ThatsRacin.com: News Releases

Independent retailer announces new contest for NASCAR fans

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 11:41 EST

BIRMINGHAM - As hopes for a bright Christmas dim for many American families, Racing USA has announced plans to award $1,000 to a lucky NASCAR fan who makes a purchase at RacingUSA.com during November.

According to David Carrington, president of the independent retailer, "the National Retail Federation's 2008 Holiday Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey indicated that consumers plan on spending an average of $832.36 this year on holiday shopping. This cash gift will make one family's Christmas a very merry one."

Racing USA is an independently owned store dealing in NASCAR-themed products and other goods and is based near Birmingham, Ala. The company gained attention earlier in the year when it promised employees they would pay no more than $2.85 for a gallon for fuel used during their work commutes.

Motorsports This Week on ESPN and ABC

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 07:26 EST

The NASCAR season comes to an end this weekend, and the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup is down to the last race to determine the 2008 NASCAR champion. ESPN on ABC will have live, high definition coverage of the Ford 400 from Homestead-Miami Speedway beginning with NASCAR Countdown at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, Nov. 16.

ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will air live coverage of NASCAR Sprint Cup qualifying from Homestead on Friday, Nov. 14, at 3 p.m., along with practice on the 1.5-mile track earlier that day at noon. Coverage of final practice airs Saturday, Nov. 15, at 3 p.m. The race will re-air Monday, Nov. 16, at 10 a.m. on ESPN Classic.

Dr. Jerry Punch will be lead announcer, joined in the booth for analysis by 1999 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Dale Jarrett and two-time champion crew chief Andy Petree. Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Mike Massaro and Shannon Spake will be pit reporters with two-time champion crew chief Tim Brewer in the ESPN Tech Center.

The pre-race NASCAR Countdown show from the ESPN pit studio will be hosted by Allen Bestwick, with 1989 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Rusty Wallace, three-time champion crew chief Ray Evernham and analyst Brad Daugherty. The studio team will interact with the booth during the telecast of the race.

Also this weekend, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD air live coverage of the NASCAR Nationwide Series season-ending Ford 300 from Homestead on Saturday, Nov. 15, at 4 p.m.

Wallace, Evernham on Final NASCAR Now Monday Roundtable Discussion

The Monday, Nov. 17, edition of NASCAR Now, ESPN2's daily NASCAR news and information show, at 5 p.m. ET will feature host Allen Bestwick leading a roundtable discussion of NASCAR's season-ending weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Panel members will include ESPN NASCAR analysts Rusty Wallace and Ray Evernham. The program will be the final episode of NASCAR Now for the season.

Episodes of NASCAR Now air Tuesday through Thursday of this week at 5 p.m. and at 12:30 a.m. Saturday (late Friday night). The one-hour weekend edition of NASCAR Now airs Sunday, Nov. 16, at 10 a.m. with a preview of that day's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Homestead, and the weekend wrap-up edition airs that night at 10 p.m.

NASCAR Now is hosted by Ryan Burr, Nicole Manske and Bestwick and originates from ESPN’s high definition studios in Bristol, Conn. Contributors include NASCAR Insiders Marty Smith and Angelique Chengelis, analysts Ray Evernham, Tim Brewer, Brad Daugherty, Boris Said and Tim Cowlishaw, ESPN.com reporters Ed Hinton, Terry Blount and David Newton and D.J. Copp, a member of the Petty Enterprises NASCAR team.

NASCAR Now viewers also benefit from frequent contributions by the NASCAR on ESPN team including Rusty Wallace, Dale Jarrett, Dr. Jerry Punch, Andy Petree, Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Mike Massaro and Shannon Spake.

Season-Ending NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Event on ESPN2

The NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Countdown to 1 playoffs end with this weekend's Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals from Pomona, Calif. ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will have same-day coverage of qualifying on Saturday, Nov. 15, at 11 p.m. ET, and same-day coverage of eliminations on Sunday, Nov. 16, at 7 p.m. In addition, ESPN360.com, ESPN's signature live events network, streams live coverage of eliminations beginning at 2 p.m. Sunday. Finals re-air Monday, Nov. 18, at 8 a.m. on ESPN Classic.

The season concludes where it began with an event traditionally laced with drama. The historic racetrack typically enjoys seasonably cool temperatures that translate into perfect racing conditions and a spectacular, no-holds-barred battle for the prestigious NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series world championships. It's a good bet that the Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle world titles again will still be in doubt at the beginning of the season’s final day.

Paul Page will anchor ESPN2's coverage with analysis by 22-time NHRA winner Mike Dunn. Gary Gerould, John Kernan and Dave Rieff will report from the pits. Rieff and Dunn host NHRA RaceDay on Sunday at 11 a.m. to set the stage for that day’s eliminations action.

Shelby Automobiles to sponsor Cup race at Las Vegas

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 14:18 EST

Shelby Automobiles will sponsor the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 1, 2009, and the event will be lengthened to 427 miles and will be called the Shelby 427.

LVMS and Shelby will market a Las Vegas Motor Speedway Limited Edition Shelby 427 package for the Ford Shelby GT500 Mustang.

LVMS President Chris Powell and Shelby Automobiles founder Carroll Shelby made the announcement today at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas.

"We are ecstatic to have the legendary Shelby name on our 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup race," Powell said. "It's a tremendous opportunity for us to give added exposure to the Shelby brand that has, over the years, become synonymous with the best in high-performance cars."

Shelby has driven and designed race and sports cars for more than 50 years. His company, Shelby Automobiles, located its manufacturing facility at the speedway complex as the anchor tenant in 1998. The company uses the oval and road courses for its research and development. This is the first time Shelby Automobiles has sponsored a NASCAR event.

Since its inception in 1998, the Sprint Cup race at LVMS has been run at a length of 400.5 miles, which is 267 laps around the 1.5-mile oval. In order to accommodate the new event name, the race will be increased by 27 miles and will feature 285 laps.

As part of the one-year race sponsorship, Shelby Automobiles will market a Las Vegas Motor Speedway Limited Edition Shelby 427 package for the Ford Shelby GT500 Mustang. Owners of

2007 and 2008 Shelby GT500s with the post title Super Snake package on their muscle car can purchase the limited edition "pace car" upgrade on a first-come, first-served basis by emailing shelby427@lvms.com .

Ride to benefit Victory Junction Gang Camp, honor Baldwin

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 09:50 EDT

CONCORD, N.C. (Oct. 8, 2008) – NASCAR celebrities, fans, loyal customers, family and friends will partner together to pay tribute to Click Baldwin while raising money for the Victory Junction Gang Camp on the 6th Annual Ride to Victory on October 12.

As an extension of the Kyle Petty Charity Ride Inc., this year's Ride to Victory will benefit the Victory Junction Gang Camp, a year-round facility serving children with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses.

Click Baldwin, longtime friend of Kyle Petty, valuable member on the Board of Directors for the KPCR organization and local business owner of Carolina Harley-Davidson in Gastonia recently passed away following a motorcycle accident in Montana on July 29, 2008. This annual fund raiser will honor and pay tribute to Click Baldwin for all the years of dedication and support since its inception.

"Back in 1995, he and I, along with a few other close friends, were just a group of guys that wanted to ride our motorcycles across the country," Kyle Petty said. "We found out that we could raise some money for charity while doing it and the Kyle Petty Charity Ride was born. While it had my name on it, Click was a driving force behind the ride."

Motorsports Authentics, the leader in the design, promotion, marketing and distribution of licensed motorsports merchandise, is proud to sponsor this year's ride for the second year in a row. Through the company's support, the Baldwin family's request to reduce the cost for participation was made possible.

This one-day motorcycle ride gives fans the opportunity to ride across North Carolina with NASCAR celebrities while supporting a great cause. The ride is scheduled for Sunday, October 12th, the day following the Bank of America 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway (ABC 7 p.m. EST).

Rally points this year will only include the origination, Carolina Harley-Davidson in Gastonia, and the conclusion at Victory Junction Gang Camp in Randleman, N.C. Participants will gather at the dealership Sunday morning between 8:00 - 10:00 a.m. and depart by 10:30 a.m.

Participating fans and motorcycle enthusiasts will receive a commemorative pin and a Chase Authentics "Ride to Victory VI Tribute to Click Baldwin" T-shirt. Due to the support from customers and friends of Carolina Harley-Davidson, attendance this year is expected to double from last year with more than 1,200 participants.

The Victory Junction Gang Camp is a member of the NASCAR Foundation Family of Charities. For more information or to pre-register please go to www.kylepettycharityride.com or call 704-714-4545.

Registration will be available at Carolina Harley-Davidson in Gastonia the day of the event however rider spots are limited and pre-registration is recommended.

Wrangler, Dale Earnhardt Jr. team up on auction to support Victory Junction Gang Camp

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 15:44 EDT

Greensboro, N.C. – Three laps, four and a half miles, three and a half minutes, 170 mph ... . No matter how you look at it, a breakneck ride shotgun next to Dale Earnhardt Jr. is a thrill of a lifetime! And, thanks to an online charity auction from the Wrangler brand, one lucky fan will get the chance to climb in the passenger side of the No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet for a thrilling ride around Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte.

