Tommy Baldwin Racing Logo

Parrott will work with Ryan Blaney, Ryan Truex and Bobby Santos

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (February 7, 2012) – During the off-season, Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) announced an expansion into the NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS). NNS veteran crew chief Brad Parrott will head the team of young drivers, Ryan Blaney, Ryan Truex and Bobby Santos, in an eight-race schedule for the No. 36 Chevrolet.

Parrott brings more than 20 years of knowledge to the rookie NNS program. The Charlotte, N.C., native has a plethora of experience in both the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) and NNS. He has worked as crew chief and car chief for many successful teams in both series, including Yates Racing, Earnhardt Ganassi Racing and Roush Fenway Racing. Parrott complied 18 wins as a NNS crew chief. He won the 1999 NSCS Championship as the car chief at Yates Racing, where he compiled 23 victories in his five-year tenure as Car Chief of the team.

“I’m glad to be a part of TBR,” Parrott said. “Tommy has a long history in the sport, as do I. We’ve both been to the top ranks of the NASCAR, as well as smaller teams. Now as a young team owner, I can relate to where his race team is going and look forward to many years ahead. I have been a crew chief in the Nationwide Series since 2002 and won 18 races. With the experience that I have, I look forward to bringing a young team with young drivers to the winner’s circle. I’m thrilled to work with Ryan Blaney, Ryan Truex and Bobby Santos, as well as our partners. 2012 will be very exciting for all involved.”

This season will mark TBR’s fourth season of competition. TBR began as a part-time, one-car NSCS team in 2009 and developed into a top-35 team by 2011. In 2012, TBR plans to compete with two NSCS teams and a part-time NASCAR Nationwide Series team. The team would like to increase the number of races in both the NSCS and NNS schedules, provided more sponsorship can be found.

“Brad has been in the sport for many years in many different positions,” explained Tommy Baldwin. “His variety of experiences will help us build the Nationwide team from the ground up, in addition to assisting with some of the Cup program. His strengths will complement a lot of areas we need help with. I look forward to working with him and growing our program.”

About Tommy Baldwin Racing:

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) Crew Chief Tommy Baldwin formed Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) in 2009. Baldwin utilized a declining economy to open a NSCS team with a stringent budget. The team worked to build to full-time competition, and by the 2011 season, the team’s third season, TBR competed in every race and locked the No. 36 Chevrolet in the top-35 in NSCS Owner Points. Dave Blaney drove the No. 36 Chevrolet to TBR’s highest finish of third in the October 2011 event at Talladega Superspeedway. TBR also fielded a second car for select races in the past two seasons with multiple drivers.

Based in Mooresville, N.C., TBR will compete in the NSCS in 2012 with NASCAR veterans David Reutimann and Dave Blaney. The team will also compete in the NASCAR Nationwide Series with Ryan Blaney, Bobby Santos and Ryan Truex.

For more information on Tommy Baldwin Racing, visit tommybaldwinracing.com or follow us on Facebook, facebook.com/TBR.HBR, and Twitter, twitter.com/TBR_Racing.

Source: Tommy Baldwin Racing, Press Release

Tommy Baldwin Racing Thumbnail Logo

Truex will make his first superspeedway start in the NNS season-opener. The 19-year-old racer made his NNS debut in 2010 at Gateway International Raceway and made 24 starts in the 2010 and 2011 seasons. He compiled five top-10 finishes including a third-place finish at Kansas Speedway. Truex competed in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East in 2009 and 2010 and won the championship both years with a top-10 average finish.

“I’m happy to be back in a racecar,” said Truex. “I was back and forth between teams last year, so it is nice to be in a car for the first race of this season. I’m excited about racing at a superspeedway. This is my first restrictor plate race and first start at Daytona. It’s something I’ve never done, but it looks like a lot of fun. Superspeedway racing is something I need to learn as I progress in my career. Hopefully, I can find myself a good partner to work with and have a good finish at the end.”

Santos has competed under the TBR Development banner since 2010. He competed in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour (NWMT) in 2010 and 2011 and won the championship in his first season in the series. The 26-year-old won the inaugural USAC National Pavement Sprint Car Series championship last season in a family-owned car. Santos made five starts in the NNS since 2007. His last start was at DIS February 2011 where he finished 17th in a JR Motorsports-prepared Chevrolet.

“I’m thrilled to compete in the Nationwide series again,” said Santos. “The Daytona race last year was a lot of fun. It was kind of a last minute deal, so I’m glad we’ll have some time to prepare for it this year. Tommy and Al have done a lot to help my career, and I appreciate them giving me this opportunity in the Nationwide Series.”

This season will mark TBR’s fourth season of competition. TBR began as a part-time one-car NSCS team in 2009 and developed into a top-35 team by 2011. In 2012, TBR plans to compete with two NSCS teams. The part time NNS team will expand on TBR’s driver development program in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. The team would like to increase the number of races in both the NSCS and NNS schedules, provided more sponsorship can be found.

“We are really working hard to develop young talent,” explained owner Tommy Baldwin. “The Nationwide series is a great place for young drivers to learn the ropes and compete at the same tracks as the ‘Cup series. It is important to give these kids opportunities to showcase their talents for their future and for the future of TBR.”

TBR NASCAR Nationwide Series Schedule:

· February 25th – Ryan Truex – Daytona International Speedway

· April 27th – Ryan Blaney – Richmond International Raceway

· May 11th – Ryan Blaney – Darlington Raceway

· June 29th – Ryan Blaney – Kentucky Speedway

· July 6th – Bobby Santos – Daytona International Speedway

· July 28th – Ryan Blaney – Indianapolis Motor Speedway

· August 24th – Ryan Blaney – Bristol Motor Speedway

· October 12th – Ryan Blaney – Charlotte Motor Speedway

About Tommy Baldwin Racing:

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) Crew Chief Tommy Baldwin formed Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) in 2009. Baldwin utilized a declining economy to open a NSCS team with a stringent budget. The team worked to build to full-time competition, and by the 2011 season, the team’s third season, TBR competed in every race and locked the No. 36 Chevrolet in the top-35 in NSCS Owner Points. Dave Blaney drove the No. 36 Chevrolet to TBR’s highest finish of third in the October 2011 event at Talladega Superspeedway. TBR also fielded a second car for select races in the past two seasons with multiple drivers.

Based in Mooresville, N.C., TBR will compete in the NSCS in 2012 with NASCAR veterans David Reutimann and Dave Blaney. The team will also compete in the NASCAR Nationwide Series with Ryan Blaney, Bobby Santos and Ryan Truex.

