NASCAR Pole Postion 2011 Feb/March

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jeff gordon

women in nascar

driven

A Day in the Life

Breaking Down the

terri parsons

David Ragan the fast & the fabulous

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FUEL FOR THOUGHT | FUN PAGES | NASCAR HALL OF FAME | GEAR & GOODS | TAILGATING | SCHEDULES & ROSTERS

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GREEN FLAG THE FAST & THE FABULOUS NASCAR HALL OF FAME BACK ON TRACK LIVE AND IN PERSON A DAY IN THE LIFE WITH DAVID RAGAN TAILGATING 180-MPH BILLBOARD DRIVER PROFILES: A HERO’S JOURNEY NASCAR WOMEN: TERRI PARSONS FUEL CAREERS FUEL ADVICE FUEL FUN PAGES FUEL TRIVIA SCHEDULES & ROSTERS GEAR & GOODS DID YOU KNOW?

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green flag

RICHARD PETTY BACK IN CHARGE NEW EXHIBIT RUNS THROUGH JUNE

“S

hort Careers, Lasting Legacy” is the newest exhibit at the 150,000 square-foot NASCAR Hall of Fame in downtown Charlotte, N.C. Located in the Great Hall, “Short Careers, Lasting Legacy” showcases authentic artifacts that tell the story of some of NASCAR’s most memorable personalities. The exhibit, which runs through late June, recognizes individuals who left the sport in their prime or before they reached their full potential.

“Some of the competitors and personalities who had relatively short careers in NASCAR made a lasting impact on the sport,” said Winston Kelley, executive director of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. “This exhibition pays tribute to those talented individuals.”

Highlighting the exhibit is Tim Richmond’s No. 25 Folgers Monte Carlo, Alan Kulwicki’s No. 7 Hooters Thunderbird and Davey Allison’s No. 28 Texaco Thunderbird.

Additional artifacts on display commemorate NASCAR contributors Bondy Long, Carl Kiekhaefer, Adam Petty and Billy and Bobby Myers.

General admission to the NASCAR Hall of Fame is $19.95 for adults, $17.95 for seniors and military, $12.95 for children 5 to 12 and free for children younger than 5.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame is open daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and tickets can be purchased by calling 1-877-231-2010 or online at www.nascarhall.com.

NEW BOOK PROVIDES HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE READING THE EVOLUTION OF NASCAR: A HIStorical Collection is like walking through a museum. Its 144 pages contain photographs, artwork and memorabilia along with a colorful narrative chronicling each decade of the sport.

Veteran NASCAR writer Deb Williams reintroduces the stars through the years – Red Byron, Lee and Richard Petty, David Pearson, Dale Earnhardt, Bill Elliott, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and many others – while recounting the great moments of stock car racing, beginning with the first NASCAR-sanctioned race in 1948.

What sets this history of the sport apart from other accounts is its unique “scrapbook” format.

It includes replicas of items of historical relevance tucked into dozens of pockets throughout the book, such as a 1948 advertisement for the 08

POLE POSITION // 2011

BY KEITH WALTZ

first NASCAR beach and road race, a program from the first Daytona 500, a 1964 questionnaire completed by 2011 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Ned Jarrett, a 1974 NASCAR driver’s license and a 1994 Brickyard 400 press credential.

“This unique book gives fans an opportunity to hold history in their hands,” said NASCAR President Mike Helton. “With each flip of the page, the sport’s history comes to life with stunning photographs and fascinating collector’s items.”

The Evolution of NASCAR: A Historical Collection is part of the Vault series from Whitman Publishing and part of the NASCAR Library Collection. The hardcover book is available for $49.95 in bookstores nationwide. It can also be ordered online at the NASCAR.com Superstore and at WhitmanVaultBooks.com.

A group that includes seven-time NASCAR champion Richard Petty has purchased Richard Petty Motorsports from George and Foster Gillett.

Petty is chairman of the new company and is actively involved in the day-to-day operations of the team that fields the No. 43 Ford for AJ Allmendinger and the No. 9 Ford of Marcos Ambrose in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

“Today is a great day for me, my family, our fans and our wonderful sponsors,” Petty said in a statement announcing the purchase.

The ownership group also includes Medallion Financial Corp., a publicly traded company, and VeriFone Systems CEO Doug Bergeron.

NASCAR HQ EARNS LEED CERTIFICATION The International Motorsports Center, an eight-story, 190,000 square-foot building in Daytona Beach, Fla., that serves as the world headquarters of NASCAR and International Speedway Corporation, has earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

“Our headquarters building uses 20 percent less energy than a traditional office building of the same size,” said Lesa France Kennedy, chief executive officer of ISC. To earn LEED certification, the USGBC uses a points-based system for satisfying criteria meeting specific environmental impacts. The International Motorsports Center earned points for energy use, lighting, water and material use, air quality and innovation in design.

green flag

NASCAR Green Flag - American Ethanol

AMERICAN ETHANOL PARTNERS WITH NASCAR

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s part of its long-term commitment to “going green,” NASCAR has entered into a partnership with American Ethanol, which is led by ethanol advocacy group Growth Energy.

Growth Energy, a coalition of U.S. ethanol supporters including farmers and members of the ethanol supply chain, becomes an official sponsor of NASCAR, using the sport to bring its message of American ethanol to millions of race fans. American Ethanol will support drivers, teams and tracks with marketing, promotional activities, advertising and a season-long weekly contingency award.

NASCAR announced the sponsorship just weeks after confirming a switch in its major national series to Sunoco Green

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E15, a new 15-percent ethanol blend fuel Flag Green (DarkUnited Green) made withNASCAR cornGreen grown in the States.

Pantone 3425 “NASCAR andy.78 American Ethanol are c.100 m.0 k.42 ideal partners,” said NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France. “NASCAR is a great American sport in its third generation of family ownership, and ethanol is produced from the harvest of family-owned farms

across our country’s heartland.

“American Ethanol’s new partnership with NASCAR is much larger and more ambitious than a typical sports sponsorship,” France added. “Here we have an entire industry looking to NASCAR to communicate its message that America is capable of producing its own renewable, greener fuel.”

Tonal Green (Light Green) Pantone 360 c.58 m.0 y.80 k.0

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS SHUFFLES CREW CHIEFS Three of Hendrick Motorsports’ four drivers have new crew chiefs for the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.

Lance McGrew has moved from the No. 88 to the No. 5 driven by Mark Martin; Alan Gustafson switched from the No. 5 to Jeff Gordon’s No. 24; and Gordon’s former crew chief Steve Letarte is now calling the shots on the No. 88 driven by Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chad Knaus remains the crew chief of Jimmie Johnson’s No. 48 as they chase their sixth consecutive championship.

“This will improve us as an organization, across the board,” said team owner Rick Hendrick.

TONY STEWART EARNS HUMANITARIAN AWARD TONY STEWART WAS HONORED LATE LAST YEAR with the National Motorsports Press Association Home Depot Humanitarian Award.

In recognition of his charitable efforts, Stewart received a specially designed Humanitarian of the Year crystal award and accepted a $100,000 cash donation to the Tony Stewart Foundation Stewart established the Tony Stewart Foundation to raise and donate funds to help care for critically ill children, drivers injured in motorsports activities and to support other charitable organizations in the protection of various animal species.

The inaugural Prelude to the Dream took place at Stewart’s Eldora Speedway in 2005 and has grown to become a must-see event as it is an annual sell-out that features an exclusive HBO Pay-PerView television package. The Smoke Show, a stock car racing fantasy camp, has raised more than $676,000 since its inception in 2008.

“When we set out and created the Prelude to the Dream, and worked with Eddie Gossage and his staff at Texas Motor Speedway to establish the Smoke Show, our goal was really simple – to help people,” Stewart said. “We’re proud to say we’ve done a lot of that, but there is still a lot more to do. We’re grateful for this award, because the recognition will allow us to make the Prelude and the Smoke Show better than they ever were before.”

The NMPA Humanitarian Award was established in the 2007 and is presented annually.

JOHNSON’S TITLE IS TOP STORY IN 2010 Jimmie Johnson winning an unprecedented fifth consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship in come-frombehind fashion was voted the sport’s top competition story for 2010.

Media members ranked the top storylines in a poll on NASCARMedia.com.

First-place votes received 21 points, with second-place votes receiving 20 points, third-place votes 19 points and so forth down to one point for a 21stplace vote.

Johnson’s historic accomplishment garnered 49 first-place votes and finished with 1,449 points. NASCAR’s “Boys, have at it” philosophy – communicated last January, setting the tone for exciting and hard-fought racing – finished second with 17 first-place votes and 1,294 points.

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green flag GIVEAWAYS & GETAWAYS

The Decal Race Until March 31, 2011 gosunoco.com

D4D BLOG BRYAN ORTIZ

Race Matt Until Sept. 30, 2011 crownroyal.com

THE CHANCE OF A LIFETIME

I

t’s not easy chasing a dream that you have had since as long as you can remember, and even more so when you come from a place where this dream is not even possible to achieve or there are no previous examples to follow.

This is my case coming from Puerto Rico, a small beautiful island in the Caribbean that, although part of the United States, has a very distinct culture and heritage. It has produced many great singers, actors, professionals, and athletes in sports like baseball and boxing. But now the time has come for Puerto Rico to give NASCAR a shot, and I am here to take it.

There is no assured path in this sport, not a university you can attend to learn everything needed to be successful, but now thanks to NASCAR, Revolution Racing and all the partners involved, I have received the chance of a lifetime. The NASCAR Drive for Diversity Program will provide me the means to grow in the sport by allowing me to tackle all the important aspects of the racing world, from fitness, testing, media, to full-on oval track racing. I will learn from great people with a lot of experience, as well as from my teammates in the program.

My background has been mostly in road racing. I started about 10 years ago with karting, then moved to open-wheel cars and finally made the jump to sports cars, competing over the last six years in series like Grand Am Rolex and Koni Challenge.

Following the advice of well-known race car drivers like Boris Said, I then decided to pursue stock car racing.

This has been a very recent switch, with my first test happening a little over a year ago. It has been tough doing something completely different from what I was used to, not only because of the cars and tracks, but because the racing itself was a whole new world for me. Particularly difficult was the fact that in Puerto Rico there are no oval tracks to practice on, but I have been lucky to have people like Sterling Marlin supporting me over the past year, giving me a chance to test the waters and get some track time under my belt. It really helped making the transition go as smoothly as possible.

With only 10 races of total experience competing in the Sunoco National Tour, I won the rookie-of-the-year award and finished second in points for the championship. I then had the honor of being invited to participate in the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Combine where I am proud to have been selected for the 2011 driver roster. It is hard for me to imagine the great number of experiences this year will bring, but I am ready to learn and make the most of it. This has been my dream and passion all my life: to be a great professional race car driver in the most intense, tough and important series in the world of motorsports – NASCAR.

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POLE POSITION // 2011

Win One of Tony Stewart’s or Ryan Newman’s Favorite Chevys!

Feb. 1 – Sept. 30, 2011 nabiscoworld.com

Get Qualified with Coors Light Feb. 1 – March 30, 2011 coorslight.com/racing

Sponsafier 3 Feb. – May 21, 2011 sponsafier.com

Win a Legend – Camaro SS Feb. 17 – March 31, 2011 winyourchevy.com

NationwideInsurance Code Spotter Sweepstakes Feb. 19 – Nov. 19, 2011 codespotter.com

green flag

■ (Above) Lowe's of Central Charlotte store manager Mike Wilson and Collinswood Language Academy sixth graders Marco and Sara help Jimmie Johnson unveil a basketball goal during an announcement of a Toolbox for Education Champions Grant for the school's new playground.

■ (Left) Jimmie Johnson announces recipients of the 2010 Jimmie Johnson Foundation/Lowe's Toolbox for Education Champions Grants at Collinswood Language Academy in Charlotte, N.C.

$688,087 – Total of grants in 2010

THE JIMMIE JOHNSON FOUNDATION HELPS SCHOOLS IN THREE STATES

R

ecognizing that education funds have suffered severely during the nation’s deepest recession since the Great Depression, five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson and wife Chandra have stepped forward to help schools in their home states, as well as in the one they now call home.

In December, the Jimmie Johnson Foundation/Lowe’s Toolbox for Education Champions Grants awarded $688,087 to K-12 public schools in California, Oklahoma and North Carolina. Johnson is a California native, his wife is from Oklahoma and the couple now resides in the Tar Heel state.

The Johnsons, who celebrated the birth of their first child in 2010, announced the education grant recipients at Collinswood Language Academy in Charlotte, N.C. Collinswood was one of three Charlotte schools awarded a grant.

The full magnet school, which offers the Dual Language Spanish Immersion program, was awarded $45,947 for the construction of a playground for first through eighth grade students. The new playground will replace the school’s run-down existing equipment.

It’s the second year Collinswood has been a Champions Grant recipient. In 2009, the school received a grant for the installation of a SMART Board.

Other grants awarded included: • $198,554 for science and technology needs • $133,845 for playgrounds and athletic facilities • $88,097 for trade-based programs • $82,455 for experiential learning • $72,000 for performing arts programs • $68,098 toward literacy initiatives • $25,038 for school improvements Last year, the grants program received more than 100 applications from eligible school districts in California, North Carolina and Oklahoma. In two years, 40 grants totaling more than $1.5 million have been awarded to 35 schools.

