NASCAR's Pemberton Says Intent, Advantage Not Factors In Penalty Decisions

NASCAR vice president of competition Robin Pemberton made it clear Friday that the sanctioning body is not in the business of reading minds, or judging intent.

Pemberton said the penalties handed down against Joe Gibbs Racing this week were the result of a clear breach of the Sprint Cup Series rulebook, and that NASCAR’s does not include determining whether violations were intentional, or provided a performance advantage.

"Over the last two or three weeks… we've had some significant penalties,” he said. “They're in all areas of the rule book.  We're here to not judge… whether they are performance enhancing. We're here just to regulate the rule book.

"We've got rules in play,” said Pemberton. “They're put there by NASCAR, with input from the teams, manufacturers and outside experts. It's our job to manage those rules as it relates to the garage area. When a guy exceeds pit road speed by six miles per hour but doesn't gain any positions, he still exceeded (the speed limit). He gets a penalty."

Pemberton said there are three areas of the race car that teams know are off-limits; engines, tires and fuel. And while teams like JGR often purchase engines and components from outside vendors, he said they remain responsible for the legality of the final product.

"I don't want to be cold about it, but that's just the way it is," Pemberton said. "(The teams) know ahead of time where they're supposed to be."

“We've put parameters in -- weights, measures, heights, dimensions, coordinates to build chassis and bodies -- and it's in quite (a bit of) detail. The teams know where they can and can't go, and there are areas that they can work in.”

He also defended the severity of the sacntions, saying, "We feel like we're consistent, but not every violation is exactly the same. We do our best. We feel like we do a good job interpreting the rules and levying the penalties they deserve.

“We're not here to judge the performance on any of these (violations).  We are strictly here to regulate the rule book and keep a level playing field for the garage area… and make sure everybody gets a fair chance at competing."

Kenseth Calls Penalties "Grossly Unfair"

It takes a lot to make Matt Kenseth angry. 

The former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion is even-keeled by nature, with the experience and tenure to see the big picture in virtually every circumstance. The penalties handed down to Kenseth and his Joe Gibbs Racing team yesterday, however, are the exception to that rule. 

"I think the penalties are grossly unfair," said Kenseth Thursday at Richmond International Raceway. "I think it's borderline shameful.” Kenseth stated – correctly -- that his JGR Toyota team "had no control” over the weight of the connecting rods in their engine, built by Toyota Racing Development. "There's no argument the part was wrong,” he said. “They weighed it and it was wrong.  However, there is an argument that there certainly was no performance advantage.

 
"You can find any unbiased, reputable, knowledgeable engine builder, and if they saw the facts -- what all the rods weighed -- the average weight of all the rods was well above the minimum. There was (even) one in there that was way heavy.

"There was no performance advantage, there was no intent, it was a mistake." 

He said the penalties assessed by NASCAR -- a $200,000 fine, six-race suspension and probation until Dec. 31 for crew chief Jason Ratcliff; 50 driver and owner-point penalties for himself and team owner Joe Gibbs and invalidation of the team’s Kansas pole win, among other sanctions – were excessive. 

"To crush Joe Gibbs like that (and) to say they can't win an owner's championship with the team this year, I can't wrap my arms around that,” he said. “It just blows me away. The same with Jason Ratcliff. I don't feel bad for myself at all, but for Jason and Joe, I just couldn't feel any worse.

"There are no more reputable, honest, hard-working guys with good reputations than those two,” said Kenseth. “I feel really bad for them. I don't argue (that) there was a scale, and it says it has to weigh 225 grams. And if it weighs 224.99, it's illegal. I don't think any of us have any argument about that.

"I just think the penalty is way over the top.”

"I understand a lot of NASCAR's points,” he admitted. “I think they do a really good job of trying to police the garage. I understand (it’s) internal parts of the engine that you can't tech that all the time, and they need to make (the penalties) big, so people aren't messing with that. The part in there was wrong and somebody needs to pay for that. Everybody in the garage needs to understand (that) you can't get away with that mistake. It's still wrong, and I understand all that. But this was no performance advantage.

 

“That was a mistake, a very bad mistake, a very dumb mistake."