Bidding opened Tuesday, Sept. 23 at 7:00 p.m. EDT on eBay and will continue through Friday, Oct. 3. Following the final bid, Wrangler will donate 100 percent of auction proceeds to the Victory Junction Gang Camp, a NASCAR-themed medically sound camp that enriches the lives of children with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses.

The denim giant is also hosting two additional auctions of autographed memorabilia to further help raise funds for Victory Junction. Up for grabs are a pair of signed Wrangler jeans worn by Dale in a photo shoot for the brand's current ad campaign, and a door panel from the No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet Dale drove during this year's Auto Club 500 at California Speedway. Dale was unfortunately involved in a crash during the February race, resulting in the blue paint streaks still marring the front of the panel.

"Whether it's signing a pair of jeans, giving away the door from one of my cars or driving a generous fan around the track, I'm more than happy to do my part in contributing to Victory Junction," said Earnhardt Jr. "Wrangler has continued to go above and beyond in helping this great charity and I'm honored to be a part of it."

Founded by NASCAR-driver Kyle Petty and his wife Pattie in honor of their late son Adam, Victory Junction operates solely on the generous donations of others to provide camping experiences to chronically ill children at no cost to their families. Wrangler invites fans interested in making a personal donation to Victory Junction to visit the auction Web site at www.ebay.com/wranglerjeans. Donations can be placed in any monetary value via Pay Pal and will be processed directly to the camp.

Since 2005, Wrangler has helped raise nearly $160,000 for charity by working in conjunction with Dale Jr. and corporate partners to auction similar ridealong experiences. Wrangler is proud to be the longest running sponsor of Dale Jr. and continues to reign as the official jean of Dale Jr., the No. 88 race team and the entire Hendrick Motorsports organization.

About the Auctions

All three Wrangler-Dale Jr. online charity auctions will be listed on eBay with eBay Giving Works, which empowers people to buy and sell for a cause. Bidding began Tuesday, Sept. 23 at 7:00 p.m. EDT and will close next Friday, Oct. 3 at 7:00 p.m. EDT. Fans can get more information or place bids by visiting www.wrangler.com or www.ebay.com/wranglerjeans.

The ridealong with Dale Jr. will take place Oct. 29 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. The winning bidder of this ride will also receive (see rules for complete details):

Roundtrip air travel to Charlotte, ground transportation and hotel accommodations for one night (winning bidder and guest). Footage from the in-car camera during the ride with Dale Jr. (winning bidder only).

Racing lessons with the Richard Petty Driving Experience - get behind the wheel while professionals teach you to drive a NASCAR-style racecar (winning bidder and guest).

Autographs and photographs with Dale Jr. (winning bidder and guest).

Wrangler clothing (winning bidder and guest).

About Victory Junction Gang Camp

Victory Junction Gang Camp is a year-round camping environment for children, ages 7 to 15, with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses. Founded by Kyle and Pattie Petty in honor of their son Adam and located in Randleman, N.C., the Camp offers programs for 24 disease groups and maintains strong relationships with 22 partner hospitals. Victory Junction’s mission is to provide life-changing camping experiences that are exciting, fun and empowering, in a safe and medically-sound environment. As a non-for-profit organization, Victory Junction operates solely through the support of generous donors to provide this experience free of charge to children and families. For more information, visit www.victoryjunction.org.

New LMS pit pass program outlined

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 14:05 EDT

CONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 25, 2008) - Bank of America 500 ticket-holders can enhance their race day experience on Oct. 11 with the purchase of a new-and-improved pre-race pit pass or upgrade to VIP access at the Start/Finish Line for driver introductions and the Jessica Simpson pre-race concert.

"With our ongoing Fans First initiative, we constantly strive to give our customers more than what they expect," said Marcus Smith, president and general manager of Lowe's Motor Speedway.

"The enhancements we've made to our pre-race pit pass program will make pit road more entertaining than ever before, and the driver intros/concert pass will put fans right in front of the stage."

For $100, fans can purchase a pre-race pit pass that allows a self-guided tour on pit road from 2 to 6 p.m. on race day. As an added benefit, several NASCAR Sprint Cup show cars, including Dale Earnhardt Junior's No. 88 and the No. 18 driven by Kyle Busch, will be parked on pit road for photo opportunities.

Plus, two-time NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Randy Lajoie will be on hand to meet fans and explain the nuances of 800-horsepower stock cars. NASCAR crew members will also talk to fans from select pit boxes about going over the wall during a race.

For $150, fans can upgrade to a driver intros/concert pass that will include the pre-race pit pass plus VIP access on the track at the Start/Finish Line where Jessica Simpson will perform a 40-minute pre-race concert starting at 5:50 p.m. followed by NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver introductions.

Individual tickets to the Bank of America 500, which start at just $29, must be purchased separately.

For complete details or to purchase tickets, pre-race pit passes or driver intro/concert passes, fans should call the Lowe's Motor Speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS or visit www.lowesmotorspeedway.com.

Wells Fargo awards $75,g00 Grant to Universal Technical Institute Foundation

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 14:03 EDT

Phoenix, Ariz. - The Universal Technical Institute (UTI) Foundation announced today that Wells Fargo has provided a $75,000 grant to establish the Wells Fargo Technical Scholarship Fund. The fund will support 25 scholarships for students who are seeking degrees at Universal Technical Institute, Inc. (NYSE: UTI). UTI is a provider of technical education for individuals pursuing careers as professional automotive, collision repair, diesel, marine or motorcycle technicians. "Wells Fargo believes every child and adult has the right to receive a quality education, and we are committed to supporting education and job-training opportunities in our communities," said Pam Conboy, regional president for Wells Fargo Arizona Regional Banking. "In 2007, Wells Fargo contributed $28 million to schools and educational programs across the country - including $1 million to education in Arizona. We're very pleased to continue that tradition and to support the UTI Foundation with this grant."

"The scholarships created by the Wells Fargo grant will help deserving students get the technical education they need to follow their passion and pursue successful careers," said Veronica Meury, vice president and executive director of UTI Foundation.

The UTI Foundation supports education, hands-on learning and the great need for qualified technicians. U.S. Department of Labor statistics show that 773,000 automotive, marine, motorcycle and diesel technicians were employed in the U.S. in 2006. This number is expected to increase by 14 percent by 2016, with an average of 43,600 new service tech jobs available annually. Since 1965, UTI has trained some of the best and the brightest to fill these positions, and the UTI Foundation works with generous donors like Wells Fargo to help ensure that financial aid is available to more students than ever.

Prospective UTI students who wish to attend any of UTI's 10 campuses may apply for a $3,000 Wells Fargo Technical Scholarship. "When students cannot come up with the funding for school, they lose their chance for an education before they even start," added Meury. "A scholarship of $3,000 reduces the tuition gap, making it possible for even the neediest students to fulfill their educational dreams."

Application and criteria for the Wells Fargo Technical Scholarship Fund is available on the UTI Foundation website at www.utifoundation.net.

Virginia native Darian Grubb comes full circle with announcement at Richmond

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 11:35 EDT

RICHMOND, Va. (Sept. 5, 2008) – Stewart-Haas Racing has signed Darian Grubb to a multi-year contract to serve as crew chief for driver/owner Tony Stewart and the No. 14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet upon the conclusion of the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, team officials announced today at Richmond International Raceway.

The 32-year-old from Floyd, Va., comes to Stewart-Haas Racing from Hendrick Motorsports, where in six years since joining the multi-car organization, he rose from team engineer with the No. 48 Sprint Cup squad in 2003 to Hendrick Motorsports’ engineering manager for the Nos. 5 and 88 Sprint Cup teams. Grubb also has extensive experience in the role of crew chief, as he served as the interim crew chief for the No. 48 team during the first four races of the 2006 Sprint Cup season, where he led driver Jimmie Johnson to a pair of victories - including the Daytona 500 - as well as one runner-up finish and a sixth-place effort. Johnson went on to win the Sprint Cup championship in 2006.

Grubb also spent the entire 2007 Sprint Cup season as crew chief for Casey Mears, leading the young driver to his first career Sprint Cup win in the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C. The duo also earned a pole at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill., and racked up five top-five and 10 top-10 results to record a solid top-15 finish in the season-ending point standings.

"This is a tremendous opportunity for me to not only work with a driver of Tony's caliber, but to help build an organization into one that can win races and eventually contend for championships," said Grubb, a 1998 graduate of Virginia Tech where he earned a mechanical engineering degree in a co-op program with Volvo Trucks and General Motors. "I'm honored to join Tony and the Stewart-Haas organization. I'm really excited about taking this next step and I feel it's a challenge I'm ready for."

Grubb's early success as a crew chief caught Stewart's eye long before Stewart-Haas Racing was even an option for the two-time Sprint Cup champion.

