Joey Logano - Photo Credit: Motorsports Images and Archives

Second fastest with a speed of 180.102 mph, was Clint Bowyer, followed by Paul Menard (179.970) who was third fastest, Parker Kligerman (179.970 – required to qualify on time) fourth fastest, Kyle Busch (179.301) fifth, Kevin Harvick (178.903) sixth, Brad Keselowski (178.796) seventh, Raybestos Rookie contender Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (178.755) eighth, Trevor Bayne (178.418 – required to qualify on time) ninth and Raybestos Rookie contender Colin Braun (178.247) rounding out the top-ten fastest.

The team’s “Happy Hour” session is scheduled to get underway at 6:15 PM (EST) this evening, and run until 7:00 PM (EST). Then the teams will return Friday afternoon for their 3:05 PM (EST) scheduled qualifying session to determine the Dollar General 300 starting lineup, which is schedule to start a little after 8:00 PM (EST) that night.

2010 NNS Dollar General 300 Third Practice Session Speeds

# Denotes Rookie
* Required to Qualify on Time

The speedway’s Spring Season of Speed features premier events in NASCAR, NHRA and World of Outlaws, as well as the return of PINKS All Out and the spring Food Lion AutoFair, affirming Charlotte Motor Speedway’s reputation as the Mecca of Motorsports. Beginning with the NHRA Nationals March 25-28, the spring schedule features nine events across zMAX Dragway, The Dirt Track @ Charlotte and Charlotte Motor Speedway, concluding with the 51st running of the Coca-Cola 600 on May 30.

“We’ve got more fun, more horsepower and more entertainment than any motorsports complex in the country,” said Marcus Smith, president and general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway. “Now we’ll crank up the new year with an easy way for fans to get in on the action no matter which events they like in the Spring Season of Speed.

“We’ve received a lot of positive feedback on our interest-free payment plans. It’s an easy, convenient way for fans to reserve the best seats early for a spectacular season of racing at Charlotte Motor Speedway.”

After reserving tickets for just a $20.10 down payment, fans can develop a customized monthly payment plan and reserve their favorite seats to a number of great events, including the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, Coca-Cola 600, NHRA Nationals, PINKS All Out and World of Outlaws Sprint Car Showdown.

The complete Spring Season of Speed schedule follows.

March 25 – 28 NHRA Nationals
zMAX Dragway

April 8-11 Food Lion AutoFair
Charlotte Motor Speedway

April 23-24 PINKS All Out
zMAX Dragway

May 21 North Carolina Education Lottery 200
Charlotte Motor Speedway

May 22 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race
Charlotte Motor Speedway

May 27 Windstream Pole Night
Charlotte Motor Speedway

May 28 World of Outlaws Sprint Car Showdown
The Dirt Track @ Charlotte

May 29 TECH-Net Auto Service 300
Powered by CARQUEST Auto Parts
Charlotte Motor Speedway

May 30 Coca-Cola 600
Charlotte Motor Speedway

In addition to individual event tickets, season ticket packages are also available for the three NASCAR Sprint Cup weekends at Charlotte Motor Speedway, events at zMAX Dragway and races at The Dirt Track @ Charlotte. Visit www.charlottemotorspeedway.com for more details.

In order to reserve seats for any of these events for only $20.10, fans must call the speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS (3267) and speak directly to a Charlotte Motor Speedway ticket agent to set up their customized payment plan.

- Charlotte Motor Speedway Press Release

Lowes Motor Speedway

Marcus Smith, president and general manager of Lowe’s Motor Speedway, will join Retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Tom Sadler, executive
director of Speedway Children’s Charities, in awarding the grants to 93 local organizations.

“Children are a gift and it’s a blessing that we’re able to assist so many each year,” said Smith. “Everyone at Speedway Children’s Charities strives to make a difference in the lives of as many children as possible, and this year we’re helping kids though programs at more than 90 organizations in the Lowe’s Motor Speedway community. It’s just amazing to see how many children we’re able to assist.”

Speedway Children’s Charities raised the money through various fundraising activities along with individual and corporate donations
throughout the year.

A number of area agencies will directly benefit from the funds, including A Better World (helps provide finances to operate after-school
programs), Birthday Blessings (Shelter Party Program hosts birthday parties for homeless children and their families), Northeast Foundation, Inc. (helps fund Camp Open Airways and Camp Sweet Freedom for asthmatic and diabetic children to attend a summer day camp under medical supervision to control their asthma and diabetes while participating in typical camp activities) and Thompson Child & Family Focus (provides comprehensive early childhood education where typically developing and special needs children learn together).

In addition to the grant distribution, the holiday ceremony will include the lighting of Lowe’s Motor Speedway’s one-of-a-kind 50-foot
Christmas tree and visits by Santa Claus and Lug Nut, the world’s fastest mascot.

Fans will also have the opportunity to drive their personal vehicles around Lowe’s Motor Speedway after the tree lighting ceremony. Those who donate $25 to Speedway Children’s Charities will be able to take three laps around the 1.5-mile superspeedway.

