Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM)

Kyle will drive the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway and the subsequent four races through California before splitting the balance of the season with Kurt. The team’s goal will be to capture an Owner’s Championship in its inaugural race season, similar to the Owner’s Championship accomplished by KBM in its first full season in the Camping World Truck Series in 2010.

The development of this duo as teammates fits perfectly for primary team sponsor Monster Energy, who foregoes traditional forms of advertising and instead seeks brand exposure through the use of Extreme Athletes. With Monster Energy looking for increased presence across the NASCAR fan base, the company identified the Busch brothers as the drivers that best fit its family of Monster Energy Team Athletes.

“Monster Energy has always stood for competing and winning no matter what the sport,” said Monster Energy Company President, Mark Hall. “To make this happen, we’ve always sought out the most determined, fearless and committed athletes for the Monster team. With the Busch brothers sharing the wheel of the Kyle Busch Motorsports Monster Energy Camry, we have every reason to believe we have drivers capable of running up front every weekend.”

Kyle Busch (L) and Kurt Busch (R) drivers of the No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota Camry For Kyle Busch Motosports In The NASCAR Nationwide Series For 2012

In 222 starts over nine seasons, Kyle has proven himself to be the winningest competitor in the history of the NASCAR Nationwide Series. In addition to his 51 career wins, Kyle has secured 120 top-five finishes, 149 top-10 finishes and 23 poles. In 2010, Kyle made Series history with a record 13-win race season. Past NASCAR Nationwide Series Championships for Kyle include a Driver’s Championship in 2009 and Owner’s Championships in both 2008 and 2010 — all with Kyle’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team owner Joe Gibbs Racing.

Kurt has 12 career starts, three poles and three wins in the NASCAR Nationwide Series with his last Series victory coming at Watkins Glen in 2011. Kurt will spend additional seat time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, beginning with the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway through a part-time commitment to Phoenix Racing and the No. 1 NASCAR Nationwide Series entry.

“Kyle has done an impressive job in building this race team and I’m proud to be a part of it,” Kurt said. “He won a Truck Series Owner’s Championship in his first year and his team has kept on winning ever since. Now, it’s moving into the Nationwide Series, where the bar will remain high. His expectations are the same as mine, and we know each other better than anyone. We’re driven to win, and with Monster Energy driving us, we’ll be a tough team to beat.”

To complement the driver lineup, and ensure a strong competitive advantage, KBM brings industry veteran and winning crew chief Mike Beam into the fold as the No. 54 Monster Energy Camry team leader. Beam is a long-time fixture in NASCAR who has accomplished career victories across all three major touring series. At an early age, Mike became a successful contributor towards a variety of competitive racing organizations including Petty Enterprises and Roush Fenway Racing.

Most recently Beam obtained the 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series Owner’s Championship. Through 48 career starts in the NASCAR Nationwide Series as a crew chief, Beam has accomplished 10 wins, 32 top-five finishes, 37 top-10 finishes and eight poles. Mike is also a past Late Model Sportsman (now the NASCAR Nationwide Series) National Championship winner with driver Butch Lindley so working towards an Owner’s Championship with Kyle Busch Motorsports is very familiar territory.

“I am excited to join the KBM team and to have Monster Energy as our sponsor,” stated Beam. “Kyle and Kurt are two of the best drivers in NASCAR. To contend for the 2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series Owner’s Championship with Monster Energy and to have all of the elements in place that make a great team, you can not help being excited to be a part of this.”

Kyle Busch Motorsports and Monster Energy, two of the fastest-growing brands in their respective industries, have positioned themselves together for great success in 2012.

About Kyle Busch Motorsports

Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) has quickly established itself as one of the most successful teams in all of NASCAR, capturing the 2010 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Owner’s Championship in its inaugural season and 16 Truck Series victories over its first two seasons. 2012 marks the team’s debut in the NASCAR Nationwide Series with team owner and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series star Kyle Busch sharing the driving duties behind the wheel of the No. 54 Monster Energy Camry with his brother Kurt, the 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion. Veteran driver Jason Leffler joins the KBM driver lineup and will be the primary pilot of the No. 18 Tundra in the Truck Series.

KBM prepares a fleet of race-winning Toyotas out of its 77,000-square-foot facility in Mooresville, N.C. Pending LEED certification the facility’s state-of-the art equipment and innovative green initiatives make it unmatched among its peers. Fans can stay up-to-date with all the latest KBM news online at www.KyleBuschMotorsports.com, by liking the team on Facebook (@KyleBuschMS) and following the team on Twitter (@KBMteam).

About Monster Beverage Corporation

Based in Corona, California, Monster Energy refuses to acknowledge the traditional and the disingenuous. Monster always supports the scene and the sport. Whether it be motocross, off-road, NASCAR, MotoGP, BMX, surf, snowboard, ski, skateboard, or the rock and roll lifestyle, Monster is a brand that believes in authenticity and the core of what its sports, athletes and musicians symbolize. Much more than a drink, it’s a way of life lived by our athletes, sports, bands, believers and fans. See more about Monster Beverage Corporation – including all of its drinks – at
www.monsterenergy.com and Facebook.com/monsterenergy.

- Kyle Busch Motorsports Press Release

Kurt Busch - Photo Credit: Tom Pennington/Getty Images

Regan Smith, with a lap speed of 206.053 mph, was second fastest and was followed by Kyle Busch (205.813) who was third fastest, while Jeff Gordon and Kasey Kahne ran the identical laps (205.747) and were recorded fourth and fifth fastest respectively.

Rounding out the top-ten fastest were Paul Menard (205.100) who was sixth fastest, Kevin Harvick (205.095) seventh, Denny Hamlin (204.997) eighth, Martin Truex, Jr. (204.820) ninth and Clint Bowyer (204.806) posting the tenth fastest lap speed.

The teams will return to the track Saturday for their final two sessions with the first session running from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM (EDT) and the afternoon session will run from 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM (EDT).

