Gary Sinise with Guitar

Forrest Gump, CSI NY Star Will Perform Benefit Concert Goody’s 500 Weekend

MARTINSVILLE, Va. (February 9, 2012) – Award-winning actor and humanitarian Gary Sinise is going to make sure Cpl. J.B. Kerns’ dream of a log cabin on the Ararat River becomes a reality.

Sinise announced today that the Gary Sinise Foundation and The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation (named after the NY firefighter who perished on 9/11), are partnering as part of their Building For America’s Bravest program to build a “smart home” for Kerns that will allow him to live independently.

Kerns lost both legs and his right arm last April as a result of a blast from an improvised explosive device (IED) while on his third tour of duty in Afghanistan. The heroic Marine, who’s had to undergo dozens of surgeries, is from Ararat—a small, rural town in Patrick County, about 30 miles from Martinsville Speedway.

The fundraising centerpiece for the project will be a concert performed by Sinise and his Lt. Dan Band at Martinsville High School on Saturday, March 31, at 7 p.m, and 100% of the ticket sales will go toward funding the specially-equipped smart home for Kerns. The next day, at the running of the Goody’s Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway, Sinise and Kerns will play a special role in the Speedway’s pre-race program.

General admission to the Martinsville concert will be $25. There will also be a limited number of VIP passes available, which include a ticket to the Goody’s Fast Relief 500 and a Sunday morning meet-and-greet with Sinise at Martinsville Speedway.

Tickets will be sold by the Piedmont Arts Association in Martinsville and will go on sale Friday, Feb. 10. They may be purchased online at www.piedmontarts.org or by calling (276) 632-3221. To make donations to Building For America’s Bravest Program, you can go to http://www.garysinisefoundation.org/help_us/donate  or  https://tunneltotowersfoundation.org/donate_now.aspx .

Sinise, nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayal of Lt. Dan—the character who lost both legs in battle in “Forrest Gump”—and the star of CBS’ popular “CSI: New York,” is also an accomplished musician.   He formed the Lt. Dan Band in 2004 primarily for USO Tours, and now performs 30 to 40 concerts a year to entertain troops and families, to raise funds for charitable efforts to help wounded warriors and families of the fallen, and to support charities devoted to the same.

Said Kerns, “I am overwhelmed at the support my community has given me. I have loved auto racing and NASCAR my whole life, and the fact that Martinsville Speedway, a star like Gary Sinise, and a foundation named after a 9/11 hero fireman, have come together so that I can have a home that is going to give me a good life, is awesome.”

“It is my honor to partner with the Tunnel to Towers Foundation to raise the necessary funds to support the building of a home for JB Kerns,” said Sinise.  “JB has given so much in service to his country, and it is a privilege to do what I can to give something back to him. I hope that the entire community will join me and my band to help show our support and our gratitude to a great American hero, JB Kerns, the night of March 31.  As our 30th president Calvin Coolidge said, ‘The nation which forgets its defenders will itself be forgotten.’ Let’s come together to honor this brave American, and show him that we will not forget what he has sacrificed in defense of our freedom.”

Purchase of the site for Kerns’ house—land overlooking the Ararat River—is being finalized. Its acquisition is made possible by the partnership between the Gary Sinise Foundation and The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation.

Since 2011, the two foundations have joined forces to build smart homes for three quadruple amputees. In 2012 they are partnering on nine additional homes for very-severely wounded warriors from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. They completed one home for Spc. Brendan Marrocco, on June 11, 2011 in Staten Island, NY; will break ground on Feb. 14 in Temecula, CA for Cpl. Juan Dominguez’s home; broke ground October 26, 2011 at the Lake of the Ozarks, MO for Cpl. Todd Nicely’s smart home; and this year, in addition to a home in Ararat, VA for JB Kerns, will begin raising funds for homes in Brooklyn, NY, Albany, NY, Columbia, MO, Atlanta, GA, Marietta, OH, and Whitehall, PA.

The Gary Sinise Foundation is dedicated to serving the Nation by honoring our defenders, veterans, first responders, their families and those in need by creating and supporting unique programs designed to entertain, educate, inspire, strengthen and build communities. For more information, go to www.GarySiniseFoundation.org.

The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, named after fallen NY firefighter Stephen Siller, is best known for its annual Tunnel to Towers Run which follows Siller’s heroic run from a blocked-off Brooklyn Battery Tunnel to the World Trade Center in a desperate bid to save lives. The Run, held the last Sunday of each September, attracts 30,000 participants from around the world. Beginning in 2011, cities all across America—including some of the largest—held their versions of the Tunnel to Towers Run and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Foundation’s “Building for America’s Bravest” program. For more information, go to www.TunneltoTowers.org.

Source: Martinsville Speedway, Press Release

Martinsville Speedway 65th Anniversary Logo

MARTINSVILLE, Va. (January 30, 2012) –

In honor of Martinsville Speedway’s 65^th anniversary, the track is offering a special $65 ticket package for the Goody’s Fast Relief 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup race on April 1.

The 65^th anniversary ticket package includes a seat in the Sprint Tower (rows 15-48), the South Terrace or the Old Dominion Tower and a pre-race track pass. The Sprint Tower overlooks the first turn while the South Terrace and Old Dominion Tower overlooks the first and second turns.

The pre-race track pass allows fans to walk along the front stretch of the historic half-mile track from 9:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. on race morning. Fans are close enough to the pits that they can get a good look at what happens there on race morning.

Fans may take advantage of the 65^th anniversary package by calling 877.722.3849 or ordering online at www.martinsvillespeedway.com. The offer is available while supplies last.

“We think this is a great way to kick off our 65^th season. It’s a great value for fans and gives them not only the chance to see great racing from really good seats, but a chance to have a good time down on the track on race morning,” said Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell.

The 65^th Anniversary Ticket Package is the first of many season-long fan promotions and events to celebrate the 65 years of history at Martinsville Speedway.

The anniversary year will culminate with a grand pre-race celebration before the TUMS Fast Relief 500 on October 28 when the speedway will host many of the old time drivers who raced here for interaction with fans.

Tickets for the Goody’s Fast Relief 500 on Sunday, April 1 or for the Kroger 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on Saturday, March 31 may be purchased by calling 877.722.3849 or online awww.martinsvillespeedway.com.

Source: Martinsville Speedway, Press Release

Martinsville Speedway 65th Anniversary Logo

MARTINSVILLE, Va. (January 23, 2012) –

As it celebrates its 65^th anniversary, the world is vastly different from when Martinsville Speedway founder H. Clay Earles first opened the doors on September 7, 1947. But even with all the change that 65 years brings, some of Earles’ basic philosophies remain, in fact are the reason the historic oval has not only survived, but thrived.

“My grandfather often said a working man or woman deserved to get what they paid for and that’s always been our philosophy here,” said W. Clay Campbell, president of Martinsville Speedway and Earles’ grandson. “I think that has been the key to our success over the years. We have always worked hard to take care of the fans.”

Fans will be the focus of Martinsville Speedway’s year-long 65^th anniversary celebration which will include special ticket offers, interactive social media campaigns and web promotions, special commemorative merchandise and collectible items.

The anniversary year will culminate with a grand pre-race celebration before the TUMS Fast Relief 500 on October 28 when the speedway will host many of the old time drivers who raced here for interaction with fans.

Martinsville is a year older than NASCAR and is the only track that remains on the NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule from its inaugural season in 1949. The historic half-mile has grown and progressed with the sport, offering up fan amenities that rival any sporting venue in the country. It kicks of its 65^th year of racing action with the Goody’s Fast Relief 500 weekend March 30-April 1.

Other than its fan philosophy, the only thing that hasn’t changed at Martinsville Speedway is the shape of the track itself. The unique paperclip shape with long straights and tight turns consistently produces exciting, action-packed racing.

“Fans know when they come to Martinsville they are going to see hard-nosed, grass-roots racing. They know they are going to see beating and banging, close action,” said Campbell.

Racing returns to Martinsville Speedway March 30-April 1 with the Goody’s Fast Relief 500 weekend. Tickets for both events are on sale and may be purchased by calling 877.RACE.TIX or online atwww.martinsvillespeedway.com.

Source: Martinsville Speedway, Press Release

2011 Brad Daugherty - Photo Credit: Mike Stobe/Getty Images for NASCAR

HARRISBURG, N.C.

Taking a closer look at Daugherty’s fervor for racing, he dabbles as a driver himself in the National Auto Sport Association (NASA) and other racing series. In preparation for competition in the NASA Southeast Region next season, he has decided to test a NASCAR Camping World Series truck at Martinsville Speedway on Wednesday.

“The reason I’m testing a truck is because I’m going to try to run it next year in the series called NASA in the Southeast Region, which is a road course racing series, “ Daugherty said. “It’s for me to get used to the horsepower because it is probably 200 more horsepower than I have ever raced. Andy Petree and Michael Waltrip are going to spend the day with me. Mikey, who is 6’ 5”, decided to come along to help shake it down and decipher information for me.”