Nationwide To Sponsor Stenhouse

Nationwide Insurance has announced a two-year partnership with Roush Fenway Racing’s No. 17 Ford Fusion powered by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Nationwide Insurance will be the primary sponsor for three races in 2013, four races in 2014 and will serve as associate sponsor for all other No. 17 team Sprint Cup races.

“We’ve had a 15-year presence in NASCAR and this is the first time we’ve sponsored a car in any NASCAR series,” said Matt Jauchius, chief marketing officer for Nationwide Insurance. “We built a solid relationship with Roush Fenway and two-time NASCAR Nationwide Series champion and Nationwide Insurance member, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and we’re eager to carry that momentum forward and enhance our existing integrated NASCAR marketing platform.”

The No. 17 Nationwide Insurance Ford Fusion will contend in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races on Aug. 24 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, Sept. 7 at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway and Oct. 20 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. The race dates in 2014 are yet to be determined.

“This new partnership broadens our reach to NASCAR fans on Sundays,” Jauchius added. “We remain fully committed to the NASCAR Nationwide Series, its teams and drivers, our loyal partners and the rabid fans. Nationwide Insurance continues to have positive conversations with NASCAR regarding the Series entitlement renewal which began in mid-March and are on-going. It’s a very detailed process and we expect it will take a while, but NASCAR is a great place to be for active sponsors, like us.”

Nationwide Insurance is in its sixth year of a seven-year agreement as the title sponsor of the NASCAR Nationwide Series – the second-most popular form of motorsports in the United States - and is the official home, life, auto and farm insurance sponsor of NASCAR.

“I’ve really enjoyed working with Nationwide Insurance so much over the past three years as both their champion and as a Nationwide Insurance member,” said Stenhouse. “They feel like family and to be able to continue that relationship with our No. 17 team means so much to me because of who they are and all that they stand for. I’ve had Nationwide on my side for my entire NASCAR career, and I’m excited that they are going to continue being there for me.”

“Nationwide Insurance has been a terrific partner for the entire sport, and we’re proud to be representing them on the track with Ricky and the No. 17 team as their involvement in NASCAR grows,” said Roush Fenway president Steve Newmark. “Our relationship with Nationwide Insurance has always been a strong one and we’ve constantly been impressed with their marketing prowess and innovation in our sport. We’re looking forward to growing our partnership and driving success for their business – on and off the track.”

Stenhouse, Larson Added To Hamlin Shootout Field

Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Kyle Larson have added their names to the list of competitors for the Sixth Annual Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown at Richmond International Raceway Thursday night, driving for Lee Faulk Racing.  

Stenhouse will compete in Faulk's No. 25 Ford, with support from Plan B Sales and AccuDoc Solutions. Although this will be the first time he has competed in the DHSTS, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year contender is no stranger to Richmond International Raceway. He has six starts in the NASCAR Nationwide Series at the .75-mile oval, with one pole and four Top-5 finishes.  

"Denny has been able to raise a lot of money for charity through this race each year, and I'm happy to support him and the causes his foundation supports," explained Stenhouse. "I enjoy getting to the short tracks each season, and Richmond is always a lot of fun to race, so I expect we'll have a good time on Thursday night. I have to thank Plan B Sales and AccuDoc Solutions for the opportunity to be a part of such a great event." 

Larson will take to the track in the No. 15 Vizio/huluPLUS machine, making his second start at Richmond International Raceway. He made his debut there last season in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, starting on the outside pole and finishing fourth. In addition to participating in the DHSTS, Larson will also compete in Friday night's NASCAR Nationwide Series race. 

"I love to race anything, but it's extra special to get to be a part of this one, since it supports such a good cause," said Larson. "I had a good time racing at Richmond last season in the East Series, so I'm excited to get out there in the Vizio/huluPLUS Chevrolet. It will also be nice to get a little extra track time before my Nationwide debut at the track on Friday night."

TRD's White: ""We Take Full Responsibility"

Statement from TRD, U.S.A. (Toyota Racing Development)
April 24, 2013 

"During NASCAR's routine post-race tear down of Matt Kenseth's race-winning car and engine from Kansas Speedway, one of our engine connecting rods weighed in approximately three grams under the legal minimum weight of 525 grams.  None of the other seven connecting rods were found to be under the minimum weight. 

