Fronius USA Joins Viva Motorsports

Viva Motorsports has announced a new partnership with Fronius USA for the 2015 NASCAR XFINITY Series Season.

Fronius USA will serve as primary sponsor of the No. 55 Chevrolet Camaro for multiple races this season, beginning in Daytona. In addition to running the Fronius USA colors, Viva Motorsports has been outfitted with the latest welding technology from Fronius.

“We are very proud to be a part of NASCAR,” says Wolfgang Niedrist, CEO of Fronius USA. “This is a new and exciting time for our company. It shows our commitment to the US market. Fronius USA supports Viva Motorsports.”

Viva ended the 2014 NASCAR XFINITY Series season 25th in owner’s points. Crew chief Mark Setzer and crew are busy preparing the No. 55 Fronius USA Camaro for the first superspeedway race of 2015.

“We are thrilled to have Fronius USA on board for the upcoming season, they are an outstanding company with outstanding products. We are excited to grow with them throughout 2015 and into the future,” said team owner Jamie Dick.

A driver announcement for the No. 55 Chevy Camaro will be released at a later date. 

Wallace, Coon, Gold Join MRN Broadcast Team

Rusty Wallace

Motor Racing Network – launching its 46^th year on the air – has announced the addition of Hall of Fame driver Rusty Wallace, former Miss Sprint Cup Kim Coon and veteran voice Eli Gold to its NASCAR Sprint Cup Series lineup for the 2015 season.

Wallace, the 1989 Cup Series champion, was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in February 2013.  He’ll bring a driver’s perspective to MRN programming in 2015 with a presence during select race broadcasts and on weekly network shows, in additional to providing commentary and content at MRN.com.

Coon’s duties will include reports from pit road during the network’s Sprint Cup Series qualifying and pre-race shows, as well as interaction with fans via social media and on the air during MRN’s race coverage.  

Gold was a vital cog in the network’s formative years and is one of its most recognizable talents after more than three decades on the air.  He will host MRN’s pre-race and post-race coverage of the Sprint Cup Series, and provide in-race updates. 

Kim Coon

“The addition of Kim Coon and the return of Eli Gold to our Sprint Cup Series lineup bolsters a roster of broadcast and racing professionals who will continue to produce quality content as we head into our 46^th year as ‘The Voice of NASCAR,’ ” said MRN President and Executive Producer David Hyatt.  “We welcome Rusty Wallace to MRN and the International Speedway Corporation family, and look forward to having him at many of our venues throughout the 2015 season.  As the broadcasting landscape changes and the digital platform continues to evolve, Motor Racing Network will navigate this ever-changing terrain with the best team in motor sports.”

Coon, a Florida native, spent four seasons (2011-2014) as Miss Sprint Cup and is one of only 11 ladies to fill that role.  She appeared at more events than any other Miss Sprint Cup in the history of the program.  Coon helped activate the series sponsor’s strategic plan through social media, broadcast channels and trackside events.  Her background includes marketing and public relations experience with Charlotte, N.C.-based agencies in the years preceding her stint with Sprint. Coon is a graduate of the University of Miami and earned a Master’s Degree in Communication from the University of Alabama in 2007.

Eli Gold

Gold has ties to the University of Alabama as the longtime radio voice of Crimson Tide football.  But to NASCAR fans, he’s best known for his work on the Motor Racing Network.  Since 1984, Gold has hosted “NASCAR Live” each Tuesday evening and will continue to do so as a complement to his new assignment in the Sprint Cup Series.

Motor Racing Network’s 2015 event broadcast schedule will begin Friday, Jan. 30, with exclusive radio coverage of the sixth annual NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony from Charlotte.  Air time will be 7 p.m. (EST) with live streaming at MRN.com.

Coon’s debut will follow with MRN’s coverage of Budweiser Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway, which will begin Feb. 13 and culminate with the 57^th running of the Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 22.  Joe Moore and Jeff Striegle will anchor Motor Racing Network’s broadcast of “The Great American Race” starting at 12 p.m., also with live streaming at MRN.com.

NASCAR Hall Of Fame Profile: Joe Weatherly

This is the fourth in a series of profiles on the five members of the Class of 2015 of the NASCAR Hall Of Fame. The five will be inducted in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Jan. 30, in a ceremony to be broadcast live at 8 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network, Motor Racing Network Radio and SiriusXM Satellite Radio.

Joe Weatherly’s time in NASCAR’s premier series was short, just two fulltime seasons. 