For more information on Tommy Baldwin Racing, visit tommybaldwinracing.com or follow us on Facebook, facebook.com/TBR.HBR, and Twitter, twitter.com/TBR_Racing.

Sports Clips Haircuts

“We are excited to continue our growth and partnership with Joe Gibbs Racing for the upcoming 2012 season,” said Gordon Logan, founder and CEO of Sport Clips. “The sport has allowed us to build brand presence with broad exposure among the large and very loyal NASCAR fan base. We are proud to have both Denny and Joey continue to represent us in such a positive manner while they are running up front. Darlington will be a special weekend for Sport Clips, as we will partner with the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) in the title sponsorship of the Nationwide Series race Friday night and will be on board with Denny in both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup races.”

This is the fourth year Sport Clips has been a sponsor with JGR and the eight total races (seven Nationwide and one Cup) is the most the organization has ever sponsored in a single season.

“It is always a thrill to have a sponsor come on board and fully realize how the program can benefit their business and marketing efforts,” said J.D. Gibbs, president of JGR. “Sport Clips has been a great partner and we want to continue to deliver the type of success they have grown accustomed to over the past three years.”

In addition to the Darlington Sprint Cup Series race, Sport Clips will appear on JGR’s No. 18 and No. 20 Nationwide Series Toyota a total of seven times in 2012 with drivers Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano. The schedule of Nationwide races is as follows:

DATE RACE CAR # DRIVER

April 13 Texas No. 18 Denny Hamlin

May 11 Darlington* No. 18 Denny Hamlin

May 26 Charlotte No. 18 Denny Hamlin

July 6 Daytona No. 20 Joey Logano

July 28 Indianapolis No. 18 Denny Hamlin

Sept. 7 Richmond No. 20 Denny Hamlin

Sept. 29 Dover No. 20 Joey Logano

*Also the Nationwide Series Race Sponsor (Events are subject to change.)

About Sport Clips:

Sport Clips is headquartered in Georgetown, Texas and was established in 1995 by founder and CEO Gordon Logan. The franchise ranks in Entrepreneur Magazine’s top 20 “fastest growing franchises” and in the top 100 in the “Franchise 500”, in the top 10 in Forbes’ “Top 20 Franchises To Start”, and in the top 50 in Dun & Bradstreet’s AllBusiness.com “2012 AllBusiness AllStars”. Sport Clips is the “Official Haircutter” of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and offers veterans preferential pricing on haircuts and franchises. Our “Help a Hero” program has donated more than three-quarters of a million dollars to help soldiers overseas and in hospitals call home through the VFW’s Operation Uplink. Sport Clips is a proud sponsor of Joe Gibbs Racing’s NASCAR drivers, Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin, and holds partnerships with several NCAA programs, and teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA), Major League Baseball (MLB), and National Hockey League (NHL). To learn about franchise opportunities click here, and for locations throughout the United States, visit SportClips.com. For media resources and additional information on Sport Clips, visit SportClipsMedia.com.

Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR)

Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) is one of the premier organizations in NASCAR, currently fielding three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams, three NASCAR Nationwide Series teams and a driver development program. Its driver lineup consists of Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Joey Logano in the Sprint Cup Series, while Brian Scott joins those three in the Nationwide Series along with Michael McDowell, Drew Herring, and Ryan Truex.. JGR also boasts Darrell Wallace, Jr. in its driver development program and he will compete in the 2012 K&N Pro Series East and the Nationwide Series. Based in Huntersville, N.C., and owned by Joe Gibbs – a three-time Super Bowl winner as head coach of the Washington Redskins and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame – JGR has competed in NASCAR since 1992, winning three Cup Series championships, and three Nationwide Series owner’s championship along with more than 150 NASCAR races, including three Brickyard 400s and the 1993 Daytona 500.

- Joe Gibbs Racing Press Release

Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR)

“We’ve always hoped to have the opportunity for Mark to drive for us and to have him behind the wheel of our Interstate Batteries Toyota for the Nationwide race in Vegas is exciting,” said J.D. Gibbs, president of Joe Gibbs Racing. “He is a great example to all drivers of the dedication it takes to be successful and certainly we’re honored to have him part of our efforts in 2012.”

While Martin is only currently scheduled to race in Las Vegas for JGR, the team is still working on opportunities for the veteran driver to secure additional races.

Martin currently has 49 career victories in 235 Nationwide Series starts, Martin has amassed 111 top-five and 151 top-ten finishes, while leading 8,093 laps. His most recent victory came just last season when he piloted the No. 32 car to victory lane in Las Vegas. He had four total starts in 2011, with the one victory and three top-ten finishes.

“This is exciting,” said Martin. “No organization has been better in the Nationwide Series over the past three or four seasons and to have the chance to get behind the wheel of a Joe Gibbs Racing Nationwide car will be a thrill. Maybe I can pick up a few more races and try to catch Kyle to get my record back again.”

About Joe Gibbs Racing:

Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) is one of the premier organizations in NASCAR, currently fielding three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams, three NASCAR Nationwide Series teams and a driver development program. Its driver lineup consists of Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Joey Logano in the Sprint Cup Series, while Brian Scott joins those three in the Nationwide Series along with Michael McDowell, Drew Herring, and Ryan Truex.. JGR also boasts Darrell Wallace, Jr. in its driver development program and he will compete in the 2012 K&N Pro Series East and the Nationwide Series. Based in Huntersville, N.C., and owned by Joe Gibbs – a three-time Super Bowl winner as head coach of the Washington Redskins and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame – JGR has competed in NASCAR since 1992, winning three Cup Series championships, and three Nationwide Series owner’s championship along with more than 150 NASCAR races, including three Brickyard 400s and the 1993 Daytona 500.

- Joe Gibbs Racing Press Release

Eddie Sharp Racing (ESR)

“I’m excited to join the team at Eddie Sharp Racing and have the chance to work with Cale Gale,” commented Jerry Baxter, crew chief of the No. 33 Rheem Chevrolet Silverado. “Cale has a tremendous desire to be a good driver, the team is keyed up for a new season, and everyone at Rheem seems great—to have that kind of enthusiasm surround our entire program makes me excited to walk in the shop every day.”

After spending the last few years working with young drivers helping to guide and develop their skills, Baxter will join Eddie Sharp Racing on January 1, 2012. Baxter was most recently at Michael Waltrip Racing where he worked with up-and-coming drivers before they reached the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series ranks, including David Reutimann, Scott Speed, Trevor Bayne, and Ryan Truex.

“I’m really looking forward to this season,” continued Baxter. “It’s another challenge with another young driver, and I think it will be a lot of fun. Cale is a great guy.”

