The local law enforcement officer spent two days this past fall in NASCAR country and is getting a chance to chase his dream of becoming a professional NASCAR driver.

On Sept. 26, Johnson spent two days testing an ARCA car at the historic Hickory Motor Speedway where the likes of Richard Petty, Junior Johnson and Ned Jarrett once raced. This opportunity was given to him by Chris Lafferty, owner of Lafferty Motorsports. Lafferty Motorsports is well-known in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and ARCA Racing Series and also has ties to late model and street stock divisions.

As a kid, Johnson always wanted to get into stock car racing and one day race in NASCAR. He raced in motocross for several years and loved competing with the other riders, but wanted to go elsewhere with his racing career. His passion has always been in NASCAR with hopes of one day racing in the Sprint Cup Series. But with stock car racing being such an expensive sport, he never thought that dream would become a reality. That is until he met with Lafferty.

On the first day at Hickory, Lafferty familiarized Johnson with the track and discussed his expectations of consistency, drive, dedication and a positive attitude. Johnson soon began running laps around the historic speedway.

- Gaston Gazette

Michael Lia Racing (MLR) Logo

Under the leadership of Motorsports veteran Travis Sharpe of Racing Dynamiks, the duo mutually agreed to step up the ante to compete at Franklin County (Va.) Speedway, known for its aggressive no holds barred racing. Quickly finding his niche at the intimidating racetrack, a series of strong efforts would lead up to a flawless night on September 10 when Lia in his No. 47 Chevrolet Impala led flag-to-flag and captured his first checkered flag, sending the Aussie to victory lane for the first time in his career in the United States

“That night meant so much to me,” Lia recalled. “From my team, Travis (Sharpe), my wife (Hayley) and all of our supporters, who continued to stand behind us, we were able to deliver them an exceptional performance and it was something that we will not forget for many, many years to come.”

Not only did celebration erupt from pit road, but also from the grandstands as local followers and die-hard race fans praised Lia’s performance that night with a thunderous applause. It was evident that Lia was quickly and still is building a fan base.

Michael Lia

With his 2011 racing season wrapped-up, Lia and his team have been hard at it, pounding the pavement in both Australia and the United States looking to enhance Lia’s presence on the track in 2012.

In addition to returning to Franklin County (Va.) Speedway on a limited basis, Racing Dynamiks along with Lia would like to propel themselves into the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, a development stock car series for NASCAR. Additional intents next year include a few NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) contests towards the end of their 22-race campaign.

“A lot of 2012 is sponsorship dependent,” explained Lia, who plans to make the full-time move to the United States early next year. “The good thing is that we have a lot in the bowl with companies in both Australia and the United States. It just takes time for everything to come together, we’re optimistic – but dedicated, so we’re not going to stop until we make something happen.”

He added, “I believe, I would be the first Australian to compete full-time in the ARCA Racing Series, if everything materializes. I think we’ll have a good team foundation that should enable for us to contend for Rookie of the Year honors.”

Additionally, Michael Lia Racing (MLR) recently aligned themselves with Knight Motorsports Management (KMM) who has leaped aboard in a consultant role in trying to make Lia’s future in racing a successful one.

For more on Michael Lia and marketing partnership opportunities for 2012, please visit michaeliaracing.com.

- Michael Lia Racing Press Release

Wheaties Fuel Most Popular Driver

The annual award is granted to the driver who earns the most fan votes over the course of the NASCAR season. Petty earned the award nine times (1962, 1964, 1968, 1970, 1974-78), Allison six times (1971-73, 1981-83), Pearson twice (1979-80), Johnson once (1959) and Earnhardt once, in the year of his death (2001).

“That’s really the bottom line for any driver,” Allison once said of the Most Popular Driver honor. “To go out there and to do well, that’s the first urge. But to be appreciated by the fans and to really get that great feeling – that happiness that you get to share with the fans – is really the benefit of all the effort that you put out.”

In current-day voting, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is on an eight-year run in winning the Most Popular Driver award. The 2011 campaign kicked off in February, allowing fans to vote once a day for their favorite NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver at www.WheatiesFuelMostPopularDriver.com.

Following the race event at Richmond International Raceway, voting for the full field of 36 eligible drivers will end on September 10 at 11:59 PM CT. At that point, the 10 drivers with the most votes will be announced as finalists and the vote count will reset to zero. Fans will then have 10 race weeks to cast their vote once a day to determine the 2011 NASCAR Wheaties FUEL Most Popular Driver winner from the final field of 10 drivers. Voting will conclude November 20 at 11:59 PM CT. The winner will be announced at the NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Luncheon in December.

By Champions. For Champions. Wheaties FUEL was developed in 2009 with the help of Peyton Manning, triathlete Hunter Kemper, Kevin Garnett, gold medal-winning decathlete Bryan Clay, Albert Pujols and sports nutritionist Dr. John Ivy. After a year-long development process, the result is a delicious honey cinnamon crunch that helps meet the nutritional needs of today’s champion athletes and delivers long-lasting energy from complex carbohydrates, B vitamins to help your body release energy provided by food, and provides an excellent source of fiber to help you feel full.

For more information and to vote on the NASCAR NMPA Wheaties FUEL Most Popular Driver Award, fans should log on to www.WheatiesFuelMostPopularDriver.com.

- Breaking Limits Marketing for General Mills, Press Release

ROCKINGHAM, N.C. (May 11, 2011) – When the green flag waves for the Carolina 200 at Rockingham Speedway on Saturday afternoon, a multitude of up-and-coming drivers will take to the high banks of this one-mile race track, each hoping to etch their name into the famous “Winners’ Rock” which sits outside the track office.