 

We take full responsibility for this issue with the engine used by the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing  team this past Sunday in Kansas -- JGR is not involved in the process of selecting parts or assembling the Cup Series engines.  It was a simple oversight on TRD's part and there was no intent to deceive, or to gain any type of competitive advantage. 

 

Toyota is a company that was built on integrity, and that remains one of the guiding principles of the company.

The goal of TRD has always been -- and will continue to be -- to build high-performance engines that are reliable, durable and powerful, and within the guidelines established by NASCAR."

Lee White

President

T.R.D., U.S.A. (Toyota Racing Development)

JGR Vows To Appeal Kenseth Penalty

STATEMENT FROM JOE GIBBS RACING ON THE SANCTIONS IMPOSED AGAINST JGR AND DRIVER MATT KENSETH TODAY:

Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) is aware of the penalty issued by NASCAR today regarding the engine in our No. 20 car used in last week’s Sprint Cup Series race in Kansas.

It is our understanding that one of the eight connecting rods on the engine was ruled too light.

We are working with our partners at TRD on this issue.

In the meantime we will plan to appeal the penalty.

NASCAR Hammers JGR, Kenseth For Engine Infraction

Penalties have been handed down to the No. 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team as a result of rule violations discovered in the post-race engine inspection April 23 at the NASCAR Research and Development Center.

The No. 20 car was found to have violated Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4J (any determination by NASCAR officials that the race equipment used in the event does not conform to NASCAR rules); and 20-5.5.3 (E) (Only magnetic steel connecting rods with a minimum weight of 525.0 grams will be permitted; connecting rod failed to meet the minimum connecting rod weight) of the 2013 rule book.

As a result of this violation, NASCAR has assessed the following penalties:

Crew chief Jason Ratcliff has been fined $200,000 and suspended from NASCAR until the completion of the next six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship points events (a period of time that also includes the non-points NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race) and placed on probation until Dec. 31.

Car owner Joe Gibbs has lost 50 championship car owner points; the first place finish from April 21 at Kansas Speedway will not earn bonus points toward the accumulated aggregate car owner points total after the completion of the first 26 events of the current season and will not be credited towards the eligibility for a car owner Wild Card position; has had the owner’s license for the No. 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car suspended until the completion of the next six championship points events, therefore being ineligible to receive championship car owner points during that period of time.

Driver Matt Kenseth has lost 50 championship driver points; the Coors Light Pole award from April 19 at Kansas Speedway will not be allowed for eligibility into the 2014 Sprint Unlimited; the first place finish from April 21 at Kansas Speedway will not earn bonus points toward the accumulated aggregate driver points total after the completion of the first 26 events of the current season and will not be credited towards the eligibility for a driver Wild Card position.

The loss of five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Manufacturer Championship points.

Sauter, ThorSport Sanctioned For Fuel Cell Violation

Sauter forfeits Truck Series lead

NASCAR has announced penalties and fines to the championship leading No. 98 team that competes in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, as a result of rule infractions at Kansas Speedway.

The ThorSport Racing No. 98 truck driven by Johnny Sauter was found to have violated Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4K (if in the judgment of NASCAR Officials, race equipment that has been previously verified or previously approved and/or sealed by NASCAR for use in an event, pursuant to sub-section 8-6 and/or 8-12, has been altered, modified, repaired, or changed in any manner); 20B-16 (once a fuel cell or fuel cell components have been certified, modifications of any kind will not be permitted to the fuel cell or fuel cell components); and 20B-16.1B (standard black, safety foam with minimum free-standing height of eight (8) inches, acceptable to NASCAR Officials, and used as provided by an approved fuel cell manufacturer, must be used: Fuel cell safety foam modification.) of the 2013 rule book.

As a result of this violation, crew chief Joel Shear has been fined $10,000 and suspended from NASCAR competition until the completion of the next four NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events. He has been placed on NASCAR probation until December 31. The team has also been docked 25 championship driver and owner points, dropping Sauter into a tie for second place in the championship standings, 13 behind teammate Matt Crafton.