2009 Charlotte Chapter Grant Recipients:

A Better World
A Child’s Place of Charlotte, Inc.
A Place for Hope, Inc.
Abilities Unlimited of the Carolinas, Inc.
Adolescent and Family Enrichment Council
Alexander Youth Network
Allegro Foundation
American Red Cross – Cabarrus County
Arts for Life
Assistance League of Charlotte
Autism Services of Mecklenburg County, Inc.
Autism Speaks
Barium Springs Home for Children
Bethlehem Center of Charlotte, Inc.
Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Greater Charlotte
Birthday Blessings
Bostonian Elementary School PTA
B.R.A.K.E.S.
Cabarrus County Partnership of Children
Camp CARE, Inc.
Carolina Youth Commission
Charity League, Inc.
Charlotte Emergency Housing
Charlotte Speech and Hearing Center
Children’s Home Society of North Carolina, Inc.
Communities in Schools of Cabarrus County
Communities in Schools of Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Inc.
Communities of Rowan County, Inc.
Crisis Assistance Ministry
Crisis Pregnancy Center of Gaston County
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Donors Choose, Inc.
Dore Academy
Easter Seals UCP North Carolina
Family Services Inc.
Florence Crittenton Services Inc.
GHA, Inc.
Girls on the Run International
Harvest Kitchen Outreach, Inc.
Hispanic Learning Center of Cabarrus County
Holy Angels, Inc.
Hometown Heroes, Inc.
Jimmie Johnson Foundation
Jonie and Friends
Junior League of Charlotte, Inc.
Kannapolis Boys & Girls Club
KinderMourn, Inc.
Kurt Busch Foundation
Legacy of the Vine Ministries, Inc.
Levine Children’s Hospital
Lukemia & Lymphoma Society
March Forth with Hope Foundation, Inc.
MARA
Misty Meadows Mitey Riders, Inc.
Muscular Dystrophy Association, Inc.
NB Mills Elementary School
NorthEast Foundation, Inc.
Our Kids
Partners in Out-of-School Time
Philips Academy of North Carolina, Inc.
Piedmont Mediation Center, Inc.
Piedmont Residential Development Center, Inc.
Pregnancy Resource Center of Charlotte
Prevent Child Abuse N.C.
Prosperity Community Connection, Inc.
Room at the Inn, Inc.
Rowan Regional Medical Center Foundation
Saving Grace, Inc.
Seigle Avenue Partners, Inc.
Seigle Avenue Preschool Cooperative, Inc.
Shelter Health Services, Inc.
Silent Images, Inc.
Special Olympics North Carolina
Special Olympics North Carolina – Cabarrus
Stanley County Family YMCA
The Academic Learning Center, Inc.
The Arc of Cabarrus County, Inc.
The Arc of Mecklenburg County, Inc.
The Junior Charity League of Concord
The Parker Austin Foundation, Inc.
The Salvation Army of Cabarrus County
The Salvation Army of Greater Charlotte
Third Creek Elementary School
Thompson Child & Family Focus
Tony Stewart Foundation
Troutman Elementary School
United Family Services, Inc.
University City Fellowship
With Friends, Inc.
YMCA of Greater Charlotte
York County Council on Alcohol & Drug Abuse
Youth Homes, Inc. (YHI)

- Lowe’s Motor Speedway, Press Release

Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 Z-Line Designs Toyota, celebrates by waving the championship flag after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series and the Ford 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Fla. (Photo Credit: Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

“It was probably October of last year or something like that, Charlotte time, where I just told Joe and J.D.,” Busch said. “I said, we made a mistake on not going after it this year and completing the deal and running all the races. Mathematically I could have won by 19 points last year, but that’s last year, it doesn’t matter. I told all these guys we need to go for it, our cars are capable of doing it and we got the sponsorship and funding.”

Kyle Busch put his lead out of reach by taking advantage of a Lap 3 crash by Carl Edwards at Michigan.

J.D. Gibbs’ biggest concern wasn’t whether Busch could run up front. He wanted to make sure Busch wouldn’t wear down driving more than 80 races in Cup, Nationwide and the Truck Series throughout the course of the 10-month season.

With a total of 20 wins, including nine of the Nationwide variety, perhaps Gibbs needn’t have worried. Busch added 11 second-place runs and his total of 5,682 points was the most for any driver in a single Nationwide season.

- NASCAR.com

After receiving the checkered flag for winning Saturday's NASCAR Nationwide Ford 300, Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 Z-Line Designs Toyota, celebrates by waving the championship flag in the car around Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Fla. (Photo Credit: Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR)

Once the race started, the Las Vegas-native proved he wasn’t just satisfied with winning the driver’s title by starting the race. Busch led a race-high 73 laps at the Florida track en route to victory lane in the series season-finale.

It marks the first time a Camry racer has won a NASCAR driver’s title since Toyota joined
Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series competition at the start of the 2007 season. Along with Busch’s driver’s title, Toyota has earned manufacturer’s championships in the Nationwide Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) this season. Previously, Toyota won the NNS manufacturer’s championship in 2008 and the NCWTS manufacturer’s championship three times (2006, 2007 and 2008). Tundra racers Todd Bodine (2006) and Johnny Benson (2008) also captured the NCWTS driver’s crowns.

