FORD GT TAKES TOP HONORS IN 14TH NORTH AMERICAN CONCEPT VEHICLE AWARDS

Ford GT

PLYMOUTH, MI, Aug. 01, 2015 / – The winners of the fourteenth annual North American Concept Vehicle of the Year Awards were announced this morning during a ceremony held at the Concours d’Elegance of America at St. John’s.

The awards recognize those vehicles most likely to shape the future of the automobile industry. More than two dozen jurors participated in a selection process that involved a total of 30 vehicles, each introduced to North America during this season’s auto shows in Los Angeles, Detroit, Chicago, Toronto, and New York.

The Production Preview Concept category is for those vehicle prototypes that are the basis for a model that has already been announced or planned for production. The finalists in this category included the Aston Martin Vulcan, the Buick Avenir, and the Ford GT.

Marking the brand’s 20th time as a category finalist, and fifth time as a category winner, Ford takes the honor of 2015 Production Preview Concept of the Year with its racing-bred Ford GT. “The Ford GT is already one of the all-time great designs, with styling that is simultaneously breathtaking and aerodynamically functional,” said juror Dan Carney. “A car for the ages.”

The Concept Car category recognizes passenger-centric, long-range prototypes designed to measure market reaction to future features and models. The finalists in this category were the Audi Prologue, the Mercedes Benz F 015, and the MINI Superleggera.

Earning its fifth spot as a category finalist, and marking the brand’s first visit to the awards podium, Mercedes takes the 2015 Concept Car of the Year award with its F 015 Concept. “The Mercedes-Benz F 015 goes far beyond an interesting redesign — it takes the definition of transportation to a whole new arena,” said juror Bill Schaffer. “That’s what a concept car should do.”

The Concept Truck category recognizes those concepts where cargo carrying is a significant design consideration. The finalists in this category were the Hyundai Santa Cruz, the Kia Trail’Ster, and the Mitsubishi GC-PHEV.

Bringing the brand’s fourth category finalist spot, and third honor as a category winner, the Hyundai Santa Cruz earns the 2015 Concept Truck of the Year award. “This (the Santa Cruz) is what the light-truck category needs,” said juror Gary Vasilash, “loads of style for people without big loads.”

From amongst the winners in the Concept Car, Concept Truck and Production Preview Concept categories, the Ford GT posted the highest overall score to earn the top award as Most Significant Concept Vehicle of 2015. This award marks Ford’s second time earning the top award in the competition; the brand’s first top honor was for the Reflex Concept in 2006.

 

 

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES / WINDOWS 10 400 POCONO RACEWAY / TEAM CHEVY QUALIFYING NOTES AND QUOTES

AUG. 01, 2015

KEVIN HARVICK, NO. 4 JIMMY JOHN’S/BUDWEISER CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED – 2ND

DESCRIBE THE LAP THAT ALMOST PUT THE NO. 4 ON THE POLE:

Tony Stewart

“Just really proud of everybody on our Jimmy John’s/Budweiser team for running our fastest lap in the last session.  A lot of that lies on me for putting the lap together something I hadn’t done over the last couple of months.  I feel like we all did a good job there and made some good adjustments.  I feel like I probably gave up a little bit in Turn 1.  I got a little bit tight in the center of that corner, but all-in-all it was a good lap and I’m glad we ran our fastest speed in the last round.  That is what you have to do.”

AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 AMERICAN ETHANOL CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED – 4TH

DID YOU GET EVERYTHING OUT OF THE NO. 3 CAR OR DID YOU LEAVE A LITTLE OUT THERE?

Kurt Busch

“I felt like we got most of it out of there.  We had to run twice in the second round and it was tough to call. We were probably going to make it on our first lap, but I got loose into (Turn) 1 and that just kind of prolonged our third run.  I’m proud of the guys though.  It is a great qualifying effort, probably our best of the year so far for our American Ethanol Chevy.  I want to thank Dow and everybody that helps us out each and every weekend.  It’s been fun.  That is our seventh race with Slugger (Labbe, crew chief) and we are getting better each week.”

HOW BIG OF AN ADVANTAGE IS IT TO BE STARTING UP FRONT HERE AT POCONO?

“It means a ton, but the biggest thing is being able to stay up there.  We’ve got to make our car good for tomorrow in race trim.  If we do that we will have the prim position to start up there and have a shot to win.”

TONY STEWART, NO. 14 RUSH TRUCK CENTERS/MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED 5TH

ON HIS QUALIFYING RUN:

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Martin Truex, Jr.