“I’m very excited to have Jerry Baxter on-board for the 2012 season,” commented Eddie Sharp, team owner. “He’s a veteran crew chief and has the ability to bring a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience to our team. His enthusiasm for the job has everyone else excited for the upcoming season, and I can’t wait to see what he and Cale are able to achieve in the No. 33 Rheem Chevy Silverado.”

About Eddie Sharp Racing

Eddie Sharp Racing (TeamESR.com) is a championship winning race team housed in a 40,000 square-foot facility in Denver, N.C. After just four short years of competition within the ARCA Racing Series, the team impressively accumulated upwards of 20 race wins. 2009 was a pivotal year for ESR, as they dominated the series with six race wins, 15 top-fives and 19 top-10s en route to the series championship with driver Justin Lofton. In 2010, ESR made the transition to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. In 2011, Sharp and Lofton were reunited within truck competition. In 2012, ESR will expand to three teams, with Lofton set to return to the No. 6 Chevrolet Silverado, Cale Gale set to join the team behind the wheel of the No. 33 Rheem Chevrolet Silverado, and a third driver to be named later.

- Eddie Sharp Racing Press Release

No. 81 Daystar.com Dodge Challenger R/T

Blake Koch on Homestead….. “This is going to be one of the biggest races of my career and I’m so glad my family will be there to cheer me on. My crew chief, John Monsam, has been making my Daystar.com No. 81 faster and faster each week and we’ve got to keep that going at Homestead. Winning Rookie of the Year would be a dream come true and I’m going to do whatever it takes to accomplish that goal.”

Can Blake Win Roty?….. Even after beating Timmy Hill five races in a row, Blake now finds himself trailing Ryan Truex by three points heading into the season finale. The 8th place finish by Truex earned him three bonus points for finishing in the top-10, putting him three ahead of Koch and Hill. There is a lot that goes into the voting process for winning the Rookie of the Year title so anything still can happen at Homestead. Even if Blake does not end up actually winning the prestigious award, it was still a banner year for both Blake and the MacDonald Motorsports team. Both turned a lot of heads throughout the season and should be very proud of their efforts.

Blake Koch

Blake Appearance at Fan-Fest….. Fans will have the chance to meet Blake on Thursday, November 17th at Homestead in the NASCAR Championship Drive Fan-Fest events. The event will begin at 5:00 p.m. with a 20 minute, on-stage Question and Answer session with the drivers. Then at 5:20, fans will have the chance to meet and get autographs from the participating drivers until 6:00 p.m.

Follow Blake on Social Media….. Keep up with everything that Blake is doing by following him on Facebook and Twitter. Facebook at www.facebook.com/BlakeKRacing and twitter @BlakeKochRacing.

Vote for Blake for NNS Most Popular Driver….. Remember to vote every day for Blake Koch for NASCAR Nationwide Series Most Popular Driver. The link to vote is http://nationwide.nascar.com/news/110705/2011-mpd-nationwide/index.html.

About Daystar Television Network

Daystar is a Television Network committed to spreading this message across the world: No matter what you’ve done, where you’ve been, or who you are. It is not too much for God to handle. There is life, hope, and forgiveness waiting for you through Jesus Christ. Find out more on www.Daystar.com.

About MacDonald Motorsports

The MacDonald family name has been in the racing circles since owner, Randy MacDonald, started his own driving career in the 1980’s. The provisions made by Randy’s father, Marrill “Doc” MacDonald, and mother Pat helped Randy start racing professionally and establish his own company. Randy’s father Doc helped him create business relationships and carry out other important functions of the team until finishing his own race in March of 2007. Despite his death, Doc’s impact on the team will not end, as MacDonald Motorsports continues on in his honor and memory.

- MacDonald Motorsports Press Release

Toyota Motorsports Logo

Phoenix International Raceway – November 12, 2011

- Joey Logano (fourth) was the highest finishing Toyota driver in Saturday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) race at Phoenix International Raceway.

- Camry drivers Ryan Truex (eighth) and Michael Annett (10th) also earned top-10 finishes in the 200 lap event.

- Truex was also the highest finishing rookie in the race.

- Other Toyota drivers in the field included Joe Nemechek (12th), Kenny Wallace (17th), Steve Wallace (29th), and Brian Scott (41st).

- Four Camry drivers are among the top-10 in the unofficial NNS driver point standings — K. Wallace (seventh), Annett (eighth), Scott (ninth) and S. Wallace (10th).

- Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 18 Camry team currently leads the unofficial NNS owner point standings by one point after 33 of 34 races.

JOEY LOGANO, No. 18 GameStop Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 4th

How was your race car today?

“We had a fast car. We had a pretty good GameStop Toyota. We just didn’t take off during restarts. The first 10 laps we were just junk — and we’d lose all the track position we had — and then we’d get going and be fast. It just took us too long. Once we got going we were all about the same speed too anyway. That’s awesome for Sam (Hornish). He’s a great guy. Awesome to see him win. Much rather have the old GameStop Toyota in victory lane. I felt like I had a car that can do it. Just had to work on our front side speed.”

How much did the track change during the race?

“Not as much as I thought, but it did change some for sure. Actually, the top side over in (turns) three and four actually starting working it self in pretty good. Just hard to figure out what you think the track is going to go in a certain direction — you adjust to it towards that and then it doesn’t do that. Then it’s really just an educated guessing game out there. It just didn’t change as much as I thought it would.”

Did you take advantage of the apron?

“Yeah. That’s a good way to pass cars. It’s really weird though. You go down there and I swear it about knocks your helmet off. It’s such a hard hit when you go down there. It’s such a shorter distance. You can drive right underneath a car doing it that way. It’s kind of weird. I don’t know if they’ll change anything about that to stop us from doing that. That’s one way we were passing cars, for sure. It was really weird.”

Why were drivers using the apron?

“It’s such a shorter distance. It feels like you’re cutting a quarter-mile off the track doing it that way.”

Do you expect to see drivers using the apron Sunday?

“Probably be a little bit harder in a Cup car, but I think people will do it.”

Did you learn anything that will help you Sunday?

“I learned quite a bit. This is one of those races that you’re glad you’re running double duty.”

RYAN TRUEX, No. 20 Martin Truex Jr. Foundation Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 8th

How was your race?

“It was good. I think we had a better car than where we finished. We started off there and just dropped back a little bit. Our car was too loose at the start of the run. We knew that was going to happen on the green flag. The track was just notin good shape at all. Pretty much everyone on the outside went backwards. We just worked on it and got it pretty good there on the long run, we were just a little too loose on the start of a run to stay up there with those guys. After about five laps we’d get really good, but those five laps we’d lose spots just because we were so free. It was a good day I guess, can’t complain about an eight-place finish with all the wrecked cars we have out here, so I’m happy about it.”