Pos No Name                 Make Best Time Best Speed

 1  51 Kurt Busch           Chv  43.677    206.058
 2  78 Regan Smith          Chv  43.678    206.053
 3  18 Kyle Busch           Tyt  43.729    205.813
 4  24 Jeff Gordon          Chv  43.743    205.747
 5   5 Kasey Kahne          Chv  43.743    205.747
 6  27 Paul Menard          Chv  43.881    205.100
 7  29 Kevin Harvick        Chv  43.882    205.095
 8  11 Denny Hamlin         Tyt  43.903    204.997
 9  56 Martin Truex Jr      Tyt  43.941    204.820
10  15 Clint Bowyer         Tyt  43.944    204.806
11   2 Brad Keselowski      Dge  43.964    204.713
12  22 AJ Allmendinger      Dge  43.965    204.708
13  10 Danica Patrick       Chv  44.044    204.341
14  14 Tony Stewart         Chv  44.044    204.341
15  88 Dale Earnhardt Jr    Chv  44.046    204.332
16  20 Joey Logano          Tyt  44.074    204.202
17  39 Ryan Newman          Chv  44.078    204.183
18   6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr   Frd  44.103    204.068
19  17 Matt Kenseth         Frd  44.105    204.058
20  16 Greg Biffle          Frd  44.190    203.666
21  21 Trevor Bayne         Frd  44.228    203.491
22  55 Mark Martin          Tyt  44.300    203.160
23  13 Casey Mears          Frd  44.453    202.461
24  43 Aric Almirola        Frd  44.689    201.392
25   9 Marcos Ambrose       Frd  44.693    201.374
26  42 Juan Pablo Montoya   Chv  44.710    201.297
27   1 Jamie McMurray       Chv  44.878    200.544
28  99 Carl Edwards         Frd  44.882    200.526
29  48 Jimmie Johnson       Chv  45.776    196.610
30  31 Jeff Burton          Chv  46.075    195.334
31  36 Dave Blaney          Chv  46.724    192.620
32  87 Joe Nemechek         Tyt  46.856    192.078

Kurt Busch - Photo Credit: Rusty Jarrett - Getty Images

An Interview with: Kurt Busch

KRISTI KING: At this time we welcome as part of our afternoon media availability Kurt Busch, driver of the No. 51 Phoenix Racing Chevrolet. Kurt, talk a little bit about being here back in Daytona, the 54th running of the Daytona 500 here next month and your testing here this last two days.

KURT BUSCH: Yeah, Daytona is always special. It’s always a moment when you come through the gate for testing, it’s a moment where you always remember, and this year I got to count number 12 as far as the years that I’ve been coming down here to race in the Great American Race, and to do the testing with James Finch and this Phoenix Racing Group, it’s just been pure joy. It’s been a lot of fun to work with a small group of guys and thrash on just getting the car to the hauler to get the hauler down here on time, and just how everybody on the team is just walking on cloud nine right now with the excitement, with the way that we’ve been running so far on track, especially in the single-car runs, with where we did our mock-up qualifying run, it put us second on the board as far as guys with the fastest laps this morning in single-car runs.

So just a ton of excitement, and the way the guys are together on this, it’s going to be — they’re looking at me to grow and to learn, and I’m looking at them to grow and to learn, so it’s going to be a lot of fun this year.

Audio: 2012 NSCS Preseason Thunder at Daytona Press Conference with Driver Kurt Busch

Q. First off, have you been spending the amount of time at the shop that you thought you might, and then once you got here, could you give us a little comparison of your experience in the tandem, if you ran at all in those versus the big pack we just saw?

KURT BUSCH: I spent a ton of time at the shop down in Spartanburg. It’s about an hour and a half from my house, so it’s almost therapeutic driving there and driving back, with the time you get to think about things as well as create checklists. I’m technologically challenged, so I finally hooked up Bluetooth in my truck so I can talk going down the road.

It’s fun with this group of guys, like we were putting the seat in the car, and all the big programs and teams, they have quantities of bolts, pieces, things. We’ve got one of everything. And so we’ve got the one seat that we were getting dialed in, and I wanted to change the brackets. I looked at the clock and the car had to be on the hauler in a couple hours. There was no time to make brackets quick enough, so this is more or less Landon Cassill’s seat. I just jumped in it, and I feel like the Green Giant shoved in his little seat. It’s just that fun atmosphere, working on the car, being with the guys. This is exactly what I needed.

And to be out there in the draft, I’ve just done single-car runs and then that big pack as far as just trying to do a favor to NASCAR and understand how to collect more data on what we need to see for our race, whether it’s the two-car draft still or whether it’s the big pack racing. We have yet to really decide.

Q. I hear you say this is so much more fun for you, but for the cynical people like me maybe, you’re such a competitive guy, and if you’re not having a chance to win every week, it’s kind of like, well, how much fun is it going to be during the season if he gets in the season and he’s not winning. Describe what is the difference, I guess, in the atmosphere or whatever that you seem so happy and you’re enjoying it so much. Even if you’re not winning will you still be enjoying it?

KURT BUSCH: I’ve always been guilty of doing things the hard way, and working hard instead of smart I guess is my mentality. And these guys, the way that we’re understaffed, but yet they have such a big heart, they’re just like me. So getting back to old-school racing, having fun with it, the pressure is not there. But when we go week to week and go to Phoenix, Vegas, into Bristol, we’ll start to learn more about the cars, where we stack up. It’s not going to take winning to make me happy.

Right now it’s just going to the track, having fun, and at the end of the day, like the first day when I was at the shop, Finch was there, we all looked at each other like we were done talking, it was quarter to 4:00. I said, Where’s your beer cooler around here? We went and cracked open a couple beers and started chitchatting the rest of the day about fun stories. That’s what this is going to be about for me in 2012.

Q. What does it mean to you that Tag Heuer sponsored you in the Bud Shootout, stepped up to do it? Do you know if there will be another major sponsor? Are you meeting with sponsors on behalf of the team right now? And what do you think about the Tag Heuer team?