But what an impact the Norfolk, Virginia, native had on NASCAR racing in those brief, 24 months. 

Weatherly, previously a winner of American Motorcyclist Association and NASCAR modified titles, claimed back-to-back premier series championships in 1962-63. He posted 25 victories in 229 starts before his untimely death in January 1964 at Riverside (California) International Raceway. 

“He would have been as good as any that’s been along,” said one of Weatherly’s early car owners, the late, fellow Virginian Junie Donlavey. “He had quick reflexes and good equipment. He was just a natural born driver. 

“He would have been right there with all the greats. He was that good.” 

Weatherly also was one of the sport’s characters, a one-of-a-kind practical joker whose antics off the racing surface endeared him to fans and fellow competitors and earned him the nickname “Clown Prince of Racing.” A friendship quickly blossomed with NASCAR Hall of Fame nominee Curtis Turner, another larger-than-life figure. The 5 feet 4 inch Weatherly and the lanky Turner made the perfect Mutt and Jeff pair.  

They raced hard and – according to legend – partied just as wide open. Both were reputed to have been black-listed by rental car companies for racing and wrecking numerous cars. 

“They were fearless on the track but also fearless as far as their habits and lifestyles,” said NASCAR Productions archivist Ken Martin in a Nov. 27, 2014 National Speed Sport News feature written by Ben White. “No one loved to throw a party more than Curtis. Joe was more the comedian and Curtis loved a good laugh.” 

Earl Swift, writing in Norfolk’s Virginian-Pilot in 2007, remembered Weatherly as “a rough-and-tumble Southern rogue. Weatherly was the archetype of the early NASCAR hero, an inveterate practical joker and hell raiser.” 

No surprise, Weatherly was voted the premier series’ Most Popular Driver in 1961. 

Joseph Herbert “Joe” Weatherly was born May 29, 1922. He served in World War II – as did his later car owner and NASCAR Hall of Famer Bud Moore – with the 809^th Aviation Battalion Engineers of the U.S. Army Air Corps. Discharged in November 1945, Weatherly raced motorcycles from 1946 through 1950 winning a pair of AMA championships as well as the 1948 Laconia (New Hampshire) Classic that resulted in his posthumous induction into the organization’s Hall of Fame in 1998. 

“Little Joe,” as he’d became known, switched to stock cars telling a reporter for Consumer Guide, “I like having something between my head and the ground when I crash.” 

Weatherly proved to be a fast learner on four wheels. Between 1952 and 1953, he won 101 NASCAR Modified races as well as the division’s championships in 1953. Weatherly’s first premier division start came in Darlington Raceway’s 1952 Southern 500. He finished 16th driving Donlavey’s Hudson. 

Weatherly’s initial premier series victory came on Aug. 10, 1958 in the inaugural race at Nashville Speedway. He drove a Holman-Moody prepared Ford convertible in the “Sweepstakes” event that was open to both hard and soft top cars. Weatherly was no stranger to the open top cars winning 12 times in NASCAR’s short-lived convertible division. 

After winning the opening race of the 1961 season in Dr. Bradford “Doc” White’s Ford, Weatherly gave his competitors a taste of NASCAR’s future. Racing in just 25 of the schedule’s 52 events – most of them in Moore’s No. 8 Pontiac – Weatherly posted nine victories, good for a fourth-place championship finish behind champion Ned Jarrett, a NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2011 inductee. 

The duo stepped up for a full campaign in 1962. Weatherly again won nine times including his Daytona 500 qualifying race which, at the time, carried NASCAR premier series points. With 45 top-10 finishes in 52 starts, the 40-year-old Weatherly beat NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty by more than 2,000 points to become Virginia’s only premier series champion. Moore also captured his sole owner’s title. 

Moore reduced the team’s schedule in 1963 forcing Weatherly to beg and borrow cars from fellow competitors – frequently driving what politely could be called semi-competitive equipment. Weatherly persevered, winning three times and again bested Petty, who counted 14 trips to Victory Lane. What would be his last victory and 20th with Moore came at Hillsboro, North Carolina on Oct. 27. 

True to form, Weatherly quipped, “I had greater luck (than Petty), rather than greater skill. I was lucky to get rides when I needed them.” 

Weatherly’s luck ran out several months later in Southern California. Laps behind due to an early race mechanical problem, his No. 8 Mercury left the track entering Riverside’s Turn 6 and skidded into a steel retaining wall. Weatherly, without a shoulder harness or window net, died when his head struck the barrier.