"Darian is incredibly smart and ultra-competitive, and I saw that firsthand when he took the reins of the 48 team and won the Daytona 500 right out of the box with them and again at Las Vegas," Stewart said. "He's exactly what we need for the success we want to attain as a company, but he's also exactly what I need in a crew chief. He's thorough, he's confident and he's not afraid to tell me what I need to hear. As a driver, that's who I need on top of my pit box, and as an owner, that's who I need on our race team."

Grubb's ascension to Stewart's Sprint Cup crew chief began as a teenager working on Late Model stock cars that competed at tracks throughout Virginia and the Carolinas.

After graduating from Floyd County High School in 1993, Grubb attended Virginia Tech, and with his mechanical engineering degree in hand, joined Volvo Trucks as a design engineer in 1998.

While he had a mainstream job, racing was still a big part of Grubb's life. His first stint atop the pit box came in the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series, where in 1998 he guided Jeff Agnew to the series' rookie of the year title and season championship.

Grubb spent another year with Agnew in Hooters Pro Cup before joining Petty Enterprises in 2000, where he helped the legendary team develop the Dodge Intrepid. Grubb also served as the shock specialist and team engineer with the No. 43 Sprint Cup team and driver John Andretti through the 2002 season.

In 2003, Grubb joined Hendrick Motorsports as engineer for the No. 48 team under the direction of crew chief Chad Knaus and team manager Brian Whitesell. Grubb remained in this capacity before being promoted to lead engineer for the Nos. 24 and 48 Sprint Cup teams in 2005. He became Hendrick Motorsports' lead race engineer in 2006 while simultaneously serving as the No. 48 team's race day engineer, where he helped the team earn five wins, one pole, 13 top-five finishes and a series-best 24 top-10 results en route to the first of the team's back-to-back championships.

Grubb resides in Mooresville, N.C., with his wife, Yolanda.

NASCAR rookie Joey Logano on ESPN's 'E:60' Tuesday

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 16:06 EDT

The next edition of ESPN’s primetime newsmagazine "E:60" on Tuesday, Sept. 2, at 7 p.m. ET, will feature a round-the-clock look at 18-year-old NASCAR prodigy Joey Logano - at the track, in the pits, on his boat, at home and at play.

Starting in quarter-midget cars at age 6, Logano has been ahead of the competition for 12 years. Logano drives in NASCAR's Nationwide Series, where earlier this year he became the youngest winner ever in the series, taking a checkered flag just three weeks after his 18th birthday.

Next year holds a bigger challenge for Logano as he will replace Tony Stewart in the Joe Gibb Racing #20 Home Depot Toyota on the Sprint Cup level.

Still, Logano is a kid at heart. "E:60" correspondent Tom Farrey spent time recently with Logano for an up-close profile of the young driver many in NASCAR call “Sliced Bread.”

Joe Gibbs Racing names director of corporate communications

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 10:19 EDT

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (Aug. 22, 2008) – Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) has named Chris Helein as its director of corporate communications, effective immediately.

Helein spent the past two seasons in the NFL as vice president of public relations for the Washington Redskins, where in his second stint with the organization, he worked closely with former head coach and three-time Super Bowl winner Joe Gibbs.

In his new position, Helein will lead all aspects of JGR's public relations efforts, which will include serving as the primary media liaison for JGR and working closely with each team's sponsor representatives. Helein can be reached at 704-944-1562 and at CHelein@JGR18.com.

For the remainder of the 2008 racing season, Helein will work alongside Mike Arning and True Speed Communication, the firm that has handled JGR's corporate communications since 2003. Arning will continue his role as the at-track liaison for JGR and the No. 20 Home Depot team in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series through the season finale Nov. 16 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

NHRA Pro Stock racers Coughlin and Connolly 'cut' the ribbon on new strip

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 16:34 EDT

CONCORD, N.C. (Aug. 20, 2008) - Defending NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Pro Stock champion Jeg Coughlin and his Cagnazzi Racing teammate, Dave Connolly, used their race cars Wednesday morning to officially open zMAX Dragway @ Concord.

Following a series of remarks and accompanied by pyrotechnics, Coughlin and Connolly officially opened the Bellagio of drag strips by performing dual burnouts through a symbolic ribbon.

"Not only is this an important moment in the history of Speedway Motorsports, it is also an important moment in the history of NHRA drag racing," said Bruton Smith, chairman and chief executive officer of Speedway Motorsports, Inc. "This is a magnificent facility that will set the standard for the future of drag racing." In addition to Smith, Marcus Smith, president and general manager of Lowe's Motor Speedway; Tom Compton, president of the National Hot Rod Association; and Scott Padgett, mayor of Concord, N.C., addressed the gathering of local dignitaries and media members prior to the ribbon cutting.

Construction of zMAX Dragway @ Concord required 636,000 man hours over a six-month period. An average of 300 workers were on site per day with each man or woman averaging an 11.78-hour workday. A total of 1,876 workers were involved in the project, representing 57 companies that included contractors, subcontractors and suppliers.

The state-of-the art drag racing facility features the only all-concrete, four-lane drag strip in the United States. A pair of two-lane strips, located side-by-side, allow for a variety of opportunities including specific track preparation for different vehicles, racing four cars at a time, and the possibility for racing to continue in the event of an oil-down that requires extensive cleanup to one of the lanes.

zMAX Dragway @ Concord will host a gala open house Saturday to celebrate the completion of the nation's newest race track. The event is free to the public and will include a variety of games and activities along with tours of the 125-acre facility.

Three-time NHRA Pro Stock champion Greg Anderson, of Concord, N.C., and nine-time NHRA Top Fuel winner Doug Herbert, of Lincolnton, N.C., will be on hand to greet fans and sign autographs. Several drag racing show cars will also be on display and the first 200 guests to register will be able to speed down the quarter-mile strip during street-legal drag races.

The dragway will debut in grand fashion by hosting the NHRA Nationals Sept. 11-14. The four-day event will be the first of six races in the playoff-style NHRA POWERade Countdown to the Championship, featuring competitors in all four professional categories: Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle.

Four-day tickets for the inaugural NHRA Nationals at zMAX Dragway start at $99 for adults and $20 for children ages 12 and under. Individual day tickets are also available for both adults and children.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.lowesmotorspeedway.com or by calling the Lowe's Motor Speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS.

Capps clinches spot in Countdown to 1

Sun, 17 Aug 2008 18:47 EDT

MOHNTON, Pa. (Aug.17, 2008) - Ron Capps clinched a berth in the Countdown to 1 playoffs today, despite his first-round loss to John Force at the 24th annual NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway, outside of Reading, Pa.

Capps ended the weekend No. 8 in the point standings, with one event remaining before the top 10 compete for the Funny Car championship in the final six national events of the season. Mathematically, Capps could still achieve his goal of moving into the top five. With 118 points available in a weekend, Capps is 82 markers out of that top five.

In the opening round today, Capps struck the tires early in the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car, while Force cruised to the victory by 1.7801 seconds with a 4.241-second elapsed time at 296.57 mph to Capps' losing 6.007/110.95.

"We're not sure yet what happened," said Capps, who was the No. 12 qualifier. "Basically, we just overpowered the track a little bit. Obviously we didn't have lane choice but we were comfortable with the 4.16 we ran yesterday in the last session of qualifying (third-quickest of that session) and we actually ran it in the same (right) lane. The lane of choice became the left lane today. I thought it was free and clear where it got in trouble and the track just wouldn't hold it. We were trying to run a high teen.

“Now that we've clinched a place in the Countdown, we can continue to implement some of these things we've been trying to test for later in the season. It's part of getting better and trying to find that edge. You can't find that edge if you don't step over it once in a while, and that's what we have to do.

“I feel very good going into the U.S. Nationals in two weeks. We're in the Showdown $100,000 bonus event that weekend, and we have a very tough match-up first round with (points leader) Tim Wilkerson there. I feel like we have a great car going into Indy." Capps is a three-time Showdown champion.

Next up is the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis on Labor Day weekend, Aug. 29-Sept. 1.

Ryan Newman teams with two-time Cup champion Tony Stewart

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:21 EDT

BROOKLYN, Mich. (Aug. 15, 2008) - Stewart-Haas Racing has signed Ryan Newman to a multiyear contract to drive the team's No. 4 Chevrolet beginning with the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.

Newman, winner of 13 Sprint Cup races, including this year's Daytona 500, will be a teammate to Tony Stewart, the two-time Sprint Cup champion who will drive the No. 14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet in 2009.

The announcement pairs two Indiana natives and two former United States Auto Club (USAC) champions under one roof.

Newman is from South Bend, Ind., and was the 1999 USAC Silver Crown Series national champion. Stewart is from Columbus, Ind., and a four-time USAC champion, as he won the 1994 USAC National Midget championship before securing the USAC "Triple Crown" in 1995, where he won the National Midget, Sprint Car and Silver Crown titles in a single season - the first driver to do so.

"We're obviously very excited to have Ryan join our team," said Stewart, who will serve as both driver and owner of Stewart-Haas Racing, with Stewart owning Newman's No. 4 entry. "Long before Ryan came to NASCAR, I knew he was talented. His success in USAC has continued in stock cars, and to have someone of his caliber as my teammate makes both the driver part of me and the owner part of me very happy."