“Not bad.  Chad Johnston came over in between the practice session and qualifying and showed me some stuff where I was losing some time.  That is what we focused on for qualifying and it worked.”

HOW GOOD THAT CAR WAS THERE TODAYOUT ?

“Chad Johnston (crew chief) came over between practice and qualifying and we went over the data and he showed me where we were losing speed. The Rush Truck Centers Chevy has been good all day. It’s been solid. I just needed to work on a couple of things to make my qualifying run better.”

HOW CLOSE DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE GETTING TO NOT ONLY QUALIFYING WELL, BUT GETTING BACK TO VICTORY LANE?

“Well, I don’t know that just two weeks in a row of qualifying justifies that discussion.  I mean we didn’t finish very good last week at Indy.  I would say we will reserve judgement on that for a couple more weeks.”

KURT BUSCH, NO. 41 HAAS AUTOMATION CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED 6TH

ON QUALIFYING:

“I thought it was a good effort.  We gained speed each run and improved the car.  I thought that I drove the proper lap, we just got beat.  Quick lap time in the 40’s is tough to beat.  We ran in the 60’s.  You can say there is a little bit here, a little bit there, but overall pleased with how we unloaded and we will see what we have in race trim tomorrow.  The conditions are warmer this time around so everything is a little slower right now.”

MARTIN TRUEX, JR., NO. 78 FURNITURE ROW/VISSER PRECISION CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED 13TH

WHAT WAS YOUR CAR DOING IN THAT SESSION?

“We really struggled for whatever reason in Turn 1 today.  Just can’t seem to get the balance right.  We were either too tight or too loose no matter what we do.  Fought the same thing there, not a big deal though I think we will be okay.  We’ve got plenty of time to figure it out tomorrow.  We’ve got a few cars to pass, but 13th is not too bad.  We did it last week.”

DALE EARNHARDT, JR., NO. 88 MICROSOFT CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED 15TH

WHAT WERE YOU DEALING WITH?

“Loose in.  We got a chance to re-run there in that session.  I thought I would back all the corners up to see if we could get a better run and get in the gas sooner.  But getting into (Turn) 1 it just got loose and backed into the corner and I had to chase it up the racetrack.  First run we made in the second session we did the same thing.  Loose into (Turn) 1 up the racetrack, running around there half throttle, everybody else is on the bottom digging, loose into the Tunnel (Turn).  We just missed it a little bit and that is the difference between 15th and making that last round.”

KASEY KAHNE, NO. 5 AQUAFINA CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED 16TH

YOU GUYS WORKED REALLY HARD ON THE CAR AND MADE A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS.  16TH IS NOT TOO BAD:

“Yeah, it’s much better than where we were in practice.  We made nice gains with our Aquafina Chevrolet and gained a lot of speed, but not quite enough.  We just didn’t quite get where we wanted to be.  Tried another run right there at the end and was a little bit tighter, so that didn’t work.  But hopefully tomorrow we will put together a strong day and build a nice package for Sunday.”

KYLE LARSON, NO. 42 SUAVE MEN CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED 27TH

YOU WERE 16TH IN PRACTICE. WHERE DID THE SPEED GO?

“I don’t know.  In practice we were on the splitter really bad into (Turn) 1.  So I was tight getting down into (Turn) 1 and then tight exiting (Turn) 1 and (Turn) 3. That time we weren’t on the splitter into (Turn) 1, so I was really loose in (Turn) 1.  I got through the Tunnel (Turn) okay and then (Turn) 3 was loose as well.  Just backwards from what I was in practice.  Just too loose to put the power down and just long straightaways so you need to get the throttle down as soon as you can.  Extremely disappointed, we are normally really fast here.  We didn’t qualify very good the last Pocono race and raced alright.  I am sure we will be fine come Sunday, but definitely disappointed.  We are going to work hard to get some grip back in our racecar.  The track has definitely been slicker than what I’ve experienced here before.  When we got out here for practice today the track was really white.  Absolutely no rubber and it was slick there, still slick.  I’m sure with all the rest of practice and the Truck race and stuff the track should get rubbered in and we will hopefully get better that way.  Definitely disappointed.”