Weatherly was named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers in 1998. He previously was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame, National Motorsports Hall of Fame and National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame. Darlington Raceway’s stock car racing museum was christened in Weatherly’s name upon its opening in 1965.

Gordon Hailed After Landmark Announcement

The praise continues to roll in for four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon, who announced today that 2015 will mark his final season as a full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver. Here is a sampling of what is being said…

“Jeff Gordon transcends NASCAR and will be celebrated as one of the greatest drivers to ever race. We have all enjoyed watching his legend grow for more than two decades, and will continue to do so during his final full-time season. His prolonged excellence and unmatched class continue to earn him the admiration of fans across the globe. Today’s announcement is a bittersweet one. I’ll miss his competitive fire on a weekly basis, but I am also happy for Jeff and his family as they start a new chapter. On behalf of the entire NASCAR family, I thank Jeff for his years of dedication and genuine love for this sport, and wish him the very best in his final season.” -- Brian France, NASCAR Chairman/CEO

“I think with the announcement of 2015 being Jeff Gordon’s last full-time year behind the wheel, we all need to stop and say ‘thank you Jeff’. His contributions to this sport are so numerous it would be a blanket ‘thank you’ for everything. Primarily he helped to take NASCAR to another level. He was a young kid from the Midwest with a lot of potential, coming in here in 1993, starting his career when our “King” was winding his up. He arrived on the scene at a perfect time. I looked at his stats here at Martinsville and was truly shocked. I knew he was good here but not until I saw his record did I realize just how good he is here. Forty-four starts, eight wins, 35 Top-10s, 28 Top-5s, no DNFs and out of the 44 starts he led in 34 of them. That is an amazing record. Jeff Gordon is a class act and I wish him the best this year as well as whatever the future holds for him.” -- Clay Campbell, President, Martinsville Speedway

“Jeff Gordon is an incredible competitor, leader and ambassador for Chevrolet and motorsports. He has contributed so much – not only on the track with his 92 wins and four championships, but also away from the track as a businessman, with the Jeff Gordon Children’s Foundation, and more importantly, as a husband and father. He is a champion, and he has been a great friend. We are proud of our relationship with Jeff, and, just like all of his fans, we look forward to watching him compete for one more championship. We wish Jeff and his family – Ingrid, Ella and Leo – all of the best.” -- Mark Reuss, General Motors executive vice president of global product development, purchasing and supply chain

“As promoters we are supposed to be neutral observers, but given his local roots and the tremendous success he’s had at our track, I must admit Jeff Gordon has always been looked upon as the home team around here.  If he were to win our race in June on his way to his fifth Sprint Cup Series championship, it would likely be a huge cause for celebration among our local race fans.  We look forward to helping Jeff celebrate the culmination of a remarkable sports career.” -- Steve Page, President/General Manager, Sonoma Raceway

"I've known Jeff since he was a teenager with a really bad mustache. It has been thrilling to watch him develop from a promising Busch Series driver into perhaps the greatest professional our sport has ever seen. Jeff showed last season that he still has a burning desire to win races and championships. You won't find a finer professional, person or charitable athlete.  We have been fortunate to be associated with him for all of these years. I'm sure all fans, even of the other drivers, will want to show their appreciation to Jeff this year." -- Eddie Gossage,President, Texas Motor Speedway 

“Jeff Gordon’s significance to our sport cannot be overstated. He is an incredible competitor, and a favorite of millions of fans. His contributions throughout his career to NASCAR have elevated our sport’s popularity worldwide. On behalf of the France family and ISC, I thank him for those contributions and wish him the best as he embarks on this next chapter of his career – and his life. We all look forward to watching him take the green flag for his last full-time season, beginning with the DAYTONA 500.” -- Lesa France Kennedy, CEO, International Speedway Corporation

“Jeff Gordon is a great champion and a tremendous ambassador for NASCAR. He is truly a class act who played an integral role in helping to broaden the appeal of our sport. Jeff has always had a large fan-following at our race, and we look forward to celebrating his accomplishments prior to the Ford EcoBoost 400 on November 22 as he concludes his full-time Sprint Cup Series career at Homestead-Miami Speedway.” -- Matthew Becherer, President, Homestead Miami Speedway

COMMENTARY: Preparing For The Long Goodbye

Jeff Gordon announced today that the 2015 season will be his last as a full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver.