Did you use the dog leg to get around the track?

“Yes, very useful. We weren’t sure about it coming here. You look at it and it looks like there was so much room. If those guys were racing in front of you and you drive way down there, you can just blow by all of them. I don’t know how NASCAR feels about it, but it’s a pretty good way to pass some cars.”

What do you think about your chance to be series ‘Rookie of the Year’ this year?

“I don’t know if this is enough to take the lead or win it or what. I gave it my best and we’ll see what happens.”

How does it feel to be ‘Rookie of the Race’ in your final event of the year?

“I wasn’t worried about it in the race, I knew we had a good car and I knew we had all six races I’ve been in this car. It was a crazy race to say the least. The way you could pass people in the dog leg and drive way down like that was wild. There were a few guys out there that tried to get respect and I guess I have to earn it being a rookie. It was a good race. I think we should have finished better, we probably adjusted out of it a little bit in the end. I had fun and hopefully we can get ‘Rookie of the Year’.

MICHAEL ANNETT, No. 62 Pilot Flying J Toyota Camry, Rusty Wallace Racing

Finishing Position: 10th

How was your race?

“Eventful, we didn’t start off with a top-10 car. We were disappointed because we did have holes in practice, so I guess with the sun beating down on the track all day, we just kind of got behind a little bit and were really free for three-quarters of the race and then the last 50 laps we got the car happy enough to where I felt comfortable actually driving it hard. We were smart, we knew the car we had and we knew we couldn’t run up through the field. We let them make their mistakes and we’ll be ready to jump on it and we did and came out of Phoenix with a top-10.”

What did you think of the new track after racing on it?

“It’s pretty crazy. It’s just hard for the spotters to say ‘inside.’ Really, I did more just watching the mirror and trying to see how much track was between myself and the car in the inside because as far as he is inside, but he might be four car lengths down there. If they say ‘three-wide,’ you just really don’t know. I said to my spotter, ‘what they need to do is put a big patch of triangle grass out there to keep everybody from going down there’ just because this place is hard enough for spotters to spot where they do from the corner, they don’t need that added complication.”

JOE NEMECHEK, No. 87 AM / FM Energy Pellet & Wood Stoves Toyota Camry, NEMCO Motorsports

Finishing Position: 12th

KENNY WALLACE, No. 09 Toyota Camry, RAB Racing with Brack Maggard

Finishing Position: 17th

STEVE WALLACE, No. 66 5-Hour Energy Toyota Camry, Rusty Wallace Racing

Finishing Position: 29th

BRIAN SCOTT, No. 11 Shore Lodge Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 41st

- Toyota Motorsports Press Release

Ryan Truex - Photo Credit: John Harrelson / Getty Images for NASCAR

TV: ESPN2, 3:30 p.m.

RADIO: MRN, 3 p.m.

No. 20 Notes of Interest

- Truex heads in to his final NASCAR Nationwide Series race this season at Phoenix International Raceway after a late surge of strong finishes with Joe Gibbs Racing.

- Saturday will mark his 6th start with JGR. Truex has had all top-15 finishes, including back-to-back top-10 finishes at Kansas and Dover, and a top-5 at Richmond.

- Truex has received the Sunoco Rookie of the Race Award for all five races with JGR. Despite fewer starts than his competitors, Truex sits only 3 points behind Blake Koch and Timmy Hill (who are tied for first) in the battle for the 2011 Sunoco Rookie of the Year (ROY) Award.

- ROY points are awarded based on a driver’s best 16 races in the Nationwide Series. In addition to points earned for attempting to qualify and finishing positioning, the Sunoco ROY panel will meet during the Homestead-Miami race weekend and can reward each eligible driver with up to 10 extra points for favorable on and off-track conduct throughout the year.

- Saturday marks Truex’s 3rd start at Phoenix International Raceway in a NASCAR Nationwide Series car, and his 16th start in the Nationwide Series in 2011. He finished in the top-15 at his only other start at Phoenix last year in a Toyota Camry for Pastrana-Waltrip Racing.

- He is teamed up with veteran crew chief Adam Stevens this weekend; with whom he’s posted a 4th, 10th and 11th place finish in their three other starts together.

Ryan Truex - Photo Credit: Tom Pennington, Getty Images for NASCAR

“I’m excited to get back in the car and get back to a smaller, flat track. I’ve always been able to run well at those tracks, and with Phoenix being reconfigured all the drivers will be on the same page coming in. We’ll just have to get the car driving well in practice and hopefully I can pick up on the track quickly.”

Truex On Goals For His Final Nationwide Series race in 2011

“My goal is to get a top-5 finish. I feel like we have run good enough to have top-5s every weekend and this weekend will be no different. As a driver it’s starting to feel like I belong up front racing with the Cup guys, so there’s no reason why we can’t finish up there. We will have to be smart and I’ll have to take care of my car to be there at the end and have a shot at it.”

Truex On His Biggest Accomplishment This Season

“I’m just proud that I’ve been able to get in the JGR cars and be competitive every weekend. It’s hard to be out of a race car for a few months and jump right back into it, but Jason [Ratcliff] and Adam [Stevens] both made it very easy for me by giving me great cars every weekend.”

Follow Ryan Truex on Twitter! Twitter.com/RTruex00

Follow Ryan Truex on Facebook! Facebook.com/RyanTruex

- Joe Gibbs Racing / MTJ Motorsports Press Release

Joey Logano - Photo Credit: John Harrelson / Getty Images for NASCAR

· LOGANO BACK IN No. 18, LOOKING FOR POINTS: Joey Logano will be back in the GameStop Toyota this weekend at Phoenix International Speedway. However, he won’t be in his familiar No. 20. Instead, for the fourth time this year, Logano will be back behind the wheel of the No. 18 in an effort to help the Joe Gibbs Racing organization win their fourth-straight NASCAR Nationwide Series Owner’s Championship and third-straight for the No. 18 group. The hunt for the Owner’s Championship is down to two teams, the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing team and the No. 60 Roush Fenway team. The No. 18 team holds a slim two-point lead over the No. 60 with just two races remaining on the schedule. While Logano takes the reins of the No. 18 this weekend, Ryan Truex will be making his final start of the year in the No. 20 Toyota.