Daugherty plans to race in eight NASA Southeast Region events during the 2012 season. Daugherty already has the races circled on his calendar that he will compete in during the first half of the season before he returns to work as a TV analyst.

“We will race at Road Atlanta twice, Charlotte, Carolina Motorsports Park, Roebling Road in Savannah and so forth,” Daugherty said. “I’m trying to run eight races until I have to go back to work. I’m also going to run a Thunder Roadster at Road Atlanta on December 2nd, which is their final race of 2011. Their first race is the second week of February at Carolina Motorsports Park.”

Petree has worked with Daugherty for years and is helping him on this project.

“Andy has helped me a lot with my race car chassis,” Daugherty said. “Andy, Jeff Swan and a young man out of Asheville (N.C.), Brian Ogle actually built this truck for me. It will be a lot of fun to test.”

Not only has Daugherty co-owned NASCAR teams for decades, but he’s been driving himself for a while.

“I’ve raced Late Models in the NASCAR Whelen Series for a few years,” Daugherty said. “I didn’t race this summer, but last year I ran four or five races. I’ve also ran a couple of full body cars at road course races with NASA and ran nine races last year in a Roadster.

“Also, when we had NASCAR Nationwide Series cars I’d run laps,” Daugherty continued. “I bet I’ve turned 500 or 600 laps at Atlanta Motor Speedway and 300 or 400 laps around Daytona International Speedway at speed. I’ve run a bunch of laps at Charlotte too. It’s kind of funny – - my passion for racing. I’ve been doing it for a long time, but nobody really noticed it. I have always loved racing and this big old body was used to playing basketball, not stuff it in a race car. However, I’ve got a little bit of time and I still love tinkering and I want to race a little bit more.”

- JTG-Daugherty Racing, Press Release

Martinsville (Va.) Speedway

MARTINSVILLE, Va. (November 8, 2011) –

The 15th Annual Martinsville Speedway Toy Drive is scheduled for Saturday, December 10, the day after Martinsville Speedway president Clay Campbell will sit atop the track’s entrance sign to raise funds for the Martinsville Speedway Children’s Foundation.

Campbell will be lifted to his perch some 40 feet in the air at 8 a.m. on Friday, December 9 and remain there until he raises $20,000 for the Martinsville Speedway Children’s Foundation. Last year Campbell spent over eight hours suspended above the ground in frigid conditions before he came down after collecting $24,837.

“It was a bitter cold day last year, but it was worth every minute I was up there,” said Campbell. “I would like to get down a little earlier this year, so I urge all my friends to come by and write a check to help the youngsters in our area.”

The Martinsville Speedway Toy Drive will be held the following day, Saturday, December 10, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. in the infield of the track.

Fans will get to drive their personal vehicles around the historic Martinsville Speedway if they donate a toy or make a $10 donation. Pace cars will lead the personal vehicles around the track.

There will be plenty other options for those not interested in the drive around.

For a $25 donation, Campbell will give fans five hot laps in one of the Martinsville Speedway pace cars. Participants will receive a certificate of completion from Campbell.

As has become a tradition, the Martinsville Speedway staff will be manning the infield concession stand on Saturday, making and serving the Famous Martinsville Speedway Hot Dogs™. Hot dogs and Pepsi products are $1 each, with proceeds going toward purchasing toys.

Santa Claus will be making his annual appearance at the track at noon and will listen to the wishes of boys and girls.

Anyone who would like to donate a toy, but cannot make it to the Toy Drive, can drop them off at the Martinsville Speedway ticket office Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Grace Network, a local group comprised of almost 100 churches, will distribute the collected toys to families in need. The monetary donations will be used to purchase additional toys. All of the toys will remain in the Martinsville and Henry County area.

- Martinsville Speedway, Press Release

Martinsville (Va.) Speedway

MARTINSVILLE, Va. (November 3, 2011) –

Tony Stewart made an improbable outside pass of Jimmie Johnson with three laps to go Sunday to win the TUMS Fast Relief 500. Last spring Kevin Harvick got by Dale Earnhardt, also with three laps to go, to capture the Goody’s Fast Relief 500. Harvick’s pass of Earnhardt was the 31st lead change in the race, breaking a record that had stood for more than 30 years. This past Sunday there were 23 lead changes and 18 caution periods.

“It’s no secret that the best racing action is at short tracks, and Martinsville Speedway had the best action anywhere this year,” said Martinsville Speedway president Clay Campbell. “The feedback we’ve gotten the last few days from fans and even from the drivers has been amazing. They all agree it doesn’t get any better than the racing we had at Martinsville Speedway this year.”

To help fans celebrate that great racing, Martinsville Speedway is offering a save-your-seat Special for the Goody’s Fast Relief 500 on April 1. For $14, which commemorates Stewart’s car number, fans can hold their seat for the Goody’s Fast Relief 500.

Put $14 down on your order today and schedule the remaining payments through early February 2012. To take advantage of the special $14 offer, call 877.RACE.TIX.

Stewart reached out with praise for Martinsville Speedway fans during his post-race interviews Sunday following his TUMS Fast Relief 500 victory.

“To pass Jimmie Johnson on the outside at Martinsville with two laps to go and to watch the crowd on the backstretch, then watch them on the front stretch when we cleared him, you swear people are going to fall onto the racetrack,” Stewart said after his third career Martinsville win.

“You feel that energy. You sense that. That’s not that you need extra motivation, but it’s cool to know you got that kind of support. It’s just that extra drive that gets you the rest of the way that last lap. It’s cool”

For more information on other ticket information for the Goody’s Fast Relief 500 weekend March 31-April 1, visit www.martinsvillespeedway.com or call 877.RACE.TIX.

- Martinsville Speedway, Press Release

Hermie Sadler - TRG Motorsports

(10/31/2011) Mooresville, N.C. -

“In a race like this, you just have to be careful. When you are bumper-to-bumper for 500 laps, the last thing you want to do is be patient, but sometimes that’s the most important thing you need to do,” commented Sadler, who finished 26th.

The Virginia native thanks TRG Motorsports for allowing him to race for their organization:

“TRG Motorsports is a first-class organization. Kevin has really put together a great group here. They are a team that is on the rise and one to watch in the future.”

Team owner Kevin Buckler says the team remains focused as it heads into the final three races of the season,

“Hermie did a good job for us today and brought home a solid finish. It was great to have HOMESMART on the car this weekend. Slowly but surely we are proving how great of a marketing opportunity exists in our organization and in the sport of NASCAR. This team has a lot of potential and a lot of upside. We are trying to build as much momentum as possible so we can hit the ground running going into next year.”

The No. 71 team heads to Texas Motor Speedway next weekend for the AAA Texas 500. Coverage will begin Sunday at 3:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.
___________________________________________________________________________

TRG is a full-service motorsports company offering a total driver ladder approach. This approach starts with track days, goes to club events, up into street stock series and culminates in the ultimate goal of professional motorsports. With sports car focused facilities in Petaluma, California (Infineon Raceway) and Mooresville, North Carolina, the team can offer turn-key support as well as arrive-and-drive programs.

The company’s NASCAR operations are headquartered in Mooresville, North Carolina. The team fields a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series entry and has the capacity to run ARCA, Nationwide and the Camping World Truck Series.

The Racer’s Group was founded in 1993 and has been competing at the top level of motor racing. The team boasts Rolex Series GT championships in 2005 and 2006 and holds the record for the most wins in Grand-Am with 32. The team’s resume is highlighted by five championships, four Rolex 24 Hour at Daytona victories and a Le Mans 24 Hour win.

Detailed team info can be viewed at www.trgmotorsports.com and www.theracersgroup.com.

- TRG Motorsports, Press release

2011 NSCS No. 36 Golden Corral / Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet Impala SS

RIDEGWAY, VA. (October 31, 2011) –

Rain cancelled all activity on Friday and allowed the NSCS to get on track for a one-hour practice session on Saturday. Blaney posted the 37th-fastest time in the short practice session as the TBR team diligently worked to convert the speedway car to a short-track setup. Blaney ran a speedway chassis because the short-track chassis was damaged in a testing session at Phoenix International Raceway.

Due to rain cancelling qualifying and most of practice, the field for the TUMS Fast Relief 500 was set by NSCS Owner Points, giving the No. 36 Golden Corral Chevrolet the 32nd starting spot. By the first caution on lap nine for a six-car accident in turn one, Blaney worked up to the 28th position. Crew Chief Philippe Lopez decided to stay out during the caution, as there were not enough laps for Blaney to get a good feel for the handling of the TBR Chevrolet.

