Johnson To Anchor ESPN SportsCenter Tuesday

Six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson will become the first athlete to guest host ESPN SportsCenter, joining anchors John Anderson and Lindsay Czarniak for the 6 p.m. ET show on Tuesday.

Johnson, who wrapped up his sixth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title in 12 full seasons Sunday, has appeared on SportsCenter numerous times during his racing career, both in-studio and via satellite. But each time, he did so as a newsmaker. He also appeared in a memorable “This Is SportsCenter” commercial in which he used a pickaxe to remove speed bumps in the ESPN parking lot.  

But this time, the driver of the Hendrick Motorsports No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet will perform all the duties of a SportsCenter host, including presenting news and highlights and conducting interviews from around the world of sports. He will spend the day Tuesday preparing for his guest-hosting responsibilities.  

“I don’t know if SportsCenter knows what they are getting themselves into,” Johnson joked. “It’s probably a good thing I’m there pretty much all day preparing. I’ve met most of the anchors and I am really looking forward to becoming the first athlete to ever guest host SportsCenter.”

Actors Billy Crystal and Ken Jeong are the only other celebrity guest hosts in SportsCenter’s 34-year history. Crystal was the first in 2012 and Jeong hosted earlier this month on Nov. 1.

“We’re always looking for opportunities to change it up and give SportsCenter viewers a different take on the day’s news, have some fun and do some memorable television,” said Jack Obringer, SportsCenter senior coordinating producer. “And having a six-time champion like Jimmie Johnson on your set is pretty cool.”

In addition to his SportsCenter guest-hosting duties, Johnson will also appear on Late Show with David Letterman Monday night and LIVE with Kelly and Michael Tuesday morning to talk about his sixth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title.

Earnhardt Confident Of Championship Potential

There is an insurrection brewing inside the walls at Hendrick Motorsports.

Even as Jimmie Johnson celebrates his sixth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship, plans are being laid to deny him that title in 2014. Johnson’s own teammate, Dale Earnhardt Jr., says he is ready to ascend to the top of the mountain next season and supplant the Lowe’s Chevrolet driver in the auto racing equivalent of a bloodless coup.

“I’m really happy to run as well as we have this season,” said NASCAR’s perennial most popular driver, hot off a third-place finish that saw him lead 28 laps in Sunday’s Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. “This has been one of the best years I've had… (and I’m) hoping next year we continue that trend and get a shot at winning a championship.

“I think we can do it.”

That’s bold talk for a driver who has never finished better than fifth in the season-long standings and went without a victory this season, extending his personal winless streak to 54 races. But on closer inspection, here is evidence to support Earnhardt’s optimism.

His 22 Top-10 finishes this season were a career-best, and the Hendrick Motorsports driver led at least one lap in eight of the 10 Chase races this season. He posted Top-5 finishes in four of this season’s final five races, and with an average Chase finish of 8.5, displayed with the kind of consistency that defines title contenders. 

Earnhardt knows, however, where his championship drive fell short.   

“We didn't win enough races in the regular season,” he stated. “We didn't win any, (and) that was the difference. When we started the Chase, we were already in the hole to Matt. It's too competitive.”

Earnhardt refused to blame a blown engine at Chicagoland Speedway in September for his failure to contend for the title, despite a 35^th-place finish that effectively ended his championship hopes.

“It probably wouldn't have made a big difference,” he said. “We got behind in the regular season by not winning enough; not doing enough to get bonus points. Those points are so important. If you put a good (Chase) together and add those bonus points on top of it, man, you're going to be hard to beat.

“(This is) certainly the best year I've had working with Hendrick Motorsports,” admitted Earnhardt Sunday. “Steve Letarte and my engineers did just an amazing job providing these good cars every week.  Ever since I started working with Steve, I haven't wanted the years to end. We seem to get better as the season goes (and I) would love to go to another race next week.”

Team owner Rick Hendrick said he see Earnhardt and the No. 88 Chevrolet team closing the gap on their shop mate, Johnson.

“You can't run in the Top-10 until you run 15th,” he said. “You can't run in the Top-5 until you've run in the Top-10. “He's run so well… consistently in the Top-5. His confidence is at an all-time high. He and Stevie are really clicking.

“You can see it in his step,” said Hendrick. “He told me tonight that he can't wait to go to Daytona. I think he's got a lot of wins (in him). I think he's going to be a threat for the championship next year.”

Reddick To Drive For BKR In 2014

Brad Keselowski Racing announced today that Tyler Reddick will pilot the No. 19 BKR Ford F-150 for the team in 2014.