KURT BUSCH: It’s impressive to have that group call us and want to put together a first-class program and to have a blue chip brand on the car. Finch is excited. You know, what it does to create just energy around our team is there. But there’s going to be the attention towards us, good, bad or indifferent no matter what we do these first five, ten weeks, and it’s just neat to have them stand up and say, we’re behind you 100 percent. And it creates a platform to where our sponsors that might have been, let’s see how this shakes out, well, no, let’s be part of this.

I’ve got to bring a briefcase in, I’ve got to bring my driver bag in. I’ve been working ten jobs it seems like, and it’s been going from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. every day since after the banquet.

Q. You talk about being a single car team. They’re also a tenacious team. They have really hung in there. Now you add your skills to a tenacious team. Do you think maybe you could get better results than what a lot of people are expecting?

KURT BUSCH: Well, tenacious is a good word as far as working hard and playing hard with those guys. But yeah, we feel like if we stick to what we know is the basics — and a quick story is we have our pull-down rig that’s at the shop. It was designed by Andy Petree. It’s a couple years old, cost $80,000, this piece of equipment. With past race teams I’ve been with, they have this same piece of equipment, it’s $250,000, built by a big company somewhere, and it takes ten people to run the software. We’re getting the same job done with a calculator and a tape measure and this pull-down rig, and it’s exciting to see — just like how you check tow on the front end of a race car, this is how I check tow on my legend car. It’s just that fun of “keep it simple, stupid” and we’re going to be just fine going through all this. And we might exceed our expectations, we might not live up to it, but we’re going to have a darned good time while we’re doing it.

Q. Speaking of sponsors, Richard Petty talked yesterday about how the time isn’t right for Kurt Busch, got to kind of take a step back. What are you hearing from people? Have you talked personally with people who said, all right, we’re going to have to give you some space right now and come back to us in a month, six months, a year? What kind of chatter are you hearing along those lines?

KURT BUSCH: Well, my objective is to keep the eye on 2013′s big prize, and going in and talking with as many teams as I did this off-season, my original plan was to work with as many groups as I possibly could, find four or five races with these guys, those guys, run Nationwide, do this, trucks even, and associate myself with as many sponsors, teams and people. That way they get to know me and go, wow, what’s really the problem here, and the problem is when there’s a bad day on the track, that’s when there’s the only issue.

But talking with King, I was so nervous going into his old wooden office in Level Cross, North Carolina. What was funny is there was a police checkpoint about two miles before I got to his shop, and I showed my ID to the policeman, and they went, Oh, you’re going to talk to King, aren’t you, and I was just so nervous because I thought something was going to go wrong because I’m scared on my own shadow at certain points, and to talk with those guys, they knew what was going on with me going to talk to King.

And talking with King, it was weird to hear his comments yesterday because he was ready to throw me in the car and we would have been down the road. But the contracts just didn’t align on where they were and where I wanted to be, and so I talked with Finch, made the deal happen. But also talked with Waltrip Racing. I went to meet with Richard Childress at his winery and talk shop.

Just the doors that were opened during this off-season to talk to people, yes, 2012 is going to be a unique year for somebody such as myself. But to take a step back for me personally and look at all of this, this is what I need. And all along we’re going to keep our eyes on the prize in 2013.

Q. You touched upon this a little bit, but in the off-season obviously there were some challenges you were facing. Can you take us through kind of your mindset in terms of, okay, here’s what I need to do, how I’m going to handle this? You seem to be obviously in a very good place right now. Can you take us through what you kind of thought internally and how you would approach the year?

KURT BUSCH: Well, if I’m going to sit there and tell stories to my grandchildren, this is not what I wanted to tell them. So in looking at the big picture, I’ve got to understand what it takes to be a competitive driver and to harness that fire in my belly the right way and to put it together in a 2004-style effort. When things are going smooth, this is a tough freight train to stop. When things are going rough, that’s what I have to polish up on and knock the rough edges off.
So working with a group like Finch, having fun while doing it, there’s more to it than just settling down into 2012 and just going to the racetrack. There’s going to be a lot going on behind the scenes and things just don’t change overnight, though.

KRISTI KING: Thank you very much for your time this afternoon. We appreciate it.

FastScripts by ASAP Sports

Source: NASCAR, Press Release

TAG Heuer

WESTON, Fla. (Jan. 11, 2012)

Busch, who will drive the No. 51 Chevrolet for Phoenix Racing in the entire 2012 Sprint Cup season, has a personal services agreement with the eyewear company.

TAG Heuer Eyewear will be featured as the primary sponsor on the No. 51 Chevrolet for the Feb. 18 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, where Busch is the defending winner. Additionally, TAG Heuer Eyewear will serve as an associate sponsor on the No. 51 Chevrolet during the 54^th running of the Daytona 500 on Feb. 26 and again on March 11 for the Kobalt Tools 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Busch’s hometown track.

“To enhance its strong motor racing heritage and its passion for performance, TAG Heuer Avant-Garde Eyewear is very proud to be a part of ‘The Great American Race’ and other premier NASCAR events,” said Pascal Brouard, CEO of TAG Heuer Eyewear, Chairman and CEO Groupe Logo. “Kurt joined the TAG Heuer Eyewear team of ambassadors in 2010 and we have enjoyed working with him. The sponsorship program with Kurt and Phoenix Racing will further build our brand with Kurt and is a natural extension of our ongoing relationship.”

“TAG Heuer Eyewear has been a great partner of mine and this is a big deal for them to step up and sponsor Phoenix Racing and me for a few races this year,” Busch said. “I consider myself very fortunate to be affiliated with such a great brand and to have their strong support. I’m proud to carry the colors of TAG Heuer Eyewear on the No. 51 Chevrolet starting with Budweiser Shootout. As the defending race winner, we’re going to give it all we have to get back to victory lane.”

The Budweiser Shootout, the Daytona 500 and the Kobalt Tools 400 will each air live on FOX.

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

Source: TAG Heuer, Press Release

Phoenix Racing

“Everyone at Phoenix Racing is excited about competing on the Nationwide circuit this year,” said Steve Barkdoll, General Manager of Phoenix Racing. “Our Nationwide Series team is a proven, winning organization and we’re looking forward to Busch continuing the tradition. This is a great opportunity for a company to partner with a top-notch program.”