The news was not entirely unexpected. At 43 years of age, Gordon admittedly had more good seasons behind him than ahead. A troublesome lower back has plagued him for a number of years now, raising valid questions about how long he might be able to soldier on. More recently, the addition of young phenom Chase Elliott to the Hendrick Motorsports stable added an additional dose of uncertainty to Gordon’s future. With Elliott poised to ascend to the Sprint Cup ranks in 2016, Kasey Kahne signed to a new multi-year contact and Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. going nowhere, it was only natural to wonder how long Gordon would choose to remain at the wheel.

Now we know, and the answer isn’t easy for many to accept.

For those of us of a certain age, it seems like only yesterday when Gordon burst onto the national scene. At age 20, he was extremely young for a Winston Cup competitor. In appearance, he was 20-going-on-14, despite nursing a caterpillar wisp on his upper lip that feebly attempted to pass itself off as a moustache.

At his introductory press conference, then-Charlotte Motor Speedway president H.A. “Humpy Wheeler” tabbed Gordon “the finest young racing talent in the world today.” Even Wheeler, a PT Barnum-esque master of hyperbole, could not have known just how right he would ultimately be.

Gordon’s transition to stock cars was not without its initial speed bumps. He wiped out a dozen or more of poor Bill Davis’s Busch Series Fords that first year, but won three times in his sophomore season, earning the notice of Rick Hendrick, who signed him to a now-legendary "lifetime contract" to drive the No. 24 Winston Cup Series Chevrolet. Gordon premiered in the final race of the 1992 campaign, largely unnoticed amid the hoorah of Richard Petty’s final NASCAR start.

In the 24 years that followed, however, the pride of Pittsboro, Indiana, accomplished everything there is to accomplish in the sport of stock car racing. Paired much of the way with legendary crew chief Ray Evernham, Gordon now ranks in the top five of virtually every NASCAR statistical category, despite having 700 fewer starts than many of the pioneers he followed.

His four Cup Series titles (1995, 1997, 1998 and 2001) trail only Hall Of Famers Petty and Dale Earnhardt and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson. He has won on every NASCAR Sprint Cup Series track but one, Kentucky Speedway, and he’ll have one final opportunity to cross the Bluegrass State oval off his To-Do List in July of this year.

Gordon has always been at his best in the biggest races. He is a three-time winner of the Daytona 500, a five-time Brickyard 400 champion, owns six Southern 500 trophies and three checkered flags in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte. He has enough Martinsville Speedway grandfather clocks (eight) to drive Quasimodo mad.

His greatest trophy, however, is the esteem with which he is viewed by fans, officials, media and competitors alike. It’s difficult to find anyone with anything bad to say about Gordon. His professionalism, personality and appeal spurred NASCAR to new heights in the 1990s, and brought new fans into the fold. He was a regular guest on the morning and late-night TV talk shows and hosted episodes of Saturday Night Live, expanding NASCAR’s appeal into living rooms (and board rooms) that it had never reached before.

He remains fearless on the race track and combative when crossed, as Brad Keselowski can attest from as recently as last season. At the same time, however, he retains the analytical mind and easygoing personality that has made him a “go-to guy” among media members for nearly a quarter of a century.

For the first time since the George H.W. Bush administration, we now face the prospect of a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race without Jeff Gordon in it. Fortunately, we have 10 months -- 36 races -- to get used to the idea of forging onward without a man who has literally changed the sport forever.

It will take at least that long to get used to the idea, and longer still to thank him.

BOMBSHELL: 2015 Will Be Gordon's Final Full Season

Jeff Gordon will compete in his 23rd and final full-time Sprint Cup Series season in 2015. Gordon announced the decision this morning to the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports team, and operation he has headlined since November of 1992.

“As a race car driver, much of what I’ve done throughout my life has been based on following my instincts and trying to make good decisions,” Gordon said. “I thought long and hard about my future this past year and during the offseason, and I’ve decided 2015 will be the last time I compete for a championship. I won’t use the ‘R-word’ because I plan to stay extremely busy in the years ahead, and there’s always the possibility I’ll compete in selected events, although I currently have no plans to do that. 

“I don’t foresee a day when I’ll ever step away from racing. I’m a fan of all forms of motor sports, but particularly NASCAR. We have a tremendous product, and I’m passionate about the business and its future success. As an equity owner in Hendrick Motorsports, I’m a partner with Rick and will remain heavily involved with the company for many years to come. It means so much to have the chance to continue working with the owner who took a chance on me and the incredible team that’s stood behind me every step of the way.

