AM FM-Energy.com

“AM FM-Energy.com is proud to partner with Joe Denette Motorsports again for the 2012 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season,” said Andy Mays, president of AM FM-Energy.com. “With a veteran like Ron Hornaday and an up and coming rookie like Max Gresham, we know the duo will be powerful spokesmen for our brand. As a small company in Virginia that sells pellet and wood stoves on our website, we know the power of a NASCAR partnership. We look for both drivers to ‘heat things up’ in 2012.”

AM FM-Energy.com, based in Amherst, VA, is celebrating its seventh year in business as a leader in alternative energy solutions. The company specializes in multi-fuel stoves, wood stoves and pellet stoves. They are also a notable distributor of thehigh quality Timber Ridge line of wood and pellet stoves from England Stove Works.

AM FM-Energy.com was the proud sponsor of Elliott Sadler’s No.24 Joe Denette Motorsports entry in the 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event in Bristol Motor Speedway. Sadler captured JDM’s first Keystone Light Pole Award leading 53 laps en route to a ninth-place finish.

“After partnering with JDM and Elliott Sadler in last year’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Bristol, we saw a tremendous boost in sales through our online store,” continued Mays. “We hope this is a winning combination for both sides and we wish Joe, Ron and Max the best of luck in 2012.”

On Tuesday, Joe Denette Motorsports, in conjunction with FoSho Italian Sports Bar, catered lunch to the employees of England Stove Works and AM FM-Energy.com.

For more information on AM FM-Energy.com visit: www.amfmenergy.com

For more information on Joe Denette Motorsports visit: www.JoeDenetteMotorsports.com

For more information on Ron Hornaday visit: www.RonHornaday.com

For more information on Max Gresham visit: www.MaxGresham.com

Wauters Motorsports LLC.

Wauters’ career began at tracks around his hometown Green Bay, Wis. and quickly moved into the NASCAR Touring Series. Wauters crewed successful NASCAR Sprint Cup teams with drivers Kenny Wallace, Elliott Sadler, Robert Pressley and Jeff Green.

Wauters, in his tenure as a crew chief in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, led teams to 18 victories from 2004-2010 with drivers Shane Hmiel, Kyle Busch and Aric Almirola.

“It is something I thought about for awhile,” Richie Wauters said of his decision to become a team owner. “I had the opportunity to buy some trucks and have a great driver headlining the team. It hasn’t been a difficult transition so far and we are really excited about the season. The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is very competitive and I’m certain Paulie and the guys on this team will be right in the thick of that competition.”

Paulie Harraka

Harraka is finishing up his final semester at Duke University, and his graduation will make him part of a very small group of NASCAR drivers with their college degrees. Harraka has focused his education on “anything that can help me in racing; engineering, leadership, finance, you name it. I’ve challenged myself at Duke to become a completely differentiated NASCAR driver.” Harraka said.

“Having the opportunity to jump into the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is an opportunity I’ve worked for since I was 7 years old,” Harraka said. “I am fortunate to see it coming to fruition. To be doing so with a championship crew chief like Richie Wauters and with the team he’s assembled is exciting. I’m the kind of driver that will put in whatever time, effort or work that is needed to win races, and I know that Richie is the same kind of crew chief. Together, we’ll hold nothing back, and that makes me confident that we’ll find the winner’s circle in short order.”

The Wauters Motorsports F150 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will be utilizing Doug Yates and Roush Racing Engines in their debut at Daytona International Speedway for the running of the NEXTERA Energy Resources 250, Friday, Feb. 24th.

- Wauters Motorsports Press Release

No. 33 Rheem / Menards Chevrolet Impala

In addition to competing at the 14-turn road course, Papis will serve as a driver coach for fellow RCR teammates, assisting in strengthening their road-course racing skills.

“It is an honor to join a history-making team like RCR and continue what I started with Kevin Harvick Inc. the last couple of years,” stated Papis. “I feel ready to win races in NASCAR and, at the same time, I’m honored to have the chance to pass all the experience I built in my last 20 years of competition around the world to real racers like Austin Dillon and Ty Dillon and doing it with my never-give-up attitude that brought me all the way here.”

Papis, a native of Italy who now resides in North Carolina, has nine road-course races on his Nationwide Series resume with his career best finish of second coming at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in August 2009. The 2004 Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series champion has also competed in six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series road-course events, posting his best finish of eighth at Watkins Glen International in the same year.

“Max is a great addition to our driver lineup and to RCR overall,” said Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. “He has shown his talents in many different forms of auto racing all over the world and will be able to share that knowledge with our less experienced drivers. He’s the perfect driver for the No. 33 Menards Chevrolet when the NASCAR Nationwide Series gets to Road America. Max also has a tremendous amount of enthusiasm wherever he is, at the track or the shop.”

The 2007 Petite Le Mans race winner made his NASCAR debut in 2006 when he joined the 43-car field in the Nationwide Series race at Watkins Glen International, posting a 14th-place finish. Since then, he has competed in 88 races across NASCAR’s top three national series, accumulating two-top five and seven top-10 results.

Papis is scheduled to share the No. 33 Nationwide Series ride with teammates Brendan Gaughan, Kevin Harvick, Paul Menard and Tony Stewart for the 2012 season.

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 current Sprint Cup Series lineup includes Paul Menard (No. 27 Menards Chevrolet), Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Budweiser/Rheem/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet) and Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar/Wheaties/BB&T Chevrolet). Its Nationwide Series program includes Elliott Sadler (No. 2 One Main Financial Chevrolet), 2011 Camping World Truck Series champion Austin Dillon (No. 3 Advocare/American Ethanol/Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) and Kevin Harvick/Brendan Gaughan/Paul Menard/Tony Stewart/Max Papis (No. 33 South Point Hotel & Casino/Menards/Hunt Brothers Pizza/Armour/Fast Fixin’/Bad Boy Buggies Chevrolet). Tim George Jr. and Brendan Gaughan (No. 2 Potomac Family Dining Group/South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet), Joey Coulter (No. 22 RCR/Armour Chevrolet) and 2011 ARCA Racing Series champion Ty Dillon (No.3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) will compete in the 2012 Camping World Truck Series season.

- Richard Childress Racing Press Release

No 33 Kroger Chevrolet Impala SS

Richard Childress Racing to field fourth entry for “The Great American Race”

WELCOME, N.C. (January 25, 2012) – General Mills and The Kroger Co. announced today it will partner with Richard Childress Racing and veteran driver Elliott Sadler on the No. 33 Chevrolet for the 54^th annual Daytona 500 on February 26, 2012 at Daytona International Speedway.

