get beside him going into (Turn) 1 I’d have a chance, but he was a little better than I was in Turn 3. On his way to his Victory Lane celebration, Earnhardt took a phone call from team owner Rick Hendrick. I just thanked him for how much he changed my life and how he has supported me, Earnhardt said. I wanted to thank him and make sure he understood how much I appreciated him. I wanted him to know how much it meant to me that I got the chance to drive this car and get a win today. // NASCAR News Wire Austin Dillon Wins NASCAR Truck Series Race At Pocono Austin Dillon had to work hard in the final 10 laps, then work overtime to claim his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory of the season. Dillon, 24, took the lead from Clint Bowyer on a restart with eight laps remaining, then maintained his advantage on two more restarts to triumph in a green-white-checkered finish in Saturdays Pocono Mountains 150 at Pocono Raceway. Driving his No. 3 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, Dillon relaxed Toyotas stranglehold in the 2014 NCWTS. Toyota drivers had won the previous 10 races this season and 12 in a row dating back to last season. When Bowyer struggled on the final restart, Dillon used a push from eventual runner-up Johnny Sauter to pull away from the field for his sixth career victory in 60 truck starts. Dillon’s victory reinforced the excellence of the drivers involved in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Sunoco Rookie of the Year battle. Dillon currently sits 13th in the Cup Series points standings, one spot behind Kyle Larson, who not only earned the pole for Sunday’s GoBowling 400 Sprint Cup race, but captured Saturday’s pole in his second truck start of the season. And Larson appeared to have the dominant truck early on Saturday. His Chevrolet led the first 18 laps from the pole but dealt with a sputtering engine late in the race and finished 18th. Kyle is a great race car driver but I think I’m just as good or better, Dillon said. We’re going to race him every week hard and figure out a way to be there at the end for Rookie of the Year. Dillon’s grandfather, Richard Childress, expressed concern when the No. 3 truck was two seconds off the pace on its first practice laps of the weekend but was glowing after crew chief Nick Harrison whipped it into shape. Childress has enjoyed a good week with his other grandson, Ty, winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Indianapolis last Saturday. Last week kind of rejuvenated all of us, Childress said. To (win) those restarts like Austin did today – four times in a row with a Cup driver on the inside – says a lot about his desire to win. Sauter enjoyed a good points day, pulling to within seven points of series leader Ryan Blaney, who retained first place with his fifth-place finish in the No. 29 Ford. I gave the No. 3 (Dillon) the best push I could and finally pushed him too far for me to have a run at him at the end, Sauter said. My mentality on restarts here is I don’t care what’s going on behind me. I’m not looking in the mirror. I’m going to keep pushing until I can’t push no more, and that’s basically what we did there with the No. 3 truck. Joey Coulter rallied from sixth on the final restart to finish third with Bowyer fourth. The late-race drama unfolded thanks to a pair of incidents involving Tyler Reddick and German Quiroga Jr. – action that ultimately led to NASCAR parking Reddick for rough driving. Battling hard for sixth place, the first incident created a restart with four laps to go. Then, with the race nearing conclusion, Reddick bounced off contact with Tyler Young and rammed the rear quarter of Quiroga for a second time, leading to his summons and forcing the race into overtime. Dillons power combined with the advantage of the outside line proved no match for Bowyer or anyone else on the final restart. Honestly, we had a third-place truck, said Bowyer, who led 10 laps. The 32 (Larson) having problems kind of gave Austin and I an opportunity at (winning) it. Bowyer drove the No. 5 Toyota, replacing John Wes Townley, who was hospitalized after a crash in Friday’s ARCA race practice. Townley, who said he felt a pop in his neck returned to the track Saturday but was not medically cleared to race. // NASCAR News Wire Keselowskis Late-Race Strategy Propels Him To Nationwide Victory At Iowa Speedway The well-worn script read something like this: Brad Keselowski swoops in from the sky. The 