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The 28-year-old driver made his mark racing go-karts at age 14, winning a regional championship in his home country of Brazil. Paludo then headed to the national ranks, racing Renault Clios in 2006, earning two podium finishes. He found further success in the Porsche GT3 Championship Series earning three wins, two poles and 11 top-three finishes in 2008, winning the series championship that year as well as in 2009.

Paludo made the transcontinental move to the stock car ranks in 2010, making nine K&N Pro Series East starts before jumping to the NCWTS in August of that year. Paludo made a statement in his first start, notching an impressive ninth-place finish at the high banks of Bristol Motor Speedway.

Paludo joins a stable of drivers including James Buescher and Nelson Piquet, Jr. who will contend for the 2012 NCWTS championship.

“I’m really excited to join Turner Motorsports next season,” said Paludo. “I’m grateful to Mr. [Steve] Turner for the opportunity he has given me to drive for the team and I’m looking forward to a strong season in 2012. I’m also thrilled to have some really strong teammates and I’m excited to see what we can do to make next season a good one for Turner Motorsports as we make a run for the championship.”

In adding Paludo to the already strong line-up of talent, team owner Steve Turner is affirming his commitment to giving young drivers a strong platform on which to build their careers.

“Miguel [Paludo] adds another dimension to our NASCAR Camping World Truck Series lineup,” Turner said. “He has shown a significant amount of potential and is committed to making his mark in the NASCAR ranks. He is a proven champion winning titles in multiple disciplines. I am looking forward to a very competitive 2012 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season and watching all of our entries run up front.”

About Turner Motorsports:

Turner Motorsports, LLC, established in 1999, has completed its sophomore season of NASCAR competition. Owned by Texas businessman Steve Turner, the organization expanded in 2011 from a two-truck operation in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) to become the largest stand-alone multi-series team in NASCAR’s top-tier touring series. Turner Motorsports operates out of an 110,000 square-foot state-of-the art facility in Mooresville, N.C. The Chevrolet-backed team has created alliances with General Motors’ powerhouse teams Hendrick Motorsports, which provides engine support for both its NNS and NCWTS programs, and Earnhardt Technology Group for drive train and suspension technology assistance. Turner Motorsports’ marketing partners include Great Clips, Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Monster Energy, BRANDT, Exide, AccuDoc Solutions, Wolfpack Rentals, Fraternal Order of Eagles and ABF Freight. For more information on Turner Motorsports, visit www.turnermotorsportsllc.com.

- Turner Motorsports Press Release

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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

Date: Nov. 18, 2011

Event: Ford 200 (Race 25 of 25)

Series: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

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

Start / Finish: 17th/2nd (Running, completed 119 of 119 laps)

Winner: Johnny Sauter of Thorsport Racing (Chevrolet)

No. 18 Dollar General Toyota Tundra

Celebrating his 31st birthday, Hamlin was like a kid patiently waiting until the end of the party to eat his cake and open his presents. His No. 18 Dollar General Tundra was riding in the catbird seat, tucked behind Sauter’s No. 13 truck, as he patiently waited for the right opportunity to make his move in the final stages of the Ford 200.

With 20 laps remaining Hamlin’s spotter, Curtis Markham, made his driver aware that rain was fast approaching the area and if he felt like he could challenge for the win, he needed to get by Sauter in a hurry. One lap later, Hamlin made a strong run on the outside line through the middle of Turn 3 but just as he began to pull around Sauter coming off of Turn 4, Sauter got loose, slid up the track and brushed Hamlin into the wall. To avoid possibly wrecking both trucks, Hamlin checked up, and Sauter maintained the lead. As the field approached the start-finish line, the rain began falling and the caution waved.

Shortly after the field was parked on pit road, the rain strengthened and the race was ruled official with 119 of the scheduled 134 laps complete.

“I knew I had a Dollar General Tundra that could get around Johnny (Sauter), but I just wanted to be patient and wait until later stages of the race, and also to ensure that we kept the third-place guy behind us and tried to use the draft,” said Hamlin who posted a win and a runner-up finish in two starts for KBM this season. “Strategy didn’t work out. It probably cost us a win today, but they told me one lap before the rain came that it looks like rain is coming, so if I got anything, I’d better go. That was my last-ditch effort on the corner to try to get around him. He slid up and got into us and we got in the wall, and it was one of those things. We were not in a position to really race him that hard anyway.”

With Friday afternoon’s qualifying washed out by rain, the field was set by practice speeds from the morning practice session. Hamlin started the race from the 17th position, but began marching towards the front of the field once the green flag dropped. By lap 11 he had cracked the top 10 and had advanced into the seventh position when the competition caution occurred on lap 20.

The 31-year-old driver communicated to crew chief Eric Phillips that the Dollar General Tundra was tight off the exit of the corners in the early stages of the race. When pit road opened, Hamlin brought his truck down pit road where the KBM over-the-wall crew put on right side tires, filled it with fuel and returned their driver back to the track in the runner-up position.