K-12 public school programs or 501c(3) parent group associations may apply directly to www.toolboxforeducation.com for a Lowe’s Toolbox for Education grant up to $5,000. The spring cycle closes Feb. 18, 2011.

THE 2010 CHAMPIONS GRANTS WERE AWARDED TO THE FOLLOWING SCHOOLS:

California – Chase Avenue School (El Cajon), Emerald STEM Magnet Middle School (El Cajon), Grossmont High School (El Cajon), Fulton K-8 School (San Diego), Marston Middle School (San Diego), Mission Bay High School (San Diego), San Diego Unified School District (San Diego). North Carolina – Collinswood Language Academy (Charlotte), KIPP Charlotte (Charlotte), Pressly School (Statesville). Oklahoma – Cherokee Elementary (Muskogee), Tony Goetz Elementary (Muskogee), Mitchell Elementary (Tulsa).

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POLE POSITION // 2011

BY DEB WILLIAMS // PHOTOS COURTESY OF JIMMIE JOHNSON FOUNDATION

GENTLEMEN, START YOUR TWEETS

T

he marriage between high-speed racing and high-speed connections has found its honeymoon spot – Twitter. Just like in NASCAR, on Twitter one can lead, follow, or get the heck out of the way. Several drivers have already grabbed that lead, including the leader of the pack, Juan Pablo Montoya.

“Twitter is great for the fans because they can get to know who I am and what I do,”Montoya said. “It’s all about what I do and letting my fans see that I am just a normal guy that just happens to drive a race car. It just amazes me how many people have gotten into it and the following I now have.”

Other drivers are starting to follow Montoya’s lead. Here are the top five drivers to follow, why you should follow them and whom they are following.

Juan Pablo Montoya, @jpmontoya The dean of tweets has 253,505 followers who cling to every morsel of info, such as: “Spent the day with the family and putting together a F86 from @bananahobby looks amazing!!!”

■ Montoya is following: Windsurfers Antoine Albeau and Kevin Pritchard

Kenny Wallace, @kenny_wallace He took a picture of himself in a headband behind a drum set and then posted: “Check this Picture out!..Watch out Steven Tyler!!..ha ha.”

■ Wallace is following: Mike Wallace

Brad Keselowski, @keselowski He’s new to Twitter, but is making up for lost time with tweets coming at 3:14 a.m. and from Bob Evans restaurant the next morning.

■ Keselowski is following: Bubba the Love Sponge radio

Denny Hamlin, @dennyhamlin The only way to find out about his three-hour poker game against some of the world’s best players. He won, by the way.

■Hamlin is following: Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco

Kevin Harvick, @kevinharvick Posted pictures of test tubes with his blood sample, leading one follower to comment: “Let the cloning begin.”

■ Harvick is following: Christopher “Big Black”Boykin

BY CARTER STRICKLAND

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the fast and the fabulous

WILL THE GREAT NASCAR BABY BOOM CONTINUE INTO THE NEW YEAR?

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e’ve dubbed 2010 “The Year of the Baby” in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Some speculated there was something in the water because drivers’ wives seemed to be giving birth left and right throughout the year. Let’s review!

Elliott Sadler and his wife, Amanda, were the first to welcome a new life into the world of racing. Wyatt Herman Fritts Sadler was born on Feb. 15, just a day after the Daytona 500. His two middle names come from Elliot’s father (Herman) and Amanda’s grandmother (Fritts).

Carl Edwards’ wife, Kate, gave birth to their daughter, Anne, on Feb. 24. While rumors persist of another baby joining the family this year, there has been no confirmation at this point.

What we do know is that Carl has accepted an acting job in a new HBO mini-series, “To Appomattox.” The show is based on the Civil War-ending battle at Appomattox, Va., and will cover the surrender of Gen. Robert E. Lee to Gen. Ulysses S. Grant. Carl will play the role of Gen. John B. Gordon, a confederate general selected by Lee to

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BY VALLI HILAIRE

surrender the army of Northern Virginia.

Production is set for spring, but an air date has yet to be announced.

Five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson and his wife, Chandra, met their daughter, Genevieve Marie, on July 7. Chandra and little Genevieve celebrated Jimmie’s unprecedented fifth-straight NASCAR Sprint Cup title on the championship stage at the season-ending race in Homestead, Fla., and in Las Vegas during Champion’s Week and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Ceremony.

Juan Pablo Montoya’s wife, Connie, gave birth to their third child, Manuela Montoya Freydell, on July 19. Manuela joins her sister, Paulina, and brother, Sebastian.

Jeff Gordon and his wife, Ingrid Vandebosch, welcomed their second child, a son, Leo Benjamin Gordon on Aug. 9. Leo joins his older sister, Ella Sofia. Three-year-old Ella was busy in 2010. She designed a special paint scheme for her father’s No. 24 Chevrolet that appeared in the September race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Titled “My Papa’s Car,” Ella, with a little help from artist Sam Bass, created the paint scheme that also featured the logo of the newly renamed Jeff Gordon Children’s Foundation.

Krissie Newman, wife of driver Ryan Newman, gave birth to the couple’s first child, a daughter, named Brooklyn Sage, on Nov. 18. The couple then celebrated their seventh year of marriage on Jan. 3.

Krissie tweeted: “Happy Anniversary to my best friend and love of my life! Can’t believe it has been 7 yrs”.

Jamie McMurray ended 2010 the same way he started it: on a very good note. The Daytona 500 (and Brickyard 400) winner received a different kind of prize on Nov. 25 as his wife, Christy, gave birth to the couple’s first child, a son named Carter Scott.

There are at least two confirmed NASCAR newborns set to arrive in 2011. Katie and Matt Kenseth are expecting a sibling for their daughter, Kaylin Nicola, due early in the year. NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Johnny Sauter and his wife, Cortney, are also expecting a second child, a daughter to join their son, Penn, in April.

Kyle Busch Walks Down the Aisle

NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Kyle Busch left his bachelor days behind him on New Year’s Eve when he married longtime girlfriend, Samantha Sarcinella. The ceremony was held at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago, Ill., followed by a reception at the Chicago Cultural Center. The event will be featured on The Style Network in early March.

Also tying the knot in 2010 was NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Aric Almirola. He married Janice Goss on Dec. 11.

Tony’s Exclusive 2011 Calendar

Office Depot created a Tony Stewart calendar for 2011 that features photos of the driver not appearing anywhere else. The two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion and 2010 NMPA/Home Depot Humanitarian of the Year award winner channels his inner George Clooney in pictures that feature him in casual street wear, business attire and his racing uniform. The calendar is available at select Office Depot stores and online at OfficeDepotRacing.com.

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Professional Results. Less Effort. Energy Efficient.

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Frigidaire is a proud Honoree in the ENERGY STAR 2010 Award for Excellence in ENERGY STAR Appliance Manufacturing and Promotion. This recognizes our commitment to smart energy management, a cause that helps our customers save money and help the environment.

To learn more, visit frigidaire.com.

nascar hall of fame THE NASCAR HALL OF FAME EXPERIENCE

A SUPER BOWL PARTY WITHOUT FOOTBALL? PIGSKIN NOT REQUIRED AT NASCAR HALL OF FAME RACE-WATCHING PARTIES

F

or years a common phrase has floated around the NASCAR Industry. “We host a Super Bowl every Sunday, 38 weeks a year.” While every NASCAR race doesn’t draw the same worldwide attention as the famous football event, almost every NASCAR race draws a similar crowd. It is common for more than 100,000 fans to filter into the race track every weekend to watch their favorite driver compete for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship. Millions more watch at home on television.

The new NASCAR Hall of Fame in uptown Charlotte, N.C., is offering race fans a chance to experience races in the same fun, social manner that has become such an American tradition. In 2011, a limited number of tickets will be sold to Race Day Experiences and Race Night Experiences in the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s state-of-the-art Belk High Octane Theater. Imagine watching a 500-mile race on the big screen at your local movie theater. Add in a few adult beverages, some race team chatter on your own scanner, a few in-car camera views on side screens and realistic race simulator rides.

Now you have a Race Day or Race Night Experience at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

The 278-seat theater features comfortable high-back rocking chairs and a 64-foot curved projection screen with surround sound. Fans are invited to participate in free iRacing Simulator rides prior to the start of the race. Concessions stands are open and food and beverage is allowed inside the theater. The ticket also includes a race scanner for every person in attendance, which allows the viewer to listen to teams and drivers communicate during a race, something that has historically only been possible at the race track.

To cap off the experience, two large side screens feature unique feeds directly from the race track. They may be in-car camera shots or Hot Pass Channels, but they are guaranteed to bring an additional piece of the action not seen in the main broadcast.

The 11-race viewing season kicks off with free preview parties for the Budweiser Shootout (Feb. 12) and the Gatorade Duel at Daytona (Feb. 17). The first ticketed race is the Daytona 500 (Feb. 20). A complete listing is available at NASCARHall.com.

■■ Season tickets to the Race Experience are $60 for non-members and $50 for members. Each ticket includes the race on the big screen, a simulator ride, use of a scanner and additional screens with in-car camera feeds. Combo tickets are available the day of the event and also include admission to the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Individual tickets will be made available on-site as space allows. Visit NASCARHall.com or call 704-654-4431 for details.

■■ The iRacing simulators, included with a Race Experience ticket, have been recognized as some of the most realistic race simulations on the market. Dale Earnhardt Jr. was instrumental in developing the software to ensure the authenticity of the on-track experience.

The state-of-the-art, racing-simulation experience allows rookie drivers and avid fans to “feel” what it’s like on the track. Guests can get behind the wheel, start their engines, shift the gears and race other competitors.

■■ Conveniently located in uptown Charlotte, N.C., the 150,000-square-foot NASCAR Hall of Fame is an interactive, entertainment attraction honoring the history and heritage of NASCAR. The high-tech venue, designed to educate and entertain race fans and nonfans alike, includes artifacts, interactive exhibits, 278-person movie theater, Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant, NASCAR Hall of Fame Gear Shop and NASCAR Media Groupoperated broadcast studio. The venue is open 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. seven days a week and has a convenient attached parking garage.

BY KIMBERLY MEESTERS // PHOTOS COURTESY OF NASCAR HALL OF FAME

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BACK ON TRACK WITH TURNAROUND COMPLETE, CAN RCR CLAIM ANOTHER TITLE?

S

ince fielding its first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series entry in 1969, Richard Childress Racing has grown from very humble beginnings into one of the most successful teams in NASCAR history.

Now operating from a sprawling campus in Welcome, N.C., RCR has claimed six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships and its drivers – Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton, Kevin Harvick and Paul Menard – are among those expected to challenge for this year’s title.

Harvick, who finished third in the 2010 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, came to NASCAR’s premier series in 2001 when seven-time champion Dale Earnhardt lost his life as a result of a crash on the final lap of the Daytona 500.

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POLE POSITION // 2011

BY BEN WHITE

Team owner Richard Childress hired Harvick to drive his NASCAR Nationwide Series cars in 1999 with the intention of putting him in a NASCAR Sprint Cup ride when Earnhardt decided to retire. The circumstances surrounding that tragic day at Daytona thrust Harvick into NASCAR’s most coveted arena much sooner than expected.

Between 2001 and 2009, Harvick collected 11 victories, including the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400, with his most memorable victory coming at Atlanta Motor Speedway just two weeks after Earnhardt’s death.

Then there were the winless seasons in 2004, 2008 and 2009; the disappointing chapters of Harvick’s career that tested his patience.

In 2009, all four of Childress’ teams went winless. A combined 14 top-five finishes meant none of the four teams made the 10race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup at season’s end. Bowyer, Burton and Harvick finished 15th, 17th and 19th in points respectively, well below expectations.

Harvick’s disappointing finishes caused frustrations to mount, and by the midpoint of 2009, newspaper and television reports claimed the Bakersfield, Calif., native was so unhappy he was thinking about changing teams. For a time, it seemed as though the Childress-Harvick union would come to an end.

Childress was a driver in NASCAR’s premier series from 1969 until 1981 when he decided to focus on being a team owner.

He’s faced many struggles in his more than 40 years of racing and understood Harvick’s frustration.

Childress knew there was only one cure for RCR’s latest ills; make a list of areas that needed his attention and begin the calculated process of rebuilding the team.

New cars were built and several employees were shifted into new roles. Eventually the engines became stronger, the cars ran faster and a new day was born at Richard Childress Racing.

“Kevin is very competitive and I’m very competitive and we both wanted to win races more than anything else and we weren’t doing that,” Childress said. “So we sat down, talked and fixed things that needed to be fixed. We got down to all the things we wanted to change. And we did. Everything has worked out really well for us.

“We changed a lot of things at RCR and we’re contenders again. Me and Kevin are together for three more years and I’m happy to have him driving for me.”

The transformation was very obvious.

Harvick enjoyed three victories along with 16 top-five and 26 top-10 finishes in 2010 and was a championship contender, leading the points for much of the season.