Rockingham Speedway is set to play host to the UARA Late Model and USAR Pro Cup series and there are a few drivers in each category with a unique storyline or two. Practice sessions begin on May 12th and general admission to the grandstands is free on Thursday. Friday, May 13th is pole qualifying day for both series and fans will be admitted to the grandstands for a $5 fee. The Carolina 200 gets underway Saturday at high noon, with the UARA Late Models rolling off the starting grid for a 75-lap race, immediately followed by the USAR Pro Cup race, which runs 150-laps. Tickets are $20 in advance and $30 on race day.

The UARA Late Models will be competing in their fourth out of 16 total events for the 2011 season. The series will make a return to Rockingham Speedway on November 5th for their season finale. Brennan Poole holds the points lead in the series after three races with two victories and one second place finish. Poole will likely be a threat again as he sat on the pole for Rockingham Speedway’s American 200 last fall and placed third in the final rundown. Other notable names competing in the UARA event include Kyle Grissom, son of former NASCAR star, Steve Grissom. Steve made nine starts at Rockingham Speedway and won a Busch Series event in October of 1990, besting a venerable second place finisher that day—the late Dale Earnhardt, Sr. Robert Johnson, son of the legendary Junior Johnson, will also be looking for the checkered flag after finishing fifth in the final UARA standings last year. Robert’s father’s NASCAR teams won 13 races at Rockingham Speedway and three pole positions.

The USAR Pro Cup series comes to Rockingham Speedway for their fourth race of the year as well. And, like the UARA series, they will also hold their season finale at the Rock on November 5th of this year. The big news of the week in this class was the entry of Chase Elliott into the field, son of NASCAR Champion, Bill Elliott. There already seems to be much parity in the USAR series this year, with three different winners in the first three races. Competitors Brad Rogers, Caleb Holman and J.P. Morgan each have one win and one pole position heading into this weekend’s race.

To order advance tickets for the Carolina 200 presented by Black’s Tire and Auto Service, contact the Rockingham Speedway ticket office at (910) 205-8800 or visit the track’s official website at: www.rockinghamracewaypark.com.

- Walker Marketing, Inc. Press Release

NASCAR Hall of Fame

In addition to four floors of exhibits and interactive games, the venue also will offer multiple days of guest appearances, special exhibits, Induction activities and extended hours for the thousands of race fans in town for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

“May is a signature month for us,” said Winston Kelley, executive director of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. “Induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame is a life-changing moment for the legends of our sport and that includes multiple days of special events to get everyone excited for the ceremony. The Inductee Fan Day will be particularly special. Everyone at the Hall on May 22 will get to visit with Richard Petty, Junior Johnson, David Pearson, Bud Moore, Bobby Allison and Ned Jarrett. When I was a child, that would have been a dream come true, and I still pinch myself today having the opportunity to work with these NASCAR legends and sports icons.”

For visitors wanting to attend multiple activities, a NASCAR Hall of Fame membership is the best value. Unlimited admission for one year starts at $25 for children or $50 for adults. One-day general admission tickets are $12.95 for children and $19.95 for adults. Discounts are available for military and seniors.

In addition to the special events, the NASCAR Hall of Fame operating schedule will be extended on select days in May:
May 1-15 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
May 16-20 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
May 21-22 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
May 23-25 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
May 26-27 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
May 28-31 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.

May Special Events:

Wednesday, May 11 First Birthday Celebration – Great Hall
10 a.m. Executive Remarks; 10:15 a.m. Cake Served to Metro School students
10 a.m. – 6 p.m. $5.11 admission; $1 goes to American Red Cross

Monday, May 16 NASCAR Performance Taping – Great Hall
Approx. 2-5 p.m. See Chad Knaus, Larry McReynolds, Bootie Barker and a chance to be on SPEED
Free with NASCAR Hall of Fame general admission or membership

Wednesday, May 18 Induction Dinner  – Crown Ballroom
6 p.m. reception; 7 p.m. dinner featuring the 2011 Inductees
$500 per person; Table packages also available – Tickets sales end May 13

Wednesday, May 18 NASCAR Rev’d Up – Outdoor Plaza
4 p.m. festival begins; 7:15 p.m. Josh Kelley performs; 8:45 p.m. Gary Allan performs
Concert is free to the general public

Thursday, May 19 Bobby Labonte Appearance – Great Hall
11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Q&A and autograph session with 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup Champion Bobby Labonte
Free with NASCAR Hall of Fame general admission or membership

Sunday, May 22 Inductee Fan Day  – NASCAR Hall of Fame
10-10:45 a.m. 2010 Class Q&A featuring Junior Johnson & Richard Petty
11 a.m. – Noon Junior Johnson autograph session for NASCAR Hall of Fame Members*
11-1 p.m. Legends Member Reception featuring the 2011 Class and Junior Johnson, Reservation Required
12:30 – 1:30 p.m. 2011 Class Q&A featuring Bobby Allison, Ned Jarrett, Bud Moore, David Pearson and Maurice Petty, representing Lee Petty
1:30 – 2:30 p.m. 2011 Class autograph session for NASCAR Hall of Fame Members*
*guests can upgrade to a membership on site for as little as $30 for adults and $12 for children

Monday, May 23 2011 Induction Ceremony – Crown Ballroom
5:30 p.m. doors open; 7 p.m. Ceremony begins (Televised on SPEED at 8 p.m. EDT)
Tickets will remain on sale through the day of the event.