“Racing has provided a tremendous amount of opportunity that’s been extraordinarily rewarding and fulfilling in my life. The work we’re doing with the Jeff Gordon Children’s Foundation will continue to be extremely important to me. Outside the race car, my passion is pediatric cancer research, and my efforts will remain focused there when I’m no longer driving.

“I’ll explore opportunities for the next phase of my career, but my primary focus now and throughout 2015 will be my performance in the No. 24 Chevrolet. I’m going to pour everything I have into this season and look forward to the challenge of competing for one last championship.

“To everyone at NASCAR, my teammates, sponsors, competitors, friends, family, members of the media and especially our incredible fans, all I can say is thank you.”

Gordon, 43, has earned four career Cup championships, 92 points-paying race wins and 77 pole positions, all for longtime car owner Rick Hendrick. He is third in all-time victories behind only NASCAR Hall of Fame drivers Richard Petty (200) and David Pearson (105).

One of the most versatile drivers of his era in any auto racing discipline, Gordon’s résumé includes three Daytona 500 victories and a record five Brickyard 400 wins. He is the sport’s winningest road course driver with nine victories, stands alone as the all-time leader with 12 restrictor plate wins and has won at every track on the Sprint Cup circuit with the exception of Kentucky Speedway.

“There’s simply no way to quantify Jeff’s impact,” said Hendrick, who first noticed Gordon during a race at Atlanta Motor Speedway in March 1992. “He’s one of the biggest sports stars of a generation, and his contributions to the success and growth of NASCAR are unsurpassed. There’s been no better ambassador for stock car racing and no greater representation of what a champion should be. I will never be able to properly express the respect and admiration I have for Jeff and how meaningful our relationship is to me. I’m so grateful for everything he’s done for our company and my family, and I look forward to many more years together as friends and business partners.”

Hendrick Motorsports will announce plans for its 2016 team alignment at a later date.

Hornaday To Drive For TMG In 2015

Ron Hornaday, Jr. will serve as the primary driver of the No. 30 TMG Chevrolet for The Motorsports Group in the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, beginning with the season opener at Daytona International Speedway. 

Hornaday, a longtime veteran in the NASCAR garage, has been involved in racing his entire life. In addition to an impressive 55 combined national series wins, Hornaday also has four NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Championships. 

“I am happy to be signing on with Curtis Key and the entire TMG organization for the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Season,” Hornaday said. “This team has been working really hard during the offseason to get cars ready for Daytona and the rest of the season. I’m hoping to bring some guidance and racing knowledge to this start up Cup team.”

TMG Owner Curtis Key commented, “We are glad to have Ron Hornaday come on board with The Motorsports Group. Ron has been involved in the NASCAR industry for over 20 years now. His experience and knowledge of the industry is exactly what we need this first year in the Sprint Cup Series.”

Sponsorship opportunities are still available for the No. 30 TMG Chevrolet. More information on sponsorships will be announced in the coming weeks leading into the start of the 2015 NASCAR season. 

Vickers Cleared To Race In March, Las Vegas Return Planned

Doctors have medically cleared Brian Vickers to return to full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup racing in early March, three months after corrective heart surgery. 

Vickers will make his season debut in the No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota for Michael Waltrip Racing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 8.  

MWR co-founder and two-time Daytona 500 champion Michael Waltrip will drive the No. 55 in the 57^th annual Daytona 500 on Feb. 22. MWR will name a substitute driver for the March 1 race at Atlanta Motor Speedway later. 

“The doctors gave me a clean bill of health and said I will be better than before,” said Vickers, the 31-year-old Thomasville, N.C. native whose health issues interrupted his racing seasons in 2010 and again in 2013. 

“The advancements in modern medicine and surgical procedures are amazing and I have to thank my doctors at the Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute and Carolinas Medical Center for their extraordinary care. I have literally put my life in their hands twice and I cannot begin to express my level of gratitude. 

“I was not feeling well in December, so I went to see Dr. William Downey in Charlotte. He discovered my body was rejecting a patch that was surgically placed over a hole in my heart a few years ago. He and Dr. R. Mark Stiegel immediately went to work on correcting the problem. I also want to thank the great counsel along the way by Dr. Jerry Petty, Dr. Robert Heyer and my hematologist Dr. Stephan Moll from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine who is the founder of www.clotconnect.org. 