“It’s great to be back in the Daytona 500. I’ve had a lot of success in this race in the past and want to thank General Mills, Kroger and Richard Childress for this opportunity,” said Elliott Sadler. “When we started putting this program together the first thing that came to mind is how strong RCR’s plate program has always been. We’re going to go out and have a legitimate chance to win the race. Speedweeks can’t get here soon enough!”

General Mills, entering its fourth year of partnership with the Welcome, N.C.-based organization, is teaming up with The Kroger Co. for a special paint scheme celebrating the great brands from both organizations. The special red, white and blue paint scheme adorning Sadler’s Chevrolet for “The Great American Race” will feature the Kroger Co. Family of Stores, Fred Meyer Jewelers and several General Mills brands. The Minneapolis, Minn.-based General Mills also sponsors RCR’s No. 31 Wheaties Chevrolet in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with driver Jeff Burton.

“General Mills is excited to partner with the Kroger Company and Richard Childress Racing to put the No. 33 car back on the track for this year’s Daytona 500. Kroger and General Mills have been strong partners over the years and I am pleased that we are continuing to advance the partnership in a whole new way,” says Pat Simmons, VP General Mills Motorsports.

“Kroger is excited to partner with General Mills and Richard Childress Racing at the Great American Race, the Daytona 500. We think this is a strong partnership that shows off the great brands and great values that our companies offer to shoppers throughout the US, said Evan Anthony, Vice President of Corporate Marketing and Advertising at Kroger. Add RCR and Elliott to the mix and you’ve got a recipe for success. We’re looking forward to a great race.”

Leading the effort for the No. 33 team will be veteran crew chief Gil Martin, RCR’s NASCAR Nationwide Series program team manager. Martin has been at RCR since 2000 and has served as crew chief for Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer, Casey Mears, Kerry Earnhardt and Robby Gordon. He is one of a select few crew chiefs to win races in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series.

“We’re looking forward to having Elliott, Kroger and General Mills team up on the No. 33 Chevy with Gil serving as crew chief for this year’s Daytona 500,” said Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. “General Mills has been a terrific partner over the years, through both its Wheaties and Cheerios brands, so it’s great to expand their overall 2012 program by having a car in the Great American Race. We’re also excited to have Kroger on board given all their support and strong activation around our sport.”

Childress, a two-time Daytona 500 champion car owner, will use owner points accumulated during the 2011 Sprint Cup Series season to field the No. 33 Chevrolet entry. RCR’s No. 33 team finished 13^th in the final 2011 owner point standings on the power of one win, four top-five and 16 top-10 finishes.

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

About General Mills

General Mills is one of the world’s leading food companies, operating in more than 100 countries. Its consumer brands include Cheerios, Fiber One, Häagen-Dazs, Nature Valley, Yoplait, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Green Giant and Old El Paso. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, General Mills had fiscal 2011 net sales of US$14.9 billion.

About Kroger

Kroger, the nation’s largest traditional grocery retailer, employs more than 338,000 associates who serve customers in 2,439 supermarkets and multi-department stores in 31 states under two dozen local banner names including Kroger, City Market, Dillons, Jay C, Food 4 Less, Fred Meyer, Fry’s, King Soopers, QFC, Ralphs and Smith’s. The company also operates 796 convenience stores, 363 fine jewelry stores, 1,067 supermarket fuel centers and 40 food processing plants in the U.S. Kroger was recognized by Forbes as the most generous company in the U.S. The company focuses its charitable efforts on supporting hunger relief, breast cancer awareness, the military and their families, and more than 30,000 schools and grassroots organizations in the communities it serves. Kroger contributes food and funds equal to 125 million meals a year through its partnership with more than 80 Feeding America food banks. For more information about Kroger, please visit www.kroger.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 current Sprint Cup Series lineup includes Paul Menard (No. 27 Menards Chevrolet), Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Budweiser/Rheem/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet) and Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar/Wheaties/BB&T Chevrolet). Its Nationwide Series program includes Elliott Sadler (No. 2 One Main Financial Chevrolet), 2011 Camping World Truck Series champion Austin Dillon (No. 3 Advocare/Bass Pro Shops/American Ethanol Chevrolet) and Kevin Harvick/Brendan Gaughan/Paul Menard/Max Papis (No. 33 South Point Hotel & Casino/Menards/Hunt Brothers Pizza/Armour/Fast Fixin’/ Chevrolet). Tim George Jr. and Brendan Gaughan (No. 2 Potomac Family Dining Group/South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet), Joey Coulter (No. 22 RCR/Armour Chevrolet) and 2011 ARCA Racing Series champion Ty Dillon (No.3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) compete in the 2012 Camping World Truck Series season.

Source: Richard Childress Racing, Press Release

No. 2 OneMain Financial Chevrolet Impala (Elliott Sadler) - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCAR

Announced in 2011, Kevin Harvick Inc. merged with RCR on the Nationwide Series programs, moving teams and much of its equipment to the Welcome, N.C., shop. OneMain Financial will continue the sponsorship of the No. 2 Chevrolet at RCR for a total of 29 Nationwide Series events during the 2012 season, marking the company’s ninth season with a strong presence in the sport. For generations, OneMain Financial has provided local, one-on-one, personalized service and affordable solutions to customer borrowing needs.

Sadler, an Emporia, Va., native, notched 12 top-five and 24 top-10 finishes, as well as five pole awards last season in the 2011 Nationwide Series season. He finished second in the driver point standings in his first full-time Nationwide Series season since 1998, falling just 45 points short of the championship.

“It is such a great opportunity to compete for such an accomplished organization like Richard Childress Racing,” said Sadler. “To have an organization like OneMain Financial support me on and off the track again this year really makes me eager to get back to the track to compete for the Nationwide Series championship. We came up short last year, finishing second in the points, but I know we have all the parts in place to win this year with this RCR team.”

Luke Lambert has been tapped as crew chief for the OneMain Financial team for the season. Lambert served as interim crew chief for the No. 31 Sprint Cup Series team for 17 races last season with driver Jeff Burton, leading the team to two top-five and five top-10 finishes. Lambert, 29, joined RCR in 2005, serving as the team engineer for the No. 31 program from 2008 – 2010. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from North Carolina State University in 2005.

In addition to the sponsorship with Sadler, OneMain Financial will serve as the primary sponsor on RCR’s No. 33 Chevrolet driven by Kevin Harvick in the Nationwide Series event at Texas Motor Speedway in November. Harvick is scheduled to share the No. 33 Nationwide Series ride with teammates Paul Menard and Brendan Gaughan for the 2012 season. OneMain Financial will also sponsor Joey Coulter’s No. 22 Camping World truck at the fall Texas race.