Monday, May 23 NASCAR Now Live Show – Great Hall
5-6 p.m. Watch a live edition of ESPN’s NASCAR Now with Allen Bestwick, Marty Smith, Dale Jarrett and special guests.
Free with NASCAR Hall of Fame general admission or membership

Tuesday, May 24 2011 Inductee Exhibit Opens  – Hall of Honor
9:30 a.m. VIP First Look (reservation required); 10 a.m. Exhibit opens to general public
Free with NASCAR Hall of Fame general admission or membership

Wednesday, May 25 Stars of Tomorrow Appearance – Great Hall
10 a.m. – Noon Q&A and autograph session with drivers from the NASCAR Nationwide Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and NASCAR Touring Series
Free with NASCAR Hall of Game general admission or membership

Thursday, May 26 Coca-Cola Main Stage  – Food Lion Speed Street/Outdoor Plaza Noon Festival Opens; 9 p.m. Rose Royce; 9:45 p.m. Midnight Star
Free to general public

Friday, May 27 Coca-Cola Main Stage – Food Lion Speed Street/Outdoor Plaza Noon Festival Opens; 9:30 p.m. Josh Turner
Free to general public

Saturday, May 28 Coca-Cola Main Stage – Food Lion Speed Street/Outdoor Plaza Noon Festival Opens; 7:15 p.m. Joey Logano, Tony Stewart, Ryan Newman, Jeff Burton; 8:15 p.m. Starship; 9:45 p.m. Eddie Money
Free to general public

About NASCAR Hall of Fame

Conveniently located in uptown Charlotte, N.C., the 150,000-square-foot NASCAR Hall of Fame is an interactive, entertainment attraction honoring the history and heritage of NASCAR. It was the second highest attended sports hall of fame in American its opening year. The high-tech venue, designed to educate and entertain race fans and non-fans alike, opened May 11, 2010 and includes artifacts, interactive exhibits, 278-person state-of-the-art theater, Hall of Honor, Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant, NASCAR Hall of Fame Gear Shop and NASCAR Media Group-operated broadcast studio. The venue is open 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. seven days a week and has an attached parking garage on Brevard Street. The five-acre site also includes a privately developed 19-story office tower and 102,000-square-foot expansion to the Charlotte Convention Center, highlighted by a 40,000 square-foot ballroom. The NASCAR Hall of Fame is owned by the City of Charlotte, licensed by NASCAR and operated by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority. www.NASCARHall.com.

- NASCAR, Press Release

NASCAR K&N Pro Series

No less than eight drivers with family ties to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series are expected to participate in the K&N Pro Series at some point in the coming season. Two have Hall of Fame lineage, one has seen his famous father hoist the Sprint Cup and another is the son of a multi-time NASCAR Nationwide Series champion.

The first sign of such a movement came late in the 2010 season when Ben Kennedy participated in the K&N Pro Series East event at Gresham Motorsports Park under the Mark Martin Performance banner. While a mechanical issue ended the night early for the son of NASCAR Vice Chairwoman and Executive Vice President Lesa France Kennedy – and the great grandson of NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. – the writing was on the wall that was a test run for a full campaign in 2011.

A similar litmus test was made by Chad Boat, son of former Indy racer Billy Boat, when he participated in the fall race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The indication again was that this was setting the stage for a full season when the calendar turned, and indeed he will compete in a car fielded by Mike Curb.

NASCAR Hall of Famer Junior Johnson then founded Junior Johnson Motorsports late in 2010 to field a car for his son, Robert Johnson, for the full 2011 K&N Pro Series East season. Since the calendar turned, however, the flood gates have opened for the sons racing families that are now turning to NASCAR’s top developmental series to take the next step.

Chase Elliott will be the first driver to take advantage of the lowering of the minimum competition age to 15 for 2011. The son of 1984 Sprint Cup Series Champion Bill Elliott signed a multi-year deal with Hendrick Motorsports and will now compete full-time – a year ahead of schedule – out of the family garage in Dawsonville, Ga.

The K&N Pro Series East will also see a handful of legacy drivers get their toes wet on a part-time basis this year. Ryan Blaney, the son of current Sprint Cup Series driver Dave Blaney, plans to make spot starts in a family-owned ride while longtime national series driver Robert Pressley’s son, Coleman Pressley, will compete in a number of events with the newly-formed X Team Racing. Announced just this week, Brandon McReynolds, son of former Sprint Cup Series crew chief and current NASCAR on Fox analyst Larry McReynolds, will run with longtime K&N Pro Series East team Spraker Racing Enterprises. And Clay Alexander, the son of 1983 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national champion and former national series driver Mike Alexander, also hopes to make his debut in the series this year.

Not to be forgotten is a pair of drivers who also watched their fathers compete at the touring level. Ryan Reed, the son of former K&N Pro Series West competitor Mark Reed, has moved his operation from California to North Carolina in the offseason and plans to compete part-time in the K&N Pro Series East while ASA Late Model driver Yale Conley hopes to see his son, Cale, get some action in the K&N Pro Series East in 2011.

This group of racing sons just adds to those of a similar background that have already been running in the K&N Pro Series East. Two-time Nationwide Series titlist Randy LaJoie’s son, Corey LaJoie, has made seven starts in the series in the two previous season and plans to run for the championship in 2011. D.J. Shaw, the son of longtime K&N Pro Series East driver and 1994 champion Dale Shaw, will also be back for his sophomore campaign and expect to see Ty Dillon, son of former Nationwide Series driver Mike Dillon and grandson of Sprint Cup Series car owner Richard Childress, also return for a few spot starts.

As the 2011 schedule opens at Greenville (S.C.) Pickens Speedway on Saturday, March 26 with the Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150, this group of racing offspring will just be a portion of the new faces that will take to the track as three-quarters of the starting grid figures to be rookies or second-year drivers.

And evidenced by the national series success of recent graduates Joey Logano, Trevor Bayne, Ricky Carmichael, Austin Dillon and now Cole Whitt, the K&N Pro Series East has become the destination for the best up-and-coming prospects to launch their NASCAR careers, and the destination for fans to get a glimpse of the starts of tomorrow.

- Integrated Marketing Communications Press Release

Charlotte Motor Speedway

The event will take place March 12 at 6 p.m., following the Charlotte SpeedFest event at Charlotte Motor Speedway, which runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

NASCAR Hall of Fame inductees scheduled to appear at The Speedway Club include Bobby Allison, Ned Jarrett, Junior Johnson, Bud Moore, David Pearson and Richard Petty.