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion snares a second straight win in the NASCAR Nationwide Series US Cellular 250 at Iowa Speedway, then hops a jet back to Pocono Raceway and competes in Sundays NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at Long Pond, Pa. Simple. Neat. Expected — except part-timer Michael McDowell nearly spoiled the big-timers happy, if nerve-wracking Saturday night ending. I had my shot at it, said McDowell, who led briefly on lap 248 before the always-fast Keselowski swept high and surged to his third win in four U.S. Cellular 250 starts. That he did — thanks to another driver’s misfortune. James Buescher’s crash on lap 241 set up a madcap three-lap dash to the finish that allowed McDowell to challenge for the upset. A really good battle, said Keselowski, who led 146 laps and has finished no worse than third in seven Nationwide starts this season. He had me there for a minute. Somehow I slid back by him. I’m not really sure how it worked out. These wins aren’t easy to come by and I’m really proud of the effort everyone put into it. Keselowski’s stated goal entering the Nationwide portion of his weekend was to aid Team Penske in a tight race at the top of the owner point standings. He accomplished that, narrowing Joe Gibbs Racing’s lead from eight points to one (804 to 803). This isn’t a race that Penske circles and says we want to send a Cup driver to, Keselowski said. It’s just the way it works right now, (with) development drivers running in the (Camping World) Trucks series. The race is a conflict and it just kind of schedules out the way it does for me to be here. But I’ve enjoyed the success I’ve had here and it’s important for me personally to see those (developmental) drivers get opportunities in races like that. JGR drivers Sam Hornish and Elliott Sadler finished fourth and 10th, respectively. Hornish — one of a handful to choose four tires on the last pit stop — led 65 laps and notched his fourth straight top-four finish at Iowa. Trevor Bayne led the first 31 laps and settled for third with a $100,000 silver lining. Bayne locked up the Nationwide Insurance Dash 4 Cash prize, earning another $100,000 for fan James Dennis of Henry, Ill. It hasn’t sunk in entirely yet, Dennis said. It has for Bayne. Hopefully we can build on this, said Bayne, who moved up to fifth in points with 673. I feel like we did everything but go to Victory Lane this weekend. Chase Elliott finished eighth and maintains a narrow lead of 714 points to 712 over Regan Smith, who placed sixth. McDowell matched his career-best finish in just his second start of the season. This is a great finish, McDowell said. When you’re that close to getting the victory, it’s definitely a tough one. Brad definitely had the best car tonight, but on those restarts everybody’s got a shot. Especially at Iowa, where grooves abound. The cool thing about Iowa is the top and the bottom is about even on the restarts, said Keselowski’s crew chief, Jeremy Bullins. So Michael was able to get a good run and get the lead and Brad was able to get it back. I think a lot of places you go, there’s a definitive — there’s no question you’re taking the top or there’s no question you’re taking the bottom. Here, I think you look back, it’s probably closer to 50-50 as far as who gets the lead. His driver, as usual, held it here at the end. --/-- Thankful that it came together, Keselowski said. // NASCAR News Wire ___________________________________________________________ Courtesy of Jayski jayski • Entry List for the Cheez-It 355 Sprint Cup Series race at Watkins Glen International is posted, 43 teams/drivers [for 43 spots] are listed, including: #32-Boris Said, #33-Alex Kennedy, #66-Joe Nemechek, #77-Nelson Piquet Jr., #95-Michael McDowell. Since only 43 cars are entered, all drivers will make the race. See the full entry list at my Jayskis Watkins Glen Entry List • Bowman gets two race sponsor: For the second time in 2014, Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Alex Bowman will have a different look to his #23 BK Racing Toyota Camry. The green and white colors of Houston, TX based Dustless Blasting will ride with Bowman during this weekends Cheez-It 355 at Watkins Glen International and Talladega Superspeedway in October. Dustless Blasting has revolutionized the surface preparation industry. With the ability to strip all paint, primer, rust and body filler from the average car in only two hours without warping, Dustless Blasting is quickly becoming the new gold standard in surface preparation. Dustless Blastings anti-spark, anti-dust, and anti-static properties have also made it extremely useful in the refinery, oilfield, mining and other industries.