Phoenix Racing ran its first NNS race in 1989. Since then, the organization has collected 12 wins, 61 top fives and 150 top 10 finishes in NNS competition.

- Phoenix Racing / Breaking Limits Press Release

Team Chevy Logo

AVONDALE, AZ – (November 12, 2011)

Jamie McMurray put the No. 1 McDonald’s Chevrolet in the sixth starting position and two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) champion Tony Stewart behind the wheel of the No. 14 Mobil 1/Office Depot Chevrolet will roll off eighth for the 312-lap/312-mile/500K race.

Matt Kenseth (Ford) was the pole winner. A.J. Allmendinger (Ford), Marcos Ambrose (Ford) and Martin Truex, Jr. (Toyota) complete the top-five qualifiers.

A total of 16 Team Chevy drivers will take the green flag at 3:00 p.m. ET with live coverage on ESPN TV, MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

MARK MARTIN, NO. 5 GODADDY.COM CHEVROLET, QUALIFIED 4^TH: ON HIS LAP: “I got a really good one and two and was really surprised how good it was, I thought three and four was going to be really good for grip, I thought all the guys were having trouble in one and two, so I went after it a little too much down there, got the car up in the high groove and lost a ton of time there. It is too bad, we had half the track right anyway, just big complement to everybody on the GoDaddy.com team, did an awesome job, just guessing what we might need for this condition and just wish I would have gotten all of it on both ends. At least got one end right.”

JAMIE MCMURRAY, NO. 1 MCDONALD’S CHEVROLET, QUALIFIED 6^TH: ON HIS LAP: “Not a very good lap, you stand down there and you watch everybody drive in turn one and you see them all get loose and chase the car, but when it comes to qualifying, you kind of have to go for it and give it a shot. I drove in there the first lap and thought I was going to make it initially before I got on the brakes but, as the car got down towards the corner, it just got out from underneath me. It is really hard to explain to people that are watching us on TV that when you get out of that black zone, it goes from being able to run like a 26 second lap to a 50 second lap, it is just really slick. That was a good recovery; I am disappointed because I really thought we had a shot at the pole. We have had a really good car all weekend, so that is disappointing, but the McDonald’s Chevy has been good and there will be some big pit strategies happen I think.”

TONY STEWART, NO. 14 MOBIL 1/OFFICE DEPOT CHEVROLET, QUALIFIED 8^TH: ON HIS QUALIFYING LAP: “I thought it was alright, we did not get on the pole, but we had a nice solid lap and that is what we needed to do.”

HOW IS THE TRACK? “I didn’t think it was a big drama, I mean it is slower obviously, it lost grip but it is the same as what we had when we tested here. I am alright if it stays like this for the whole day.”

YOU LIKE THE SLICK TRACKS: “Yea, I love it.”

DO YOU THINK THE SECOND GROOVE WILL COME IN, ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT IT? “You got a whole Nationwide race to watch to figure that out, you will know as soon as we know, because you are going to watch the same race we are going to watch here in about an hour, so we will know here in a little while.”

WERE YOU SURPRISED BY ANYTHING OUT THERE? “I wasn’t, this track was real temperature sensitive at the test, so this is what we anticipated once we saw the day and what kind of conditions we were going to have, this was not a shock by any means.”

IS THIS TRACK LIKE INDY AND CHARLOTTE? “Yea, the way the temperature sensitivity is, absolutely, it is very, very similar to those two.”

I GUESS THE FIRST BATTLE WAS A TOP-TEN STARTING SPOT FOR THE WEEKEND, ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH THAT STARTING SPOT? “Yea, I would like to have been a little better; I think our car is a little better than that. I was a little too free to run a faster lap than that. It was a solid run and we are in good shape right now.”

DID YOU DO A QUALIFYING RUN IN THAT SESSION OF PRACTICE YESTERDAY? “We only did one qualifying run for the two sessions, so pretty happy with the way we ran.”

JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S/KOBALT TOOLS CHEVROLET – QUALIFIED 16^TH

ON HIS LAP “I got an ‘okay’ second lap but it’s just unclear what type of lap it’s going to take right now. It’s early in the session and we’re sitting in second. I’d love to stay there; but I just don’t know right now. I hope the sun comes out and it gets hot and more slick and then that would guarantee us a better starting spot. But that was an exciting lap to say the least.”

WHAT MADE IT EXCITING? “Well, I went into Turn 1 and anticipated what I thought the grip level would be and as I got there, it wasn’t the case (laughs) and I ended up by the wall in the center of the turn. Luckily I didn’t tear the car up.”

THESE ARE THE ONLY TWO LAPS YOU’LL HAVE ON THE TRACK FROM FRIDAY UNTIL SUNDAY, SO HOW DO YOU PREPARE; ESPECIALLY WITH THE WEATHER CONDITIONS? “We’re really learning. The track changed so much from the first two test sessions I was a part of with the tire test to where we were yesterday; and yesterday was like we’d never been here before just because the track changed so much. I think at the end of the day you just need to have a lot of adjustability built in your car. We’ll learn a little today but the race is a whole other game. So it’s going to be a crapshoot.”

DO YOU WISH YOU WERE IN THE NATIONWIDE RACE, OR WOULD THAT MESS YOU UP EVEN FURTHER? “I haven’t spent enough time between the two cars to help or have it work. I commend Carl (Edwards) and (Kevin) Harvick and (Clint) Bowyer and a lot of these guys but it takes a lot of time in both series to get it right. I would probably just screw myself up if I just came in and did a one-off.”

WOULD YOU BE PAYING ATTENTION TO THE LINE ON THE DOUBLE-FILE RESTARTS? “Every Cup driver will be glued to the television and making sure that they see what’s going on. With it being so new, you can’t fall off of past experience; it’s a whole new race track and a whole new world.”