Hamlin made his way to the lead on lap 25, but after one lap on point, relinquished the lead to James Buescher and settled into the runner-up spot. He remained in the second position when the second caution of the race occurred for a spin involving his teammate, Germán Quiroga, on lap 31.

After the race restarted on lap 35, a long green flag run ensued allowing competitors who took four tires during the competition caution to take advantage of having fresher tires. Hamlin had slipped back to the eighth position when he made a green flag stop for four fresh tires and fuel on lap 70.

When pit stops had cycled through on lap 90, the Virginia native had worked his way back up to the third position. He remained third when the third caution of the race occurred on lap 97. He communicated to Phillips that the biggest issue with the Dollar General Tundra was being loose into the corners.

Hamlin brought the Dollar General Tundra down pit road for four fresh tires and full tank of fuel. Phillips used an air pressure adjustment to try and secure Hamlin’s entry for the final stages of the race and communicated to Hamlin that his truck had enough fuel to make it to the end of the race.

The race restarted on lap 102 with the No. 18 Tundra scored in the third position. On lap 105, Hamlin made his way into the runner-up spot and tucked in behind race-leader Sauter. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regular, making just his 13th career Truck Series start, kept within two truck lengths of the lead, applying just enough pressure to try and force Sauter into making a mistake or abusing his equipment.

In the end, Sauter finally slipped up, but Hamlin ran out of both space and time and was forced to settle for a runner-up finish in the rain-shortened race.

Sauter’s win was his second of the season. Hamlin was second and Kevin Harvick third, while 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.

Quiroga, the three-time reigning NASCAR Mexico Series champion, finished 26th in KBM’s No. 51 Tundra.

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

The No. 18 Tundra led the Truck Series with eight wins in 2011, but the defending Truck Series owners’ champions finished second in the 2011 standings, 104 points behind KHI’s No. 2 team.

- Kyle Busch Motorsports Press Release

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

James Buescher - Photo Credit: John Harrelson / Getty Images for NASCAR

Ty Dillon was second on the speed charts with a lap speed of 166.502 mph, and was followed by Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender, Nelson Piquet Jr. (166.328) who was third fastest, Austin Dillon (166.072) fourth and Johnny Sauter was fifth fastest.

Sunoco Rookie contender, Cole Whitt (165.741 mph) was sixth fastest, while Elliott Sadler (165.512) was seventh fastest, Kevin Harvick (165.375) eighth, Justin Lofton (165.315) ninth and Sunoco Rookie contender, Joey Coulter (165.289) rounding out the top-ten fastest during “Happy Hour.”

Qualifying for this evening’s race (scheduled to get underway around 8:20 PM -ET) will begin at 4:30 PM this afternoon.

2011 NCWTS Ford 200 Final Practice Session Speeds

(i) Ineligible for Points in this Series
# Denotes Rookie
* Required to Qualify

Nelson Piquet Jr. (Photo Credit: Lesley Ann Miller)

Turner Motorsports welcomes Nelson Piquet Jr. … Turner Motorsports is pleased to welcome NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) standout Nelson Piquet Jr. to the seat of the No. 30 Chevrolet for this weekend’s Ford 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Piquet Jr. made his NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) debut at Watkins Glen International in 2010. In his lone NNS start, the Brazil native brought home a seventh-place finish after qualifying in the 10th position.

NCWTS notes… As Piquet Jr. prepares for his first NNS race of 2011, the 26-year-old is wrapping up his rookie pursuit for the NCWTS championship. Over the course of 24 starts this season, he has captured five top-five and nine top-10 finishes, leading 52 laps along the way. He sits 10th in the championship point standings and is just five markers down in the fierce battle for the series’ Rookie of the Year honors.

Calling the shots… This weekend, Piquet Jr. will work with veteran crew chief Stewart Cooper. Cooper has worked with several drivers in 2011 including Kasey Kahne, Ryan Newman, Boris Said, James Buescher and Ricky Carmichael.

This week’s Impala… The No. 30 team will round out the 2011 season this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway hitting the track with chassis TMS-310. This chassis made its debut at Atlanta Motor Speedway, where Kahne drove it to a fifth-place finish after starting in the seventh spot. Buescher also piloted TMS-310 two weeks ago at Texas Motor Speedway, finishing in the 17th spot.

Bienvenidos a NASCAR… In support of NASCAR’s ‘Bienvenidos a NASCAR’ program, Piquet Jr.’s No. 30 Chevrolet will sport a special program decal this weekend. In addition to decals on entries in all three of NASCAR’s top series, the program will provide bilingual brand ambassadors, virtual garage tours and guidebooks of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series garage. There will be a Spanish language broadcast available via scanner (via ESPN Deportes), as well as ‘Bienvenidos a NASCAR’ ticket packages though Homestead-Miami Speedway and a Chino y Nacho pre-race concert on Sunday, Nov. 20th at 12 p.m. at the Coca-Cola Stage.

