Danica Patrick Sets A New Record Grabbing the Daytona 500 Pole

Again, NASCAR fans are once again sitting in the seat of history.  Regardless of what we like, we watched Jimmie Johnson win 5 Sprint Cup titles in a row, and even across different car models.  And today during the front row qualifying for the 2013 Daytona 500, fans got another bit of history when Danica Patrick, in her second time in the race ever, grabbed the pole position for the Great American Race.  This pole also meant she was the first woman to win a pole position in any of the top NASCAR series.

This is perfect press for the media frenzy that is Danica Patrick.  It's the perfect storm of attention on the sport.  If you think about it, aside from what criticism one might have, these are exciting times for everyone.  NASCAR fans, Danica fans, Stewart-Haas Racing, Daytona International Speedway...  well, and even "stenica" is probably celebrating tonight!  LOL.
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Check out the NASCAR press release on the issue

 Danica Patrick Becomes First Female Pole Winner In NASCAR Sprint Cup History
Rookie Wins The Coors Light Pole For The Daytona 500

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 17, 2013) – Danica Patrick made NASCAR history today during Coors Light Pole qualifying for the Daytona 500, becoming the first female driver to win a pole at NASCAR's top level – the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

During qualifying for the sport's marquee event, Patrick turned a lap of 196.434 mph (45.817 seconds), giving her the first starting position for next Sunday's Daytona 500 (1 p.m. on FOX, FOX Deportes, Motor Racing Network Radio and SiriusXM Satellite Radio). It was the fastest Daytona 500 pole-winning speed since 1990.

Patrick shattered the previous record for top starting spot by a female NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver. Janet Guthrie previously held the mark, twice starting ninth in 1977. She started ninth at Talladega Superspeedway on Aug. 7, 1977 and at Bristol Motor Speedway on Aug. 28, 1977.

The previous best starting position for a female in the Daytona 500 was 18th by Janet Guthrie in 1980.

This is Patrick's second NASCAR pole, also winning the Coors Light Pole for the season-opening NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Daytona last season. The only other female to win a NASCAR national series pole was Shawna Robinson in a NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1994.

Already a NASCAR record holder, Patrick set the mark of best finish by a female driver in NASCAR national series history when she finished fourth in a NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2011. She finished 10th in the final 2012 NASCAR Nationwide points standings, the top finish by a female in NASCAR national series history.

Patrick, who is running for the 2013 Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award, is the first rookie to win the Daytona 500 pole since Jimmie Johnson in 2002.

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2013 NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductions

The NASCAR Hall of Fame added five new names to what I call "The forever halls of honorably remembered," and those being Buck Baker, Cotton Owens, Herb Thomas, Rusty Wallace & Leonard Wood.

I know that each year, many, many fans are disappointed when other names are not added to the enshrined halls of respect (OK, I just gave it a second nickname), but I'm sure your favorite, one day, will be on the wall.

There are many who deserve to be enshrined and they will.  But the process that NASCAR has chosen, limits it to just five persons being included in any one year, with specific requirements for nominations.  But in time, they will be.

For the moment though, let's look at who was included and enjoy their moments with them.

via press release

Eras Mesh During 2013 NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Baker, Owens, Thomas, Wallace and Wood Officially Enshrined

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 8, 2013) – Five legends of stock car auto racing were enshrined into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C., tonight during the Induction Ceremony held in the Crown Ballroom of the Charlotte Convention. Four were NASCAR pioneers, building the sport during its formative years; the other ushered it into modern times and its exploding popularity.

Combined, they make the fourth class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. It's a group with talents that run the gamut necessary for NASCAR excellence: Unparalleled driving skills; team unifying and talent evaluating ownership prowess; a brilliant mechanical mind.

Here are the five new members, a group that pushes the total number of NASCAR Hall of Famers to 20.

Buck Baker – a two-time NASCAR premier series champion in 1956-57, the first to ever win back-to-back titles in NASCAR's top level. Cotton Owens – a master of two crafts, that of driver and owner. Herb Thomas – the first driver to win multiple championships in NASCAR's premier series. Rusty Wallace –  the 1989 NASCAR premier series champion and a 55-time race winner. Leonard Wood – legendary engine builder, mechanic and crew chief for the Wood Brothers.