JEFF GORDON, NO. 24 DUPONT CHEVROLET, QUALIFIED 23^RD: ON HIS QUALIFYING LAP: “Yea, we will see that track is treacherous right now. Last night we were able to really get after it, and go hard right from pit-road and a lot of grip, but boy the conditions have changed dramatically here today and I mean that is a good lap but let me tell you, it was not pretty and I could not be aggressive at all. It is a little frustrating, but we will see where it ends up.”

WE HAD A SPIN EARLY IN QUALIFYING AND ONE IN NATIONWIDE AS WELL, HOW MUCH ARE YOU DECIDING YOU HAVE TO HOLD BACK? “Well, it is obvious when you see what is going on out there and that the grip level is low and so it plays a factor of what your decision making is and I just tried to come off pit-road as hard as I could, get as much heat in the tires as I could, and came to the green decent but I could tell the grip was not quite there but I was not expecting what I had in turn one it was just completely sideways going in there, which I had never had any of that throughout practice, so it is going to be interesting to watch and see what happens.”

LANDON CASSILL, NO. 51 PHOENIX CONSTRUCTION CHEVROLET, QUALIFIED 21^ST: ON HIS QUALIFYING LAP: “It was fun, I want to do it again, this track is nice and smooth and fresh pavement always does funny things with these race cars so, it is kind of a man’s-man’s lap out there right now, so it will be cool to see who is up top.”

DALE EARNHARDT JR, NO. 88 RETRO MOUNTAIN DEW/NATIONAL GUARD CHEVROLET, QUALIFIED 22^ND: ON HIS LAP: “The track is real slick, we just tried to go out there and do the best we could. I think the track is going to keep improving, which is a little bit disappointing, and guys are going to get faster and faster. We struggled yesterday in practice and felt like we improved a little bit. It is real slick and you just kind of go out there and take care of yourself.”

About Chevrolet

Founded in Detroit in 1911, Chevrolet celebrates its centennial as a global automotive brand with annual sales of about 4.25 million vehicles in more than 120 countries. Chevrolet provides consumers with fuel-efficient, safe and reliable vehicles that deliver high quality, expressive design, spirited performance and value. The Chevrolet portfolio includes iconic performance cars such as Corvette and Camaro; dependable, long-lasting pickups and SUVs such as Silverado and Suburban; and award-winning passenger cars and crossovers such as Spark, Cruze, Malibu, Equinox and Traverse. Chevrolet also offers “gas-friendly to gas-free” solutions including Cruze Eco and Volt. Cruze Eco offers 42 mpg highway while Volt offers 35 miles of electric, gasoline-free driving and an additional 344 miles of extended range. Most new Chevrolet models offer OnStar safety, security and convenience technologies including OnStar Hands-Free Calling, Automatic Crash Response and Stolen Vehicle Slowdown. More information regarding Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com .

- Team Chevy, Press Release

No 51 Thank A Teacher Today Chevrolet Impala SS Driven by Landon Cassill - Phoenix Racing

Cassill has two previous NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) starts at RIR. In NASCAR Nationwide Series competition, Cassill has made four starts. His best finish was 12th, which he accomplished in 2008 driving for JR Motorsports.

In his three NSCS starts at short tracks this season, Cassill’s best result came at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway when he took the checkered flag in 26th place.

Phoenix Racing has 12 NSCS starts at Richmond. Their best finish came with Mike Wallace behind the wheel in 2004. He captured seventh place after starting in the 41st position.

Cassill comments on racing at Richmond:

“This is a really big week for the Thank A Teacher Today program. After Labor Day weekend, most of our schools are back in session and beginning their school year. It’s important for us to recognize all of the hard work and dedication that they’ll be pouring into their students over the next 10 months. I hope that our teachers enjoyed their well-deserved summer break. It’s back to school now, and I want to make sure we remember to support their efforts.

“This is a big race, the last one before we set our playoffs. We may not be in a position to race for a playoff spot, but we can get this car and program a lot of exposure if we run up front. Hopefully we can play spoiler and get this program a lot of coverage.

“I like going to Richmond, too. The track is called ‘racing perfection’ and it would be hard to argue that. It’s got short track action, but it’s fast like a superspeedway. It really has the best of both worlds.

“With it being the last chance for everyone to make the Chase, you’re going to see a crazy race. Drivers will be pushing the envelope and taking chances. I have a feeling it will be a fireworks show. It’s going to be important for me to be alert and ready for anything. Our team plans to race smart and make sure we’re there at the end. If we do that, we’ll get a good finish with our Thank A Teacher Today Chevrolet”

About Security Benefit:

Security Benefit is a Guggenheim Partners Company. It’s proud to support Phoenix Racing’s No. 51 Chevrolet, driven by Landon Cassill, and encourages everyone to Thank a Teacher Today. Security Benefit is a leading provider of retirement plan services throughout the nation, primarily in the education marketplace, and offers a variety of compelling and customized fixed and variable annuity products. Its se2 division is an award-winning and nationally recognized provider of administrative services for the insurance and financial services industry. Rydex|SGI, its asset management firm, offers institutional investors and financial intermediaries a broad spectrum of traditional and alternative investment strategies in separate accounts, mutual funds and ETFs. To learn more, go to www.securitybenefit.com and follow Security Benefit Racing on Facebook.

About Phoenix Racing:

Formed in 1989, Phoenix Racing, Inc. (PRI) specializes in providing vertically integrated NASCAR racing teams for companies who wish to capitalize on the tremendous commercial success of our sport. The unprecedented growth in NASCAR has provided our business with the resources to assemble highly competitive teams, a state of the art facility, and the personnel to build a successful future.

PRI’s focus is the development of driver through relationship building with potential sponsors. We help our sponsors achieve their marketing objectives by delivering performance on the track as well as supporting additional marketing efforts.

- Breaking Limits Marketing for Front Row Motorsports, Press Release

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (June 21, 2011) - Boris Said will take the reins of the Security Benefit/Thank A Teacher Today Chevrolet in this week’s Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway. It will mark the Carlsbad, Cali. road racing ace’s first Sprint Cup Series event with Phoenix Racing.