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

About OneMain Financial

OneMain Financial, based in Baltimore, Md., provides personalized loan solutions and one-on-one, local service at more than 1,300 branches nationwide. With a 99-year heritage of helping people realize their financial goals and dreams, their employees are part of the communities where they live and work. OneMain Financial works with each customer to find a solution that best fits their needs and budget, offering a straightforward loan application with fixed rates and clear terms. Additional information may be found at www.OneMainFinancial.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 current Sprint Cup Series lineup includes Paul Menard (No. 27 Menards Chevrolet), Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Budweiser/Rheem/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet) and Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar/Wheaties Chevrolet). Its Nationwide Series program includes Elliott Sadler (No. 2 One Main Financial Chevrolet), 2011 Camping World Truck Series champion Austin Dillon (No. 3 Advocare/Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) and Kevin Harvick/Brendan Gaughan/Paul Menard (No. 33 South Point Hotel & Casino/Menards/Hunt Brothers Pizza/Armour/Fast Fixin’/ Chevrolet). Tim George Jr. and Brendan Gaughan (No. 2 Potomac Family Dining Group/South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet), Joey Coulter (No. 22 RCR/Armour Chevrolet) and 2011 ARCA Racing Series champion Ty Dillon (No.3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) will compete in the 2012 Camping World Truck Series season.

- Press Release

Justin Allgaier

“Our NASCAR program has grown significantly over the years, and because of the strong support our racing program receives from our customers and vendors each year, it was a no-brainer to make it 19 straight seasons of such activity in 2012,” said Steve Cook, Northeastern Supply’s President and CEO.

During the company’s nearly two decades of NASCAR programming, Northeastern Supply has grown from a business with six branches in two Middle Atlantic States to one operating 32 branches and distribution centers conducting business in Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, DC.

“The associate support we have given so many NASCAR teams in the Nationwide Division over the years has been an interesting journey for our company, and because of how they do business and treat their sponsors, it was an easy decision for us to remain with Turner Motorsports for another season,” Cook explained.

“We enjoyed three good seasons backing the efforts of the Great Clips team and drivers Jason Leffler and Kasey Kahne. Now we’ve decided to move over to Justin Allgaier and the #31 Brandt Farm Equipment Chevrolet team in 2012 in hopes of helping them challenge for the championship,” Cook added.

Allgaier is the 25-year-old Riverton, IL driver who in his last two Nationwide Series campaigns has posted two victories and finished fourth and third, respectively, in the 2010 and 2011 driver championship competition. Allgaier’s 2010 effort came while driving a Dodge for Penske Racing before moving over to a Chevrolet at Turner Motorsports last season in which he recorded six top five and 17 top ten finishes in beating everyone in points except for champ Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. and runner-up Elliott Sadler.

Nicknamed “Little Gator” at a young age because of his small size and ferociousness behind the wheel, Allgaier began developing his talents driving quarter midgets and by the time he was 12 had already earned more than 100 feature wins and five championships.

Allgaier steadily progressed up the competition ladder, moving to Late Models at age 13. In 2001, at just 14 years of age, Allgaier made national headlines when he became the youngest driver to ever qualify for the ‘A’ Main in the famed Chili Bowl indoor midget event in Tulsa, OK. That performance enabled Justin to earn a shot to race full bodied stock cars two years later when he debuted in the ARCA RE/MAX Series with a team part-owned by former NASCAR star Ken Schrader. In three starts in this high-level competition that season, Allgaier earned a best finish of 11th and the experience served as a springboard to a full-time ARCA effort in 2006.

In 2007, after returning to the Chili Bowl and earning a third place finish in the ‘A’ Main behind now 3-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart and veteran J.J. Yeley, Allgaier ran all 23 ARCA races and finished fourth in driver points after winning once, posting four top five and 11 top ten finishes. He also found time that year to win five UMP Late Model Series and three midget races, displaying ability to successfully drive pretty much anything on four wheels.

Allgaier raced 21 times in 2008 in the ARCA RE/MAX Series, and at the age of 22 captured the overall championship with a 6-win, 14 top-five and 16 top-ten campaign that directly propelled him to NASCAR and a driver development contract with Penske Racing. He made his Nationwide Series debut for Penske that same year before competing full-time in the country’s second top stock car circuit in 2009.

In 35 starts that season, Allgaier recorded three top five and 12 top ten finishes en-route to a 6th place finish in driver points. Only a lack of sponsorship dollars kept Allgaier from continuing with the Penske organization beyond the 2010 season when Justin had a breakout year that included his first Nationwide Series victory, two poles, an average 11th place finish and a 4th place effort in driver points. Penske Racing’s loss is obviously Turner Motorsports’ gain and now to the benefit of Justin’s newest sponsor, Northeastern Supply.

Allgaier will be the lone Turner Motorsports driver to carry the Northeastern Supply flag in 2012 that will feature the hard-charging chauffeur in various Northeastern Supply promotions conducted throughout the season. Heading these promotions will be a variety of customer-driven events to be held in conjunction with each of the two NASCAR race weekends at the Dover (DE) International Speedway, Northeastern Supply’s “home” race track.

“We’re excited to have Northeastern Supply back in the Turner Motorsports family next year,” Allgaier stated. “The upcoming season will be Northeastern’s 19th consecutive in NASCAR Nationwide Series competition and fourth straight with Turner Motorsports. I know they have several big events scheduled throughout the year and I’m honored to have the chance to be included and play a more integral part in them.”

Allgaier is the latest top name to be added to the impressive list of drivers who have been sponsored by Northeastern Supply over the years. That list includes Leffler, Kahne, Yeley, Mike and Kenny Wallace, Jason Keller, Phil Parsons, Sterling Marlin, Hank Parker, Jr. and Kevin Lepage.

- On Track Marketing, Inc. Press Release

TAG Heuer Eyewear

Austin and Ty Dillon will wear TAG Heuer sunglasses exclusively as part of a multi-year deal designed to bring exposure to the TAG Heuer brand and aid in retailer development. The Dillon brothers will display the TAG Heuer eyewear logo on the visor of the racing helmet each wears during NASCAR competition, as well as in other forms of motorsport.

“We look forward to working with Austin and Ty Dillon and RCR as ambassadors for the TAG Heuer Eyewear brand,” said Pascal Brouard, CEO of Logo Group, worldwide distributor for TAG Heuer Eyewear. “After meeting with Austin and Ty, seeing their family values and the respect they show, along with their competitiveness, we hope to have a great relationship for years to come. TAG Heuer is affiliated with leading personalities and properties around the sports and entertainment world and Austin and Ty fit that role perfectly. They both are unquestionably premier talents in NASCAR.”

The Dillon brothers will wear the French-made sunglasses exclusively, joining an elite lineup of other motorsports drivers that are part of the TAG Heuer family.