Sauter won the opening two races of the 2013 season at Daytona and Martinsville, before finishing fourth at Rockingham two weeks ago and fifth Saturday in Kansas. The violations were discovered during opening day inspection.

BREAKING NEWS: Kenseth's Winning Engine Undergoing NASCAR Scrutiny

Kenseth celebrates in Kansas

Three days after Matt Kenseth’s dominant win at Kansas Speedway, the engine in his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota has reportedly still not passed NASCAR inspection.

Published reports today say NASCAR is investigating possible discrepancies under the hood of Kenseth’s car, with multiple sources saying there are issues involving possible lightening of the engine’s connecting rods.  Ordinarily, NASCAR issues a press release on Tuesday confirming that the previous weekend’s top finishers have passed post-race inspections at both the speedway and the sanctioning body’s Research and Development Center in Concord, NC.

Kenseth and Bobby Labonte had their cars impounded as part of NASCAR’s standard, post-race procedure, with Labonte chosen as the weekly random selection. Kenseth and runner-up Kasey Kahne had their engines impounded for inpection. NASCAR has not commented on the status of any of the cars of engines, but sources with JTG Daugherty Racing and Hendrick Motorsports said today that there are no issues with the Labonte or Kahne entries.

Previous infractions of this type have resulted in heavy fines, point penalties and suspensions. In 2009, independent racer Carl Long was suspended for 12 races and fined $200,000 after his engine tested 0.17 cubic inches over the limit at Charlotte Motor Speedway. His suspension was subsequently reduced to eight races on appeal, but Long has not competed in a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race since.

NASCAR typically allows tainted victories to stand, but the sanctioning body has not awarded bonus points for those wins, prior to the start of the Chase For The Sprint Cup.  

Joe Gibbs Racing purchases its Sprint Cup Series engines from Toyota Racing Development.

 

Peck Asks Fans To Choose Helmet Design

Todd Peck is asking for help from the NASCAR community to decide the design of his race helmet.  

At the beginning of the season, Peck asked children with Juvenile Arthritis to send him original artwork for his helmet. Hundreds of schemes were submitted to his website, where a panel of judges narrowed it to four final designs. The finalists are posted on his Facebook page, www.facebook.com/peck-motorsports, where everyone can vote for their favorite design through May 6.  

Peck will wear the helmet that receives the most votes in all of his 2013 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races and give it to the winning designer at the conclusion of the season. Additionally, a duplicate helmet will be produced and used to raise funds for the Arthritis Foundation in 2013. 

Peck, who lives with arthritis and was diagnosed as a juvenile, has used his race team as a platform to help children who also fight the condition. His Silverado carried a "Kids get Arthritis too" decal throughout the team's 2011 and 2012 schedule. The team has hosted kids and their families who suffer from juvenile arthritis at several races, and has named Juvenile Arthritis as its official foundation and charitable outreach. Peck is thrilled to use another of the team's elements to help kids with JA.

"We loved all of the drawings that came in for my helmet design contest," Peck said. "The contest really showed that kids with arthritis can continue to do great things. They did an amazing job and it was tough to narrow it down to the finalists. Whichever design is chosen, I know that I'll have a very special reminder of a kid's hard work every time I go racing." 

Todd Peck started his career driving go-karts. He worked his way up to the national levels in karting before advancing to the Allison Legacy Series. Peck has experience in the Rev-Oil Pro Cup Series, more than 15 starts in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and five starts in the NCWTS. He has done all of this while overcoming the conditions of living with arthritis. 

For more information, log onto www.peckmotorsports.com.

Yeley Plays Shoe Fairy In Kansas City

Bright and early last Friday morning, JJ Yeley arrived at Kansas City's Children's Mercy Hospital to play the role of "shoe fairy" for three families of seriously ill children. While most drivers were still in their motor coaches enjoying a quiet morning, Yeley was spending time with three children, each of whom received a hand painted pair of Converse sneakers as part of his work with the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation in conjunction with Peach's Neet Feet.

The morning started off with JJ getting to meet with each of the children, Hudson (2), Madison (5), and Avery (8), as well as their families. He sat down and drew pictures with the kids and got to know a little bit about each one. When speaking with the families Yeley gave words of encouragement and hope to each.