KEVIN HARVICK PUTS CHEVY SS ON FRONT ROW AT POCONO; DALE EARNHARDT, JR. WILL COME OUT 15TH

Three Team Chevy Drivers Qualify in Top Five

LONG POND, Pa – Aug. 01, 2015 – Kevin Harvick, reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, ran a fast lap of 178.168 mph in his No. 4 Jimmy John’s/Budweiser Chevrolet SS during knockout qualifying for Sunday’s Windows

Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Jimmy John’s/Budweiser Chevrolet SS, will be on the front row after qualifying for second position Friday, July 31, 2015 for Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. Harvick leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) standings. (Photo by Harold Hinson/HHP for Chevy Racing)

10 400 at Pocono Raceway.  It was quick enough to reward him with the outside front row starting position in the 43-car field.  It marks Harvick’s 13th top-10 start of the 2015 season, and his ninth in 30 races at the track known as the ‘Tricky Triangle’.

Austin Dillon qualified fourth in his No. 3 American Ethanol Chevy SS and Harvick’s teammate, Tony Stewart, was the fifth fastest qualifier in his No. 14 Rush Truck Centers/Mobil 1 Chevrolet SS to give Team Chevy three of the top five starting positions.

In all, six of the 12 drivers that advanced to the third and final round of qualifying belong to the Bowtie Brigade.  Kurt Busch was sixth fast in his No. 41 Haas Automation Chevy SS, Jeff Gordon qualified 10th in his No. 24 AARP Member Advantages Chevrolet SS, and six time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson was 12th in his No. 48 Kobalt Tools Chevy SS.

Kyle Busch (Toyota) was the pole winner and Joey Logano (Ford) qualified third to round out the top five starting spots.

The 160-lap/400-mile Windows 10 400 at Pocono Raceway is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. ET on Sunday August 2. Live coverage will be available on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN), MRN, Sirius NASCAR Radio Channel 90 and NASCAR.com.

KEVIN HARVICK, NO. 4 JIMMY JOHN’S/BUDWEISER CHEVROLET SS
POST-QUALIFYING PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT

NO DOUBT YOU’D LIKE TO CAPTURE YOUR FIRST POCONO WIN HERE ON SUNDAY

“Yeah, for sure. I think, for us, I feel like from our goals to what we did in qualifying I feel like we definitely over-achieved today and that was a good thing. It was just hard work by the guys on the team in just making the right adjustments and we needed that last round to go like it did, and run our best lap of the day and really start putting those pieces together and be able to hit the ground running when we get to Chicago. So, just little things here and there to dial those types of things in and it’s just small little details to prepare for the last 10 weeks.”

WHEN YOU HEARD YOUR TIME OF 50.51, DID YOU THINK YOU HAD IT AT THAT POINT?

“You never know with the way the qualifying session is and late and you never know how much faster everybody is going to go. I knew that our fastest lap needed to be the last time on the race track, so I knew that we had done a good job and probably gave up a little bit of time, just the slightest little chatter through Turn 1. But (Turn) 2 and (Turn) 3 were fairly good. So, That’s what we needed to do.”

WITH KYLE BUSCH WINNING SO MUCH AND NOW BEING ON THE POLE, DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’RE A LITTLE BIT UNDER THE RADAR?  YOU ARE PUTTING IN GREAT FINISHES EVERY WEEK, DO YOU FEEL IT MAKES YOUR JOB EASIER COMING INTO THE CHASE AND ONCE IT BEGINS TO GET ANOTHER CHAMPIONSHIP UNDER YOUR BELT? ALL THE ATTENTION SEEMS TO BE ELSEWHERE

“We don’t pay attention to you guys, regardless; anyway. We don’t pay attention to you. We don’t pay attention to the chatter. We just go about our business and try to just constantly do what we do at the race track and try to improve. From a mental standpoint, that’s the only way you can do it. This is Kyle’s (Busch) Chase. His chase is to get into the Chase, I feel like. I feel like we’ll be even better when the Chase starts and all the pieces are where they need to be. Every day is important. I think it’s just constantly building blocks and those mental aspects of it and whether people thing we should or shouldn’t win races, it’s hard to run second, or third and lead laps and do all the things that we’ve done.

“So, as a team, we’re doing a great job and I think as you look at the circumstances and the way that things shake out, you can’t force winning. But if you run up in the front all the time, you’re going to win your share. So, we’ve just got to keep plugging along and keep your head down and keep your ears plugged.”

YOU RAN THE TRUCK FOR 2 ½ HOURS THIS AFTERNOON. HOW WAS YOUR FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH JRM?  EARLIER HE SAID HE FELT LIKE YOU COULD HELP PINPOINT THE WEAKNESSES OF THE TRUCK PROGRAM

“Yeah, it was a disaster (laughs) to be quite honest with you. We made it a little bit better as we got toward the end of practice, but there is definitely a lot of work to do.”