Turner Motorsports: A look back… In 33 Nationwide Series events in 2011, Turner Motorsports-prepared entries have notched three wins, 21 top-five and 62 top-10 finishes. Mark Martin kicked off the season capturing the team’s first-ever NASCAR win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March. It was Justin Allgaier’s turn in June when he nabbed his second-career win at Chicagoland Speedway and Reed Sorenson rounded the month out winning his first NNS race with the organization at Road America. Both of Turner Motorsports’ championship-contending drivers are inside the top-10 in the driver point standings with Allgaier in third and Jason Leffler in sixth.

In 24 NCWTS races in 2011, Turner Motorsports’ entries have earned 13 top-five and 31 top-10 finishes. The organization has earned five pole awards with Buescher earning three, and Carmichael and Steve Arpin capturing one each. Buescher is currently sitting third in the championship point standings, 28 markers out of the lead.

Nelson Piquet Jr. on racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series

“I am really excited to have the opportunity to get in the Nationwide car for Turner Motorsports this weekend. I have never done double duty before, so I am really looking forward to it. It is going to be a lot of seat time, more then I have ever done before in one weekend. I want to thank Steve Turner for giving me the opportunity to get in one of his cars, and I am looking forward to bringing home a solid finish in the No. 30 machine.”

Follow the No. 30 team on Twitter! Twitter.com/No30TurnerNNS

Follow Nelson Piquet Jr. on Twitter! Twitter.com/NelsonPiquet

Follow Turner Motorsports on Facebook! Facebook.com/TurnerMotorsports

- Turner Motorsports Press Release

No. 38 Great Clips Chevrolet Impala - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCAR

The end of an era… In this weekend’s 2011 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Jason Leffler will make his final start behind the wheel of the No. 38 Great Clips machine. Leffler has piloted this car for the last six seasons, making headlines for the world’s largest haircare brand with his famous faux-hawk hairdo. Leffler will continue to represent Great Clips in select projects, with his long-time sponsor serving as his primary sponsor in his quest for victory in the 2012 Chili Bowl Nationals in January.

Sixth in the standings…. Leffler has secured sixth-place in the 2011 driver championship point standings after a season that has included two top-fives and 12 top-10 finishes with nine laps led. He has an average starting position of 13.0 and an average finishing position of 13.9.
Leffler a solid contender at Homestead-Miami Speedway (HMS)… In eight NNS starts at the 1.5-mile oval, Leffler has captured three top-10′s as well as a pair of fourth-place finishes (2003 and 2008). He has an average start of 17.9 and an average finish of 13.5.

Turner Motorsports: A look back… In 33 Nationwide Series events in 2011, Turner Motorsports-prepared entries have notched three wins, 21 top-five and 62 top-10 finishes. Mark Martin kicked off the season capturing the team’s first-ever NASCAR win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March. It was Justin Allgaier’s turn in June when he nabbed his second-career win at Chicagoland Speedway and Reed Sorenson rounded the month out winning his first NNS race with the organization at Road America. Both of Turner Motorsports’ championship-contending drivers are inside the top-10 in the driver point standings with Allgaier in third and Jason Leffler in sixth.

In 24 NCWTS races in 2011, Turner Motorsports’ entries have earned 13 top-five and 31 top-10 finishes. The organization has earned five pole awards with James Buescher earning three, and Ricky Carmichael and Steve Arpin capturing one each. Buescher is currently sitting third in the championship point standings, 28 markers out of the lead.

Happy 10-Year Anniversary, Great Clips… This season marks Great Clips’ 10-year anniversary as a primary sponsor in the NNS. The Minneapolis-based Great Clips, Inc., which is currently the longest-running primary sponsor in the series, came onto the scene in 2001 as a primary sponsor of Akins Motorsports No. 38 entry, then driven by Christian Elder.

Leffler on SIRIUS’ Morning Drive every Wednesday… Don’t forget to tune in to SIRIUS Radio’s “Morning Drive” with Mike Bagley and Pete Pistone every Wednesday at 10:30am to hear Leffler’s take on recent events in the Nationwide Series and what you can expect from the week’s upcoming race.

Jason Leffler - Photo Credit: John Harrelson / Getty Images for NASCAR

“I really only have one goal going into this weekend and that is taking this 38 team and Great Clips back into victory lane. It’s been an up and down season but I know we have it in us to go out there and get the win. I can’t say enough about this team! These are some of the hardest working guys in the garage and I couldn’t ask for a better team to have behind me. I also want to thank Great Clips for their years of support. It has been a privilege representing them both on and off the track for the last six years. They are an amazing company to work with and I have enjoyed working with not just the corporate staff in Minneapolis, but the thousands of Great Clips franchisees, managers and stylists around the country as well. I look forward to continuing my relationship with Great Clips with events like the Chili Bowl Nationals in January.”

Follow the No. 38 team on Twitter! Twitter.com/No38TurnerNNS

Follow Jason Leffler on Twitter! Twitter.com/JasonLeffler

Follow Turner Motorsports on Facebook! Facebook.com/TurnerMotorsports

- Turner Motorsports Press Release

No. 4 Monster Energy Chevrolet Silverado (Ricky Carmichael) - Photo Credit: Getty Images for NASCAR

Event / Date: Ford 200 – Nov. 18, 2011

Venue: Homestead-Miami Speedway – Homestead, Fla.