“It’s an honor to be able to represent the TAG Heuer brand,” said Austin Dillon. “I had the opportunity to wear some TAG Heuer sunglasses this past season at Homestead-Miami Speedway and they are pretty cool. My brother and I have had a lot of fun looking at all of their different styles over the past few weeks and I can’t wait show a few of them off at the racetrack.”

While Austin Dillon will compete for the NASCAR Nationwide Series championship in 2012, Ty Dillon will vie for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship.

“It’s a real honor to be able to represent a brand like TAG Heuer,” said Ty Dillon. “Both Austin and I were very fortunate to have lots of success in racing in 2011 and I hope we can continue that success for TAG Heuer in 2012.”

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

About TAG Heuer

TAG Heuer – maker of high-end sports watches and chronographs since 1860 – has been applying the same standards for design and quality found in their timepieces to the creation of exceptional eyewear since 2002. All TAG Heuer “Avant-Garde” Eyewear lenses are shatter-resistant, ultra-light and provide 100% UV-A and UV-B protection. Eyewear is available at authorized retailers nationwide. For more information on TAG Heuer’s Eyewear full line of sunglasses and eyeglasses, and to locate authorized retailers, please visit www.tagheuer.com/eyewear.

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 current Sprint Cup Series lineup includes Paul Menard (No. 27 Menards Chevrolet), Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Budweiser/Rheem/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet) and Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar/Wheaties Chevrolet). Its Nationwide Series program includes Elliott Sadler (No. 2 One Main Financial Chevrolet), 2011 Camping World Truck Series champion Austin Dillon (No. 3 Advocare Chevrolet) and Brendan Gaughan (No. 33 South Point Hotel & Casino/Menards Chevrolet). Tim George Jr. and Brendan Gaughan (No. 2 Potomac Family Dining Group / South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet), Joey Coulter, Jr. (No. 22 RCR Chevrolet) and 2011 ARCA Racing Series champion Ty Dillon (No. 41 Chevrolet) will compete in the 2012 Camping World Truck Series season.

- Richard Childress Racing Press Release

Richard Childress Racing (RCR)

Pinnacle’s Armour® brand will be the primary sponsor for three NASCAR Nationwide Series races on the No. 33 Chevrolet Impala when Kevin Harvick is the driver: March 18 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway; May 6 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway; and September 8 at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway. The Truck Series team and race will be announced at a later date. Armour® canned meats will also be an associate sponsor of the No. 33 Chevrolet Impala team in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and one of RCR’s championship-caliber NASCAR Camping World Truck Series teams.

“Pinnacle Foods Group and the Armour® Vienna Sausage brand are very excited about the merger of the RCR and Kevin Harvick Inc. racing teams and are looking forward to the 2012 season,” said Eric Hintz, vice president of marketing. “We want to thank Kevin Harvick, Elliott Sadler, Ron Hornaday Jr. and all the KHI employees for their support over the years, bringing us to victory lane multiple times. We originally started our sponsorship with Richard Childress Racing a few years ago and the experience was second to none. In 2012, we look forward to extending our winning ways on the track and with our key grocery retail partners around the country. Having a winning team with Kevin Harvick, RCR and our retail partners helps us reach and delight so many of our consumers all the while helping us continue this sponsorship.”

Pinnacle Foods is a leading producer, marketer and distributor of high-quality branded food products, many of which have been trusted household names for decades. Armour® is one of America’s favorite canned meat brands known for its Chili, Vienna Sausage, Hash, Stews and more. An associate sponsor of RCR’s No. 29 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team and driver Kevin Harvick in 2008, Armour® has been a major associate of KHI, in both the NASCAR Nationwide Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, since 2009.

“RCR is proud to have Pinnacle Foods Group LLC, through its Armour® brand of canned meats, back among our family of leading category sponsors,” said Richard Childress, chief executive officer of Richard Childress Racing. “Vienna Sausages have traveled with me around the world and have been a part of my outdoor adventures for decades. We look forward to successful programs with both the No. 33 NASCAR Nationwide Series team with Kevin Harvick and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team.”

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

About Armour®

The Armour® Star story began when Phillip Danworth Armour founded Armour & Co. in 1867, in Chicago, IL. Armour & Co. is recognized as the first business in the nation to produce canned meat while using an assembly line for production purposes. Known for being one of the most important businesses in Chicago, there is no question as to why Armour ® Vienna sausage, Potted Meat, Chili, Stew, Hash, Corned Beef, Slice Dried Beef, and Luncheon Meats are one of America’s favorite brands. For more information on Armour® Star products, log onto www.armour-star.com Armour is a portfolio brand of Pinnacle Foods Group LLC.

About Pinnacle Foods Group LLC

Millions of times a day in more than 85% of American households, consumers reach for Pinnacle Foods brands. We are a leading producer, marketer and distributor of high-quality branded food products, which have been trusted household names for decades. Headquartered in Parsippany, NJ, our business employs more than 4,300 people in North America. We are a leader in the shelf stable and frozen foods segments and our brands hold the #1 or #2 market position in 10 out of 13 major category segments in which they compete. Our Duncan Hines Grocery Division manages brands such as Duncan Hines® baking mixes and frostings, Vlasic® pickles, peppers, and relish, Comstock® and Wilderness® Fruit Pie Fillings, Mrs. Butterworth’s® and Log Cabin® syrups, Armour® canned meats, Nalley® and Brooks® chili and chili ingredients, and Open Pit® barbecue sauces. Our Birds Eye Frozen Division manages brands such as Birds Eye®, Birds Eye Steamfresh®, C&W®, McKenzie’s®, and Fresh like® vegetables, Birds Eye Voila!® complete bag meals, Aunt Jemima® frozen breakfasts, Swanson® and Hungry-Man® dinners and entrees, Van de Kamp’s® and Mrs. Paul’s® seafood, Lender’s® bagels and Celeste® pizza. Our Specialty Foods Division manages Tim’s Cascade Snacks®, Hawaiian™ Kettle Style Potato Chips, Snyder of Berlin® and Husman’s® in addition to our food service and private label businesses. Further information is available at www.pinnaclefoods.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 current Sprint Cup Series lineup includes Paul Menard (No. 27 Menards Chevrolet), Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Budweiser/Rheem/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet) and Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar/Wheaties Chevrolet). Its Nationwide Series program includes Elliott Sadler (No. 2 One Main Financial Chevrolet), 2011 Camping World Truck Series champion Austin Dillon (No. 3 Advocare Chevrolet) and Brendan Gaughan (No. 33 South Point Hotel & Casino/Menards Chevrolet). Tim George Jr. and Brendan Gaughan (No. 2 Potomac Family Dining Group/South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet), Joey Coulter, Jr. (No. 22 RCR Chevrolet) and 2011 ARCA Racing Series champion Ty Dillon (No. 41 Chevrolet) will compete in the 2012 Camping World Truck Series season.