 

START TIMES FINALIZED FOR BUDWEISER SPEEDWEEKS 2015 EVENTS

57th annual DAYTONA 500 set for a 1 p.m. ET start

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – January 14, 2015 – The 57th annual DAYTONA 500 on Sunday, Feb. 22, NASCAR’s biggest, richest and most prestigious race, will start at 1 p.m. (TV – FOX, FOX Deportes; Radio – MRN Radio, SiriusXM). It’s the sixth straight year “The Great American Race” will have a start time of 1 p.m.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

Start times for the other remaining events of Budweiser Speedweeks 2015 at Daytona International Speedway are as follows:

• The 53rd anniversary Rolex 24 At Daytona IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship race, Jan. 24-25, 2:10 p.m. (FOX Sports and IMSA.com)
• The Lucas Oil 200 Presented By American Real MAV TV ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, Saturday, Feb. 14, 4:15 p.m. (FOX Sports 1)
• The Sprint Unlimited, Saturday, Feb. 14, 8:15 p.m. (FOX)
• Daytona 500 Qualifying Presented By Kroger, Sunday, Feb. 15, 1:30 p.m. (FOX)
• Budweiser Duel At Daytona, Thursday, Feb. 19, 7 p.m. (FOX Sports 1)
• NextEra Energy Resources 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, Friday, Feb. 20, 7:30 p.m. (FOX Sports 1)
• Alert Today Florida 300 NASCAR XFINITY Series race, Saturday, Feb. 21, 3:30 p.m. (FOX Sports 1)

In this year’s DAYTONA 500, Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be seeking his second consecutive DAYTONA 500 victory. The last driver to win back-to-back DAYTONA 500s was Sterling Marlin back in 1994-95.

Budweiser Speedweeks 2015 will also provide fans with a sneak peek of DAYTONA Rising, the $400 million frontstretch redevelopment. Approximately 40,000 new seats will be available on the west side of the stadium, from Turn 1 toward the center of the track. Fans in these wider more comfortable seats will enjoy many of the new amenities being created by DAYTONA Rising.

Tickets for the 57th annual DAYTONA 500 and all Budweiser Speedweeks 2015 events are on sale now and can be purchased by calling 1-800-PITSHOP or visiting www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com

Fans can follow NASCAR on Twitter and stay up to speed on the latest news by using hashtag #DAYTONA500 and #SPEEDWEEKS. Fans can also stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest for the latest news all season long. Fans can follow the latest on DAYTONA Rising, the $400 million frontstretch renovation at the “World Center of Racing” by using #DAYTONARising on Twitter or visiting www.daytonarising.com.

 

007 ALL-STAR LINEUP FINALIZED, 2015 PARTNERSHIPS ANNOUNCED, TEAM TAKES AIM AT ROLEX 24

TRG-Aston Martin Racing is en route to the hallowed grounds of Daytona International Speedway for the first time in 2015, bringing with it the venerable V12 Vantage GT3

Petaluma, CA January 14, 2015 – TRG-Aston Martin Racing is en route to the hallowed grounds of Daytona International Speedway for the first time in 2015, bringing with it the venerable V12 Vantage GT3, along with equally powerful driver lineups, partnerships, and a team that has its sights set on winning America’s only twice-round-the-clock endurance race. TRG-AMR’s proven track record includes four class wins and one overall victory in the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona, a feat unmatched in history. Like other historically successful teams, TRG-AMR also knows all too well the pitfalls and challenges that come with racing a car for 24 straight hours, especially at the World Center of Racing known as Daytona International Speedway.

Along with the upcoming test days comes word of a substantial addition to the powerhouse lineup that will finalize the team’s No. 007 roster for the historic race. Team Owner Kevin Buckler today announced the of addition of veteran sportscar racer and champion Brandon Davis to the lineup, placing him alongside teammates Christina Nielsen, James Davison, and Christoffer Nygaard. Davis is no stranger to TRG-AMR, having piloted a number of cars for the team over the years, including last year’s Rolex 24, the team’s first with the new V12 Vantage GT3 platform and a win at Sonoma raceway in 2014 piloting a V8 Vantage GT4.

Brandon Davis

Brandon Davis, Team Driver, TRG-AMR North America: “I am grateful for the opportunity to drive with such a successful team here at Daytona, alongside some truly world-class drivers, in a car I know is capable of winning. TRG’s history here at Daytona is unparalleled. The V12 Vantage GT3 is arguably one of the most capable cars in the field, and we’re going for the win right out of the box. We’re going to get some great data from our testing this coming weekend then come back in two weeks ready for the big game. Hopefully we can add another win to the history books both for TRG-AMR and Aston Martin.”