(BK Racing), see an image of the car on the #26 team paint schemes page.(8-6-2014) • Chase Elliott could run some Cup races in 2015: Rick Hendricks plan for NASCAR Nationwide Series phenom Chase Elliott evidently entails a few NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts next season, the champion car owner said Wednesday in an interview on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. The 18-year-old Elliott tops the Nationwide Series standings and leads all series regulars with three race victories. Dale Earnhardt Jr., co-owner of his JR Motorsports race team, has said that Elliott is likely to run another full season on NASCARs No. 2 circuit next year. Hendrick, also a co-owner at JRM, sounded as if a few premier series starts will also be sprinkled into that mix. A test session in which Elliott tested the cars of Hendrick Motorsports champion drivers Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon convinced the team owner the youngster was ready, even before he took the Nationwide circuit by storm. We havent arrived at a decision for sure, but I think youll probably see him run a few races next year, Hendrick told the satellite radio network. Before he ever won a Nationwide race, I watched him test Jimmies car and Jeffs car at Nashville, and Jimmie and Jeff both commented to me, This kid is super smooth and super fast. He takes care of his equipment, and he doesnt get in a jam. Although Hendrick currently fields four full-time cars, the maximum for one organization as allowed by NASCAR, rules do permit teams to run an additional vehicle on a limited slate for prospective rookie drivers.(NASCAR)(8-7-2014) • Stewart-Haas; McDowell to test at New Hampshire: With the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship moving to an elimination-style format for the first time, the stakes have never been higher for the annual Sylvania 300 on Sept. 21 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. One race team could have the inside track for a strong run on Sept. 21, as Stewart-Haas Racing will be in town for a test and tune session on Sept. 2 and 3. With seven combined wins at the Magic Mile - #4-Kevin Harvick, #41-Kurt Busch, #14-Tony Stewart and #10-Danica Patrick will log laps and exercise their cars in an effort to get the best possible results in the Sylvania 300. Michael McDowell, a part-time driver of the #95 for Leavine Family Racing, will also take part in the test session.The grandstands will be open and free of charge to the public from 9:00am-5:00pm both days.(NHMS)(8-7-2014) • Castrol joins Germain as associate sponsor at Watkins Glen: Sundays NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Cheez-It 355 at The Glen always brings a lot of excitement to the Finger Lakes region of New York. Along with the thrills comes the #13 GEICO Chevy SS driven by Casey Mears. The GEICO Chevy has turned in some great road course performances and this weekend at Watkins Glen International, Mears and the team are poised for another. Castrol Premium Lube Express will be featured on the #13 GEICO Chevy SS as an associate sponsor and race fans at The Glen need not travel far to experience the liquid engineering of Castrol. New York features several Castrol Premium Lube Express (CPLE) locations - the nearest one to the action at The Glen is just around the corner in Corning, NY.(Germain Racing)(8-7-2014) • Rusty Wallace inducted in Motorsports Hall of Fame of America: Former NASCAR driver Rusty Wallace was one of seven men inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America on Wednesday. Wallace made his debut on the top circuit in 1980 in a Roger Penske-owned car and joined the series full-time in 1984. His first victories came in 1986 with Raymond Beadles Blue Max Racing team and he won the 1989 Sprint Cup championship after holding off Dale Earnhardt. Wallace moved to Penskes team in 1991 and ran the final 15 years of his career for the car owner, who presented him for induction Wednesday. Wallace finished his career with 55 wins - 37 with Penske - and was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2013. Five of those victories came at Michigan International Speedway, once owned by Penske. Arie Luyendyk, who began racing on the IndyCar circuit in 1985 and won the Indianapolis 500 in 1990 and `97, also was inducted. The remaining members of the class - Ole Bardahl, founder of the Bardahl Oil Company that has sponsored entries in a variety of motorsports; IMSA founder John Bishop; three-time American Motorcyclist Association grand national champion Ricky Graham; and NASCAR pioneer Marshall Teague - are dead.