- Richard Childress Racing Press Release

Richard Childress Racing (RCR)

Gaughan, 36, is the 2002 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Rookie of the Year and competed fulltime in the Nationwide Series in 2009 and 2010, earning one pole and 17 top-10 finishes in 71 career starts. He finished ninth in the 2009 driver championship point standings and 11th in 2010. The two-time NASCAR Camping World Series West champion (2000-2001) has also earned eight victories and 63 top-10 finishes in 187 Truck Series starts, finishing 12th in the 2011 driver championship point standings. Gaughan was also part of the five-driver lineup that won the GT3 division of the 2011 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona sports car race at Daytona International Speedway.

“The last few years, I have been racing for teams that try to buy their engineering or equipment from organizations as great as RCR, but doing that is never the same as racing for RCR,” said Gaughan. “I have always steered away from switching to a part-time schedule in the past but I had to look at where I would have the best opportunity to win races again and the opportunity to race for Richard Childress is one I couldn’t pass up. By sharing the Nationwide Series seat with RCR’s Cup Series drivers, I know I’m going to be in the best equipment in the garage and have the best opportunity to win races to get myself back to where I want to be and that is to compete fulltime again.”

Brendan Gaughan

The Las Vegas native’s 18-race schedule will kick-off with the Truck Series event at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and includes visits in both series to his home track of Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Gaughan’s Nationwide Series events include races at Iowa Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Dover (Del.) International Speedway and Phoenix (Ariz.) International Raceway among others. His Truck Series line-up includes events at Texas Motor Speedway, where he is a four-time winner, Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway and others, as well as the 2012 season finale at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway.

“Brendan is a proven race winner and champion so we’re excited to have him driving for RCR,” said Richard Childress, president and chief executive officer of Richard Childress Racing. “He will be a great addition to RCR’s overall driver lineup as we re-launch our NASCAR Nationwide Series program and continue the strength of our Camping World Truck Series program in 2012.”

The complete crew chief and remaining driver lineup for the No. 33 Nationwide Series team and the No. 2 Truck Series team will be announced at a later date.

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 current Sprint Cup Series lineup includes Paul Menard (No. 27 Menards Chevrolet), Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Budweiser / Rheem / Jimmy John’s Chevrolet) and Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar / Wheaties Chevrolet). Its Nationwide Series program includes Elliott Sadler (No. 2 OneMain Financial Chevrolet), 2011 Camping World Truck Series champion Austin Dillon (No. 3 Advocare Chevrolet) and Brendan Gaughan (No. 33 South Point Hotel & Casino/Menards Chevrolet). Tim George Jr. and Brendan Gaughan (No. 2 Potomac Family Dining Group/South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet), Joey Coulter, Jr. (No. 22 RCR Chevrolet) and 2011 ARCA Racing Series champion Ty Dillon (No. 41 Chevrolet) will compete in the 2012 Camping World Truck Series season.

- Richard Childress Racing Press Release

NASCAR Logo Large

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., 24 and Austin Dillon, 21, officially were proclaimed champions of the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, respectively, on the Americana Ballroom stage at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel.

Both were honored with their first NASCAR national series titles. Each became champion in the season following a rookie-of-the-year performance. Dillon becomes the youngest champion in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series’ 17-year history. Both champions won twice during the 2011 season.

Roush Fenway Racing’s No. 60 Ford Mustang won the NASCAR Nationwide Series Owner Championship, as driver Carl Edwards won eight times. The title is the second in the series for Jack Roush, his previous owner championship coming in 2002. It also marked the first time that the same owner claimed both the NASCAR Nationwide Series driver and owner titles with different teams.

Kevin Harvick Inc. claimed its third NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Owner Championship. DeLana Harvick’s No. 2 Chevrolet Silverado posted seven victories with three different drivers in adding to KHI’s owner titles from 2007 and 2009.

Timmy Hill, an 18-year-old Maryland competitor, won NASCAR Nationwide Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors by a single point, tying the series’ closest decision for that award. Dillon’s Richard Childress Racing teammate Joey Coulter, 21, won the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award, the second time the same organization claimed both championship and rookie laurels.

Elliott Sadler, Justin Allgaier, Aric Almirola and Reed Sorenson finished second through fifth in the championship standings and were honored along with Stenhouse in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

Johnny Sauter, James Buescher, Ron Hornaday Jr. and Timothy Peters were second through fifth in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series final points and joined Dillon on stage.

After a fan vote on NASCAR.com, in which more than 215,000 combined votes were cast, each series’ Most Popular Driver was revealed. Sadler and Dillon were chosen by the fans in the NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, respectively. Each was honored for the first time.

SPEED’s Rick Allen and Krista Voda hosted the event, which will air on Dec. 2 from 7-9 p.m. ET on SPEED, prior to the live telecast of the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Ceremony from Las Vegas.

- NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications Press Release

Joe Denette Motorsports Logo

The solid performance was the Emporia, Va. native’s track-best finish at the 1.5-mile speedway in the NCWTS and his best finish in three starts for JDM.

With Friday afternoon’s time trials cancelled due to rain, the field was set by practice speeds from the morning practice session. Starting seventh, Sadler made his way to the front of the field by lap 37 and led 32 laps until green flag pit stops began at lap 70.

When the field cycled through, Sadler was scored as high as second. However, with less than 30 laps remaining the No. 24 Chevrolet lost power steering. Sadler would hang on to finish seventh behind race winner, Johnny Sauter.

Elliott Sadler Quotes:

“This AM FM-Energy/Great Play Chevrolet was good tonight. We led some laps and had a really good truck until I lost power steering. When it rains, it pours.”

“I’m really proud of my guys and I would like to thank Joe Denette and our partners for letting me run the 24 truck this year. We were competitive on the track and although we didn’t bring home the finishes that reflected our runs, I had a lot of fun running his trucks.”

Notes:

· In three starts for Joe Denette Motorsports in 2011 (Bristol, Martinsville & Homestead), Sadler has an average start of 7.3 coupled with an average finish of 12.3 and has led 90 laps.

· Sadler captured JDM’s first and only Keystone Light Pole Award of 2011 at Bristol Motor Speedway (August).

· Sadler claimed track-best finishes in all three starts in the NCWTS with JDM.

· Sadler completed 100 percent of laps attempted (519 of 519) in all three starts.