This Week’s Monster Energy Chevrolet Impala … Ricky Carmichael will pilot chassis TMS-021 from the Turner Motorsports (TMS) NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) stable in Friday night’s Ford 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Built new for 2011, this truck saw action most recently at Las Vegas Motor Speedway where, despite being collected in an early-race incident, Carmichael finished 12th. This truck also saw action this season at Charlotte Motor Speedway (St. 17, Fn. 12), Texas Motor Speedway in June (St. 9, Fn. 6), Kentucky Speedway in July (St. 14, Fn. 16), Michigan International Speedway (St. 7, Fn. 12) Chicagoland Speedway (St. 4, Fn.25) and Atlanta Motor Speedway (St. 1 Fn. 8).

Phoenix Facts … Carmichael participated in last weekend’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race where he and his Doug George-led Monster Energy Team turned in a gritty 15th-place performance in the WYPALL 200 Powered by Kimberly-Clark Professional at Phoenix International Raceway. It was Carmichael’s fourth and final NASCAR Nationwide Series start of 2011 but perhaps, his most determined. The ever-resolute competitor battled through miscues on pit road, handling issues and late-race contact with another racer to muster a respectable top-15 showing behind the wheel of the No. 34 Monster Energy Chevrolet Impala.

In a Nutshell … The 2011 season marks Carmichael’s second year competing on a full-time basis and third overall in the NCWTS. Since making his series debut 67 races ago, he has gone on to earn four top-five and 18 top-10 finishes. Over those same 67 races, the motocross legend has logged a 14.8 average start, a 16.9 average finish, led 40 laps, completed 90.3 percent of the laps run and earned just over of $862,000 in purse money. In Nationwide Series competition, he’s made eight starts spanning the last two years and logged a career-best ninth-place finish earlier this season at Road America.

2011 Totals … In 24 NCWTS races this season, Carmichael has notched one pole, one top-five and seven top-10 finishes. The 15-time AMA National Champion has led 39 laps this season, recorded a 16.3 average start and a 17.2 average finish. He has completed 3,254 of 3,719 total laps (87.5 percent) and finished on the lead lap 13 times.

Nationwide Notes … In 33 NASCAR Nationwide Series races in 2011, TMS-fielded teams have notched three wins, 21 top-five and 62 top-10 finishes. TMS’s No. 32 Dollar General team picked up one spot in owner’s points and now sits sixth after Ron Hornaday Jr., finished 13th last weekend at Phoenix International Raceway. Justin Allgaier, driver of the No. 31 Brandt Chevrolet, was ninth in the final rundown after Phoenix and maintained third in the driver point standings. While Jason Leffler was credited with 26th at Phoenix, the Long Beach, Calif., native still held on to sixth in points heading into the final race of the year.

RC Live … On Thursday, Nov. 17, Carmichael will appear at the NASCAR Championship Drive at Lummus Park located along Ocean Drive, between 7th and 9th Streets, in Miami Beach. The Clearwater Fla., native will be on hand from 5 p.m. – 6 p.m. for a question and answer session and to sign autographs for race fans.

Turner Truck Totals … In 23 NCWTS races in 2011, TMS entries have earned 13 top-five and 31 top-10 finishes. James Buescher leads the way with 19 top 10s and is third in points – 28 behind leader Austin Dillon. Buescher has only finished outside the top 10 four times in the 23 NCWTS races in which he has competed this season. Carmichael has logged one top five and seven top 10s and is 15th in the standings. Blake Feese finished fourth and Ryan Newman was fifth in Atlanta. Mark Martin finished seventh in the No. 32 machine at Pocono while Brad Sweet drove the same truck for the first eight races of the year, logging a pair of top-10 results.

Get to the Point(s) … Carmichael jumped from 16th to 15th in points following his eighth-place finish two weeks ago at Texas Motor Speedway. Buescher is third in the standings. While Feese has made just nine starts in 2011, he is 26th in points. The No. 32 machine is also assured a spot on Friday night’s starting grid by virtue of being 20th in the NCWTS owner point standings.

Welcome Aboard … Turner Motorsports and Monster Energy are pleased to feature CVS / pharmacy on the lower-rear quarter panels of the No. 4 entry this weekend in Homestead. CVS/pharmacy, the retail division of CVS Caremark Corporation, is America’s leading retail pharmacy with more than 7,200 CVS/pharmacy and Longs Drug stores. CVS/pharmacy is committed to improving the lives of those we serve by making innovative and high-quality health and pharmacy services safe, affordable and easy to access, both in its stores and online at CVS.com.

Up to Speed … Live coverage of the Ford 200 from Homestead-Miami Speedway will take the green flag Friday, Nov. 18 beginning at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The race will be televised live on SPEED and broadcast on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Qualifying for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series’ season-finale will be televised live on SPEED the same day at 4:30 p.m. EST.