Along with securing a potent driver lineup, TRG-AMR has been hard at work securing key partnerships and alliances for the coming season, including that of longtime partner and supplier Royal Purple. Royal Purple is the official lubricant supplier of TRG-AMR North America, providing the team with everything from engine and transmission oil to engine coolant and other essential lubricants and fluids. Royal Purple, in its first season of partnership with TRG-AMR in 2013, underwent the arduous Prodrive/Aston Martin Racing “torture test” in England, having their lubricants and fluids put through every conceivable scenario and passing with flying colors. TRG-AMR welcomes them back to the team as an invaluable partner for the 2015 season of IMSA competition.

Bryan Yourdon, President of Royal Purple: “We are excited to return to the track with the TRG-AMR team this season. The TUDOR series is an ideal environment to test our product’s strength and performance, particularly in the endurance races where both drivers and cars are pushed to the limit.”

Kevin Buckler, CEO, TRG-AMR North America: “Adding Brandon to this stellar lineup is fantastic. He’s proven himself with us time and time again. He will be rounding out the already impressive lineup of Christina (Nielsen), James (Davison), and Christoffer (Nygaard) and is going to make this the car to beat, for sure. I am also pleased to be welcoming back Royal Purple as our season-long partner again in 2015. They make a fantastic product and deliver superior performance for our vehicles. We’ll be at Daytona this weekend and ready to rock. Make sure to watch out for the 007 and our soon-to-be announced No. 009 lineup!”

 

CORVETTE RACING ADDS BRISCOE AND PAGENAUD TO DRIVER LINEUP

Briscoe

Open-wheel standouts to drive Corvette C7.Rs at Daytona, Sebring

• Aussie Briscoe continues with Corvette Racing
• Frenchman Pagenaud to get first opportunity to drive Corvette C7.R
• Duo to join full-season roster of drivers at Roar Before the 24

DETROIT Jan. 13, 2015 – Corvette Racing will head into the opening round of the IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship with an impressive GTLM driver lineup for North America’s premier endurance race. Ryan Briscoe returns to the Corvette Racing camp for the second straight year while Simon Pagenaud will make his debut with the team at Daytona International Speedway.

Briscoe will share driving duties of the No. 3 Corvette C7.R with Jan Magnussen and Antonio Garcia, and Pagenaud will join Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner in the No. 4 C7.R at the annual Roar Before the 24 starting Jan. 9th. The Roar serves as a three-day test ahead of the 53rd Rolex 24 At Daytona and the start of the TUDOR Championship. In addition, Briscoe and Pagenaud will join the Corvette C7.R team at Sebring.

Pagenaud

“Corvette Racing’s driver lineup for the Daytona and Sebring races represents a highly talented collection of drivers who are intensely focused on working together toward the common goal of winning,” said Mark Kent, Director, Chevrolet Racing. “Both Ryan and Simon are world-class drivers who know the kind of preparation, patience and skill needed to succeed in the top levels of endurance sports-car racing.”

Both Briscoe and Pagenaud are known for their successes in both open-wheel and sports car racing. Briscoe appeared in three events for Corvette Racing in 2014 – Daytona, Sebring and Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta. The Aussie also made 18 stars in the Verizon INDYCAR Series with one top-five finish and 10 top-10s. He has seven IndyCar victories to his credit to go along with nine prototype wins in the American Le Mans Series.

Pagenaud also boasts a number of victories in both open-wheel and prototype competition. While competing in the IndyCar series, he won two races in 2013 and 2014, and finished third in the 2013 IndyCar championship.

Pagenaud signed with Team Penske and will drive a Chevrolet V6-powered IndyCar for the 2015 season.  Previously, he spent four seasons in ALMS prototypes with nine victories as a factory driver.

The 2015 TUDOR United Sports Car Championship begins with the 53rd Rolex 24 at Daytona from Jan. 24-25 at Daytona International Speedway. Live timing and scoring from both the Roar Before the 24 and Rolex 24 at Daytona will be available at imsa.com.

RYAN BRISCOE, NO. 3 CORVETTE RACING CORVETTE C7.R

“It’s such a massive honor to be a part of the Corvette Racing program. To come back this year and be a part of the team for the endurance events, I’m really excited. We’re hoping the pace and everything is there that we need to have to win with one of the Corvettes. We really were strong last year and had a little bad luck. Everyone on the team is extremely hungry and I’m really looking forward to it.”