Newman compiled quite the USAC record before embarking on his stock car career. The Purdue University alum who graduated in 2001 with a degree in vehicle structural engineering racked up 17 USAC wins before making the move to stock cars with Penske Racing in 2000.

The learning curve was short, as Newman won three out of five ARCA RE/MAX Series races that year to begin his fast track to the elite Sprint Cup Series, where in addition to his 13 wins, he has 43 poles.

"All I want to do is win, and Tony is a proven winner as both a driver and a team owner," Newman said. "Tony is a racer who has seen all sides of this sport. He knows what it takes to win, and I know that he's going to give me everything I need to be successful.

"We share the same goals, the same background and the same mindset. There's a comfort level at Stewart-Haas Racing that's very unique, and it's why I've made it my new home."

Newman and Stewart bring together a combined 57 USAC wins and 45 Sprint Cup wins. Both are former Raybestos Rookie of the Year winners in Sprint Cup, with Stewart claiming the honor in 1999 and Newman earning the title in 2002. Both drivers have also qualified for the Chase for the Sprint Cup, with Newman earning a berth in the Chase's inaugural season in 2004 and again in 2005. Stewart joined Newman in the Chase in 2004, won the championship in 2005 and returned to the Chase in 2007.

Newman, who enjoys fishing and restoring vintage cars, resides in Statesville, N.C., with his wife, Krissie.

ESPN Motorsports TV notes | NASCAR's ranking woman in engineering, Ricky Craven on the schedule

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 10:12 EDT

NASCAR GM Engineer Alba Colon Featured on ESPN Newsmagazine E:60 Tuesday

ESPN's primetime newsmagazine E:60 airs Tuesday, Aug. 19, at 7 p.m. ET, and will include a feature on General Motors engineer Alba Colon, considered by many as one of the most powerful women in NASCAR. Barely five feet tall, the native of Puerto Rico is a giant in NASCAR - the highest-ranked female engineer in the sport. As GM’s program manager, Colon has won five consecutive Manufacturers’ Championships and is a driving force behind some of NASCAR’s biggest names, including Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Colon’s journey from being an engineering student to powerful figure in NASCAR has not been easy. She has battled the perception that women don’t belong in NASCAR’s garages. In spite of these challenges, Colon has become one of the most respected figures in NASCAR, reports E:60’s Lisa Salters.

Ricky Craven in NASCAR Now Monday Roundtable Discussion

Former NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Ricky Craven will be a guest panelist on the Monday, Aug. 18, edition of NASCAR Now, ESPN2’s daily NASCAR news and information show, at 5 p.m. Host Allen Bestwick leads a roundtable discussion of the latest NASCAR news with Craven, ESPN analyst Ray Evernham and reporter Mike Massaro.

ESPN airs live coverage of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday, Aug. 17, at 1 p.m., while ESPN2 has live coverage of Michigan’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race on Saturday, Aug. 16, at 3 p.m.

New Driver Select Seating Sections Offer NASCAR Fans Unique Opportunity for Lowe's Motor Speedway Races

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 14:51 EDT

CONCORD, N.C. (Aug. 14, 2008) - Birds of a feather can now flock together at Lowe's Motor Speedway for the Oct. 11 Bank of America 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race thanks to the speedway's new Driver Select seating sections.

For the first time, Lowe's Motor Speedway officials are offering a $69 two-day ticket package in six designated driver sections where fans can enjoy two NASCAR races surrounded by fans of their favorite driver.

"We started thinking about the camaraderie and the environment that fans enjoy at a football game or basketball game, when they're surrounded by fans who are all rooting for the same team," said Marcus Smith, president and general manager of Lowe's Motor Speedway. "With the Driver Select sections, a Dale Jr. fan can enjoy sitting with only Junior fans, or a Jeff Gordon fan can root for the 24 while sitting with other fans decked out in blue and red. In addition to being a lot of fun, these Driver Select sections will save fans some money."

Each ticket package includes a seat in a driver's section for the Dollar General 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race on Friday night, Oct. 10, and the Bank of America 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Saturday night, Oct. 11. The $69 price represents a savings of $37 if the same tickets were purchased separately.

Represented in the Driver Select seating sections are defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson; four-time champion Jeff Gordon; series points leader Kyle Busch; NASCAR's most popular driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.; two-time champion Tony Stewart; and Kasey Kahne, who will attempt to become the first driver to sweep all three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Lowe's Motor Speedway in a single season.

In addition to the innovative Driver Select sections, Lowe's Motor Speedway is offering several exciting upgrades to help fans make their experience at the world's greatest speedway even more enjoyable.

With the $129 Speedzone Party Pass, fans can enjoy food and beverage along with the amenities of the Heluva Good Hospitality Village, see special guest appearances by racing personalities and visit pit road prior to the Bank of America 500.

Then, for the ultimate in pre-race access, fans can upgrade to the Driver Introduction Pass. This $150 pass allows fans not only pit road access before the Bank of America 500, but also onto the Lowe's Motor Speedway frontstretch for driver introductions where they will see NASCAR's brightest stars prepare for the only night race in the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

Information on the Driver Select sections or any of the other special ticket packages available for the Oct. 11 Bank of America 500 can be obtained by calling the Lowe's Motor Speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS or online at www.lowesmotorspeedway.com.

News release | Hall of Fame Racing makes driver change

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 07:50 EDT

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Aug. 6, 2008) - Hall of Fame Racing officials announced Wednesday that NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Brad Coleman, who has been under contract as a test driver for Hall of Fame Racing since November 2007, will make his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut by piloting the No. 96 DLP HDTV Toyota Camry in the Aug. 17 3M Performance 400 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn.

Coleman will replace J.J. Yeley who has been released by the team.

Road racing veteran P.J. Jones will drive the No. 96 DLP HDTV Toyota in the Sprint Cup race this weekend at the Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International road course.

"J.J. is a talented race car driver and a great person and this was a difficult decision to make," said Tom Garfinkel, co-owner of Hall of Fame Racing. "We all share responsibility that our performance hasn't been what it needs to be, but we concluded it was time to make a change. This is a performance-based industry and we need to perform better. We're confident J.J. will be successful in this sport in whatever his next challenge is."

The 20-year-old Coleman has 42 Nationwide Series starts, compiling three top-fives and five top-10 finishes in his first 15 races with Joe Gibbs Racing in 2007. In that same year he also won his first career Nationwide Series pole in April at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway and scored his best Nationwide Series result in June when he finished second at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta. Coleman currently ranks 16th in the Nationwide Series championship point standings driving full-time for Nashville, Tenn.-based Baker Curb Racing.

"I really appreciate Jeff Moorad (co-owner of Hall of Fame Racing) and Tom for giving me this opportunity," said Coleman, a native of Houston who now resides in Charlotte. "I have really enjoyed my time testing with the people on the team and I’m looking forward to having a successful weekend at Michigan in the DLP HDTV Toyota and helping Hall of Fame Racing finish out the season as strong as possible. It is truly an honor to be a part of this organization."

in addition to his experience in the Nationwide Series, Coleman also has nine starts in the ARCA RE/MAX Series, with eight top-five finishes, three poles and a win at Kentucky Speedway, all of which came in 2006. While running in the Grand-Am Series in 2005, Coleman's cross-training approach to development provided him the opportunity to compete in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series. He finished fourth in the track championship at Ace Speedway in Altamahaw, N.C., while earning the most points of any rookie driver that season.

At age 16, Coleman teamed with fellow 16-year-olds Colin Braun and Adrian Carrio to form Team16, where they finished seventh in the GT class at the prestigious 24 Hours At Daytona on the 3.56-mile, 12-turn road course at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. In doing so, the trio set a Grand-Am record by becoming the youngest drivers ever to compete in the race.

Coleman's racing career began when he was 12 after being discovered at a Houston-area indoor karting center by Price Cobb, the veteran racer who won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1990 with co-drivers John Nielson and Martin Brundle. While working as a crew member on Cobbs' Toyota Atlantic team, Coleman began his career in karting by competing in 64 races across the country. In his first and only year of karting, he won 42 percent of his races and finished on the podium at a rate of 65 percent. His success earned him an opportunity to become the youngest American driver to receive a professional open-wheel license at age 14 and advance to such open-wheel divisions as the Fran-Am 1600 Series and the Star Mazda Championship Series before turning his attention to stock cars in 2005.

SPEED™ ADDS NASCAR CONFIDENTIAL SPECIAL EXAMINING INDY TIRE WEAR ISSUES FROM THE INSIDE

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 20:03 EDT

With apologies and promises it will never happen again and investigations still underway looking at just what went wrong at last weekend’s Brickyard 400, SPEED will take NASCAR fans deep inside the real-time crisis management exercise at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Adding a special edition of its popular behind-the-scenes documentary series NASCAR Confidential, SPEED and NASCAR Media Group will use their exclusive access to examine, from multiple perspectives, what went on last weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway when dangerous and excessive tire wear took center stage.