Reddick will compete in at least 15 events during the 2014 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season, and contest the entire Series schedule in 2015. The BBR Music Group, which has supported Reddick as he has climbed the racing ladder, will join BKR as a sponsor. The record label, whose roster of talented artists includes multi-platinum country superstar Jason Aldean, will be the primary sponsor for four races in 2014 as well an associate sponsor for the additional races in which Reddick will drive. In 2015 the BBR Music Group will expand its presence with Reddick and the BKR team to 12 primary sponsor races and 10 associate sponsor races.  

"Tyler caught my eye at the Rockingham NASCR K&N Pro Series East race in November of 2012. I continued to follow his progress and he definitely made a positive impression on me and our competition staff at BKR. We're pleased to be able to bring Tyler into the program that, with the support of the BBR Music Group, Ford, and long-time BKR partners Cequent and Cooper Standard, has a very solid foundation to compete for wins and championships in the coming seasons. We look forward to helping develop Tyler into a championship-caliber driver and ultimately seeing him progress within NASCAR," said Keselowski. 

Reddick started racing at the age of four-years old in Outlaw Karts where he developed and enhanced his driving skills weekly for the next seven years. At the age of 13, Reddick's family moved from California to the Midwest where he began racing mini sprints, 410 sprint cars, and super late models. At age 16 Tyler moved to asphalt and in his NASCAR debut, won the K&N Pro East Series race at Rockingham in 2012. For the past couple of seasons Reddick has competed in the Late Model Dirt Series, K&N Pro Series, and other NASCAR development series. 

"I'm thrilled to be joining Brad and BKR in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series," said Reddick. "As Brad is one of the young champion superstars in the sport today, I am confident I can learn a lot from him not just from a driving and competition standpoint, but also how to build a team around me and engage with sponsors and the media at the NASCAR level. I have no doubt that this is going to be a tremendous experience as I look to progress within the sport." 

"We are excited to partner with Brad Keselowski and the BKR team for the 2014 and 2015 seasons," said Benny Brown, founder of the BBR Music Group. "NASCAR will be a great promotional platform for our label group and its artists, and aligning with a champion driver in Brad and a successful team in BKR that is solidly established for the long-term will provide BBR and Tyler with some tremendous opportunities going forward."

Donovan McNabb, If You're Interested

TNT's Matt Yocum did a piece a while ago that Donovan McNabb might want to watch. The audio's a little rough, but it's an interesting watch nonetheless...

COMMENTARY: For McNabb, Ignorance IS An Excuse

FOX Sports Live's Donovan McNabb

So-called “stick and ball” sports analysts have never been shy about displaying their disdain for NASCAR.

Not long ago, ESPN’s Tony Kornheiser accused NASCAR of rigging the outcome of its events, saying a media source told him there was “a 60 percent chance” the sanctioning body had willingly allowed Dale Earnhardt, Jr. to qualify an illegal car at Daytona International Speedway in 2012.

Last night, former Philadelphia Eagle-turned Fox Sports 1 commentator Donovan McNabb ignited a firestorm of controversy when asked to rank the most dominant athletes of the last decade. McNabb initially ranked Johnson third -- behind golfer Tiger Woods and NBA All-Star Kobe Bryant – before suddenly declaring, ““Do I think he’s an athlete? Absolutely not. He’s not an athlete. He sits in a car and he drives. That’s not athletic.”

FOX Sports Live host Charissa Thompson offered McNabb an opportunity to back away from his remarks, pointing out that Johnson is favored to clinch his sixth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship this weekend at Homestead Miami Speedway. McNabb declined, saying that while NASCAR is indeed a sport, Johnson – and by association all racers – are not athletes.

The outcry was both swift and decisive.

Fellow panelist Andy Roddick leapt immediately to Johnson’s defense, calling McNabb’s comments “disrespectful.” And within minutes, the Twitter hashtag #PeopleWhoAreMoreAthleticThanDonovanMcNabb became the No. 1 trending topic in the United States.

Johnson is a triathlete in training

For the record, Johnson’s athleticism is beyond question. The Sprint Cup Series point leader is currently training to compete in the 2014 Boston Marathon – just one day after running a 500-mile Sprint Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway – and packs in five days of running, two days of swimming and three days of bicycle training each week.

McNabb knows nothing about that, of course. In fact, the six-time Pro Bowler knows very little about NASCAR, and nothing that can’t be learned from the comfort of a Barcalounger on Sunday afternoon. He has almost certainly ever attended a NASCAR race, and likely never will, despite numerous offers to strap himself into a NASCAR-style stock car and learn first-hand about what he speaks.

Jimmie Johnson currently has five NASCAR championship rings. Donovan McNabb never won an NFL title. Under the circumstances, perhaps a little jealousy is understandable. It’s easy to be angry with McNabb today, but maybe it’s better to simply take the high road, discounting his comments as those of an uninformed observer who was unable resist the urge to play “expert” on a topic he knows nothing about.

