January 15, 2012 – Forsyth, GA -

“I’ve been a guest on a lot of hunting shows and have always had a burning desire to do more within outdoor entertainment. I’m excited about turning the page to a new chapter of my career. Aside from being behind the wheel of a race car, I can’t think of any other place I’d rather be than in the wide open spaces of the outdoors,” says Earnhardt. “I’m good friends with Haley and her husband G.O. and have always enjoyed watching their show. We share the same family values and that was important to me coming on board.”

The Heaths’ feel that, “in 2012 you will get to see a glimpse of what Family Traditions has in-store for the 2013 season. Kerry is an intense hunter and true outdoorsman. We are looking forward to bringing Kerry in as a Co-Host and know that the viewers will enjoy spending time with him as well.”

About Kerry Earnhardt

Kerry Earnhardt has been racing since the early 1990’s. Son of the legendary, 7-time NASCAR Champion Dale Earnhardt, Kerry claimed the Rookie of the Year title driving the Late Model Stock ranks before he started running select Bush Series races in 1998 / 1999. Earnhardt moved to the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) Series in 2000. In six starts, he posted four top five finishes and a first victory celebrated at Pocono Speedway in the Winner’s Circle with his proud father. During the same season, Kerry made his debut in NASCAR’s Winston Cup Series when he raced at Michigan International Speedway competing against both his father and his brother. Kerry claimed three ARCA victories in 2001 including a win at Lowes Motor Speedway and then went on to compete within all three divisions of NASCAR.

Kerry’s same passion for racing is reflected in his commitment to the great outdoors. Today he has swapped the driver’s seat for the tree stand. He is an avid outdoor enthusiast committed to supporting and educating the importance of land and animal preservation and conservation.

To find out more information about Kerry Earnhardt please contact Earnhardt Outdoors Public Relations at info@earnhardtoutdoors.com [mailto:info@earnhardtoutdoors.com]

About Family Traditions with Haley Heath

Family Traditions with Haley Heath is as much about family as it is the pursuit of big game. This show takes an inside glimpse into the life of successful outdoorswoman Haley Heath and her family of avid hunters. Lessons learned in the show extend beyond hunting tips and delve into the importance of family traditions. In a crazy world where spending time with family takes a back seat to providing for one, this program showcases how accomplishing both at the same time is possible.

Let this entertaining, All-American family take you on a journey into the wild and introduce you to a new family tradition…

Family Traditions with Haley Heath airs exclusively on the Sportsman Channel Wednesday at 10 p.m., Thursdays at 1:00 a.m., and Thursdays at 1:00 p.m., EDT.

To learn more about Family Traditions with Haley Heath, please visit www.FamilyTraditionsTV.com

About Haley Heath

At first glance, Haley Heath is a striking young woman with a friendly smile and obvious warmth. She is the dedicated mother of two young children and wife of her 1st grade sweetheart, G.O. She is a devoted daughter and dependable sister and the kind of person you quickly call friend.

This All-American girl-next-door is also a fifth- generation avid outdoorsman with a passion for the pursuit of wild game. Her love of hunting was honed at her father’s knee as he patiently introduced her to the outdoors. Her first claim to fame was when, at the age of 6, she shot her first deer, a basket-rack, seven-pointer that still hangs proudly on her wall today. Since those early days, the size of her trophies has increased along with her fame.

What began in 2006 with Haley’s participation in a ‘Survivor-like’ competition on the ESPN television show, “ESPN’s Ultimate Outdoorsmen Search,” evolved into the popular television show, Family Traditions with Haley Heath.

Since the show began, Haley has earned much-deserved recognition. In 2008, she was the first woman to receive the “Viewer Favorite Personality” Sportsman Award. In 2009, she was appointed as the Ambassador for The Sportsman Channel’s organization Hunt Fish Feed, which works to feed needy families. In 2009, Haley was highlighted in USA Today, The Wall Street Journal and ABC Nightly World News.

Today, Haley is the host of Family Traditions with Haley Heath and earns the respect of hunting enthusiasts around the world.

- Earnhardt Outdoors Public Relations Press Release

Larry (L) and Brandon McReynolds (R) talk during Friday’s ARCA test session at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway

“Brandon McReynolds eyes first start at Daytona in the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200″

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Two-time Daytona 500 winning crew chief Larry McReynolds, who serves as an analyst on the NASCAR broadcast team for FOX Sports, watched over his son Brandon as the annual three-day ARCA Racing Series test session kicked off on Friday at Daytona International Speedway.

Approximately 60 drivers are participating in the test session in advance of the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards season opener on Saturday, Feb. 18, the kick-off event to the stock car portion of Speedweeks 2012.

The 20-year-old McReynolds is turning laps at the “World Center of Racing” in the No. 4 Chevrolet for Turner Motorsports as he prepares for his first start on the 31-degree high banks of Daytona International Speedway.

McReynolds participated in the ARCA test two years ago with Eddie Sharp Racing, but didn’t have plans at the time to compete at Daytona. This year’s test is different. He knows he’s preparing for his Daytona debut in the upcoming 80-lap, 200-mile event.

“It’s a little more serious,” McReynolds said. “We’re always looking for speed. I think you got some guys out here laying down some PR laps. That’s not what Turner Motorsports is about. We’re down here for a legit test to see how fast we can go with what we’re going to be racing. I think we got a good piece.”

In background of the test is Brandon’s father Larry McReynolds, who won the Daytona 500 serving as the crew chief for Davey Allison in 1992 and Dale Earnhardt in 1998.

“When we won the 500 here with Davey in 1992, Brandon was not even a year old,” Larry McReynolds said. “He was Davey’s godson. I’ve got pictures of him in Victory Lane wrapped up in a baby’s blanket. It’s pretty cool to see him make laps here.”

During this week’s test, McReynolds stays at a distance but is always ready to offer advice to his son.

“He’s been racing since he was seven,” McReynolds said. “I’ve always played a huge role in his racing whether it was paying the bills or running the race team. We did that for a number of years with our own stuff. But Steve Turner and Turner Motorsports are giving him a great opportunity with great people.

“It’s actually kind of neat just being down here and being dad and just listening on the radio. At the end of the day, I can look at him and tell him things that I heard or saw or this is something you might want to think about. I do not want to be a meddling dad. I want to be here and support him and the race team and enjoy watching his career grow.”

Brandon McReynolds is unsure of his 2012 plans but hopes it will be at Turner Motorsports.

“We’re still working on it. I hope to be over at Turner Motorsports. I really enjoy working with those guys. They’ve let me do some testing over the offseason and I ran Talladega with those guys. I feel like I’ve got a really good home over there. We’re working away on it. It takes sponsorship to make race cars go around these days and we’re working on it. We’ll see what happens.”

Alli Owens

The 23-year-old Owens, who attempted to qualify for the February NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at DIS, sat out the majority of the 2011 season to have a baby. After giving birth to a daughter in October, Owens is ready to return to the track.

“It’s huge,” Owens said. “I just had a baby a couple of months ago. To be able to come back out here after everybody pretty much wrote me off . . . it seems like if you’re a mom, you’re done.”

During the test, Owens is driving the No. 1 Ford for Andy Belmont Racing and is planning on making her fourth career start in the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200.

Her husband Paul Chodora, who works for a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team, is serving as her crew chief for the test.

Owens, with sponsorship from Baby Jock, is only scheduled to compete in the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 but is exploring opportunities in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series for 2012.

“I was nervous,” Owens said of having a baby and then returning to racing. “It’s never been done before. You never see females who decide to have a family come back and be successful in the sport. We’re trying to do something that hasn’t been done before.

“To be back out here this year, it’s been even more special because I am a mom and now I’m getting the respect of being a parent and a driver.”

ARCA testing continues on Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. A section of the Oldfield Grandstands will be open free to the public with access available through the lobby of the Daytona International Speedway ticket office.

Tickets for the 54th running of the Daytona 500 and other Speedweeks 2012 events are available online to www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.