Busch ended the year 210 points ahead of second-place Carl Edwards to capture his first career NASCAR championship and the second straight NNS owner’s title for JGR. A title- contender throughout the 2009 season, the Las Vegas-native led the NNS point standings since the Phoenix race in April. The 24-year-old driver has recorded nine NNS victories this season — winning events at California (Feb. 21), Texas (April 4), Richmond (May 1), Nashville (June 6), N.H. (June 27), St. Louis (July 18), Charlotte (Oct. 16), Texas (Nov. 7) and Miami (Nov. 21).

“It feels awesome to clinch the championship for Toyota, Z-Line Designs and NOS Energy Drink,” said Busch. “But, I’ve also got to thank all of the guys on the No. 18 team for what they do and the hours they spend — Jason (Ratcliff, crew chief) reading the books and the computer and going through all the notes. There are a lot of guys on this team that really deserve it. They work hard. The No. 20 team earned the owner’s championship last year and now that the No. 18 car has got a championship, everybody in the whole Gibbs shop is championship-worthy. It’s pretty cool.”

At California in February, Busch made NASCAR history by becoming the first driver to win two national touring series races on the same day at one track — capturing the checkered flag in the Nationwide Series race after visiting victory lane in the Truck Series earlier that day. His sweep of Texas in 2009 enabled Busch to become the first racer to win four consecutive NNS events at the Fort Worth track.

In 35 starts this season, Busch recorded a series record 25 top-fives and 30 top-10 finishes. Among his top-five results were 20 finishes of first or second, including a streak of 10 races (June 6 to Aug. 8 ) where he posted 10 consecutive top-two finishes — breaking Jack Ingram’s 1983 NNS record for most consecutive first or second-place finishes in series history.

Busch also made NASCAR history at Kansas (Oct. 3) where he broke the NNS record for laps led in a single season, which was previously held by Sam Ard with 2,127 laps led in 1984. Busch ended the year with 2,698 laps led.

Along with nine victories, Busch also recorded three pole positions in 2009 — at Texas (April 14), Nashville (June 6) and Dover (Sept. 26).

Busch’s championship comes in his second year — and first full season — driving a Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing in NNS competition. In 65 career NNS starts behind the wheel of a Camry, Busch has amassed 19 wins, seven poles, 43 top-fives, 50 top-10 results and has led 4,631 laps. Since 2004, he has 30 career series wins and currently ranks fourth in all-time series victories.

“We are extremely proud of Kyle Busch and everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing for what they’ve accomplished in the Nationwide Series during the past two years,” said Lee White, president and general manager of TRD, U.S.A. (Toyota Racing Development). “Kyle has performed at an exceptional level since he first stepped into a Camry last season and was able to win a championship in just his second year with Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota. Along with Kyle and everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing, we also need to recognize everyone at TRD for all their hard work and dedication.”

In 2009, Camry drivers won 15 races and captured 13 pole positions.

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. is the marketing, sales, distribution and customer service arm of Toyota, Lexus and Scion. Established in 1957, TMS markets products and services through a network of more than 1,400 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealers. Toyota directly employs over 33,000 people in the U.S. and sold more than 2.2 million vehicles in 2008. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyota.com, www.lexus.com, www.scion.com or www.toyotanewsroom.com.

TRD, U.S.A. (Toyota Racing Development)

Powering all of Toyota’s American racing programs is TRD, U.S.A. (Toyota Racing Development) in Costa Mesa, Calif., and Salisbury, N.C. A subsidiary of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., TRD serves as the North American racing arm for design, development and assembly of Toyota’s factory racing engines.

2009 TOYOTA ‘FAST FACTS’

KYLE BUSCH IN THE NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES

- Kyle Busch captured his first career NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) driver’s championship Saturday at Homestead-Miami Speedway when his No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Camry took the green flag. He would go on to win the season-finale at the Miami track — his ninth win of 2009.

- Busch recorded 25 top-fives — including 20 top-two results — and 30 top-10 finishes in 35 starts in 2009.

- In 65 career NNS starts behind the wheel of a Camry, Busch has amassed 19 wins, seven poles, 43 top-fives, 50 top-10 results and has led 4,631 laps.

- Toyota clinched its second consecutive NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) manufacturer’s championship in just its third NNS season at Memphis (Oct. 24) this year.

- Six teams fielded eight full-time Camrys in NNS competition. Camry NNS teams included Braun Racing (Nos. 32 and 38), CJM Racing (No. 11), Germain Racing (No. 15), Joe Gibbs Racing (Nos. 18 and 20), JTG Daugherty Racing (No. 47) and Michael Waltrip Racing (No. 99).

2009 SEASON

- Camry drivers earned 68 top-five results and 127 top-10 finishes.