Said has 11 Sprint Cup Series starts at the 1.99 mile road course. He boasts of one pole (2003) and five top-10s. He’s recorded a best finish of sixth-place on two occasions (2003, 2004).

In addition to Sprint Cup Series competition, Said has competed in one Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series event, three NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) events and four K&N Pro Series West events at Infineon Raceway. Said’s first win in one of NASCAR’s top-three series came at Infineon Raceway in 1998 driving for Mark Simo in NCWTS competition.

Said has made two Nationwide Series starts in Phoenix Racing entries, which came in 2005. He scored a fifth-place finish at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City driving the James Finch-owned car.

Phoenix Racing has three Sprint Cup Series starts at Infineon Raceway. Their best finish of 12th-place came last season with Jan Maqnussen behind the wheel.

Landon Cassill, who drove to his career-best Sprint Cup Series finish (12th-place) last week at Michigan International Speedway, will return as driver of the Thank A Teacher Today Chevrolet next week at Daytona International Speedway.

Boris Said Comments on the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway:

“I’ve known James [Finch] for a long time. He’s one of the most fun guys in racing and puts great equipment on the track. I really like the guy. To be able to go run a Cup race with him, I feel like I hit the lottery.

“I race at Infineon and Watkins Glen every year. That’s just my two races. I haven’t been in a car since Watkins Glen last year, so I’m just amped up and ready to go. I got a lot of friends coming. It’s always one of the most exciting races of the year in NASCAR. There’s lots of passing, lots of action. I can’t wait to get back on the track. I want to thank Security Benefit for giving me the opportunity to go out and race.

“There are only 43 people that get to go Cup racing each weekend. For me to get this opportunity, especially being more of a road racer, it’s a real honor. I’m looking forward to it and cherish the chance to get in one of the cars. We’ll go out and do our best. Hopefully our performance will give teachers a reason to celebrate.”

About Phoenix Racing

Formed in 1989, Phoenix Racing, Inc. (PRI) specializes in providing vertically integrated NASCAR racing teams for companies who wish to capitalize on the tremendous commercial success of our sport. The unprecedented growth in NASCAR has provided our business with the resources to assemble highly competitive teams, a state of the art facility, and the personnel to build a successful future. PRI’s focus is the development of driver through relationship building with potential sponsors. We help our sponsors achieve their marketing objectives by delivering performance on the track as well as supporting additional marketing efforts.

- Breaking Limits Marketing for Phoenix Racing, Press Release

No 51 Thank A Teacher Today Chevrolet Impala SS Driven by Landon Cassill - Phoenix Racing

Cassill’s performance at Kansas Speedway was marred by an accident on Lap 120. He was forced behind the wall for repairs and had to settle for a 35th-place finish. He aims to get back on track this weekend at the track they call the Tricky Triangle.

Cassill has two prior starts at Pocono Raceway, one in the Sprint Cup Series and one in the ARCA Series. This week’s event will mark Cassill’s second Sprint Cup Series start with Phoenix Racing at Pocono Raceway.

Cassill Comments on the Pocono 500:

“Schools all across the country are starting to get out for the summer now. I think many of them have already ended or are in their final weeks. Right now, it just seems to be an appropriate time for our Thank a Teacher Today Chevrolet with its message. Teachers have invested so much in this school year and deserve a pat on the back. We can’t thank them enough for all of their hours and hard work that they pour into their students, but hopefully our car will be a nice tribute and remind everyone to tell a teacher ‘thank you’ for all they do. Hopefully we’ll give them a good run.

“Pocono is exactly what it’s nickname states, it’s a ‘tricky triangle.’ I’ve only had a couple of races there, but it didn’t’ take long to realize that this place is just different. Each time was a learning experience. It’s definitely a track that you use a ‘give and take’ setup. There’s no way that you can have a perfect-handling car all the way around the race track. The turns are each unique and can’t be treated the same. You have to drive each corner differently as well. No turn has the same marks for braking or accelerating. It’s a track that takes total concentration and focus for sure. There’s no cruise control at Pocono.

“We had a tough race last week at Kansas. We got a lap down early, but started picking up the pace after we made some adjustments. We got our lap back and were running pretty well. I ended up getting pushed into the wall and that killed our day. We just need some luck and we’ll have some good finishes come our way. Pocono is a good opportunity for us to get back on track and get some positive momentum going.”

About Security Benefit :

Security Benefit is built upon more than 100 years of tradition. Today, they principally provide retirement and investment solutions through independent financial representatives. They specialize in serving employees in the education, corporate, banking, government and health care markets, as well as individual and institutional investors.

Security Benefit has roughly $30 billion in total assets under management and partners with 27,000 licensed and appointed financial planners and representatives through a network of 700 broker/dealers. They are a leading provider of retirement plan services for more than 135,000 accounts throughout the nation, primarily in the K-12 education marketplace. In addition, Security Benefit Life Insurance Company (“SBL”) provides fixed and variable annuities to approximately 200,000 policyholders. They are known nationwide and serve the financial needs of customers in all 50 states.

About Phoenix Racing:

Formed in 1989, Phoenix Racing, Inc. (PRI) specializes in providing vertically integrated NASCAR racing teams for companies who wish to capitalize on the tremendous commercial success of our sport. The unprecedented growth in NASCAR has provided our business with the resources to assemble highly competitive teams, a state of the art facility, and the personnel to build a successful future.

PRI’s focus is the development of driver through relationship building with potential sponsors. We help our sponsors achieve their marketing objectives by delivering performance on the track as well as supporting additional marketing efforts.

- Breaking Limits Marketing for Phoenix Racing, Press Release

No 51 Thank A Teacher Today Chevrolet Impala SS Driven by Landon Cassill - Phoenix Racing

Spartanburg, S.C. (June 5, 2011

For Cassill and the team, the finish was disappointing after proving to have a fast car earlier in the week. The No. 51 Security Benefit/Thank a Teacher Today Chevrolet was a top-10 car during final practice on Friday. They qualified 24th on Saturday and felt good about their car heading into the 400-mile event.