(Associated Press)(8-7-2014) • Watkins Glen Notes & Facts - Thursday - track history: There have been 31 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Watkins Glen International, one race per season. After several events were held on the streets of Watkins Glen, a permanent facility was opened in 1956. The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was in 1957, won by Buck Baker (83.064 mph, 8/4/57). After a six-year absence, NASCAR returned to The Glen in 1964 and 1965. After a 21-year absence, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series returned to The Glen, and has run one race a year there since 1986. The first NSCS race at Watkins Glen was scheduled for 101.2-miles in 1957, the second race was 161.7-miles (1964) and the third race was 151.8-miles (1965). Every race since has been scheduled for 220.5-miles.(NASCAR)(8-7-2014) • Watkins Glen Goodyear Tire Notes:: Teams in both the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series will run the same Goodyear tire code (D-4590) on all four tire positions at Watkins Glen . . . this is the same tire they ran at The Glen last season . . . the only change from 2013 is that in the Cup Series, the recommended air pressure on all four tires tires has been raised by one psi . . . Sprint Cup teams also ran this tire on the right-side at Martinsville in March . . . Nationwide teams also ran this tire on all four positions at Road America in June . . . as on all NASCAR road courses, teams will not run inner liners in their tires at Watkins Glen. Wet Weather Tires: Goodyear will also bring its wet weather radials (D-4215) to Watkins Glen for use by Nationwide Series teams only, should NASCAR decide that conditions warrant . . . Nationwide teams ran the wet weather tires at Road America in June.(Goodyear) See full notes, tire codes, tire pressures and more on the Watkins Glen Race Info page - Goodyear section. • Chassis selections for this weeks race: see the list of many teams [that report or post them] and what chassis were selected by the team to run in the Cheez-It 255 Sprint Cup Series race at Watkins Glen International on the Watkins Glen Race Info page - Chassis selection area. • Joe Nichols performing pre-race concert at Kansas: Red Bow Records recording artist Joe Nichols will perform a pre-race concert prior to the Hollywood Casino 400, the fourth race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, on Oct. 5. Nichols, whos current hits include Yeah and Sunny and 75, released his latest studio album in October of last year. Fans are likely familiar with other chart-topping hits of Nichols as well, like Brokenheartsville, Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off, and Gimme That Girl along with Top Ten hits like The Impossible, Whats A Guy Gotta Do and Ill Wait For You. Over his career, he has new artist awards from the Academy of Country Music, the Country Music Association, Billboard, and more. He also has four Grammy nominations, a CMA album of the Year nomination and multiple RIAA platinum and gold albums and singles.(Kansas Speedway)(8-7-2014) • National Guard to end motorsports sponsorships: After undergoing an intensive internal review, the Army National Guard is set to make changes to its sports sponsorship approach to recruitment marketing. These substantial changes include an end to its sponsorship of NASCAR driver #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Graham Rahal in the Indy Racing League (IRL). Significantly constrained resources and the likelihood of further reductions in the future call for more innovative and cost-effective ways of doing business, said Maj Gen Judd H. Lyons, acting Director of the Army National Guard. The Army Guard spent $32 million on its NASCAR sponsorship and $12 million on its IndyCar sponsorship for 2014. Future programs will rely on much smaller budgets. And while sports sponsorships have played an important role in helping the Guard build strong brand awareness, existing Army National Guard sponsorship contracts with NASCAR and IRL are set