Entitled NASCAR Confidential: What We Learned at Indy, the one-hour special will premiere Friday at 6 p.m. ET and re-air Saturday at 11 p.m. ET.

“NASCAR Confidential continues to deliver a viewpoint never before offered to race fans on a regular basis,” said SPEED SVP of Programming Steve Craddock. “The scale of what happened last weekend is unique and required quick-thinking and pressure-filled decision making from everyone involved. This program will show race fans just how complicated the process was and how everyone rose to the occasion to pull off a complete race under incredibly adverse conditions.”

Featured elements:

See how tire issues began to develop in practice as teams discovered tire dust and initial signs of unusual wear

Experience exclusive coverage of race day morning -- from driver's meeting instructions regarding competition cautions to the frantic work done by crews and teams as they adapted and prepared for new sets of tires issued by Goodyear

Ride on top of the pit box with two dozen crew chiefs as they examine tires, adjust to the competition cautions, adapt to blown tires and calculate new strategies for 400 miles of racing … including conversations with NASCAR Race Control

Hear from Goodyear officials, drivers (Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin) and crew chiefs (Chad Knaus, Steve Letarte and Robbie Loomis) about how crucial tires are to a track like Indy and how a blown tire can ruin your day or season

Former crew chiefs and SPEED on-air personalities Larry McReynolds and Jeff Hammond conduct post-event interviews with drivers, crew chiefs, Goodyear representatives and NASCAR officials

SPEED is the nation's first and foremost cable television network dedicated to motor sports and the passion for everything automotive. From racing to restoration, motorcycles to movies, SPEED delivers quality programming from the track to the garage. Now available in more than 78 million homes in North America, SPEED is among the fastest-growing sports cable networks in the country and, the home to NASCAR on SPEED and an industry leader in interactive TV, video on demand, mobile initiatives and broadband services. For more information, please visit SPEEDtv.com, the online motor sports authority.

Office Depot and Old Spice to Serve as Stewart's Co-Primary Sponsors

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 12:47 EDT

INDIANAPOLIS (July 25, 2008) - Office Depot and Old Spice will serve as co-primary sponsors of Tony Stewart's No. 14 Chevrolet Impala SS NASCAR Sprint Cup Series entry beginning in 2009. Officials from the two companies, as well as from Stewart-Haas Racing, made the announcement today near Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Office Depot, a leading global provider of office products and services, along with Old Spice, the No. 1 antiperspirant/deodorant stick and body wash choice for guys in the United States, have entered into multi-year agreements with Stewart-Haas Racing to sponsor the new entry driven by Stewart. In addition, both Office Depot and Old Spice are official NASCAR partners, successfully leveraging their relationships with NASCAR and their race team sponsorships as powerful marketing platforms for their brands.

"To have Office Depot and Old Spice throw their support behind me and this race team makes me extremely proud," said Stewart, who announced on July 10 that he had acquired a 50 percent stake in what is now known as Stewart-Haas Racing. "These are two partnerships that make a lot of sense.

"Office Depot focuses on small business owners, and with my role as a driver and owner next year, I'm both their spokesman and their customer - and I have been for years, because with two USAC teams, two World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series teams and three race tracks, you need a smooth-running office if you expect your business to run right.

"Old Spice has been with me for nine years, but our 10th year together is obviously going to be pretty big. This is a major commitment for the Old Spice brand, and we're going to make sure the success we've enjoyed over the years continues."

Delray Beach, Fla.-based Office Depot is the official office products partner of NASCAR, and its new sponsorship of Stewart, a two-time Sprint Cup Series champion, gives the multi-channel retailer continued star power in what will be its fifth year as a NASCAR sponsor.

"Tony is a successful entrepreneur who has an impressive record as a small business owner. This is one of the reasons why he is such a perfect fit for Office Depot," said Chuck Rubin, President of North American Retail for Office Depot. "We believe that Tony's passion to win and relentless pursuit of excellence truly embody the essence of the Office Depot brand and represent the commitments we make every single day to help our customers be successful."

Old Spice, a brand of Cincinnati-based Procter & Gamble (P&G), is the official antiperspirant/deodorant of NASCAR, and its longstanding partnership with Stewart has helped Old Spice become the leader in its category, as well as the male body wash category.

"We've really valued our relationship with Tony and have been growing our partnership for over nine years now," said Alex Keith, P&G Beauty, General Manager, North America Deodorants. "It's been a great program for Old Spice, and when he came to us with the opportunity to make it even bigger, we knew it was the right move. We're absolutely thrilled to be on board."

Also supporting Stewart's Office Depot/Old Spice effort in 2009 will be Chevrolet. The winner of 31 manufacturer's championships since coming to Sprint Cup in 1955, Chevrolet adds another powerful team to its already potent lineup with the addition of Stewart-Haas Racing.

Putting an exclamation point on Stewart's new ride for 2009 is that his red and black Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet will carry the No. 14, made famous by the legendary A.J. Foyt.

"Tony and I have been friends for a long time," said Foyt, a winner of four Indianapolis 500s, the 1972 Daytona 500 and the 1967 24 Hours of LeMans. "I think I first met him when he was running Midgets. It was quite a while ago so I don't actually remember where and when. A few times he drove the Silver Crown car I had with George Snider back in the mid-90s and I gave him his first test in an Indy car in Phoenix (in 1995) and he ran pretty quick as I recall.

"In addition to being quick, he's always told it how it is. I don't think there's anyone better to carry the No. 14."

Stewart has always admired what Foyt, currently an IRL IndyCar Series owner, accomplished in a driving career that began in 1957 and spanned such racing divisions as Indy car, NASCAR, USAC and sports car racing.

"A.J. has always been my hero and will always be No. 1 on my hero list, with the best part being that we are really good friends," Stewart said. "We obviously have a tremendous amount of respect for one another. I remember him calling me after I won my first Cup championship in 2002 and I remember how much it meant to have him call that night and congratulate me. We really do have similar pasts and carry a lot of characteristics that are the same. He is one of the greatest icons in racing worldwide and to be compared to him in any way is always a huge honor.

"We came up through the same types of cars, from Sprint Cars to Midgets, and then I went to the IRL and moved into NASCAR. A.J. ran Indy cars for a long time and still came into stock car racing and was successful. There aren't a lot of guys that can go from car to car and still win races. It was something that A.J. was really good at and something that we have been very fortunate to replicate.

"He has given a lot back to racing and has been one of its biggest supporters. Without guys like him, guys like me wouldn't have had a chance to succeed."

Alltel supports Ryan Newman Foundation with online charity auction

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 08:20 EDT

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Race fans anxious to get their hands on the hottest memorabilia from Ryan Newman and the No. 12 Alltel Dodge team now have the chance to place a winning bid, courtesy of Alltel Wireless, America’s largest network. Beginning today, fans can support the Ryan Newman Foundation by participating in an online auction and bidding on authentic racing items from the 2008 Daytona 500 champion at www.alltelracing.com.

The net proceeds from each weekly auction will benefit Newman’s charity, founded by the No. 12 Alltel Dodge driver and his wife, Krissie, which promotes companion animal welfare and conservation of the great outdoors as well as provides funding to the Rich Vogler Scholarship for students interested in auto racing careers. Alltel Wireless and Newman will donate several pieces of racing memorabilia for open bidding hosted by the popular motorsports auction house, GoMotorBids.com.

Each auction item is autographed by Newman or members of the No. 12 Alltel Dodge team and includes a certificate of authenticity. Items include a pair of racing gloves worn by Newman during several races, a door panel from the No. 12 Alltel Dodge and a crew shirt signed by several members of the No. 12 team.

“We strive to give our fans access to Ryan and the Alltel Racing program,” said Samira Zebian, director sponsorship marketing for Alltel Wireless. “The online charity auction is a great way for fans to collect unique racing memorabilia and give back to the Ryan Newman Foundation along the way”.

Old Spice, Tony Stewart and Joe Gibbs Racing Commemorate $100,000 Donation

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 08:18 EDT

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., (July 3, 2008) – Tony Stewart has sometimes referred to himself as a 14-year-old trapped in a 37-year-old’s body. At the Aug. 16 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Stewart’s No. 20 Old Spice Toyota will reflect that line of thought.

Replacing the traditional candy apple red colors of primary sponsor Old Spice on Stewart’s signature No. 20 machine will be a kaleidoscope of colors care of 14-year-old Emily Marsala. The special paint scheme will commemorate Old Spice’s support of Kissimmee, Fla.-based Give Kids The World, as well as the support of Give Kids The World from Old Spice’s parent company – Procter & Gamble (P&G).

“We have been honored to work with Give Kids The World, the Tony Stewart Foundation and Joe Gibbs Racing on such a creative program this racing season,” said Carl Stealey, Old Spice associate marketing director. “Old Spice is excited to announce that the money donated will help Give Kids The World grant the wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses who want to visit any of Central Florida’s best-loved attractions, including Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando and SeaWorld Orlando.”