The Golden Corral Chevrolet restarted 21st, and Blaney drove into the 19th position before he was spun in turn three on lap 29. The spin caused a left, front flat tire. The Hartford, Ohio native drove to pit road to change tires. The team changed left-side tires on lap 31 but returned to the track to stay on the lead lap. On lap 32, the Golden Corral crew changed right-side tires and added fuel.

Blaney restarted 37th on lap 36 and drove into 29th before an incident in front of him brought out the yellow flag on lap 48. He ran over the curb avoiding the incident, so the Golden Corral team looked at the tires when the No. 36 Golden Corral Chevrolet drove by during caution laps. All the tires looked good, so Blaney stayed out on the track. He restarted in the 23rd position on lap 52 and raced in the top-32 until the fourth caution on lap 66 for a two-car accident in turn two. Blaney radioed that the No. 36 Golden Corral Chevrolet was too loose and lost a lot of grip.

The TBR team made a four-tire pit stop and an air pressure adjustment during the caution period. Blaney restarted 34th and radioed that the car felt like something was broken in the front, left suspension. Despite feeling like something was wrong, Blaney was still running good lap times, so when a caution was called on lap 87, Lopez elected to keep the No. 36 on the track. On lap 96, the Golden Corral Chevrolet restarted in the 16th position but fell back quickly. Blaney radioed that he thought the sway bar broke, making the car’s handling go away.

A two-car incident in turn four brought out a caution on lap 106 and allowed the team to adjust the handling of the No. 36 Golden Corral Chevrolet. During the stop, the crew found a broken arm in the left, front but did not have enough time to fix the issue. The field went back to green-flag racing on lap 112 with Blaney in the 27th position. Still having issues driving the car with a broken arm, he went a lap down to the leader on lap 143 while in the 31st spot.

On lap 151, an incident in turn three brought out another caution. The team made a four-tire pit stop, but the caution period was not long enough to fix the arm. Blaney restarted 29th, one lap down. During the run, the No. 36 made fast lap times when it ran alone on the track. Since the lap times held up, the team waited to fix the arm in order to hold onto their position and not lose any more laps.

The team continued to make adjustments to the No. 36 Golden Corral Chevrolet during the next three cautions on laps 198, 259, 362 and 409. Blaney continued to post decent lap times but fell four laps down by the 13th caution on lap 416. Since the team pit four laps earlier, Lopez decided to stay out to get a lap back with the wave around. The last 100 laps of the 500-lap event were caution filled. Blaney made his last pit stop during the caution on lap 459 while in the 28th position, three laps down. He avoided the plethora of incidents on the track and brought home a 23rd-place finish.

The finish allowed Blaney and the No. 36 team to hold onto the 32nd spot in both NSCS Driver and Owner Points. The team is now six points ahead of the No. 13, 43 points behind the No. 34 in the 31st position, and locked into the top-35 by 64 points. Blaney is ahead of Andy Lally by 83 points and trailing Casey Mears in 31st by 20 points.

“The car was really good before we spun early in the race,” explained Blaney. “I was really impressed with how good it was because we were not that great in practice. The guys worked hard making a lot of changes from practice. I think we would have had a solid day if we didn’t spin. The spin gave us a flat, and while getting to pit road, the arm broke in the left front. The broken part made us really loose, but we managed to stay out of trouble the rest of the race and get a solid finish.”

Blaney will get behind the wheel of the No. 35 Big Red Chevrolet this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway for the AAA Texas 500.

About Golden Corral:
Founded in 1973, privately held Golden Corral Corp. is headquartered in Raleigh, N.C. Golden Corral currently has 485 restaurants in 41 states. The company’s vision is to be the leader in the family restaurant segment by making pleasurable dining affordable for every guest, at every restaurant, every day. Golden Corral restaurants nationwide have long been strong supporters of the U.S. Military and the Disabled American Veterans (DAV). Golden Corral helped raise more than $1,000,000 for the DAV in 2010 as part of its annual “Military Appreciation Monday” initiative.

For more information on Golden Corral, visit www.goldencorral.net or join the Golden Corral Community.

About Tommy Baldwin Racing:
Tommy Baldwin Racing was formed in 2009 by NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Crew Chief Tommy Baldwin. Baldwin utilized a slumping economy to open a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team with a stringent budget. The team competed in two full seasons with multiple drivers behind the wheel of the No. 36 Chevrolet and improved in the standings each year.

Based in Mooresville, N.C., TBR will compete in the full NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule in 2011 with NASCAR veteran Dave Blaney piloting the No. 36 Golden Corral Chevrolet. Looking to improve on-track performance, TBR found success early in the 2011 season with partners Golden Corral, Big Red and Accell Construction. TBR’s driver development program, Heinke-Baldwin Racing, will also compete in various NASCAR series in 2011.

For more information on Tommy Baldwin Racing, visit tommybaldwinracing.com or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

- Tommy Baldwin Racing, Press Release

The day after winning the TUMS Fast Relief 500, Tony Stewart drives the Stewart Haas Chevrolet during the NASCAR Fuel Injection test at Martinsville Speedway on Oct. 31, 2011, in Martinsville, Va. - Photo Credit: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images for NASCAR

Test Time On A Short Track Aids In Continued Development Of EFI System

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Oct. 31, 2011) — For the third time this month, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams tested Electronic Fuel Injection on track, as 10 cars churned out laps around the .526-mile paper clip layout at Martinsville Speedway Monday. Teams from Roush Fenway Racing, Penske Racing, Michael Waltrip Racing, Hendrick Motorsports, NEMCO Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, Furniture Row Racing, Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing and two teams from Stewart-Hass Racing participated in Monday’s session.

This marked the third EFI test for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series this month. Previously, teams had tested at Charlotte Motor Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. Plans call for the full implementation of EFI in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series beginning with the 2012 season.

Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet) and winner of Sunday’s TUMS Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville, said today’s test was all about helping his race team get better.

“This test is big for the engine guys and also for our overall organization,” said Stewart, who is second in points in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. “It gives them the opportunity to read the fuel maps and get a feel for the ins and outs of the EFI system. We’re confident that this system will be bullet proof when we go all in with it next season. Being out here today, running laps; you do this to make your race team better.”

Stewart’s crew chief, Darian Grubb, said that his team came out of Monday’s test “very satisfied.”

“We’ve received a lot of data from the earlier tests and this was a good indicator on how the system might perform on a short track and we came away very satisfied,” said Grubb. “We’re all still in a bit of a learning process with the EFI and still doing some trouble shooting, but this is an exciting move we’re making in the sport.”

Grubb went on to say that Stewart provides the team with “excellent feedback” on how the car is handling on the track.

“Tony has experience racing with the EFI systems in the past and with his background in IndyCar and sprint cars, he is able to provide us with a lot of valuable and insightful feedback.”

AJ Allmendinger (No. 43 Best Buy Ford) drove a car for Roush Fenway Racing at the test and said that today was his first experience behind the wheel of an EFI stock car.

“It was kind of cool making laps in the EFI car after going 500 laps yesterday at this track,” said Allmendinger, who finished 11th in Sunday’s race. “It was pretty amazing seeing the marks on the walls and divots in the track from the race. We were able to make a few minor adjustments with our car today and all in all, it was a productive test for us.”

John Darby, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series director, said today’s test “was just one more step in the planning process for EFI.”

“Since the time we first began testing EFI in July in Kentucky, I think the teams have been able to work through just about all the configurations of race tracks and the different extremes of weather that they will see in 2012,” said Darby. “At Kentucky it was brutally hot and the teams were faced with the extreme heat and this morning it was 30 degrees here at Martinsville, so they’ve been able to test this system under a variety of conditions.”

Darby said that the feedback he has received from the drivers has been “consistently positive.”

“When they have the throttle wide open, they (the drivers) say the car might run even a little smoother,” said Darby. “When they run it mid-throttle, they say it might feel even a little softer in handling. They all say the cars are handling very similar to what they are used to driving now.”

- NASCAR, Press Release

The End Result of the No. 83 of Brian Vickers Being Punted by Matt Kenseth into Turn 3 Wall on Lap 42

DRIVERS:

MARTINSVILLE, Va. — And the hits just kept on coming. And coming. And coming. By the time Sunday’s Tums Fast Relief 500 was complete, 18 caution flags had waved that consumed more than a fifth of the 500 laps at Martinsville Speedway, putting the pace car third on the laps led list with 108. Brian Vickers, according to NASCAR’s cumulative report, was involved in five of them — three before lap 100.

Vickers drove into the top 10 courtesy of longer runs in the race’s middle stages and was running ninth with 50 laps to go. But the No. 83 Red Bull Toyota, already beaten and battered, took its worst shot when Matt Kenseth punted Vickers’ car into the turn-three wall with 42 laps to go. That irked an already frustrated driver, and Vickers, who had gone from a possible top 10 to multiple laps down, countered on Kenseth not long after in the same spot.

The end result? A 30th-place finish and a scrap heap of a race car that didn’t see the checkered flag for only the second time this season.