"I couldn't imagine having to go through what you do every day as a parent,” said Yeley. “My heart and hope is with each of you that you continue the good fight and hang in there, and hopefully good things will be coming your way soon."

Afterward, Yeley presented each child with a hand painted pair of Converse. The smiles on their faces were priceless. "It is such a great feeling,” he said. “To be able to come out here and give them a pair of shoes that brings them happiness means a lot to me, as well as their families."

Children's Mercy Hospital is located in the heart of Kansas City, MO. The hospital is one of the most prestigious children's hospitals in the country and the first in the state to earn the award for excellence in patient care by the American Nurses Credentialing Centers. With over 700 medical staff and specialists on hand, Children's Mercy is a top of the line care facility for children and young adults.

JJ's ongoing involvement with the Random Acts of Kindness organization brought him to a new opportunity with Peach's Neet Feet. PNF is a non-profit organization that started in 2011, and has continued to grow over the past two years. The organization is best known for their hand painted shoes that are given to children with disabilities or fighting a serious illness. PNF has given away hundreds of "one of a kind" shoes that continue to put a smile on a child's face daily.

Kansas City was just the first stop for JJ Yeley. Throughout the remainder of the NASCAR season, Yeley will be visiting several other Children's Hospitals and playing "shoe fairy." Make sure you check out Tommy Baldwin Racing's Twitter and Facebook page for more pictures and upcoming events.

Swan Racing Launches New YouTube Channel

In an effort to better connect with its fans on a more personal level, Swan Racing, in conjunction with Wheelhouse Media, is set to launch Swan Racing TV this week, leading into the upcoming Toyota Owners 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway.  

Swan Racing TV will feature the cast and characters of Swan Racing and consist of 32 weeks of high quality, entertaining, fun and informative "reality show style" original content, edited down to three to six minutes in length per weekly video. The video’s will help raise the profile of Swan Racing and keep its fans up to speed on the weekly happenings of the team away from the track back, at the shop, as well as allowing Swan Racing's fans to feel an immediate connection to the team.  

The first video out of the 32-week series will be rolled out this Thursday, April 25.  

"Swan Racing is old school racing. Racing hard, every lap, every race," said Swan Racing team owner Brandon Davis. "We are a team with an all hands on deck approach and understand many of our fans are just like us - old school racers at heart. So we want to give our fans the opportunity to be able to connect with our race team on a more personal level and open up our shop doors to allow them to see all that goes down behind the scenes through Swan Racing TV. At the end of the day we are just a bunch of "good ol boys" who grew up grass roots racing like a majority of our fans and we don't want to lose sight of that."  

Be sure to follow @SwanRacingTV, @SwanRacingCo, @DavidStremme, & @SwanEnergyInc on Twitter to catch the weekly webisodes.  

Swan Racing has hired Wheelhouse Media to produce the 32 weeks of original content for Swan Racing TV. Wheelhouse Media is a full service video production shop that specializes in creating original content for film, television, commercials, and marketing campaigns and is best known for their award winning cinematography, clever narrative, inventive scripting, creative post-production and high quality motion graphics. The Charlotte, N.C. based group is no stranger to the racing world having covered hundreds of racing events and produced video content for clients such as Hendrick Motorsports, Richard Petty Holdings, Dodge, Valvoline, Bank of America, Performance Racing Network and General Motors.

Charlotte Announces Coke 600 Pre-Race Plans

Batten down the hatches, the Coca-Cola 600 Pre-Race Show is approaching!

Charlotte Motor Speedway will continue their tradition of paying tribute to the U.S. Armed Forces with a Welcome Home Our Troops pre-race spectacular at the May 26 Coca-Cola 600. The program will include a one-of-a-kind air parade with 10 vintage war birds, a patriotic flyover and a flight by an American bald eagle over the infield during the national anthem.

“When the sequester took away military flyovers earlier this year, we heard from hundreds of fans who wanted to know what we were going to do at the Coca-Cola 600,” said Marcus Smith, president and general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway.

“Instead of doing less, we’re going to ramp it up and give the fans more aircraft than ever before as part of our spectacular military pre-race tribute on Memorial Day weekend. The Coca-Cola 600 will again carry on our tradition of providing the most race-day entertainment found anywhere on the planet.”