- Daytona International Speedway Press Release

Richard Childress Racing (RCR)

George, a New York, N.Y. native, is fresh off his best ARCA Racing Series run, finishing the 2011 season seventh in the final championship point standings on the strength of his first-career win at Pocono Raceway in June, eight top-five and 10 top-10 finishes. The 30-year-old driver made his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut in November 2009, one year after claiming victory at New Jersey Motorsports Park in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series. He began his racing career in 2005, driving in the Skip Barber Racing School Southern Series and finished second in his class the following year on the heels of five victories.

“Tim has shown a great amount of improvement, running in the ARCA Racing Series these past few years that included his first career win,” said Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. “We’re ready to further strengthen his skills and moving him to the Camping World Truck Series is the next logical step. Having Ty Dillon and Joey Coulter as his teammates will help support his learning curve and I’m excited to see how he’ll perform.”

Tim George Jr.

Potomac Family Dining Group is the exclusive franchisee for the Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar restaurants in the Washington, D.C. and surrounding area.

“Having an association with Tim this past year has proven to be an exciting experience for us,” said PFDG President Jim Rieger. “Quite frankly, the positive feedback from both our guests and our employees, has exceeded our expectations. And, since so many of our guests are also NASCAR fans, this collaboration is a perfect fit.”

Bruce Cook, who has nearly twenty-five years of motorsports experience, will serve as crew chief for RCR’s No. 2 Chevrolet Silverado team. His most recent stint came at Kevin Harvick Inc. where he captured three wins during the 2010 Nationwide Series season with Kevin Harvick and seven in the Camping World Truck Series with six different drivers en route to the 2011 owner’s championship title.

George’s race schedule and further additions to RCR’s competition department will be forthcoming.

For additional information on today’s announcement, and all that’s happening at RCR, please visit www.rcrracing.com

About Richard Childress Racing

Richard Childress Racing (www.rcrracing.com) has earned more than 200 victories and 14 championships, including six in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with the legendary Dale Earnhardt. RCR was the first organization to win championships in the Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series. Its 2011 Sprint Cup Series lineup includes Paul Menard (No. 27 Menards Chevrolet), Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet), Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet) and Clint Bowyer (No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet). Its Camping World Truck Series program includes 2010 Rookie of the Year Austin Dillon (No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) and Joey Coulter, Jr. (No. 22 RCR Development Chevrolet). Tim George Jr. (No 31 RCR Development Chevrolet) and Ty Dillon (No. 41 Chevrolet) will compete in the 2011 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards.

- Richard Childress Racing Press Release

Poston managed a number of crises, including the fallout surrounding the death Dale Earnhardt on behalf of NASCAR.

Tuckahoe Strategies has alliances with two prominent firms based in Washington, DC: Levick, a leading global crisis and litigation communications firm, and Dominion Strategies, a public affairs firm focused on issue and advocacy communications, advertising, and cutting-edge technology solutions for corporate and non-profit clients.

- The Holmes Report

Austin Dillon celebrates his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship with his Richard Childress Racing team at Homestead-Miami Speedway. - Photo Credit: Jerry Markland, Getty Images for NASCAR

THE MODERATOR: Let’s roll into our championship race team in the 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. It’s the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet, driver is Austin Dillon, our crew chief is Danny Stockman, Jr., and our owner is Richard Childress. This is Richard Childress’ second NASCAR Camping World Truck Series drivers’ championship. His first came in the inaugural season in 1995 with driver Mike Skinner. And crew chief Danny Stockman, this is your first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship.

Richard, you talked to me out in the hall. You’ve had a lot of championships, but how does this one rank.

RICHARD CHILDRESS: It’s got to be right up there at the top. It’s so special when you’re family. Our whole family is involved, and I remember the very first championship with Dale Earnhardt. I had the same feeling tonight watching Austin, my grandson. It’s just so special to have the family and know how hard all of them worked.

I was at Ohio, Toledo, when Ty won his championship a few weeks ago, and just it’s a dream come true to have both these young men win championships.

And Danny Stockman, Bass Pro, everybody did so much to help put it together, and Austin kept it together so good under the pressure. For a 21 year old guy man, to be able to hang in there and do what he did was very special.

THE MODERATOR: Speaking of which, our championship driver has joined us now. That’s Austin Dillon. He drives the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet. At 21 years, six months and 22 days, he becomes the youngest champion in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series history. Congratulations, Austin. Tell us what it’s like to win a championship in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

AUSTIN DILLON: How does it feel? Amazing, best feeling I’ve ever had in my entire life. I’m so happy for my grandfather. He’s got two champs this year. I’m worried about Ty coming back and beating me for the youngest champion ever. He’s pretty awesome. It’s going to be a wonderful week, a wonderful month. Can’t ask to go out of the Truck Series any better than this, coming out as a champion.

Danny Stockman has done a great job this year. We’re all a family over at RCR, and we fight like dogs, but we love each other the same. It’s cool that we’re out there, a championship. It was wild. The last restart was not the way I planned it. It made it interesting, but we still came out on top.

THE MODERATOR: Danny Stockman, talk about being the crew chief for this championship team.

DANNY STOCKMAN: Yeah, like Austin said, the last restart was quite gut wrenching. Just awesome to be a part of this deal with Richard and Mike and Austin and Tina and everybody that just let me have this opportunity to be a part of it. Austin Dillon being a great race car driver, up and coming race car driver, just really glad to be a part of it. Got a heck of a good race team, and just got to thank everybody back at the shop there. Really good.

Q. Austin, a little more detail on that last restart. Was it a tire issue? And I think Hornaday said when he went by you there that he saw oil or something like that. Was that communicated to you, as well?

AUSTIN DILLON: I didn’t see the oil, but I know right behind the right front fender we were knocked in. I don’t know what happened. I didn’t hit anybody on the track, but I think it happened on pit road. We got really tight once I got back there, but I think it was more the conservative side when I was three wide. We were three wide in the middle, and to force a spot right there is not worth it.

I wish we would have finished I think we had a shot to win the race. We really had a fast race car. When you get back there in that situation, your head tells you to be smart, but at the same time they’re telling you to go because you’re close there. I went as hard as I could, started entering the corner harder at the end and helped us out. But we got really tight when the fender got knocked in. I think it was close really with the fender, but the rain came at the right time, the Lord was looking after us, and it’s really cool to be where we are today.

Q. Austin, I want to say you didn’t really say anything on the radio as you were falling back there or even for the few laps after that. Did you not want to say anything? What was going through your head?

AUSTIN DILLON: There was no need to, just focus and get back on the wheel. When you get down like that, you can’t do anything but drive back to the front, and we’ve done that all year. I’ve struggled in certain spots and restarts. Actually my restarts have been really great to the end of the year. That one wasn’t a bad restart. I kind of Johnny went I didn’t anticipate as well as I needed to, and when Denny stuck me three wide, I probably could have made something out of it in the middle, could have got to the top quicker, but I didn’t know who was out there and no one said clear on the radio, so we obviously weren’t.

When you get three wide, and these trucks, the air pushes you around so much it’s hard to run three wide, and down the back stretch it was really hairy, so I just rolled out a little bit, got back in line and went to working on everybody in front of me and were able to pass quite a few of them.

Q. Can you just talk about what the last six, seven weeks have been like? You’re leading the points coming out of each of these last six or seven races. Has it been nerve wracking or has it been easier to handle than you thought?

AUSTIN DILLON: You know, watching these guys in the Cup Series talk to each other, it’s pretty wild. I listen to Tony Stewart and I listen to Carl Edwards and the different approaches they take to it. Offense is your best defense most of the time in racing, and I felt like today I probably played too much defense. It wasn’t enough offense, and my grandfather got onto me midway through the race and said, You can’t get comfortable here, you’ve got to keep racing. Went back and got on the wheel and drove up through a bunch of them and found ourselves in second.

We had a fast race car there at the end, and when we got three wide, I had to play conservative because it wasn’t worth it. It worked out for the better of everything, and leading up to this week, I’ve just been hunting and fishing, doing stuff I love to do, keep my mind off of it, hanging out with the people I always hang out with, talking to Danny, preparing ourselves the way we do for every race.