Baker, a 46-time winner, joined the ranks of NASCAR royalty after becoming the first driver to capture consecutive championships in NASCAR's premier series. He earned his first championship driving cars for legendary owner Carl Kiekhaefer; he won his second driving his own cars. Baker passed his immense driving talent to his son Buddy, who himself won 19 times in the premier series. Buddy Baker inducted his father during tonight's ceremony.

"Buck always made an impression on people, good or bad," said widow Susan Baker, who accepted the induction on Baker's behalf. Buck Baker passed away in 2002. "If you ever met him, you never forgot him. It was never boring being married to Buck, either. He could make me laugh like no one else could, and he had that same effect on others."

Owens joins Junior Johnson as NASCAR Hall of Famers who excelled as both driver and owner. The Union, S.C., native won nine times as a driver in NASCAR's premier series, and won more than 100 more races in NASCAR's Modified division. The latter feat earned him the moniker of "King of the Modifieds." He wore the crown in the NASCAR premier series as an owner in 1966, winning the championship with fellow NASCAR Hall of Famer David Pearson.

"I know this is a biased opinion, but in our family's book, there was no better racer than Cotton Owens," said Kyle Davis, Owens' grandson, who accepted the induction on his grandfather's behalf. Owens passes away last year. "My grandfather was one of the most humble, most loyal and hardest working men I've ever met. He took great pride in the fact that he could build a race car from the ground up … engine, chassis, transmission, you name it … drive it to the race track and then drive it to Victory Lane. He was a wizard at both turning wrenches and behind the wheel."

Herb Thomas was one of NASCAR's first superstars thanks to his premier series championships in 1951 and 1953. Becoming the first driver to win multiple championships, Thomas laid the groundwork for a record-setting career. His 48 victories in 228 starts translates to a winning percentage of 21.05 percent, a NASCAR premier series record.

Thomas' son Joel accepted the induction on his behalf.

"I truly believe this is the greatest honor a driver could receive," Joel Thomas said. Herb Thomas passed away in 2000. "My father would have been very honored and humbled in receiving this recognition. ... Thank you all for helping him reach his dreams. Thank you to all of his fans for cheering him on and keeping his memories alive."

Ninth on the all-time premier series wins list, Rusty Wallace enjoyed one of the most successful careers in modern-day NASCAR. Wallace won the 1989 premier series championship a season after finishing second in the final points standings. For 16 consecutive seasons, from 1986-2001, Wallace scored at least one win per season. That's tied for the third-longest streak in history.

"I look out in this crowd and I see some of the biggest stars in history," said an emotional Wallace. "I am humbled that I'm standing up here, and I just can't thank everybody enough for selecting me to be in the NASCAR Hall of Fame."

Leonard Wood again joins his brother Glen, this time in the NASCAR Hall of Fame (Glen was inducted last year). Leonard served as chief mechanic for the Wood Brothers his entire career, winning a total of 94 races with some of biggest names in NASCAR history including brother Glen, Marvin Panch, David Pearson and Cale Yarborough.

"It's certainly a high honor to be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, especially right behind my brother, Glen, and two of our former drivers, David [Pearson] and Cale [Yarborough]," Wood said. "Glen and I always did things together, we learned together and we won together."

Each of the five inductees had an inductor who officially welcomed them into the hall. The inductors for the five inductees: Herb Thomas was inducted by NASCAR Hall of Famer Ned Jarrett; Cotton Owens was inducted by his former driver NASCAR Hall of Famer David Pearson; Leonard Wood was inducted by his nephew and Wood Brothers co-owner Eddie Wood; Buck Baker was inducted by his son Buddy Baker; Rusty Wallace was inducted by his son Greg Wallace.

Active drivers introduced each inductee video during tonight's program. The list of drivers who participated: Carl Edwards for Herb Thomas; Mark Martin for Cotton Owens; Jeff Gordon for Buck Baker; Brad Keselowski for Rusty Wallace; and Trevor Bayne for Leonard Wood.

Prior to tonight's Induction Ceremony was the presentation of the inaugural Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence, awarded to namesakes Ken Squier and Barney Hall.