“It was definitely a new experience for me last year to be racing in the GT class. I thought it went really well. The team brought me on and gave me all the tools I needed to get up to speed and feel comfortable with the racecar. I feel like it’s a comfortable pairing with Antonio and Jan. I really felt like I got really good track time and could put down really good lap times to hold my own. Before you get into it, you really don’t know how it’s going to go. You just want to do your best.”

SIMON PAGENAUD, NO. 4 CORVETTE RACING, CORVETTE C7.R

“Corvette is definitely an icon in American racing and as an American sports car. When I was racing with for another manufacturer, I always noticed the presence of the Corvette and Chevrolet fans. I’ve always said that Corvette Racing is a proper program – well put together with a very impressive presentation, great drivers and a fantastic team. The results speak for themselves. It’s great to be part of it now. It is definitely a very different experience compared to prototypes but I have some good experience in GT cars. I look forward to now being part of the family by driving for Chevrolet and Corvette Racing. The Corvette C7.R is a beautiful piece of machinery with a lot of high-tech development. It’s a great platform for the development of road cars and supercars.”

“Thanks to Chevrolet for the opportunity, and of course thanks to Roger Penske and Tim Cindric in allowing me to be available. With this type of opportunity where you have the chance to go and run in a different category with a car and team that can win, it’s exciting and gets you very motivated. I really want to win Daytona. If we can do that with Chevrolet and Corvette Racing, I’ll be super excited and over the moon.”

Connect with Corvette Racing and Team Chevy on social media.  Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TeamChevy, follow us on Twitter @CorvetteRacing and @TeamChevy, and add +TeamChevy into your Google+ circles.

 

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES DRIVERS READY TO HIT THE ROAD TO THE DAYTONA 500

Cross-Country Media Blitz to Feature Close to 20 Drivers Promoting the DAYTONA 500 on Feb. 22

Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. Jan. 13, 2015 – In the weeks leading up to the prestigious season-opening DAYTONA 500 Sunday, Feb. 22, the stars of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will be logging plenty of miles promoting “The Great American Race” with the Road to the DAYTONA 500 Tour.

The cross-country media blitz will feature close to 20 drivers visiting 11 different cities. Each location will host a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver for a day of special events and media availabilities, all promoting the 57th annual DAYTONA 500 Sunday, Feb. 22 (TV – FOX, FOX Deportes; Radio – MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

“We’re excited to work with the drivers as we build the excitement throughout the country about the DAYTONA 500 and the start of the new NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season,” Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III said. “The Road to the DAYTONA 500 is a critical element in promoting ‘The Great American Race’.”

The Road to the DAYTONA 500 kicked off Jan. 2 in Jacksonville with 2014 DAYTONA 500 champion Dale Earnhardt Jr., who prior to flipping the coin at the TaxSlayer Bowl, met with the media alongside the Harley J. Earl DAYTONA 500 trophy and participated in a Twitter takeover of @DISupdates.

Among the other cities and drivers that will be featured on the tour include:

• Washington, D.C. (Jeff Gordon)
• Phoenix (Danica Patrick)
• Atlanta (Kyle Busch)
• Boston (Kevin Harvick)
• Chicago (Carl Edwards)
• Tampa (Brad Keselowski, Tony Stewart and Kyle Larson)
• Los Angeles (Jimmie Johnson)
• Miami (Joey Logano)
• New York (Earnhardt Jr., Denny Hamlin)
• Orlando (Matt Kenseth)
• Daytona Beach (Clint Bowyer, AJ Allmendinger and Ryan Newman)
• Orlando-Daytona Beach, where driver Austin Dillon and owner Richard Childress will officially activate the new vertical transportation associated with its $400 million DAYTONA Rising project with an Escalator Duel.

In addition, during Budweiser Speedweeks, Aric Almirola and Kasey Kahne are expected to fly with the world-renowned U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, who are providing the flyover for the DAYTONA 500.

Race fans can follow along with each Road to the DAYTONA 500 event on Twitter using #ROADTODAYTONA500 or by visiting www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com/TheRoad.

Tickets for the 57th annual DAYTONA 500 and all Budweiser Speedweeks 2015 events are on sale now and can be purchased by calling 1-800-PITSHOP or visiting www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com

Fans also can follow NASCAR on Twitter and stay up to speed on the latest news by using hashtags #DAYTONA500 and #SPEEDWEEKS. Stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest for the latest news all season long. Fans can follow the latest on DAYTONA Rising, the $400 million frontstretch renovation at the “World Center of Racing” by using #DAYTONARising on Twitter or visiting www.daytonarising.com.