There’s no difference coming into the championship. You can’t approach things different. When you’re sitting outside the lead, you can take more chances, that’s for sure. Johnny could take more chances today than we could, Buescher the same way, they have nothing to lose. Stewart is right, he has nothing to lose for Sunday. It’s hard to play offense. You’ve got to play off, though. My best advice to Carl is to go out there and play offense, go out there he knows what he has to do. They have a different situation; they’re very close in points. There’s a benefit there.

I actually talked to Ricky Carmichael, he’s won lots of championships, and I was talking to him and he said the closest championship was probably the easiest because he knew what he had to do. 16th was what we were supposed to finish to win, and we knew that going in, and got us a top 10, so we did our job.

Q. That said, Austin, what was today like, because it wasn’t maybe a normal day because of the rain and everything. Was there a chance for nerves to get in? And with winning the championship, what’s your experience so far? Is it everything you thought it would be?

AUSTIN DILLON: Today with the rain, it did make it you had to think a little bit more, I guess. You could think about it longer. But I actually watched a Clint Eastwood movie during the middle of the day. That was pretty cool. It kept my mind off it. I laughed a few times. It was the one with the chimpanzee. “Any Which Way But Loose” is what I watched today. I watched it with my buddy Tim Dugger and my girlfriend and his girlfriend, we just hung out and watched the movie and waited on everything, and when it got down to it, started listening to my music, had our team meeting. That’s when we all get emotional is in our team meeting because we all know why we’re here, and it was really cool, we all had a big prayer session before, and I told them I was nervous going in, as nervous as they are, but we’ve got to go do our job, and we did it.

Austin Dillon soaks in the glory after becoming the youngest NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion following Friday night's race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. (Photo Credit: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images for NASCAR)

AUSTIN DILLON: The championship, yeah, it’s amazing. You get to spray champagne everywhere. You’re on top of the world. It’s the best feeling in the world. You stink real bad. Darrell Waltrip told me the best feeling in the world is going home stinking and having a trophy in your lap, and we were able to do that. I think now I’m more nervous about making a speech Monday, but we’ll figure that out. I’ve got some time.

Q. Going back to your celebration, are you maybe the first NASCAR champion to try planking on concrete?

AUSTIN DILLON: Yeah, the planking is cool. It’s something new. I feel like the good thing about NASCAR, we’ve got some really good drivers coming up. I am friends with a bunch of them that are going to represent the sport well. I think NASCAR has a lot to look forward to going forward. I feel that the newer fans coming in are young, and it’s really cool for sponsors, and I love the social media network, and I’ll be out there having fun any way I can. Yeah, I think that was one of the coolest planks you can do, I guess, winning a championship and then planking.

Q. Maybe your riskiest move of the night, too?

AUSTIN DILLON: That was probably my riskiest move, yeah. But it was wet enough where I could have got a little slide, and I have Sparco suit, so it’s the best suit in the world.

Q. You didn’t think about “Tebowing,” did you?

AUSTIN DILLON: Yeah, I kind of did. I pointed up when I was over the car. I didn’t get down on one knee, but that would have been cool to Tebow. He got it done last night, too; it was pretty impressive.

Q. What were you thinking when the rains came? Did you figure you had it at that particular time?

AUSTIN DILLON: Never thought about it. Andy Houston, my spotter, said, That’s probably going to be it, man, and I stayed in the truck and waited for the signal. It kind of drizzled, it was drizzling, and I knew they had lost the track because it was so slippery driving around under caution, and my grandfather said, Do not spin out under caution; slow down. I said, Wow, if I do this, that would be really a good way to lose the championship, rolling around under rain, so I backed her off and pulled in, and Hermie Sadler told me I won the championship, so I started celebrating and planked.

Actually, you know what, I did play some Xbox this week and tweeted my Xbox Live name and had like 50 people play Xbox Live Call of Duty with me. That was pretty fun, too. That was my RCR clan. It was good. I ended up on top like three times, but it was cool because everybody was going to tune into the championship, and they’re like mention the RCR clan in victory lane. I didn’t do it, but I got it in the media center, so I’m going to go back and play with them and talk to them about the championship. It’s cool, I interacted with fans that way.

Q. For Richard, what do you think allowed him to have the poise and everything to hold onto this lead in the points the last seven weeks, and is there anything that he’s done that you obviously have watched him race since he was little, but is there anything he’s done in the last two months that either particularly impressed you or surprised you?

RICHARD CHILDRESS: I think watching the race at Texas was the key to winning this championship. He was conservative when he had to be and he raced hard when he had to be. I think that was a big win we finished second, but it was a great run, and I think going into tonight, he I haven’t talked to him a whole lot this week because I didn’t want to add any extra pressure. He handles pressure better than a lot of people his age, he and his brother does, Ty. I couldn’t believe with the way he handled himself in the ARCA championship. They must get it from their mom because me and their dad gets a little wound up sometimes.

One other thing: Tonight with Johnny winning, that was 51 wins for ECR, and I told them at our kickoff banquet last year that they won 50 last year, so I told them you’ve got to beat it this year, so tonight made it 51. Great job for ECR.

Q. With the strength and the momentum you have after winning this championship, you’re taking the entire team with you to the Nationwide Series. What are you expecting for next season?

AUSTIN DILLON: Yeah, we’ve built a great team going into 2012. We’ve been working a little bit leading up to this race, and Stockman has been really harping on worried about this race, not worried about next year. But we’re so excited I can’t wait. It’s going to be amazing, feel like we can do it again. Two in a row would be awesome, just keep moving up and doing our job and we’ll be there at the end.

I was able to run some really good races with the Nationwide Series this year, and I feel like we stack up well, and we’ll have similar equipment. RCR and Pop Pop always make sure we have the best, and we’ll go out there and do our job in that No. 3.

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations to the No. 3 truck, Austin, Danny and Richard.

FastScripts by ASAP Sports

About Chevrolet

Founded in Detroit in 1911, Chevrolet celebrates its centennial as a global automotive brand with annual sales of about 4.25 million vehicles in more than 120 countries. Chevrolet provides consumers with fuel-efficient, safe and reliable vehicles that deliver high quality, expressive design, spirited performance and value. The Chevrolet portfolio includes iconic performance cars such as Corvette and Camaro; dependable, long-lasting pickups and SUVs such as Silverado and Suburban; and award-winning passenger cars and crossovers such as Spark, Cruze, Malibu, Equinox and Traverse. Chevrolet also offers “gas-friendly to gas-free” solutions including Cruze Eco and Volt. Cruze Eco offers 42 mpg highway while Volt offers 35 miles of electric, gasoline-free driving and an additional 344 miles of extended range. Most new Chevrolet models offer OnStar safety, security and convenience technologies including OnStar Hands-Free Calling, Automatic Crash Response and Stolen Vehicle Slowdown. More information regarding Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com .

- Chevrolet Press Release

No. 18 Z-Line Designs Toyota Camry (Kyle Busch) - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCAR

The 26-year-old driving phenom from Las Vegas made history at Texas when he won five consecutive NASCAR Nationwide Series races at the 1.5-mile oval from April 2008 through April 2010. He started on the pole twice during that incredible five-race stretch, led a whopping 810 of 1,000 possible laps, and joined Dale Earnhardt – Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway – and Jack Ingram – South Boston (Va.) Speedway – as the only drivers ever to win five straight races at the same track.

A runner-up finish to Carl Edwards last November ended Busch’s Texas win streak despite leading another race-high 107 laps, and an early exit this past April, when another competitor blew a tire and took him out of the race 12 laps before the halfway point, suddenly has the young driver looking at a two-race losing streak at the track.

No matter, as Busch, driver of the No. 18 Z-Line Designs / Conn’s Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), will look to get back to his winning ways at Texas during Saturday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge. It will be Busch’s seventh consecutive race representing Jim and Monica Sexton’s California-based company – Z-Line Designs – and his first Nationwide event since his runner-up finish at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway three weeks ago. He’s had victories at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway and Richmond (Va.) International Raceway during that stretch to go with another runner-up finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway and a fourth-place run on the road course at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International.