At the start of the race, Cassill dropped back to 30th fighting the handling of his car. Cassill was able to maintain the position for the opening 50 laps, but fell one lap behind the leaders. The team ran consistent lap times and were able to get back on the lead lap by the 100-lap mark. Cassill had moved to 29th and was looking to move forward when he was hit by Marcos Ambros and the No. 9 machine coming off the Fourth Turn. Cassill’s car was sent right-side first into the outer wall causing severe damage to the front and side of the car. The team quickly called for Cassill to go into the garage for repairs.

The crew made repairs and sent Cassill back on the track for addtional positions and points. He was able to bring the car back to the checkered in 35th after gaining as many positions possible.

“It sure was disappointing,” said Cassill. “We weren’t great at the start, but we were getting better as the race started going. We were back on the lead lap and things just got close on the restart. Guys were sliding around and we just got collected into the wall. We don’t know where we could have finished, but it’s not the result we wanted today.”

Brad Keselowski won the event by fuel mileage beating Dale Earnhardt Jr. who was closing during the final 10 laps. It is Keselowski’s second Sprint Cup win.

The No. 51 Security Benefit/Thank a Teacher Today team now prepare for the triangular-shaped Pocono Raceway for next Sunday’s Pocono 500. The team, sitting 31st in Owner Points, is a guaranteed starter for the event.

- Phoenix Racing, Press Release

No 51 Thank A Teacher Today Chevrolet Impala SS Driven by Landon Cassill - Phoenix Racing

“The number change was something we’ve thought about for a while,” said James Finch, team owner. “Being in their home state of our sponsor Security Benefit, this is a great time to roll it out. This was our original number when we first came to NASCAR and it’s great to have it back in our stable.”

Security Benefit, based in Topeka (Kan.), has supported the team in every event of 2011. It’s their first year in the sport, but the insurance company has already seen positive feedback from teachers and fans alike through the message, Thank a Teacher Today. The program will now have increased branding along with the new number during its first visit to their home track this weekend in Kansas.

“It’s been great to see everyone support this car because of its message,” said driver Landon Cassill. “It’s great to come to the Kansas Speedway with a new number and increased presence for Thank a Teacher Today. The car looks pretty cool and there are some exciting things still to come.”

The team plans continued announcements regarding the Thank a Teacher Today program later this season.

The number 51 was last used in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series during the 2010 Daytona 500 by driver Michael Waltrip. Prior to that, Phoenix Racing used the number in four events in 2001 with driver Jeff Purvis. The number has been used in 336 Sprint Cup events with two wins by Gober Sosebee in 1952 and 1954.

About Phoenix Racing

Formed in 1989, Phoenix Racing, Inc. (PRI) specializes in providing vertically integrated NASCAR racing teams for companies who wish to capitalize on the tremendous commercial success of our sport. The unprecedented growth in NASCAR has provided our business with the resources to assemble highly competitive teams, a state of the art facility, and the personnel to build a successful future. PRI’s focus is the development of driver through relationship building with potential sponsors. We help our sponsors achieve their marketing objectives by delivering performance on the track as well as supporting additional marketing efforts.

- Breaking Limits Marketing for Phoenix Racing, Press Release

“I felt like we had a top-25 car going into qualifying,” stated General Manager, Steve Barkdoll.  “Landon has really been fast in all the practice sessions. He certainly did a great job in qualifying and that gives us a lot of momentum heading into Saturday night.”

Saturday night’s race is a 500-mile affair that will be contested under the lights of the fast Texas Motor Speedway.  Cassill has a career best 18^th-place finish at the track in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.  This will be his second start at the track in the Sprint Cup Series.

“I really think we can have the best run for the team and for Landon tomorrow night,” continued Barkdoll.  “We have a great car, with great support from Security Benefit, and the Thank a Teacher Today Chevrolet is just running really well.  We are all feeling good that this can be one of our best runs of the year Saturday night.”

The Samsung Mobile 500 is schedule to begin at 7:30 p.m. ET and be broadcast live on FOX.

- Breaking Limits Marketing for Phoenix Racing, Press Release

Bill Elliott - Photo Credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR

After years of coming to Daytona to drive Fords and Dodges, Elliott is set to take the wheel of James Finch’s No. 09 Chevrolet. The car number is familiar to Elliott, as his late father George Elliott fielded No. 09 cars back in the 1970s. But it’s Finch that most fans associate with the No. 09 Sprint Cup entry.

Elliott is hoping that it won’t be long before he can write a few more chapters of the history of Finch’s No. 09 Impala as well as add to his own history in NASCAR. In fact, he’s as pumped up about racing as he’s been in years.

“It’s a new opportunity for me, and I really feel like we’ve got some good stuff going,” he said, adding that he’s been working out every other day all winter to be sure he’s ready for the rigors of racing. “We had a pretty decent car at the Daytona test last month, and the crew has taken what we learned and gone back and worked on the car to give us even better stuff to come back with.”

Elliott, who has four Sprint Cup wins at Daytona including two in the Daytona 500, said he has great confident in Finch and his Phoenix Racing team.

“James has been around a long time, and he really understands racing,” Elliott said. “He’s got his act together.”

Elliott also is building a relationship with crew chief Nick Harrison.

“I’m learning him, and he’s learning me,” Elliott said. “Any time you’re in a new deal, you’re never 100 percent right off the bat, but we’ve got some really, really good equipment and we should be able to put it all together and get some good results.”

And the restrictor-plate tracks at Daytona and Talladega are where Finch has had his greatest success in the past. His drivers have finishes of third, fourth, ninth, 10th and 12th in the Great American Race. Phoenix Racing team also has a Cup victory at Daytona’s sister track, Talladega Superspeedway, in 2009 with Brad Keselowski driving.

But this year’s race will be a new challenge, largely because of a new track surface at Daytona.

“It’ll be altogether different,” Elliott said. “But I’m looking forward to it.”

Elliott said the key this year will be finding a drafting partner willing to hook up in a two-car draft, which has proven to be the quickest way to get around the track.