Bridging the worlds of military and motorsports, the pre-race flyover will include P-51 Mustangs, owned by NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team owner Jack Roush.

The Welcome Home Our Troops Coca-Cola 600 pre-race show will also include a performance of “I Will Give My All” by country music artist Jamie Tate and the 82^nd Airborne All-American Chorus, a bagpipe performance of “Amazing Grace” by the Charlotte Fire Department Pipe Band and “Taps” played by a Fort Bragg bugler. There will also be a 21-gun salute from the Fort Bragg Firing Squad.

Fans will be able to salute the troops when 600 soldiers from Fort Bragg walk through the grandstands to the infield to participate in pre-race ceremonies.

In addition, NASCAR drivers and Charlotte-area VIPs will participate in special welcome home and military dedication video messages that will be displayed on the world’s largest HDTV, and a gigantic American flag the size of a football field will be unfurled across the frontstretch.

Medal of Honor recipients Bob Patterson (Vietnam), Gary Littrell (Vietnam) and Walter Joseph Marm (Vietnam) will be recognized on the pre-race stage.

The only 600-mile event on the NASCAR schedule, the Coca-Cola 600 tests the endurance of both drivers and equipment and provides fans more entertainment value than any other sporting event in America.

Tickets for all May races at Charlotte Motor Speedway can be purchased online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or by calling the speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS (3267). Fans can purchase two frontstretch tickets with excellent views of pit road and the world’s largest HDTV for just $99 to the May 26 Coca-Cola 600.

Penske Appeal To Be Heard May 1

Roger Penske

The National Stock Car Racing Commission will hear an appeal filed by Penske Racing on Wednesday, May 1.

The three-member panel will hear testimony surrounding the fines and suspensions assessed by NASCAR for technical violations found on the cars of Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano in pre-race inspection at Texas Motor Speedway April 13. The sanctioning body docked both drivers 25 championship points, assessed $100,000 fines and six-race suspensions to crew chiefs Paul Wolfe and Todd Gordon and suspended car chiefs Jerry Kelley and Raymond Fox, engineers Brian Wilson and Samuel Stanley and Penske competition director Travis Geisler for an identical six races. All seven men were placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31.

Those suspensions have been deferred, pending appeal.

The dispute centers on rear end housings and suspension components that allowed the rear ends to “yaw” under race conditions, improving handling and corner speed. Team owner Roger Penske called the parts, “working in a gray area” in an Associated Press interview last week, adding, “we've got very creative minds and it takes a lot of creative minds to be competitive.”

The three-member panel will hear testimony and consider evidence submitted by both Penske Racing and NASCAR at 9 a.m. next Wednesday at NASCAR’s Research and Development Center in Concord, North Carolina.  If the sanctions are upheld, Penske could exercise a final appeal to NASCAR’s Chief Appellate Officer, John Middlebrook.

Johnson, Godfather Motorsports Set For Gresham

Driver Jerick Johnson and the No. 30 KOMA Unwind Chevrolet will make their second start of the 2013 season Saturday night in the “Racing Radios 125” Southern Super Series Late Model race at Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, Ga. 

With a new engine installed under the hood after problems in the season-opener at Southern National Motorsports Park two weeks ago, Johnson said the team has set high goals for Saturday night.

“The KOMA Unwind Chevrolet was fast at Southern National,” said Johnson. “Fast enough for a Top-5 finish, I believe. So our goal for Saturday night is to bring home a Top-5, or maybe even a podium finish. I know the car is capable of it, and crew chief Jim Gallison, Jr., has made some additional changes that should make us better in both qualifying and the race.

“I’m ready to get out there and show people what we can do.”

Time trial qualifying for the Southern Super Series Super Late Models will take place at 5:30 pm, with all cars impounded after qualifying. A special, on-track driver autograph session will take place immediately after qualifying is complete, with Opening Ceremonies at 6:35 and Feature Events beginning at 6:45. The Southern Super Series Late Models will be joined on the card by Gresham’s weekly Mini Stock, Sportsman/Renegade, Truck and Outlaw Late Model divisions.