“I’m looking forward to the fun of being with my fellow inductees again and staying connected to the fans,” said Johnson about the Hall of Fame Night event.

From 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. attendees can enjoy a cocktail hour and meet and greet with the racing legends, followed by dinner at 7:30 p.m. A “tire-side chat” Q&A session, hosted by Performance Racing Network President Doug Rice, will start at 8:30 p.m.

Individual tickets are $150 and corporate tables are also available. Each ticket includes a three-course dinner from the award-winning chefs at The Speedway Club and a special commemorative gift.

The deadline to RSVP for the Hall of Fame Night is March 4. For reservations, contact The Speedway Club at (704) 455-3252.

Tickets for all Spring Season of Speed events at Charlotte Motor Speedway are on sale now. Frontstretch tickets with the best views of pit road and the world’s largest HD video board, coming to the speedway in May, start at just $49 for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race or two for just $99 to the Coca-Cola 600. For more information, call the speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS (3267) or go online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com.

Connect with Charlotte Motor Speedway on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CLTMotorSpdwy or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/charlottemotorspeedway.

- Charlotte Motor Speedway, Press Release

Historic North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway

NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. (Feb. 2, 2011) –

The Hendersonville, N.C.-based circuit which has Coleman Pressley, son of former NASCAR driver Robert Pressley, as its defending champion, and Robert Johnson, son of NASCAR legend Junior Johnson, as its 2010 top rookie, will race in Wilkes County on June 18. The UARA’s inaugural appearance at North Wilkesboro will be during 鼎rash and Bashweekend. UARA replaces the USAR Pro Cup event that was tentatively planned for that date.

“While it still has to be determined how many laps we will race due to tire testing that must be completed, we know the priority is putting on the absolute best event we can for the fans,UARA President Kerry Bodenhamer said. 的 have worked very hard with Bosco (Lowe), Alton (McBride Jr.) and the Speedway Associates Inc. team to get this date on the calendar. I am very excited to bring UARA to the famous speedway in North Wilkesboro, N.C.”

SAI President McBride said that in addition to the UARA race on June 18 the 鼎rash and Bashweekend would include a demolition derby for full-size and compact cars, a chain race, and a camper-trailer race. Event details, including rules and prize money, will be available on the track’s Web site beginning Feb. 7.

“We have been very fortunate over the last year to be recognized for our commitment to putting on history-making and fun events for the fans,McBride said. 典he wonderful events at HNWS are a reality due to all the great fans, competitors, sponsors and the SAI/HNWS team in every department and on every level. The June 18 event will prove to be another first-class, affordable weekend to make the 2011 HNWS history books.”

Campers may arrive on Friday of race weekend after noon. Tickets for the event will go on sale Feb. 7 at 9 a.m. at the speedway’s ticket office and online at www.historicnws.com.

Historic North Wilkesboro Speedway 2011 Schedule

April 7-9 PASS North Wilkesboro 300; Tour-type Stadium Modifieds

May 13-14 Southern Truck & Tractor Pullers Association

June 18 UARA; Crash and Bash Weekend (Demolition Derby, Chain Race, Camper-Trailer).

July 23 USAC Silver Crown; MOPAR National Midget series

Sept. 2-3 2nd annual Labor Day Classic PASS 200

Sept. 17 Back to Basics Historic Race Weekend

Sept. 24 Wilkes County Cruisers Car Show and Swap Meet

Oct. 2 2nd annual Triple Header Weekend

Oct. 28-29 2nd annual Short Track Shootout

Nov. 12 Chump Car 8-Hour Enduro

Junior Johnson wins at North Wilkesboro Speedway in 1965 marking his 50th career checkered flag and Ford Racing’s 200th

As a youngster running moonshine through the winding roads of Wilkes County in North Carolina, Johnson knew a thing or two about driving fast.  And when he brought those skills to NASCAR there was one place and one place only that mattered more than any other.

“It’s my home territory.  I grew up around here,” said Johnson recently.  “The speedway was a big part of me getting into racing because with hauling moonshine like I was doing back in those days, hearing people talk about this guy outrunning that guy, I felt like I had cars that were better and faster than anybody and I sure didn’t give in to anybody being a better driver than I was, so North Wilkesboro Speedway is basically a race car drivers’ dream for me.”

The race track opened in 1947 and hosted races for 50 years before closing after the property was sold to Bob Bahre and Bruton Smith in 1996.  The facility re-opened last year to host some touring series events and is schedule for more races in 2011.

“I saw that track go through all the changes from start to finish.  In fact, as they were building the thing and it kind of took shape, when they quit working in the daytime with the grating equipment, a lot of us bootleggers would slip in there and run on it until they ran us off,” recalled Johnson.  “They finally started putting the bulldozers across it after they would leave so we couldn’t go up there and run on it, but North Wilkesboro Speedway was one of a kind.  It kind of set the example for a lot of other race tracks because I could go to North Wilkesboro Speedway to set my car up and run 12 other race tracks that the combination worked on.  It was a dream for me because I could set my car up for Martinsville, Richmond, Darlington – all of those kind of race tracks – and I’d go to those race tracks already set up while others had to set up for that track.  I could do it just by going to North Wilkesboro, so it was a great deal for me.”

Johnson ended up winning four times at the speedway, which was known for a quirky feature of having the backstretch run uphill and the frontstretch downhill, but it was the last of those that became the most memorable.  The date was Oct. 3, 1965.  Johnson had just come off a win at Martinsville the week before, which was his 12^th of the season, but put more emphasis on winning at his home track because of a decision he had made leading up to that event.