· CALL OF DUTY®: MODERN WARFARE 3 MAKES A RARE “SECOND APPEARANCE”: Proving that Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare 3 is one of the most highly-anticipated video games of the year, the franchise’s most recent entry will make a rare “second” appearance on the GameStop Toyota this weekend. The best-selling first person action series of all-time returns with the epic sequel to multiple Game of the Year award winner, Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare 2. Prepare yourself for a cinematic thrill-ride as only Call of Duty can deliver. Engage enemy forces in New York, Paris, Berlin and other attack sites across the globe. Special Ops returns with a bevy of additions, including 16 new objective-based missions and the all-new Survival Mode. Team up online, locally, or play solo and face endless waves of attacking enemies throughout every multiplayer map. Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare 3 hit store shelves Nov. 8 and is available for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. Only two other games have ever been featured on the GameStop Toyota for more than one race: Red Dead Redemption and NASCAR 2011.

· PHOENIX A FAVORITE FOR LOGANO: While victory has eluded Logano at Phoenix International Raceway over the years in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, it’s been a good track for the 21-year-old. In five career starts at the track, Logano has never finished outside of the top-10, including a near-race win in the spring race of 2010 when Logano found himself leading late, but contact with another car damaged the right front of his Toyota and forced him to slide through the field on a final race to the checkers. Logano won the pole for the fall Phoenix event last year and led 23 laps before coming home in third. Not counting his rookie season of 2008, Logano has not qualified outside of the top-six at Phoenix. Logano also has two top-10 finishes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Phoenix and was en route to a third in the spring race before his engine let go midway through the event.

· RETURN TO RATCLIFF: Jason Ratcliff and the regular team will welcome Logano back to the No. 18 Toyota this weekend in Phoenix. The weekend will mark the third time Ratcliff and Logano have worked together as crew chief/driver pairing. The first came at Michigan International Speedway during Logano’s rookie season of 2008. The two then worked together earlier this season at Kansas, where Logano finished seventh. Ratcliff has a strong history at Phoenix, earning three wins and six top 10s at the track as a crew chief.

· CHASSIS: The JGR team will bring proven race-winning chassis #109 to Phoenix this weekend. That chassis has raced three times this season and won all three events, all with Busch behind the wheel. The chassis ran at the first Phoenix event and both Bristol events.

· STAT OF THE WEEK: 3 Million. With Logano’s eighth-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway and his $18,195 payday, Logano earned his way into the $3 million career-earnings club in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

· THE RACE: The Wypall 200 at Phoenix International Raceway (Avondale, AZ; 1-mile tri-oval) is set for Saturday afternoon, November 12, 2011. The race will be broadcast on ESPN2 at 3:30 p.m. ET, with radio coverage on MRN starting at 3 p.m. ET.

Joey Logano Quotes:

“I’m pretty excited about Phoenix. I’ve always been fortunate enough to run strong there, and I’ve always felt like whenever I’ve been there, I’ve been in contention to fight for the win. There are a lot of tracks that for one reason or another drivers say owe them a win. I don’t always think that, but I can think of a couple of times at Phoenix where I think we had the best car and were able to lead laps and things went down and we weren’t able to win the race. But, I’ve never finished outside of the top 10 there, so I’m pretty fortunate for that. I’m also excited to get another chance to work with Jason (Ratcliff) this weekend. I know he’s got a ton of experience, and he’s got a good track record at Phoenix. I have a pretty good feeling going into this weekend.

“Phoenix is going to be a lot different this time. No one really knows what the track will be like since they redid it earlier this year. Thankfully, I was one of the drivers who got the opportunity to go out there and test during the open test and got to make some laps. While the layout is similar with the dogleg on the backstretch though, the way it’s been moved back does change your entry and exit a little bit. I think the biggest thing for us to deal with though will be whether a second groove will come in. When we get on the track the first time, the track will be one groove like it was during the test. Hopefully though, during the weekend, with all of the laps the Nationwide and Cup cars will put on the track, we can get a second groove in. If we can, I think the track will be a lot of fun and put on some pretty good racing. It’s always been a fun track to drive; probably one of the best on the schedule.

“It will be cool to run the Call of Duty car again this weekend as well. GameStop always has some great games featured on the car and some really cool paint schemes, and I love the black and green car and suits we have for the weekend. It looks sick. I’m pretty excited to get a chance to play the game as well. I know there are a lot of people excited for that game to come out this week and they’ve got a bunch of midnight openings all around the country. Hopefully everyone can take a break from playing to watch us race on Saturday at least.”

- Joe Gibbs Racing Press Release

No. 81 Daystar Television Network Dodge Challenger R/T

“The February race at Phoenix was my first race for MacDonald Motorsports this season,” explained Blake Koch. “This time around I am much more confortable in the race car and we have a ton of momentum going into the weekend.”

Blake Koch

In 11 short track races this season, Koch and Hill are virtually dead-even. Timmy Hill has finished ahead of Koch in six of those races while Blake has come out on top in five. Whoever comes out of Phoenix with a better finish will hold a huge advantage heading into the final race of the season in Homestead.

The Wypall 200 from Phoenix International Raceway can be seen live on ESPN2, Saturday at 3:30 p.m. EST.

Follow Blake on Social Media….. Keep up with everything that Blake is doing by following him on Facebook and Twitter. Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/BlakeKRacing and twitter @BlakeKochRacing.

Vote for Blake for NNS Most Popular Driver….. Remember to vote every day for Blake Koch for NASCAR Nationwide Series Most Popular Driver. The link to vote is http://nationwide.nascar.com/news/110705/2011-mpd-nationwide/index.html.

About Daystar Television Network

Daystar is a Television Network committed to spreading this message across the world: No matter what you’ve done, where you’ve been, or who you are. It is not too much for God to handle. There is life, hope, and forgiveness waiting for you through Jesus Christ. Find out more on www.Daystar.com.

About MacDonald Motorsports

The MacDonald family name has been in the racing circles since owner, Randy MacDonald, started his own driving career in the 1980’s. The provisions made by Randy’s father, Merril “Doc” MacDonald, and mother Pat helped Randy start racing professionally and establish his own company. Randy’s father Doc helped him create business relationships and carry out other important functions of the team until finishing his own race in March of 2007. Despite his death, Doc’s impact on the team will not end, as MacDonald Motorsports continues on in his honor and memory.

- MacDonald Motorsports Press Release

MacDonald Motorsports Thumbnail

Blake Koch on Texas….. “Man I’m just so excited to get back in my race car this weekend,” said Blake. “Texas is an awesome track that we ran strong at earlier this year and I think we will be even better this time. Everyone from Daystar is going to be at the track too so I want to put in a good run for them.”

Reed in the No. 82 for final 3 races….. Now sitting 5th in points, Sorenson has secured a ride in the MacDonald Motorsports No. 82 Dodge for the remainder of the season. The team however is searching for more sponsorship on the racecar. Any interested parties should contact MacDonald Motorsports.