Wins (15)

Kyle Busch (9): California, Texas, Richmond, Nashville, New Hampshire, St. Louis, Charlotte, Texas and Miami

Joey Logano (5): Nashville, Kentucky, Chicagoland, Kansas and California

Marcos Ambrose (1): Watkins Glen

Poles (13)

Joey Logano (4): Dover, Kentucky, New Hampshire and California

Kyle Busch (3): Texas, Nashville and Dover

Denny Hamlin (2): Richmond and Phoenix

Marcos Ambrose (1): Montreal

Trevor Bayne (1): ORP

Scott Speed (1): Las Vegas

Brian Vickers (1): Michigan

HISTORY SINCE 2007

Wins (37)

Kyle Busch (19)

Joey Logano (6)

Tony Stewart (5)

Denny Hamlin (4)

Marcos Ambrose (1)

Jason Leffler (1)

David Reutimann (1)

Poles (31)

Kyle Busch (7)

Joey Logano (7)

Brian Vickers (3)

Denny Hamlin (3)

Jason Leffler (2)

David Reutimann (2)

Tony Stewart (2)

Marcos Ambrose (1)

Trevor Bayne (1)

Dave Blaney (1)

James Buescher (1)

Scott Speed (1)

Since the start of the 2007 season, Camry drivers have a total of 141 top-five results and 264 top-10 finishes.

- TOYOTA Motorsports Press Release

Lowes Motor Speedway

“It was the thrill of a lifetime,” said Belinda Newton who made the trip to attend last year’s sale from Boones Mill, Va., “It was my first time to come out for the after-Thanksgiving-Day sale and the bonus of being able to drive my car on the same track as my favorite driver, Jimmie Johnson, was a memory I’ll never forget.”

Any fan that spends at least $50 on merchandise or 2010 race tickets can enjoy this special opportunity. Shoppers who wish to drive around the track will receive a ride card with their first purchase. For every $10 spent at the ticket office, gift shop or souvenir haulers, a sticker is placed on the ride card. Once five stickers have been affixed, the card can be redeemed for a ride voucher at the Lowe’s Motor Speedway gift shop.

With the ride voucher in hand, fans will be directed to Gate 1 where they will enter the track through the Turn 4 tunnel. Cars will be guided into the infield and assembled in groups. They will then head down pit road and onto the track for three laps behind one of the speedway’s Toyota Camry pace cars.

A wide variety of vehicles will cruise the track between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Everything from classic muscle cars to modern sports cars, mini vans and semi-tractors have taken to the 1.5-mile superspeedway in years past on this day-after-Thanksgiving tradition.

Def Leppard Official Merchandise

In addition to numerous track souvenirs, Lowe’s Motor Speedway will offer a wide selection of driver apparel along with memorabilia from NASCAR’s Chase for the Sprint Cup. T-shirts start at just $3.

NASCAR souvenir rigs will line the track’s front entrance offering drastically reduced prices on a wide variety of memorabilia, T-shirts, hats, posters and die-cast cars. Nearly 20 vendors featuring merchandise from top NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers including Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Mark Martin, Ryan Newman, Jeff Gordon, Carl Edwards, Kyle Bush, Kasey Kahne and more are expected. The Sam Bass Gallery will offer a wide selection of posters, holiday die-casts and books at reduced prices.

Tickets for the May 22 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and the Coca-Cola 600 on May 30, are the perfect gift for those with NASCAR fans on their holiday shopping list. Gift certificates and season ticket packages will also be on sale at the Lowe’s Motor Speedway ticket office, which will be open throughout the event.

For additional information on the Souvenir and Race Ticket Blow-Out, contact the Lowe’s Motor Speedway gift shop at (704) 455-3202 or visit www.lowesmotorspeedway.com.

- Lowe’s Motor Speedway, Press Release

No. 88 Godaddy.com Chevrolet Impala SS

EVENT – Ford 300 (200 laps/ 300 miles)

TRACK – Homestead-Miami Speedway (1.5-Mile Oval)

DATE – Saturday, November 21, 2009

TV/ RADIO BROADCAST INFO – ESPN2 (coverage begins at 4:00 p.m. EST) / MRN (broadcast begins at 4:00 p.m. EST)

FINAL RACE WITH JR MOTORSPORTS – Brad Keselowski will make his final start for JR Motorsports in the No. 88 GoDaddy.com Chevy this weekend. For the 21st consecutive week, Keselowski is ranked third in the NASCAR Nationwide Series point standings, 60 points behind second place Carl Edwards. In 34 races this season, Keselowski and the No. 88 team have four wins, 22 top-fives, 28 top-10s and two pole awards. His average starting position is 13.3 and average finish is 6.8. In the 103 races Keselowski has started for JRM, he has notched six wins, 33 top-fives, 53 top-10s and three pole awards. Before joining JRM, the best Keselowski had finished was 24th.

KESELOWSKI AT HOMESTEAD-MIAMI – Keselowski will make his third career Nationwide Series start at Homestead-Miami Speedway this weekend for JR Motorsports. In his previous starts, Keselowski has scored one top-five finish which came at the conclusion of the 2008 season.