“Well, it’s a 180[-degree turnaround] for us,” Harvick said. “We didn’t know what we needed to do to fix it. We were running better [late in 2009], but we didn’t know if that was going to continue into next year.

But we came out of the gate strong and ran strong all year.”

Harvick’s secret weapon comes in the form of crew chief Gil Martin, someone who keeps him calm and focused.

“I think when you speak of Gil, he is great for me because he’s very good with the people and that can be my shortfall sometimes,” Harvick said. “He’s very motivating; he’s very good in controversial situations, in guiding the team and telling them what they need to do; and keeping them away from the things that they don’t need to focus on. Gil is very good as far as racing for the championship. Win or lose, it’s all about racing for that championship.”

Scott Miller’s move from crew chief for Jeff Burton to competition director allowed Childress to step back and concentrate on the business side of racing.

“Scott, being the engineering-minded person that he is, has helped the engineering

COMEBACK KIDS FIVE DRIVERS TO WATCH IN 2011 Dale Earnhardt Jr.

With Jeff Gordon’s former crew chief Steve Letarte moving to the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, many Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans believe this will be the year the thirdgeneration race car driver returns to Victory Lane. A fresh start could very well build a foundation for future consistency.

Mark Martin

In his final year with Hendrick Motorsports, 52-year-old Mark Martin will concentrate on returning the No. 5 Chevrolet to Victory Lane. Martin will have crew chief Lance McGrew, who previously worked with Dale Earnhardt Jr., at his side with hopes of being the surprise driver of 2011.

Kasey Kahne

Under contract with Hendrick Motorsports, Kahne is driving the No. 4 Red Bull Racing Toyota this year and is optimistic he’ll have a winning season. Crew chief Kenny Francis and many of the crew members who worked on Kahne’s No. 9 at Richard Petty Motorsports last season have joined him at Red Bull. Kahne had offseason knee surgery, but says he’ll be 100 percent recovered and ready to race when the green flag is waved.

Brian Vickers

Brian Vickers returns to the No. 83 Red Bull Racing Toyota after being forced to sit out much of the 2010 season due to serious health issues. Doctors have cleared Vickers and the 2003 NASCAR Nationwide Series champion is anxious to get his career back on track.

Jamie McMurray

The surprise driver of 2010, Jamie McMurray hopes to continue his winning ways. Driving the No. 1 Chevrolet for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, McMurray won the Daytona 500, the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis and the 500mile event at Charlotte Motor Speedway last season. Now in his second year of his second stint with the team, McMurray and crew chief Kevin Manion are poised to contend for the championship.

department just have some direction and work on things,” Harvick said. “Those two things, along with some other little management structural changes with the teams and things like that have helped point us in the right direction.”

Harvick agrees that Jimmie Johnson winning five consecutive championships is an incredible accomplishment. But he feels this might be the year Richard Childress Racing ends Johnson’s streak.

“I think you have to respect it for sure, knowing how hard it is to do,” said Harvick.

“I think you have to step back and look at it, and realize what they have accomplished is pretty remarkable. But for us, I think you step back, [and see] they are also vulnerable. This is the first crack at it. They have obviously done a great job, but there are a

few chinks in the armor and I think everybody has caught up to being more competitive with them.”

Childress was happy to end 2010 on a high note and is looking forward to a strong 2011 that may include another championship.

“To be in contention for the championship again is great and [third in points] the best we’ve done in awhile,” Childress said. “We were third with Bowyer in 2007 and Kevin in third last year. We had some great opportunities. It’s just that Jimmie Johnson is having a phenomenal run there at Hendrick Motorsports.

“Someone is going to beat them for the championship and I told our people it needs to be us,” Childress added. “To be competitive and contend for a championship felt good, just like it did in the old days.”

FREERACEMAG.COM

21

LIVE AND IN PERSON

ELEVEN UNIQUE REASONS TO ATTEND A NASCAR RACE

W

hat do you love most about watching a NASCAR race in person? For many fans, it’s hard to pinpoint just one element of the race-day experience that gets their heart pounding and blood pumping.

From the unmistakable smell of burning tire rubber and the thunderous roar of the engines, to the absence of commercial breaks and the opportunity to be near their heroes, fans have many reasons for going to the track instead of watching the race on television, following it on the Internet or listening on the radio.

True NASCAR fans know there’s no substitute for being at the track.

The Speed

Good luck trying to pretend you can truly feel the speed of the cars without seeing them in person. Even at a tiny track like Martinsville Speedway, where speeds “only” reach about 120 mph, there’s a world of difference in how much faster the cars appear when you’re only feet away.

At the larger and faster tracks, the speed is all the more vivid. Better not sit that soda down; it might just topple over when 43 cars blow by at Talladega while running in a tight pack above 180 mph.

Trying to get an accurate sense of the speed from television is hard to do. You’ll never understand how fast the cars go until you’ve seen them live.

The Different Tracks

NASCAR tracks come in a variety of shapes and sizes, each featuring unique characteristics. It’s a must that real fans visit at least one of each type of venue — short track, superspeedway, intermediate track and road course.

How different is the experience at a flat 2.5-mile circuit like the Indianapolis Motor Speedway versus a short, high-banked track 22

POLE POSITION // 2011

BY JARED TURNER

like Bristol Motor Speedway? Not only is the racing vastly different, so is the culture of a small-town, southern track like Bristol versus a flashy, western facility surrounded by a major city like Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

“It’s amazing how something I love could be so different, but just as awesome at a different track. The entire feel of the track, the location, the racing – all different, but so similar,” said April Gates, a fan from Sultan, Wash.

The Wrecks and Spins

It’s impossible to experience the full effect of a crash without being at the actual site. If you think those pileups and Talladega tumbles look wild on television, just wait until you’ve seen them in person.

Wrecks, especially those notorious melees at the restrictor-plate tracks, take on new meaning when you can actually feel the grandstands shake. Crumpled sheet metal and bruised fenders don’t look nearly as bad on TV as they do in person, either.

“Screaming when your driver takes the lead and cussing when they crash, the energy at a live race can be electric and keeps you pumped for hours on end,” said Karen Burrell, of Ontario, Canada.

The Drivers

Being at the track increases fans’ chances of getting near their heroes.

If you’re lucky enough to secure a garage pass, you’ll eventually see every driver from Mike Bliss to Jimmie Johnson moving from Point A to Point B in the always-bustling team work area. Car owners and crew chiefs also tend to be highly visible here, with the more laid-back ones stopping to sign autographs and pose for pictures.

Throughout the race weekend, drivers make various sponsor and fan appearances.

“There is no other sport on earth that you can get that close to your heroes and they are friendly and kind,” said Burrell.

The Sounds

There’s nothing in the world like hearing the sound of 43 racing engines simultaneously roar to life. A chill is likely to run up and down the spine of even the most fair-weather fan when the greatest stock cars drivers on earth fire their engines on pit road.

Of course, the noise doesn’t achieve maximum decibels until the drivers are on the track at full speed. That’s when you know you’re not in Kansas anymore (unless the race is at Kansas Speedway), and it’s only then that the power of a 3,400-pound stock car becomes fully evident.

You’ll need a good set of earplugs – especially at places like Bristol and Martinsville – to avoid potential auditory trauma, but it just wouldn’t be a race without the noise.

The Smells

Burning tire rubber, concession foods and high-octane fuels provide the olfactory senses with an eclectic combination that can’t be found anywhere but the track.

Pretend as one may, it’s impossible to inhale such a potent confluence from the comforts of the living room. To get the full effect, one must be in the stands or infield as 43 drivers and pit crews get down to business for three-plus hours.

The smells are a major attraction for fans such as Burrell and Kim Sonefeld, of Clearwater, Fla. Both women say the odors are a highlight of their race-day experience. This year, fans will breathe in a slightly different fuel smell as NASCAR moves to an ethanol mix for its three national series.

The Thrill of Victory

Wonderful as it is to witness your favorite driver win a race anytime from anywhere, including the home sofa, the thrill of victory is more gratifying in person. Is anything really sweeter than knowing the money spent on a ticket, gasoline and hotel room, and the time invested in getting to the track, culminated in a victory by your favorite driver?

Seeing him cross the finish line first makes the sacrifices of attending a race all worth it. Of course, it’s tough spending hours in traffic, then sweltering or shivering for several hours only for your driver to run poorly. But when your guy wins, you’ll always be able to say, “I was there.”

And you’ll have the ticket stub to prove it.

FREERACEMAG.COM

23

Souvenirs and Memorabilia Galore

Race tracks are a NASCAR memorabilia collector’s dream come true. Every NASCAR Sprint Cup team shows up each weekend with a souvenir hauler that resembles the big rigs that tote the cars, but actually serves as the unofficial command center for all things merchandise.

Had a hard time finding that favorite driver’s die-cast car? Been searching desperately for a flag drenched in your favorite driver’s colors and car number? Looking for a big poster of Junior or Jeff to hang on the bedroom wall? You’ll find them all at the track, where souvenir shopping is essential to the true fan experience.

Generally, the souvenir trailers are sprinkled throughout the grounds near the track. If you don’t see them at first, just keep looking. They’re impossible to miss.

The Diversity of the Fans

Those who attend NASCAR events differ vastly in age, background, creed and socioeconomic status, and they hail from all over the world – not just the United States. Burrell, a Canadian, said, “People think I am absolutely crazy for being in love with this sport.”

While some observers may not understand Burrell’s passion, she’s quick to note the eclectic nature of NASCAR’s fan base, which has extended well beyond its original hub in the Southeastern United States. Witnessing the diversity among the spectators in the stands enhances her race-day experience.

“I love that people from all walks of life get together and just hang out and watch their favorites do their thing,” Burrell said.

Memories, Preparation, Anticipation

NASCAR races typically entail a fair amount of buildup as the big day approaches. The anticipation is greater when fans know they’re about to spend a whole weekend at the track.

Before the engines fire or the green flag

is waved, some NASCAR enthusiasts have their own unique rituals for getting juiced up for the drama to come. April Gates, of Sultan, Wash., has no problem getting “amped.”

“The excitement of leaving days in advance of the race, loading in our RV and waiting in line to enter the track, setting up and then living in the infield for four days all while enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of NASCAR is ... lifealtering,” she said.

Formal pre-race events such as qualifying and practices also add to the race-day hype.

TRUE NASCAR FANS KNOW THERE’S NO SUBSTITUTE FOR BEING AT THE TRACK.

The Dearth of Commercials

At the track, there are no breaks from the action. Rather than missing any key moments, you get them all. In-person viewing is particularly beneficial at venues such as Bristol, Martinsville, Daytona and Talladega where circumstances notoriously change in a hurry. Only an ill-timed visit to the restroom or the concession stand will make one say, “I can’t believe I missed that,” when there are no commercials to interrupt.

24

POLE POSITION // 2011

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A DAYIN

THE

LIFE

DAVID RAGAN ON A TYPICAL DAYTONA 500 SUNDAY

N

ow in his fifth full season of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racing for Roush Fenway Racing, secondgeneration driver David Ragan is part of NASCAR’s youth movement with aspirations of becoming one of stock car racing’s future stars.

The season-opening Daytona 500 is one of Ragan’s favorite races because he usually runs near the front of the pack throughout the prestigious 200-lap race on the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway.

Come along as the driver of the No. 6 UPS Ford takes NASCAR Pole Position readers along during a typical Daytona 500 Sunday: 8:15 a.m. Race day is the busiest day of the week. I sleep as long as I can. I’ll get up with just enough time to eat MiniWheats and Raisin Bran. I mix my cereals together for some reason and I’ll also grab an orange or banana.

26

POLE POSITION // 2011

BY BEN WHITE

8:45 a.m. I’ll shower with just enough time to go catch my first appearance of the morning. Nancy Padula, my public relations representative, does a good job of making sure we leave one place in time to get to the next.

9:20 a.m. I’ll meet and greet fans, sign a number of autographs and get the day going. I enjoy getting to see the fans. The time leading up to the driver’s meeting can be pretty chaotic because we will have several appearances for my sponsors, such as UPS, Coca-Cola and Ford.

DAVID RAGAN ON...

THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES SCHEDULE: I think 36 races is perfect. It could be a race or two less and we wouldn’t know the difference, but I think if you go more than that, it gets a little old through the season.

FAVORITE PART OF THE SEASON: Going back down to Daytona in July. It’s the halfway point of the season and you get to evaluate how you’ve done so far. It’s a fun night race in July. Then you get kicked back into gear to go to Kentucky the next week.

LEAST FAVORITE PART OF THE SEASON: What I don’t like is a three-day open test in the middle of the season.

SECRET TO SUCCESS: Communication with my crew chief is the key. It’s also important to have good communication with the team owner, pit crew, everybody. It’s a long season and you can get drained and worn out. So it’s good to keep everyone on their toes, keep everybody focused and have fun.

10:45 a.m. About 15 minutes before the driver’s meeting I will walk over to the transporter with [crew chief] Drew Blickensderfer and chitchat to make sure everything is good for pit road or if there have been last-minute changes made to the car.

11:00 a.m. The driver’s meeting before the Daytona 500 is neat because it’s great to see the celebrities and dignitaries who are there for the race. It’s normally packed and I usually have my photo taken with several people before I leave.