“These are the races where we all get to capitalize on it and do all the other things right, keep working hard and get yourself back in the game,” said Ryan Pemberton, Vickers’ crew chief. “Right there at the end, we just took ourselves out of it. We were in the game and now we’re out of the game — after all that. Four or five hours into the race and we finally get into good position, like, ‘OK, here’s the chance to capitalize on something.’ And we didn’t even have the chance to swing the bat.”

The race easily could have seen a 19th caution flag, but NASCAR officials opted not to wave the yellow when Bobby Labonte’s No. 47 spun on frontstretch and collected Kasey Kahne’s No. 4 Red Bull Toyota. There had been five caution periods up to that point, but not this time.

“I think NASCAR was ticked off … there was five cautions in, like, five laps,” Kahne said. “So they were like, ‘The heck with it, we’re not throwing a caution for this one.’ Even though we hit pretty hard. That was the hardest wreck I’ve ever been in where there wasn’t a caution. It was a hard wreck.”

Kahne pitted under green for repairs two laps later and fell five laps down. Despite driving what Kahne labeled as a “great car” and taking several wave-arounds, it hardly helped. He finished five laps off the pace in 25th — his first finish outside the top 15 in the past seven races.

“You knew it was going to happen. We got caught up in one on the frontstretch, which just crushed us,” Kahne said.

“We actually had a really good Red Bull Toyota. Not saying we would’ve finished up front because the next 400 laps we could’ve hit a wall way harder than we did with everybody being so rowdy. It was interesting.”

Kahne slipped a spot in the standings to 15th. He’s one point behind Greg Biffle in 14th and 25 behind 13th-place Clint Bowyer with three races remaining. Vickers still sits 25th.

UP NEXT: AAA Texas 500, Sunday, Nov. 6, Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, Texas

- Red Bull Racing Team, Press Release

Granny Grump

The Nationwide Series was off this weekend which saved them a lot of stress, mad fit throwin’ and repairin’, let me tell ya that one somethin’ right now. So that freed up Saturday for the Trucks and another race shortened weekend. Duck and I were real excited about this race weekend. Martinsville is one of those tracks where the drivers have at it whether they are supposed to or not and get away with it most of the time, at least while it’s happenin’. For those who want to know, Hotrod Todd and teammate Papis get our vote for the top have-at-iters for that race. Anyway, Duck and I decided to have our lunch early as to cut down on our own fit throwin’ durin’ the race messes. So with nothin’ on the crates we settled in on the divan and cheered and quacked as the green flag waved for Crafty Matt, Handsome Hornaday (back in the #33), Hamlin, Rock’em Sock’em and Buescher. For those who want to know Happy Man started 6th in his #2, Hotrod Todd started 7th and WOG started 10th. The rest you can look up.

Those trucks were made for this kind of racetrack as far as Duck and I are concerned. 200 laps of pure hard racin’ is just what we like for Saturday. Yessirree! And with no Flippin’ Carl in this race Duck was free to just enjoy himself and so was I, let me tell ya that one somethin’ right now. Things got intense immediately like they always do there. Course that’s what gets everybody’s blood a pumpin’. Know what I mean? There was jostlin’ passin’ and repassin’, beatin’, bangin’, donuts on the sides of the trucks, front and rearends gettin’ crunched, trucks spinnin’, walls bein’ hit, drivers gettin’ ticked and even more. Absolutely great racin’ there to my way of thinkin’ with no one gettin’ hurt thank our good and gracious LORD.

And some people might even say that Todd and his teammate Papis took that old sayin’ “tit for tat” in to overtime, but to that Duck and I say whatever! Look here. They are teammates. They know each other’s racin’ ways and even Duck and I know if you mess with Hotrod you’re gonna get hotrodded. And Papis didn’t back down to Todd, neither, so good for him I say! In the end though all they did was tear up their trucks and didn’t win. Denny Boy, drivin’ Rowdy’s usual #18, made a late race pass on Handsome and WOG while they were battlin’ and won the race! That was his 1st truck race win and he now has joined the ranks of the 23 drivers who have won in all 3 top NASCAR series. GOOD for him I say! Handsome came home 2nd ahead of WOG, Rock’em Sock’em and Coulter. For those who want to know Hotrod Todd got the best of that ‘twixt teammate tantrum stuff and finished 11th while Max wound up 18th, Crafty finished 12th, Happy finished where he started and the rest you can look up. Frankly Duck and I were amazed that 23 trucks finished on the lead lap. As for the points standin’s WOG still leads by 11 over Buescher and Handsome who moved up a spot and Rock’em Sock’em fell a spot to 4th. The rest you can look up and there are only 2 races remain’ on their schedule.

Now for Sunday’s Cup race. Duck and I were so ready. In fact Duck could barely sleep Saturday night knowin’ His idol, Flippin’ Carl, was on the pole. Course the weather forced the field to start accordin’ to the points but that didn’t bother Duck none. I had to smile at his wild eyed duckly excitement. So with our tummies full from a late breakfast we quacked and cheered as Carl lead Robo, Good Bad, Smoke and Happy Man. For those who want to know Same Champ (who may not be again this year) started 7th, Jeffie started 10th, JR started 9th and the rest you can look up.

Bow howdy were we excited to get this race a goin’. Right off the bat Duck was upset cause Roba passed his idol but Flippin’ Carl took it back pretty quick. The first caution came with a big ‘ol mess involvin’ 8 drivers includin Jeffie, JR and Brian Vickers which was only the first of many mishaps for him let me tell that one somethin’ right now. I tell ya this much Vickers seemed to be a wild man runnin’ into pert near everybody. I’m exaggeratin’ some but he was involved in a whole bunch of stuff. Anyway I think Jeffie got the worst of that deal. By lap 65 there had been 4 cautions but Vickers wasn’t involed in the 4th one. Anway there was all sorts of jostlin’, rubbin’ and bangin’ goin’ on. Then low and behold caution 5 on lap 85 involved Vickers again and Cute Jamie who tried to pay Vickers back would up endin’ his day when he hit the wall instead! Sad for him I say, but Vickers was still goin’. And for some reason Duck’s idol was havin’ one heck of a bad race day initially and even at one point went a lap down. Various drivers had the lead at one time or another includin’ Same Champ, Jeffie (I think), Smoke, Flyin’ Ryan, Allmendinger, Rowdy Boy and Hamlin. I may have missed some for all I know. What I do know is by race end there was 18 cautions, the last comin’ on lap 492 involvin’, yep you guessed it, Vickers. His car was just plain torn up. Mercy sakes I remember thinkin’ he was drivin’ like he did when he started racin’ runnin’ into or over pert near everbody, but I guess that’s neither here nor there. Anyway the final green came with 3 laps to go with Same Champ leadin’ but Smoke made fast history with that and took the lead with 2 to go and after bumpin’ it up with him on the last lap Smoke won that race! Yessirree it was an awesome finish. Good for him I say! Same Champ finished 2nd followed by Jeffie, Happy, Hamlin, Burton, JR, Truex, Jr, Flippin’ Carl and Flyin’ Ryan. The rest you can look up. There was so much goin’ on durin’ that race that I failed (most of the time) to noticed a dejected Duck. But he rallied up some when he realized his idol still had the points lead by 8 over Smoke who moved up 2 spots with that win. Happy is in 3rd 21 points down and the rest you can look up.

Now for some other stuff. Seems durin’ a taped instruction to Same Champ from Crew Chief Chad Knaus, master Crew Chief got himself in a bit of a dilly. He told Same Champ if he won the race to spin the car and damage the rear. Interestin’ stuff there. Course with him and JR waitin’ too long to move forward that wasn’t even close to a problem for them, but Chad’s mouth was. The 48 cars gets taken to the Tech Center for the last 4 races thanks tothat statement. Guess he forgot about the in car equipment. Open mouth, insert NASCAR’s boot there Chad! Bet he minds his p’s and q’s for a short spell. If not someone needs to tape up his loose lips.

And by the way, JR said that hangin’ back stuff at Talladega and Daytona ain’t happenin’ anymore. Uh, smart deal there, JR. Yessirree!

Additionally Smoke had a message for Duck’s points leadin’ idol. He said these last 3 races are not gonna be easy wins for Flippin’ Carl. I am sure that is oh so true and we will all see very soon now, won’t we?

Also a crew member on the 38 team was hit on pitroad by Mark Martin, bless his heart, but is gonna be ok thank our good and gracious LORD. Goes to show Hotrod Todd was right about those crew members bein’ in harms way when he was goin’ off on his teammate.

And finally sad news for the Wallace family. Rusty, Mike and Kenny lost their father unexpectedly this past weekend. Remember them all in prayer. Rest in peace Mr. Wallace.

That’s it for now. Email, comment or don’t. Granny Grump over and out.