IMPRESSIVE AT INTERMEDIATES – Keselowski has shown strength on tracks measuring 1.5 miles in length in the second half of the season. In his last four races on intermediate tracks (Texas Motor Speedway, Lowe’s Motor Speedway, Kansas Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway) Keselowski has finished no worse than sixth, with an average finish of 4.5.

FINISHING UNDER THE LIGHTS – While he has earned all four of his wins in daytime races, Keselowski has impressive stats under the lights. In 14 such races, Keselowski has amassed nine top-fives, 13 top-10s and an average finish of 7.1. His highest finish under the lights came at Nashville with a second place showing.

FINAL GODADDY RACE – Keselowski will make his final start for primary sponsor GoDaddy.com in Homestead. GoDaddy.com has been a JRM partner since the 2008 season with drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Ron Fellows in addition to Keselowski in 2009. This season, Keselowski has performed well with GoDaddy on the hood with three wins, 12 top-fives, 14 top-10s and an average finish of 6.7.

CHASSIS NO. 356 – The No. 88 GoDaddy.com team will run Chassis No. 356 this weekend in the season finale Ford 300. This car was last run at Texas Motor Speedway and has been a favorite of the No. 88 team in 2009. Chassis 356 has been raced eight times this season with one win (Michigan), five top-fives and six top-10s.

DEGREE V12 CHALLENGE – NASCAR fans still have a chance to team up with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Brad Keselowski in the Degree V12 Challenge. Players compete against each other for a chance to win a variety of great prizes including tailgate entertainment systems, gaming packages, cash, and more! Visit www.DegreeRacing.com to register for the Degree V12 Challenge and begin racing to win. (No purchase necessary. Must be 18 to enter. Void where prohibited. Ends 12/27/09. Visit www.DegreeRacing.com \tfor complete rules.)

Brad Keselowski

“We are bringing back one of my favorite cars to Homestead as it’s the one we won with in Michigan. While the championship is out of reach at this point, a win to finish out the season isn’t. If things are going our way, we could also move to second in the point standings. And I’d love to be able to do that for this team, our sponsors and fans.”

- JR Motorsports Press Release

“I’m really excited to get back behind the wheel of the #31 this week. We have had some strong runs and with my father calling the shots (Paul Andrews), I think we can have a great race here as well”, stated Andrews.

“This is the 4th race for Tim with us. Tim has raced at Nashville, Dover, and Charlotte and has run competitive at every event. He is a great talent and we look for big things from him this weekend and for the future”, Rick Ware commented.

- Rick Ware Racing Press Release

No. 11 RIDEMAKERZ Toyota Camry

Nationwide Crew Chief: Paul Wolfe

Manufacturer: Toyota

Owners: Tony & Bryan Mullet

Nationwide Chassis: 015

Engine Builder: Triad

Mike Bliss Quick Facts:

- NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Mike Bliss returns for his fifth start in the No. 11 RIDEMAKERZ Toyota at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, Ariz., this weekend.

- Bliss’s four previous starts in the No. 11 car resulted in three top-5 finishes (Dover, Charlotte and Memphis) and one top-10 (Texas).

- The NASCAR veteran has driven in all 33 of the Nationwide races in the 2009 season, with one win, seven top-5 finishes and 14 top-10s. Bliss has also started 13 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races and five NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races in 2009.

- The 44-year-old Milwaukie, Ore., native has three top-10 finishes in eight career Nationwide starts at PIR and one Truck Series win.

CJM Racing Quick Facts:

- RIDEMAKERZ will return as the primary sponsor of the No. 11 at Phoenix. The company offers the first-ever car-customizing experience for kids ages six to 106. Pick one of 70 different car body types and paint schemes, using scale plastic-mold replicas of real-world cars that RIDEMAKERZ licenses from GM, Ford, BMW, and other car companies. Then trick out the ride by picking the wheels, hubcaps, a chassis, sounds, and other options such as radio control. Build YOUR Ride at RIDEMAKERZ.com.

- CJM Racing looks to continue a string of strong finishes in the Nationwide Series. At the team’s last race on Nov. 7 at Texas, Bliss drove the No. 11 RIDEMAKERZ Toyota to a 10th-place finish for CJM’s 10th top-10 finish of the season.

-The 2009 season marks the second season CJM Racing is competing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series full-time. The team is currently in 16th place in the owner point standings.

- CJM Racing transitioned to Toyota Camrys in 2009 and shares a technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing. The partnership formed late last year allows the teams to share technical information as well as research and development.

- The team will bring chassis #015 to Phoenix. CJM most recently ran #015 at Memphis, where Bliss drove the RIDEMAKERZ Toyota to a fourth-place finish and led the most laps of the race (84).

- The Able Body Labor 200 at Phoenix International Raceway will air LIVE on ESPN2 at 4 p.m. (ET) on Saturday, Nov. 14th.

Driver Mike Bliss on Racing the No. 11 RIDEMAKERZ Toyota:

“Texas (last week) was a real good race, although the finish didn’t indicate how well we ran. We’re running the Memphis car at Phoenix, which Paul (Wolfe) and I have done before and wound up with good results at Phoenix. So we’re excited about that. Everything’s been going well and I’ve just been waiting for something to happen, because everything that goes well can always have something go wrong. But I’m trying not to think that way. It’s just been a lot of fun these last few weeks.”