Squier, co-founder of Motor Racing Network, is perhaps best-known for his work during the 1979 Daytona 500, a milestone moment for the entire sport, as Squier's voice on CBS welcomed millions to the first live flag-to-flag coverage of "The Great American Race" – a moniker he coined.

Squier proceeded to call races for CBS and TBS until 1997 before shifting to the studio as host for NASCAR broadcasts until 2000. Squier continues to enlighten NASCAR fans to this day, mostly through special appearances on SPEED.

Hall began his career in the 1950s working at local radio stations in North Carolina and served as Bristol Motor Speedway's first public address announcer when the track opened. He called his first Daytona 500 in 1960, and has missed only three broadcasts in the 54-year history of The Great American Race. He joined MRN as an original announcer at the network's inception in 1970, first as a turn announcer and then moving to the booth in the late 1970s where he has been a fixture ever since at race tracks from coast to coast. 

About NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States. NASCAR consists of three national series (the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series), four regional series, one local grassroots series, three international series and GRAND-AM Road Racing and the American Le Mans Series, both known for competition on road courses. Based in Daytona Beach, Fla., with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. The next NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race will be The Sprint Unlimited at Daytona on Feb. 16 at 8 p.m. on FOX. For more information, visit www.nascar.com and follow NASCAR at www.facebook.com/NASCAR and Twitter: @NASCAR.

About NASCAR Hall of Fame

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

NASCAR Slams The 'Start and Park' Teams in The Wallet

In a very surprising move from the head offices of NASCAR, news on the street is indicating that NASCAR will redistribute the prize money from the last five spots of a race field to the rest of the field.  This new financial re-balancing act is aimed at eliminating 'start and park' teams, and will be making it less profitable for those kinds of teams to run races.

Quoting NASCAR president Mike Helton at an event in Detroit, "We moved prize money higher in the purse, so if someone's intent is solely to run a lap or two and park, the revenue stream shrinks."

The move will be taking $4k from each of the spots from 39th through 43rd and redistributing it.  So finishing in those positions no longer has the allure of what cash there was in previous years.  According to TMS president Eddie Gossage, 'start and park' teams mustered up $17 million in prize funds in 2012.

Apparently he doesn't like the little guy having a shot at the big ranks.

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What this means is multi-fold (in my mind):

Is The Small Guy Done?

No longer will the small guy who thinks they might have a chance, have a financial chance to be competitive if they can't make enough to come back or make it worth their while.

Albeit, I don't think I've ever seen a start and park give anyone a run for their money, but if they do well enough to keep on going, that gives them some form of a chance to improve.

I'd hate to see this kind of rule had been in place when Rick Hendrick or Richard Childress were trying to get into NASCAR, back in the day.

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Does This Favor the Big Money Teams?

If you think you were sick of Jimmie Johnson, get used to it.  Now if start and parks can't swing a shot at cashing, will they actually have incentive to even try?  No, but the teams with the money will be able to survive and thrive and not be hindered by one (or five) less teams on the track.

NASCAR says they "want to produce an exciting and competitive racing atmosphere for our teams and our fans, and we think the revised distribution provides a better balance."  And I feel like I've just been buttered up with one of those useless, polictically balanced statements from a politician.

I don't get how moving prize money from the last five spots of a field is going to make the top-20 teams that we are already watching, creates any more of an exciting race atmosphere.

Hell, 'start and parks' are vapor in the wind after a few laps.

Let me ask this:

Sure, some folk might not like 'start and parks,' I get that.  But has a struggling race team ever diluted your race experience?  Have they ever gotten in the way of the top-20 teams in any sort of regular fashion?  Or are you too distracted by when all the teams settle in for the middle of a race to pace it out and see how things unfold?

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Will Fields Shrink?

With less money in those last five spots, who is going to compete for spots that don't pay?  Seriously?  Because of this, I am concerned we'll be seeing starting fields of less than 43 teams this season.

Is this what NASCAR wants?  Smaller number of cars on the track?  Did Bruton Smith have this in mind when he called 'start and park' teams a "disgrace to the sport" last week?  Is this NASCAR buckling yet again to Smith?  NASCAR says no, but the timing seems interesting at best.

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Where Does Any Team Come From?

Someone has to start somewhere and even though these starting opportunities seemed a bit more lucrative, I'm not sure how a struggling team will break into NASCAR Cup competition if they don't get enough funds to do so.