to expire at the end of the current season, he said. Our NASCAR sponsorship was principally a marketing program, intended primarily to build awareness of the National Guard as a career option said Johnson. The NASCAR sponsorship allowed the National Guard to leverage a 77 million fan base and the sports most popular driver. Motorsports sponsorships are not the only programs to be impacted by decreasing budgets. Since 2012, the Army Guard has reduced sports sponsorships from six-including professional fishing and motorcycle racing-to just the NASCAR and IndyCar sponsorships. In fiscal year 2015, the Army Guards marketing budget is expected to be about half of what it was just three years ago in fiscal year 2012.(Army National Guard) Hendrick Statement: Our team has a contract in place to continue the National Guard program at its current level in 2015. We have not been approached by the Guard about potential changes and plan to honor our current agreement.(Hendrick Motorsports)(8-6-2014) • Bully Hill Vineyards to sponsor Whitt at the Glen: Coming off a solid top-25 performance at Pocono Raceway, Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Cole Whitt heads into this weekends race at Watkins Glen International with momentum and a brand new sponsor. The colors of purple and yellow for Hammondsport, NY based Bully Hill Vineyards will adorn Whitts #26 BK Racing Toyota Camry. Bully Hill Vineyards have served as a primary sponsor of several NASCAR teams and races over the past 15 years and continues to be a major supporter of Watkins Glen International. Since the mid-90s Bully Hill Vineyards have sponsored events such as the NASCAR Nationwide Series, the NASCAR Featherlite Modified Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Bully Hill Vineyards, has also sponsored several drivers including Eric Bodine, Ron Fellows, Joe Nemechek and Elliott Sadler. Bully Hill Vineyards is a winery located in Hammondsport, NY, in the beautiful, Finger Lakes Region. Bully Hill Vineyards is a family owned producer of 40 different wines, all from grapes grown in New York. Currently, Bully Hill Vineyards produces 200,000 cases of wine annually, with distribution in 30 states.(BK Racing), see an image of the car on the #26 team paint schemes page.(8-6-2014) • Sprint calls off T-Mobile merger; names new CEO: Sprint confirmed Wednesday Marcelo Claure will take over as president and CEO of the third largest wireless carrier in the U.S. Claure, 43, had served as founder and CEO of Brightstar Corp., a wireless distributor based in Miami and subsidiary of Sprint parent company Softbank. Claure will assume the Sprint CEO role on August 11. The executive shift follows reports that Sprint planned on calling off its merger with T-Mobile, the fourth largest wireless carrier in the U.S., because of challenging regulatory hurdles. Both companies had been working on a potential merger valued as high as $50 billion. Last week, French telecom Iliad confirmed it made a bid to scoop up T-Mobile for $15 billion. In a statement, Claure says he will focus immediately on competing aggressively in the marketplace. While consolidating makes sense in the long-term, for now, we will focus on growing and repositioning Sprint. Claure will replace Dan Hesse, who had served as Sprint CEO since 2007. During his tenure, he navigated the wireless carriers merger with Softbank, completed last year, and shut down Nextel network, which Sprint acquired in 2004. Although Sprint is the third largest U.S. carrier, the company has struggled to capture the attention of mobile consumers. AT&T and Verizon dominate much of the U.S. mobile market, while T-Mobile has generated buzz over its Uncarrier strategy that moves away from traditional mobile contracts.(USA Today)(8-6-2014) • JTG Daugherty to make sponsorship announcement: The Clorox Company announced at Sonoma Raceway they were returning to JTG Daugherty Racing as a primary sponsor through 2017 and now we have some more news, #47-A.J. Allmendinger said. On Friday, we will announce another major partner that is returning. Were pretty excited at all the great things going on for us right now.