- Joe Denette Motorsports Press Release

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. hoists a championship flag after clinching the NASCAR Nationwide Series crown at the Ford 300 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Saturday, Nov. 19. - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen/Getty Images for NASCAR

FORD RACING NOTES AND QUOTES

Ford 300,

November 19, 2011

Homestead-Miami Speedway

RICKY STENHOUSE JR. POST RACE PRESS CONFERENCE

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON WINNING THE CHAMPIONSHIP?

“It is unbelievable. There are a lot of people that have worked really hard for this. My family has sacrificed a lot. Jack Roush and all these guys on our team, they were with us when we were struggling and they never gave up last year. Everybody at Ford Racing, Blackwell Angus Beef and Cargill, everybody has worked really hard and rallied together to be a team effort. Our cars back at the shop are phenomenal and all the guys that work hard there. Everybody at Roush Yates engines. It is a total team effort and it means the world to bring this championship to Jack and be a little bit of the history that he has in this sport. For Ford to get the manufacturers and Jack to get the owners it was for sure a huge team effort. Mike Kelley never let us down. He rallied us, even when we weren’t good and I would get a little mad out there on the race track he straightened me up and helped us keep digging.”

MIKE KELLEY, crew chief No. 6 Ford Mustang – WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE THE CREW CHIEF OF THE 2011 NATIONWIDE CHAMIPIONS?

“Just like Ricky said, it means a lot. I heard Carl say the other day that it isn’t about the trophy that you get but the journey you take to get there. I couldn’t say that anymore for working with Ricky the last 16 or 18 months together. We had tough times last year and it was documented very well. Anyone could have walked away. Jack could have turned his back on him, Ford could have and our guys could have. There were a lot of tough days and grim nights back at the shop. Nobody did though. I am so proud of my guys and Jack and Ford for sticking behind Ricky and seeing it through. To come through what we did all last year and during the off season we really put our heads down and we weren’t picked to be the favorite and that is probably what helped us the most. We were kind of overshadowed by the Elliott Sadler’s and the Allgaier’s and Sorensen’s and that kinda gave us a fight and desire back at the shop to make sure we came out strong. It was a total team effort. It wasn’t me. I have a great engineering staff and we moved our shop. Jack let us move down to the Cup shop in Concord and that was a big plus for us. The cars that we get are second to none out there and the engines are second to none. We never quit. We had bad days at the beginning of the year and we learned as a group on fuel mileage and strategy. I feel like we gave up a couple wins based on that. I am proud of the effort of this team during the hard times. We dug in there and finished off strong.”

JACK ROUSH, owner, No. 6 Ford Mustang – WE MADE HISTORY TONIGHT AS A TEAM WON THE DRIVER AND OWNERS CHAMPIONSHIP WITH TWO DIFFERENT PRIMARY DRIVERS. CONGRATULATIONS JACK.

“When Carl won his Nationwide championship in 2007 I didn’t win the owners championship and I didn’t know what I did wrong. I didn’t do anything more wrong than I did right this time. It is an honor given to team owners that is really at the mercy of the efforts of the crew chiefs and drivers and the crew. I am glad to be sharing the honors with Carl and with Ricky and with Mike Beam and Mike Kelley. One thing I want to say, and I have been doing this for my 24th year and this is my third Nationwide championship that I have helped a driver win, but Ricky sits here tonight because of the sacrifice and dedication of a great family.

Without his mother and father, I am looking at his mom across the room here, without their sacrifice and dedication and determination to see to it Ricky had everything he needed to develop into the driver he has become it wouldn’t happen. People like myself or Tony Stewart or other owners that have the race cars would never find a Ricky Stenhouse without the family doing all they have to do and the dark days before it really goes public. Mike Kelley did a great job this year, Mike Beam did a great job behind the scenes. Carl Edwards provided great leadership from a driver point of view. Trevor Bayne did a great job challenging Ricky in some ways and supporting him in others. It has been a great team effort that we are celebrating tonight but I am especially thankful and respectful of the sacrifice of the whole Stenhouse family that they made to get Ricky where he is.”

STENHOUSE CONTINUED – IS THE THE BIGGEST THING TO HAPPEN TO OLIVE BRANCH?

“I would say so. It is going to be cool. I plan on taking the trophy when I got to the Christmas parade as Grand Marshal December 3rd. It will be a good homecoming for sure. There are a lot of people back there that are really supportive of what we are doing. The whole school system and everybody down there. It is really cool to have a community behind you like that.”

YOU WERE IN THE TOP FIVE IN POINTS ALL YEAR BEFORE MOVING TO FIRST AND STAYING THERE. WAS THERE A MOMENTUM SHIFT AFTER YOU GOT TO FIRST?

“We look at it as one whole year. We got the lead a couple times and lost it but that last time we got it we were bound and determined not to give it back. We wanted to seal it up before coming to Homestead. We did the best job we could and it was just a whole year of total team effort and really working to not make mistake on pit road and not making mistakes as a driver and crew chief. I think at the end of the year we really limited our mistakes we made in our first half the year that gave those points leads back to other people. That was the main thing we focused on.”

WHAT WAS THE ONE BIGGEST LESSON YOU LEARNED FROM JACK DURING THE TROUBLES LAST YEAR?

“The one biggest thing I think I learned from everything Jack has done for me is that he cares about me as a person and really wanted me to succeed. If he didn’t care he wouldn’t put me in the body shop. That is one thing I learned from my dad. He was tough on my growing up but it was always for a reason. Jack has been an awesome team owner. He has done a lot of great things in NASCAR and I am glad to be a part of this one little thing. He has been doing it a long time. He has his ways of doing things and you have to look at the positives from it. I think that was the biggest thing I learned.”

JACK ROUSH CONTINUED – WHAT WAS IT YOU SAW IN RICKY THAT MADE YOU INSIST ON PUSHING HIM TO THE POINT TO SEE IF HE HAD WHAT IT TOOK?

“Ricky was extraordinarily talented. Every challenge we gave him with a new race track or problem with a car as we changed the car Ricky was bright and quick and talented in meeting those challenges. The thing that was always there when you would reach a situation when it was clear that you could go down this or that path and Mike Beam or Mike Kelley or myself decided to go down a certain path Ricky always went along with it. He never called his dad for support and said we were being to hard on him, he just went along with the program. That is what a rookie needs to do. He needs to go with the program with the people looking after him and our group had his interests in mind.

The other thing was that he was just driven to be competitive to the extent of self destruction to start with. It is much easier to temper that and deal with that that it is for someone that doesn’t want it as bad as those next to them. They couldn’t realize the ultimate prize. Ricky wanted it bad and he raised himself to be a race car driver. This was his opportunity and he tried to hang on to it too tight to start with and couldn’t realize the success there for him but very quickly we got over that.”