About Godfather Motorsports – Godfather Motorsports is owned by Motor Racing Network and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio personality Dave Moody and enjoys major sponsorship from Bebida Beverage Company’s KOMA Unwind "Liquid Relaxation" drink. The team also boasts a comprehensive list of technological and marketing partners that includes Eibach Springs, ASM Graphics, Race 101, CV Products, ARBodies, Phantom Racing Gear and XFlex Crash Tape. For additional information on the team and marketing opportunities with Godfather Motorsports, contact Dave Moody -- mrnturn1@hotmail.com. Visit the Godfather Motorsports website at www.GodfatherMotorsports.com.

About KOMA Unwind -- Developed by BeBevCo., KOMA Unwind relaxes those who drink it; improving the duration and quality of their sleep with both flair and favor. KOMA Unwind is formulated to relax the body, mind and soul. It is the perfect lifestyle beverage for those who want to reduce stress and anxiety, and get a great night's sleep. The relaxation or "anti-energy" drink category is fairly new to the beverage industry. KOMA Unwind is dedicated to helping consumers achieve a level of relaxation without the use of pills or alcohol, fueling a "relaxation revolution" of consumers determined to chill without a pill. Unite with KOMA Unwind for its "relaxation revolution" by joining us on Facebook (www.Facebook.com/KOMAUnwind) and following us on Twitter @KOMAUnwindNews.

About POW*MIA Awareness – Godfather Motorsports is proud to support the POW*MIA Awareness Campaign. Driver Jerick Johnson has long been an advocate for veterans’ rights and the United States military. He is a five-time Distinguished Guest of the American Legion National Convention and has earned numerous awards from other veterans’ organizations. Promoting and increasing public awareness of the POW*MIA issue has become his main goal. `Prisoner Of War: Missing in Action’ refers to any soldier taken prisoner by the opposing side during an action of war. It is not always known whether that solider is alive or dead, only that they are missing. Our goal is to remind our fellow Americans that the greatest tragedy of all is to be forgotten, and honor those who have given so much. Jerick thanks Godfather Motorsports for the opportunity to help increase awareness of this issue by carrying the POW*MIA logo on the No. 30 KOMA Unwind Chevrolet.

 

Almirola Rolling To Richmond

Aric Almirola heads to Richmond International Raceway this weekend on the highest roll of his NASCAR career.

The Richard Petty Motorsports driver hopes to record his third consecutive Top-10 finish Saturday night at RIR; the first Top-10 three-peat of his Sprint Cup career. The No. 43 Smithfield Ford team comes off a seventh-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway and an eighth in Kansas, and sits just 18 points from a coveted spot in the 2013 Chase For The NASCAR Sprint Cup.

"Our team is on a roll right now,” said Almirola. “Everyone is really gelling together. We finished in the Top-10 in the last two races, and now we're eying a top-five. Todd (Parrott) and the guys have brought me fast cars each week. Todd has a few wins here, so I'm confident he'll put a good setup in the car."

Almirola said a recent test session at the track has him feeling even more confident.

“We tested at Richmond a few weeks ago and felt good about our cars there,” he said. “The track was really fast, which surprised me. We learned a lot from the test and felt that it helped us figure out what we need for our short-track package. I really like short track racing, so I am excited to get back to a short track this weekend.

"Richmond is Smithfield's home track, since they are just up the road in Smithfield, Virginia,” he added. “It's a big deal for our team to run good there for them. We would love to be able to win a race there. They are going to have a lot of people out this weekend, so I hope we can put on a good show and celebrate with them in Victory Lane."

Almirola has two prior Sprint Cup starts at Richmond -- both last season – along with five Nationwide Series starts. He collected his best RIR finish of seventh in the fall Nationwide race in 2011.

Gordon Anxious For Richmond Return

Richmond International Raceway has been the site of two of Jeff Gordon's 87 career NASCAR Sprint Cup victories.

And one very memorable runner-up finish.

Last September at the 3/4-mile track, Gordon entered the final race of NASCAR’s regular season on the outside of the 12-driver "Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup," looking in. He qualified second, but fell nearly two laps behind the leaders after the halfway mark of the 400-lap race. Gordon and the No. 24 Drive To End Hunger team battled back onto the lead lap, though, gradually fighting their way through the field to claim a runner-up finish that qualified the former series champion for the Chase.