(JTG Daugherty Racing)(8-6-2014) • Family sues NASCAR, Pocono over 2012 lightning death: NASCAR blew off a severe storm warning at the Pocono 400 race until the storm got so bad it had to stop the race, and 6 minutes later a fan was killed by lightning in the parking lot, his family claims in court. Brian Zimmerman was killed by lightning at 5:00pm on Aug. 5, 2012, his widow Marion claims in the Court of Common Pleas. She sued Pocono International Raceway and NASCAR, on Aug. 1. Ten other people were injured by lightning, one of whom sued NASCAR and the Pocono Raceway in July. Zimmerman claims that NASCAR and the Pocono Raceway received a severe thunderstorm warning from the National Weather Service at 4:12pm, but they did nothing to stop the race or warn fans until 4:21, when they attempted to use social media to warn race fans of the approaching storm. Brian Zimmerman did not have access to social media at the raceway, his widow says. The defendants stopped the race at 4:54pm At 4:59, they used social media again to warn fans to seek shelter. Brian was hit by lightning at 5:00pm and died. In the July lawsuit, Jason Penecks wife Erin claims her husband suffered severe and permanent injuries, including, but not limited to, a traumatic brain injury, second degree burns, and dysautonomia.(Courthouse News Service)(8-6-2014) • Nicole Briscoe to remain With ESPN: Nicole Briscoe has agreed to a new contract with ESPN and will become a SportsCenter anchor as well as taking on additional new assignments after her current role as host of ESPN NASCAR Countdown concludes. Briscoe, who joined ESPN in 2008 and has served in various positions on ESPNs NASCAR coverage, will assume her new duties in January. In addition to SportsCenter, she also will be part of a variety of other ESPN studio shows. Im very happy with the opportunities that have been presented to me, said Briscoe, who will be relocating to the companys Bristol, Ct., headquarters. ESPN is where I want to be, and Im excited about starting the next chapter of my career as well as a new adventure for my family. But first, we still have 15 weeks of NASCAR to go and champions to crown. NASCAR Countdown, which Briscoe has hosted since 2011, airs prior to all NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series telecasts on ESPN. The program originates from the ESPN Pit Studio at the racetrack with Briscoe and analysts Rusty Wallace and Brad Daugherty. Briscoe was a host and reporter for ESPNs former NASCAR Now program and has reported on NASCAR for SportsCenter and other ESPN news platforms.(ESPN)(8-6-2014) ___________________________________________________________ N A S C A R * N A T I O N W I D E * S E R I E S ___________________________________________________________ Courtesy of Jayski jayski NEXT RACE: Zippo 200, Saturday, August 9, 2014 at Watkins Glen International • Entry List: There are 41 cars on the preliminary entry list for Saturdays Zippo 200 at Watkins Glen International. A few notes: Marcos Ambrose will be in the RPM #09; Joey Logano will be in the Penske #12; Chris Cook will drive the #24; Carlos Contreras will drive the #44 for Tri--Star; Brennan Newberry returns to the #55; Roger Reuse will drive the #74 for Mike Harmon; Kenny Habul is entered in his #75; Tomy Drissi drives the #95 for JGL.(8-4-2014) See the complete list on the Watkins Glen entry list page. • Nationwide Series Goes Road Racing: The NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series go road course racing at historic Watkins Glen International Aug. 9-10 and both races will be televised live. The NASCAR Sprint Cup race airs Sunday, Aug. 10, on ESPN, with NASCAR Countdown at noon ET and the green flag at 1:18pm/et. The NASCAR Nationwide Series race on Saturday, Aug. 9, airs on ABC at 2 p.m. with a 2:33pm/et green flag. Also from The Glen, ESPN2 will air NASCAR Sprint Cup qualifying on Saturday at 11:30am/et and Nationwide Series qualifying earlier that day at 9:30am/et All NASCAR programming on ESPN and ESPN2 is available on computers, smartphones, tablets, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Apple TV, Roku and Amazon Fire TV via WatchESPN, accessible to fans who receive ESPNs linear networks as part of their video subscription from an affiliate provider. (ESPN)(8-4-2014) • Chase Elliott could run some Cup races in 2015: Rick Hendricks plan for NASCAR Nationwide Series phenom Chase Elliott evidently entails a few NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts next season, the champion car owner said Wednesday in an interview on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. The 18-year-old Elliott tops the Nationwide Series standings and leads all series regulars with three race victories. Dale Earnhardt Jr., co-owner of his JR Motorsports race