Driver Mike Bliss on Phoenix:

“I have been racing at Phoenix since 1981. I won a lot of races there in open-wheel cars, Sprint Cars and Silver Crowns. I Iove the racetrack and I think I understand the racetrack well. I look forward to going there.”

- Breaking Limits Press Release

Dale Earnhardt, Sr. Statue in Kannapolis, NC - Catchfence.com Photo

Born in Kannapolis, North Carolina on April 29, 1951 Dale Earnhardt is one of the most recognizable names in all of motorsports worldwide. With seventy-six race wins and seven championships (Tied for most all-time with Richard Petty) Earnhardt is one of the most successful drivers in NASCAR history, winning both as a driver and team owner. He was recently selected to the first class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame joining just  four other inductee’s(Bill France Sr, Bill France Jr, Richard Petty, and Junior Johnson.)

Earnhardt was selected to receive the award for more than his remarkable on track success. Dale Earnhardt shaped a generation of NASCAR. He was respected by millions of fans, business associates and family. He was named the “Intimidator” for his fearless driving style, but his heart and giving ways often went without fanfare or public accolades. As big as he became, Earnhardt never forgot his humble North Carolina roots. He influenced the on-track and offtrack growth of the sport. His tragic death in 2001 led to tremendous changes in safety that surely has saved drivers lives in today’s auto racing.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. - Diecasts

About the NCMA:

The North Carolina Motorsports Association (NCMA) is the voice for the motorsports industry across the state of North Carolina. The industry provides a 5.9 billion dollar economic impact and over 26,000 jobs to the state. The NCMA is involved in public policy through work with the North Carolina Legislature and the National Motorsports Coalition; Business development through the North Carolina Department of Commerce, Chambers and Economic Development Groups; Workforce Development which involves educational institutions statewide; the business community and motorsports organizations. The NCMA also provides networking opportunities and industry information and resources to its membership. The NCMA is the annual host of the North Carolina Motorsports Industry Awards, which recognizes industry organizations for their achievements.

www.MotorsportsNC.org

- The North Carolina Motorsports Association, Press Release

Bill Elliott Warriors in Pink Fire Suit and Helmet Auction

Ford Motor Company, with the help of Wood Brothers Racing and their #21 Ford Fusion driven by Bill Elliott, featured a special Ford Warriors in Pink paint scheme in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month at Lowe’s Motor Speedway during the NASCAR Banking 500 on October 17, 2009.

For this race, NASCAR Past-Champion Bill Elliott wore a specially-designed Ford Warriors in Pink fire suit and helmet, and the entire #21 team sported Warriors in Pink caps. The fire suit was made by Simpson Race Products and the Bell Helmet was painted by Gary Hess Designs specifically for this race.

This auction includes the fire suit, racing gloves, helmet and team cap that were all worn by Bill Elliott during the Charlotte race weekend, and have each been autographed by Bill himself (#21 car NOT included). 100% of the proceeds from this auction will go to Susan G. Komen for the Cure to fund breast cancer research and education. The auction winner will also receive a letter of authenticity signed by Len and Eddie Wood, co-owners of the #21 Ford Warriors in Pink Fusion.

Ford Motor Company is a 15-year National sponsor of Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure series, having dedicated over $100 million to the breast cancer cause. Visit www.fordcares.com to find out more about Ford’s commitment to ending breast cancer forever and to purchase limited-edition Warriors in Pink apparel and accessories.

Click on the following link to place your bid today: http://tinyurl.com/warriorsinpink

- Wood Brothers Racing, Press Release

American Speed Association Transcontinental Series Free State 500 Logo

“I felt very privileged to receive a phone call from Dennis Huth asking me to race in such a prestigious event,” Mickel said about receiving an invitation from the ASA President. “As a racing driver, I love to get behind the wheel whenever I can but it is even more exciting to be involved in an international motorsport contest especially as it will be the first ever ASA race to venture outside North America. Having been involved in the first ever race in SCSA when it was launched in Europe, I have an understanding of how exciting and important an event like this can be to the drivers, locals, businesses and authorities and most of all showing the fans how thrilling oval racing can be.”

Mickel was the first SCSA (Stock Car Speed Association) champion in 2001 and in 2002 he ventured over to the United States to try his hand at American stock car racing. In 2004, he competed in the American Speed Association National Series events at Charlotte and Atlanta where he finished on the lead lap in both events. Mickel said that the SCSA was a European version of ASA when it was launched in 2001, “We were hopeful that it could become the European stepping stone to oval racing in the US. During the years that we ran in the SCSA Championship, we had many victories including the inaugural Championship title. This put us in a great position to place our experience in the States. I was involved in SCSA from the very beginning and I helped coach the European drivers through what we called “Rookie Training.” I hope that all the South African drivers enjoy the experience and I wish them every success in becoming familiar with racing on super speedways.”