12:00 p.m. This is the last hour I have before the start of the race, the calm before the storm, so to speak. I usually get something for lunch. I will have my motor home driver cook pretty much the same thing every week, which is some type of pasta, chicken and broccoli. I’ll knock that out while I’m watching the pre-race show on TV. That’s pretty good entertainment to watch; Kenny Wallace, Kyle Petty and those guys get on TV and talk about everything.

12:30 p.m. I change into my driver’s suit and then head out to pit road or the frontstretch for driver introductions and have pictures made with people around the cars. Then there’s the parade lap where I get to wave to the crowd from the back of a pick-up truck, which is cool.

1:00 to 5:00 p.m. For 200 laps, I run the race with my awesome Roush Fenway Racing crew and hope for a win or a really good finish. Once the race is over, I will do interviews with the media. If I finish in the top three, I go to the infield media center and take questions from a couple hundred

press members. Typically, we run well in the Daytona 500 even though we haven’t always finished good.

5:30 p.m. I always make a point to talk to my crew chief about the race and then I go back to the hauler, change and leave the track. From there, I’m on a golf cart and get back to my Ford rental car. There’s a special access road at Daytona so I can make it to the airport without hitting any traffic.

6:00 p.m. We sit on the ramp for 30 minutes to an hour before it’s our turn to take off. It’s an hour and a half flight back to Charlotte.

8:00 p.m. Once I’m home, I shower and then call Outback or Longhorn and get something to go. My goal is to always get back before 9 p.m. so I can call in an order and pick it up. From there, I just watch the news or watch highlights of the race. I jot down notes because we always have a Monday morning meeting.

11:30 p.m. The night of any race, especially the Daytona 500, I’m wide awake and I’ll toss and turn until I fall asleep. So I’ll catch the 11 o’clock news. I get to sleep and a new day starts.

FREERACEMAG.COM

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tailgating GET IN THE RACE – EVEN FROM HOME!

I

f you still have snow and ice outside your house when NASCAR begins its 2011 season and you yearn for the sun’s warmth in Florida, Arizona and Nevada, don’t despair. Bring Daytona, Phoenix and Las Vegas to your house with a themed indoor tailgate party.

For the season-opening Daytona 500, transform your game or theater room into the famous beach where NASCAR was founded. Break out the brightly colored shirts, festive tableware and find yourself a few palm trees to scatter around the room.

Make your favorite summer beverage and prepare a meal as if it were mid-July.

For the season’s second race, NASCAR moves to the Valley of the Sun and if you enjoy the Old West, this is the perfect time to don a cowboy hat and boots. Fix that favorite chili recipe or prepare a festive Southwest meal. Roasted corn is always good.

Next is Las Vegas. If you can’t go to The Strip, then bring it to your fellow race fans.

There’s nothing like a song-filled racing movie to get the festivities started, so begin the day by showing Elvis Presley’s Viva Las Vegas.

Before everyone arrives, make sure the rooms used by guests take on that Las Vegas feel. Using decorations, transform them into a casino at your favorite Las Vegas hotel. The city is known for its buffets, so don’t worry about being formal when serving the food. A good buffet makes everyone happy.

To add a special touch to all three “tailgate” parties, determine which guest will celebrate a birthday closest to race day and his or her favorite driver. Then have a birthday cake decorated as that person’s favorite driver’s car.

Happy tailgating!

28

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Super insulate and change the look of your new or existing plain hardsided cooler with NASCAR-licensed cooler covers. This cooler coozie is made out of stretchable neoprene, which allows the cooler cover to fit all sizes and manufacturers of coolers.

Colorful driver graphics using the dye sublimation print process will make any cooler look great.

Choose your favorite driver today at NASCAR.com.

POLECADDY The hottest new tailgating accessory to hit the market! This patented device is constructed of durable PVC plastic, attaches to virtually any pop-up tent or beach umbrella pole in seconds and holds drinks, cell phones, etc. Polecaddy has recently partnered with NASCAR to bring you “NASCAR caddies” as well as caddies featuring your favorite drivers and tracks. To find out more about Polecaddy, please visit polecaddy.com.

THE BEST TAILGATING GAME

C

ornhole is similar to horseshoes, but involves tossing a bag at a hole on a board sitting at a slight angle. Points are awarded when a player lands a bag on the board or hits the hole. Players may knock each other’s bags off the board, thus keeping that person from scoring points. Typically, three points are awarded for bags in the hole and one for bags on the board.

TRAVEL CHECKLIST

CAMPING CHECKLIST

TAILGATING CHECKLIST

■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■

■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■

■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■

Proper clothing, including rain gear and sunscreen Map or GPS Reservation and confirmation codes Beverages and snacks Cash for parking/tolls Chargers for electronic devices Mobile phone Spare tire/roadside emergency equipment Service vehicle before leaving Stop mail delivery

POLE POSITION // 2011

First-aid kit Weather radio Battery-operated spotlight Toilet paper Fuel/batteries Extra towels, blankets and pillows Bottled water Laptop computer Lounge chairs Picnic table

BY DEB WILLIAMS // PHOTO COURTESY OF ALEX FORD

Grill Charcoal or propane gas Plenty of ice Ice chest Easily washable or disposable dishes and utensils Food and beverages Ample seating Accessible bathroom Condiments Decorations

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S

ponsorship dollars fuel NASCAR racing and a majority of the cars prominently display a wide variety of corporate logos as they zoom around the track at speeds at or above 180 mph.

Teams and companies spend a great deal of time and money, especially in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, designing paint schemes and logo layouts for their race cars.

But much like the actual construction of the car, the placement of sponsor logos is tightly controlled by NASCAR and all car designs must be approved by the sanctioning body.

These pages include an overview of where sponsor decals can be placed and what type of sponsorship is typically represented in a specific area.

180-MPH BILLBOARD RULES DICTATE THE PLACEMENT OF SPONSOR LOGOS

FRONT BUMPER: Advertising logos, other than identification for the automobile manufacturer, is not permitted forward of the hood pins.

FRONT FENDERS: This area is reserved for series sponsors and NASCAR contingency program sponsors. Each car is required to display the series sponsor decals as well as decals for Goodyear and Sunoco, but participation in the various NASCAR contingency programs is optional, which is why all cars do not carry exactly the same decals on their front fenders. However, in order to collect money from a NASCAR contingency program the appropriate decal must be displayed in its assigned location.

HOOD: The hood is traditionally reserved for the logo of the car’s primary sponsor while an associate sponsor is sometimes placed on the leading edge of the hood. NASCAR rules allow the hood decal to continue laterally beyond the hood seams to the top of the fenders and longitudinally beyond the rear hood seam to the forward edge of the cowl opening.

ROOF: The roof panel of the race car is reserved for the car number and advertising logos are not permitted. The roof number must be solid and at least 36 inches high, reading from the driver’s side. For numbers that contain two numerals there must be a separation of two inches between the first and second numerals.

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POLE POSITION // 2011

REAR QUARTER PANELS: This is the area where a majority of the business is done. The top of the rear quarter panel carries the logo of the car’s primary sponsor. Major associate sponsors are traditionally placed on the lower rear quarter panel behind the rear wheel while the logos of smaller associate sponsors are placed in front of the rear wheel.

B-POSTS: This is the metal piece that runs from the top of the door to the roof between the front and rear windows.

Teams use the B-posts to display the logos of smaller associate sponsors or major product suppliers.

FUEL PORT: New for 2011, all race cars in the three national series will be required to carry the American Ethanol decal that circles the fuel port.

C-POSTS: This is the metal piece that runs from the back of the roof to the top of the rear quarter panel between the rear quarter window and the rear window. Teams use the C-posts to display the logo of a major associate sponsor.

REAR BUMPER: Advertising logos, other than identification for the automobile manufacturer, are not permitted on the rear bumper.

TV PANEL: The area above the rear bumper has become known as the TV panel because it is most often visible from an in-car camera shot. Some teams include the TV panel as part of the primary sponsorship package while others sell it to an associate sponsor.

DOORS: No sponsor identification is allowed on the sides of the race car between the back edge of the air deflector and the B-post. This area is reserved for the car number. Numbers must be solid and at least 21 inches high, excluding borders and silhouettes. A door number must be at least four inches wide and slant no more than 30 degrees. No mirror-foil numbers are permitted. For numbers that contain two numerals there must be a separation of two inches between the first and second numerals.

DECK LID: The area covering the trunk between the back edge of the rear window and the spoiler is traditionally sold to an associate sponsor, but it can also be part of the car’s primary sponsorship package.

MISCELLANEOUS: Decals, advertising logos, text or identification of sponsors are not permitted on the windshield, rear window, rear quarter windows or the rear spoiler. All sponsor logos are subject to approval by NASCAR.

FREERACEMAG.COM

31

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DRIVER PROFILES

what it will take to win big in 2011

BY BEN WHITE

FREERACEMAG.COM

33

DRIVER PROFILES

▐ OWNER: RICK HENDRICK ▐ TEAM: HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS ▐ CAR: LOWE’S CHEVROLET ▐ CREW CHIEF: CHAD KNAUS

48

jimmie johnson

W

ith five consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships, Jimmie Johnson appears poised to add to his incredible record.

But with the competition catching up, a sixth title will come only if Johnson and his Chad Knaus-led Hendrick Motorsports team are flawless and that means equaling or surpassing their 2010 numbers, which included six victories and 23 top-10 finishes.

From 2006 through 2009, Johnson’s championship efforts seemed to be on auto pilot. Performances were routinely below par at the beginning of the season, picked up steam by the July race at Daytona and were on cruise control by the start of the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. But in 2010, there were more mechanical issues and more crashes, which meant having to battle hard every lap during the season finale in Homestead, Fla. In order to keep the streak alive, there is no room for error and Johnson must strike hard earlier in the season.

34

POLE POSITION // 2011

DRIVER PROFILES

▐ OWNER: GENE HAAS & TONY STEWART ▐ TEAM: STEWART-HAAS RACING ▐ CAR: OFFICE DEPOT/MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET ▐ CREW CHIEF: DARIAN GRUBB

14

tony stewart

T

ony Stewart was on a roll in 2009, his first season as an owner/driver. He and Stewart-Haas Racing co-owner Gene Haas made major changes to the team, bringing in a “Who’s Who” among race team personnel. Stewart won four races and finished sixth in the championship that season.

Last year, Stewart won at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Auto Club Speedway but struggled to find the consistency needed to challenge for the championship, posting just 17 top-10 finishes.

Stewart and crew chief Darian Grubb must work out the issues that derailed their 2010 title hopes, such as missed chassis setups, and get back to Victory Lane on a more consistent basis.

Stewart, who spent much of the winter racing a sprint car in Australia, can win his third NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title this season if he and his team find all the small, but very important, ingredients that were missing last year and turn the corner on week-to-week consistency.

36

POLE POSITION // 2011

DRIVER PROFILES

▐ OWNER: RICK HENDRICK ▐ TEAM: HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS ▐ CAR: AMP ENERGY/NATIONAL GUARD CHEVROLET ▐ CREW CHIEF: STEVE LETARTE

88

DALE EARNHARDT JR.

E

ntering his fourth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season with Hendrick Motorsports, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is looking to new crew chief Steve Letarte for leadership and gusty calls on pit road.

The company-wide hope is that Earnhardt Jr. can greatly improve on what’s been a rather disappointing venture since joining the championship-winning organization at the start of the 2008 season.

Earnhardt Jr. had only eight top-10 finishes in 36 starts last season and finished outside the top 20 in 16 races. His average finish of 18th must be greatly improved; something that can only be accomplished with consistent top-five performances.

Letarte has been helping Jeff Gordon win races for nearly a decade and hopefully a new voice on the two-way radio will give Earnhardt Jr. a new start. But Earnhardt Jr. must put the dismal finishes of the past out of his mind and start the season with a new outlook.

38

POLE POSITION // 2011

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DRIVER PROFILES

▐ OWNER: J.D. GIBBS ▐ TEAM: JOE GIBBS RACING ▐ CAR: FEDEX TOYOTA ▐ CREW CHIEF: MIKE FORD

11

Denny hamlin

D

enny Hamlin and the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing team, headed by crew chief Mike Ford, put together an eight-win season in 2010 that had NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship written all over it.

They had a remarkably strong effort that kept them in the hunt week after week. Finishes were consistently good, pit stops were fast and a few of their victories resulted from amazing late-race efforts that accumulated valuable points.

Unfortunately, there were times during the 36-race schedule when things went wrong, and serious consequences resulted.

For instance, a late-race miscue on gas mileage at Phoenix International Raceway with only one race remaining derailed the team’s title hopes.

Hamlin enters the season as Jimmie Johnson’s strongest challenger and could definitely unseat the reigning champion.

But in order to pull it off, Hamlin and Ford must communicate better, improve their decision-making on pit road, and not let unforeseen circumstances derail their efforts.

40

POLE POSITION // 2011

▐ OWNER: JOE GIBBS ▐ TEAM: JOE GIBBS RACING ▐ CAR: M&M’S TOYOTA ▐ CREW CHIEF: DAVE ROGERS

18

kyle busch

K

yle Busch entered a total of 81 NASCAR Sprint Cup, NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races during the 2010 season. He won a remarkable 24 of those, including a sweep at Bristol Motor Speedway during August.