“Now all of my focus is getting ready so when I return we are prepared to win races and the championship in my Aaron’s Dream Machine.” 

In 58 races driving MWR’s No. 55 Toyota, Vickers scored eight Top-5 and 19 Top-10 finishes. He won the July race at New Hampshire in 2013 and captured the pole at Talladega in October 2014. The 2003 Xfinity Series champion owns three victories and 12 poles in 316 Sprint Cup starts.

NASCAR confirmed today that despite missing the first two races of the season, Vickers will remain Chase-eligible.

“With the clearance from his physicians, Brian Vickers has satisfied all necessary NASCAR requirements to resume racing on March 5," said NASCAR Executive Vice President & Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O’Donnell. "Further, NASCAR has reviewed the circumstances surrounding his situation and has determined that he will maintain Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup eligibility despite neither entering nor attempting to qualify in the first two championship events, provided he meets all other necessary eligibility requirements.”

NASCAR Announces New At-Track Merchandise Plan

NASCAR, NASCAR Team Properties and Fanatics have jointly announced a 10-year agreement for the sport’s at-track merchandise business that will deliver fans an enhanced shopping environment. As part of the agreement, Fanatics has acquired exclusive rights from NASCAR and NTP that will make the company the primary retailer of NASCAR, team and driver merchandise at all 38 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race weekends. 

Fanatics, the market leader for officially licensed sports merchandise, powers the e-stores for hundreds of the top sports leagues, teams and schools, including a long history running NASCAR’s e-commerce business, NASCAR.com.

The new trackside retail model will be phased in at NASCAR events over the course of the 2015 season. It will evolve from using haulers for each specific team or driver to displaying all merchandise in a climate-controlled superstore retail environment supported by, in some instances, smaller satellite retail venues around the track.

The new model will offer fans access to the largest at-track selection of NASCAR merchandise ever, a selection of products that will include a major expansion of women’s and kids’ items, a more functional way to browse, shop and interact with merchandise, separate stores within the main venue for various teams, drivers, memorabilia and collectibles, a dedicated area for driver appearances and an interactive customization center where fans can create their own personalized NASCAR gear.

Fanatics Apparel, the company’s manufacturing and customization division, will also produce merchandise to complement the product lines already offered by authorized licensees. 

“A merchandise center will provide a more personal, organized, comfortable and convenient shopping environment for our fans,” said Steve Phelps, NASCAR executive vice president and chief marketing officer. “Partnering with an industry leader in Fanatics allows us to offer a comprehensive and seamless shopping experience for our fans – whether it is in-venue, online or on mobile devices.” 

According to a study conducted by Experian Marketing Services in 2013, NASCAR fans are at least 20 percent more likely than non-fans to notice various types of promotions while shopping, including video monitor displays, signs on merchandise racks or shelves, and advertising on the floor – among others.

“Fanatics is extremely excited to partner with NASCAR and NASCAR Team Properties to greatly expand their at-track retail presence,” said Ross Tannenbaum, president of Fanatics Authentic. “We have taken the time to listen to what the fans, teams, drivers and NASCAR were asking for and look forward to using our market-leading scale, technology and production capabilities to deliver an improved and entertaining shopping experience for years to come.”

Rico Abreu Set For K&N Pro Series East Challenge

Rico Abreu may be small in stature, but his future in the sport of auto racing stands tall.

The four-foot, four-inch, 95-pound Abreu is a little person in a full sized, high horsepower sport, but after claiming the USAC Midget national championship and topping a 300-plus car field to win last weekend’s Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals, Abreu announced today that he will contest the 2015 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East schedule this season for HScott Motorsports with Justin Marks.

“I'm really excited for what is to come and looking forward to all my new goals and accomplishments,” said Abreu, adding that he looks forward to this new opportunity, and competing in front of a new fan base.

“It's a big step, because I come from the Open Wheel world where everyone knows everyone. There are so many more NASCAR fans that don't follow dirt racing and don't know what I do, so I'm really looking forward to it. I think the fans will react a lot differently than (they do to) the average driver -- average-looking driver -- coming to NASCAR. I'm excited to see how it goes.  I think it's going to be just fine. 

“I'm planning on having a lot of success,” he said. “The people that I've surrounded myself with are phenomenal people, and I think that raises the bar and raises my confidence level.”

Abreu talked about the modifications needed to adapt a full-sized stock car to fit a 4’-4”, 95-pound driver.