After all, this is the same Donovan McNabb that was benched by Redskins coach Mike Shanahan during a 2010 practice – we’re talkin’ practice – for being out of shape. It’s the same McNabb who vomited in the huddle during the late stages of a Super Bowl XXXIX loss to the New England Patriots. Cookies weren’t the only thing McNabb tossed that day. He also threw three interceptions en route to a 24-21 loss that made the entire city of Philadelphia gag.

This isn’t the first time an NFL player has expressed disdain for NASCAR drivers. In 2011, Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Golden Tate commented on Johnson’s Male Athlete of the Year ESPY Award nomination, tweeting, "Jimmy Johnson up for best athlete???? Um nooo. Driving a car does not show athleticism."

Tate felt the wrath of NASCAR Nation that day, eventually begging Johnson to, “get these rednecks off me." McNabb is likely feeling the same wrath today, after insulting a fan base that takes its sport very seriously and has little tolerance for those who do not.

Johnson has not responded to McNabb’s comments. He’s busy tending to the business of winning his sixth series title. But two years ago, he said of Tait, “it's easy to make a comment when you don't know. In a lot of situations, people haven't been to a race or been close enough to our sport to understand what takes place."

Apparently, ignorance is an excuse, after all.

France Pens Open Letter To NASCAR Fans

NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France penned an “open letter” to the sport’s fans today, recapping highlights of the 2013 season and outlining plans for 2014.

France wrote:

Dear NASCAR fans,

In a few short days, a dramatic 2013 season will end -- as will the milestone 10th Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

I have said a number of times that we created the Chase to provide fans with more high stakes, late season competition that goes right down to the final event. Now 10 years into the Chase, we can point to a number of instances which fit that description. You can look back at Kurt Busch’s tight victory over Jimmie Johnson in the very first Chase. Revel in the epic back-and-forth between Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards in 2011. And now this year, Jimmie Johnson continues his march toward history, attempting to fend off Matt Kenseth and Kevin Harvick in Sunday’s finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

As good as the Chase has been for our sport, we want more. We want more excitement, more passing, more drama. We want to give you more reasons to go to the race track and continue to follow our sport week after week. Rest assured that we as an industry are working hard to accomplish this goal. We’re on a mission to make the racing the best it can be. Frankly, your passion and commitment to NASCAR warrant our resolve to continuously pursue ideas that will make the best racing in the world even better.

The debut of the Gen-6 race cars – the Toyota Camry, Chevrolet SS and Ford Fusion – led to a number of highlight-reel moments on the race track this season. They not only look better but they have delivered significantly more passing across the season and some incredible moments in the capable hands of the best drivers in all of racing. But again, we want more. Our team at the NASCAR Research & Development Center, in concert with all of our NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race teams, is testing a number of rules packages in order to improve upon this season’s on-track product for 2014 and beyond. I’m proud of the effort and care put into this mission from all involved.

In terms of the 2013 season, we have had some very special moments and great accomplishments at all levels. Our first Nationwide Series race at Mid-Ohio was a great success for our sport near the home of valued series sponsor, Nationwide Insurance. In the Camping World Truck Series, the highly successful return to dirt at Eldora Speedway and the series’ first race outside of the United States at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park stand out as huge milestones. The Canadian Tire Series, NASCAR Whelen Euro Series and Toyota Mexico Series all delivered spectacular moments to NASCAR fans in all of those regions of the world, and the first Toyota Mexico Series event held in the United States at Phoenix International Raceway earlier this year will go down as a memorable, landmark moment in NASCAR’s rich history.

Darrell Wallace Jr. made history, becoming the first African-American driver in 50 years to win on the NASCAR national series stage. Kyle Larson’s win at Rockingham Speedway earlier this year, Darrell’s victory and innumerable great young drivers taking the spotlight in the K&N Pro Series ranks show that our Drive for Diversity, NASCAR Next and development series initiatives are bearing fruit on the track. These programs are filling the talent pipeline with emerging stars we’ll someday see chasing the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Finally, we are thrilled with the unification of sports car racing in North America and look forward to the inaugural TUDOR United SportsCar Championship beginning next year.

Of course, this season has not been without challenge. As a sport, we were presented with a number of unprecedented moments. In each instance, we met our responsibility to act in what we believe was in the best interest of the sport as a whole. We recognize there are times when you have agreed and others when you have not. Please know, wherever you stand on these issues, we appreciate your passion for NASCAR. It does not go unheard or unnoticed.