But Busch enters the new season with one primary goal: Win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship. In order to do that, he must improve on his 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup record of three victories and 18 top-10 finishes in the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.

In addition, Busch must avoid crashes, such as the ones that knocked him out of races at Daytona in July and HomesteadMiami in November, and mechanical issues like the blown engine he suffered at Auto Club Speedway in October.

It’s also crucial that Busch holds his temper in check, unlike what was seen in the season finale at Miami-Homestead Speedway when an obscene hand gesture flashed toward a NASCAR official resulted in a costly penalty.

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41

DRIVER PROFILES

▐ OWNER: RICK HENDRICK ▐ TEAM: HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS ▐ CAR: DRIVE FOR HUNGER CHEVROLET ▐ CREW CHIEF: ALAN GUSTAFSON

24

jeff gordon

J

eff Gordon and his Hendrick Motorsports team mounted a strong challenge last season to unseat Jimmie Johnson as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion.

Gordon had 11 top-five and 17 top-10 finishes during the 36race season, but failed to find Victory Lane. As a result, Gordon was no match for Johnson, who won six times, and Denny Hamlin, who recorded eight victories.

This year, Gordon has crew chief Alan Gustafson at his side, calling the shots and making sure his Chevrolets are up to championship form. With a new face in the garage area, how well Gordon and Gustafson communicate will be the key to their success.

Gordon has four NASCAR Sprint Cup titles and would love to add a couple more before his career comes to an end. He has been successful on all types of race tracks, including road courses, so wins and strong finishes will come if Gustafson is able to properly fine tune the car’s handling.

42

POLE POSITION // 2011

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DRIVER PROFILES 16

▐ OWNER: JACK ROUSH ▐ TEAM: ROUSH FENWAY RACING ▐ CAR: 3M FORD ▐ CREW CHIEF: GREG ERWIN

greg biffle GREG BIFFLE WAS THE FIRST ROUSH FENWAY Racing driver to visit Victory Lane in 2010 when he won at Pocono Raceway in August.

A second victory at Kansas Speedway during October, combined with a sixth-place finish in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, gives the Greg Erwin-led team plenty of optimism as the Vancouver, Wash., native eyes his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title.

33

▐ OWNER: RICHARD CHILDRESS ▐ TEAM: RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING ▐ CAR: CHEERIOS/HAMBURGER HELPER CHEVROLET ▐ CREW CHIEF: SHANE WILSON

clint bowyer CLINT BOWYER MADE THE CHASE IN 2010 and won two of the final 10 races – New Hampshire and Talladega. But in order to contend for this year’s title, Bowyer and crew chief Shane Wilson must eliminate the mechanical failures and crashes that knocked them out of three races. They must also avoid costly penalties like the one that relegated them to 10th in the final standings.

31

▐ OWNER: RICHARD CHILDRESS ▐ TEAM: RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING ▐ CAR: CATERPILLAR CHEVROLET ▐ CREW CHIEF: TODD BERRIER

jeff burton JEFF BURTON FINISHED LAST AMONG THE 12 drivers who qualified for the Chase in 2010 and his best finishes were a pair of secondplace efforts at Dover International Speedway.

In order to move from the bottom to the top of the Chase standings, Burton and his Todd Berrier-led team must erase the low doubledigit finishes and make several trips to Victory Lane.

22

▐ OWNER: ROGER PENSKE ▐ TEAM: PENSKE RACING ▐ CAR: SHELL/PENNZOIL DODGE ▐ CREW CHIEF: STEVE ADDINGTON

kurt busch KURT BUSCH HAS NEW COLORS AND A NEW number on his Penske Racing Dodge, so it’s a perfect time to improve upon his 2010 season that featured victories at Atlanta and Charlotte. The first order of business for the No. 22 team is to eliminate the finishes of 30th or worse that plagued Busch and crew chief Steve Addington in seven events last year.

44

POLE POSITION // 2011

29

▐ OWNER: RICHARD CHILDRESS ▐ TEAM: RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING ▐ CAR: BUDWEISER CHEVROLET ▐ CREW CHIEF: GIL MARTIN

kevin harvick KEVIN HARVICK COMES OFF AN IMPRESSIVE 2010 season sporting new colors and a new attitude. After an organization-wide turnaround at Richard Childress Racing in 2009, Harvick celebrated three victories last season. But finishes such as a 35th at Martinsville, a 34th at Chicago and 33rd at Atlanta absolutely cannot happen if the Bakersfield, Calif., native hopes to win his first title.

99

▐ OWNER: JACK ROUSH ▐ TEAM: ROUSH FENWAY RACING ▐ CAR: AFLAC FORD ▐ CREW CHIEF: BOB OSBORNE

carl edwards CARL EDWARDS AND HIS ROUSH FENWAY Racing teammates struggled until the second half of 2010 when performance picked up across the board. Edwards ended the year on a high note, winning the final two races at Phoenix and Homestead, and hopes to carry the momentum into the new season. If there is any hope of a title run, Edwards must continue to win on a regular basis.

4

▐ OWNER: DIETRICH MATESCHITZ ▐ TEAM: RED BULL RACING TEAM ▐ CAR: RED BULL TOYOTA ▐ CREW CHIEF: KENNY FRANCIS

kasey kahne KASEY KAHNE HAS A NEW TEAM, NEW COLors and a new car number, but crew chief Kenny Francis and many of the crew members who worked with him last season also made the move to Red Bull Racing. This will be Kahne’s only season at Red Bull before joining Hendrick Motorsports and it’s time to show what he can do with top-flight resources.

17

▐ OWNER: JOHN HENRY ▐ TEAM: ROUSH FENWAY RACING ▐ CAR: CROWN ROYAL FORD ▐ CREW CHIEF: JIMMY FENNIG

matt kenseth MATT KENSETH AND THE NO. 17 ROUSH FENway Racing team stayed under the radar for most of the 2010 season, but managed to make the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and finished fifth in the standings. Veteran crew chief Jimmy Fennig brings decades of experience, which, when combined with Kenseth’s championship experience, could make the team a strong contender.

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45

NASCAR WOMEN ■■ Terri Parsons talks with NASCAR driver Kevin Harvick during dinner for the VIPs attending the October 2010 Moonshine-Revenuer Reunion.

■■ ESPN’s Allen Bestwick introduces Terri Parsons at the beginning of the 2010 Moonshine-Revenuer Reunion held in October at the Parsons’ homeplace.

■■ Terri Parsons with Kevin and DeLana Harvick.

Proceeds went to the Kevin Harvick Foundation, thanking Harvick for being the first NASCAR driver to test the reopened North Wilkesboro Speedway.

■■ Since losing her husband four years ago, Terri Parsons has focused on turning the dreams he left behind into reality.

TERRI PARSONS FULFILLS HUSBAND’S DREAM

F

our years ago on Jan. 16, 2007, Terri Parsons’ life suddenly turned upside down. Her beloved husband, 1973 NASCAR premier series champion and Emmy-award winning broadcaster Benny Parsons, died unexpectedly due to complications from his harsh lung cancer treatments.

At the time, the couple was building a house in Wilkes County, N.C., and planning a wine business. The former driver’s unbridled enjoyment of life and his desire to protect his family’s property in Wilkes County had launched his new business venture.

Before being diagnosed with lung cancer in July 2006, Benny had designed their new house, purchased the wine-making equipment and retained veteran wine maker and longtime NASCAR fan Mark Terry to make his product. Benny also had leased four North Carolina vineyards.

However, the medical complications that hospitalized him in late December 2006 never allowed the 65-year-old driver to see his plans to fruition. Everything was now in Terri’s hands.

46

POLE POSITION // 2011

“When the attorney and the accountant told me I couldn’t do it, that just made me want to do it all the more,” Terri Parsons said in explaining why she proceeded with her late husband’s plans for Benny Parsons Rendezvous Ridge. “I remember saying to them in the hallway, ‘If you can’t figure out a way that I can do this, get out of the way, I’m going to find somebody that can.’

“In my heart, I did not want this to be Benny’s biggest folly. People remember the last thing they’ve heard, not the first. I was bound and determined the last thing they would hear was that his wine won awards, his wine tasting room was open and his museum was wonderful. That’s all I wanted was to complete it.”

And complete it she did – in style. Through 2010 the seven wines produced by the small vineyard had collected 13 medals. Its 2007 stainless steel-aged Chardonnay had collected a silver medal at the International Eastern Wine Competition in Watkins Glen, N.Y. Silver medals also had been awarded to the 2006 barrel fermented Chardonnay at

BY DEB WILLIAMS // PHOTOS COURTESY OF DEB WILLIAMS

the International Women In Wine Competition in Santa Rosa, Calif., and to the 2006 BP’s Blush in the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.

After three-and-a-half years, it appeared Terri’s life was finally headed upward. That changed, however, on June 4, 2010. That Friday night during a wedding rehearsal in the winery’s tasting room, Terri’s house received two direct lightning strikes during a severe thunderstorm. No one was injured in the fire and all of Benny’s racing memorabilia in the museum was saved.

However, the inside of the three-story house was destroyed, which meant the wine tasting room had to be closed while repairs were made. That meant seven months worth of business lost.

Now, with the beginning of 2011, Terri Parsons once again finds herself at a crossroads. She has returned to her home and the tasting room has reopened. This time, however, she starts a new year knowing that in four years she took all of Benny’s dreams and turned them into reality.

careers

PHIL METZ MUSIC & TALENT RELATIONS, NASCAR

KRISTA VODA PIT REPORTER, NASCAR ON FOX

“E

very sporting event has the potential to have ‘a moment’ no one forgets,” says Krista Voda, pit reporter for the award-winning NASCAR on FOX. Voda kicked open the door for women as the first female pre-race host in NASCAR. She’s now seen all over the sport – from trackside in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series to the steps of the NASCAR Hall of Fame for its induction ceremonies, to cohosting the glitzy NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Ceremony in Las Vegas. She’s also been a fixture on the sport’s signature daily programs on SPEED and FOX Sports Net. Due to Voda’s expansive knowledge of all things NASCAR, many fans believe she’s been a lifelong race fan – the “ultimate compliment,” she says.

In reality, the Iowa native was more a fan of “stick-and-ball” sports. Her NASCAR fluency comes from a rabid curiosity and thorough planning. Those two-minute pit reports are the culmination of hours combing the garage for leads.

The pit reporter has always been a pit bull in finding the next story. She fell into NASCAR after graduating from the University of Northern

48

POLE POSITION // 2011

Iowa and taking sports anchor gigs at several small TV stations.

“I gravitated toward what I’ve enjoyed and am good at – English, creative writing, and debate; anything with the written or spoken word,” Voda said. “NASCAR is about cars and parts, but at its core, it’s a people sport. I’m really in sales – selling myself to the drivers and crew chiefs to get interviews. Being on the air is the easy part.”

Her career advice is to take risks in a small market. “That’s where you’ll learn by doing – shooting your own stand-ups and editing your own video,” she said.

Voda is proof the approach works. She started at a small AM radio station and would shut off the lights and transmitter before leaving for the night.

She calls hers a “non-traditional job” – hitting the road every week in search of the next big story, and those elusive, yet very special moments: “I’m living the dream, after studying something, sticking with it, and making a career of it,” she concluded.

■■ Andrew Giangola is author of the book, The Weekend Starts on Wednesday: True Stories of Remarkable NASCAR Fans, available in the NASCAR.com Superstore.

BY ANDREW GIANGOLA // PHOTOS COURTESY OF NASCAR

WHEN YOU HEAR KELLY CLARKSON SING our National Anthem before the Daytona 500 or Nicolas Cage commanding the starting of engines, think of the guy who brings the stars to the cars: Phil Metz.

From NASCAR’s Los Angeles office, Metz, who manages Music & Talent Relations for NASCAR, navigates the intersecting entertainment, sports and corporate worlds.

“My job is to put our sport in mainstream pop culture via entertainment,” Metz said.

“We work to match pop culture touchstones with opportunities in the sport.”

After graduating from Syracuse University in 1998, Metz had worked at a music label.

In 2003, NASCAR was looking to better connect with the music industry. The kid from Queens wound up in the racing business.

“I grew up a big fan of music, entertainment, and sports. I’m very lucky to be doing something aligned with my passions. It’s really hard to get bored in this job,” Metz said.

Metz, 34, has helped stars like Adam Sandler, Kevin James and Will Ferrell, and bands such as the Black Eyed Peas, Rascal Flatts and Zac Brown Band to cross-promote with NASCAR in an authentic way.

While it’s hard for him to name a specific career highlight, a high point was helping orchestrate a first for the sport – Red Hot Chili Peppers’ landmark concert within a race at the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

“At the time, the Peppers had the No. 1 record, Stadium Arcadium, and the No. 1 song, ‘Dani California,’” Metz explained.

“The biggest rock band in the world was playing NASCAR and using the sport to promote a big new album. It was a validating moment for our entertainment strategy.”

Metz got a taste for the kind of work he’d be doing when promoting concerts at Syracuse University. He recommends a liberal arts education for pursuing a career in talent relations.