 

NBC SPORTS GROUP ADDS KRISTA VODA AS NASCAR HOST

Krista Voda

Motorsports Host Brings More Than a Decade of Experience to NBC Sports Group’s Multi-Platform Package, Starting in 2015

STAMFORD, Conn. — November 04, 2014 – NBC Sports Group announced today that Krista Voda has signed a multi-year agreement to serve as host of NBC Sports’ upcoming NASCAR Sprint Cup and XFINITY Series pre- and post-race coverage, beginning in 2015. Her on-air duties will also include regular appearances as host of NASCAR AMERICA on NBCSN, as well as a range of assignments across NBC Sports and NBC Olympics. The announcement was made today by Sam Flood, Executive Producer, NBC Sports and NBCSN.

“Krista is a talented host that has established a strong connection with NASCAR viewers over the course of an already impressive career,” said Flood. “Her passion for the sport and comprehensive grasp of its stars, personalities and history will provide for an engaging and informative race day experience for the fans.”

Krista’s résumé is among the strongest in NASCAR broadcasting.  When she joins NBC Sports in 2015, it will mark her 14th continuous year covering the sport on network television.  She is the current host of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series pre-race show for Fox Sports, and was the first female to ever host NASCAR’s Daytona Duels, as well as the NASCAR All-Star Race in Charlotte. She recently concluded her eighth season as a pit reporter for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series coverage on Fox and has hosted or co-hosted every NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction ceremony, many NASCAR Awards Banquets, and several Fox Sports studio shows.  Outside of motorsports, Krista has an impressive breadth of experience, including NFL sideline reporting, and on-air contributions to numerous major sporting events, including postseason MLB broadcasts, Bowl Championship Series coverage, the Kentucky Derby, multiple NCAA men’s basketball tournaments and the PGA Championship.

“This role is a dream opportunity for me and I’m honored to be a part of NBC’s return to NASCAR,” said Voda. “We say it often, but it’s true: NASCAR is more than a sport, it’s a community. I’ve been blessed, for many years, to stand alongside colleagues who I also consider dear friends. I’m looking forward to this new chapter and the chance to share my knowledge and enthusiasm for storytelling.”

On July 23, 2013, NASCAR and NBC Sports Group reached a comprehensive agreement that grants NBCUniversal exclusive rights to the final 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, final 19 NASCAR XFINITY Series events, select NASCAR Regional & Touring Series events and other live content, beginning in 2015.

With this partnership, NBC’s 20 Sprint Cup race schedule includes a designation as the exclusive home to the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, when the elite national series races through its final 10 events of the season.  The Chase culminates with the season-ending championship event, which returns to network television in 2015 for the first time since 2009. Of NBC Sports Group’s 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events, seven will be carried on NBC annually, with 13 airing on NBCSN. Four of NBC Sports Group’s 19 NASCAR XFINITY Series races will air on NBC, with 15 airing on NBCSN.

NASCAR AMERICA premiered in February, following Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Daytona 500 victory and NBC Sports Group’s multi-platform coverage of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi. The weekday 30-minute news and highlights program is hosted primarily by NASCAR on NBC lead race announcer Rick Allen and features regular appearances by NBC Sports NASCAR analyst Jeff Burton, reporters Marty Snider, Kelli Stavast and Nate Ryan, as well as guest analysts such as Kyle Petty, Bobby Labonte, Wally Dallenbach and Frank Stoddard.

In addition to NASCAR’s Sprint Cup and NASCAR XFINITY Series races, NBC also obtained exclusive rights to practice and qualifying sessions for NBC’s national series events during their portion of the season, as well as rights to broadcast the NASCAR K&N Series, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, NASCAR Toyota (Mexico) Series, the NASCAR Hall of Fame induction ceremony and NASCAR’s season-ending banquets. Further, NBC is granted Spanish-language rights, certain video-on-demand rights and exclusive TV Everywhere rights for its NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series events.

 

DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY FEATURES BUSY SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES DURING FALL CYCLE SCENE

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – October 15, 2014 – Daytona International Speedway will be a must-see stop for motorcycle enthusiasts on Oct. 16-19 for the annual Fall Cycle Scene.