Ricky Carmichael - Photo Credit: John Harrelson / Getty Images for NASCAR

After three years racing in the Camping World Truck Series, where do you think you are on the learning curve and have you met your expectations?

“I think I’m getting closer to where I need to be with my learning curve. I’m getting more comfortable when I get out on the race track so I can focus more on actually racing and getting the vehicle to where it’s handling better. As far as my own expectations go, there have been times where I’ve over-exceeded my expectations and times when I’ve under under-performed. I’m not a great guy to ask about judging myself. I think if you take everything into account and you know everything about my program, I’ve done pretty well, all things considered. I think I’ve done a pretty good job at holding my own against guys who have been racing on four wheels for a long time. I’m somewhat happy but, me being the competitive person that I am, I expect more and want more.”

What have been the biggest challenges?

“The biggest challenge I face every single week is my lack of experience when we don’t unload that fast and being able to explain what the vehicle is doing so I can give good feedback about what to change so we can get faster. I need to be better when it comes to taking some of the guesswork away from the crew chief. My lack of seat-time has hindered me a little bit when it comes to restarts closer to the end of races and knowing all the tricks of the trade. I think my lack of experience is pretty obvious when I’m racing guys like Hornaday (Ron Hornaday Jr.) and some of the other guys who have been doing this for years and years. That’s really when I get taken to school.”

Can you put 2011 into perspective?

“I expected to have a better season than we did. My goals at the beginning of the season were to be inside the top five in points and no worse than being in the top 10. I think, given the amount of experience I have, being inside the top five would have almost been the equivalent of winning the championship. It’s definitely been a let down from that perspective. At the same time, we made some strides as a team that shouldn’t be overlooked. We won the pole at Atlanta and ran up front all day at both restrictor-plate races. We also led some laps and that was a big deal for me, personally. I definitely feel like I’ve made some accomplishments this year but the point thing is definitely a letdown. I’m not one to make excuses so all I can do is put my best foot forward and work hard to be better next year.”

Follow Ricky Carmichael at:

Rickycarmichael.com

Twitter.com/RickyCarmichael

Facebook.com/RickyCarmichael

Facebook.com/TurnerMotorsports

Twitter.com/TurnerMotorspts

About Turner Motorsports:

Turner Motorsports, LLC, established in 1999, is in the midst of its sophomore season of NASCAR competition. Owned by Texas businessman Steve Turner, the organization has expanded in 2011 from a two-truck operation in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) to become the largest stand-alone multi-series team in NASCAR’s top-tier touring series. Turner Motorsports operates out of an 110,000 square-foot state-of-the art facility in Mooresville, N.C., and will compete with three entries in the Camping World Truck Series and four entries in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. The team boasts an all-star driver line-up that includes Kasey Kahne, Mark Martin, Jason Leffler, Brian Vickers, Justin Allgaier, Ricky Carmichael, James Buescher, Brad Sweet, Brandon McReynolds and Ron Hornaday Jr. The Chevrolet-backed team has created alliances with General Motors’ powerhouse teams Hendrick Motorsports, which will provide engine support for both its NNS and NCWTS programs, Kevin Harvick Inc. for body and aero support, and Earnhardt Technology Group for drive train and suspension technology assistance. Turner Motorsports’ marketing partners include Dollar General, Great Clips, Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Monster Energy, BRANDT, Rexall, Exide, AccuDoc Solutions, Wolfpack Rentals, Fraternal Order of Eagles and ABF Freight. For more information on Turner Motorsports, visit www.turnermotorsportsllc.com.

- Turner Motorsports Press Release

No. 31 Exide Batteries Chevrolet Silverado (Jame Buescher) - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCAR

Date Start Finish LC/TL Status $Won

11/14/2008 10 19 137/137 Running $14,685

11/20/2009 21 18 135/136 Running $14,805

11/19/2010 20 19 134/134 Running $11,150

Starts Poles Wins Top-Fives Top-10s LC/TL $Won

3 0 0 0 0 306/307 (99.6%) $40,640

No. 31 Exide Batteries Chevrolet News and Notes

• This Week’s Silverado… The No. 31 Exide Batteries team will bring chassis TMS-011 to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) 2011 season-finale at the 1.5-mile Homestead-Miami Speedway. TMS-011 has been the team’s mile-and-a-half work horse during the 2011 season. It has been utilized in seven NCWTS events, finishing inside the top-five five times and top-10 in all seven races.

• Get to the Point(s)… James Buescher and the No. 31 Exide Batteries team remains mathematically eligible to win the 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series title. The Turner Motorsports team is only 28 markers out of the championship point lead heading into the series finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

• Double Duty… James Buescher will do double-duty in South Florida this weekend. Not only will he compete in Friday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series finale, but the 21-year-old will also drive the No. 32 Dollar General Chevrolet Impala in Saturday’s Ford 300. This will be the Texas driver’s 11th NASCAR Nationwide Series start in 2011.