Reed @ Texas….. Since 2004, Reed Sorenson has made 7 NASCAR Nationwide Series starts and 9 Sprint Cup Series starts at Texas. In his 7 NNS starts at the fast 1.5 mile track, Reed has 4 top-10’s and 3 top-5 finishes. MacDonald Motorsports is really excited to have Reed on board this weekend and are hoping for Reed to add another top-10 to his Texas resume.

Home race for DAYSTAR….. Being based in nearby Bedford, TX, Daystar Television Network will have a large presence at the racetrack this weekend. The Lamb family, founders of Daystar, will be on hand at the track cheering on their driver and team. Blake will be a very busy man this weekend as well. Interviews and speaking engagements will fill his schedule in the home town of his primary sponsor. Daystar does an excellent job of using NASCAR to bring more and more people to the lord and Blake helps them out in any way that he can.

Rookie of the year….. Three drivers now sit within two points with 3 races remaining in the season. If Blake can manage to win Rookie of the Race as he did earlier this year at Texas, it will bring him to a tie with Timmy Hill. Last race Blake was able to beat both Hill and Ryan Truex to move within one point of Hill. Let’s hope the Daystar.com No. 81 team can keep that momentum up this week and bring home another Rookie of the Race award.

Follow Blake on Social Media….. Keep up with everything that Blake is doing by following him on Facebook and Twitter. Facebook at www.facebook.com/BlakeKRacing and twitter @BlakeKochRacing.

Vote for Blake for NNS Most Popular Driver….. Remember to vote every day for Blake Koch for NASCAR Nationwide Series Most Popular Driver. The link to vote is http://nationwide.nascar.com/news/110705/2011-mpd-nationwide/index.html.

About Daystar Television Network

Daystar is a Television Network committed to spreading this message across the world: No matter what you’ve done, where you’ve been, or who you are. It is not too much for God to handle. There is life, hope, and forgiveness waiting for you through Jesus Christ. Find out more on www.Daystar.com.

About MacDonald Motorsports

The MacDonald family name has been in the racing circles since owner, Randy MacDonald, started his own driving career in the 1980’s. The provisions made by Randy’s father, Merril “Doc” MacDonald, and mother Pat helped Randy start racing professionally and establish his own company. Randy’s father Doc helped him create business relationships and carry out other important functions of the team until finishing his own race in March of 2007. Despite his death, Doc’s impact on the team will not end, as MacDonald Motorsports continues on in his honor and memory.

- MacDonald Motorsports Press Release

No. 81 Daystar Television Network Dodge Challenger R/T

“It’s going to be tough but I know our car is really fast right now. We made great progress with it at Charlotte and I think it will be good at Texas too,” explained Koch. This was the first race out for Chassis #104 and the team plans to run it again at Texas and Homestead. “If we can win Rookie of the Race at Texas I will be tied with Timmy, which would be awesome. Ryan (Truex) is coming too and will be tough to beat in these final races. We’ll see how it turns out but I’m just so proud of the Daystar team and the season that we have had so far.”

Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidates earn points based on their best 16 finishes of the season. After Charlotte, all 3 drivers have completed their 16 races. This means that any strong finishes now can replace bad finishes from earlier in the season. Drivers earn 10 points for being the highest finishing rookie in a particular event, 9 for the second highest finishing rookie, and so on. Winning Rookie of the Race honors in the last 3 races will be key to filling your 16 race resume with the most “10” point races. A top ten finish by one of the drivers would also be very beneficial, with bonus points being awarded for those results.

There are also points at the end of the year for the highest finishing driver in the 2011 NNS driver point’s standings. Timmy Hill will most likely gain 1 point on Koch and 2 on Truex for this portion of the Rookie points.

The final way to earn points involves the voting of a NASCAR panel on 3 different topics. The first is each rookie’s conduct with the technical inspectors in the garage area and the pits, and with other NASCAR officials. The second criteria is each rookie’s conduct and awareness on the race track, while the final topic is each rookie’s personal appearance and relationship with the media. Driver’s can earn up to 10 points for each criteria, meaning up to 30 points, and a very important piece of winning Rookie of the Year.

Blake Koch

“Winning Rookie of the Race will be the key for these final 3 races,” said Koch. “I would really like to get my first top-ten finish as well and I will be doing all I can to try and accomplish that.”

Every lap is going to count in these final three races and each driver will be giving it their all to beat the other two. All three drivers have been racing all year with one main goal, to add the name, “2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year,” to their resumes.

Follow Blake on Social Media…..Keep up with everything that Blake is doing by following him on Facebook and Twitter. Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/BlakeKRacing and twitter @BlakeKochRacing.

Vote for Blake for NNS Most Popular Driver….. Remember to vote every day for Blake Koch for NASCAR Nationwide Series Most Popular Driver. The link to vote is http://nationwide.nascar.com/news/110705/2011-mpd-nationwide/index.html.

About Daystar Television Network

Daystar is a Television Network committed to spreading this message across the world: No matter what you’ve done, where you’ve been, or who you are. It is not too much for God to handle. There is life, hope, and forgiveness waiting for you through Jesus Christ. Find out more on www.Daystar.com.

About MacDonald Motorsports

The MacDonald family name has been in the racing circles since owner, Randy MacDonald, started his own driving career in the 1980’s. The provisions made by Randy’s father, Merril “Doc” MacDonald, and mother Pat helped Randy start racing professionally and establish his own company. Randy’s father Doc helped him create business relationships and carry out other important functions of the team until finishing his own race in March of 2007. Despite his death, Doc’s impact on the team will not end, as MacDonald Motorsports continues on in his honor and memory.

- MacDonald Motorsports Press Release

Toyota Motorsports Logo

Charlotte Motor Speedway – October 14, 2011

- Kyle Busch (second) was the highest finishing Toyota driver in Friday night’s NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

- Busch’s finish marked his 12th top-five result at Charlotte in 17 career NNS starts at the speedway.

- Camry driver Brian Scott also earned a top-five result with a fifth-place finish in the 200-lap race — his second top-five finish this season in the Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) No. 11 Camry.

- Camry drivers Steve Wallace (13th), Kenny Wallace (16th), Michael Annett (17th), Joey Logano (19th), Ryan Truex (34th), Kevin Conway (36th) and Joe Nemechek (37th) were also in the field at the mile-and-a-half oval.

KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 Z-Line Designs Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 2nd

How was your race car tonight?

“It was really good on long runs. Slow on short runs — didn’t have enough under the hood to keep up. Got out-motored on that last restart and finished second.”

JASON RATCLIFF, crew chief, No. 18 Z-Line Designs Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

What did it mean to run strong at a mile-and-a-half track after struggling earlier this season?