If NASCAR has to do something (And I'm not sure why this is really happening), then why don't they put a "minimum laps" cap on race fields?  Instead of pulling money out from under potential competitive teams, force them to run a specific percentage of laps.  And if they willingly pull out, fine them.

Now, because they'll be losing tire money or pit-crew money, they'll have even fewer laps to be able to run.

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If the start fields so end up shrinking, suddenly NASCAR will be looking somewhat like another real victim of the economy.

Sure, regular fans know what's up, but the happen-stance fan won't.  And along with moonshiner images, the regular Joe out there might just think that.

Now, if a legitimate top-35 team has a first lap issue (remember Jimmie Johnson in the Daytona 500 being taken out in the first lap?), they'll also be shouldering the burden of coming in last and taking that small financial burp along with it.  (I know... it won't happen that often, but every now and then, it does.)

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So do 'start and park' haters feel vindicated to some degree?  Do you think making it harder to survive in the sport for upstarts is one of the answers to this situation?  Do you like the idea that when you have only 35 to 40 cars making a field, that most of those cars will be on the track longer as the back two-thirds of the field gets lapped, as always any way?

I've never had any real issues with the struggling team.  And some name-brand teams have ended up in those spots... I've watched Bill Davis Racing use up start and park spots, as has Tommy Baldwin Racing too.

Well, we'll see how this pans out throughout the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup race season.  Maybe they're on to something and maybe this won't be the impact I'm worried it might be.

Time, in all matters, is the telling factor!

2013 NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee: Rusty Wallace Won With ‘Hands-On’ Approach To Racing

Check out this wonderful piece that NASCAR is sharing with press;

via press release

Rusty Wallace Won With 'Hands-On' Approach To Racing

 Ability To 'Read' Car Sends 1989 NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion To NASCAR Hall of Fame

 

(Note: This release is part of a series in advance of the 2013 NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Charlotte, N.C., on Feb. 8, broadcast live at 7:30 p.m. ET on SPEED, Motor Racing Network Radio and SiriusXM Satellite Radio. Buck Baker, Cotton Owens, Herb Thomas, Rusty Wallace and Leonard Wood are the five 2013 inductees. This installment spotlights 1989 premier series champion driver Rusty Wallace. Click here to download and listen to a special NASCAR Hall of Fame podcast on Rusty Wallace with historian Buz McKim.)

 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 5, 2013) – Rusty Wallace's ability as a driver is unquestioned.

 

He won 55 times – ninth most in NASCAR premier series history – during two decades against rivals named Bodine, Earnhardt, Elliott, Gordon, Jarrett, Labonte, Martin, Richmond and Waltrip.

 

But Russell William Wallace Jr., the 1989 series champion, did more than just drive the 900 horsepower stock car. His mechanical intuition was equally responsible for career achievements that will be capped Feb. 8 with Wallace's induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame along with champions Buck Baker and Herb Thomas; championship car owner Cotton Owens and innovative crew chief, mechanic and engine builder Leonard Wood.

"It was like having on-board telemetry," said Barry Dodson, Wallace's championship crew chief at Raymond Beadle's Blue Max Racing, of his driver's phenomenal ability to judge – and correct – a vehicle's handling.

 

Dodson labeled Wallace a high-strung thoroughbred. "You had to keep the bridle on," he said. "I knew I always had (all) 100% in that seat.

 

"You didn't have to be a cheer leader for Rusty. I never have seen a more determined guy."

 

Robin Pemberton, crew chief for 15 of Wallace's 37 victories at Penske Racing, likens Wallace to NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison, another hands-on driver/mechanic.

 

"He was looking for feel; what he needed. He just knew what he had to have," said Pemberton, now NASCAR vice president of competition. "He trained a lot of us how to think."

 

Fellow NASCAR premier series champion Dale Jarrett concurs with both crew chiefs.

 

"He was probably if not the best, certainly one of the best of all time knowing his car, being totally involved in it from the chassis all the way to the aerodynamics of it," said Jarrett, a fellow ESPN analyst. "He was probably as much of a hands-on driver in making changes to his car as anyone else that I can remember.

 

"He was a fair but hard-nosed racer."