P&G has supported Give Kids The World in a variety of ways for 18 years, most recently with its Tide sponsorship of Ricky Rudd and later Ricky Craven in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. While P&G continued to support Give Kids the World through its Live, Learn and Thrive program, the racing tie-in with Tide ended after the 2005 season. Due to the successful Tide program, the racing partnership is back in 2008 with a $100,000 donation on behalf of Old Spice, the Tony Stewart Foundation and Joe Gibbs Racing.

Give Kids The World provides the Wish Child and their family a weeklong vacation with everything they need at no cost. Accommodations are made at the Give Kids The World Village, a 70-acre, non-profit resort where families can stay in two-bedroom, two-bathroom villas. Also onsite is a whimsical gingerbread house restaurant, a magical castle that has a handmade, wheelchair accessible carousel, an interactive, seven-hole miniature golf course, and the world’s only life-sized CANDY LAND-themed playground. The collective donation made by Old Spice, the Tony Stewart Foundation and Joe Gibbs Racing will contribute to these week-long, cost-free vacations, which also include meals in the Gingerbread House Restaurant and all of the special entertainment and “surprises” that take place during the family’s visit.

Give Kids The World has welcomed over 88,000 families from all 50 states and more than 65 counties. One of those families was none other than the Gibbs family.

Three-year-old Taylor Gibbs, son of Joe Gibbs Racing team president J.D. Gibbs and grandson of three-time Super Bowl-winning and Pro Football Hall of Fame head coach Joe Gibbs, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a cancer of the white blood cells, on Jan. 9, 2007 when he was two. Currently in remission, Taylor visited Give Kids The World in October 2007, allowing J.D. and his family to see firsthand the magical memories Give Kids The World creates for its attendees.

“For my wife Melissa, Taylor and our two other boys, we were totally blown away by the experience we had at Give Kids The World,” J.D. said. “The kids didn’t want to leave to go to Disney World. They wanted to stay right there in The Village at Give Kids The World.

“The greatest thing about the whole experience was that for one week, it allowed for Taylor and the rest of us to live as if nothing was wrong. We all forgot about the trials and tribulations that come with fighting leukemia. That’s what makes Give Kids The World so invaluable, and thanks to the impact it had on our entire family and thousands of others, we plan on partnering with them for years to come.”

Marsala, a Give Kids The World Wish Child in 2004 who has successfully battled cancer, provided the winning design of Stewart’s No. 20 Old Spice Toyota. The Cincinnati-native’s paint scheme was chosen from more than 150 designs, all of which came from current or former Wish Children of Give Kids The World. The winning entry won Marsala and her family an all-expense paid trip to the Nationwide Series race at Michigan, where they’ll meet Stewart and the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Team, ride with Stewart in the back of a pickup truck as he makes his parade lap around the 2-mile oval, all before hanging out in the pits and then watching the race from the air-conditioned comfort of a skybox suite.

“It’ll be an honor to drive the car Emily designed in the Nationwide Series race at Michigan,” said Stewart, who has won five Nationwide Series races already this year, and is driving for the same team that won last year’s Nationwide Series race at Michigan. “The car will give me some good camouflage during the race, because with a purple, blue, yellow and red race car that has a bunny rabbit on the hood, no one will know that it’s me getting ready to pass them.”

Those who want to join Old Spice, Stewart and Joe Gibbs Racing by donating to Give Kids The World can do so by contributing money, in-kind gifts from Give Kids The World’s Wish List or by purchasing gifts from Give Kids The World’s online store. Time can also be donated by organizing a fundraiser and by volunteering, as Give Kids The World fills more than 1,200 volunteer shifts each week.

“Give Kids The World is honored to partner with Old Spice, Joe Gibbs Racing and the Tony Stewart Foundation. Getting the chance to redesign the Old Spice car is a dream come true, and our special children were excited to share their designs,” said Pamela Landwirth, president, Give Kids The World. “Thanks to the generosity of these wonderful partners, we will be able to welcome many more children with life-threatening illnesses to our special Village, creating for them the happiness that inspires hope.”

Ninety-three cents of every dollar donated to Give Kids The World directly supports the fulfillment of children’s wishes. Give Kids The World has maintained one of the lowest administrative rates in the nation. In 2007, Give Kids The World’s administrative rate was 7.3 percent. To learn more about Give Kids The World, please visit www.gktw.org.

Plans set for 2nd Jimmie Johnson Foundation golf tournament

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 12:26 EDT

LOUDON, N.H. (June 27, 2008) – Chandra and Jimmie Johnson confirmed the second-annual Jimmie Johnson Foundation golf tournament and dinner auction will take place August 27-28 in San Diego, Calif., with Lowe’s returning as the title sponsor. Funds from this year’s tournament will once again benefit the San Diego chapter of Habitat for Humanity.

“Chani and I can’t thank Lowe’s enough for supporting us again this year,” said Johnson, two-time reigning Sprint Cup champion. “The response we have received since we started this tournament is truly humbling. While we are looking forward to this year’s tournament, I think we are most excited about handing the keys to the family who will be moving into the first house. To me, that will be the culmination of everything we have been working for the past two years.”

The foundation’s inaugural event raised more than $500,000, supporting construction of two houses on a soon-to-be-named street miles from where Johnson grew up. This year’s event will fund two additional houses on the same street.

“San Diego Habitat for Humanity was beyond thrilled with the success of last year’s event and to be the beneficiary again this year is just incredible,” said Elizabeth Neubrand, Director of Development and Community Affairs, San Diego Habitat for Humanity. “We are ever grateful to Jimmie and Chandra for their commitment and generosity to Habitat for Humanity. Because of their efforts, four families from Jimmie’s hometown will have a home they can thrive in for many years to come.”

A new addition to this year’s events is the “Helmet of Hope.” The initiative will offer six race fans and six media members the opportunity to have their charity of choice featured on Johnson’s race helmet.

“We get a number of requests to help so many worthy charities throughout the year, but unfortunately we aren’t able to assist everyone,” said Chandra Johnson, co-founder of the Jimmie Johnson Foundation. “The helmet is our way of getting some recognition for charities that are special to people who follow and work in the racing community. We are all a family and most of us have a personal tie to a charity. This helmet is our small way of honoring those causes.”

Johnson will wear the helmet in the August Sprint Cup race at Auto Club Speedway in California, where he will drive the No. 48 Jimmie Johnson Foundation/Lowe’s Impala SS. Johnson will also pilot the No. 5 Jimmie Johnson Foundation/Lowe’s Chevrolet in the Nationwide Series event.

“Once again Lowe’s has given us the opportunity to put the Jimmie Johnson Foundation logo on our Lowe’s Impala SS” said the defending race winner. “I don’t know many sponsors who would be as generous as Lowe’s, but we have been together for a long time and treat each other like family. This is a perfect example of how we work together for a common cause.”

Fans may designate their charity of choice by visiting the foundation’s website, www.jimmiejohnsonfoundation.org. Media members will have the opportunity to participate during race weekends. Beginning at Daytona International Speedway and concluding at Michigan International Speedway, Johnson will draw the names of the charities which will be featured on his helmet each week.

The helmet will be one of many items available during the private dinner and auction to be held Tuesday evening in conjunction with the golf tournament. The event will feature celebrity entertainment and auction items, including a Jimmie Johnson Foundation/Sunoco Star Warriors Motorcycle customized by 2Xtreem Motorcycle TV, the opportunity to attend a private Garth Brooks concert, and other sports and entertainment experiences and memorabilia.

More than 200 golfers are scheduled to attend this year’s tournament. A limited number of golf sponsorships are still available. Among last year’s celebrity guests were NASCAR drivers Bobby Labonte, Brian Vickers, Juan Pablo Montoya, Boris Said and Kyle Petty, motocross champion Rick Johnson, and recording artist Nick Lachey.

Additional information on the Jimmie Johnson Foundation, San Diego Habitat for Humanity and Team Lowe’s Racing is available at media.lowesracing.com.

Drivers from 23 states and Canada competing in Summer Shootout series at Charlotte

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 11:33 EDT

CONCORD, N.C. (June 27, 2008) - They come by land and air, arriving in planes, trucks and automobiles. They're from small towns such as Snohomish, Wash., Bixby, Okla., Olive Branch, Miss., and St. George, Utah.

They range from 8-year-old youngsters to Social Security recipients and on Tuesday nights they fill the pit area at Lowe's Motor Speedway, each striving to achieve a common goal.

They are the more than 200 Legends Car, Bandolero and Thunder Car racers who, along with their families, journey from 23 states and Canada each week in order to compete in one of the nation's premier short-track racing series-the 15th annual Quaker Steak & Lube Summer Shootout.

There are countless motives that drive these racers to go the extra mile so they can participate in the 10-week series. For some, like Nick Carey who drove his truck across the country from Snohomish, Wash., it's the high level of competition.

"If you win in the Pro division at the Summer Shootout, you're the best there is in Legends Car racing," said the 19-year-old Carey.

For others, like Scott Nagel, it's the chance to race cars that don't compete regularly in their area. Nagel, a 12-year-old from Brampton, Ontario, makes the trip to Lowe's Motor Speedway each week to race in the Sprite Bandolero Young Guns division that features drivers ages 12 to 15.