“I pretty much made up my mind that I was gonna quit after that season and I wanted to win that race more than any other race,” said Johnson.  “I put a lot of effort into going up there and practicing and working on my car and changing the setup.  I built A-frames and all kind of suspension parts to make sure that I had the best car that was there.  I knew that was gonna be my last race.  It was my hometown and I just didn’t want to get beat there.”

He didn’t.

Johnson was one of only three race leaders on the day.  Fred Lorenzen led 190 laps before blowing an engine on Lap 219 and Cale Yarborough held the top spot for six laps, but Johnson led the other 204 en route to a two-lap victory, which was the 50^th of his NASCAR Sprint Cup Hall of Fame career and 200^th in the series for Ford Racing.

“It was an emotional thing for me to defend my territory,” said Johnson, who took home $4,675 for winning that day.  “It was really rewarding to know that I could outsmart everybody and outdrive them at that place.”

Johnson, who ranks tied for sixth with Lorenzen on the all-time Ford win list with 26, finished the 1965 season winning 13 times, and even though he drove in seven races the following season, he eventually turned his attention to becoming an owner.

“Racing was never really exciting for me.  It was something that I could do and I felt like I could do it better than anybody because I’d been in it on the highways.  It didn’t excite me like it did other people and it was getting to be where I wanted to go into some sort of business,” said Johnson.  “I was working with Holly Farms and had a poultry company of my own, and I just wanted to get off and get away from it, basically.  But I ended up getting more involved when I got out of the driving side of it and into the owner’s side of it. I’ve stayed in it forever, almost.

“I got into that side of it and the more I did, the more intriguing it was as far as putting my wits against other people.  That’s what kept me in it so long, and then I got to where I loved to try and outsmart, outwork and beat everybody that was out there.  I always got a good feeling about going to the race track and saying, ‘I got you.’”

Johnson went on to win six championships as a car owner, including three consecutive with Yarborough behind the wheel from 1976-78, and was a member of the inaugural class inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame last year.

FORD FUN FACT:

There are five families who have had multiple members win a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race driving a Ford.

Ned and Dale Jarrett

Bobby, Donnie and Davey Allison

John and Mario Andretti

Richard and Kyle Petty

Buck and Buddy Baker

- PCGCampbell for Ford Racing, Press Release

Georgia Boot

BACK-TO-BACK TEXAS TWO STEP: Ron Hornaday is one of three Truck Series drivers to win back-to-back races at Texas Motor Speedway. Hornaday swept the year in Texas in 2008, winning both the spring and fall events. Hornaday has only won back-to-back races at four venues on the current Truck Series schedule: Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway (1997 and 1998), O’Reilly (Ind.) Raceway Park (2009 and 2010), New Hampshire Motor Speedway (2007 and 2008) and the 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway (2008 Spring and Fall races).

CREEPING UP ON A MILESTONE: Following his last weekend’s win at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway two weeks ago, Hornaday now has 47 career Truck Series wins. Should Hornaday collect three more wins, he would join an elite group of drivers who have accumulated 50 wins in their racing careers. No driver in the Truck or Nationwide Series has yet to collect 50 career victories, and only 12 drivers in the Cup series drivers (Richard Petty, David Pearson, Bobby Allison, Darrell Waltrip, Cale Yarborough, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, Rusty Wallace, Lee Petty, Jimmie Johnson, Ned Jarrett and Junior Johnson) can claim this feat.

DIVERSE DRIVER: Hornaday has now won at over 30 different race tracks in his Truck Series career. He has a diverse résumé of wins at short tracks, intermediate tracks and superspeedways.

MOVE TO THE HEAD OF THE CLASS: Hornaday has led more laps than any other driver at Texas Motor Speedway in the last 11 races. He has led 474 of 1750 laps completed.

CAVENDARS CHOSE TO RUN WITH A LEGEND IN TEXAS: The Run with the Legend contest continues as Hornaday makes an appearance at Cavenders in Arlington, Texas on November 3rd. Hornaday will be on site from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. CT, to sign autographs and will present lucky fans from each of the eight Dallas / Ft. Worth Cavender’s locations with two VIP Tickets (includes Pit tour and hospitality tent access), Georgia Boot Racing apparel and a die-cast of the No. 33 Georgia Boot Racing Truck.

Notes from the Professor: Quotes from Ron Hornaday:

AFTER RACING ON A SHORT TRACK AND A SUPERSPEEDWAY, ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO HEADING BACK TO A 1.5-MILE TRACK?

“I love Texas. We were really dominant there in 2008. We have a great package for that track and I am really comfortable with the line I run there. It is very similar to Charlotte for me. I like the fact that there are multiple grooves that you can lean on if your truck is not exactly right. I love racing in general so what type of track we go to really doesn’t matter to me I look forward to every race in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. I’m a little sad to see this year draw to and end, but I’m really looking forward to gaining in the off season and making another run at the championship in 2011.”

CHASSIS HISTORY: The No. 33 Georgia Boot team will take chassis No. 044 to Texas Motor Speedway. The last time chassis No. 044 competed with Hornaday behind the wheel was in June at Michigan International Speedway where Hornaday recorded his career best finish of fourth at the 2.0-mile venue. Shelby Howard was the last driver to pilot this chassis utilizing it at Chicagoland Speedway and Kentucky Speedway.

PREVIOUS RACE RECAP: Hornaday recorded his first career Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway pole last weekend and led the most laps (49) before getting caught up in the “big one” with three laps remaining. Hornaday was hit by Mike Skinner who had been tapped by Todd Bodine after the rookie Grant Enfinger had bump drafted him in the wrong spot on the straight-a-way. The impact from Skinner sent Hornaday flipping down the frontstretch. The No. 33 truck caught the apron and barrel rolled to a stop in turn one. Hornaday walked away unharmed, but the No. 33 was unable to return to competition ending the day in the 21st position.

