Fans to determine segment breakdown in Daytona non-points race
Monday, Jan. 21, 2013
CONCORD jutter@charlotteobserver.com
Sprint has taken fan participation in NASCAR to the next level.
Race fans can’t pick the drivers who will compete in the Sprint Unlimited non-points race at Daytona International Speedway or the winner, but they’ll play a role in just about everything else.
Between now and the time the race gets underway, race fans will determine much of the design of the race – the number of laps in each segment; the type of pit stop or whether there will be one at all; how many, if any, cars are eliminated after the second segment; and what firesuit Miss Sprint Cup will wear in Victory Lane with the winner.
Votes can be cast on NASCAR’s official mobile app – NASCAR Mobile ’13 – or at NASCAR.com/Unlimited. Votes made on the mobile app will count twice.
“The thing I love about this race is, it’s short, it’s intense, you have to push hard every single lap,” said driver Jeff Gordon. “In that sense, we are going to take that to the next level because you don’t know what is coming next.
“You don’t know if you can be eliminated, you don’t know if it might be no tires, four tires or two tires.”
The race will be 75 laps regardless. Fans can choose among three different three-segment combinations – 40, 20 and 15 laps; 35, 30 and 10 laps; or 30, 25 and 20 laps.
The voting window for the race format will close on Feb. 13. The remaining votes will continue into the actual race broadcast.
NMPA award winners: The National Motorsports Press Association named several award winners at its annual convention this past weekend.
The organization’s Richard Petty Driver of the Year Award went to 2012 Sprint Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski. Also receiving votes were fellow Cup competitor Clint Bowyer and Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series national champion Jimmy Owens.
The NMPA Speedway Motosports Spirit Award went to Andy Hillenburg for his work in bringing NASCAR racing back to Rockingham Speedway. The Ken Patterson Helping Others Award was given to Charlotte Motor Speedway vice president Scott Cooper.
The Joe Littlejohn Award for service to the NMPA was awarded to Jeff Dennison, director of media and public relations for Breaking Limits Marketing.
Bowman joins Nationwide Series: RAB Racing announced Monday it will field a full-time entry in the Nationwide Series this season for 19-year-old Alex Bowman in the No. 99 Toyota.
Bowman won four races and six poles in the Automobile Racing Club of America series in 2012 as well as rookie of the year honors.
Texas debuts ticket pricing plan: Texas Motor Speedway unveiled a new ticket pricing structure on Monday with reduced priced tickets on the frontstretch this season and a special price plan for kids 12 and under. The speedway also banned smoking from its grandstands.
New NASCAR dad: Cup driver Denny Hamlin and his girlfriend, Jordan Fish, welcomed their first child on Sunday. Daughter Taylor James Hamlin weighed six pounds, five ounces and was 20 inches long.
Utter: 704-358-5113
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