Now as we head into the season-ending races at Homestead-Miami Speedway and begin the countdown to Daytona, on behalf of the entire NASCAR team, I thank you for your continued passion for our sport. You are the greatest fans in the world and we wish you the very best during this coming holiday season.

Best regards,

Brian France

Annett To Sprint Cup With TBR In 2014

Tommy Baldwin Racing has signed driver Michael Annett and sponsor Pilot Flying J for the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. Annett, whose NASCAR career began at Bill Davis Racing under the tutelage of Baldwin, reunites with his mentor after five seasons of competing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

"Driving in the Cup Series has been my goal ever since I started racing,” said Annett today. “And to start this next chapter with Tommy, who is one of the main reasons I made the move to North Carolina in the first place, makes this extra special. I'm looking forward to continuing what we started, winning two races in the ARCA Series and running well in Trucks. Pilot Flying J has been with me just as long, they have been a tremendous partner and I'm honored to represent them on the sport's biggest stage."

"To have Michael on board for next year, and to have a great partner like Pilot Flying J, is big for our team,” said Baldwin. “Since we went Cup racing about five years ago, we've grown and gotten better with each passing season. This is the next logical step, and I believe there's a lot of potential for Michael to come in and do good things in our racecars."

Baldwin will continue as the No. 7 team's crew chief next season. TBR will field a fleet of Richard Childress Racing cars and utilize Earnhardt-Childress Racing engines.

Dario Franchitti Announces Retirement

Three time Indianapolis 500 champion Dario Franchitti announced his retirement form racing today, just weeks after an IndyCar crash at the Houston Grand Prix left him with a badly broken leg, fractured spinal vertebrae and a severe concussion.

The four-time IndyCar Series champion said in a written release that while his injuries will heal, the potential for future complications have forced his hand toward retirement.

“Since my racing accident in Houston, I have been in the expert care of some of the leading doctors and nurses, all of whom have made my health, my safety and my recovery their top priority. I am eternally grateful for the medical care I have received over the last several weeks. I'd also like to thank my family and friends for their unbelievable support.

“One month removed from the crash and based upon the expert advice of the doctors who have treated and assessed my head and spinal injuries post accident, it is their best medical opinion that I must stop racing. They have made it very clear that the risks involved in further racing are too great and could be detrimental to my long term well-being. Based on this medical advice, I have no choice but to stop.

"Racing has been my life for over 30 years and it's really tough to think that the driving side is now over," said Franchitti. "I was really looking forward to the 2014 season with Target Chip Ganassi Racing, with a goal of winning a fourth Indianapolis 500 and a fifth IndyCar championship.

 

"I'd like to thank all my fellow competitors, teammates, crew and sponsors for their incredible support over the course of this amazing ride.  I'd also like to thank Hogan Racing, Team KOOL Green and Andretti Green Racing for the opportunities to compete on the racetrack, and especially Target Chip Ganassi Racing, who have become like a family to me since I joined their team back in 2008.  I would be remiss if I didn't thank all my fans around the world.  I can't thank you enough for standing by my side for all these years.

 

"I'll forever look back on my time racing in CART and the IndyCar Series with fond memories and the relationships I've forged in the sport will last a lifetime.

 

"Hopefully in time, I'll be able to continue in some off-track capacity with the IndyCar Series.  I love open-wheel racing and I want to see it succeed.  I'll be working with Chip to see how I can stay involved with the team, and with all the amazing friends I've made over the years at Target.

 

As my buddy Greg Moore would say, ‘See you up front’”

  

ThorSport Extends Crafton, Sauter, Menards

Sauter (L) and Crafton

ThorSport Racing has announced contract extensions that will keep driver Matt Crafton and Johnny Sauter and sponsor Menards with the team for the 2014 season.

Crafton, the soon-to-be-crowned 2013 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion, enjoys a 46-point lead over Ty Dillon, and needs only to take the green flag in Friday night's Ford EcoBoost 200 to clinch his -- and ThorSport's -- first NASCAR national series championship.

The 2014 Truck Series campaign will mark the 10th consecutive year that Craftonwill drive the No. 88 Menards truck for ThorSport, and his 13th overall for the team. He currently owns the series record for consecutive starts, with 315.

"Matt's consistency and competitiveness at a very high level epitomizes what ThorSport is all about," team owner Duke Thorson said. "We're pleased to keep Matt and Menards together moving into the future and look forward to their continued success.”

"It doesn't get much better than to race for Duke and Rhonda Thorson, who have always given us everything we need to be competitive," said Crafton. "Representing Menards and their partners, as supportive as they've been for all these years, is also pretty special."