ABOUT GEORGIA BOOT:

Since 1937, Georgia Boot has been a manufacturer and marketer of quality work and outdoor footwear. It is a division of Rocky Brands, a publicly traded company on Nasdaq® under the symbol: RCKY. For more information, visit www.georgiaboot.com.

About Kevin Harvick Inc.

Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI), established in 2001 by Kevin and DeLana Harvick, is an 80,000 sq. ft. facility located in Kernersville, N.C. Home of the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship team, KHI enters 2010 in its seventh full year of competition with two full-time Truck Series teams and one full-time Nationwide Series team. Four-time Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday returns to the helm of the No. 33 Truck team looking for his fifth title and third championship for KHI (2009 and 2007), while Sprint Cup series stars Kevin Harvick and Elliott Sadler guide the No. 2 Truck team. Two-time NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Harvick will again shine as the lead driver of the No. 33 Nationwide Series team as he continues to make his mark in motorsports and establish KHI as one of the top teams in NASCAR competition. For more information about KHI and its teams, please visit www.KevinHarvickInc.com.

- Kevin Harvick Inc. Press Release

Historic North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway

Other race winners during the three-day event were Matt McCall, Late Model; Justin Sorrow, Limited Late Model; Bubba Gale, Rolling Thunder Modifieds; Alan Carter, United States Super Trucks; Kevin Eby, Street Stocks; and Tyler Hill, Allison Legacy Series.

In Sunday’s Sunoco National Tour race, Choquette came from the back of the field twice to lead 127 laps in the 150-lap event on the 0.625-mile track.

“The car was really good. I was just the lucky guy behind the wheel that gets to hold the steering wheel,” Choquette said after his third career victory in the Sunoco National Tour Series. “This was my first year ever winning in the Sunoco National Tour. (It’s) really big for the team, really big for me. You never know when it’s going to be your last one, so you’ve got to go out and give it your all every time.”

Choquette, who defeated Sean Bass by 5.787 seconds, qualified on the pole with a 117.371-mph lap. However, the field was inverted for the start of the race that was divided into two 75-lap segments. After the first segment, there was a 5-minute break before the second began. The top six were inverted for the start of the second segment.

Bryan Ortiz, the series top rookie, was the race’s leader at the start of both 75-lap segments, but he lost the power steering on his car. That eventually relegated him to a fifth-place finish.

“It was tough physically, it was destroying and mentally I have to be very careful on the braking,” said Ortiz, who was selected to compete in the NASCAR Driver for Diversity Combine in mid-October. “On a straight line, this track have a bumps, so it moved the car ’cause without power steering the tires move you. It was tough. I know now what to do if something like that happen.”

In the UCAR 40-lap Clash, Wayne Harrington of China Grove, N.C., dominated the race, earning the pole with a 92.547-mph lap and then leading all but the first three laps. Will Smith, who started on the outside of the front row, was the race’s only other leader.

Harrington said he couldn’t explain what the victory at the historic track meant to him.

“I grew up wanting to come here and I’ve been to a thousand races up here and I’ve always wanted to race here,” said Harrington, whose uncle was Herb Nab, a crew chief for Cale Yarborough in the 1970s when he drove for Junior Johnson. “I’ve got a lot of tradition in my family that’s been in racing all their lives. My uncle Herb lived up here for years. I hope he seen that. I think he was with me.

“I won a championship at Concord [N.C.] last year. This tops anything that I’ve ever done. If I don’t ever race again, this is at the top of the list and always will be.”

Harrington said he changed the engine in his car by himself on the eve of the race.

“I went down there to Dillon [S.C.] last week and these guys blistered me down there and I blew a head gasket,” Harrington explained. “I wasn’t going to race this week, but I decided at the last minute yesterday evening that I wanted to do this. We got up at four o’clock this morning and left at five this morning and got here. It takes about an hour and 20 minutes to get here. I got done at 11:45 last night [Saturday].”

Unlike a week ago at Dillon, it was Harrington who was the class of the field, finishing 1.361 seconds ahead of Travis Miller of Jacksonville, N.C.

With the conclusion of the three-day Short Track Shootout, Historic North Wilkesboro Speedway ended its 2010 season. Racing resumes at the short track in North Carolina’s northwest foothills in April with the North Wilkesboro 300 PASS event. For more information about Historic North Wilkesboro Speedway during the off-season, go to www.historicnws.com.

- Historic North Wilkesboro Speedway Press Release

McReynolds, the son of TV analyst and former NASCAR crew chief Larry McReynolds, won the 75-lap race, defeating second-generation driver Kyle Grissom by 1.123 seconds.

Pressley, the son of former NASCAR driver Robert Pressley and grandson of short-track star Bob Pressley, emerged with the UARA Series championship, defeating Brennan Poole by 31 points.

“This is a place where I came a lot as a kid,” Pressley said. “It’s funny. Me and Brandon McReynolds used to race scooters in the motor home lot and now we are racing on the big track. It’s a big deal for us.

“It’s my first championship and I’m just really excited about it. I’m sure it won’t sink in until we are out of here and the racing is done for the year.”

Pressley qualified 15th for the event, while McReynolds started fourth. Grissom, the son of former NASCAR driver Steve Grissom, started beside pole winner Poole.

Poole led the first 15 laps, before relinquishing the No. 1 position to Grissom. McReynolds and Grissom battled for the lead at the race’s mid-point, but Grissom held on to the top spot. It was a late-race caution that put McReynolds in position to challenge for his second straight Rockingham victory.

On lap 64, Lee Tissot spun off turn 2 while battling Poole for third. Three laps later the race returned to green-flag conditions and McReynolds wasted little time in snatching the lead. McReynolds jumped into the high groove as he and Grissom battled side-by-side, grabbing the lead for good on lap 68.

“Kyle Grissom is a class act,” McReynolds said. “He could have easily done something there. He is just a racer. He did a nice job.”