• Championship Drive… Buescher, along with the other NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship contenders will participate in Thursday’s Championship Drive event in Miami Beach. The trio will be on site for both a press conference and an autograph session. The event will feature all the drivers mathematically eligible for the championship title in NASCAR’s top three touring series.

• Follow Me… Visit www.twitter.com/jamesbuescher or www.facebook.com/jamesbuescherracing for the latest news and updates on James Buescher and the No. 31 Wolfpack Rentals team.

• Watch and Listen… The Ford 200 will be broadcast live on Friday, November 18th on SPEED. Race coverage will begin at 7:30 p.m. EST. The event can also be heard live on MRN Radio as well as Sirius Satellite Radio, channel 90.Check local listings for start times.

James Buescher, driver of the No. 31 Exide Batteries Chevrolet Silverado - Photo Credit: Tom Whitmore/Getty Images for NASCAR

“Homestead [Miami Speedway] is a great race track. It is unique because there are three different lines into the corner. At most mile-and-a-half tracks, the bottom is usually the fastest route, but at Homestead [Miami Speedway] you can run the middle or top and keep your truck wound up. The variable banking gives the driver an opportunity to search around and find a line that is fast. If our Exide Batteries Chevrolet is not working on the bottom, I can search around and see if the middle or top of the track is faster. We will run side-by-side all night long which is fun for both the drivers and the fans.

“The Exide Batteries team is going to Homestead-Miami Speedway with one goal, which is to win the race. We have had a great year and I can think of nothing better than to cap it off with a win. We know we have to get the most points we can in order to have a shot to win the championship. We have proven we never give up. Regardless of the outcome, I am so proud of all the guys at Turner Motorsports. We have proven to everyone in the garage we are a championship caliber team.”

- Turner Motorsports Press Release

James Buescher - Photo Credit: John Harrelson / Getty Images for NASCAR

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) notes… James Buescher is having a career-year in his full-time pursuit for the NCWTS championship. He has collected 10 top-five and 19 top-10 finishes in 23 starts, finishing outside the top-10 on only four occasions. He has captured two pole awards and led 208 laps. He is currently third in the championship point standings, 28 points behind leader Austin Dillon with one race left on the schedule.

Calling the shots… For his limited run in the Nationwide Series, Buescher will work with veteran crew chief Stewart Cooper. Cooper has worked with several drivers in 2011 including, Kasey Kahne, Ryan Newman, Boris Said and Ricky Carmichael.

Turner Motorsports: In the Hunt… In 32 Nationwide Series events in 2011, Turner Motorsports-prepared entries have notched three wins, 21 top-five and 61 top-10 finishes. Both of Turner Motorsports’ championship-contending drivers are inside the top-10 in the driver point standings with Justin Allgaier tied for third and Jason Leffler in sixth.

By the numbers – NNS… This weekend’s race at Phoenix International Raceway (PIR) will mark Buescher’s 10th NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) start of the 2011 season. In his previous nine starts he is credited with one top-five and three top-10 finishes. In 32 total series starts, he has claimed two pole awards, one top-five and five top-10 finishes.

This week’s Impala… The No. 30 Exide team will hit the track with chassis TMS-124 this weekend at PIR. This chassis last saw track action at Michigan International Speedway and Chicagoland Speedway.

James Buescher on heading to PIR

“It’s going to be great to get out on the ‘new’ Phoenix International Raceway. This will be the first time I’ve been on the track since it has been repaved, and I am excited to get out there and experience it. With all the changes to the track, we won’t be able to rely on notes from previous races. The extended practice day on Thursday will be very beneficial. We can perfect the handling on the car and I will have a chance to get seat time and get acclimated to the track. I’m excited to get more time in the Nationwide car this weekend, and I am looking forward to bringing home a strong finish in this Exide Batteries Chevrolet.”

Follow the No. 30 team on Twitter! Twitter.com/No30TurnerNNS

Follow James Buescher on Twitter! Twitter.com/JamesBuescher

Follow Turner Motorsports on Facebook! Facebook.com/TurnerMotorsports

- Turner Motorsports Press Release

Team Chevy Logo

DETROIT (November 4, 2011) –

“We’ve worked hard over the past several years to win as many races as we can,” said Harvick, driver of the No. 2 Hunt Brothers Pizza Silverado. “We’ve been fortunate to win some championships and have come up short on the manufacturers’ end of it.

“To be able to win the Owner’s Championship, win the race and win the Manufacturers’ Championship in the same night is pretty cool because Chevrolet has been a huge part of KHI (Kevin Harvick, Inc.) since the beginning. To go out and score a bunch of points this year and win the Owner’s Championship and the Manufacturers’ championship says a lot about everybody who’s involved and Chevrolet has been a huge part of providing the assets to make that happen.”

This is Chevrolet’s seventh NCWTS Manufacturers’ title since the Series’ inception in 1995 and occurs one day after Chevrolet celebrated its 100th anniversary.

“Chevrolet is very proud to win the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Manufacturers’ Championship,” said Jim Campbell, U.S. Vice President of Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “This is one of the many reasons why we have been involved in racing all of these years. Thank you to all of the Chevrolet Silverado drivers, team owners, crew members and engineers. This achievement is truly a result of great teamwork and the collective efforts of many talented people.