 

Wallace, 58, grew up in St. Louis, the eldest of three racing sons of short track champion Russ Wallace. He made his competitive debut at age 16 in 1972 at Lake Hill Speedway near Valley Park, Mo. After winning several area racing championships, Wallace moved to United States Auto Club stock cars where he was the 1979 rookie of the year and third in points to champion A.J. Foyt. He won the 1983 American Speed Association title.

 

Wallace made his NASCAR premier series debut in the 1980 Atlanta 500 driving a Chevrolet owned by Roger Penske to a second-place finish. His first full season, in Cliff Stewart's Pontiac, saw Wallace claim rookie of the year honors. Victory No. 1 came in the April 6, 1986 Valleydale 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway with Wallace in the seat of Beadle's Pontiac.

 

With the Blue Max organization from 1986 through 1990, Wallace won 18 times. He lost the 1988 championship to Bill Elliott by 24 points despite a late-season charge in which Wallace won five of the final six races. Motivated by the near miss, Wallace out-dueled Dale Earnhardt to capture the 1989 title. Wallace won six races; Earnhardt five.

 

Wallace joined Penske Racing in 1991, and remained with the organization for the remainder of his career. He finished second in points in 1993, won 37 times and extended to 16 the number of consecutive seasons with a victory. From 1986 through 2002 Wallace finished outside the top 10 in points just once.

 

"Rusty had so many memorable races with our team and he was a big part of our development with Penske Racing and how we were able to grow our NASCAR program," said Roger Penske, the 2012 championship team owner. "Not only was Rusty a great driver but he has continued to excel after his racing career with his work as a team owner, an announcer and in his development of Iowa Speedway.

 

"He has meant so much to this sport and we are very proud of all he has accomplished."

 

Wallace won 25 short track races and on all three road course – Riverside, Sonoma and Watkins Glen – contested during his career. He scored victories with six different crew chiefs: Dodson, Pemberton, Larry Carter, Eddie Dickerson, Buddy Parrott and Jimmy Makar. His last victory came at Martinsville Speedway on April 14, 2004.

 

Wallace retired after the 2005 season to pursue a multi-faceted post-racing career as broadcaster, track designer and promoter, motivational speaker and businessman. Both brothers, Mike and Kenny, remain active NASCAR competitors as does his son, Steve.

hhAL

 

Induction ceremonies will take place at 7:30 p.m. ET in the Crown Ball Room at the Charlotte Convention Center which is directly connected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The event is the first half of NASCAR Acceleration Weekend followed on Saturday, Feb. 9 by NASCAR Preview 2013. Tickets for the ceremonies start at $45 (available at www.nascaracceleration.com) and the NASCAR Hall of Fame box office. In addition, a $20 ticket will gain fans all-day access into NASCAR Preview 2013 and the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Saturday, Feb. 9.

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Gen-6 Cars Embark On Multi-City Media Blitz

via press release

'Road' Warrior: NASCAR's Gen-6 Car Embarks On Multi-City Media Blitz

NASCAR #Gen6 Road to Daytona Fueled by Sunoco Set For U.S. Tour

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 4, 2013) – Following extensive on-track testing over the last 18 months involving more than 30 drivers, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Gen-6 car's roll out has reached its next phase, and it starts in less than 24 hours.

It's time to meet the masses. 

The NASCAR #Gen6 Road to Daytona Fueled by Sunoco – a multi-city media blitz introducing the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Chevrolet SS, Ford Fusion and Toyota Camry to America – begins tomorrow in Detroit, with additional visits to New York City and other locations before culminating in Daytona Beach, Fla. on Feb. 13-14 for Daytona Speedweeks.

Appearances by NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr., Brad Keselowski, Clint Bowyer and Michael Waltrip as well as NASCAR executives and Miss Sprint Cup highlight the two-week media tour.

Speedweeks opens with The Sprint Unlimited (Feb. 16 on FOX, 8 p.m. ET) and concludes with the 55th running of the Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 24 (FOX, 1 p.m. ET).

The Gen-6 marks the first platform revision in NASCAR's premier series since 2007. It features body panels unique to each manufacturer that better represent their production counterparts – effectively putting the word "stock" back in stock car racing for 2013. The long-nose, short-tail designs more closely mirror the styling of the production cars and better enable the manufacturers to use NASCAR to market their brands.