With McReynolds’ victory Saturday, the Mooresville, N.C., driver swept the UARA races this year at the 1-mile Rockingham track.

Another young driver with a distinctive NASCAR heritage claimed rookie honors in the UARA Series this season. Robert Johnson, son of legendary car owner and driver Junior Johnson, claimed that title.

Racing returns to Rockingham Speedway on Nov. 27, 2010 with the third-annual running of the Polar Bear 150 Frank Kimmel Street Stock Nationals. Tickets are available by calling the 910.205.8800 or by visiting www.rockinghamspeedway.com. Four-for-$44 family four packs of tickets, Cheerwines and hot dogs are available for advanced purchase.

- Rockingham Speedway Press Release

ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards

Not only do the 1.017-mile track’s many stories contribute to an alluring atmosphere for the series’ drivers and teams, but the race surface itself is one that will present a challenge to the three drivers contending for a first ARCA Racing Series championship, and along the way, highlight the best true driver.

Banked at 22 degrees in the first two turns and 25 in the final two, Rockingham Speedway features a rough surface capable of taking a tremendous toll on tires and the suspension of even the strongest stock cars. Car care will be important, says series points leader Patrick Sheltra (No. 60 Ferguson Pipe / Jones Group International Toyota).

“We’ve had our good runs there and we’ve had our bad runs there,” Sheltra said. “It’s a slick race track, and it comes down to tire management and fuel mileage. It’s a racer’s track. You’ve got to get up on the wheel and go for it.”

Sheltra stands 10 points ahead of Craig Goess (No. 81 Greenville Toyota of N.C. Toyota) and 20 points in front of Tom Hessert (No. 77 Cherry Hill Classic Cars Dodge) entering the final race, but if he hopes to finish as the series champion, he’ll have to improve on a 38th-place finish in his last outing at Rockingham. Sheltra dropped out of contention with a crash in last year’s season finale.

Goess will return to the track confident in his ability to improve. Experimentation, he insists, is a thing of the past, and now is the time to win.

“(Rockingham) is fun to get around as a driver. We’ll have a better setup than when we went there before. We tried some things at the end of last year that didn’t really work out for us. I still like driving the track, even with a car I wasn’t happy with, so that tells you how much fun it is,” said Goess.

He finished 17th last fall.

Hessert, who finished one spot ahead of Goess last fall at Rockingham, proved himself a historian in assessing Rockingham’s features.

“Rockingham Speedway is a really historic race track. It opened in 1965, and the surface might be just that old, because it’s pretty slippery and pretty rough and hard to get a hold of, but the coolest thing about Rockingham is that it’s really multi-grooved,” he said. “You’ll have one guy kind of bottom-feed right around the white line, and you’ll have some guys that look like they’re going 300 miles an hour right up next to the wall, and run the same exact lap time.”

The 200-lap American 200 airs live on SPEED at 1:30 p.m. Eastern, with timing and scoring and live audio coverage presented by ARCA Nation and the ARCA Racing Network at ARCARacing.com. Four races have been held at the track, with two won by Venturini Motorsports (Joey Logano in 2008, Sean Caisse in 2009). 48 cars are presently entered, and 41 will start.

The event will complete the series’ 20-race schedule, and activity begins with an optional open test for ARCA Racing Series teams on Thursday. A 90-minute practice leads Friday’s schedule at 11:30 a.m., and Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell begins at 2:30 p.m. Live audio coverage and live timing and scoring of all events will be presented by ARCA Nation and the ARCA Racing Network at ARCARacing.com.

Rockingham Speedway has invited racing legends Junior Johnson and Donnie Allison to attend the American 200; Johnson won 13 NASCAR Cup races at the track as an owner between 1969 and 1992, including five straight from 1980-1982, and Allison won as a driver in 1968 and 1977.

“We’ve really got a first-class event lined up for the fans with the American 200,” said Rockingham Speedway president Andy Hillenburg, who will also field Bryan Silas’s No. 11 Rockingham Speedway / Palm Beach Grading Ford and Tyler Speer’s No. 10 Proboat / R. Wilson Contractors Chevrolet. “The races that we are hosting will be competitive and exciting for everyone and we’re hoping for a record turnout of fans ready to see stock car racing at its best.”

The race will be preceded by the City of Rockingham’s downtown party, ThunderFest, which on Thursday will feature an ARCA Racing Series driver autograph session at 6:30 p.m.

Two of the numerous drivers in attendance will be Tim George Jr. (No. 31 Richard Childress Racing Development Chevrolet) and Ty Dillon (No. 41 Karl Chevrolet / Richard Childress Racing Development Chevrolet), whose team affiliations may play a role in success at the track. Childress won NASCAR Cup races at the track with Dale Earnhardt in 1987, 1994, and 1996, and will attempt Rockingham as a car owner for the first time Saturday.

Also scheduled to appear for autographs are Sheltra, Goess, Hessert, and nine-time ARCA Racing Series champion Frank Kimmel, among others.

One notable race entry is Steve Park (No. 53 Coastal Wire Ford), who won a NASCAR race at “The Rock” in 2001 for Dale Earnhardt, Inc.

“Rockingham holds a special place in my heart, having had the chance to win there in the Cup Series. I kind of miss the place since they took it off the Cup schedule, and Cup, Nationwide, and the Trucks don’t run there. But no matter what division, I’m looking forward to going to Rockingham and seeing all the race fans,” Park said.

Last season, only two drivers were able to finish in the top 10 in both races at Rockingham. One was racing veteran Ken Schrader, who is not entered, and the other was Parker Kligerman, who won in the fall and finished second to Justin Lofton in the championship standings before moving to the NASCAR Nationwide Series. As such, numerous drivers have experience running up front.