RICKY STENHOUSE CONTINUED – THIS IS THE FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP UNDER THE NEW FORMAT. YOU ARE THE CHAMPION WITH TWO WINS. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT BEING THE FIRST CHAMPION IN THIS NEW FORMAT?

“It means just as much. We race week in and week out with those guys. We gave them a run for their money here tonight. Ultimately my goal is to go out there and win the drivers and owners championship. We finished third in the owners championship so we ran really strong all year. We beat Carl, we beat Brad, we passed those guys and raced Kyle Busch. I think as a race team and me as a driver I felt like we are just as good as those guys. I think that racing up there and beating them definitely makes this championship worth it.”

YOU FINISHED STRONG.

“This race track is one of my favorites. I wish we came here twice at least. Last year was the first year here. I had a lot of fun and this is just my style of race track. You can drive it in hard, let it slide up to the wall and get back in the gas and really hang it out, it just reminds me a lot of sprint car racing. Last year, we finished fourth and ran really strong and this year we just came up one spot short and maybe one corner short, but, man, it was fun racing those guys. We were sideways, turning right, trying to keep it off the fence, getting into the fence every now and then, and to race up there with Carl, Brad, Denny, Clint Bowyer, Elliott Sadler, they’re some of the best in the business and to be up there racing with them is fun.”

AT WHAT POINT DID YOU KNOW THE TITLE WAS YOURS AND DID IT CHANGE YOUR PHILOSOPHY?

“We were going 100 percent there from the start. It’s tough to get me to back down any. I’m not good at riding around, so I’m not sure what lap it was, Mike Kelley came over and told me we were good to go, that we had won the championship, but we still stayed focused and I think I drove 110 percent after that, so that was the only thing that really changed.”

WAS THERE A TURNING POINT FOR YOU AND YOUR TEAM THIS SEASON?

“I can think of two. Early in the year when we led laps at Bristol, ran up there with Kyle and I was kind of playing around with him the whole time. Talking to Kyle after he was like, ‘Man, you had the best car.’ We made a mistake on fuel mileage and we made a mistake as a race team getting lined up and we got caught two laps down, so I think we rallied together and we worked on our fuel mileage with Ford and everybody at Roush Fenway and Roush Yates, worked on our fuel mileage, and we kind of got a direction there and that really helped us. And then Indy when we led 190 laps and we came up a couple spots short. That was pretty tough for us, but we were bound and determined to win some more races and really run up front and dig hard, and Mike was the one that kind of rallied everybody together and kept everybody digging.”

MIKE KELLEY CONTINUED –

“I kind of agree with him. Early on in the year we kind of made a few mistakes and left a lot of points on the table, a lot more than we ever thought, and I really feel if we would have been a little smarter, a little better earlier in the year, we’d have been right in the middle of that owner’s championship, and that was our goal from the beginning. But the thing that meant a lot to me is we sat down in January and we circled a bunch of dates on the calendar for Ricky’s experience level on the road course races, we kind of had a goal, we said we’d have to be 25 points in the lead coming into the last two road course race swing knowing that Elliott had a lot of experience and Ricky had never been to Watkins Glen.

We knew we’d take our lumps there, but if we could get out of there, we didn’t care if it was a one-point lead or a two-point lead, we would tell ourselves on the way home that we came out of there with the lead and now it was ours to hold on to the last 10 races of the year, kind of really laid into Ricky’s schedule – a bunch of short tracks thrown in there with some mile-and-a-halfs that the cars have been good on.

When we made it through those two road course races, I don’t know if it was six, seven, eight points or something, we came out of there with the lead and I remember looking at him on the plane and I told him, ‘Picture that we came in here five points behind and we actually came out six points ahead and we’ll look at it that way, instead of saying we lost 10 today.’ We got the guys rallied back at the shop and said, ‘We’ve only got to turn left from here on in and Ricky can do that as good as anybody out there.’ Lack of experience or not, he’s as talented as anyone I’ve ever seen behind the wheel.”

RICKY STENHOUSE JR. CONTINUED – AT THE START OF THE YEAR MANY PEOPLE DIDN’T HAVE YOU IN THEIR TOP FIVE. DID YOU USE THAT AS MOTIVATION?

“We definitely used that as motivation. We felt like at the end of last year, Mike Kelley and I were sitting down at the banquet watching Brad get the trophy, we told each other right there that as strong as we were running at the end of the year, running up in the top five with the Cup guys, that we were going for that championship and that was before they ever changed the point system. Obviously, they changed the point system and we still weren’t in sight to do that from the media’s perspective, but we felt like as a race team we could do that, I felt like as a driver I was just as good as anybody else out there, and if we put everything together, then we knew we had a shot at this championship. But it was just fun. You all have been doing this a long time and I’m just getting started, so it was good to come out here and get this championship.”

- PCG Campbell Press Release

Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

• The NASCAR Nationwide Series title is the third for Ford Racing and Roush Fenway Racing (Greg Biffle in 2002 and Carl Edwards in 2007).

• This marks 12th driver’s championship for Ford Racing in NASCAR’s top three divisions combined (8 NSCS, 3 NNS, 1 NCWTS) and the sixth overall for Roush Fenway Racing (2 NSCS, 3NNS, 1 NCWTS).

• Today also capped an impressive season for Mustang, which won a manufacturer and driver championships in its rookie NASCAR season. In addition, Mustang won 13 NASCAR Nationwide Series races, which is the most for any model in 2011.

FORD CHAMPIONS

• Greg Biffle became the first driver in NASCAR history to win a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series championship. Biffle captured the 2002 NNS title in dominant fashion as he posted a series-best 25 top-10 and 20 top-5 finishes in 34 starts. In addition, he tied for first with poles (5) and wins (4), but his consistency throughout led to a 264-point victory for the championship over second-place Jason Keller.

• Carl Edwards won his first NASCAR championship in even more dominating fashion than Biffle as he claimed the championship by 618 points over runner-up David Reutimann. Edwards led the series with 21 top-10 finishes while tying for most top-5 efforts with 15 in 35 starts. He swept both races at Nashville for two of his four wins on the season with the other two coming at Bristol and Dover. Edwards was in charge of the points race pretty much the entire season, taking the lead after a fourth-place finish on the Mexico City road course in the third event of the year and never giving it up.

• Ricky Stenhouse Jr. won his first NASCAR Nationwide Series championship in only his second full season of competition through consistency. He led the point standings for 17 weeks, including the final 14, and won the first two races of his career as he swept both events at Iowa Speedway. Stenhouse Jr. battled Elliott Sadler the final month of the season, but came out on top by virtue of six top-5 and nine top-10 finishes over the final nine races.