"Manufacturers, teams and drivers have praised the Gen-6 car in terms of both performance and styling," said Steve Phelps, NASCAR senior vice president and chief marketing officer. "All of us are eager to share their enthusiasm with media and fans across the country as we prepare to open the 2013 season with The Sprint Unlimited and the Daytona 500."

The NASCAR #Gen6 Road to Daytona Fueled by Sunoco can be followed on Twitter via @NASCAR and @SunocoRacing using the hashtags #Gen6 and #NASCAR. Since 2004, Sunoco has been the "Official Fuel of NASCAR," providing fuel for NASCAR's three national series – the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the NASCAR Nationwide Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. 

Some scheduled highlights of the NASCAR #Gen6 Road to Daytona Fueled by Sunoco:

·         In Detroit on Feb. 5, Autoweek will host a breakfast and panel session at the College for Creative Studies. Participants include Mike Helton, NASCAR president; Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition; Kim Brink, NASCAR vice president of brand, consumer, series marketing; Jim Campbell, U.S. vice president of performance vehicles and motorsports, Chevrolet; Jamie Allison, director of Ford Racing; and David Wilson, senior vice president of Toyota Racing Development. Autoweek Editorial Director and Associate Publisher Dutch Mandel will moderate the conversation. The program will be streamed live starting at 9 a.m. ET on NASCAR.com and autoweekracing.com.

·         NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Brad Keselowski will accompany the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford at ESPN's campus in Bristol, Conn. on Feb. 6 and appear on several of the network's shows.

·         On Feb. 7, two-time Daytona 500 winner Michael Waltrip and his team's No. 15 5-hour ENERGY Toyota will visit FOX Plaza in Manhattan.

·         Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet will be in New York on Feb. 8 and visit the set of FOX News' "America's Newsroom," among other New York City media stops.

·         The tour also will visit Jacksonville, Fla. – a city less than 100 miles north of the birthplace of speed, Daytona Beach – as well as other cities along the Road to Daytona. 

The NASCAR #Gen6 Road to Daytona Fueled by Sunoco arrives in Daytona Beach, Fla. on Feb. 13, and will be on display throughout the annual NASCAR Media Day scheduled on Feb. 14.

About NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States. NASCAR consists of three national series (the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series), four regional series, one local grassroots series, three international series and GRAND-AM Road Racing and the American Le Mans Series, both known for competition on road courses. Based in Daytona Beach, Fla., with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. The next NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race will be The Sprint Unlimited at Daytona on Feb. 16 at 8 p.m. on FOX. For more information, visit www.nascar.com and follow NASCAR at www.facebook.com/NASCAR and Twitter: @NASCAR.

About Sunoco

Headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Sunoco is part of the Energy Transfer family of companies. Energy Transfer Partners (NYSE: ETP) is a New York Stock Exchange traded partnership owning and operating a diversified portfolio of energy assets.

Sunoco's Retail business markets its brand of gasoline through approximately 4,900 retail outlets in 24 states stretching from Maine to Florida and west to Indiana and Louisiana; operating approximately 600 APlus convenience stores.  For more information on Sunoco Retail or to find a local Sunoco location, please visit http://www.gosunoco.com/.  

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Brian Vickers Racing for Joe Gibbs Nationwide Team

Brian Vickers has a full-time ride this year with Joe Gibbs Racing, and it's in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.  He'll be driving the No. 20 Chevy in the NNS.

BUT...

Brian will also be running nine NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races for Michael Waltrip Racing, in the No. 55 Toyota.

The last time Vickers ran full-time in the "Nationwide" series, was 2003 when it was called the Busch Series...  and he won the championship for Hendrick Motorsports.

Vickers credits his relationship with Toyota for getting these rides in 2013, and, with his being in what is called one of the best Toyota teams in the Nationwide series, I think he's got a great chance to make something of it this year.

It will be good to see him in a full-time ride.  He's a likable guy!

The NASCAR Truck Series Race at Eldora is Sold Out

I know you find that shocking... but yes, Tony Stewart's Eldora Speedway has sold out for the inaugural Camping World Truck Series race on July 24th, 2013.

I mean, wow, a dirt race back in the NASCAR circuit?  I'm surprised the race took this long to sell out!  The Truck Series race is called the "Mudsummer Classic" and July 24th is a Wednesday night.