Richard Childress Racing (RCR)

RCR Post Race Report — Martinsville Speedway

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

RACE: TUMS Fast Relief 500

TRACK: Martinsville Speedway

DATE: October 30, 2011

Race Highlights:

• Richard Childress Racing teammates finished fourth (Kevin Harvick), sixth (Jeff Burton), 19th (Clint Bowyer) and 24th (Paul Menard) in the TUMS Fast Relief 500.
• Harvick spent 493 of 500 laps (98.6 percent) in the top 15, ranking him first among all drivers in that category according to NASCAR Loop Data Statistics.
• Harvick ranked sixth in the NASCAR Loop Data category Average Running Position (6.998), fifth in the category Driver Rating (110.9), was fourth-fastest of all drivers early in a run (92.942 mph) and ranked fifth in the category Green Flag Speed (92.015 mph).
• The sixth-place finish was Burton’s 16th top-10 showing in 35 races at Martinsville Speedway. The South Boston, Va., native won the home state race in September 1997.
• Burton ranked first in the NASCAR Loop Data category Closers, picking up 15 positions in the final 50 laps of Sunday’s race.
• The No. 31 Caterpillar Racing Chevrolet ran 349 of the 500 laps, or 69.8 percent, in the top 15, ranking Burton 13th among all drivers according to NASCAR Loop Data Statistics.
• Bowyer made 104 green-flag passes, fifth-most in the 43-car field, and passed 53 competitors while running in the top 15 according to NASCAR Loop Data Statistics.
• Menard started 21st and ran as high as second before finishing 24th, maintaining an average running position of 17.432 that ranked him 18th among all drivers in that category according to NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics.
• Menard made 68 green-flag passes and held an average green-flag speed of 91.405 mph according to NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics.
• The next NSCS race is the AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday, November 6 and will be televised live on ESPN beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time and broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and Sirius XM Satellite Radio beginning at 2 p.m. EDT.

Menard Finishes 24th in Attrition-Filled Martinsville Race

Richard Childress Racing’s Paul Menard and the No. 27 Richmond/Menards team escaped Sunday afternoon’s action-packed short track race at Martinsville Speedway with a top-25 finish. Menard started the 500-lap race from the 21st position after rain throughout the early portion of the weekend caused NASCAR officials to scratch Saturday’s qualifying and set the field according to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series owners point standings. Menard took the green flag in front of an estimated 62,000 people and quickly noted to crew chief Slugger Labbe the No. 27 Chevrolet had a tight-handling condition. With the race slowed by 18 cautions for 108 laps, there were plenty of opportunities to make chassis adjustments during routine pit stops and by the event’s midpoint, handling had improved on the No. 27 machine. Menard was scored15th in the running order and racing for position with Kurt Busch when the two made contact on lap 425, sending the No. 22 machine spinning and leaving Menard’s yellow No. 27 racer with significant right-side damage. Menard immediately brought his Chevrolet to pit road so the RCR team could evaluate the damage. A lengthy pit stop ensued, with the team adding door foam to the right side of the Chevrolet along with four Goodyear tires and Sunoco E15 fuel. Menard lost three laps to the race leaders during the extended pit stop and restarted in the 27th position when green-flag racing resumed on lap 432. The 2011 Brickyard 400 race winner spent the remainder of the race working to secure track position and ultimately earned a 24th-place result.

Start – 21 Finish – 24 Laps Led – 0 Points – 21

PAUL MENARD QUOTE:

“I don’t know what to say. That was just dumb racing out there today. I think we would have been okay until that incident with the No. 22. It’s just difficult to recover from three laps down, especially that close to the end of the race.”

Harvick Finishes Fourth at Martinsville to Climb to Third in Points

In a race mired with 18 cautions, Kevin Harvick and the No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet team avoided trouble and ran solidly in the top 10 for most of Sunday’s TUMS Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway before taking the checkered flag in the fourth position. Harvick started the race from the fifth position as the field was set by owner points after qualifying was cancelled due to persistent rain that fell on Friday and again Saturday morning. At the start of the race, Harvick struggled with a loose-handling No. 29 Chevrolet, and raced anywhere from second to 19th as various pit strategies played through. He noted to crew chief Gil Martin there was “no second groove,” and struggled with restarting in the outside line throughout the race. The Bakersfield, Calif. native fought a tight-handling race car during the middle of the race but remained inside the top 10. Harvick was running eighth when the caution waved for the 11th time and when he came down pit road at lap 399, Martin called for a two-tire stop to gain track position. Harvick took the lead off of pit road and took turns leading with various other Chase contenders for the next 20 laps, never falling below second until lap 438 when the No. 48 Chevrolet got underneath Harvick and pinned him in the outside lane causing the No. 29 team to fall back to sixth position by lap 441. He fell back to 10th after pitting for the final time on lap 459 for four tires and fuel, but was able to survive several late-race cautions and climbed to the fourth position before the caution flag waved for the final time at lap 492. The field took the green with just four laps to go with Harvick once again stuck in the outside line. His Richard Childress Racing teammate, Jeff Burton, let him get down to the bottom quickly and Harvick was able to maintain his position for the closing laps to take the checkered flag in the fourth position.

Start – 5 Finish – 4 Laps Led – 13 Points – 3

KEVIN HARVICK QUOTE:

“It was definitely a battle. Everybody was driving hard. That is what you are supposed to do here at Martinsville (Speedway). I know the guys did a good job making the car better and we got good track position. The No. 31 (Jeff Burton) helped us on that last restart there to get down and I really appreciate that. The top was tough for me to get going on the restarts and the No. 14 (Tony Stewart, race winner) was really the only one that could make any ground up there on the restarts and that’s what won him the race. All-in-all, everybody on our Budweiser Chevy team did a good job”

Hard-Earned Top-10 Finish at Martinsville for Caterpillar Racing Team

Jeff Burton and the No. 31 Caterpillar Racing team earned a top-10 finish for the second consecutive week with a scrappy and determined run that resulted in a sixth-place showing at Martinsville Speedway. Rain washed away Friday’s schedule entirely and further precipitation Saturday morning wiped out NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying. Teams were given an hour and a half of practice that afternoon and Sunday’s 43-car field was set based on the owner point standings. Burton, therefore, lined up on the inside of the 12th row for the 500-lap race on Martinsville’s flat half-mile paper clip. The first five of the day’s 18 caution periods occurred in the race’s first 100 laps, including the first after just seven laps that resulted in sheet metal damage to the left-rear corner and TV panel of the No. 31 Chevrolet. The pit crew did yeoman duty to fix the damage and keep Burton on the lead lap. Burton ran as high as seventh on the leader board during the balance of the first 100 laps. The No. 31 Cat Chevy began the second 100 laps in 22nd place but, from gritty driving in cramped quarters and adjustments made under caution on laps 150 and 197, Burton moved into the top 10 by lap 200. The Caterpillar Racing team was ninth at the race’s halfway point and stayed in the top 15 for nearly the next 150 laps. On lap 398, the No. 39 car made contact with the No. 22 car which, in turn, made contact with the No. 31. The Cat Chevy backed lightly into the outside retaining wall but the contact resulted in little further rear-end damage. Burton restarted 16th on lap 405 and pitted again, under caution, on lap 427 for fresh tires and fuel. He restarted 17th on lap 433 and stayed out with the No. 48 car when the balance of the field pitted under caution on lap 457. That move jumped Burton up to second place for the restart on lap 463 and he remained in the top five until being passed by the Denny Hamlin coming off the fourth turn of the final lap.

Start – 23 Finish – 6 Laps Led – 0 Points – 22

JEFF BURTON QUOTE:

“I can’t be too unhappy with finishing sixth because the Cat Racing team worked their tails off to get us in position at the end to win this thing. Pit stops were good, especially when there was some damage to fix and Luke (Lambert, crew chief) made good calls to help get us up front. That last caution probably didn’t help us but it was another solid finish.”