On the track, the Speedway’s 3.51-mile road course will feature the Team Hammer Advanced School, vintage racing from American Historic Motorcycle Racing Association (AHMRA), Championship Cup Series (CCS) sprint races and the American Sportbike Racing Association (ASRA) finals.

Outside the “World Center of Racing,” there will also be numerous motorcycle activities to check out including:

• Monster Dash: The annual Monster Dash returns on Friday night, Oct. 17 where bikers will have the opportunity to take two parade laps around the Speedway. Tickets are $30 per bike and can be purchased in advance by calling 1-800-PITSHOP or the day of the event. The Monster Dash will begin at approximately 6 p.m. following the completion of on-track events
• Fashion show: The Hot Leathers Fashion Show and Bikini Contest will be staged on Saturday, Oct. 18 at 1 p.m. in the K and G Cycles Thunder Alley Stage.
• Free Demo Rides: Behind the backstretch grandstands, motorcycle enthusiasts can test-ride the newest rides from manufacturers Spyder, Suzuki and Star.
• Vendors and displays: Bikers can visit with close to 100 of the nation’s top aftermarket product vendors or get an up close look at the cruiser and sport bike manufacturers and custom bike builders have to offer in their display areas.
• K and G Cycles Thunder Alley: Bikers can spend the day inside the K and G Cycles Thunder Alley where they can enjoy a cold Budweiser and great food next to the area’s largest vendor, display and demo ride marketplace. K and G Cycles Thunder Alley will also showcase live music, games and contests.
• RV Parking: RV camping is available inside the “World Center of Racing” infield. Gecko Shores at Lake Lloyd (with hook-ups) is available for $295 and GEICO Grounds Red (no hook-ups) is $175 which also includes two adult admissions for the weekend’s racing activities.  Tent camping in Daytona’s infield inside Turns 3 and 4 are FREE with your daily admission ticket. Motorcycle trailer parking is $25. For more information, call 1-800-PITSHOP.

Tickets for Fall Cycle Scene start at $10 and can be purchased at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com,  by calling 1-800-PITSHOP or at the gate. Fans can also stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for the latest news all season long.  Fans can follow the latest on DAYTONA Rising, the $400 million frontstretch renovation at the “World Center of Racing” by using #DAYTONARising on Twitter or visiting www.daytonarising.com.

 

GERMAN RACING LEGEND JOCHEN MASS NAMED GRAND MARSHAL FOR THE 53rd EDITION OF THE ROLEX 24 AT DAYTONA

Jochen Mass from the Goodwood Revival 2014 (Photo credit Rolex/Jad Sherif).

DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA – September 30, 2014 – Legendary German sports car and Formula One driver Jochen Mass will serve as the Grand Marshal for the 53rd edition of the Rolex 24 At Daytona on January 24-25, 2015 at Daytona International Speedway – the season-opening event for the IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship.

In his role as Grand Marshal, Mass will deliver the command, “Drivers start your engines,” for the demanding 24-hour sports car race staged on the track’s 3.56-mile road course. Mass joins other racing legends such as David Hobbs, Hurley Haywood, A.J. Foyt, Dan Gurney, Vic Elford and Brian Redman who have served as Grand Marshal for the prestigious twice-around-the-clock challenge.

“Jochen Mass is an endurance racing legend as well as a veteran driver in Formula One,” Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III said. “It’s an honor to have him preside as Grand Marshal for the Rolex 24 At Daytona to deliver the starting command as we kick off the 2015 racing season.”

Between 1977-87, Mass made five starts in the Rolex 24 At Daytona posting a best finish of third in 1985 and 1986 driving Jim Busby’s Porsche 962. In 1977, Mass put the first turbo-charged Porsche 935 on pole for the Rolex 24; in 1987 he won his second pole driving Bruce Leven’s Porsche 962.

Notable victories for Mass in his sports car career include the 12 Hours of Sebring with co-driver Bobby Rahal in 1987 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1989 with co-drivers Manuel Reuter and Stanley Dickens.

Between 1973-82, during his Formula One career, Mass made more than 100 starts and earned his lone victory in the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix.

Tickets for the 2015 Rolex 24 At Daytona and the Roar Before The Rolex 24, the three-day test session scheduled for January 9-11, can be purchased online at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.

Fans can follow sports cars at www.imsa.com and go on Twitter at TUDOR United SportsCar Championship (@UnitedSportsCar). Fans can also stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for the latest news all season long.  Fans can follow the latest on DAYTONA Rising, the $400 million frontstretch renovation at the “World Center of Racing” by using #DAYTONARising on Twitter or visiting www.daytonarising.com.