“Get a good education and you can find work that plays into your passions in a professional setting,” he advised. “Learn how to think on your feet, communicate and solve problems. Because as fun as these jobs are, there will always be issues to successfully work through.”

advice DOWNTIME WITH RYAN NEWMAN

Y

ou’ll be hard-pressed to find a person in NASCAR more passionate about the outdoors than Ryan Newman.

When the driver of the No. 39 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet isn’t maneuvering his 3,400-pound stock car around a track, Newman is often found hoisting a fishing pole as he pursues the next big catch. In fact, Newman seeks out fishing spots near many of the tracks the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series visits throughout the year, and rarely passes up an opportunity to get out on the lake.

“To me, there’s really no better way to relax than going out on the water with my rod and reel,” Newman said. “It’s so easy to lose track of time out on the water. Hours pass by and it only seems like you have been gone a few minutes. It’s really the perfect way to spend an afternoon.”

Newman’s charitable foundation recently hosted its fifth annual Fishing Tournament, which helped raise over $300,000 for conservation and animal welfare efforts. More than 125 fishermen entered the event for a chance to win the grand prize: a Nitro Z9 Bass Boat. The tournament was held on Lake Norman near Charlotte, N.C.

MENTAL PREP WITH DAVID STARR How do you mentally prepare to race? Is there anything special you do to get ready?

“I eat dinner with my crew chief and my engineer the night before the race just to talk about the day and practice, changes we’ve made, things like that.

I like to eat Italian food the night before the race.”

TRAINING WITH JOHNNY SAUTER JOHNNY SAUTER ISN’T KEEN ON PARticularly sophisticated exercise or training regimens. That doesn’t mean the driver of the No. 13 ThorSport Racing Chevrolet in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is passive about physical fitness, however. It’s just that his conditioning plan is rather straightforward.

“Heavy lifting and things like that, I never really got into that,” said Sauter, a veteran driver with over 60 starts in each of NASCAR’s three national series.

“I’m more of a cardio guy whether it’s walking a couple miles or getting on a treadmill and running for a little bit or whatever, but that’s mainly the extent of my workout.”

Sauter, 32, estimates he walks about 75 miles in a month, but admits the conditioning required for the truck series isn’t as intense as that for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series where races are normally at least twice as long.

“Some days you try to run for 25 minutes and some days you run for 40 or whatever, so it just varies,” he said. “I think it’s a lot easier to run outside than it is on a treadmill.”

FUELING UP WITH ELLIOTT SADLER

Breakfast

ELLIOTT SADLER DOESN’T eat a lot for breakfast, especially on race days.

Instead of pigging out on typical breakfast items such as pancakes, bacon and biscuits, Sadler’s morning menu is significantly lighter.

The veteran NASCAR driver usually sticks with yogurt – which he often puts cereal in – and a granola bar.

Lunch

SADLER HAS WHAT HE calls a “heavy” lunch consisting of brown rice, mashed potatoes and grilled chicken. This combination of carbohydrates gives him the energy he needs to get through the race. He also eats a huge bowl of chocolate chip ice cream with milk poured over it before leaving for driver introductions.

Snack

SADLER DOESN’T CUSTOMarily consume a lot of snacks, especially unhealthy ones such as potato chips or cookies. The 35-year-old native of Emporia, Va., normally goes with a healthier choice – in the form of pistachios or a salad.

There are many days when he doesn’t eat a snack at all.

Dinner

SADLER’S CHOICE OF WEEKday dinners varies much like that of most American adults. But when it comes time to eat after a long race, Sadler has found one item he stands by – pepperoni pizza, which he usually devours on the plane ride home.

BY JARED TURNER

FREERACEMAG.COM

49

PHOTOHUNT

Study the top photo, then see if you can find the 10 changes that were made in the bottom photo.

50

POLE POSITION // 2011

ANSWERS: PHOTOHUNT – (1) “M” on wall is missing. • (2) M&M’s character on wall is missing. • (3) “Ms” on three pit crew guys are missing. • (4) Eyes on M&M’s chracter are missing (on the car itself). • (5) Helmet is green on pit crew guy. • (6) NASCAR “official” word is missing from uniform. • (7) Sponsor stickers are missing on the car. • (8) The appersand in M&M’s is missing on the wall. • (9) Air hose line is partially removed from pit crew member’s hand. • (10) Inside of the No. 8 of the 18 on top of the roof is filled. PICTOGRAM – TONY STEWART

fun pages

PICTOGRAM

WORDSPELL

This hot-tempered NASCAR driver was the first to complete the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 in the same day. Who is he?

T J X OV AN H L Q

How many words can you spell using only the letters that appear in this driver’s name?

dale earnhardt jr. ear, ale, hard...

WS AB E YMU G R

WINNER’S CIRCLE

CAN YOU DRAW NASCAR?

N

ow is your chance to be featured in the pages of NASCAR Pole Position. Send us your NASCARthemed artwork - car, driver, track, etc. We will feature the best drawings during the 2011 season, and five lucky winners will receive a race jacket of their favorite driver!

On a piece of paper, send us your name, age, complete mailing address, e-mail address or phone number and the driver jacket

you would like to win. Send your artwork in an oversized envelope (try not to fold it!) to: Pole Position Magazine c/o A.E. Engine, Attn: Stacey Foster 11880 28th St. North, Suite 101 St. Petersburg, FL 33716 No purchase necessary. All entries are eligible. Unfortunately, submissions cannot be returned. Questions? E-mail us at poleposition@ae-engine.com.

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51

trivia

D

o you have what it takes to be a hardcore NASCAR fan?

Take the Speedway Trivia quiz and score 10 points for each correct answer. Add up your points and see how you rank!

0-20 21-40 41-60 61-80 81-100

Fan Rookie Pro Star Legend

1 52

Who was the last driver not named Jimmie Johnson to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship?

A. Matt Kenseth B. Jeff Gordon C. Tony Stewart D. Kurt Busch

POLE POSITION // 2011

2

Which of the following NASCAR champions will not be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in May? A. David Pearson B. Darrell Waltrip C. Ned Jarrett D. Bobby Allison

ANSWERS // 1.C; 2.B; 3.A; 4.D; 5.C; 6.D; 7.B; 8.A; 9.C; 10.B

3

How many consecutive times has Dale Earnhardt Jr. earned the NASCAR NMPA Most Popular Driver Award?

A. 8 B. 6 C. 10 D. 7

4

Who won the 2010 Daytona 500?

A. Matt Kenseth B. Ryan Newman C. Kevin Harvick D. Jamie McMurray

5

The 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season starts and ends in which state?

A. North Carolina B. California C. Florida D. New Hampshire

6

Which driver won the 2010 Raybestos Rookie of the Year Award in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series?

A. Regan Smith B. AJ Allmendinger C. Scott Speed D. Kevin Conway

7

The first NASCAR Strictly Stock (now NASCAR Sprint Cup Series) race was run on June 19, 1949, in what city?

A. Darlington, S.C. B. Charlotte, N.C. C. Detroit, Mich.

D. Daytona Beach, Fla.

8 10

Which active driver has the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victories?

A. Jeff Gordon B. Jimmie Johnson C. Bill Elliott D. Mark Martin

Who is the only driver born outside of the United States to win the Daytona 500?

A. Marcos Ambrose B. Earl Brooks C. Mario Andretti D. Juan Pablo Montoya

Denny Hamlin was the most prolific winner during the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season with how many victories?

A. 10 B. 8 C. 7 D. 12

MAP PHOTO COURTESY OF KEVIN HUTCHINSON

FREERACEMAG.COM

53

schedules & rosters 2011 NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES ROSTER No.

Driver

Team

Sponsor & Make

Crew Chief

Hometown

00

David Reutimann

Michael Waltrip Racing

Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota

Rodney Childers

Zephyrhills, Fla.

Birthdate March 2, 1970

1

Jamie McMurray

Earnhardt Ganassi Racing

Bass Pro Shops/McDonald’s Chevrolet

Kevin Manion

Joplin, Mo.

June 3, 1976

2

Brad Keselowski

Penske Racing

Miller Lite Dodge

Paul Wolfe

Rochester Hills, Mich.

Feb. 12, 1984

4

Kasey Kahne

Red Bull Racing

Red Bull Toyota

Kenny Francis

Enumclaw, Wash.

April 10, 1980

5

Mark Martin

Hendrick Motorsports

Go Daddy.com Chevrolet

Lance McGrew

Batesville, Ark.

Jan. 9, 1959

6

David Ragan

Roush Fenway Racing

UPS Ford

Drew Blickensderfer

Unadilla, Ga.

Dec. 24, 1985

7

Robby Gordon

Robby Gordon Motorsports

SPEED Energy Drink Chevrolet

Steve Lane

Orange, Calif.

Jan. 2, 1969

9

Marcos Ambrose

Richard Petty Motorsports

Stanley/DeWalt Ford

Todd Parrott

Tasmania, Australia

Sept. 1, 1976

11

Denny Hamlin

Joe Gibbs Racing

FedEx Toyota

Mike Ford

Chesterfield, Va.

Nov. 18, 1980

13

Casey Mears

Germain Racing

GEICO Toyota

“Bootie” Barker

Bakersfield, Calif.

March 12, 1978

14

Tony Stewart

Stewart-Haas Racing

Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet

Darian Grubb

Columbus, Ind.

May 20, 1971

16

Greg Biffle

Roush Fenway Racing

3M Ford

Greg Erwin

Vancouver, Wash.

Dec. 23, 1969

17

Matt Kenseth

Roush Fenway Racing

Crown Royal Ford

Jimmy Fennig

Cambridge, Wis.

March 10, 1972

18

Kyle Busch

Joe Gibbs Racing

M&M’s Toyota

Dave Rogers

Las Vegas, Nev.

May 2, 1985

20

Joey Logano

Joe Gibbs Racing

Home Depot Toyota

Greg Zipadelli

Middletown, Conn.

May 24, 1990

21

Trevor Bayne

Wood Brothers Racing

Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford

Donnie Wingo

Knoxville, Tenn.

Feb. 19, 1991

22

Kurt Busch

Penske Racing

Shell/Pennzoil Dodge

Steve Addington

Las Vegas, Nev.

Aug. 4, 1978

24

Jeff Gordon

Hendrick Motorsports

Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet

Alan Gustafson

Vallejo, Calif.

Aug. 4, 1971

27

Paul Menard

Richard Childress Racing

Menards Chevrolet

“Slugger” Labbe

Eau Claire, Wis.

Aug. 21, 1980

29

Kevin Harvick

Richard Childress Racing

Budweiser Chevrolet

Gil Martin

Bakersfield, Calif.

Dec. 8, 1975

31

Jeff Burton

Richard Childress Racing

Caterpillar Chevrolet

Todd Barrier

South Boston, Va.

June 29., 1967

33

Clint Bowyer

Richard Childress Racing

Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet

Shane Wilson

Emporia, Kan.

May 30, 1979

34

Travis Kvapil

Front Row Motorsports

Long John Silver’s Ford

Bill Henderson

Janesville, Wis.

March 1, 1976

36

Dave Blaney

Tommy Baldwin Racing

Chevrolet

Tommy Baldwin Jr.

Hartford, Ohio

Oct. 24, 1962

38

David Gilliland

Front Row Motorsports

Taco Bell Ford

Peter Sospenzo

Riverside, Calif.

April 1, 1976

39

Ryan Newman

Stewart-Haas Racing

U.S. Army Chevrolet

Tony Gibson

South Bend, Ind.

Dec. 8, 1977

42

Juan Pablo Montoya Earnhardt Ganassi Racing

Target Chevrolet

Brian Pattie

Bogota, Colombia

Sept. 20, 1975

43

AJ Allmendinger

Richard Petty Motorsports

Best Buy Ford

Mike Shiplett

Los Gatos, Calif.

Dec. 16, 1981

46

J.J. Yeley

Whitney Motorsports

Chevrolet

Jeremy Lafaver

Phoenix, Ariz.

Oct. 5, 1976

47

Bobby Labonte

JTG Daugherty Racing

Little Debbie/Clorox Toyota

Frank Kerr

Corpus Christi, Texas

May 8, 1964

48

Jimmie Johnson

Hendrick Motorsports

Lowe’s Chevrolet

Chad Knaus

El Cajon, Calif.

Sept. 17, 1975

56

Martin Truex Jr.

Michael Waltrip Racing

NAPA Toyota

Pat Tryson

Mayetta, N.J.

June 29, 1980

78

Regan Smith

Furniture Row Racing

Furniture Row Chevrolet

Pete Rondeau

Cato, N.Y.

Sept. 23, 1983

83

Brian Vickers

Red Bull Racing

Red Bull Toyota

Ryan Pemberton

Thomasville, N.C.

Oct. 24, 1983

87

Joe Nemechek

NEMCO Motorsports

Toyota

Philippe Lopez

Lakeland, Fla.

Sept. 26, 1963

88

Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Hendrick Motorsports

AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet

Steve Letarte

Kannapolis, N.C.

Oct. 10, 1974

90

Scott Riggs

Keyed Up Motorsports

Chevrolet

Doug Richert

Bahama, N.C.

Jan. 1, 1971

99

Carl Edwards

Roush Fenway Racing

Aflac Ford

Bob Osborne

Columbia, Mo.