“A Sprint Car is a lot different, because you sit down like you sit in a chair,” he said. “Your legs are underneath you. (In) my Sprint Car, there are foot blocks that allow my feet to reach the pedals. Then the seat is pushed forward about six inches. So, it's a little different than the stock car, where you're more sat down, your legs are in front of you and the pedals are moved toward you like in the vehicle you drive daily. 

“The spacing behind the seat is really the same,” he added. “There's not a big spacer, but there is a decent-sized spacer behind my seat to get me closer to the steering wheel. Because NASCAR has rules where you can't be too far away from… the tubing on the frame of the car. The pedals are mounted right under the dashboard and the dashboard is moved up closer to me (so) I can reach all the electronics.  If you look in my cockpit, it's hard to tell there is a difference.  

“The modifications are really simple,” he added. “Nothing is way off the radar and it's really safe. Everyone agreed with every decision and every modification they made.  I'm really excited and really comfortable sitting in a car that I haven't even raced yet.

Abreu said his course to NASCAR has been charted by a close friend, 2014 Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year Kyle Larson.

“Kyle has made a really big impression in the sport over the last year, with all the success he's had,” said Abreu. “I've known Kyle for the last six years and I consider him a brother.  His parents could be my mom and dad, (that’s) how close we are. 

“Kyle is definitely the one I look up to and the one I can go to for anything,” he said. The people I've met through Kyle -- like Tony (Stewart) and Kasey (Kahne) -- there are so many drivers I feel I can go to for support. My confidence is so high (and) I'm really looking forward to it.  I don't think I'm going to have too many problems to deal with.”

Abreu will make his first career stock car start this Saturday night at Florida’s New Smyrna Speedway, and he admitted today that he has a lot of learning to do. 

“I've never raced one,” he said. “Yesterday, I drove around the parking lot for the first time (in) a Late Model.  So my whole goal going to New Smyrna is getting laps in and making sure I'm comfortable in the race car.  

“I started reading a book yesterday that Ross Bentley wrote, and he says in it the most important thing is being comfortable in your race car. That is so right. That's my whole goal this weekend; getting comfortable and making sure everything is right so I don't run into problems down the road where I'm not comfortable. You have to be 100% in these race cars and you can't lose concentration when you're racing by being uncomfortable.”

Abreu said Saturday night’s win in the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals likely increased his visibility across NASCAR Nation and the world.

“Saturday was a big night for me, because of all the coverage that the Chili Bowl has gotten and the people that have attended that event. I was watching the (qualifying) races in the infield, and I looked over and saw Roger Penske.  It was his first time at the event, and he came and introduced himself. I asked him what he thought and he said, `This is unbelievable.’ Kurt Busch was there and Danica, and all these people were so intrigued. 

Abreu said auto racing was the one sport that allowed him to be one of the crowd, despite his diminutive size.

“When I grew up, I played sports and wrestled in middle school,” he recalled, “and all my friends and classmates kind of outgrew me. I was limited to the things I could do and became a big race fan. I didn't think I could race until I did it for the first time, let alone be so competitive so quickly in my career. 

“It's so cool to (know) that people believe in you and would like to see you achieve,” he said. “I think a lot of people believe in me, and it gives me a lot of confidence and humbles me. I'm glad that people can really see who I am, and don't judge me for what I look like or why I'm doing it. I'm doing it because I'm a racer and I love the sport.”

The California native said he will not abandon his Open Wheel roots, with the K&N Pro Series East schedule occupying only 14 weekend this season.

“It won't impact my Sprint Car schedule at all,” he said. “The K&N schedule is going to be my priority, and then I'll race sprint car races and midget races around it.  I'm planning on racing 120 times this year; as many as I can get in. 

“I was talking to Tony at the Chili Bowl, and I told him there is a conflict where the K&N guys are at Dover, and there are three Sprint Car races at Williams Grove. He said, `don't worry about that, I'll get you there.’ It's pretty cool that I have Tony behind me on all this.  It allows me to race even more than I was already planning on.” 

Photos: Stockton99Speedway.com,  NationalSpeedsportNews.com

BREAKING NEWS: Annett To HScott Motorsports In 2015

Michael Annett is set for a change of venue in 2015.

Multiple sources have confirmed that Annett and his Pilot/Flying J sponsorship will jump from Tommy Baldwin Racing to the HScott Motorsports stable in 2015, running the entire 36-race championship schedule as a teammate to Justin Allgaier.