“That’s going to be the key to the whole deal,” he said. “If you don’t find somebody to tango with, you’re just going to be along for the ride.”

Elliott said the surest road to success in the Daytona 500 begins with getting off to a good start.

“You’ve got to go in with your guns loaded,” he said. “If you’re fast to start with, it sets the tone for the whole weekend.”

Qualifying for the Daytona 500 is set for Sunday at 1:05 p.m. The 150-mile Gatorade Duel qualifying races are scheduled for Thursday at 2 p.m., and the green flag for the Daytona 500 is expected to fly shortly after 1 p.m. on Sunday Feb. 20., with TV coverage on FOX.

- Phoenix Racing/Bill Elliott, Press Release

Bill Elliott - Photo Credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR

But he’ll be doing something new in 2011. For the first time in his career, he’ll start the season as a Chevrolet driver. He has teamed up with James Finch’s Phoenix Racing to run the No. 09 Chevrolet in a minimum of 18 races this season.

The new combo will start the season at Daytona, where Elliott has four Sprint Cup wins including two in the Daytona 500 and Finch has finishes of third, fourth, ninth, 10th and 12th in the Great American Race. Phoenix Racing team also has a Cup victory at Daytona’s sister track, Talladega Superspeedway, in 2009 with Brad Keselowski driving.

“It’s big for us and big for Chevrolet to get Bill Elliott,” Finch said. “It’s the first time in his career that he’s committed to race a Chevrolet.”

Finch also said he was confident that even at age 55 Elliott, whose previous Cup wins have come in Fords and Dodges, can get the job done in his Chevrolets.

“With the right equipment, he’s ready,” Finch said. “He was just a couple of hundredths of a second off the pole at Homestead last year.”

Nick Harrison will serve as crew chief on the No. 09 Impala, and the team will use engines from Hendrick Motorsports. Bill Elliott said he’s excited to be moving to Phoenix Racing and to the Chevrolet camp.

“I think this will be a really good deal,” he said. “James has really good race cars, and there’s no doubt about the Hendrick equipment. After all, look at all the championships they’ve won.”

Elliott, who will climb in the No. 09 for the first time on Thursday during testing at Daytona International Speedway, said he’s pleased to have the opportunity to drive proven equipment at this stage of his career. He plans to make the most of it.

“This may well be my last really good chance as a driver,” he said. “I’m going to give it my best shot. I feel like I’m still in good shape, and I thought we ran pretty good last year.” Finch said he hopes to run the full Sprint Cup schedule with the No. 09, and he plans to run a limited Nationwide Series schedule, focusing on the restrictor-plate tracks.

“I’m going to concentrate on the Cup side,” Finch said. “We’ll see what we can do.”

- Bill Elliott/Phoenix Racing, Press Release

Bobby Labonte

Homestead, Fla. (November 21, 2010) -

Labonte started Sunday’s Ford 400 in the 32nd-position, hoping to make their C&J Energy Services Chevrolet handle better throughout the day and find more speed. Their first opportunity came early. A Lap 19 caution allowed Labonte to come down pit road for fuel, four tires and a track bar adjustment.

Restarting on Lap 22 in the 34th-position another caution waved on Lap 25, this time for championship contender Denny Hamlin. The team chose to stay out and restart in the 29th-position on Lap 27.

Labonte held his position throughout the next 30 laps of competition. Reporting that he didn’t have any grip, the team went to work to find a solution. A long green run forced the field to pit under green. Coming down pit road on Lap 71, the team changed four tires, topped off on fuel and made another track bar adjustment.

The caution finally flew on Lap 99 for debris. Labonte reported he was tight. The James Finch-owned team stayed out and restarted the race in 34th-place on Lap 102.

Labonte was up to 31st-position when the fourth caution flew at Lap 134 for a spin in Turn 4 involving Marcos Ambrose. Labonte was slowly climbing up the leader board, but more adjustments were needed to make the car faster.

On Lap 188, the seventh caution flag flew for debris on the frontstretch. Crew Chief Nick Harrison chose to leave the No. 09 on the track and take the “wave around” to gain track position. Restarting on Lap 192 in 30th-place Labonte was now on the lead lap ready to pick off the contenders.

A short four laps later the eighth caution flag flew. The team came down pit road for minor adjustments, four tires and fuel- coming out in the 24th-position. With 65 laps to go, Jeff Gordon blew an engine to bring out another yellow flag.

Labonte restarted in 13th on Lap 205 and quickly dropped back due to loose conditions. As the leaders began green flag pit stops, the No. 09 team decided to hold out hope of one last caution. With luck on their side, the team got the caution they were looking for. At Lap 244, Labonte was scored in the sixth-position.

“We really had to fight hard for this finish today,” said Labonte. “The guys did a lot of work to dial in this car from yesterday to the end of the race. Nick (Harrison, Crew Chief) made great calls during the race and that allowed us to gain a lot of track position.

Alan Jackson Official Merchandise

About C&J Energy Services, Inc.:
C&J Energy Services, Inc. is a leading provider of coiled tubing and pressure pumping services, and recently fracturing services, to the oil and gas industry in Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma. Since the Company’s inception in 1997, C&J has developed a strong reputation of consistently delivering to customers technically proficient personnel, high-quality and well-maintained equipment, customer responsiveness and service and crew safety at reasonable prices. These factor differentiate C&J from its competitors.

C&J’s goal is to be the recognized leader in coiled tubing and pressure pumping services in each of its markets. C&J plans to aggressively pursue organic growth opportunities related to its existing coiled tubing and pressure pumping services as well as offer new fracturing services in the South Texas market.

Given the projected strength of the market and C&J’s stong reputation, C&J is well-positioned to continue growing its leadership position in the South Texas market while expanding its operating base to Marshall, Texas to better serve the Ark-La-Tex region. Over the last five years, C&J has invested heavily in capital equipment and new facilities to meet rising demand from oil and gas producers in the southern U.S.

- Breaking Limits Marketing for Bobby Labonte/Phoenix Racing, Press Release