team, has said that Elliott is likely to run another full season on NASCARs No. 2 circuit next year. Hendrick, also a co-owner at JRM, sounded as if a few premier series starts will also be sprinkled into that mix. A test session in which Elliott tested the cars of Hendrick Motorsports champion drivers Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon convinced the team owner the youngster was ready, even before he took the Nationwide circuit by storm. We havent arrived at a decision for sure, but I think youll probably see him run a few races next year, Hendrick told the satellite radio network. Before he ever won a Nationwide race, I watched him test Jimmies car and Jeffs car at Nashville, and Jimmie and Jeff both commented to me, This kid is super smooth and super fast. He takes care of his equipment, and he doesnt get in a jam. Although Hendrick currently fields four full-time cars, the maximum for one organization as allowed by NASCAR, rules do permit teams to run an additional vehicle on a limited slate for prospective rookie drivers.(NASCAR)(8-6-2014) • Earnhardt gets two race sponsor: Bandit Industries has signed a two-race deal to sponsor Jeffrey Earnhardt and JD Motorsports in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Bandit will race with Earnhardt as the primary sponsor at Mid-Ohio for the Nationwide Childrens Hospital 200 Aug. 16. Bandit will return with Earnhardt as a co-primary sponsor for the VisitMyrtleBeach 300 at Kentucky Speedway Sept. 20. After opening the 2014 NASCAR season with Parker Kligerman in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Daytona, Bandit moved to track sponsorships for the two NASCAR race weekends at Michigan International Speedway, the local track for the Michigan-based manufacturer. Bandits second race weekend at MIS will take place concurrently with the Aug. 16 Nationwide race at Mid-Ohio. Founded in 1983, Bandit Industries is a global manufacturer of hand-fed and whole tree wood chippers, stump grinders, horizontal grinders, forestry mowers and specialty wood processing equipment. The company is based outside Mt. Pleasant, Mich.(JD Motorsports)(8-6-2014) • Clean Coal returns to the #7 at Watkins Glen: Clean Coal returns to the #7 car as primary sponsor for its second race this season. 2014 marks the third-consecutive year of JRMs partnership with the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE). ACCCE supports energy policies that balance coals role in supplying the United States with affordable and reliable electricity. Smith will also carry the Clean Coal colors in races at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (Aug. 16) and Chicagoland Speedway (Sept. 13).(JR Motorsports)(8-6-2014) • #23 team penalized after Iowa: The #23 team that competes in the NASCAR Nationwide Series has been penalized for a rules infraction that occurred during practice Aug. 1 at Iowa Speedway. The infraction is a P3 level penalty and violates sections: 12-1: Actions detrimental to stock car racing; 20A-2.3A: Any weight added to the car must be bolted inside the body shell in an approved weight container and in a position acceptable to NASCAR officials: Weight was not properly attached and fell out during the event. As a result of this violation, crew chief Jonas Bell has been fined $10,000 and placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31.(NASCAR)(8-5-2014) ___________________________________________________________ C A M P I N G * W O R L D * T R U C K * S E R I E S ___________________________________________________________ Courtesy of Jayski jayski NEXT RACE: Careers for Veterans 200, Saturday, August 16, 2014 at Michigan International Speedway • Peters, Benning teams penalized following Pocono: The #17 team that competes in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series has been penalized for a rules violation discovered during opening day inspection July 31 at Pocono Raceway. The infraction is a P3 level penalty and violates sections:12-1: Actions detrimental to stock car racing; 20B-5.10.1(6): Throttle Shafts: The combined thickness of the throttle shaft and the throttle plates (butterflies) must not be less than 0.197 inch. As a result of this violation, crew chief Paul Richmond has been fined $7,500 and placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31. The #6 team has been penalized for a rules violation that took place during the race on Aug. 2. The infraction is a P1 level penalty and violates sections: 12-1: Actions detrimental to stock car racing; 9-15J: Only two NASCAR-approved ½ inch drive air wrenches, with a single socket and with a hex design capable of removing or attaching one lug nut at a time, must be used to change tires/wheels during any pit stops: Improper use of a battery powered impact wrench. The team will be penalized with loss of track time during the opening practice at Michigan International Speedway Aug. 15.