Annett finished 33^rd in championship points at the wheel of TBR’s No. 7 Chevrolet last season; his rookie year of Sprint Cup Series competition. The team managed a top finish of 16^th at Talladega Superspeedway in May.

Annett declined to comment on the move when contacted earlier today, but sources close to the situation say he will race as a teammate to Allgaier and the No. 51 Brandt Chevrolet, making HScott Motorsports a two-car operation for the first time in their brief Sprint Cup Series history.

HScott Motorsports spokesman Ramsey Poston responded to a request for comment today, saying, "There is nothing to report on at this time."

Gallagher To Contest Full Truck Series Schedule

Spencer Gallagher will compete in all 23 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events in 2015 with GMS Racing, piloting the No. 23 Allegiant Travel Chevrolet Silverado alongside teammate Brandon Jones in the No.33 Chevrolet. 

In 2013, Gallagher made his premier start in the series at Kansas Speedway and tallied a total of 12 starts during the previous two seasons. In 2014 Gallagher scored his best career finish of third at Talladega Superspeedway behind the wheel of the No. 23 Allegiant Travel Chevrolet. Gallagher will team up with veteran crew chief Jeff Stankiewicz who recorded three top-five and 10 top-10 NCWTS finishes with GMS Racing last year. 

“A full season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for GMS Racing is something I have been looking forward to for a long time. We all made a lot of progress and noise throughout 2014. I cannot wait to be behind the wheel for all 23 events,” said Gallagher. “I know Brandon and I have the equipment and personnel behind us to go race for wins.” 

In addition to nine NCWTS starts in 2014, Gallagher also made 11 starts in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards. The 25-year-old Las Vegas native recorded four top-five and six top-10 finishes en route to his first career ARCA Racing Series victory in the season finale at Kansas Speedway in October. 

“Spencer Gallagher is going to be someone to keep an eye on in 2015”, said Nic Moncher, GMS Racing team manager, “as we have all watched him progress over the last few years. We are excited to take on a full season with him and know he will succeed. Spencer brings a certain level of enthusiasm to the garage area that is infectious to all of our guys; it’s a great benefit for our team to have him in the truck.” 

Buyer Surfaces For Rockingham Speedway, Racing's Future Remains Unclear

Rockingham's Andy Hillenburg 

There could be light at the end of the tunnel for embattled Rockingham Speedway, but there are still more questions than answers.

WSOC-TV in Charlotte, NC, is reporting today that a veterans’ charity has confirmed plans to purchase the historic speedway and convert it into a Veterans’ Reintegration Center. WSOC’s Allison Latos quoted Help-Vets.Org Executive Director Craig Northacker as saying his organization is seeking financing for a projected $50 million project that would construct housing on site, along with educational and vocational components.

Speedway owners Andy Hillenburg and Bill Silas have attempted to resurrect Rockingham for racing, but narrowly avoided financial receivership in late 2014.

They purchased the speedway in 2007 for $4 million, but as of August 8, owed $4,532,796.23 to F&M Bank on a 244-acre site valued at approximately $2.5 million. A judge allowed them until Jan. 1 to either assemble a new financing plan or sell the property

.

In mid-October, Hillenburg confirmed the existence of a potential investment group, now believed to be Help-Vets.Org.

“They are not racers,” said Hillenburg at the time. “They are businesspeople who know my reputation and work ethic, and see an opportunity to create new partnerships  that will prove beneficial to all parties, allow Rockingham Speedway to survive and prosper as a racing facility and produce critical economic development opportunities in Richmond County,”

Northacker said he has met with a potential financing group, as well as JP Morgan Chase and Royal Bank of Canada in an attempt to secure $50 million in financing for the project. He said he hopes to close on the property in March.

WSOC also reported that Northacker has met with Richmond County Community College about using the speedway as an off-campus educational site. RCC spokesman Andy Cagle confirmed those talks, telling WSOC, "RCC has always taught classes in off-campus locations across our service area, and would welcome any viable opportunity to support our veterans, the local economy and continue the rich traditions of racing in Richmond County."

Richmond County Manager Rick Sago said he is troubled by the lack of a finalized financing plan, as well as the apparent absence of a racing component in Help-Vets.Org’s proposal.

"It is a speedway,” said Sago to WSOC. “It has been since the ‘60s and that's what we want is a racetrack," Sago said.

Hillenburg declined to comment when contacted earlier today.