"That certainly was memorable; probably my most memorable second-place finish," said Gordon. "We struggled early, but regrouped during the rain delay and never gave up, fighting all the way to the checkered flag. That never-give-up attitude is what I love about this team."

Gordon has faced adversity this season, as well. A strong performance at Bristol Motor Speedway ended with a heavily damaged car, while a top-three run in Texas was spoiled by a left-front hub issue. Despite those poor results, he is still 15th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings after eight races; a position he did not attain until after race No. 20 at Indianapolis a year ago.

"We've made some gains with the Gen-6 car - especially on the intermediate tracks," said Gordon, who started 43rd at Kansas last weekend and finished 13th. "But I'm really looking forward to running this Chevy SS on a short track this weekend."

Along with two wins at the Virginia track, the four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion has 16 Top-5 and 25 Top-10 finishes in 40 starts, with an average starting position of 7.9. He has also led 1,415 laps, tops among active drivers at Richmond.

Bettering those numbers, however, will require some guessing.

"When you practice during the day and race at night, you have to guess," said Gordon. “I feel like every time we race here, something is changing. I feel like we are advancing the technology of the cars,  gaining more downforce and gaining more mechanical grip. You are always trying to figure out what combination is going to work best for the night race.

"We've been very successful three out of the last four times here, but we also missed it big one of those times. Our goal is to find that right balance, and make sure we don't miss it big."

Brian Keselowski To Race At Richmond

Brian Keselowski will return to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series this weekend, driving the No.52 Brian Keselowski Motorsports Toyota at Richmond International Raceway.

It will be his first attempt since the season-opening Daytona 500 in February.  

“Giving up is not an option,” said Keselowski of his unsuccessful Daytona qualifying effort. “You learn from what went wrong and go from there. I'm not giving up. I’m nowhere near ready to that!”

Keselowski’s Toyota  will carry sponsorship from Highland Wealth Advisors, LLC, a company that works closely with High Net-Worth individuals to help them accomplish their Personal and Financial goals and objectives. Associate backing will come from Twisted Graphix, the Carolina Basset Hound Rescue, Virginia Software Group, Inc. and Infield Jen.

Keselowski will sport a red, white and blue “stars and stripes” paint scheme on the car, and a “Wreaths Across America” fire suit to help raise awareness and funding for that nonprofit group.

“I’ve worn a lot of fire suits in my career, but I wear the WAA fire suit with great pride because of what it represents and what they do to support our military, fallen soldiers and their families,” said Keselowski. For more information, visit wreathsacrossamerica.org.

NASCAR Implements Group Qualifying On Sprint Cup Road Courses

NASCAR announced today that the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will implement the group-based road course qualifying procedure used in NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Touring Series competition during its road-course events at Sonoma Raceway and Watkins Glen International. Under the new procedure, cars will qualify in groups instead of the traditional single-car qualifying runs held on oval race tracks.

“The change will add an exciting element to road-course qualifying,” said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition. “Fans will be treated to new strategy and increased competition with several cars on track at once.”

The new qualifying rules for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at road courses are as follows:

·         Cars attempting to qualify will be divided into groups. The number of groups, and amount of cars in each, will depend on the number of cars that practice for the event.

·         Group assignments will be based on final practice times.

·         Each qualifying group will be on-track for a set period of time, determined by the Series Director.

·         A car’s best lap time during the group session will be the qualifying lap time of record.

·         A group’s time begins when the first car receives the green flag at the start/finish line. 

“This is going to be a terrific new format for our NASCAR weekend,” said Steve Page, president and general manager of Sonoma Raceway. “It will intensify the action, with multiple cars on the track at the same time. It’s a very positive development for our fans.”

“The new format of qualifying at Watkins Glen International enhances the fan experience which is our top priority,” said Michael Printup, president of Watkins Glen. “Qualifying on Saturday for our Cheez-It 355 at The Glen is even more of a not-to-be missed aspect of a weekend of high-quality racing.”

The new format will debut with the Toyota Save-Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway on June 23 and will return at Watkins Glen for the Cheez-It 355 at the Glen on August 11.