“On behalf of Chevrolet, I would like to congratulate Kevin and DeLana Harvick and the entire Kevin Harvick, Inc. team for clinching the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Owner’s Championship. It is a tremendous accomplishment for the organization and we are proud of our association with KHI.”

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series closes out its 2011 season at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18. Austin Dillon sits atop the standings, followed by fellow Silverado drivers Johnny Sauter (20 points behind the leader) and James Buescher (28 points behind Dillon).

Chevrolet drivers have won 10 NCWTS championships, with Ron Hornaday being the only four-time champion of the Series. Chevrolet’s first drivers’ championship was won by Mike Skinner in 1995.

Earlier this year, Chevrolet clinched the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Manufacturers’ Cup, its 35th, and ninth in a row (2003-11).

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 / General Motors Press Release

2011 NCWTS James Buescher Pole - Photo Credit:Chris Graythen/Getty Images

This was Buescher’s third series pole of the 2011 season, his third series career pole and his second series pole (sweeping both poles for 2011) at Texas Motor Speedway.

Starting second on the outside pole with a qualifying lap speed of 180.783 mph, will be Austin Dillon, followed by Blake Feese (180.554) starting third, Kyle Busch (180.451) fourth and Ricky Carmichael (180.421) will start fifth.

Rounding out the top-ten starting positions will be  Justin Lofton (180.192) starting from sixth, Sunoco Raybestos Rookie of the Year contender, Nelson Piquet, Jr. (180.162) seventh,  Ty Dillon (180.060) eighth,  Ron Hornaday, Jr. (180.000) ninth and Kevin Harvick (179.994) will start from the tenth position.

Failing to make the starting lineup were the #65 driven by Tim Andrews(i); #57 driven by Norm Benning and the #76 driven by Derek White.

The WinStar World Casino 350(k) is scheduled to get underway approximately around 8:20 PM (ET) Friday evening, and SPEED will begin their (pre-race) television coverage at 7:30 PM (ET).

2011 NCWTS WinStar World Casino 350k Starting Lineup

(i) Ineligible for Points in the Standings
# Denotes Rookie
* Required to Qualify on Time

James Buescher, driver of the No. 31 Exide Batteries Chevrolet Silverado - Photo Credit: Tom Whitmore/Getty Images for NASCAR

Second fastest with a lap speed of 180.548 mph, was Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender, Nelson Piquet, Jr., followed by Matt Crafton (180.301) who was third fastest and the Dillon brothers, Ty Dillon  (180.126) and Austin Dillon (179.976) who were fourth and fifth fastest respectively.

Rounding out the top-ten fastest during “Happy Hour” were Ron Hornaday, Jr. (179.940) who was sixth fastest, Sunoco Rookie contender, Joey Coulter (179.700) seventh, Kevin Harvick (179.557) eighth, Johnny Sauter (179.497) ninth and Kyle Busch (179.485) posting the tenth fastest lap speed.

The teams will return this evening for their 8:10 PM (ET) scheduled qualifying session to determine the starting lineup for Friday night’s race, with SPEED beginning their (pre-race) television coverage at 7:30 PM (ET).

2011 NCWTS WinStar World Casino 350k Final Practice Session Speeds

(i) Ineligible for Points in this Series
# Denotes Rookie
* Required to Qualify on Time

No. 38 Great Clips Chevrolet Impala - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCAR

Where it all began… Turner Motorsports calls Texas Motor Speedway (TMS) their home track, winning their first championship at the track with Steve Turner’s youngest daughter, Kris, driving a Bandolero in 2004. The organization was headquartered in Hallettsville, Texas until making the move into NASCAR and to Mooresville, N.C. in 2009.Testing the NASCAR waters in 2009, the organization made their NCWTS debut at their home track. In 2010, the team went full time NCWTS racing, fielding entries for Ricky Carmichael and Buescher. In late 2010, the organization made the announcement from the TMS media center that they had acquired Braun Racing and would run three NCWTS and four NNS entries in 2011. That same weekend, Buescher grabbed Turner Motorsports’ first-ever pole award.

In one year, Turner Motorsports has collected four poles, 12 top-five and 29 top-10 finishes in the NCWTS and notched three wins, 21 top-five and 60 top-10 finishes in Nationwide Series competition. Buescher is currently second in the NCWTS points battle, while Justin Allgaier and Jason Leffler are fifth and sixth, respectively, in the NNS point standings.

Texas Motor Speedway: by the numbers… In 14 starts at the Ft. Worth-based track, Leffler has one top-five and five top-10 finishes. He is credited with one pole award and five laps led. He has an average starting spot of 15.8 and an average finishing position of 14.0.