Casey Roderick, Chris Buescher, and Grant Enfinger are all part-time drivers who finished among the top seven last fall and are entered for Saturday’s race. Dakoda Armstrong and Joey Coulter, who are both in the top 10 in this year’s standings, ran eighth and ninth last October.

Though their last October race at Rockingham produced disappointing results, championship contenders Sheltra and Goess finished second and sixth last spring. Silas was fourth and Steve Arpin 10th.

The ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards features 20 events at 17 tracks on its 2010 schedule. The series has crowned an ARCA national champion each year since its inaugural season in 1953, and has toured over 200 racetracks in 28 states since its inception. The series tests the abilities of drivers and race teams over the most diverse schedule of stock car racing events in the world, annually visiting tracks ranging from 0.4 mile to 2.66 miles in length, on both paved and dirt surfaces as well as left- and right-turn street and road courses.

Founded by John Marcum in 1953 in Toledo, Ohio, the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) is recognized among the leading sanctioning bodies in the country. Closing in on completing its sixth decade after hundreds of thousands of miles of racing, ARCA administers over 100 race events each season in two professional touring series and local weekly events.

- Automobile Racing Club of America Press Release

Rockingham (N.C.) Speedway

The American 200 race is a double header, comprised of the final championship points-paying event for both the ARCA and UARA Late Model Series. The UARA Championship event gets underway at 11:00 a.m. for 75 laps around the one-mile speedway. The ARCA Championship 200-lap race follows with a projected start time of 1:30 p.m.

It’s an exciting time for the one-mile speedway that up until 2005 hosted regular top-tier NASCAR events. Purchased in 2007 by former driver, Andy Hillenburg, the speedway now hosts attractive and competitive races in several of the support series that make up the backbone of grassroots racing with which the fans can identify. The SPEED Channel will be broadcasting the ARCA race onsite, along with live, streaming timing and scoring available at www.arcaracing.com.

Interest in the event show no signs of slowing down, as the entries for the ARCA Series event have reached the same level as their season-opener at Daytona, which featured the debut of the Indy Racing League’s Danica Patrick. While she won’t be making an appearance at the American 200, plenty of other stars with very familiar racing pedigree names are set to qualify for the ARCA field, such as former NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Steve Park and Camping World Truck Series regular Ricky Carmichael. The hunt for the ARCA Championship is extremely tight, with the top three drivers within 20 points of one another heading into the final event. In the UARA Late Model Series, 21-year old Coleman Pressley leads the pack with a razor thin 29-point margin over second place. Coleman is the son of former Winston Cup driver, Robert Pressley of Asheville, NC.

In preparing for this event, Rockingham Speedway has gone all out with a marketing blitz designed to bring in fans and pack the house. The track offered an advance ticket sales package, “4 for $44” that exceeded their expectations, a 1,000 count ticket giveaway to Ft. Bragg’s Special Operations Headquarters and free ticket vouchers to all kindergarten through eighth grade students in Scotland, Richmond, Moore and Anson County Schools. Additionally, the City of Rockingham will be hosting their ninth annual ThunderFest in downtown Rockingham on Thursday, October 7th—the same day that practice gets underway for both series just down the road at the big track.

NASCAR Legends Junior Johnson and Donnie Allison will both be on hand for the American 200 and local singing sensation Brittnie Lovin, from nearby Hamlet, NC, will sing the National Anthem prior to the start.

“We’ve really got a first class event lined up for the fans with the America 200,” stated Rockingham Speedway President Andy Hillenburg. “The races that we are hosting will be competitive and exciting for everyone and we’re hoping for a record turnout of fans ready to see stock car racing at its best,” he added.

Tickets for the American 200 on October 9th, 2010, can be secured by calling the ticket office at Rockingham Speedway at (910) 205-8800 or they can be purchased online by visiting: www.rockinghamracewaypark.com. Prices are $20 in advance or $25 the day of the event.

- Walker Marketing | Public Relations

Rockingham (N.C.) Speedway

On the ARCA Series side of the competition, the track recently released an update that both Steve Park and Ricky Carmichael will be racing. Park, known for his long-time tenure with DEI Motorsports, is probably best remembered for his 2001 victory at Rockingham Speedway just one week after the passing of NASCAR Legend Dale Earnhardt. Park is entered as driving the No. 53 Coastal Wire Ford for owner Robert Torriere. Carmichael is the motocross legend with so much success that he is nicknamed “The GOAT”, an acronym for “Greatest of All Time”. His 15 AMA Pro Racing Championships and 150 career wins led him to his current career, driving in the No. 4 Monster Energy Chevy Silverado in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. He’ll drive the No. 4 Monster Energy Chevrolet for current team owner Steve Turner.

In the UARA Stars Series, where competitors gain experience in late model stock cars, fans are likely to notice several offspring of famous racing names. Robert Johnson, son of the legendary Junior Johnson, just wrapped up the UARA Rookie Champion Award last week at Greenville-Pickens Speedway. Leading the current UARA Championship point race is Coleman Pressley, the son of former NASCAR Winston Cup driver, Robert Pressley, of Asheville, NC. Kyle Grissom, the son of former NASCAR Winston Cup driver, Steve Grissom, is right behind Pressley in third place overall. And Brandon McReynolds, who will be making his second UARA start of the year, is the son of former crew chief and FOX Network Broadcaster, Larry McReynolds.

The American 200 race is a double header, comprised of the final championship points-paying event for both the ARCA and UARA Late Model Series. The UARA Championship event gets underway at 11:00 a.m. for 75 laps around the one-mile speedway. The ARCA Championship 200-lap race follows with a projected start time of 1:30 p.m.

Tickets for the American 200 on October 9th, 2010, can be secured by calling the ticket office at Rockingham Speedway at (910) 205-8800 or they can be purchased online by visiting: www.rockinghamracewaypark.com. Ticket prices are $20 in advance and $25 the day of the event.

- Walker Marketing | Public Relations Press Release