Last Lap Spin Costs Bowyer Top-10 Finish at Martinsville

Climbing his way back into the top 10 after an early pit road speeding penalty, Clint Bowyer was spun out in the last turn of the race and finished 19th in the TUMS Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway. Starting from the 13th position after NASCAR and track officials were forced to postpone Saturday’s qualifying session due to rain, the Richard Childress Racing driver immediately moved up into the top 10 before suffering minor damage in a lap-nine multi-car pileup. The damage was not significant enough to warrant an immediate pit stop as crew chief Shane Wilson chose to wait until a lap-30 competition caution period to repair damages to the No. 33 Chevrolet. Once the black, silver and green Chevrolet was repaired, the Emporia, Kan. native worked his way back into the top 10 while fighting with a loose-handling machine. Over the next 100 laps, Bowyer ran in the top 20, providing feedback to Wilson and giving the “Helping Hands” pit crew an opportunity to make chassis and air pressure adjustments to improve the balance and handling on the car. After a strong pit stop just past the halfway point of the 500-lap marathon vaulted the 32-year-old driver into the top 10, NASCAR officials penalized Bowyer for exiting pit road too fast and forced the No. 33 Chevrolet to return to pit road and serve a pass-through penalty. The penalty dropped Bowyer to the 25th position and required Bowyer to restart at the tail end of the longest line. The next caution flag wasn’t displayed until 99 laps later, easily the longest green-flag run of the afternoon and Bowyer fell one lap down to the leader. Not until a caution flag on lap 399 was the RCR driver awarded the “Lucky Dog Award”, allowing him to rejoin the lead lap. Once back on the led lap, the five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race winner steered clear of many accidents and eventually worked his way into the top 10 yet again. Working with a loose-handling condition that plagued him for most of the day, Bowyer maintained a top-12 running position for the latter part of the event before a caution on lap 494 set up a final three-lap dash for the checkered flag. On the final lap going into turn four, Bowyer was spun out by another competitor and forced to settle for a disappointing 19th-place finish. Bowyer remains 13th in NSCS driver championship point standings.

Start – 13 Finish – 19 Laps Led – 0 Points – 13

CLINT BOWYER QUOTE:

“It was just a long day for us today and you can see that by looking at the shape this No. 33 Chevrolet is in. We were given a speeding penalty on pit road and it trapped us deep in the field and it is just so hard to pass here on this tire. We were in position for a top 10, but I got taken out in the last turn. It is just frustrating. I want to thank American Ethanol for being a great partner for this race and the entire season. I wish we could have got them in victory lane today.”

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

RACE: Kroger 200

TRACK: Martinsville Speedway

DATE: October 29, 2011

Race Highlights:

• RCR teammates finished third (Austin Dillon) and fifth (Joey Coulter).
• Dillon spent 98 percent of the race running in the top 15 and led 45 laps.
• Coulter and Dillon were ranked third and fifth, respectively, in NASCAR’s Loop Data category for Quality Passes (passing a car while running in the top 15 under green flag conditions) with Coulter making 34 passes and Dillon making 30.
• Combined, the RCR entries posted the fastest lap of the race for 22 circuits (15.6 percent of the race), with Dillon posting the fastest lap 12 times and Coulter doing so 10 times.
• Coulter regained control of the Sunoco Rookie of the Year point standings with his fifth-place finish at Martinsville.
• Dillon leads the NCWTS standings by 11 points over James Buescher with two races remaining in the 2011 season.
• Coulter moved up one position, to eighth, in the NCWTS standings, just one marker outside of seventh.
• Denny Hamlin earned his first NCWTS victory and was followed to the finish line by Ron Hornaday, Dillon, Johnny Sauter and Coulter.
• The next scheduled NCWTS race is the Winstar World Casino 350k at Texas Motor Speedway on Friday, November 4 which is scheduled to be televised live on SPEED beginning at 8 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time and broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius XM Satellite Radio beginning at 7:45 p.m.

Dillon Pads Points Lead with Third-Place Finish at Martinsville

Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Dillon finished third in the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet at Martinsville Speedway to post his ninth top-five finish of the 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season and extend his lead to 11 points in the championship standings with two races remaining in the season. Dillon started the race from the 10th position and broke into the top-five just before the race’s halfway mark. He was running fourth when a caution flag was displayed on lap 103 and although most teams opted to stay out on the racetrack, Dillon, teammate Joey Coulter and Kevin Harvick, Inc.’s Kevin Harvick made a trip down pit road where Dillon received four Goodyear tires and Sunoco E15 fuel for his black No. 3 racer. Dillon restarted the race from the 16th position when green-flag racing resumed on lap 108 and with fresh tires, quickly began to climb in the running order. He was scored in the 10th position when a lap-131 caution flag prompted the teams who did not pit on lap 103 to service their vehicles, positioning Dillon in second place when green-flag racing resumed on lap 137. He made a pass for the lead on lap 141 and was in position to earn his third race win of the 2011 season when the caution flag was displayed on lap 179, bunching up the field for the race’s finale. The 21-year-old NCWTS sophomore led the field to the green flag for a lap-187 restart but slipped up the racetrack going into the first turn, making slight contact with another competitor as veteran NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin slid past him to take control of the race lead and earn the win. Dillon settled for a third-place finish and remains the point leader.

Start -10 Finish – 3 Laps Led – 45 Points – 1

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:

“We pretty much gave the race to Denny Hamlin. I just couldn’t make the first turn and ran into Ron Hornaday and that is how Denny got by us. I really need to figure out how to get the brakes right on these short tracks because I feel like that is where I lost the race. My Achilles heel is normally the restarts, but my restarts were good all day. That last restart was good but then I couldn’t get the brakes right going into the first turn so I slid up the track and that is where Denny Hamlin got past me and Ron Hornaday.”

Coulter Takes Control of Sunoco Rookie of the Year Standings with Hard-Fought Top-Five Finish at Martinsville

Joey Coulter used patience and pit strategy during Saturday afternoon’s Kroger 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway to earn his fourth top-five finish of the 2011 season. The finish propelled the rookie driver to the lead in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year point standings and increased his place in the driver’s point standings one position, to eighth, with just two races remaining this season. Coulter started the 200-lap race from the 12th position and noted to crew chief Harold Holly the No. 22 Richard Childress Racing entry was good but it was difficult to pass on the outside groove. That statement became evident on a lap-92 restart, when the rookie driver went from seventh in the running order to 18th in just one lap as he got shuffled to the outside groove on the restart. Pit strategy came into play soon after, as the caution flag was displayed on lap 103 and all but a handful of teams stayed out on the racetrack. Coulter was one of three drivers who pitted during the caution, taking four Goodyear tires, Sunoco E15 fuel and a chassis adjustment. Positioned in 21st for the lap-108 restart, Coulter was good on fuel for the rest of the race and did not need to pit when other teams began making pit stops on lap 114, propelling him to ninth in the running order for the lap-119 restart. Coulter spent the remainder of the race showcasing his short track racing roots, moving up in the running order by battling for position. He nearly made a pass for the fourth spot on the last lap before finishing fifth in the No. 22 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet.

Start -12 Finish – 5 Laps Led – 0 Points – 8

JOEY COULTER QUOTE:

“We had a great truck right from the get-go. We got messed up on a restart there towards the middle of the race because I wasn’t good on restarts in the outside groove at all. We got shuffled back and it put us in a bad situation but the guys did a really great job on pit road and that helped us get some track position back. My spotter did an awesome job of keeping me out of trouble. I was almost in a few wrecks. My crew chief, Harold Holly, made a great call to free us up at the end and that gave us the speed we needed to get up to fifth.”

- Richard Childress Racing, Press Release

Tony Stewart celebrates with his No. 14 Office Depot Stewart-Haas Racing team after getting his third win in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday. - Photo Credit: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images for NASCAR

Office Depot/Mobil 1 Driver Scores Third Win in Last Seven Races, Rises to Second in Points

Date: Oct. 30, 2011
Event: TUMS Fast Relief 500 (Round 33 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Location: Martinsville (Va.) Speedway (.526-mile oval)
Start/Finish: 4th /1st (Running, completed 500 of 500 laps)
Winner: Tony Stewart of Stewart-Haas Racing (Chevrolet)

On the eve of Halloween, Tony Stewart proved to be a very scary figure for those still competing for this year’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.

The driver of the No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet Impala for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) won Sunday’s TUMS Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway to score his third win in the last seven races, which bumped him up to second in points, only eight markers behind series leader Carl Edwards with just three races remaining.

“Carl Edwards had better be really worried,” said Stewart from a champagne-soaked victory lane. “That’s all I’ve got to say. He’s not going to have an easy three weeks.”

Stewart’s words were backed up by his actions, as he led three times for 14 laps and took the lead from five-time and reigning Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson on a restart with three laps to go.

“I don’t think anybody has ever passed Jimmie Johnson on the outside, so I guess it was just determination,” said Stewart about his all-out, late-race pass. “To be honest, it’s really not the fact of beating Jimmie as much as it’s just hard to win in this series to begin with. You cherish these opportunities. You make sure that when you have the opportunity, you make the most of it.”

In order to get this opportunity, which turned out to be his third win and 14th top-10 in 26 career Sprint Cup starts at Martinsville and his 42nd win in 461 career Sprint Cup races, Stewart had to overcome a lot of adversity, most notably, an unscheduled trip to pit road on lap 415 to replace what he thought was a flat tire.

“I swore I had a left-rear flat,” Stewart said. “We had changed so much stuff during the race that I didn’t think it was flat, but I thought it was going down. We had contact with (Kevin) Harvick and I felt a ‘clunk’ and I didn’t know if it broke something or if we had a flat, but at that part of the race you couldn’t take a chance. But (crew chief) Darian Grubb saved us and got us the great pit strategy there at the end that got us the track position back.”