“We were really excited to have the opportunity to be up there. Mile-and-a-half tracks have not been our greatest tracks this year, but we’ve come a long way. I’m really proud of this team — this Z-Line Designs team and everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing. You know, we had a shot at it there and if we did everything right tonight the one thing that we struggled with a little bit is still the restarts. I think it’s just a product of horsepower, or you know whatever. And, those guys have been really good all year in that category. Kyle (Busch) did a great job all night. I don’t think he got beat there from a talent standpoint, obviously. He drove a phenomenal race. Just for us to be up there and be close and be in the fray is great. It was
a good night for us. Unfortunately, we came up one short. But, I’m really proud of Kyle and what he did and proud of this race team.”

What seems to be so tough at these mile-and-a-half tracks?

“It seems like we just always finish third at these mile-and-a-half tracks. These Dodges and Fords just seem really strong and they’ve got some of their set-ups figured out. We’ve been working hard on our set-up to get it better. I think we showed tonight that we did. I think at one point we had all three of our Joe Gibbs (Racing) cars in the top-seven and they were all three running strong. We just didn’t need to see the caution. Once we got the thing wound up and got it going, we could run with anybody, but we needed that clean air at the end and the 60 (Carl Edwards) got in front of us – it takes so much to get by him, especially on cold tires like that. If we had 10 more laps, who knows, maybe Kyle (Busch) drove up there and gave him
a little more run for his money. Just not enough laps left to get it done.”

BRIAN SCOTT, No. 11 Doosan Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 5th

How was your race tonight?

“We started off really not where we wanted to, but we were able to hang out right near the top-10. The pit crew did a great job always moving us forward on spots. Kevin (Kidd, crew chief) did good adjustments and that just kept us in the hunt until we could get our car right. Towards the end of the race we had our car pretty good and we were able to gain some more positions and have some more good pit stops. We just kept working towards the front from about the middle of the race on and we made it count at the end when it mattered. That was great and we were able to bring home a top-five for Doosan and it was great to have them on the car. They are such a terrific partner at Joe Gibbs Racing and our Camry was just fast when it counted. That’s all that matters.”

How much momentum does your team have following this run?

“We’ve had some really good runs lately. We’ve ran up there the last — seems like five races. We haven’t really finished up there a couple times — Kansas comes to mind and Dover comes to mind. We’re capable of running up there and now we’re getting more finishes up there. We’ve got a lot of strength with this team and we’re going to end this year really strong and we’re going to go into next year representing Dollar General and try to win them a championship.”

STEVE WALLACE, No. 66 5-Hour Energy Toyota Camry, Rusty Wallace Racing

Finishing Position: 13th

KENNY WALLACE, No. 09 Thank You Fans! Toyota Camry, RAB Racing with Brack Maggard

Finishing Position: 16th

MICHAEL ANNETT, No. 62 Pilot Flying J Toyota Camry, Rusty Wallace Racing

Finishing Position: 17th

JOEY LOGANO, No. 20 GameStop Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 19th

How was your race car tonight and what happened when you hit the wall?

“We had a solid, strong top-five car. We could run third at times, fourth at times and we got up to second there for a little bit. Carl (Edwards) was really fast there at the end. I was doing everything I could to hold him off — I was doing anything. Since he got to the outside of me and the 6 (Ricky Stenhouse Jr.) was following him and he just went in right on my door — right on my door. I just lost control of it and spun it out — well, I didn’t spin it out — I just put it in the wall. Unfortunately — we were better than that. We were making progress because we haven’t been this good lately. We’ll take it.”

What happened between you and Kyle Busch on a mid-race restart?

“I was wanting a one-two finish there and was trying to get him. At times I was better than Kyle (Busch) and then Kyle got pretty good throughout the race and got his car a little bit better than mine. We were pretty close to each other all day. I think our 20 team has made progress over the last few weeks here and making our car better. Obviously, I don’t have the finish to show it today, but I think we ran definitely a lot better than what we have been so we’ll take that.”

Do you think Kyle Busch was mad at you from that restart?

“I don’t think Kyle (Busch) is mad at me. The only thing that bummed him out was that he was leading the race and the caution came out that cost him the win. I didn’t want to wreck my car so it hurt me worse even. It’s a bummer that we lost a win for Joe Gibbs Racing, but we’re doing all we can do. Just trying hard.”

RYAN TRUEX, No. 99 Toyota Camry, Pastrana-Waltrip Racing

Finishing Position: 34th

What happened that took you out of the race?

“I just blew a tire — out of nowhere with no warning or anything. We just blew a right front. I hate it for these guys. They worked so hard to get this car built and now it’s wrecked. Frustrating night. We had a motor problem right from the start of the race. We were down on power. I don’t know what happened. I don’t know if we broke a valve spring or what. We were way down on power so I would have to run the outside just to keep up with those guys. We were in for a long night either way and unfortunately we came up short.”

KEVIN CONWAY, No. 87 Extenze Toyota Camry, NEMCO Motorsports

Finishing Position: 36th

JOE NEMECHEK, No. 97 AM / FM Energy Pellet & Wood Stove Toyota Camry, NEMCO Motorsports

Finishing Position: 37th

- Toyota Motorsports Press Release

No. 20 GameStop Toyota Camry (Joey Logano) - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCAR

· “BEAST OF THE SOUTHEAST” A FEAST (OR FAMINE) FOR LOGANO: Joey Logano has said it before. Ask him on any given weekend and he’ll tell you the same answer. What is his favorite track? It’s Charlotte Motor Speedway. Logano will make the seventh NASCAR Nationwide Series start of his career at Charlotte on Friday night in the Dollar General 300 Miles of Courage. Logano’s previous track record at Charlotte has been feast or famine. In six previous starts, Logano has scored three top-five finishes and three top-10s. His best career finish came in the spring race last season where he crossed the line in third place. Logano also has finishes of fourth and fifth at the track. In the spring race this season, Logano started 11th and finished 11th. His other two finishes at the track have both been 14th place efforts.

· “BIG GAME HUNTER” FOR THE BIG RACE: Cabela’s Big Game Hunter 2012 will ride with Logano and primary sponsor GameStop on track at Charlotte Motor Speedway. With the world as their playground, players will explore a vast expanse of mountains and valleys with unprecedented choices in direction never before seen in a Cabela’s hunting game. Players can climb an area to get a better angle for the shot but risk being spotted, or they can take a low elevation route with poor visibility but plenty of concealment. In order to bag the trophies, players will have to avoid detection through cunning, skill, and deception. They must also utilize master hunting skills such as advanced stalking techniques so they can quickly move through cover and close in on their targets. With new multiplayer modes, gamers can enjoy playing with friends and family. Up to four people can take turns, work together or challenge each other in different arcade shooting galleries. With new modes such as Reflex and Target Shooting, Cabela’s Big Game Hunter 2012 has enough fun to keep players hunting with friends for a long time! The game was released on Sept. 27 and is available for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii video game consoles.