At stake this weekend, as the Nationwide Series is down to its final three events of 2011, is a third consecutive owner championship for crew chief Jason Ratcliff and the No. 18 Toyota team and the fourth straight Nationwide owner title for JGR overall. The No. 18 holds a slim seven-point lead over the No. 60 of Roush Fenway Racing and driver Edwards heading to Texas.

Given Busch and Ratcliff’s history together at Texas, it’s safe to say JGR’s own “Five-Time” is a good bet to get back to victory lane.

Kyle Busch - Photo Credit: John Harrelson / Getty Images for NASCAR

Why are you and the No. 18 Z-Line Designs Toyota team so good at Texas?

“It’s been a team effort – Jason (Ratcliff, crew chief) and the guys – all those guys at Joe Gibbs Racing – the chassis guys, the body guys, the guys in the engine shop and everybody who makes this possible. It’s just good racecars and good people. They work so hard and bring such good cars to the racetrack. It seemed like we couldn’t do anything wrong at Texas in the Nationwide Series for a long time. Being able to win five in a row there was really quite an accomplishment. Hopefully, we can start another winning streak there this weekend.”

What did it mean to be one of three drivers to win five races in a row at one track in the Nationwide Series?

“It’s neat to be in the history books in those respects. To come to a racetrack like Texas and win that many times and be that dominant, especially after struggling there so badly in my early years with the (Sprint) Cup car, it made it that much more special. It’s been a lot of fun to run there the last couple years in the Nationwide Series and be as good and dominant as we’ve been. We hopefully at least a shot at it again this weekend. I’ve been out of the Nationwide car a lot the last couple of weeks, so I’m looking forward to racing a lot this weekend and hope we can get our Z-Line Designs Camry to victory lane again at Texas.”

Jason Ratcliff, Crew Chief of the No. 18 Z-Line Designs / Conn’s NASCAR Nationwide Series Toyota Camry:

After winning five consecutive races at Texas, you’re on a two-race losing streak. What will it take to get back to victory lane?

“Our mile-and-a-half program has gotten better. I felt we were better at Charlotte. We had a good car at Texas the first race this year. We were battling for the lead but another car blew a tire and took us out. It’s a track we’ve had a lot of success at and it’s not like we’ve been bad the last couple of events, we just fell a little short. We’ll take what we learned at Charlotte, and hopefully end up on the winning side of things.”

There are three races left in the 2011 season. What will it take for the No. 18 team to win another owner championship?

“I’m excited about what’s going on and I feel like we have an opportunity to do it. I’m excited that we’re even in position to do it with Kyle running such a limited schedule and we’ve had some young guys in the car this year. We’ve had five different drivers in the car, so just to be in contention and be where we are, I’m really excited about that. We’ve won the last two races at Homestead and we typically run well at Phoenix. Even though it’s a different configuration, we’ll have Joey (Logano) in the car, there, and I think that’s a track he’ll do well. He tested the Cup car out there about a month ago and it seemed to be good. Kyle at Texas is always a winning combination and then Joey at Phoenix, I think we’ have a really good shot at it. After two weeks off, I think the guys are geared up and ready to close the deal.”

What do you remember about your nine years in Texas right after high school?

“I moved to Texas right out of high school and went to DeVry University (in Irving). It was my first time out on my own and I met my wife there and we were married there. It’s a neat place. I really liked it and the people in the area. Dallas/Fort Worth is just such a neat area and, if you can think of it, you can probably do it in that area. Everything is there. It’s a cool place and I’m not a big-city guy, but it’s an area where you can get the benefits of the big city without feeling like you’re in the big city. I have a lot of friends there, and my mom and dad lived there until just recently. When you live in an area that long, it feels like home. That’s one of the few tracks we go to that, when we show up there, I don’t need a map. I can tell you where to go and where to go eat. So, it’s always nice to go back there and spend some time.”

Kyle Busch’s No. 18 Z-Line Designs / Conn’s Toyota Camry

Chassis No. 18-130: This car’s debut came in June at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn where Busch started 12th and finished third. It’s next on-track appearance came in July at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta where Busch completed one qualifying lap before crashing chassis 18-130 and forcing the No. 18 team to use a back-up car during the race.

About Z-Line Designs

Based in San Ramon, Calif., Z-Line Designs is an award winning design manufacturer and leading import manufacturer of home office, home entertainment, seating, garage storage systems and home décor ready to assemble (RTA) furniture. In addition, the company also specializes in consumer electronic accessories, flat panel television wall furniture and mounts. Each product is manufactured to the highest industry standards and uses a range of materials from solid American oak, birch and maple to mixed media combinations of wood, metal and glass. Their products can be found at Staples, OfficeMax, Target, Sears, Walmart, Fry’s Electronics, Conn’s and other national retailers. Z-Line has had the honor to receive over 40 design awards and numerous distinguished industry awards. Z-Line Designs is a two-time 2008 and one-time 2007 CES Innovation Award Winner, a two-time winner of the Staples “Best Category Development” Award (2003 & 2005), a two-time winner of the Staples “Vendor of the Year” (2004 & 2009), a seven-time ADEX Award winner (1999, 2003-2007, 2009), a two-time Pinnacle Award winner (2002 & 2005) and a Houseware Design Award winner (2010).

About Conn’s

Conn’s, Inc., operates as a specialty retailer of home appliances, consumer electronics, home office equipment, lawn and garden products, mattresses, and furniture in the United States. It also sells repair service agreements and customer credit programs, including installment and revolving credit account programs, and various credit insurance products. In addition, the company sells its products online. As of March 25, 2010, it operated 76 retail and clearance stores in southern Louisiana, southeast Texas, Houston, South Texas, San Antonio/Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth, and Oklahoma. The company was founded in 1890 and is headquartered in Beaumont, Texas. Though Conn’s has changed dramatically over the years, the customer continues to be the focus of attention and the reason for the company’s continued success, and the basic values and culture of the company continue to support the contention that “The Customer is Number One.”

- True Speed Communication Press Release

JR Motorsports

Owned by Bruce Hayes and based in Lexington, N.C., Hayes Jewelers has been known as the “King of Diamonds” since 1939. The company’s involvement in NASCAR dates back to the 1950’s when it sponsored numerous races at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C. All totaled, Hayes owns 19 modified championships as a car owner over the years.

“Mr. Hayes and Hayes Jewelers have been a huge supporter of NASCAR and local short-track racing for decades,” said JRM late model team manager L.W. Miller. “We’re very appreciative of his support for this race, and we’re hopeful we can get the Hayes Jewelers Chevrolet to victory lane next month at Martinsville.”

Hayes’ initial involvement with the Earnhardt family began in the early 1980’s when he sponsored Dale Earnhardt Sr. in races at Caraway Speedway. Hayes built the .455-mile speedway, located in Asheboro, N.C., in 1966. Originally a dirt track, he spearheaded a paving effort to the facility in 1972 and finally sold it in 1977.

“I’ve always been on the lookout for young up-and-comers,” Hayes said. “Joining forces with JR Motorsports and giving Josh an opportunity is exciting for us. Martinsville is a great, historic short track and sure to be a very entertaining race.”

Berry and the No. 72 Hayes Jewelers team will participate in an open test session at Martinsville Speedway on Wed., Sept. 21, 2011 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in preparation for the race. The test session is open to the public.

About JR Motorsports

JR Motorsports is the management company and racing operation for Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR’s eight-time Most Popular Driver and winner of more than 40 NASCAR-sanctioned races. JR Motorsports competes in multiple racing divisions, including the NASCAR Nationwide Series; however the Dale Jr. business model extends well beyond the race track and includes multiple business ventures. Among those entities is the full-service production company Hammerhead Entertainment (www.hammerheadent.com), JR Nation Retail Store (www.ShopJrNation.com), The Dale Jr. Foundation (www.thedalejrfoundation.org), and Whisky River (www.whiskyrivercharlotte.com, the bar and nightclub located in the uptown Charlotte Epicentre.