FORD’S NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES CHAMPIONS

Year Driver Car Owner Wins Poles

2002 Greg Biffle Roush Racing 4 5

2007 Carl Edwards Roush Racing 4 0

2011 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Roush Fenway Racing 2 3

- PCG Campbell Press Release

Event: Ford 200 (Race 25 of 25)

Series: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

Location: Homestead-Miami Speedway (1.5-mile oval)

Start / Finish: 27th/26th (Running, completed 118 of 119 laps)

Winner: Johnny Sauter of Thorsport Racing (Chevrolet)

Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM)

Quiroga, who started the race from the 27th position, had advanced to the 20th spot on lap 30 when Max Gresham got loose off of Turn 4 and slid up the track into the No. 51 Telcel Tundra. The contact sent Quiroga sliding sideways towards the inside wall along the frontstretch. The veteran driver held the brakes as the truck harpooned along the slippery apron until the front end responded. Once the front end responded, he was able to right the path of the truck and pulled away having avoided contact with the wall.

With two flat tires on the No. 51 Telcel Tundra, the 31-year-old driver proceeded slowly around the track to avoid further damage before bringing the truck down pit road. The over-the-wall crew put four fresh tires on the truck, examined it for further damage, filled it with fuel and returned their driver to the track still on the lead lap.

Unfortunately, Quiroga’s bad luck continued as the crew had sent their driver back on the track before securing all of the lug nuts and were issued a penalty from the NASCAR officials. Quiroga was forced to return to pit road to serve the penalty and by the time the No. 51 Telcel Tundra returned to the track, it was scored one lap down in the 31st position.

German Quiroga

When the race restarted on lap 35, the Mexico City native was in the “Lucky Dog” position, where he ran for several laps, but as the race proceeded caution free for over 60 laps, the leaders began lapping other drivers. Eventually, the leaders once again worked their way around the No. 51 Tundra, putting Quiroga two laps down.

A single car spin brought out the fourth caution of the race on lap 98. With all of the lead-lap cars in front of Quiroga electing to pit, veteran crew chief Rick Ren kept his driver on the track in order to receive the wave around.

When the race restarted on lap 102, Quiroga was scored one lap down in the 27th position. The No. 51 Telcel Tundra was in the 26th position when the caution came out for precipitation on lap 119. Shortly after the field parked on pit road, the rain strengthened and the race was ruled official with 119 of the scheduled 134 laps complete.

“After seeing the poise German showed tonight, you can tell why he is a three-time champion in the NASCAR Mexico series” said Ren, the all-time winningest crew chief in the history of the Truck Series. “Unfortunately, because it rained late in practice, we weren’t able to complete both laps of our mock-qualifying run and we had to start the race near the back of the field. German ended up getting spun early in the race, but showed impressive truck control in avoiding the wall. Then, our guys made a costly mistake on pit road and we went a lap down. I think if that error didn’t occur, he would’ve had a top-15 finish. Instead of getting frustrated after the mistake, he maintained his composure and just took advantage of gaining valuable seat time. I’ve been very impressed with German during the two races that he drove for us this season. Hopefully, we can get things worked out for him to run full-time next season.”

Johnny Sauter picked up his second win of the season. Quiroga’s teammate, Denny Hamlin, finished second and Kevin Harvick third. Rookies Nelson Piquet Jr. and Joey Coulter finished fourth and fifth, respectively. Ty Dillon, Elliott Sadler, Timothy Peters, Jason White and Austin Dillon, who became the youngest driver to win a Truck Series championship, rounded out the top-10 finishers.

There were five caution periods for 16 laps, with seven drivers failing to finish the race.

- Kyle Busch Motorsports Press Release

Turn-One-Racing-Logo Thumbnail

EVENT: Homestead 200 (NASCAR Camping World Truck Series)

DATE: Friday, Nov. 18, 2011

TRACK: Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, Fla.

RESULT: Start 6 / Finish 22

HOMESTEAD, Fla. — No win. No championship. No rookie of the year.

“Hell yeah I’m disappointed,” Whitt said, looking back on his first season in NASCAR’s Camping World Truck Series. “Almost every week we were fast. That’s all you can ask for out of the trucks, out of everybody at Turn One Racing. But you can’t change your luck. It seems like every time we were running good, something bad would happen … an engine failure, a loose lug nut or we’d get caught up in something. I guess you pay your dues. I hope I’m
around long enough so it comes back the other way.” Like most drivers, however, Whitt’s a little hard on himself.

After a 22nd-place finish in the season finale Friday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Whitt ended up ninth in the Truck Series points standings —
not bad for a driver who only 20 months ago was making his first stock car start.

The 20-year-old Whitt finished with two top fives, 11 top 10s, 18 top 15s and one pole, which came his first time out at Darlington — widely
considered NASCAR’s trickiest track. After a season-best second-place finish at Dover followed by a third at Charlotte, Whitt, at only 19, became
the youngest driver and first rookie to lead the Truck Series standings.

But consecutive finishes of 28th and 26th at Texas and Kentucky became the defining moment of Whitt’s swing at the championship. The first was
an engine failure. The next, Ron Hornaday Jr. slapped Whitt’s truck into the outside wall. He fell to third in points, and two months later another
engine failure dropped Whitt from fifth to eighth.

Cole Whitt, driver of the No. 60 Fuel Doctor / Red Bull Toyota Tundra - Photo Credit: Tom Whitmore / Getty Images for NASCAR

Whitt outran all but one truck in the early going Friday night. He started sixth and drove to second after disposing of race winner Johnny Sauter on lap 50. With only leader Elliott Sadler ahead, Whitt’s truck was one of the first to begin green-flag pit stops with 65 laps to go. He gave up second with the hopes of gaining time on fresh tires, but a right front vibration forced Whitt to return to pit road. He re-entered the race one lap down in 23rd.
“We came back in to get another set, get all five lugs on tight,” Whitt said. “That’s all it needed. When we got back out there, we were plenty fast to lead the race. Probably was a truck to win, but things didn’t go right.”

Whitt was in free-pass position (22nd) when it began raining at about 9:45 p.m. ET. Rather than dry the 1.5-mile track and re-start the race near midnight, NASCAR officials opted to call the race 15 laps from its scheduled finish.

It’s not long until Whitt’s back in the cockpit of a car. He’ll participate in the Dec. 1 Red Bull Kart Fight, which matches stars from NASCAR, IndyCar, Grand-Am, American Le Mans, NHRA and the X Games in a karting event at the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show in Orlando.

“It’ll be the first time I’ve done it, and I’m looking forward to it,” Whitt said. “Go down to Orlando and just relax, have fun with it. I haven’t been in a kart in years …”

- Red Bull Racing Press Release