Sauter has also signed a multi-year contract extension with ThorSport that will keep the nine-time Truck Series winner in Duke and Rhonda Thorson's No. 98 Toyota Tundra. Sauter won the first two races of this season at Daytona and Martinsville, and led the championship standings before hitting a lull and falling as low as 10th. He rebounded with seven consecutive Top-10 finishes, and currently sits fourth in the standings going into Friday night's season finale.

"Johnny Sauter has been an important part of the success of ThorSport for the last five years," Duke Thorson said. "With Matt Crafton's Truck Series championship, Frank Kimmel's ARCA title and getting Johnny re-signed we have a lot to look forward to in 2014."

Sauter will split time with a variety of color schemes on his No. 98 Tundras next season, representing Nextant Aerospace/Curb Records and Carolina Nut Co./Curb Records.

"I'm excited to have the opportunity to extend my time with ThorSport Racing," Sauter said. "It's a great organization and it's been a perfect fit for me... And with Nextant Aerospace joining our program -- and looking ahead to two years of racing for wins and championships with them, Carolina Nut and Curb Records -- needless to say the sky's the limit.

"We've had competitive trucks all season and if not for that bit of turmoil we had in the middle of the season there's no reason we wouldn't be in a position to be racing Matt for this 2013 championship."

 

 

Keselowski Racing Announces Truck Series Extensions

Brad Keselowski Racing announced today that the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team has signed a pair of primary partners, Cooper Standard and Cequent, to contract extensions.  

2014 will mark Cooper Standard's fourth consecutive season with BKR, and its second as a full-season partner. Cooper Standard currently serves as primary partner on the No. 29 Ford F-150 with Penske Racing driver Ryan Blaney behind the wheel. The Novi, Michigan-based company will continue its relationship with BKR as primary sponsor for all the 2014 Truck Series races on the No. 29, with Blaney returning to the team to compete for the 2014 Truck Series drivers' championship.

"Cooper Standard has been with us from the very beginning and have become such an integral part of the BKR family," said Keselowski. "Our team owes them a tremendous amount of gratitude for all of their continued support. Cooper Standard has been instrumental in helping us reach victory lane on multiple occasions, and I have no doubt this partnership with help our team take the checkered flag many more times to come."

Cequent, a leading designer of towing and trailer accessory products, has partnered with BKR since 2012 and is currently in the middle of an existing agreement that runs through the 2014 season. The new agreement takes effect in 2015 and will continue through 2017, with Cequent brands such as Draw-Tite and Reese serving as primary sponsors on the No. 19 BKR Ford F-150 for at least 10 races each season. Cequent will also continue to receive associate sponsor branding on the No. 19 entry for the balance of the races and be featured on the No. 29 BKR Cooper Standard Ford F-150 as an associate sponsor for every Truck Series race each season. 

"I'm absolutely thrilled to continue our relationship with Cequent Performance Products," said Keselowski. "Their unwavering commitment to BKR for the foreseeable future will help our racing program immensely. Knowing we have Cequent's full support is a key component toward BKR's ultimate goal of winning the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship. Cequent partnering with BKR for what will be six years speaks to the strength of our relationship and how we as a team are able to deliver results for Cequent on the race track from an exposure and engagement perspective as well as help the company grow its business with key customers."

Calinoff Launches New Company

NASCAR notable Mike Calinoff has spent a good part of his career creating mutually-beneficial business relationships and designing creative funding models in the motorsports arena. Now, Calinoff has created a separate entity from his successful Public Relations, Social Influence and Branding company, 140BUZZ, to serve drivers and teams in their quest for sponsorships.  

GENER8PARTNERS, LLC with offices in Huntersville, NC and New York, NY will specialize in experiential marketing, leveraging consumer products and business-to-business relationships to develop sponsorship programs in motorsports with a dedicated staff. 

"We're not 'sponsor hunters', we're more like matchmakers," said Calinoff. "We're about creating opportunities for companies to not only gain exposure, but increase their businesses as a result of product leverage and creative relationships. The days of just vinyl on sheet metal are long gone." 

In addition to GENER8PARTNERS, Mike Calinoff Management companies include: 140BUZZ, ENCORE140, MCM Driver Development and the highly acclaimed website PopularSpeed.com.

Evernham Brings AmeriCarna LIVE CAR Show To Davidson, NC

Hundreds of classic, custom, and celebrity cars will roll into the Ingersoll Rand corporate campus in Davidson, N.C. on Saturday, Nov. 30 of Thanksgiving weekend for the inaugural AmeriCarna LIVE Car Show presented by Ingersoll Rand and MSC Industrial Supply Co. 

Celebrity cars from the collections of Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth, Ryan Newman, Kasey Kahne, Martin Truex Jr., Rusty Wallace, Rick Hendrick, and Ray Evernham highlight the one-day event along with show-ready cars entered by area enthusiasts and car clubs.