Aug. 15, 1979

2011 NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES SCHEDULE Feb. 12 *Daytona Int’l Speedway

Daytona Beach, Fla.

May 29 Charlotte Motor Spdwy.

Concord, N.C.

Sept. 10 Richmond Int’l Raceway

Richmond, Va.

Feb. 20 Daytona Int’l Speedway

Daytona Beach, Fla.

June 5

Kansas City, Kan.

Sept. 18 Chicagoland Speedway

Joliet, Ill.

Feb. 27 Phoenix Int’l Raceway

Avondale, Ariz.

June 12 Pocono Raceway

Long Pond, Pa.

Sept. 25 N.H. Motor Speedway

Loudon, N.H.

March 6 Las Vegas Motor Speedway Las Vegas, Nev.

June 19 Michigan Int’l Speedway

Brooklyn, Mich.

Oct. 2

Dover Int’l Speedway

Dover, Del.

March 20 Bristol Motor Speedway

Bristol, Tenn.

June 26 Infineon Raceway

Sonoma, Calif.

Oct. 9

Kansas Speedway

Kansas City, Kan.

March 27 Auto Club Speedway

Fontana, Calif.

July 2

Daytona Int’l speedway

Daytona Beach, Fla.

Oct. 15 Charlotte Motor Spdwy.

April 3

Martinsville Speedway

Martinsville, Va.

July 9

Kentucky Speedway

Sparta, Ky.

Oct. 23 Talladega Superspeedway Talladega, Ala.

April 9

Texas Motor Speedway

Ft. Worth, Texas

Loudon, N.H.

Concord, N.C.

July 17

N.H. Motor Speedway

Oct. 30 Martinsville Speedway

Martinsville, Va.

April 17 Talladega Superspeedway Talladega, Ala.

July 31

Indianapolis Motor Spdwy. Indianapolis, Ind.

Nov. 6

Ft. Worth, Texas

April 30 Richmond Int’l Raceway

Richmond, Va.

Aug. 7

Pocono Raceway

Long Pond, Pa.

Nov. 13 Phoenix Int’l Raceway

May 7

Darlington, S.C.

Aug. 14 Watkins Glen Int’l

Watkins Glen, N.Y.

Nov. 20 Homestead-Miami Spdwy. Homestead, Fla.

Darlington Raceway

May 15 Dover Int’l Speedway

54

Kansas Speedway

Aug. 21 Michigan Int’l Speedway

Brooklyn, Mich.

May 21 *NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race

Dover, Del.

Aug. 27 Bristol Motor Speedway

Bristol, Tenn.

Sept. 4 Atlanta Motor Speedway

Hampton, Ga.

Charlotte Motor Speedway Concord, N.C.

POLE POSITION // 2011

Texas Motor Speedway

*Non-Points, Special Event

Avondale, Ariz.

schedules & rosters 2011 NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES ROSTER & SCHEDULE No.

Driver

Hometown

Team

Make

Crew Chief

01 05 09 2 6 7 11 14 16 18 19 20 22 23 24 26 31 32 33 38 40 60 62 66 70 79 87 88 89 99

Mike Wallace Willie Allen Kenny Wallace Elliott Sadler Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Danica Patrick Brian Scott Eric McClure Trevor Bayne Kyle Busch Tony Raines Joey Logano Brad Keselowski Robert Richardson Jr. Kevin Lepage Brian Keselowski Justin Allgaier Reed Sorenson Kevin Harvick Jason Leffler Mike Bliss Carl Edwards Michael Annett Steve Wallace Shelby Howard Jennifer Jo Cobb Joe Nemechek Aric Almirola Morgan Shepherd Travis Pastrana

St. Louis, Mo. Bon Aqua, Tenn.

St. Louis, Mo. Emporia, Va. Olive Branch, Miss.

Roscoe, Ill. Boise, Idaho Chilhowie, Va. Knoxville, Tenn.

Las Vegas, Nev. La Porte, Ind. Middletown, Conn.

Rochester Hills, Mich.

McKinney, Texas Shelburne, Vt. Rochester Hills, Mich.

Riverton, Ill. Peachtree City, Ga. Bakersfield, Calif.

Long Beach, Calif.

Milwaukie, Ore. Columbia, Mo. Des Moines, Iowa Greensboro, N.C. Greenwood, Ind. Kansas City, Kan. Lakeland, Fla. Tampa, Fla. Conover, N.C. Annapolis, Md.

Davis Motorsports Day Enterprises RAB Racing Kevin Harvick, Inc. Roush Fenway Racing JR Motorsports Joe Gibbs Racing TriStar Motorsports Roush Fenway Racing Joe Gibbs Racing TriStar Motorsports Joe Gibbs Racing Penske Racing R3 Motorsports Team Rensi Motorsports K Automotive Turner Motorsports Turner Motorsports Kevin Harvick, Inc. Turner Motorsports Key Motorsports Roush Fenway Racing Rusty Wallace, Inc. Rusty Wallace, Inc. ML Motorsports 2nd Chance Motorsports NEMCO Motorsports JR Motorsports Faith Motorsports Pastrana-Waltrip Racing

Chevrolet Chevrolet Toyota Chevrolet Ford Chevrolet Toyota Chevrolet Ford Toyota Chevrolet Toyota Dodge Chevrolet Ford Dodge Chevrolet Chevrolet Chevrolet Chevrolet Chevrolet Ford Toyota Toyota Chevrolet Ford Toyota Chevrolet Chevrolet Toyota

Brad Parrott Newt Moore Scott Zippadelli TBA Mike Kelley Tony Eury Jr. Kevin Kidd TBA Chris Andrews Jason Ratcliff Dave Fuge Adam Stevens Todd Gordon Steve Plattenberger Chris Wright Todd Gault Jimmy Elledge Trent Owens Ernie Cope Eddie Pardue Gary Showalter Mike Beam Jason Overstreet Doug Randolph Chris Rice Steve Kuykendall Mike Boerschinger Tony Eury Lee Bishop Jerry Baxter

Feb. 19 Feb. 26 March 5 March 19 March 26 April 8 April 16 April 23 April 29 May 6 May 14 May 22 May 28 June 4 June 18 June 25 July 1 July 8 July 16 July 23 July 30 Aug. 6 Aug. 13 Aug. 20 Aug. 26 Sept. 3 Sept. 9 Sept. 17 Oct. 1 Oct. 8 Oct. 14 Nov. 5 Nov. 12 Nov. 19

Daytona Phoenix Las Vegas Bristol Auto Club Texas Talladega Nashville Richmond Darlington Dover Iowa Charlotte Chicagoland Michigan Road America Daytona Kentucky New Hampshire Nashville LOR at Indy Iowa Watkins Glen Montreal Bristol Atlanta Richmond Chicagoland Dover Kansas Charlotte Texas Phoenix Homestead

2011 NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES ROSTER & SCHEDULE

56

No.

Driver

Hometown

Team

Make

Crew Chief

07 1 2 3 4 5 8 9 10 11 12 13 15 17 18 20 22 23 25 30 31 33 39 46 51 57 60 62 66 77 81 85 88 89 93

Tony Jackson Jr. Jeffrey Earnhardt Kevin Harvick Austin Dillon Ricky Carmichael Travis Kvapil Nelson Piquet Jr. Max Papis Jennifer Jo Cobb Miguel Paludo Mario Gosselin Johnny Sauter Justin Johnson Timothy Peters Kyle Busch Johanna Long Joey Coulter Jason White Tayler Malsam Todd Bodine James Buescher Ron Hornaday Ryan Sieg Craig Goess Dusty Davis Norm Benning Stacy Compton Brendan Gaughan Justin Marks Justin Lofton David Starr Brent Raymer Matt Crafton Mike Harmon Shane Sieg

Lebanon, Mo. Mooresville, N.C. Bakersfield, Calif.

Lewisville, N.C. Clearwater, Fla. Janesville, Wis. Brasilia, Brazil Como, Italy Kansas City, Kan. New Silver Brazil St. Marie, Canada Necedah, Wis. Roxboro, N.C. Providence, N.C. Las Vegas, Nev. Pensacola, Fla. Miami Springs, Fla. Powhatan, Va. Seattle, Wash.

Chemung, N.Y. Plano, Texas Palmdale, Calif.

Tucker, Ga. Woodbury, N.J. Las Vegas, Nev. Level Green, Pa. Hurt, Va. Las Vegas, Nev. St. Louis, Mo. Westmorland, Calif.

Houston, Texas Concord, N.C. Tulare, Calif.

Birmingport, Ala. Tucker, Ga.

SS-Green Light Racing Rick Ware Racing Kevin Harvick, Inc. Richard Childress Racing Turner Motorsports Randy Moss Motorsports Kevin Harvick, Inc. Germain Racing Jennifer Jo Cobb Racing Red Horse Racing DGM Racing ThorSport Racing Vision Aviation Racing Red Horse Racing Kyle Busch Motorsports Panhandle Motorsports Richard Childress Racing GunBroker.com Racing Randy Moss Motorsports Germain Racing Turner Motorsports Kevin Harvick, Inc. Sieg Racing Eddie Sharp Racing Vision Aviation Racing Norm Benning Racing TurnOne Racing Germain Racing TurnOne Racing Germain Racing SS-Green Light Racing Brent Raymer Racing ThorSport Racing Lafferty Motorsports Sieg Racing

Chevrolet Chevrolet Chevrolet Chevrolet Chevrolet Toyota Chevrolet Toyota Ford Toyota Chevrolet Chevrolet Toyota Toyota Toyota Toyota Chevrolet Ford Toyota Toyota Chevrolet Chevrolet Chevrolet Toyota Toyota Chevrolet Chevrolet Toyota Chevrolet Toyota Toyota Ford Chevrolet Ford Chevrolet

Butch Miller Joe Lax Ernie Cope Gary Stockman Mike Fritts Ricky Viers Chris Carrier TBA Steve Kuykendall Rick Gay Tom Buzze Joe Shear Jr. Richie Wauters Butch Hylton Eric Phillips Kevin Starland Harold Holly Doug Howe TBA Mike Hillman Jr. Michael Shelton Jeff Hensley Mike Garvey Tripp Bruce Doug George James Dugger Marcus Richmond TBA Doug Wolcott TBA Jason Miller Josh Raymer Bud Haefele Scott Kazura Tony Wilson

POLE POSITION // 2011

Feb. 18 Feb. 25 March 12 April 2 April 22 May 13 May 20 June 4 June 10 July 7 July 16 July 22 July 29 Aug. 6 Aug. 20 Aug. 24 Sept. 2 Sept. 16 Sept. 24 Oct. 1 Oct. 15 Oct. 22 Oct. 29 Nov. 5 Nov. 18

Daytona Phoenix Darlington Martinsville Nashville Dover Charlotte Kansas Texas Kentucky Iowa Nashville LOR at Indy Pocono Michigan Bristol Atlanta Chicagoland New Hampshire Kentucky Las Vegas Talladega Martinsville Texas Homestead

These rosters are tentative and subject to change. They were assembled from various sources and several teams had not finalized their 2011 plans by press time.

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STEPS FOR INTERIOR CAR CARE Step 3 - Leather Maintenance In order for leather surfaces to maintain its appearance, a product that safely cleans, moisturizes and protects is needed.

Meguiar’s Gold Class Rich Leather Cleaner/ Conditioner products clean, condition and protect fine leather in one easy step. Cleaners remove the daily dirt and grime that can dull leather’s appearance while premium conditioners and aloe nourish the surface for a supple feel and look.

You practically live in your car, why not keep it clean? By using the right products and routinely spending a few minutes each week maintaining your vehicles appearance, you can easily keep your cars interior clean. By maintaining your vehicles appearance, not only will you enjoy your daily commute a little bit more but you will also help to maintain your car’s value. ‘

‘

‘

Step 1 - Clean Detailing your car’s interior starts with a th o r o u g h cleaning of all the trash you should have thrown away earlier. With the big stuff gone, it’s time to clean the carpets and floor mats.

A detailer’s trick is to brush the carpets and floor mats with a nylon-bristle brush before vacuuming. This will get the carpet nap to stand up, so the vacuum can easily get to the imbedded dirt.

S i n c e y o u r c a r ’s i n t e r i o r i s m a d e u p of various hard surfaces, a product that safely cleans all interior surfaces i s e x t r e m e l y u s e f u l . M e g u i a r ’s ® Q u i k Interior Detailer ® can be used to safely clean dirt and dust from just about any interior surface – from door panels and dashboards to navigation screens. It’s also a good way to touch up the interior between car washes.

Step 2 - Protect To k e e p y o u r v i n y l , r u b b e r a n d p l a s t i c s u r f a c e s l o o k i n g l i k e - n e w, a protectant that protects against harmful UV rays is required. Meguiar ’s ® makes Natural Shine Protectant and Supreme Shine® Protectant which feature Scotchgard ™ Protector. Natural Shine Protectant creates a low-shine, like-new appearance while Supreme Shine ® Protectant creates a hi-gloss finish for those who just can’t get enough shine.

Both products are non-greasy and contain powerful UV blockers to defend against fading, cracking and aging.