This week’s No. 38 Impala… The Great Clips team will unload chassis TMS-127 this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. This is the team’s “go-to” chassis as it has more seen more track time than any other car in rotation. Leffler has driven TMS-127 at Kentucky Speedway (13th), Michigan Int’l Speedway (10th), Dover Int’l Speedway (11th), Charlotte Motor Speedway (21st) and Darlington Raceway (9th), Atlanta Motor Speedway (9th), Chicagoland Speedway (12th), Kansas Speedway (13th) and in the series’ last event at Charlotte (11th).

Happy 10-Year Anniversary, Great Clips… This season marks Great Clips’ 10-year anniversary as a primary sponsor in the NNS. The Minneapolis-based Great Clips, Inc., which is currently the longest-running primary sponsor in the series, came onto the scene in 2001 as a primary sponsor of Akins Motorsports No. 38 entry, then driven by Christian Elder.

Leffler on SIRIUS’ Morning Drive every Wednesday… Don’t forget to tune in to SIRIUS Radio’s “Morning Drive” with Mike Bagley and Pete Pistone every Wednesday at 10:30am to hear Leffler’s take on recent events in the Nationwide Series and what you can expect from the week’s upcoming race.

Jason Leffler - Photo Credit: John Harrelson / Getty Images for NASCAR

“Texas is a really fun track to race! It’s fast and slick with a wide racing surface. You can pretty much run anywhere on the track you want to based on how your car is handling. Turn two is the trouble spot there. The banking holds you really good and then, at the last second, the banking falls off. If you aren’t careful you can get caught out there and pick up a bad push at the very end or, if you’re pushing before that, it can snap you loose. It definitely has its own unique characteristics but it is a great track and the racing is always really good. Since this is the Turner family’s home track we all really want to win. It’s really important to put on a good show for the Turner Motorsports hometown fans and get this Great Clips Chevrolet back into victory lane!”

- Turner Motorsports Press Release

No. 31 BRANDT Chevrolet Impala (Justin Allgaier) - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCAR

Texas by the Numbers… The 25-year-old BRANDT Chevy driver has six NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) starts at Texas Motor Speedway. He is credited with two top-10 finishes, with a best finish of sixth coming in April of this year. He has an average start of 15.0 and an average finish of 14.3.

NNS Points So Far… Allgaier sits in fourth-place in the NNS point standings after the series’ last race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, just four points out of third and 91 markers out of the lead.

This Week’s Impala… The No. 31 BRANDT team will hit the track with chassis TMS-308 this Saturday afternoon at Texas. This chassis last saw track action three weeks ago under the lights at Charlotte Motor Speedway where Allgaier started 10th and brought home a seventh-place finish. This chassis was run earlier this season at Atlanta Motor Speedway where Allgaier came home sixth and Nashville Superspeedway where he finished in the fourth spot.

The 31 After 31 Events… With three events left on the 2011 NNS schedule, Allgaier has accumulated some impressive stats. He has logged top-10 finishes in over 50% of the races this year and nabbed his second-career win. He is credited with six top-five and 16 top-10 finishes this season.

A Busy Off Week For Allgaier… Off weeks usually mean time to relax and spend time at home, but this wasn’t the case for Allgaier and wife Ashley. The duo flew to Mexico to take part in a mission with Back-to-Back Missions, where they assisted in building an orphanage as well as provided food to local families. Following the trip, Allgaier tweeted, “What an AMAZING trip. There are no words to describe what we saw. Really grateful for what we have everyday.”

Where it all began… Turner Motorsports calls TMS their home track, winning their first championship at the track with Steve Turner’s youngest daughter, Kris, driving a Bandolero in 2004. The organization was headquartered in Hallettsville, Texas until making the move into NASCAR and to Mooresville, N.C. in 2009.Testing the NASCAR waters in 2009, the organization made their NCWTS debut at their home track. In 2010, the team went full time NCWTS racing, fielding entries for Ricky Carmichael and Buescher. In late 2010, the organization made the announcement from the TMS media center that they had acquired Braun Racing and would run three NCWTS and four NNS entries in 2011. That same weekend, Buescher grabbed Turner Motorsports’ first-ever pole award.

In one year, Turner Motorsports has collected four poles, 12 top-five and 29 top-10 finishes in the NCWTS and notched three wins, 21 top-five and 60 top-10 finishes in Nationwide Series competition. Buescher is currently second in the NCWTS points battle, while Justin Allgaier and Jason Leffler are fourth and sixth, respectively, in the NNS point standings.

Justin Allgaier - Photo Credit: John Harrelson / Getty Images for NASCAR

“Texas may look like your regular mile-and-a-half, but it’s actually pretty tricky, especially with a lot of bumps in turns one and two. It provides multi-grooved racing and you have to go hard every lap or you’ll lose track position. We had a strong finish there in the spring and found new things that worked for us, so we’re heading into this weekend looking to better our sixth-place finish in hopes to get to shoot the pistols in victory lane.”

Follow the No. 31 team on Twitter! Twitter.com/No31TurnerNNS

Follow Justin Allgaier on Twitter! Twitter.com/J_Allgaier

Follow Turner Motorsports on Facebook! Facebook.com/TurnerMotorsports

- Turner Motorsports Press Release