“We’ve had a great response from the NASCAR community in offering celebrity cars to showcase at the event,” said Ray Evernham, the event host.  “AmeriCarna LIVE will serve as a great holiday activity for the whole family and also raise awareness and funding for IGNITE.” 

Evernham, a former NASCAR championship crew chief and current ESPN broadcaster, created the car show to support IGNITE, a new community center in Davidson for young adults with high functioning autism (HFA) or Asperger's Syndrome (AS).  IGNITE offers activities, skills training, and educational workshops that will foster social, financial, educational, and employment independence for its members. 

AmeriCarna LIVE derives its name from a new Ray Evernham-hosted television show that is in production and set to premiere on the Velocity channel in early 2014.  The “AmeriCarna” TV show will tell behind-the-scenes stories of lost race cars, barn finds, speed secrets, Hollywood films, historical racetracks and other unique places. 

Several special vehicles to be featured on the television show will be showcased at AmeriCarna LIVE, including a 1940 Ford Moonshine Car and Marty Robbins’ 1964 Plymouth Late Model Modified.  The Velocity Channel will also be filming at the car show for an episode of AmeriCarna.   

Set on the beautiful Ingersoll Rand corporate campus on the edge of Lake Davidson, which sits adjacent to Lake Norman, the car show is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will also feature live music from local bands. Other event features include silent auction, local food vendors, and a special activity area for kids. Spectator admission is $5 per person.  Parking is available on the Ingersoll Rand campus, which is located at 800 Beaty Steet, Davidson, N.C. 28036.

Car entries are on a first-come, first-serve basis in advance of the event until capacity is met.  Registration is $25 per car and can be completed on our website, www.americarnatv.com/live.

To register your car and check out more details on the show, visit www.AmeriCarnaTV.com/LIVE.

Piquet Replaces Hornaday At NTS Motorsports

Piquet, Jr. will assume the driving duties of the No. 9 NTS Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado for the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, making his first career start for NTS Motorsports. Piquet replaces Ron Hornaday, Jr., who was release earlier this week. 

Piquet has two previous starts at the 1.5-mile Florida track, finishing fourth in both the 2011 and 2012 races while running the full NASCAR Camping World Truck Series seasons. His average start is 3.5 and average finish is 4.0. Friday night’s race will mark Piquet's second NCWTS start of the 2013 season, as well as the 90^th NASCAR race that he has competed in after moving over from Formula One racing in 2010. 

"I have some good friends and relatives in Miami, where I lived in 2010,” said Piquet. “So it is like a second home race for me and I hope to do well in the final event of the year. I'm happy to be back in a truck race and thankful to NTS Motorsports and the sponsors for this opportunity." 

"NTS Motorsports is excited to have Nelson Piquet, Jr. compete in the season finale race at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the No. 9 truck,” said team owner Bob Newberry. “We feel strongly that Nelson is capable of contending for a victory and will help NTS Motorsports finish the 2013 season on a high note."

Busch Anxious For Homestead Return

Closing the season at a racetrack where he achieved his greatest moment as a NASCAR driver, Kurt Busch is looking for some more magic at Homestead-Miami Speedway, site of Sunday’s final Sprint Cup Series race of 2013. 

It was at the 1.5-mile intermediate South Florida track where Busch held off Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon to capture the 2004 Cup championship, in the first year of NASCAR’s Chase playoff format. 

“Since 2004, there’s been a nostalgic feeling when I get to Homestead,” said Busch. “Winning the championship in the first year of the Chase was a magical time for me. But right now the focus is on the present, not the past.  

“This will be my final ride with Furniture Row Racing and I want to make it a good one. We have plenty to shoot for when the green flag drops on Sunday.” 

Busch, who is coming off a fifth-place finish at Phoenix, is 10^th in the Chase driver point standings, a position he hopes to retain, or even improve upon, at Homestead.  

“We want to be 10^th or better in the final point standings,” said Busch, a seven-time Chase participant. “Being in the top-10 not only has a better ring to it, but it shows how far this single-car team out of Colorado has come in a short period of time and how well it has fared against the big dogs of the sport.”  

An added perk for finishing in the Top-10 is that Busch would be invited to speak at the NASCAR’s Awards Banquet on Dec. 6 at the Wynn Hotel in his hometown of Las Vegas. But there’s more to shoot for at Homestead than a podium appearance at the annual awards gala.  

"This is our last chance to take the Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Chevrolet to Victory Lane,” said Busch, a 2002 winner at Homestead. “There's nothing I want more for these Furniture Row guys who have worked so hard all year to give me a fast race car.   

“Though we have a bunch of Top-5s (11) and Top-10s (16), we don't have that W.  A victory would cap off an already successful season for our single-car team. It's been a great ride with a great bunch of guys and with an outstanding organization led by team owner Barney Visser.”  