In 2005, he made his debut in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Texas Motor Speedway driving for Bobby Hamilton Racing. Since that time, he has made six other starts with the last coming in 2008 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. “The experience we gained from working with teams in the US was invaluable and it created a platform for us to build upon,” Mickel said. “I loved every second of it and it makes me hungry for more involvement and our plan is to do a full season in NASCAR.”

That hunger has been well noticed by famous car owner Dick Midgley. Midgley is very familiar with taking American stock car racing overseas has he has ventured with Dennis Huth to past events in Australia and Japan along with preparing Trucks in the past for Mickel. He is excited to be preparing a car for Mickel for the ASA Free State 500. “He can definitely drive, he has the experience and he has plenty of seat time in a car,” Midgley said. “The thing that really stands out is that he has the desire. I really like his attitude and I think he can get the job done. I know that John would like to come back and do more ASA racing in the United States.”

“John will be a very valuable asset for our event,” Dennis Huth, ASA President said. “Not only with his talent behind the wheel but with his coaching experience to young European drivers, the South African drivers will learn a lot from him as well as he will take away a lot as well from this adventure. He also has experience as a television commentator in auto racing, so he will be a great communicator with the world media covering this event.”

Most of Mickel’s experience has come on oval tracks in Europe, “Oval racing in the UK is becoming more popular thanks to the live coverage of NASCAR on Sky Sports television. Small oval racing has always been popular amongst drivers here, which is where my racing experience comes from, however it would be good to see far more speedways in the UK,” Mickel explained. “The European super speedways are less banked than many in the US. The European tracks are much like Indianapolis or Pocono. The typical US super speedways such as Charlotte and Atlanta have much steeper banking making them much faster tracks. But nothing can compare to the US fan base in motorsport where the whole family follows the season and sets up a home at each track with their barbecues and beers.”

“This event is set to be a ‘Championship Between the Continents’ and the South African Government wants to make it one of the premier motorsport events in the world,” Mickel exclaimed. “I am looking forward to working with the South African drivers and exchanging knowledge and experience with them and I am very hopeful that I will have a chance to explore a beautiful country. On track, I will be giving 100%.”

You can learn more about John Mickel by either visiting www.johnmickel.com or www.torquespeed.com.

The American drivers invited will not only get a chance to compete on one of the finest racetracks outside of the United States, but will enjoy many off-track opportunities to see the various sights of South Africa; this includes a private tour of “Savannah” the wildlife preserve that holds the distinction of being just one of three accredited worldwide breeders of the Cheetah.

To learn more about Phakisa Freeway, visit www.phakisa.com.

To learn more of the Daytona Beach, Fla.-based American Speed Association call (386) 258-2221.

For news and information from all the racetracks and regional tours involved in the ASA, visit www.ASA-Racing.com.

ASA™, ASA Racing™ American Speed Association® are trademarks of Racing Speed Associates, LLC. ASA International, LLC or Racing Speed Associates, LLC are not related to or affiliated with ASA Late Model Series, LLC.

- American Speed Association® Press Release

November 7, 2009

· It’s Deja-Vu for Kahne at Texas Motor Speedway…

For the first time since 2005, Kahne will get back behind the wheel of a car adorned with the familiar black and white Great Clips logo. From 2003-2005, Kahne and Great Clips reached momentous milestones including capturing Kahne’s first Nationwide Series victory in 2003 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. It was also Great Clips’ first win as primary sponsor. In 2005, Kahne took Great Clips back to victory lane at Texas Motor Speedway before leaving Stringer Motorsports / Akins Motorsports the following year to allow more time for his Sprint Cup Series efforts.

· Kahne to Drive the No. 38 Great Clips Camry in Eight Races in 2010…

As previously announced, Kahne will rejoin Great Clips’ driver lineup in 2010 for a total of eight races. In flashback-like fashion, Kahne will again be behind the wheel of the No. 38 Great Clips car, the car in which he essentially started his NASCAR career and piloted for two years (2003-2005) under the Akins Motorsports / Stringer Motorsports banner. Leffler, who took over Kahne’s role as a Great Clips driver in 2006, will drive the No. 38 in the remaining 27 races to round out a full schedule. In the eight races that Kahne will be behind the wheel of the No. 38, Leffler will drive Braun Racing’s No. 10 Camry.

· Kahne is No Stranger to TMS’s Victory Lane…

In 2005, Kahne drove the No. 38 Great Clips car to victory lane after a dominating performance in which he led for 47 laps after starting 25th. In a total of nine NNS starts, Kahne has one additional top-10 to his credit.

Kahne also captured one of his 11 career Sprint Cup Series victories at TMS. In 2006, he drove to the win after starting from the pole, and leading a total of 63 laps. In 10 NSCS starts at TMS, Kahne has one win and two top-five finishes with one pole and a total of 213 laps led.

KAHNE ON TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY

“I’m really looking forward to climbing back in that familiar Great Clips car. It’s awesome to be able to partner up with Great Clips again after all this time. I got my start with them as my sponsor from 2003-2005, and that’s something I have never forgotten. My last win with Great Clips was at Texas Motor Speedway back in 2005, and I’d love nothing more to repeat that performance and do it all over again!”