- JR Motorsports Press Release

Rick Ware Racing (RWR)

Jeffrey Earnhardt has signed a deal to place him in a full season of Grand Am Racing in 2012 in the Rolex GT Class with Rick Ware Racing.

Earnhardt made his series debut at the 2011 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona with RWR in a GT3 Porsche and finished 11th in class and 25th overall, a huge accomplishment for the organizations entrance in the grueling around the clock event.

“I have never experienced any type of racing like that before. It was definitely a rush and look forward to competing in the 50th Anniversary of the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona in 2012 with RWR again,” stated Jeffrey Earnhardt.

Earnhardt will be displaying the number 15 for the 2012 season, a number his grandfather, Dale Earnhardt, competed with 30 years ago in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

“The 15 number is a pretty cool deal. I have seen pictures of the car he drove with it before he jumped into the 3. To start my Grand Am career with it will hold a special place to our family and fans.”

Jeffrey Earnhardt (Photo Credit: Godwin Kelly / DBJ)

“To compete at the Brickyard is a dream for any racer in any series. The history is rich and the atmosphere is electric. To be a part of the inaugural event makes it that much sweeter,” claimed Earnhardt.

The North Carolina native will be making the jump from NASCAR to the Grand Am Series to compete full time, something rarely done.

“I have always done well on road courses, so this seems like the natural progression for my career. Besides that, Grand Am has a great marketing avenue to sponsors that reaches globally and yet is more interactive with fans with their hauler-garage setups, something we are looking forward to exploring with our program.”

Earnhardt and Rick Ware Racing will be making announcements for the car manufacturer, sponsors and co-drivers in the upcoming weeks.

For more information on Jeffrey Earnhardt visit www.jeffreyearnhardt.com or visit on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JefferyEarnhardt

For more information visit www.wareracing.com or you can also follow the team on Twitter at @rickwareracing

- Rick Ware Racing Press Release

No. 18 Dollar General Toyota Tundra

RACE: UNOH 225

TRACK: Kentucky Speedway

PRIMARY SPONSOR: Dollar General

ASSOCIATE SPONSORS: Toyota, Flexco, M&M’s

PRIMARY CHASSIS: KBM-4

BACKUP CHASSIS: X-128

MOTORS: Triad Racing Technologies

BROADCAST: Thursday, July 7 – 8:00 p.m. ET SPEED/MRN/Sirius XM NASCAR 90

KYLE BUSCH HOPING TO INTRODUCE KENTUCKY FANS TO HIS VERSION OF THE TRIFECTA

With legendary Churchill Downs located just over an hour away, many fans attending NASCAR races at Kentucky Speedway are probably familiar with the term trifecta. Kyle Busch is hoping to introduce those fans to his version of the trifecta — the version which doesn’t include any second or third-place finishes. The 26-year old, who last August at Bristol Motor Speedway became the first driver to win races in NASCAR’s top three divisions in the same weekend, will begin his try at the Kentucky Speedway trifecta driving the No. 18 Dollar General Toyota in Thursday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series UNOH 225. The Las Vegas native, who figures to be one of the favorites in all three races this weekend, has visited victory lane at the 1.5-mile paved oval twice in his career, winning the ARCA Racing Series Channel 5 205 in 2004 and the NASCAR Nationwide Series Meijer 250 in 2005.

6-YEAR-OLD BRADLEY BUMPAS “RIDING SHOTGUN WITH KYLE BUSCH MOTORSPORTS”

6-year-old Bradley Bumpas from Elizabethtown, Ky. was recently selected as the winner of the “Riding Shotgun with Kyle Busch Motorsports” essay contest for Kentucky Speedway. Bumpas’ essay was chosen among submissions from children age 5-12 that live in areas surrounding Kentucky Speedway. The youngster’s name and picture will adorn the area above the passenger side window of Kyle Busch’s No. 18 Dollar General Toyota for Thursday’s UNOH 225.

KYLE BUSCH @ KENTUCKY SPEEDWAY

* Led a race-high 73 laps and finished fourth in the 2010 NCWTS Built Ford Tough 225 (9/3/10)

* Started second, led 43 laps and finished sixth in the 2008 NCWTS Built Ford Tough 225 (7/19/08)

* Ranks first among NCWTS drivers over the last six races at Kentucky Speedway with a Driver Rating of 119.7 and 38.7% laps led

* Ranks first among drivers entered in the UNOH 225 in career laps led (116) and fastest laps (65)

* In his first NASCAR Nationwide Series start at Kentucky Speedway, led the final three laps of the 2004 Meijer 300 en route to victory (6/19/04)

* Won the 2003 Channel 5 205 ARCA Racing Series race and led 91 of the 137 laps

KYLE BUSCH 2011 NCWTS

* Ranks first in the NCWTS in driver rating (128.3), average finish (2.4), laps led (446), miles led (465.78), percent of laps led (38.6), fastest laps run (211), average running position (5.1), fastest early in run (3.2), fastest late in run (3.4), fastest on restarts (3.8), green flag speed (2.5) and speed in traffic (3.5)

* Has won four races in seven starts and registered six top-five finishes

* Had a three-race winning streak snapped when he finished sixth in the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 at Kansas (Charlotte Motor Speedway, Dover International Speedway and Nashville Superspeedway)

* Has recorded top-10 finishes in each of the last 19 NCWTS races he has entered, collecting 11 wins, four runner-up finishes and an average finish of 2.1 over that span

KYLE BUSCH MOTORSPORTS NO. 18 TOYOTA TUNDRA

* Leads the 2011 NCWTS Owner Point Standings by 47 points over KHI’s No. 2

* Aiming to become the first team to win back-to-back owners’ titles since 2003 (No. 16 Steve Coulter 2002 and 2003)

* Ranks first in the NCWTS in wins (5), top 5s (8), laps led (541) and fastest laps run (268)

* Has registered 19 consecutive top-10 finishes including 11 wins and three runner-up finishes

* Only team in NCWTS to have completed all 1,134 laps this season

* In 2010 became the first team since the NCWTS originated in 1995 to win the owners’ championship in its inaugural season

KYLE BUSCH NCWTS CAREER

* Has won 30.4% of the NCWTS races he has entered and finished first or second in 48.9%

* Tied with Dale Earnhardt and Darrell Waltrip for third in All-Time Combined National Series with 97

* Tied with Mike Skinner and Jack Sprague for second in NCWTS history with 28 wins

* Tied for seventh in NCWTS history in poles (11), 11th in top 5s (54) and 15th in top 10s (72)

* One of 10 drivers in NASCAR history to lead over 20,000 laps among the top-three series

* Reached 25th win in NCWTS faster than any driver in the history of NASCAR’s top three divisions, attaining the milestone in just his 87th career series start

* Youngest driver (20 years, 18 days) in NCWTS history to win a race (Quaker Steak & Lube 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on 5/20/05)

* Has at least one NCWTS victory in each of the last seven seasons and multiple victories in each of the last five

* 119.6 career driver rating entering the 2011 season is the highest accumulated by a NCWTS driver since the stat was introduced in 2005

* Average career finish of 7.1 ranks first among active drivers with 10 or more career starts

Kyle Busch

“Any time that NASCAR has a tripleheader at the same truck, you know that I have my eyes on winning all three races. With the Sprint Cup Series racing at Kentucky for the first time, it gives me another shot at a trifecta. I’ve had some success at Kentucky in the past — I’ve won in both the ARCA and Nationwide Series. Last year the Dollar General Tundra was the dominant truck for most of the night until the race was decided by fuel strategy. I think we’ll have a good shot at getting the weekend started with a win in the truck and been one of the contenders in both the Nationwide race on Friday and the Cup race Saturday. It should be a great atmosphere, they have had great crowds for the truck and Nationwide Series races in the past and the Cup race is already a sellout. Hopefully, we can make it a memorable weekend!”