But wait!!!  Just because the grandstand is sold out doesn't mean they don't still have a few tickets left.  Turns out they still have around 300 general admission tickets for the event, where you can hang out around the hillside, if you're up for it.

Of course, in the amount of time it took me to write that, they probably just sold out!

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The format of the race is still shaping up, but it looks like they'll have heat races leading up to the main event, which will probably include 30 trucks.  Plus, with no pit road, there might be new methods for giving the teams a chance to make adjustments during the race, like an intermission.

And yes, splitters will be removed for this dirty event at Eldora!

[Sporting News]

'Rusty Wallace Racing' Back In NASCAR Nationwide Action!

Yes, you read that right!  Sporting News is reporting that Rusty Wallace Racing (RWR) is looking to compete in up to 15 NASCAR Nationwide Series races in 2013, with Steve Wallace behind the wheel once again!

It looks like Richard Tocado Companies, a real-estate firm, will be adorning the hood of the car and the first race is going to be at Charlotte in May.

It's been a long road for this team, which started up in 2004.  A bumpy road at times as Steve was either caught up or started up some great show-stopping wrecks, but it's all in the learning curve.

Will Steve have what it takes to make this new opportunity work for Richard Tocado Companies? I'm sure fans hope so. It seems to be an odd sponsor for NASCAR fans, but hey, if it works, it works!  Right?

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Sponsor & Driver News That's Come Out Over the Last Few Weeks

So last week was the annual gala of news that came pouring out of NASCAR.  And dang, there was a lot of it.  But it isn't all restricted to last week.  More and more is coming out in the upcoming weeks leading up to the Daytona 500.  Let's check it out...

Austin Dillon will be driving a Hendrick powered car at Vegas for James Finch... the No. 51 car.

Kyle Busch officially resigned up with Joe Gibbs Racing.  And in that renewal, I believe are terms that will keep him from racing against JGR in the Nationwide series.

Rumors say Kevin Harvick is going to Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014.

For some reason, Jeremy Mayfield says he'll do anything to get back in to the fold.  Good luck with that one buddy. After all the hoopla and lawsuits you've lobbed, I'd be very surprised if anyone takes you up on your hopes.

Going into the 2013 season, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is looking at an unsponsored car for 13 races.

Golden Corral is staying with Tommy Baldwin Racing.

CSX Transportation is getting on the metal of the Front Row Motorsports team for 2013.

Hertz is creating a collaborative association with Penske Racing.  Also, Shell and Pennzoil are sticking with the team in a multi-year deal.

Chip Ganassi Racing has Cessna and Textron as sponsors. 

I find Cessna an odd sponsor.  The usual fan in the stands and watching TV, I thought, isn't one to run out and buy an airplane.  If you believe the damn ads on TV (And now on SiriusXM Satellite Radio, NASCAR fans eat Viagra for breakfast, lunch and dinner!)

Any way, those are the latest news bits from NBaP.

5-Hour Energy Loved Clint Bowyer's Dash for Gordon

Sponsors love exposure.  And 5-hour Energy got a ton of it last November at Phoenix, when Clint Bowyer got ticked and mustered up a 1k dash of frustration, looking for Jeff Gordon.

And his sponsor, plastered all over the front and back of the uniform, loved it.  So many folks took to the video channels and over-layed the telecast "run for the Gordon" with the 5-Hour Energy theme, and the sponsor themselves, said,

["It was the best commercial for us I've ever seen," Rise Meguiar, 5-Hour Energy vice president of sales, said with a laugh. "The company loved it. We played it over and over and over again. We even put it on our website. There were some YouTube things that fans did with it, too. We just loved it."]

Saddled in between serious sponsors, the team behind the energy drink says they feel vindicated to be there, amongst some of the biggest power-house marketers in the market.

And NASCAR fans are some of the more loyal sports fans out there.

And what 5-Hour gets out of their NASCAR relationship, over say, the NFL, reports Marty Smith of ESPN, is that they get "...direct marketing to consumers, and for retailers."

If you're curious, the rest of Smith's article is pretty informative when it comes to the marketing angle of the sport.  But it was also a tickle to be reminded of that momentous dash by Clint...