Post by jkelly57 on Mar 31, 2008 21:50:46 GMT -6
SAMSUNG 500 STORYLINES
NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
DRIVER AVAILABILITY ON RACE WEEK: NASCAR Public Relations will provide TMS an advance schedule of media availability during the Samsung 500 race weekend for the top 12 drivers in points. The drivers will be made available at the rear of their team transporters at designated times during Friday and/or Saturday of race week. The schedule will be released to the media once it is received from NASCAR and schedule sheets will be distributed in the media center beginning Thursday of race week. For more info, contact TMS Media Relations at (817) 215-8520 or pr@texasmotorspeedway.com.
HISTORIC DEBUT: When the green flag waves on the Samsung 500, it will mark a historical debut at Texas Motor Speedway. NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series new car, formerly called the Car of Tomorrow, will be making its debut in competition at “The Great American Speedway!” While Sprint Cup Series drivers Juan Pablo Montoya and Clint Bowyer participated in a two-day Goodyear tire test at TMS on January 15-16, the Samsung 500 race weekend will mark the first laps of competitive competition for the new car at Texas Motor Speedway. With no testing for the teams allowed by NASCAR at TMS prior to the Samsung 500, what are the predictions for the first race at Texas Motor Speedway with the new car? Will Montoya and Bowyer have a leg up on the competition since they participated in a two-day tire test at TMS with the new car? Contact: TMS Media Relations, (817) 215-8520 or pr@texasmotorspeedway.com; Heather Kincel (Montoya), (704) 662-9642, hkincel@ganassi.com; Matt Klug (Bowyer), (336) 731-3334, mklug@rcrracing.com.
WAVE OF THE FUTURE: The new Sprint Cup car, formerly know as the Car of Tomorrow, competed in 16 Cup events last season but makes its debut at all the 1.5-mile ovals in 2008, including Texas Motor Speedway. The car was built to enhance safety and competition in addition to assisting with cost management with the teams. The car has a dramatically different look from the old style car, with its rear wing instead of a spoiler and front splitter rather than an air dam. A look at the key changes to the car – in terms of safety and competition – and what does the future hold?
IMPACTFUL CAR: Already this year we’ve seen in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers experience hard hits. Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon experienced hard hits at Las Vegas, both drivers suffered hard impacts but both were able to walk away unscathed. Gordon was quoted as saying he was “blown away” by the impact. With the new car implemented this year see how this car, designed to keep the drivers safer, differs from the race car that was run last year. And see how the new design has played a role in keeping these drivers safe from some of the hardest impacts we’ve seen. Contact: NASCAR Media Relations, Kerry Tharp at (704) 720-3115 or ktharp@nascar.com.
2-2-2-2 (Sprint Cup continued)
CLASS ACTS: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rookie class is as diverse as it gets. The candidates hail from Scotland to Arizona with a French Canadian, upstate New Yorker and Ohio buckeye in between. They head into their rookie campaign on the Sprint Cup Series having already won championships and scored prestigious wins including the Indianapolis 500. What is behind the recent influx of successful champions in open-wheel ranks taking the plunge into NASCAR? Who will find success first during their rookie campaign? Can Regan Smith, the only rookie who comes from a traditional NASCAR background, show up his open-wheel competition? Or will 2007 IndyCar Series champion and Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti find his stride with Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates and blaze his own trail in NASCAR? Can three-time IndyCar Series champion Sam Hornish Jr. mirror his success in open wheel during his rookie tour in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series? Two drivers with steeper learning curves ahead of them include 1997 CART Rookie of the Year Patrick Carpentier, who is the latest addition at Gillett Evernham Motorsports, and Michael McDowell, who will be joining teammates Michael Waltrip and David Reutimann at Michael Waltrip Racing. In what proves to be one of the most diverse and talented rookie classes in recent NASCAR history, what were the motivating factors behind successful open-wheel champions trying to conquer the waters of NASCAR competition? Contact: Blair Minton (Smith), (704) 662-8939, bminton@dei-zone.com; Kelby Krauss (Franchitti), (704) 662-9642, kkrauss@ganassi.com; Melanie Hamilton (Hornish Jr.), (704) 664-8185, Melanie.hamilton@penskeracing.com; Drew Brown (Carpentier), (704) 978-2374, dbrown@evernham.com; Jennifer Chapple (McDowell), (704) 655-9550, jchapple@michaelwaltrip.com.