KYLE BUSCH ON RACING AT KENTUCKY SPEEDWAY

“I couldn’t expect anything but some good, hard racing. Kentucky is a fast race track. There’s a lot of sweeping corners there so you’ve really got to keep your momentum going and it’s a big momentum-type race track. There’s a lot of throttle on time there. You carry a lot of good speed, but yet the place is really wide so you’ve got room for maneuverability. You can run the bottom. It seemed like you can run the middle. I don’t know how great the top will be, but we’ll have to see once we get there and what kind of tire we’re on.”

ERIC PHILLIPS ON WHAT HAS BEEN GOING ON AT KBM SINCE LAST RACE

“Despite not racing in three weeks, it’s been pretty busy at KBM. We were able to get to the wind tunnel a couple times and worked on a few things to try and make our trucks better. We also went to The Milwaukee Mile for a two-day test with Josh Richards. Josh got to make some laps in a truck and I think it went very well. It should definitely help prepare him for his debut in the No. 15 Tundra at Kentucky and we’re looking forward to his debut in our No. 18 Tundra at Nashville.

ERIC PHILLIPS ON PRIMARY TRUCK SELECTION

“Our primary truck for this weekend will be KBM-4. It’s raced nine times and has won six races including Darlington and Nashville this year. Brian Ickler finished fourth with it at Texas. The truck came home from Texas with a little cosmetic damage, so we fixed it up and took it in the wind tunnel last week.”

- Kyle Busch Motorsports Press Release

Richard Childress Racing (RCR)

This marks a return to the RCR Chevrolet for the Washington, D.C.-based restaurant group that is the exclusive franchisee of 30 Applebee’s® restaurants in southern Maryland, northern Virginia, and parts of West Virginia and Pennsylvania. In April, PFDG sponsored George in both the ARCA Racing Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series races at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

“Many of our guests are fans of NASCAR-style auto racing and we see our support of Tim and RCR as another way to reinforce our commitment to being a good neighbor, “said Jim Rieger, President and CEO of Potomac Family Dining Group.

Along with being one of the most recognized brands in the casual dining segment of the restaurant industry, Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar® is also its largest with more than 2,000 restaurants worldwide.

George comes to Chicagoland carried on the momentum of consecutive top-five finishes at Toledo Speedway and New Jersey Motorsports Park.

“It’s a real honor to have Applebee’s and the Potomac Family Dining Group back on the RCR Chevrolet,” said Tim George Jr. “It’s a great feeling to have such an established and respected brand support our efforts. We’ll get to showcase them on SPEED Channel this weekend at Chicagoland, where we had a good test a couple of weeks ago. My team has spent a good deal of time working on the car. I’m looking forward to the race on Saturday.”

Potomac Family Dining Group was established in 2010 to facilitate the acquisition of 30 Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar restaurants in Washington D.C. and surrounding areas. Through the leadership of its experienced management team, PFDG is positioned to deliver operational excellence and support future franchise restaurant growth throughout the metropolitan Washington D.C. area.

About Richard Childress Racing

Richard Childress Racing (www.rcrracing.com) has earned more than 190 victories and 12 NASCAR championships, including six in the Sprint Cup Series with the legendary Dale Earnhardt. RCR was the first organization to win championships in the Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series. Its 2011 Sprint Cup Series lineup includes Paul Menard (No. 27 Menard’s Chevrolet), Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet), Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet) and Clint Bowyer (No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet). Its Camping World Truck Series program includes 2010 Rookie of the Year Austin Dillon (No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) and Joey Coulter, Jr. (No. 22 RCR Development Chevrolet). Tim George Jr. (No 31 RCR Development Chevrolet) and Ty Dillon (No. 41 Chevrolet) will compete in the 2011 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards.

- Richard Childress Racing Press Release

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation

In honor of President Reagan’s relationship and fascination with auto racing, The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation presents Start Your Engines: American Race Cars at the Reagan Library, on view from May 27 through October 23, 2011. The exhibit features a wide array of storied vehicles from the history of American auto racing from the 1930s to today, including those from NASCAR and IndyCar. Visitors will view historic cars driven by legends such as Dale Earnhardt, Sr. and Richard Petty, as well as cars by current racers Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Austin Dillon, who will make his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut later this year.

“Ronald Reagan’s connection to American car racing dates back to the 1930s, where, as a young radio announcer, he was calling races,” said John Heubusch, executive director for the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation. “That love stayed with him, and as President of the United States he spent the fourth of July at the Daytona Firecracker 400, where he became the first sitting president to call a race.”

A few exhibit highlights include:

• Richard Petty’s winning Firecracker 400 Pontiac from the race Ronald Reagan officially started in 1984

• Dale Earnhardt, Sr.’s #2 Chevy – the car in which he won the 1980 Winston Cup Championship

• Kurt Busch’s 2011 #22 Auto Club Dodge Charger (show car) which he recently raced in the Auto Club 400 in California, March 2011

• Lyn St. James’ 1989 Ford Thunderbird Super Coupe, in which she set 31 national and international speed records on a closed course at Talladega Speedway

• Jimmie Johnson’s 2007 #48 Lowe’s Chevrolet that he drove at Homestead to clinch his 2^nd Championship

• Dale Earnhardt, Jr.’s 2010 #88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet Impala

• Austin Dillon’s 2011 #98 Chevrolet Impala, co-sponsored by the Ronald Reagan Centennial, which will be raced later this year

• Dan Wheldon’s 2011 #98 INDY car, which will be raced later this year

In addition to the cars, personal items from drivers like trophies, fire suits, helmets and other artifacts, photos and video will also be on display. The exhibit is sponsored by the Auto Club of Southern California, with special thanks to Mike Curb and Mike Curb Racing.

The Reagan Library is located at 40 Presidential Drive in Simi Valley, California. Public hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The Museum admission fees are $12.00 for general admission, $9.00 for seniors 62 and over, $6 for children 11-17 and free for children 10 years of age and under. For more information, call (800) 410.8354 or visit www.reaganlibrary.com.

- The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation/Auto Club Speedway, Press Release

Jeffrey Earnhardt

I began by asking him to comment, to any degree or length he wanted, about being the 4th generation of such an important racing and legendary family.

“The fact that I am the 4th generation athlete and 4th generation driver is pretty cool. It definitely shows how far back the Earnhardt name goes. I’m told I am the first professional 4th generation athlete in the U.S and that’s pretty cool, too. It means a lot to me to keep the legacy going of the Earnhardt name and that’s what I’m out here trying to do. I’m also just being myself. Everybody tells me that I remind them of my Grandfather a lot just because of the things I do like hunting and fishing, just being an outdoors man. He was the same way so it definitely means a lot to me.”

We spoke about the ongoing, over the years debate regarding race car drivers being athletes and that he called himself the 4th generation athlete before mentioning the fact that he is a 4th generation driver. Why?

“Like you said, it’s been a debate whether we are athletes or not. We are athletes. Someone who can make this look easy is definitely an athlete because the temperatures that we have to withstand are a lot more than people realize. In my 1st Truck race it was 105 degrees outside and 130 inside the truck plus you have your fire suit, the fireproof underwear that we have to wear, the helmet, the gloves, shoes, it’s all that stuff that you have to wear for the safety side of it that people don’t understand. Even to be conditioned enough to go 200 miles is tough and the biggest thing I do is just to try to stay fit by going to the gym and trying to eat a little healthier and to just make my body better so I can run these races. I’ve been working on this a lot lately, working on some cardio stuff too. I feel much better doing this and in the long run it does help by being in the gym so much and working my butt off because I’m still good to go when other drivers are feeling tired and worn out. I do this because this is my year to prove what I can do.”

“I’ve been out of the driver’s seat for the past 2 years, just doing part time stuff and this is a big wake up call to realize you’ve got to take advantage of every opportunity you get to really show what you can do and I’m trying to do everything I can on my part by staying in shape and playing iRacing. Whatever it can be to help you be a better driver is definitely a good way to do that. Now that I’ve got a full season opportunity, I want to show what I can do and prove to people that I belong here and need to be in this sport.”

I read early in this race season that Jerry Nadeau was hired to be a coach and mentor for Jeffrey. What has that meant to him and his racing efforts?