‘

T

he average American spends between 500-1000 hours in their vehicle every year. By spending just a few minutes each week you can keep your vehicles interior clean, making your daily commute a bit more pleasurable.

While the exterior is primarily painted, a car’s interior is made up largely of various surfaces such as vinyl, leather, plastic and carpet. The products you choose to clean and maintain the interior need to be formulated to be safe for each of those surfaces.

The key to interior car care is to have the correct approach: • Evaluate the surface • Choose the product appropriate for that surface • Apply the product correctly For instance, how you clean and maintain your upholstery will depend on the fabric it’s made from. Leather seats and door panels require a set of products that will not just clean but also condition and moisturize the leather surface. Vinyl requires a specific type of cleaner and dressing, and cloth seats require different products still.

For assistance with your car care questions, contact the car guys at Meguiar’s either by phone, 1-800-347-5700, or visit Meguiars.com.

YOUR HEART WILL POUND. YOUR SEAT WILL SHAKE. YOUR VISION WILL BLUR. AND YOU WILL LOVE EVERY SECOND OF IT. THE NASCAR EXPERIENCE. LIVE.

>>>>>>>> Visit NASCAR .COM / tickets <<<<<<<<

© 2011 NASCAR

GEAR & GOODS 1 GREASED LIGHTNING®

Greased Lightning® products are multi-purpose cleaners with superior cleaning and stain-fighting power. No cleaning task is too tough for Greased Lightning®. From the kitchen and bathroom to the laundry room and garage, Greased Lightning® will wipe out grease, grime, grass stains and dirt, leaving your home sparkling clean and smelling fresh. Visit greased-lightning.com for more information.

FROM OUR ADVERTISERS Racing fans support racing brands. Here are some of the latest products from NASCAR Pole Position advertisers. These great companies help us keep NASCAR Pole Position a free magazine.

Learn more about these products at FreeRaceMag.com.

2 THE WORKS®

The Works® is a full line of high-performance cleaning products for your home, including toilet bowl cleaners, tub and shower cleaners and drain openers.

The Works® Disinfectant Toilet Bowl Cleaner is a heavy duty cleaner that wipes out rust, lime scale and hard water stains on contact all while disinfecting bowl surfaces, killing germs, bacteria and viruses. Visit theworksworks.com for more information.

3 LUBRIPLATE SUPER GPO OILS

4 5

1

Lubriplate Super Gpo Oils are formulated with ZDDP (Zinc and Phosphorus) for maximum anti-wear protection. Recommended for heavy-duty applications, high-performance and classic car engines, these oils help protect flat tappet lifters, camshafts and other components from premature wear. Turbo and diesel approved. Available in SAE 30, 40, 10W-30 and 15W-40.

Available at Lubriplate’s online store at lubriplate.com or call 1-800-733-4755.

4 SPRAYWAY

When you’re whipping around the track at 180 mph, crystal clear glass means the difference between being in the winner’s circle and just “being in the show.” That’s why automotive professionals and car enthusiasts alike trust Sprayway Glass Cleaner to cut through smoke, bugs, grit and grime, and deliver a streak-free shine to their windows, windshields and mirrors every single time. With no Ammonia and no-drip foam, no wonder it’s the “World’s Best Glass Cleaner.” spraywayretail.com

2

3

5 FOLEX®

FOLEX® is perfect for removing stains from upholstery, vinyl, clothing and practically any other material that is “colorfast” and “color-stable.” Even hard surfaces, painted surfaces, walls and woodwork that can be safely dampened with water will be quickly and easily cleaned with FOLEX®! Please visit folex.net for a list of retailers in your area and other useful information!

6 TIGER BALM

When you need industrial-strength pain relief, but don’t want to risk the side effects caused by pills, Tiger Balm is your best tool for the job. For more than 100 years, Tiger Balm’s proven blend of natural herbal ingredients has delivered safe, fast, and effective pain relief without the pills. It’s no wonder millions of users around the world reach for Tiger Balm to soothe their aches and pains. Available at Walgreens and CVS.

7 WHITE CLOUD

Premium quality at an affordable price – that’s why White Cloud® is The Smart Alternative for bath tissue.

Some bath tissue brands believe that a high price proves they’re “premium.” Not us! White Cloud two-ply bath tissue has all the softness you want and now it’s even thicker so you get more comfort with more money left in your pocket. Why pay more? mywhitecloud.com

60

POLE POSITION // 2011

7 6

8 MEGUIAR’S® NEW ULTIMATE WASH & WAX

11

Now you can get Meguiar’s® legendary wax protection, gloss & shine while you wash! Safe on all paints, clear coats, glass, trim and chrome, Meguiar’s® has found a way to disperse actual carnauba wax and polymers in their highest quality car wash. This breakthrough technology makes it possible for the wax to stick to your car’s surface and not wash away when you rinse.

Available at Walmart.

9 MEGUIAR’S® PROTECTANTS

10

9

Meguiar’s® has raised the bar on interior protection by adding Scotchgard™ Protector.

With increased UV blockers, your dash and interior vinyl, plastic and rubber surfaces will look newer, longer. Available in your choice of convenient wipes or trigger spray, Natural Shine leaves a rich, like-new luster, while Supreme Shine® provides a high-gloss finish. Both provide long-lasting, non-greasy UV protection. People who love cars, love Meguiar’s®!

10 GOOF OFF

Everybody goofs up sometimes – which is why every home, garage and workshop needs Goof Off. It removes the tough messes that ordinary household cleaners can’t. You’ll be amazed at how fast, easy and powerfully it works to remove everything from dried paint to gummy, sticky messes, grease, tar, ink and tough stains. Goof Off is the solution to irritating, embarrassing and potentially costly cleaning problems. goof-off.com

11 DAMPRID

12

8 132981

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132981

lmart® for a four-tire change and find out what your ride can hen you upgrade to BFGoodrich® tires, you’ll get race-inspired setting acceleration and toughness that we’ve proven in Baja . Whether you love driving off-road or on the street, adding ity – and fun – is as easy as bolting on a set of BFGoodrich tires. re, visit bfgoodrichtires.com.

TM

13

2.1146_Show_Case_1.indd genta Yellow Black

12 MOBIL 1

The world’s leading synthetic motor oil brand, Mobil 1 features anti-wear technology that provides performance beyond conventional motor oils. This technology allows Mobil 1 to meet or exceed the toughest standards of car builders and to provide exceptional protection against engine wear under normal or even some of the most extreme conditions. Get the full story about the Official Motor Oil of NASCAR at mobil1.com.

13 BFGOODRICH

Bolt on performance.

g-Force Super Sport A/S Z

DampRid is the worldwide market leader for effective, safe and affordable non-electric dehumidifiers. DampRid® products remove moisture from the air to prevent mold and mildew from growing, creating fresher, healthier indoor air. Use DampRid in bathrooms, closets, laundry rooms, basements, cabins, boats and much more. Our products solve your mold, mildew and odor problems to make your home life easier and healthier. damprid.com.

All-Terrain T/A® KO

Pull into Walmart® for a four-tire change and find out what your ride can really do. When you upgrade to BFGoodrich® tires, you’ll get race-inspired grip, record-setting acceleration and toughness that we’ve proven in Baja for 35 years. Whether you love driving off-road or on the street, adding more capability – and fun – is as easy as bolting on a set of BFGoodrich tires.

To learn more, visit bfgoodrichtires.com. g-Force Super Sport A/S Z TM

All-Terrain T/A® KO

Bolt on performance. Pull into Walmart® for a four-tire change and find out what your ride can really do. When you upgrade to BFGoodrich® tires, you’ll get race-inspired grip, recordsetting acceleration and toughness that we’ve proven in Baja for 35 years. Whether you love driving off-road or on the street, adding more capability – and fun – is as easy as bolting on a set of BFGoodrich tires. To learn more, visit bfgoodrichtires.com.

FREERACEMAG.COM

61

DID YOU KNOW? NOT JUST NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES RACING NASCAR SANCTIONS MORE THAN 1,200 EVENTS A YEAR

T

he National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing was born during a December 1947 meeting at the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach, Fla. The meeting was called by Bill France, a local gas station owner and racing promoter, to discuss the problems facing stock car racing.

When the meeting adjourned, few knew if the organization would be successful. In fact, there were skeptics who believed it never would work. Not even France, who believed a sanctioning body was exactly what the sport of stock car racing needed, could have envisioned what NASCAR would become. The fledging organization sanctioned its first race – a modified stock car event won by Red Byron on Daytona’s Beach-Road Course – on Feb. 15, 1948, and the rest is history.

Today, the racing organization is best known for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series but the sanctioning body has a far-reaching impact on the sport.

From its headquarters in Daytona Beach, Fla., NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races each year at 100 tracks in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada and Mexico. It oversees nine major racing series in addition to the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series, which features stock car and modified racing at nearly 50 weekly short tracks across the country.

This is an overview of NASCAR’s racing series, including the defending champions and the opening races for 2011.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

■■ TYPE: National Touring Series ■■ CARS: Late model stock cars with a 110-inch wheelbase. Engines are 358-cubic-inch V-8s.

■■ DEFENDING CHAMPION: Jimmie Johnson ■■ SEASON OPENER: Feb. 20, Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Fla.

NASCAR Nationwide Series

■■ TYPE: National Touring Series ■■ CARS: Late model stock cars with a 110-inch wheelbase. Engines are 358-cubic-inch V-8s.

■■ DEFENDING CHAMPION: Brad Keselowski ■■ SEASON OPENER: Feb.19, Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Fla.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

■■ TYPE: National Tour Series ■■ TRUCKS: Late model pick-up trucks with a 112inch wheelbase. Engines are 358-cubic-inch V-8s.

■■ DEFENDING CHAMPION: Todd Bodine ■■ SEASON OPENER: Feb. 18, Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Fla.

NASCAR K&N Pro Series East

■■ TYPE: Regional Touring Series – races are primarily in the Eastern states, ranging from Georgia to New Hampshire.

■■ CARS: Late model stock cars with either a 105- or 110inch wheelbase. Engines are 358-cubic-inch V-8s.

■■ DEFENDING CHAMPION: Ryan Truex ■■ SEASON OPENER: March 26, Greenville-Pickens Speedway, Greenville, S.C.

62

POLE POSITION // 2011

BY KEITH WALTZ

NASCAR K&N Pro Series West

■■ TYPE: Regional Touring Series – races are primarily in the Western states, ranging from Arizona to Washington.

■■ CARS: Late model stock cars with either a 105- or 110inch wheelbase. Engines are 358-cubic-inch V-8s.

■■ DEFENDING CHAMPION: Eric Holmes ■■ SEASON OPENER: Feb. 24, Phoenix International Raceway, Avondale, Ariz.

NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour

■■ TYPE: Regional Touring Series – races are primarily in the Northeastern states.

■■ CARS: A modified open-wheel car with a 107-inch wheelbase that is 11 inches shorter in height and over 23 inches wider than a NASCAR Sprint Cup car. Engines are small-block V-8s, usually 355 to 368 cubic inches.

■■ DEFENDING CHAMPION: Bobby Santos ■■ SEASON OPENER: April 10, Thompson International Speedway, Thompson, Conn.

NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour ■■ TYPE: Regional Touring Series – races are primarily in the Southeastern states.

■■ CARS: A modified open-wheel car with a 107-inch wheelbase that is 11 inches shorter in height and over 23 inches wider than a NASCAR Sprint Cup car. Engines are small-block V-8s, usually 355 to 368 cubic inches.

■■ DEFENDING CHAMPION: Burt Myers ■■ SEASON OPENER: March 13, Caraway Speedway, Asheboro, N.C.

NASCAR Canadian Tire Series

■■ TYPE: International Touring Series – Canada ■■ CARS: Late model stock cars with a 105-inch wheelbase. Engines are small-block V-8s.

■■ DEFENDING CHAMPION: D.J. Kennington ■■ SEASON OPENER: May 28, Mosport Speedway, Mosport, Ontario

NASCAR Mexico Series

■■ TYPE: International Touring Series – Mexico ■■ CARS: Late model stock cars with a 105-inch wheelbase. Engines are small-block V-8s.

■■ DEFENDING CHAMPION: German Quiroga ■■ SEASON OPENER: March 20, Autodromo de Monterrey, Monterrey, Mexico

NASCAR Whelen All-American Series ■■ TYPE: NASCAR member drivers earn points at participating weekly short tracks toward a regional championship. A national champion is then crowned from among the regional titlists.

■■ CARS: Late model and modified stock cars.

Specifications vary by track.

■■ DEFENDING CHAMPION: Keith Rocco ■■ SEASON OPENERS: Visit nascar.com/ hometracks for schedule information.

Tonight we invite the entire town to ride shotgun.

Tonight we run on last-second adrenaline and day-old coffee.

Tonight we stop acting like a team and start acting like a family.

Tonight we finish what we started five years ago in a one-car garage.

Tonight we burn up the track and put that front bumper to good use.

Tonight we leave nothing in the tank because tonight belongs to whoever plants their accelerator against the floorboard and chases it down first.

THE SOUL OF NASCAR Visit NASCARhometracks.COM

Š2011 NASCAR

Tonight we run wide open.

Tonight we find out what weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re made of.

j i m m i e 64

POLE POSITION // 2011

j o h n s o n