"In Canada, we were thinking about running in a class called mini-stocks, but when we came down here for a trip we heard about the Bandolero cars," Nagel explained. "We thought there was no use running the mini-stocks when we could run the Bandoleros, which you can't race in Canada."

Most say the high cost of fuel and long trips are worth it if their performance in the Quaker Steak & Lube Summer Shootout helps them climb the racing ladder.

"A lot of people in racing aren't originally from Charlotte or Mooresville, but it seems like they are because all of the race teams are here," said Carey, who drove 44 hours and used 190 gallons of fuel on his cross-country trip to North Carolina where he will spend the summer with a friend. "If you want to be in the eyes of the big people in racing, you've got to be in North Carolina."

For many, travel expenses eventually begin to take a toll. Several drivers are supported by their families, while others have acquired sponsorship to help pay the bills.

"We leave the money side of it to our dad," said Kyle Weatherman, 10, of Wentzville, Mo., who along with brother Clayton Weatherman, 9, proudly display 180 Energy Drink logos on the hoods of their Bandoleros.

The Weatherman brothers fly from St. Louis to Charlotte each week along with other family members so they can race in the POWERade Bandolero Bandits division.

Nagel and his father fly back and forth from Ontario each week, spending over $1,200 on airline tickets, rental cars and other expenses.

"I love the feeling of the sport. It's just awesome to drive down the straightaway at Lowe's Motor Speedway," said Nagel. "It's definitely worth it."

The 10-race Quaker Steak & Lube Summer Shootout runs each Tuesday night through Aug. 12.

Admission is just $7 for adults. Children 6-12 are admitted for $3 and kids under 6 are free. Tickets are available in advance at the speedway ticket office and at Gates 4 and 5 the night of the event. Parking is free.

Spectator gates open at 5 p.m. with preliminary action at 5:30 p.m. Feature racing begins at 7:30 p.m.

For information, visit www.lowesmotorspeedway.com or call the speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS.

ESPN's 'Outside the Lines' examines economy's impact on NASCAR

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 10:53 EDT

Sunday's "Outside the Lines" (ESPN 9:30 a.m. ET; ESPNEWS noon) will examine how NASCAR is being affected by today's struggling economy.

Transporting equipment and personnel cross country has never been costlier due to escalating fuel prices, which have also impacted fans traveling to races.

The economy has made sponsors more vital, yet hard to secure, prompting long-time team owners to seek outside investors: Boston Red Sox owner John Henry became co-owner of Roush Fenway Racing (2006); Montreal Canadiens owner George Gillette became primary owner of Gillette Evernham Motorsports (2007); Boston Ventures, an equity firm, took control of Petty Enterprises (May 2008). Mike Massaro reports.

From Sundays program:

"We could see six or so teams shut down if they are not funded. Nobody is going to run this out of their own pocket for too long, myself included, so it is a serious situation." -- Doug Yates, owner of Yates Racing

"Before, let's say five years ago, a top echelon team, you were looking at $10-15 million. All of a sudden, now, I'm told, because of driver salaries and all the other factors that affected the cost of going racing, that top tier team now is $24-30 million." -- Larry Camp, motor sports marketing expert

"I know this is a sports story, but this is not a sport anymore, except on Sunday afternoon from about 1-to-5 in the afternoon. It's a business six days a week." -- Kyle Petty, driver for Petty Enterprises and son of NASCAR legend Richard Petty

"We are committed to getting through this year, but I got to be able to see into '09 something a little more positive than I see today. I think we'll make it, but the economy and the struggles the other teams are seeing are the same as ours. It is a tough, tough world out there right now in NASCAR." -- Doug Yates

Andretti Green Racing signs Franck Montagny to assume driving duties in XM Acura

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 10:49 EDT

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (June 26, 2008) - Andretti Green Racing (AGR) announced today it has signed Franck Montagny to become the primary driver of the #26 XM Satellite Radio Acura ARX-01b for the remainder of the 2008 American Le Mans Series (ALMS) season, beginning with the next tour stop at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Ct. Bryan Herta and Christian Fittipaldi handled the driving duties for Andretti Green in the four previous ALMS starts this season along with Marco Andretti, who rounded out the AGR lineup in the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. A variety of drivers will team with Montagny during the final seven ALMS events of 2008 beginning with Marco Andretti, who drives one of Andretti Green's four IndyCar Series machines. Andretti will qualify for the IndyCar Series event on July 11 at Nashville Superspeedway and then travel to Lime Rock for the July 12th running of the American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix. Following the ALMS event, he will return to Nashville for the Firestone Indy 200 later that night. Montagny brings a diverse background to AGR that includes seven Formula 1 starts, all in 2006 with Super Aguri, and stints as a Formula 1 test driver and third driver with Renault, Jordan and Toyota. The 30-year old Frenchman owns three top-five finishes in his last three starts in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, including a third-place overall finish earlier this month. Montagny ran four races for his native France during the 2007-08 A1 Grand Prix (A1GP) season, scoring one top-five finish and helping his team to a fourth-place final ranking. He also has one IndyCar Series start to his credit, having made his debut at Long Beach this past April where he scored a runner-up finish. Franck Montagny, #26 XM Satellite Radio Acura:

"I'm very excited to join Andretti Green Racing and the XM Acura program. I am looking forward to working with the team in the very near future and hoping to get off to a good start at Lime Rock. I know how competitive the American Le Mans Series is and know how challenging this will be, but I believe I am ready for it. I am eager to get started." Michael Andretti, co-owner, Andretti Green Racing:

"We're looking forward to seeing what Franck can do in the XM Acura. He's got a lot of experience in different types of cars, including prototypes, and that should help him adjust pretty quickly to what we're doing here. "Making a change in the middle of the season isn't something you enjoy, and I think it's even tougher in this case because we're talking about Bryan and Christian. Bryan has done everything we've ever asked him to do since he joined Andretti Green in 2003, including helping us win the 12 Hours of Sebring in our first ALMS start last year. Christian joined us this year and wanted to win as badly as we did. We will always appreciate the effort that both Bryan and Christian gave to the team."

HVM Racing ready for Richmond debut

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 10:48 EDT

This weekend, HVM Racing will make its racing debut at the .075-mile Richmond (Va.) International Raceway during Saturday night’s SunTrust IndyCar Challenge 300. It will also mark the first visit to the track for driver E.J. Viso. The team, however, has accumulated three consecutive strong finishes heading into Saturday night’s 300-lap event.

Comments from team owner Keith Wiggins heading into this weekend’s events:

“We are confident that we’re only going to get better on ovals. So far, we have been pretty competitive on them all season. Michael (Cannon, Lead Engineer) has prepared very fast cars for E.J. every time out. We continue to improve and that’s the goal.

“Iowa, Milwaukee, and Texas before that, the last three weekends we’ve shown some strength on the ovals. We have room for improvements, but I think we’ve done a good job of giving E.J. the equipment to race with the others.

“E.J. and the team will be put to the test again this weekend. Richmond is another new challenge. We know it’s a demanding race, but we are prepared. There is no doubt we’re anxious to get going.”

Comments from HVM Racing driver E.J. Viso heading into this weekend’s events:

“It’s another oval for us. It’s going to be our fifth consecutive race on an oval track and the team has been getting stronger and stronger. We have passed a lot of cars and proven we can race to the front in different situations. That gives us a lot of confidence for this weekend.

“We’re going to concentrate on being prepared for Saturday night. It’s a track that we want to be very comfortable with. We know it’s going to be fast and a lot of things can happen in a 300-lap race here. Patience will be important. You have to be there at the end. We want to make sure we are in a good position for late in the race.”

Right lanes reach '700 Club' as concrete work remains on schedule

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 10:46 EDT

CONCORD, N.C. (June 26, 2008) - Construction crews poured concrete long into the night Wednesday, as the four-lane, quarter-mile drag strip at zMAX Dragway @ Concord is rapidly taking shape. When the concrete trucks went home Thursday morning, 700 feet of both right-side lanes, including the burnout boxes, were complete.

NHRA Top Fuel drag racer and North Carolina resident Doug Herbert visited Wednesday evening to check on the progress as crews worked to complete zMAX Dragway for the inaugural NHRA Nationals on Sept. 11-14. Like the drag racers before him that have toured the site, Herbert was impressed with the "Bellagio of drag strips."

"We're going to have the greatest drag strip in the world right here in Charlotte," said Herbert, a nine-time winner in NHRA's Top Fuel division. "I'm hoping a lot of spectators and fans from the NASCAR races are going to come see what this is all about, watch these cars go zero to 330 mph in 4.5 seconds and make 8,000 horsepower-it's exciting."

Pouring began Monday evening on the strip which will be the only four-lane concrete quarter-mile track on the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series circuit.

Most drag strips have concrete for the first 660 feet or less, but the transition from concrete to asphalt often upsets the traction of the rear wheels, making the car unstable for drivers as they barrel toward speeds in excess of 300 mph down the 1,320-foot track.