“He has showed me that the biggest part of it is the mental side of it, just being patient and let things come to me, only doing what the (NASCAR Camping World) truck is capable of, not pushing the issue and things he learned coming through his ranks of racing and getting to where he was. He came to Daytona and was at Phoenix so he was a big help for the mental part of it, like I said, and it was good to have him there to tell me to wait for the truck to come to me. He said I wasn’t going out there and be the fastest thing on the track and that it takes time so that’s what I’m doing. I’m trying to get out there and learn as much as I can and better myself as a driver.”

I asked him about the Rookie stripe and how he feels it affects his reception by the other drivers?

No. 1 Fuel Doctor Platinum Chevrolet Silverado (Jeffrey Earnhardt) - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCAR

“We’re a smaller team compared to some of these teams who’ve got a good established team. They’re good and it shows. They run up front every week and for what we’ve got we’re doing a pretty good job. Joe Lax (who got his start in NASCAR from Dale Earnhardt, Sr.) is a great Crew Chief and he does a good job of making sure I’ve got a truck that’s as good as possible underneath me going in to each weekend. We seem to work really well together and we have a lot of fun. That’s the main thing and I feel like we really understand each other. That’s big for a driver and a Crew Chief so all of that is definitely going good in my opinion and there are things we’re trying to get better in our program week in and week out. Anytime we have hiccups like we had at Darlington where we wreck a truck, we have to take time to fix it instead of focusing on making it better as much as we would like. We’ve just got to come out of these races with our nose clean and get all the laps we can so we can keep bettering ourselves and making our program more successful.”

“I go to the shop to talk with Joe and hang out with guys and let them know how I appreciate all of their hard work. That goes a long way with those guys because they’re the ones working their butts off.”

Jeffrey currently lives in Charlotte about 20 minutes from the downtown area and about an hour away from the shop in Thomasville. It’s more of a busy area than what he is used to he said. He is originally from the outskirts of Moorseville, “in the country part” as he described it and while Charlotte is not quite what he is used to, it is a good area for a 21 year old. And his 2 year old chow mix named Zoey keeps him company. “She’s definitely the sweetest dog I’ve ever had,” he said. “She keeps me busy when I’m home and she’s definitely an attention hog. She begs for attention and won’t leave you alone until you give it to her. She’s a family member to me and she’s a spoiled child of mine. She keeps me on the good side of life for sure. She’s so loving it’s unreal.”

I am never in short supply of questions and I wanted to get to know this young man as much as our interview time allowed so I asked him what he does when he wants to get away or has some time off from the hectic race schedule? What are his hobbies?

“I like to hunt and fish, anything in the outdoors. I like to go camping and just get away from everything, to just relax when I get the opportunity. I’ve got a big tent. I also like to hang out and spend some time with my friends. It’s good to take the breaks we get, relax and just enjoy life because you never know what day is going to be your last. I’m a firm believer in living life to it’s fullest and enjoy it the best way you can and making sure you have no regrets. I don’t ever want to regret anything I’ve done or regret not doing something. I definitely like to try to enjoy life the best way I can, make the most of it. I think I do a pretty good job of that. Normally if you do that you don’t seem to be so frustrated and worked up all the time.”

Jeffrey Earnhardt (center) stands between his Step-Mother Rene' (left) and his father Kerry Earnhardt (right) in 2009 at Dover - Photo Credit: Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR

I asked Jeffrey if the death of his grandfather when he was only 11 years old could, in some way, be responsible for his thoughts on never knowing “what day is going to be your last” ?

“Any loss in your family is a big opener to that (feeling). You’ve got to realize that you don’t know when your last day with family members is going to be. You need to enjoy them as much as you can and spend as much time with them as you can because you never know what is going to happen or what tomorrow will bring. You definitely don’t want to go out thinking you didn’t do something you should have. As I said, I try to live life to it’s fullest, do as much as I can and have no regrets. I try to do the best I can to get the most out of life and that’s taken me a long way in learning to deal with some things in life. I feel like I’ve learned a lot in the last few years, learned to enjoy the better things in life and the way to live.”

In the mission statement on his website it states that success must be earned and that their goal is to be the hardest working team in motorsports. What specifically does that mean to him?

“The main thing is that I know I am earning what I’ve got. When I had my contract with DEI everybody just wanted to say that I was racing there because of my last name, and was driving for my Grandfather’s company and getting help from them. That’s not the case now. I get no support from the family. I’m doing this on my own and I want to make sure everybody realizes that so they can’t be saying that he’s just here because of his last name or because he’s driving for his family because now I’m not. Like I said I was out of a ride for 2 years doing just part time stuff and this opportunity came along and we put it together and did it all with just me and my business partners at JEI. I think the biggest thing is we want people to know we’re doing this on our own and not through Dale Earnhardt Incorporated or whoever they want to say is the reason I’m here. I’m earning what I’ve got and I’m not out here living off the family name.”

“I just want the fans to watch for us in every race we run in the (Rick Ware Racing) #1 Fuel Doctor Chevrolet this year and hopefully we’ll be able to come away with some good finishes and give our fans something to cheer about. And check us out on Facebook, Jeffrey Earnhardt, and just support us as fans. We’ve actually just started our Facebook page so there isn’t a lot there yet. Look for Jeffrey Earnhardt Athlete, it’s like a fan page. We’re up to like 200 fans or something like that. It’s not much right now, but we’re trying to get more people to go to it more.”

This young racer has come to his first full time season in the Camping World Truck series a little older than some of the rookies do in this day and age. But this may just show that a more mature racer is just as, if not more, desirable in many ways. Jeffrey is pleasant, very mature, extremely likable, open, frank, obviously marketable, VERY independent and extremely dedicated. What’s not to admire here? Add the talent and he is “the whole package”.

But everyone knows it takes money, and a lot of it, to be competitive regardless of the talent. You can’t get a degree to become a success on the driving side of this business. Rick Ware Racing has seen the potential in Jeffrey Earnhardt and is doing everything they can to help him with this stage of his career. They are to be commended for their efforts, but RWR is one of the quite a few under funded teams in the Camping World Truck Series so it will be extremely difficult for Jeffrey to “prove to people”, to truly showcase what he is capable of on the track. It is important to note here again that this young man along with his business partners, who believe in him and share his dream, have put this season’s deal together solely on their own. There is no famous name benefit for JE’s efforts. More sponsorship dollars are needed to turn this rookie in to the racing star he can and deserves to be.

Do I hear the roar of an upcoming and growing “J.E. Nation” forming? I hope so. I genuinely like this guy and wish him great success and a lengthy well earned, on his own, career.

Be sure to check out his website at www.jeffreyearnhardt.com to learn more about him, his team, and sponsors. Contact information is also available there if you are a corporation who shares his dream and wants to be a part of it.

P.S. I did check out his facebook page and became one of his “like” group. Why not help this guy grow his following and do the same?

Bobby Santos III

Santos practiced the No. 52 car early Thursday morning, and as he drove into turn four, the car hooked right and careened into the outside wall when a part broke in the car. The damage was enough to halt practice while NASCAR safety officials fixed the safer barrier. The Franklin, Mass., native was taken to the infield care center and released. Without a backup car, Santos was prepared to sit on the sidelines and watch Saturday’s race.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. offered long-time friend Jimmy Means the No. 88 backup car to use to qualify the car. Excited to sit in the seat for just three laps, Santos took his first laps in the JR Motorsports Chevrolet during his qualifying run on Friday. Santos laid down a quick lap of 50.501 seconds and earned the 23rd-place starting position for Saturday’s 120-lap race. Shortly after locking in the show, he received news from JMR and JR Motorsports that he would drive the entirety of the race with the support of TaxSlayer.com

Before Santos took the green flag in the No. 52 Chevrolet, he dropped to the back in order to stay out of trouble and get some more seat-time before racing hard. By the first caution on lap 17, the No. 52 TaxSlayer.com Chevrolet sat in 36th place. The JMR team with the help of Front Row Motorsports filled the Chevrolet with fuel. The second yellow flag flew on lap 25 with Santos in the 28th spot, and he drove back down pit road to top-off the fuel tank.