The unscheduled pit stop dropped Stewart all the way to 20th, yet he still rallied his way to the win in the final 80 laps around the tight, .526-mile bullring.

“I don’t think we had the best racecar today by any means, but we had the most determined pit crew to get it as good as they could get it,” said Stewart. “The first 200 laps, Darian was making changes. We just couldn’t get the car to respond to anything. He made some good changes the whole last half of the race that got us in the ballpark. He had two awesome pit calls with pit strategy that got us track position.

“The first time I screwed up and gave it away thinking I had a flat tire. Then at the end of the day, he got us that track position back with another great call for two tires. That is what truly gave us the shot to have that opportunity at the end of the day.

“For a guy that grew up 22 miles from here, he had an All-Star day today,” said Stewart, referencing Grubb’s Virginia connection, as he grew up in the tiny town of Floyd. “He made the right calls that gave us that opportunity, and kept making changes.

“Today was a fight, for sure. I was pretty mad all day, but I was the only guy who didn’t get in a wreck with somebody, so I was kind of proud of that.”

Stewart, the last driver not named Jimmie Johnson to win a Sprint Cup championship, is in contention to add a third title to the ones he earned in 2002 and 2005.

“This is a tough series,” said Stewart, now a 13-year Sprint Cup veteran and a seven-time Chase for the Sprint Cup participant. “It’s been a tough Chase. This is the best Chase field we’ve ever had. You work hard all year to try to be in this position. There were guys that may have had their chances taken away today. So to be in the position that we’re in right now, sitting here knowing that we’re right in the middle of this thing with three weeks to go, it’s obviously a great feeling and great position to be in. We’ve just got to go out and keep doing what we’re doing here.”

All three of Stewart’s victories this season have come during the Chase for the Sprint Cup, which the two-time Sprint Cup champion began seven races ago with back-to-back wins Sept. 19 at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill., and Sept. 25 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon.

This was the fourth Sprint Cup victory for SHR in 2011, as Stewart’s teammate, Ryan Newman, won in July at New Hampshire. SHR now has 11 Sprint Cup victories since its inception in 2009.

Newman, driver of the No. 39 Haas Automation Chevrolet Impala for SHR, battled back for a solid 10th-place finish in the TUMS Fast Relief 500 after getting spun into the SAFER Barrier in turn two late in the race. Newman led twice for 41 laps en route to his 16th top-10 result of the season and his 10th top-10 in 20 career Sprint Cup starts at Martinsville.

Stewart finished .170 of a second ahead of runner-up Johnson, while Jeff Gordon, Harvick and Denny Hamlin rounded out the top-five. Jeff Burton, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Martin Truex Jr., Edwards and Newman comprised the remainder of the top-10.

There were 18 caution periods for 108 laps, with 11 drivers failing to finish the 500-lap race.

Stewart and Newman are both in this year’s Chase for the Sprint Cup and came into Martinsville fourth and 12th, respectively, in the Chase standings. Stewart was 19 points behind Chase leader Edwards while Newman was 88 points out of the top spot. Stewart leaves Martinsville second in points, eight markers behind series leader Edwards. Newman remained 12th in the standings and is now 89 points out of first.

With only three races remaining before a champion is crowned following the season finale Nov. 20 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the top-12 drivers competing for the title rank as follows:

1. Carl Edwards (2,273 points)

2. Tony Stewart (2,265 points, -8)

3. Kevin Harvick (2,252 points, -21)

4. Brad Keselowski (2,246 points, -27)

5. Matt Kenseth (2,237 points, -36)

6. Jimmie Johnson (2,230 points, -43)

7. Kyle Busch (2,216 points, -57)

8. Kurt Busch (2,215 points, -58)

9. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2,200 points, -73)

10. Jeff Gordon (2,197 points, -76)

11. Denny Hamlin (2,193 points, -80)

12. Ryan Newman (2,184 points, -89)

The next event on the Sprint Cup schedule – the third to last race of the 10-race Chase for the Sprint Cup – is the Nov. 6 AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. The race begins at 3 p.m. EST with live coverage provided by ESPN beginning with a pre-race show at 2 p.m.

- True Speed Communication for Stewart-Haas Racing, Press Release

Joey Logano - Photo Credit: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images for NASCAR

Date: Oct. 30, 2011
Event: TUMS Fast Relief 500 (Round 33 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Location: Martinsville (Va.) Speedway (.526-mile oval)
Start/Finish: 22nd/18th (Running, completed 500 of 500 laps)
Winner: Tony Stewart of Stewart-Haas Racing (Chevrolet)

There were no fewer than 18 caution periods for more than 100 laps during Sunday’s TUMS Fast Relief 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Martinsville (Va.) Speedway’s .526-mile, paperclip-shaped oval. By the time all was said and done, Joey Logano, driver of the No. 20 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), couldn’t help but feel like a human pinball en route to a disappointing 18th-place finish.

The 21-year-old from Connecticut’s persistent efforts to make his way toward the front of the pack were thwarted time and again not only by the dozen-and-a-half yellow flags that waved, but when he tagged or was tagged by other cars during many of those incidents that occurred over the 500 laps contested today on NASCAR’s tightest oval circuit, where racing in extremely close quarters is the norm.

Logano started 22nd on a grid that was set according to owner points, per the NASCAR rulebook, after all of Friday’s practice sessions, as well as Saturday’s qualifying session, were washed out by rain. He patiently bided his time in the early going while assessing a slightly loose condition and found his way up to 15th place by lap 64, when the caution flag had already waved for the fourth time. Logano’s Interstate Batteries Toyota had made right-front contact in two of those early restarts, which drew the attention of the No. 20 crew during a slightly extended pit stop on lap 68 to make minor repairs to the front end that dropped him back to 25th place.

Then came Logano’s first major incident to that point, when Jamie McMurray spun and forced several cars ahead of Logano to check up on lap 85. Logano emerged with significant right-front damage, and another extended stop was necessary to repair air flow to the car’s brake ducting. That dropped Logano all the way back to 34th, but he made quick work of gaining back positions. He was back in the top-15 by lap 123 and appeared to be back in his groove as the race was finally settling down after its caution-filled beginnings.

On lap 149, however, Logano’s charge was thwarted in a big way when Dale Earnhardt Jr., tapped him from behind and sent the No. 20 car spinning into the outside SAFER Barrier in turns three and four. Logano called it a hard hit, but the left side of the car contacted the wall squarely and did not knock any corner pieces out of line. Still, Logano found himself having to battle his way back from 30th place. He climbed back into the top-25 by the race’s midpoint at lap 250, and he stayed in that relative position until gaining some forward momentum with less than 100 laps to go.

Timely pit calls and quick work by the Interstate crew allowed Logano to climb up to 17th by lap 432, and he was flirting with the top-10 for the first time all day when he was 11th on a lap-476 restart, then was up to ninth with just eight laps remaining.

But, admittedly trying perhaps a little too hard to better his position on the final restart of the race with three laps to go, Logano again encountered unwanted contact and was shuffled back to 18th by the time the checkered flag flew.

“We did okay recovering from where we were,” said a dejected Logano after the race. “I’m just not happy with the way we performed all day, myself included. We did a good job coming back after all that happened, somehow, and we had ourselves in position for a top-10 finish. Then I got aggressive at the end and wrecked the car. That’s it, so it’s pretty disappointing.”

Logano’s JGR teammates – Denny Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 Toyota Camry and Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 Toyota Camry – finished fifth and 27th, respectively.

Tony Stewart won today’s TUMS Fast Relief 500 for his 42nd victory in 461 career Sprint Cup races, his third win and 16th top-10 result of 2011, and his third win and 14th top-10 in 26 career starts at Martinsville. He finished .170 of a second ahead of runner-up Jimmie Johnson, while Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick and Hamlin rounded out the top-five. Jeff Burton, Earnhardt, Martin Truex Jr., Carl Edwards and Ryan Newman comprised the remainder of the top-10.

There were 18 caution periods for 108 laps, with 11 drivers failing to finish the 500-lap race.

Busch and Hamlin represent JGR in this year’s Chase for the Sprint Cup. Busch fell one spot to seventh in the standings and is now 57 points behind Chase leader Carl Edwards. Hamlin remained 11th in the standings and is now 80 points out of first.

Logano remained 23rd in the standings and now has 837 points.

With only three races remaining before a champion is crowned following the season finale Nov. 20 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the top-12 drivers competing for the title rank as follows:

1. Carl Edwards (2,273 points)

2. Tony Stewart (2,265 points, -8)

3. Kevin Harvick (2,252 points, -21)

4. Brad Keselowski (2,246 points, -27)

5. Matt Kenseth (2,237 points, -36)

6. Jimmie Johnson (2,230 points, -43)

7. Kyle Busch (2,216 points, -57)

8. Kurt Busch (2,215 points, -58)

9. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2,200 points, -73)

10. Jeff Gordon (2,197 points, -76)

11. Denny Hamlin (2,193 points, -80)

12. Ryan Newman (2,184 points, -89)

The next event on the Sprint Cup schedule – the third-to-last race of the 10-race Chase for the Sprint Cup – is the Nov. 6 AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. The race begins at 3 p.m. EST with live coverage provided by ESPN beginning with a pre-race show at 2 p.m.