"The main thing is that the car's going to go down there and not have the transition from a concrete to an asphalt surface," Herbert explained. "It's going to make it a lot better show for the fans and it's a whole lot easier for the cars to run down the track and go fast without having to make that transition."

Pouring of the concrete racing surface is scheduled to continue through July 3. Due to the summer heat, all pouring takes place late in the evening and through the night.

zMAX Dragway @ Concord will open in grand fashion by hosting the NHRA Nationals Sept. 11-14. The four-day event will be the first of six races in the playoff-style NHRA POWERade Countdown to the Championship, featuring competitors in all four professional categories: Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle.

Four-day tickets for the inaugural NHRA Nationals at zMAX Dragway @ Concord start at $99 and $20 for children ages 12 and under. Each event ticket is also a pit pass, which allows fans access to the professional and sportsman pit areas. Tickets can be purchased online at www.lowesmotorspeedway.com or by calling the Lowe's Motor Speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS.

HVM Racing adds key personnel

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:35 EDT

Indianapolis, Ind. (June 26, 2008) – HVM Racing continues its commitment to be one of the premier teams on the IRL IndyCar circuit. Doing so, the team announces the restructure and appointment of several key positions. Kevin Lee, a long time key figure at HVM Racing, has been appointed to Vice President of Operations, Ali Gursoy has been added as Vice President of Marketing and full-service marketing agency, Breaking Limits, has been acquired to lead its public and media relations efforts.

These additions confirm the long-term commitment by HVM Racing to the Indy Racing League and its vision to be one of the premier teams in the IndyCar Series. HVM Racing currently fields the No. 33 Honda-Dallara entry driven by E.J. Viso.

"These moves are a strong statement about HVM Racing, our commitment to the Series and the direction we are taking," stated team owner Keith Wiggins. "We are committed to growing our team in this new arena, as we did in the previous one. This restructure and additions will immediately help us build a better presence in the IndyCar Series while maintaining our focus of improving performance on the track."

HVM Racing is currently in its first season in the IRL IndyCar Series. The team has already earned three top-10 finishes and a fourth-place finish on the streets of St. Petersburg (Fla.) earlier this season. E.J. Viso is currently 15th in driver points, only 16 points out of the 10th position.

"We've been satisfied with our progress in a very short time," added Wiggins. "But, by no means are we content. We are going to continue to grow off the track and maintain high expectations on the track. This is our next step for growth."

HVM Racing will next compete in Saturday night's SunTrust INDY Challenge at the .075-mile Richmond (Va.) International Raceway. The race will be broadcast live at 8:00 p.m. (ET) on ESPN.

Jarrett Named Grand Marshal For Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 16:10 EDT

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Three-time Daytona 500 champion and founding member of the Coca-Cola Racing Family Dale Jarrett has been named Grand Marshal for the Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday night, July 5 Speedway officials announced today. Outback Steakhouse President Jeff Smith will serve as Honorary Starter.

Jarrett captured a victory in the Independence Day classic in 1999 and will give the starting command “Gentlemen, start your engines” for Coke Zero’s inaugural sponsored race at “The World Center of Racing.” Jarrett, who won the 1999 NASCAR Sprint Cup championship, recently retired from NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition as the driver of the No. 44 UPS Toyota for Michael Waltrip Racing.

Smith, who will wave the Green Flag to get action started, began his career in 1989 at the original Outback Steakhouse restaurant on Henderson Boulevard in Tampa, Fla. Outback Steakhouse was one of the first restaurants to serve Coke Zero across its national operations.

Addington named WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief of the Race in Sonoma

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 16:07 EDT

ROSWELL, Ga. (June 24, 2008) – Steve Addington, crew chief of the No. 18 M&M’s Toyota Camry driven by Kyle Busch, has been named the WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief of the Race following Sunday’s Toyota/SaveMart 350 at Infineon Raceway.

Although the team ended the day victorious, Addington and his crew did not start the weekend off on the right foot. Struggles with car’s set up on Friday led to a qualifying mishap, landing the No. 18 car in the 30th starting position. Sunday was not looking to be very promising for Busch and the No. 18 team, “We were so bad, we didn’t know what was going on,” said Busch post-race, “Addington and the guys worked their tails off and never gave up.”

Despite early troubles, it only took 33 laps for Busch to grab the lead. The Addington-led team made only two pit stops all day. Pit strategy and fuel mileage calls helped turn the day around for Busch and the No. 18 car. “I had a game plan on when we would pit all along,” said Addington. Concerned about fuel mileage, Addington summoned his driver in on lap 68 for the last time. But with a late caution flag on lap 109, the race went into overtime for two extra laps, thankfully Busch had more than enough fuel to cruise to victory, the team’s series leading fifth win this season.

The 2008 WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief Challenge is a season-long contest that will determine the best crew chiefs in the NASCAR Sprint Cup garage. Following each race, a panel will vote to determine which crew chief demonstrated the most outstanding strategy and leadership during the race. It isn’t necessarily the crew chief that goes to Victory Lane, but the crew chief that makes the biggest difference for his team.

Representatives from WYPALL Wipers, together with FOX/SPEED television analyst Jeff Hammond, and three of NASCAR’s top crew chiefs who represent WYPALL, including Todd Berrier of Richard Childress Racing’s No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevy team, Bob Osborne of Roush Fenway Racing’s No. 99 Office Depot Ford team, and Kenny Francis of Gillett Evernham Motorsports’ No. 9 Budweiser Dodge team, make up the panel of judges.

In addition to the $1,000 check, the winning crew chief will receive signage to announce the win on their pit box the following week. The crew chief with the most weekly top wins will be honored as the WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief of the Year and will be presented a $20,000 check at the season finale in Homestead, Fla.

“The WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief Challenge spotlights the crew chief’s efforts to get his team in Victory Lane,” said Tom Merrill, Category Manager for WYPALL Wipers. “WYPALL Wipers and crew chiefs are a natural fit. Crew chiefs only want to use reliable products on their cars and engines. That’s why they choose WYPALL Wipers. Our products are used to wipe up the toughest, most stubborn messes, and we want to focus on the men who put WYPALL Wipers to use each week. That’s why we continue to show our appreciation to the crew chiefs.”

Wisconsin Students Win Ford/AAA Auto Skills National Title

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 11:09 EDT

DEARBORN, Mich. – June 24, 2008 – Crossing the finish line today in 73 minutes and 40 seconds, aspiring auto technicians Paul Bretl and Chris Cheek, 2008 graduates of Grafton High School, in Grafton, Wis., drove their fully repaired 2008 Ford Focus to victory in the 59th annual Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills national finals.

In addition to thousands of dollars in scholarships, the winning duo earned the unique opportunity to "job shadow" the Roush Fenway Racing No. 6 AAA Ford Fusion team for a week at their race shop in Concord, N.C., and serve as honorary members of the pit crew at the July 12 Sprint Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway.

Logging hundreds of hours in preparation with their instructor, Carl Hader, the pair proved ready to battle their technology-savvy peers from schools in the 49 other states.

The contest gives the "best of the best" an opportunity to showcase their knowledge and capabilities by resolving the same types of automotive challenges they would encounter in the real world. As an incentive to students to pursue automotive careers, Ford and AAA awarded $7 million in scholarships at this year's state and national competitions - a $1 million increase over 2007.

"Paul and Chris demonstrated they are the preeminent high school auto technicians in the country," said John Morse, manager of Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills. "All 100 finalists proved their expertise, which should develop even more as they continue their education and embark on careers, perhaps in automotive technology. They are the future of the automotive industry, and the skilled technicians who will keep America's vehicles safe and properly operating."

Zachary Bryant and Cory Zamenski, rising seniors at Eastern Technical High School in Baltimore, Md., captured second place. Third place went to Kevin Podvin and Taylor Morehouse, 2008 graduates of Sheyenne Valley Career & Tech in Valley City, N.D.

The top-10 teams in the Auto Skills contest received general education scholarships valued from $2,500 to $400 from Ford Motor Co. and AAA. Some of the leading automotive technology institutions in the country, including Lincoln College of Technology, University of Northwestern Ohio, Universal Technical Institute, Ohio Technical College, Nashville Auto-Diesel School and Baran Institute of Technology, also provided full and partial scholarships.

"The scholarships awarded at the state and national level will help many of these young competitors hone their skill and expertise and embark on careers in the automotive industry as well as other fields," said John Nielsen, AAA Approved Auto Repair and Auto Buying Network director. "The Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills competition plays an important role in steering young men and women toward becoming skilled auto technicians, who are in high demand nationwide."

The 50, two-person teams that gathered this morning on the front lawn of Ford World Headquarters had triumphed over more than 8,000 auto tech students who entered the competition last fall at high schools across the country. Following an online exam, the highest-scorers advanced to their states' hands-on competition, then onto Dearborn, where the 100 finalists sat for another written exam worth 40 percent of their overall score.

Eleven Ford-certified Master Technicians from Ford dealerships across the country competed in the Ford Ultimate Master Technician challenge, a similar hands-on contest which ran concurrently with the Auto Skills competition, to win more than $50,000 in cash and prizes.