By lap 33, Santos raced the No. 52 TaxSlayer.com / My Three Sons Vending Chevrolet to the 10th position, their highest of the day. The 2010 NWMT Champion continued to race in the top-20 until the third caution period at lap 57. He drove the JRM Chevrolet down pit road for four tires and fuel. Santos continued to race in the top-25 until green flag pit stops on lap 98. The 25-year-old racer hit his marks and kept pit road speed as he drove down to the pit stall. Unfortunately, he drove past the stall and had to reverse back into it to get fuel. More bad luck hit when he was penalized for speeding while exiting pit road. Luck changed when a caution was called for debris on the track on lap 102. Santos, however, was still caught a lap down in the 19th position. With nothing to lose as he was starting at the tail-end of the field, the JMR team called the No. 52 Chevrolet down pit road to top-off with fuel.

When the green flag dropped on lap 104, the TaxSlayer.com Chevrolet was in the 19th position, one lap down. The “Big-One” came one lap later, leading to a red flag. This set up a six-lap shootout to the finish. When the green flag waved on lap 114, Santos was in the 15th position. As the laps ticked down, cars began jockeying for position. The HBR development driver finished a hard-fought 17th in the JR Motorsports-prepared No. 52 TaxSlayer.com / My Three Sons Vending Chevrolet for Jimmy Means Racing.

“We had a really good car,” explained Santos. “I was trying my hardest to help all of the JR Motorsports cars. I was trying to get behind the 88 and 7 cars, even trying to run with Dale as much as I could but he was really fast. It was a lot of fun to be involved with those guys. They gave me a great racecar. At times, we ran toward the front. We were in position and brought the car home in one piece, which was our objective for the day to have a whole racecar at the end of the day. It just means the world to run at Daytona and be affiliated with the Earnhardt family for one time. I am really grateful that Jimmy Means and his team believed in me to qualify their car here at Daytona. They worked hard all weekend to get the best possible finish we could. Thanks to TaxSlayer who supported us, so we could run the whole race. This was such a great experience for me.”

“With Bobby going through what he went through with crashing our car when something broke on it, never really getting on the race track, I think he had three laps around the track, and never drafted in his life here at Daytona, he did an awesome job,” said Means. “We messed around and got with the wrong pack at one time, and they were slowing like two to three seconds to the leaders. We had an opportunity to be in the top-10. He did an outstanding job. I am tickled to death for him that this ended this way from how it started out. It’s awesome.”

Santos will defend his NWMT Championship this season in the No. 4 Mystic Missile Racing modified. He will defend his victory in the season-opener at Thompson International Speedway on April 10th.

About Bobby Santos III:

Bobby Santos III is a third generation driver, who has been racing since he was four years old. After running part-time in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour since 2004, this season Santos took home the 2010 Championship with four wins, four poles, 9 top-five and 11 top-10 finishes in the 14-race schedule.

The 25-year-old from Franklin, Mass. has driven 23 different styles of race cars, including USAC, ARCA, NASCAR Nationwide and Trucks, and the Modified car he currently races. Santos, a driver in the Heinke-Baldwin Racing driver development program, had one win, at Thompson International Speedway, in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour prior to this season.

- Tommy Baldwin Racing / Heinke-Baldwin Racing Press Release

Michael Waltrip celebrates in victory lane with his No.15 crew after winning the 2011 NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. - Photo Credit: Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR

Ten years to the day of his first Daytona 500 win and the passing of his friend and mentor, Dale Earnhardt, Waltrip was able to pass Elliott Sadler on the last lap to put his No.15 truck in victory lane. “Ten years ago I stood here and I thought it was the greatest day ever and it turned out to be the worst day ever,” said Waltrip. “I just wanted to come back here this year and honor Dale and thank him and give his fans something to cheer for with the No. 15 car, the No. 15 truck and the honorary paint scheme. ”

“Congratulations to Elliott Sadler. He held onto that truck and I was pushing him all over the place. It feels really good to win a truck race. I haven’t won one before. I’ve been close a time or two and to pull into victory lane in the Vision Airlines Toyota with the NASCAR RaceView onboard. If you don’t have NASCAR race view, you better get it before Sunday because this is going to be the most amazing Daytona 500 ever. These drivers just figure out no matter what the rules are, no matter what the package looks like early, they figure out how to make it crazy at the end, and we did that today.”

Waltrip and Sadler, who raced to the checkered flag side by side, planned to work together on the restart. “I thought the high side was the way to go and it worked,” said Waltrip. “Elliott and I were both just guessing. I would’ve taken the outside if I were leading, working a deal with the guy in second. There were trucks behind us we didn’t know about and hadn’t been there all day. We made a deal and we raced for it just like we said we would do and he’s just a great competitor. Sadler is going to be a championship contender. I love racing with him. He and I both have something in common with Dale — Elliott shares the same birthday with Dale and I knew if he won we would get to be happy because of that and if I won because of the anniversary of the day that Dale made me a winner. He’s made a lot of people in this world a winner that admired him and looked up to him, and if you knew Dale Earnhardt you’re a better person because of it. I’m so thankful that I can stand here in victory lane and honor him.”

Friday night’s race was the first for the newly formed Vision Aviation Racing (VAR) and Crew Chief, Doug Howe’s, first trip to victory lane. Howe credited Waltrip saying, “It’s funny because Michael called most of the race. I just told him to get gas and tires and he said he’d handle the rest. It was the easiest race I’ve ever done and my first win. I’m excited!” VAR General Manager, Tom Davis, acknowledged the hard work of the entire team saying, “This win was a total team effort, from all the guys here and back at the shop in Mooresville, NC. We all worked so hard over the offseason putting this whole thing together and now we get to celebrate our efforts in victory lane at Daytona. This is great!”

Vision Aviation Racing –

Vision Aviation Racing is a NASCAR race team located near the metro Charlotte, North Carolina area. Still in its early days, the team has already proven itself as a force to be contended with. Driver Justin Johnson won the championship in the 2010 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series while teammate Dusty Davis finished a strong second. Overall the Vision Aviation Racing squad earned a win percentage of 74% over the 19-race season. 2011 is the team’s first season in the Camping World Truck Series, led by General Manager Tom Davis.

Vision Airlines-

Vision Airlines started in 1994 offering aerial tours of the Grand Canyon. Over the past 16 years, Vision Airlines’ fleet expanded to include Boeing 767′s, Boeing 737′s, Dornier 328 and Dornier 228 turbo prop aircraft. Vision Airlines has become one of the premier charter airlines in the United States. The company’s clients include US Presidential candidates, heads of state, countless celebrities, Fortune 1000 companies and some of the world’s most-recognized resorts. The company’s headquarters is located in Suwanee, GA. It also maintains offices in Las Vegas, NV; Louisville, KY and Miami, FL.

Wounded Warrior Project -

The mission of the Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) is to honor and empower wounded warriors. WWP’s purpose is to raise awareness and to enlist the public’s aid for the needs of injured service members, to help injured servicemen and women aid and assist each other, and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs. WWP is a national, nonpartisan organization headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla. To get involved and learn more, visit woundedwarriorproject.org.

NASCAR.com Race View –

Watch your favorite driver and listen to LIVE in-car audio right from your computer. Have the availability of LIVE stats as well as pause, rewind and replay right at your fingertips. NASCAR.com Race View is the most comprehensive race experience online. Visit www.nascar.com for more details.

- Vision Aviation Racing Press Release

Only two weeks earlier, the NASCAR icon had co-driven to a runner-up GT Class finish in the historic Rolex 24 at Daytona with the sports car champ Pilgrim (second from left above), who was now sitting with his girlfriend and Earnhardt’s wife, Teresa, hooked up to the race team’s radio in the couple’s private motorcoach in the speedway’s infield. A pair of motorcycle policemen had just arrived outside and were waiting to escort them all from the track after the race. - Full Story by Holly Cain/Fanhouse.com