- True Speed Communication for Joe Gibbs Racing, Press Release

Ryan Newman in car - Photo Credit: Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR

Date: Oct. 30, 2011
Event: TUMS Fast Relief 500 (Round 33 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Location: Martinsville (Va.) Speedway (.526-mile oval)
Start/Finish: 12th /10th (Running, completed 500 of 500 laps)
Winner: Tony Stewart of Stewart-Haas Racing (Chevrolet)

Ryan Newman recovered from a late spin and finished a solid 10th in Sunday’s TUMS Fast Relief 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.

It was Newman’s 16th top-10 of 2011 and his 10th top-10 finish in 20 career Sprint Cup Series starts at Martinsville.

But it wasn’t easy for the driver of the No. 39 Haas Automation Chevrolet Impala for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR).

Newman started 12th, was in the top-10 for much of the first 50 laps of the race and was in sixth place when the caution came out on lap 66 for an accident involving David Reutimann. While the five cars ahead of Newman headed to pit road, Newman and crew chief Tony Gibson opted to stay out and, thus, Newman inherited the lead.

He held the point from laps 69 to 107, a total of 39 laps, before pitting for four tires and fuel on lap 108. From there, Newman led once more from laps 154-155, but the handling on his Haas Automation Chevrolet became tight and Newman found himself outside the top-10 as the race neared the midway point.

Newman battled the ill-handling car for the remainder of the race and was 14th with 25 laps remaining when his car made contact with Kurt Busch’s machine in turn two, the result of which sent Newman’s car spinning.

After a pit stop for four tires, fuel and a wedge adjustment, Newman restarted 20th with 22 laps to go. With great determination, Newman drove up to 14th by lap 490 and then gained four spots throughout the final 10 laps to score a hard-earned top-10 result.

“We got spun there,” Gibson said. “We had fresh tires and got spun out there and had to go to the back and drove back up to the top-10. I don’t know what else you can do. We led laps. It’s just frustrating. I am proud we came back and finished 10th, but it isn’t what we wanted. We’ll just take it and go on.”

Newman’s SHR teammate, Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet Impala, led three times for 14 laps and took the lead from five-time and reigning Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson on a restart three laps from the finish en route to winning the TUMS Fast Relief 500.

It was Stewart’s third win and 16th top-10 result of 2011, his third win and 14th top-10 in 26 career Sprint Cup starts at the .526-mile Martinsville oval, and his 42nd win in 461 career Sprint Cup races.

This was the fourth Sprint Cup victory for SHR in 2011, as Newman won in July at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon. SHR now has 11 Sprint Cup victories since its inception in 2009.

Stewart finished .170 of a second ahead of runner-up Johnson, while Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin rounded out the top-five. Jeff Burton, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Martin Truex Jr., Carl Edwards and Newman comprised the remainder of the top-10.

There were 18 caution periods for 108 laps, with 11 drivers failing to finish the 500-lap race.

Stewart and Newman are both in this year’s Chase for the Sprint Cup and came into Martinsville fourth and 12th, respectively, in the Chase standings. Stewart was 19 points behind Chase leader Edwards while Newman was 88 points out of the top spot. Stewart leaves Martinsville second in points, eight markers behind series leader Edwards. Newman remained 12th in the standings and is now 89 points out of first.

With only three races remaining before a champion is crowned following the season finale Nov. 20 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the top-12 drivers competing for the title rank as follows:

1. Carl Edwards (2,273 points)

2. Tony Stewart (2,265 points, -8)

3. Kevin Harvick (2,252 points, -21)

4. Brad Keselowski (2,246 points, -27)

5. Matt Kenseth (2,237 points, -36)

6. Jimmie Johnson (2,230 points, -43)

7. Kyle Busch (2,216 points, -57)

8. Kurt Busch (2,215 points, -58)

9. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2,200 points, -73)

10. Jeff Gordon (2,197 points, -76)

11. Denny Hamlin (2,193 points, -80)

12. Ryan Newman (2,184 points, -89)

The next event on the Sprint Cup schedule – the third-to-last race of the 10-race Chase for the Sprint Cup – is the Nov. 6 AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. The race begins at 3 p.m. EST with live coverage provided by ESPN beginning with a pre-race show at 2 p.m.

- True Speed Communications for Stewart-Haas Racing/Haas Automation, Press Release

Haas Automation Driver Leads Twice For 41 Laps; Recovers from Late Spin

Date: Oct. 30, 2011

Event: TUMS Fast Relief 500 (Round 33 of 36)

Series: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

Location: Martinsville (Va.) Speedway (.526-mile oval)

Start/Finish: 12^th /10^th (Running, completed 500 of 500 laps)

Winner: Tony Stewart of Stewart-Haas Racing (Chevrolet)

Ryan Newman recovered from a late spin and finished a solid 10^th in Sunday’s TUMS Fast Relief 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.

It was Newman’s 16^th top-10 of 2011 and his 10^th top-10 finish in 20 career Sprint Cup Series starts at Martinsville.

But it wasn’t easy for the driver of the No. 39 Haas Automation Chevrolet Impala for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR).

Newman started 12^th, was in the top-10 for much of the first 50 laps of the race and was in sixth place when the caution came out on lap 66 for an accident involving David Reutimann. While the five cars ahead of Newman headed to pit road, Newman and crew chief Tony Gibson opted to stay out and, thus, Newman inherited the lead.

He held the point from laps 69 to 107, a total of 39 laps, before pitting for four tires and fuel on lap 108. From there, Newman led once more from laps 154-155, but the handling on his Haas Automation Chevrolet became tight and Newman found himself outside the top-10 as the race neared the midway point.

Newman battled the ill-handling car for the remainder of the race and was 14^th with 25 laps remaining when his car made contact with Kurt Busch’s machine in turn two, the result of which sent Newman’s car spinning.

After a pit stop for four tires, fuel and a wedge adjustment, Newman restarted 20^th with 22 laps to go. With great determination, Newman drove up to 14^th by lap 490 and then gained four spots throughout the final 10 laps to score a hard-earned top-10 result.

“We got spun there,” Gibson said. “We had fresh tires and got spun out there and had to go to the back and drove back up to the top-10. I don’t know what else you can do. We led laps. It’s just frustrating. I am proud we came back and finished 10^th, but it isn’t what we wanted. We’ll just take it and go on.”

Newman’s SHR teammate, Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet Impala, led three times for 14 laps and took the lead from five-time and reigning Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson on a restart three laps from the finish en route to winning the TUMS Fast Relief 500.

It was Stewart’s third win and 16^th top-10 result of 2011, his third win and 14^th top-10 in 26 career Sprint Cup starts at the .526-mile Martinsville oval, and his 42^nd win in 461 career Sprint Cup races.

This was the fourth Sprint Cup victory for SHR in 2011, as Newman won in July at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon. SHR now has 11 Sprint Cup victories since its inception in 2009.

Stewart finished .170 of a second ahead of runner-up Johnson, while Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin rounded out the top-five. Jeff Burton, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Martin Truex Jr., Carl Edwards and Newman comprised the remainder of the top-10.

There were 18 caution periods for 108 laps, with 11 drivers failing to finish the 500-lap race.

Stewart and Newman are both in this year’s Chase for the Sprint Cup and came into Martinsville fourth and 12^th, respectively, in the Chase standings. Stewart was 19 points behind Chase leader Edwards while Newman was 88 points out of the top spot. Stewart leaves Martinsville second in points, eight markers behind series leader Edwards. Newman remained 12^th in the standings and is now 89 points out of first.

With only three races remaining before a champion is crowned following the season finale Nov. 20 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the top-12 drivers competing for the title rank as follows:

1.Carl Edwards (2,273 points)

2.Tony Stewart (2,265 points, -8)

3.Kevin Harvick (2,252 points, -21)

4.Brad Keselowski (2,246 points, -27)

5.Matt Kenseth (2,237 points, -36)

6.Jimmie Johnson (2,230 points, -43)

7.Kyle Busch (2,216 points, -57)

8.Kurt Busch (2,215 points, -58)

9.Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2,200 points, -73)

10.Jeff Gordon (2,197 points, -76)

11.Denny Hamlin (2,193 points, -80)

12.Ryan Newman (2,184 points, -89)

The next event on the Sprint Cup schedule – the third-to-last race of the 10-race Chase for the Sprint Cup – is the Nov. 6 AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. The race begins at 3 p.m. EST with live coverage provided by ESPN beginning with a pre-race show at 2 p.m.