EQUIPMENT INFO

The #38 Great Clips Camry…TOYOTA powered

→ chassis # BR044

→ last seen on track at Charlotte (Kasey Kahne) started 16th / finished 8th

Atlanta (Kasey Kahne) started 5th / finished 11th

Kansas (Reed Sorenson) started 13th / finished 10th

- Braun Racing Press Release

Owners: Tony & Bryan Mullet

Nationwide Crew Chief: Paul Wolfe

Nationwide Chassis: 017

Manufacturer: Toyota

Engine Builder: Triad

No. 11 RIDEMAKERZ Toyota Camry

- NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Mike Bliss returns to the No. 11 RIDEMAKERZ Toyota at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, this weekend.

- The Texas race will be Bliss’s fourth in the No. 11 RIDEMAKERZ Toyota. Bliss’s three previous starts in the No. 11 car all resulted in top-5 finishes – fourth at Memphis, second at Charlotte and second at Dover.

- The NASCAR veteran has driven all 32 of the Nationwide races in the 2009 season, with one win, seven top-5 finishes and 13 top-10s. Bliss has also started 13 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races and five NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races in 2009.

CJM Racing Quick Facts:

- RIDEMAKERZ will return as the primary sponsor of the No. 11 at Texas. The company offers the first-ever car-customizing experience for kids ages six to 106. Pick one of 70 different car body types and paint schemes, using scale plastic-mold replicas of real-world cars that RIDEMAKERZ licenses from GM, Ford, BMW, and other car companies. Then trick out the ride by picking the wheels, hubcaps, a chassis, sounds, and other options such as radio control. Build YOUR Ride at RIDEMAKERZ.com.

- CJM Racing continues to be one of the hottest teams in the Nationwide series. At the team’s last race on Oct. 24 at Memphis, Bliss drove the No. 11 RIDEMAKERZ Toyota to a fourth-place finish for CJM’s fourth top-five finish of the season. Bliss also led the most laps (84).

- The 2009 season marks the second season CJM Racing is competing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series full-time. The team is currently in 16th place in the owner point standings.

- CJM Racing transitioned to Toyota Camrys in 2009 and shares a technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing. The partnership formed late last year allows the teams to share technical information as well as research and development.

- The team will bring chassis # 017 to Texas – the same chassis that Bliss drove to a second-place finish in Charlotte last month.
The O’Reilly Challenge at Texas Motor Speedway will air LIVE on ESPN2 at noon (ET) on Saturday, Nov. 7th.

Driver Mike Bliss on Racing the No. 11 RIDEMAKERZ Toyota:

“I think our performance of late might be a surprise to some, but not to us. The cars are very good cars and Paul Wolfe is a good crew chief. So the finishes we’ve had might be surprising to other people, but I think Paul and I knew that we could run well together.”

Driver Mike Bliss on Texas:

“I’m expecting a good run at Texas, too. We ran well at Charlotte, and it’s kind of the same layout. I don’t think my finishes there have been that great, but I’ve always run well there. But we’re going there with the same approach – just try and run as best we can and finish as best as we can. And I think we’ll have a good result.”

- Breaking Limits Press Release

No. 25 Cajun Industries Toyota Tundra

Qualifying: 8:00 PM ET Thursday Nov. 5th

Race Start: 9:00 PM ET Friday Nov. 6th

Broadcast LIVE on SPEED

­­­­­Driver: Terry Cook

Crew Chief: Danny Rollins

Team Owner: Shari Harris

News and Notes:

- Terry Cook will be making his 24th start this week in Ft. Worth, Texas.

- The Ohio native has led 70 laps in Texas with his highest finish being sixth, which he has accomplished two times.

- Cook has qualified on the outside pole for Texas one time in 2006.

- In 172 speedway starts, Cook has four wins, three poles, 16 top-five and 66 top-10 finishes. He has led 514 laps on this particular style of track.

- This Week’s Truck: Terry will pilot the HT Chassis called Nitro this Friday. It raced in Charlotte and Michigan.

Terry Cook at Texas Motor Speedway:

Series Starts Average Start Average Finish Wins Poles Top-Five Top-10s

NCWTS 23 14.9 15.6 0 0 0 7

Terry Cook

Cookie Cutter Tracks: “In my opinion there are no cookie-cutter race tracks. Even though these places may have the same look, the same length and all have a tri-oval, there is none of them that are alike. They all require a different setup and a different driving style. They have all aged like fine wine and promote good side-by-side racing, but they are different in many ways. So you can’t approach these tracks the same way, which is why the term cookie cutter is misleading.”

Cajun Industries Safety Incentive Winner: Cajun Industries created a safety incentive program whereby front-line supervisors without any safety incidents are placed in a drawing each month and out of those supervisors, a winner will be chosen to travel to the race track as an honorary Crew Chief to sit beside the team’s Crew Chief Danny Rollins. The latest contest winner is Craig Tullier. He will be attending Texas Motor Speedway as his reward. Plus, his name will be displayed across the rear of the race truck in recognition of his good record.

- HT Motorsports Press Release