(NASCAR)(8-5-2014) • Rhino Linings to sponsor Las Vegas race: Rhino Linings Corporation, a leader in both the protective coatings and building products industries, has signed a multi-year agreement as the title sponsor of the annual NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The Rhino Linings 350 on the high-banked, 1.5 mile superspeedway will be nationally televised September 27. Rhino Linings signed on for a two year sponsorship of the race, but no financial terms of the agreement were released. Rhino Linings made a name for itself in the truck accessories market as the leader in sprayed-on truck bed liners. Over the past several years, Rhino Linings has expanded into the building and construction market with products that include DuraTite and BioBased Insulation spray foam insulations, Concrete Solutions repair and decorative concrete overlay products, and Expo Stucco exterior stucco and interior finishes. The 2014 Rhino Linings 350 will be the 18th time the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series has visited Las Vegas Motor Speedway.(PR Newswire)(8-5-2014) ___________________________________________________________ N A S C A R * C A N A D I A N * T I R E * S E R I E S localracing.nascar/news/6 ___________________________________________________________ LP Dumoulin GP3R statistical advance Rotoworld 47 WeatherTech Canada/Bellemare Dodge) has three wins, a pole, 15 top fives and 23 top 10s in 43 career NASCAR Canadian Tire Series starts. rotoworld/content/playerpages/playerbreakingnews.asp?sport=NAS&id=611&line=29074&spln=1 ___________________________________________________________ C O L U M N S / C O M M E N T A R I E S ___________________________________________________________ National Guard ending Dale Jr. NASCAR sponsorship sbnation/nascar/2014/8/6/5977197/national-guard-dale-earnhardt-jr-sponsorship-hendrick-motorsports-indycar-graham-rahal __________________________________________________________ T V * L I S T I N G S ___________________________________________________________ Courtesy of TVRacer tvracer/ Thursday, August 7, 2014 3:30am-4:00am (R) Drivers Seat (F1) MAVTV 1:00pm-2:00pm (R) NASCAR Race Hub FS1 2:00pm-3:30pm (R) ARCA Racing Pocono FS1 3:30pm-5:00pm (R) Camping World Truck Pocono FS1 5:00pm-5:30pm (L) NASCAR America NBCSN 5:00pm-6:00pm NASCAR Race Hub FS1 7:00pm-7:30pm (R) 7:30pm-8:00pm (R) DRIVE (F1) NBCSN 7:00pm-8:00pm NASCAR Race Hub FS2 8:00pm-9:00pm (R) The 2013 NASCAR Truck Race at Eldora Eldora FS2 9:00pm-10:00pm (R) NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Columbus FS2 10:00pm-12:00am (R) Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge Indianapolis FS2 11:00pm-11:30pm 11:30pm-12:00am (R) DRIVE (F1) Replicarz - 1954 Mercedes Benz W196 R, Reims, Herrmann, 1:18 Limited Edition 1,000 pcs. NBCSN Friday, August 8, 2014 12:00am-1:00am Pro Motocross Highlights NBCSN 1:00am-1:30am (R) DRIVE (F1) NBCSN 1:30am-3:00am (R) Global Rallycross NBCSN 9:30am-11:00am (L) Nationwide Practice Watkins Glen FS1 11:00am-12:00pm (8/1) NASCAR K&N Pro Series Iowa FS1 12:00pm-12:30pm (L) NASCAR Live Watkins Glen FS1 12:30pm-2:00pm (L) NASCAR Sprint Cup Practice Watkins Glen FS1 2:00pm-3:30pm (L) Nationwide Final Practice Watkins Glen FS1 3:30pm-4:30pm (L) NASCAR Live Watkins Glen FS1 4:30pm-5:00pm 5:00pm-5:30pm (R) DRIVE (F1) NBCSN 4:30pm-6:00pm (L) NASCAR Sprint Cup Final Practice Watkins Glen FS1 6:30pm-7:00pm (L) NASCAR America NBCSN 6:30pm-8:30pm (L) FIA World Rallycross Championship Canada beIN Sports Always CHECK YOUR LOCAL LISTINGS! ___________________________________________________________ The Stock Car Gazette Copyright 2002-2010 by MotorSportsNews.Net All Rights Reserved DONATIONS https://paypal/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=6356277 Find us on Twitter twitter/motorsportsnews SUBSCRIBE / UNSUBSCRIBE INFORMATION groups.google/group/StockCarGazette Miss an edition of the Stock Car Gazette? 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Posted on: Thu, 07 Aug 2014 12:01:05 +0000