· EPIC REWARD FOR GAMESTOP EPIC REWARD WINNER: Joey Logano and the No. 20 GameStop team will have a special guest this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Shari and George Stettner of Texas will head to Charlotte for winning the NASCAR experience as part of GameStop’s PowerUp Rewards program. The PowerUp Rewards program rewards the most passionate of GameStop gamers by offering savings on purchases while also providing members-only specials, discounts and news emailed directly to users. Shari and George will come to Charlotte, have a private tour of the Joe Gibbs Racing shops, go go-karting with Joey and the entire No. 20 GameStop team, visit the NASCAR Hall of Fame, attending Joe Gibbs Racing’s Fan Fest, and get a chance to watch the Dollar General 300 Miles of Courage up close by sitting on the pit box of the No. 20 team for Friday night’s event. Other Epic Reward winners have gotten tank driving experiences, trips to Rome, a behind the scenes look at Comic-Con and private tours of various video game companies.

· BACK HOME AGAIN… WITH THE No. 20: Logano spent the last three NASCAR Nationwide Series events behind the wheel of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in an effort to help that team win the Nationwide Series Owner’s Championship. This weekend, Logano returns to the seat of the car he’s most accustomed to driving in the Nationwide Series, the No. 20 GameStop Toyota. He will also be back with his regular crew, led by Crew Chief Adam Stevens, who last week guided rookie Ryan Truex to a 10th place finish at Kansas Speedway.

· CHASSIS: The JGR team will bring chassis #127 to Charlotte for the Dollar General 300. The car has raced just one other time this year, coming back at Michigan International Speedway, where Logano finished sixth. Chassis #132 will serve as the team’s backup.

· STAT OF THE WEEK: 17,000. In all likelihood, Logano will surpass the $3,000,000 career earnings plateau this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Logano needs a little more than $17,000 to become a $3,000,000 man.

· THE RACE: The Dollar General 300 Miles of Courage at Charlotte Motor Speedway (Concord, NC; 1.5-mile tri-oval) is set for Friday night, Oct. 14, 2011. The race will be broadcast on ESPN2 at 7:30 p.m. ET, with radio coverage on PRN starting at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Joey Logano - Photo Credit: John Harrelson / Getty Images for NASCAR

“Charlotte is always a crazy week. Not only is there a lot going on at the track, but being ‘home’ for everyone, there are plenty of things going on away from the track and that really keeps you busy. This is one of those weeks that you need to find a good balance between doing your stuff away from the track and also focusing on the job at hand when you get in the car. And it’s not just like that for me, it’s like that for all of the guys. It’s a lot of fun to be close to home and to get to sleep in your own bed at night, but you’ve got to focus more this week than any other really.

“As a driver, you always get asked by fans and media what your favorite track is and Charlotte is always my answer. A lot of guys will say it’s a track they’ve won at a lot or a track they are always running up front or maybe a track that is close to their hometown, but I just love Charlotte. The track is unique and it changes so much during the course of a race. There are always several different lines and grooves that work their way in during the race and you’ve got to be able to move your car around to match the way it’s handling. It’s fast, but you really need to focus on handling here. The restarts can be crazy too. Overall, it’s just a fun track to race on and we have such great fan support here.

“One of my off-track activities this week will be visiting with the GameStop Epic Rewards winner which will be a lot of fun. Last year, the guy that was here had a blast doing all of the stuff they got to do. This year, we’re doing the same thing. Getting to race against them in go-karts is a lot of fun. Plus, I love racing karts and I’ll take all of the extra track time I can get. But really, it’s just great to be able to bring someone to the track who doesn’t really get the chance to see what goes on behind the scenes and watch them enjoy it all. It’s a great reward if you ask me. When I was a kid, I would have loved to have won something like that.”

- Joe Gibbs Racing Press Release

Pastrana-Waltrip-Racing Thumbnail

CORNELIUS, N.C. — Ryan Truex returns to the No. 99 Pastrana-Waltrip Racing Toyota for Friday night’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Truex and three other drivers will fight for a chance to earn the $100,000 bonus in Nationwide’s Dash 4 Cash program. The 19-year-old qualified for the program by finishing fourth at Richmond last month. He pockets the $100,000 if he’s the highest finisher among Kenny Wallace, Elliott Sadler, or Ricky Stenhouse Jr. at Charlotte.

Ryan Truex / Pastrana-Waltrip Racing

TRUEX RACING AT CHARLOTTE: “Charlotte is fast, high-banked and is a lot of fun to race at. It’s going to be good to work with (Crew Chief Mike) Greci again. We communicate well and have good results when we work together. Pastrana Waltrip Racing always gives me fast Toyotas, and I know that this combination will give me a good shot to do well at the track, and keep me in contention for a win as well as for the Dash 4 Cash. ”

MIKE GRECI ON TRUEX: “I think Ryan has stepped it up a lot in the past few months. Ryan has been in the MWR gym almost every day since his wrist surgery to try and make himself stronger. He has been able to go out there and get some good finishes lately on the track, and I think that has given him confidence to go out there and win the $100,000 bonus. We had a good run with Martin (Truex Jr.) last year so we are going to bring the same set up this race and hopefully it equals the same results.”

No. 99 Pastrana-Waltrip Racing Toyota Camry - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCAR

· Owners: Michael Waltrip Racing, Gary and Blake Bechtel and Travis Pastrana own Pastrana-Waltrip Racing that fields Toyota Camrys out of the MWR shop in Cornelius, N.C. The Bechtels have owned cars in the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series since 1990. The Morgan Hill, Calif. residents’ teams have visited victory lane 10 times in the Nationwide Series.

· Season Stats: In 15 NASCAR Nationwide Series starts this season Truex has one top-five and four top-10 finishes. He has an average starting position of 12.7 and an average finishing position of 15.9.

· Champion: Truex is the only teenager to win back-to-back K&N Pro Series East titles (2009 & 2010), and he is the first driver to bring a championship to Michael Waltrip Racing.

· Atop the Pit Box: Longtime crew chief Mike Greci will serve as Truex’s crew chief on the No. 99 Pastrana Waltrip Racing Toyota this Friday night at Charlotte. Greci won titles with Truex in 2009 and 2010 and with Mike Stefanik in 1997 and 1998.

· Meet the Driver: Truex will sign autographs 1-2 p.m. Friday on pit road at Charlotte.

- Pastrana-Waltrip Racing Press Release