LIFE ATOP THE PIT BOX: For the wives and mothers of NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers watching their son or husband from atop the pit box can be difficult. During last year’s Samsung 500, Kim Burton demonstrated the range of emotions that she goes through during a race as she watched her husband Jeff win on the last lap. Her emotions show just exactly what the wife or mother of a driver goes through every week. See what it’s like for a wife or mother watching their husband or son race at speeds over 200 mph and understand the feelings when there is the euphoria of a victory or the concern during an accident. Contact: For Richard Childress Racing, Christine Brownlow at (336) 731-3334 x3261 or cbrownlow@rcrracing.com, Stacie Fandel at (336) 731-3334 x3404 or sfandel@rcrracing.com, for Roush Fenway, LeAnne Howell at (704) 720-4832 or LHowell@RoushFenway.com.
3-3-3-3 (Sprint Cup continued)
NEW CAR = COMPETITIVE BALANCE?: Hendrick Motorsports, the powerhouse from last year, is 0 for 4 this season. Defending champion Jimmie Johnson has only one top-10 finish. Ryan Newman, who was on an 81-race winless streak, grabbed the win at Daytona. Toyota, which struggled all of last season, earned its first win at Atlanta with Kyle Busch. And Carl Edwards, who had three wins all of last year, has nearly reached that mark this year with two wins on the season. Has the Sprint Cup car created a competitive balance? Other teams appear to have closed that gap early on with Hendrick Motorsports this year as NASCAR runs the car full-time this season. Toyota has flexed its muscles and Roush Fenway Racing has shown its dominance. A look into how implementing this car has kept anyone from running away from the rest of the competition, which was an ideal of this concept.
BUSINESSMEN BEHIND THE WHEEL: Life after racing for several drivers will not be a difficult transition. Drivers have become entrepreneurs and taken the role of car owner while still running full-time in the Sprint Cup Series. Kevin Harvick earned his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship as owner of Kevin Harvick Inc., Dale Earnhardt Jr. recently won his first Nationwide Series race as owner of JR Motorsports and Michael Waltrip and Robby Gordon compete in the same cars that they own. See what life is like having to fulfill the roles of an owner and driver. And find out how that takes a toll on the drivers. Contact: For JR Motorsports, Mike Davis at (704) 799-4851 or mdavis@dalejr.com; for Michael Waltrip Racing, Jennifer Chapple at (704) 655-9550 or jchapple@michaelwaltrip.com; for Robby Gordon Motorsports, Marchetta Holmes at (704) 949-1255 or mholmes@teamgordon.com; for Kevin Harvick Inc., Amy Stein at (336) 992-2998 or astein@kevinharvickinc.com.
CAN WE PLAY?: NASCAR has seen a recent surge of interest from other key sports franchise owners that has led to ownership partnerships in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. John Henry, owner of the world champion Boston Red Sox, announced his partnership with Roush Racing in 2007 and the team is now known as Roush Fenway Racing. George Gillett, owner of the Montreal Canadiens and Liverpool soccer club, was next to jump into NASCAR in 2007 as he became partners with Evernham Motorsports. The organization is now known as Gillett Evernham Motorsports. Last fall, Arizona Diamondbacks CEO Jeff Moorad and COO Tom Garfinkel announced that they purchased controlling interest in Hall of Fame Racing, the Cup organization that featured co-owners and Dallas Cowboy Hall of Famers Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman. Contacts: For Roush Racing, Joyce Caron-Mercier, Roush Racing, at (704) 720-4625 or JACaro@Roushracing.com; for Gillett Evernham Racing, Drew Brown, Gillett Evernham Motorsports, at (704) 498-7596 (cell) or dbrown@evernham.com; Hall of Fame Racing, Joe Crowley, True Speed Communication, at (704) 895-8431 or joe.crowley@truespeedcommunication.com; for Richard Childress Racing, David Hart, RCR, at (336) 731-3334, ext. 222 or hart@rcrracing.com.
4-4-4-4 (Sprint Cup continued)
RACING AROUND BEFORE THE GREEN FLAG: For drivers in the Sprint Cup Series, race morning is anything but calm. Unlike football and basketball players who get to relax and meditate in the locker room before the big game, Sprint Cup drivers are whisked from place to place. From sponsor appearances to driver meetings and interviews, drivers are always on the go prior to the race. Follow a Sprint Cup driver and see what race morning prior to the Samsung 500 has in store for them.
NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
DRIVER AVAILABILITY ON RACE WEEK: NASCAR Public Relations will provide TMS an advance schedule of media availability during the Samsung 500 race weekend for the top 12 drivers in points. The drivers will be made available at the rear of their team transporters at designated times during Friday and/or Saturday of race week. The schedule will be released to the media once it is received from NASCAR and schedule sheets will be distributed in the media center beginning Thursday of race week. For more info, contact TMS Media Relations at (817) 215-8520 or pr@texasmotorspeedway.com.
HISTORIC DEBUT: When the green flag waves on the Samsung 500, it will mark a historical debut at Texas Motor Speedway. NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series new car, formerly called the Car of Tomorrow, will be making its debut in competition at “The Great American Speedway!” While Sprint Cup Series drivers Juan Pablo Montoya and Clint Bowyer participated in a two-day Goodyear tire test at TMS on January 15-16, the Samsung 500 race weekend will mark the first laps of competitive competition for the new car at Texas Motor Speedway. With no testing for the teams allowed by NASCAR at TMS prior to the Samsung 500, what are the predictions for the first race at Texas Motor Speedway with the new car? Will Montoya and Bowyer have a leg up on the competition since they participated in a two-day tire test at TMS with the new car? Contact: TMS Media Relations, (817) 215-8520 or pr@texasmotorspeedway.com; Heather Kincel (Montoya), (704) 662-9642, hkincel@ganassi.com; Matt Klug (Bowyer), (336) 731-3334, mklug@rcrracing.com.
WAVE OF THE FUTURE: The new Sprint Cup car, formerly know as the Car of Tomorrow, competed in 16 Cup events last season but makes its debut at all the 1.5-mile ovals in 2008, including Texas Motor Speedway. The car was built to enhance safety and competition in addition to assisting with cost management with the teams. The car has a dramatically different look from the old style car, with its rear wing instead of a spoiler and front splitter rather than an air dam. A look at the key changes to the car – in terms of safety and competition – and what does the future hold?
IMPACTFUL CAR: Already this year we’ve seen in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers experience hard hits. Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon experienced hard hits at Las Vegas, both drivers suffered hard impacts but both were able to walk away unscathed. Gordon was quoted as saying he was “blown away” by the impact. With the new car implemented this year see how this car, designed to keep the drivers safer, differs from the race car that was run last year. And see how the new design has played a role in keeping these drivers safe from some of the hardest impacts we’ve seen. Contact: NASCAR Media Relations, Kerry Tharp at (704) 720-3115 or ktharp@nascar.com.
2-2-2-2 (Sprint Cup continued)
CLASS ACTS: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rookie class is as diverse as it gets. The candidates hail from Scotland to Arizona with a French Canadian, upstate New Yorker and Ohio buckeye in between. They head into their rookie campaign on the Sprint Cup Series having already won championships and scored prestigious wins including the Indianapolis 500. What is behind the recent influx of successful champions in open-wheel ranks taking the plunge into NASCAR? Who will find success first during their rookie campaign? Can Regan Smith, the only rookie who comes from a traditional NASCAR background, show up his open-wheel competition? Or will 2007 IndyCar Series champion and Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti find his stride with Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates and blaze his own trail in NASCAR? Can three-time IndyCar Series champion Sam Hornish Jr. mirror his success in open wheel during his rookie tour in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series? Two drivers with steeper learning curves ahead of them include 1997 CART Rookie of the Year Patrick Carpentier, who is the latest addition at Gillett Evernham Motorsports, and Michael McDowell, who will be joining teammates Michael Waltrip and David Reutimann at Michael Waltrip Racing. In what proves to be one of the most diverse and talented rookie classes in recent NASCAR history, what were the motivating factors behind successful open-wheel champions trying to conquer the waters of NASCAR competition? Contact: Blair Minton (Smith), (704) 662-8939, bminton@dei-zone.com; Kelby Krauss (Franchitti), (704) 662-9642, kkrauss@ganassi.com; Melanie Hamilton (Hornish Jr.), (704) 664-8185, Melanie.hamilton@penskeracing.com; Drew Brown (Carpentier), (704) 978-2374, dbrown@evernham.com; Jennifer Chapple (McDowell), (704) 655-9550, jchapple@michaelwaltrip.com.