Busch has scored three Top-5 finishes in the nine Chase races to date.  He was fourth in the Chase opener at Chicago, second at Kansas and fifth at Phoenix.  

“Outside of those three races we seemed to have hit a brick wall in the Chase,” noted Busch. “But to finish fifth last week was a big moment and gives us plenty of momentum heading into Homestead.”

Stewart's 2011 Title-Winning Chevy Added To Glory Road 2.0

As part of the revamped Glory Road set to debut on Saturday, Jan. 11, the NASCAR Hall of Fame has announced the third of nine new vehicles to be included in the exhibit. The 2011 No. 14 Chevrolet Impala that was driven to victory by Tony Stewart in the final race of the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season will join the 18 historic cars that will comprise the display.

Stewart drove the 2011 No. 14 Office Depot Chevrolet Impala to victory at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the final race of the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. He came to the race locked in a tight point battle with Carl Edwards, who was ahead by three points. Edwards won the pole and Stewart started at a distant 15th. During the high-stakes race, Edwards led the first 14 laps and went to the front four times before Stewart finally made it to the front on lap 123. Both drivers led several more times with Stewart taking the lead for good on lap 232 of the 267 lap event. Stewart beat Edwards to the line by 1.3 seconds for his 44th career victory.

In an unprecedented event, both Stewart and Edwards tied with 2,403 points for the season. The tie was broken based on the number of wins each driver acquired during the year. Tony Stewart was awarded his third NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship with five wins for 2011 while Edwards, with one win, came home second.

Glory Road, which features 18 historic stock cars encircling the Great Hall, has served as one of the Hall’s most prominent focal points since opening. Speedways from across the country are illustrated here as well, where guests can touch the texture of various tracks and feel the intense banking that drivers face week-to-week. Glory Road 2.0 will see 18 new cars that reflect the six generations of premier series race cars that have been driven and built by some of the sport’s most celebrated drivers, owners and mechanics. 

Already announced as part of Glory Road 2.0 are Buck Baker's 1957 "Black Widow" Chevrolet and Jeff Gordon's 1994 Chevrolet Lumina.

Austin Dillon Will Run Homestead Truck Race

Sharp-Gallaher Racing announced today that 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Champion and current Nationwide Series point leader Austin Dillon will drive the team’s No. 6 Chevrolet Silverado in Friday’s Camping World Truck Series season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Sharp-Gallaher Racing won the 2012 event at the 1.5-mile South Florida racetrack with an exciting, last-lap pass by Cale Gale.  

"I'm a racer, so when Sharp-Gallaher Racing presented me with the opportunity to race the No. 6 Chevrolet at Homestead-Miami Speedway, I jumped at it," said Dillon. "I love the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and my record in the Series is pretty good this year (one-for-one with a win at Eldora Speedway. Racing in the Trucks will help me determine exactly what my Nationwide Series car needs as I try to battle for the Nationwide Series Championship, and Richard Childress Racing has an alliance with SGR. They run ECR Engines in their trucks. They put solid, competitive trucks on the track each week and won the race last year. I think we can put them in Victory Lane there again." 

Dillon is no stranger to the Camping World Truck Series. In his rookie season of competition in 2010, Dillon earned Rookie of the Year honors and finished fifth in the Driver's Championship Point Standings, becoming only the second rookie to do so in nine seasons. He followed up his rookie season success by claiming the 2011 Camping World Truck Series Driver's Championship title in RCR's No. 3 Chevrolet, becoming the youngest champion in series history at 21 years, six months and 22 days. He advanced to full-time Nationwide Series competition in 2012, securing Rookie of the Year honors on the strength of two race wins at Kentucky Speedway while leading the series in top-10 finishes. Now in his sophomore year in the Nationwide Series, Dillon leads the battle for the championship title by eight points over Sam Hornish Jr. going into the final race of the 2013 season. 

"We are very excited to have Austin (Dillon) in the No. 6 Chevolet at Homestead," said team co-owner Eddie Sharp Jr. "Austin is a very talented driver and will bring great experience to the organization. Max (Gresham) has shown a lot of improvement throughout the season and this is a great opportunity for him to work with a champion like Austin."

LaJoie Set For Homestead Nationwide Start

Richard Petty Motorsports development Driver Corey LaJoie will make his first NASCAR Nationwide Series start at Homestead-Miami Speedway this weekend, driving the No.9 Victory Junction Ford Mustang. Mike Shiplett, current car chief of the No. 9 Sprint Cup team, will be the crew chief and the No. 43 Sprint Cup Series crew will pit the car. 