LIFE ATOP THE PIT BOX: For the wives and mothers of NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers watching their son or husband from atop the pit box can be difficult. During last year’s Samsung 500, Kim Burton demonstrated the range of emotions that she goes through during a race as she watched her husband Jeff win on the last lap. Her emotions show just exactly what the wife or mother of a driver goes through every week. See what it’s like for a wife or mother watching their husband or son race at speeds over 200 mph and understand the feelings when there is the euphoria of a victory or the concern during an accident. Contact: For Richard Childress Racing, Christine Brownlow at (336) 731-3334 x3261 or cbrownlow@rcrracing.com, Stacie Fandel at (336) 731-3334 x3404 or sfandel@rcrracing.com, for Roush Fenway, LeAnne Howell at (704) 720-4832 or LHowell@RoushFenway.com.
3-3-3-3 (Sprint Cup continued)
NEW CAR = COMPETITIVE BALANCE?: Hendrick Motorsports, the powerhouse from last year, is 0 for 4 this season. Defending champion Jimmie Johnson has only one top-10 finish. Ryan Newman, who was on an 81-race winless streak, grabbed the win at Daytona. Toyota, which struggled all of last season, earned its first win at Atlanta with Kyle Busch. And Carl Edwards, who had three wins all of last year, has nearly reached that mark this year with two wins on the season. Has the Sprint Cup car created a competitive balance? Other teams appear to have closed that gap early on with Hendrick Motorsports this year as NASCAR runs the car full-time this season. Toyota has flexed its muscles and Roush Fenway Racing has shown its dominance. A look into how implementing this car has kept anyone from running away from the rest of the competition, which was an ideal of this concept.
BUSINESSMEN BEHIND THE WHEEL: Life after racing for several drivers will not be a difficult transition. Drivers have become entrepreneurs and taken the role of car owner while still running full-time in the Sprint Cup Series. Kevin Harvick earned his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship as owner of Kevin Harvick Inc., Dale Earnhardt Jr. recently won his first Nationwide Series race as owner of JR Motorsports and Michael Waltrip and Robby Gordon compete in the same cars that they own. See what life is like having to fulfill the roles of an owner and driver. And find out how that takes a toll on the drivers. Contact: For JR Motorsports, Mike Davis at (704) 799-4851 or mdavis@dalejr.com; for Michael Waltrip Racing, Jennifer Chapple at (704) 655-9550 or jchapple@michaelwaltrip.com; for Robby Gordon Motorsports, Marchetta Holmes at (704) 949-1255 or mholmes@teamgordon.com; for Kevin Harvick Inc., Amy Stein at (336) 992-2998 or astein@kevinharvickinc.com.
CAN WE PLAY?: NASCAR has seen a recent surge of interest from other key sports franchise owners that has led to ownership partnerships in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. John Henry, owner of the world champion Boston Red Sox, announced his partnership with Roush Racing in 2007 and the team is now known as Roush Fenway Racing. George Gillett, owner of the Montreal Canadiens and Liverpool soccer club, was next to jump into NASCAR in 2007 as he became partners with Evernham Motorsports. The organization is now known as Gillett Evernham Motorsports. Last fall, Arizona Diamondbacks CEO Jeff Moorad and COO Tom Garfinkel announced that they purchased controlling interest in Hall of Fame Racing, the Cup organization that featured co-owners and Dallas Cowboy Hall of Famers Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman. Contacts: For Roush Racing, Joyce Caron-Mercier, Roush Racing, at (704) 720-4625 or JACaro@Roushracing.com; for Gillett Evernham Racing, Drew Brown, Gillett Evernham Motorsports, at (704) 498-7596 (cell) or dbrown@evernham.com; Hall of Fame Racing, Joe Crowley, True Speed Communication, at (704) 895-8431 or joe.crowley@truespeedcommunication.com; for Richard Childress Racing, David Hart, RCR, at (336) 731-3334, ext. 222 or hart@rcrracing.com.
4-4-4-4 (Sprint Cup continued)
RACING AROUND BEFORE THE GREEN FLAG: For drivers in the Sprint Cup Series, race morning is anything but calm. Unlike football and basketball players who get to relax and meditate in the locker room before the big game, Sprint Cup drivers are whisked from place to place. From sponsor appearances to driver meetings and interviews, drivers are always on the go prior to the race. Follow a Sprint Cup driver and see what race morning prior to the Samsung 500 has in store for them.