LaJoie has turned heads in 2013 after making three trips to Victory Lane in just five ARCA Racing Series starts. The wins have showcased the bright future of the 22-year-old who has also competed in the NASCAR K&N East Series and NASCAR Whelen Modified Series before joining the RPM organization earlier this year. Since 2009, LaJoie has 35 starts in the K&N East Series. In those 35 starts, he's accumulated five wins, 17 top-five finishes, 20 top-10 finishes and one pole. LaJoie also has a total of six ARCA starts since 2009, earning a total of three wins and four top-five finishes.  

LaJoie will carry the colors of Victory Junction, a year-round camping facility that serves children, ages 6 to 16, with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses. During the summer, Victory Junction offers disease-specific sessions with up to 128 children per session. During the fall, winter and spring, family weekends are offered to up to 32 families per weekend. Victory Junction is a member of the SeriousFun Network founded by Paul Newman and is accredited by the rigorous guidelines of the American Camping Association. The camp was found to honor the memory of Adam Petty. 

"I feel really blessed and excited to make my debut at Homestead. I feel like I've been ready for this for a couple of years but finally everything is falling into place. I'm happy it's with a great organization like RPM, and I couldn't be more excited to represent them on and off the race track.  

"I haven't been to Homestead, but it's a fast mile-and-a-half track like Kansas or Chicago. I know the competition will be tougher too. There are a lot of good teams and drivers competing in the Nationwide Series, with RPM being one of them. I'll be able to lean on my RPM teammates, on the Nationwide and Cup level. I'm going to soak it all in. 

"I'm proud to be racing the Victory Junction Ford this weekend. Everyone knows what the camp means to the Petty family. It's an honor for me to be supporting this special place this weekend. It's been a lot of fun so far just getting ready for this race. You know, I'm excited about it. It's going to be good time, and I want to go out and do my best." 

Bayne Diagnosed With Multiple Sclerosis

Trevor Bayne announced today that he has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. The 22-year old former Daytona 500 winner has undergone extensive testing at the Mayo Clinic and has been cleared by doctors and NASCAR to compete behind the wheel.  

“I’ve never been more driven to compete,” said Bayne. “My goals are the same as they’ve been since I started racing. I want to compete at the highest level and I want to win races and championships. I am in the best shape I’ve ever been in and I feel good,” added Bayne. “There are currently no symptoms and I’m committed to continuing to take the best care of my body as possible. I will continue to trust in God daily and know that His plan for me is what is best.” 

In 2011, Bayne became the youngest driver in NASCAR history to win the famed Daytona 500. He is currently sixth in the NNS standings, having accumulated one win, six top-five and 20 top-10 finishes in 2013. He will compete again full-time for the NNS championship in 2014, driving the No. 6 AdvoCare Ford Mustang. The Roush Fenway Racing driver commented on the timing of today’s announcement, saying, “I just didn’t want to leave everybody in the dark.  It’s not something I was told I had to do or anything like that, but it’s just a decision we made as a group to let everybody know.  There’s not really any reason why we shouldn’t let everybody know, so I just wanted to do that with you guys and obviously I found out a little earlier this year – late summer – and I just took some time to talk with some partners and our team here and my family and just everybody involved that’s really close to me and just think about this for a little bit and digest it and now I felt was the best timing to let everybody know. 

“My hope is not to ever have symptoms again,” said Bayne.  “Obviously, there are people who have completely normal lives with MS and I hope to be one of those people.  Nobody knows exactly what the future holds for anybody, but I trust that whatever God has planned for me is what’s best for my life.  I’d love to be healed.  That would be perfect if that’s what he plans for. But if not, then we’ll move on day by day with it. At this point, I have no symptoms and feel completely fine to drive.  I just got done with a workout a few minutes ago.  Last year, December 1, I did my first triathlon because I just wanted to push my body.  I wanted to see what that is and where is my limit, and I haven’t hit that limit yet.  It was really cool to see that I can push my body like that, that it performs and I’ve been completely fine.” 

Bayne said his care regimen for the future is fairly simple. 

“I’m 22 and the doctors recommend what they recommend for everybody; to take the best care of your body you can, stay hydrated, keep yourself cool. That’s something we already do as performance athletes, anyway.  We want to take care of our bodies, train hard, stay hydrated in the race car because you sweat so much, and that’s what I’ve been doing and I’ve always done that.  You want to keep yourself as healthy as possible with or without a condition and now it just makes that even more apparent." 

Asked about his short-term goals, Bayne said, “I want to close out the season strong this weekend at Homestead and then shift my focus on getting ready to compete for the NASCAR Nationwide Series championship in 2014. I have a great team, a great family and great people all around me. I have been truly blessed in life and I look forward to what my future holds.”