NASCAR Pole Position 2012 Aug/Sep

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P G . 2 2 J O E Y L O G A N O : G R E AT E X P E C TAT I O N S P G . 3 3 D R I V E R P R O F I L E S

DALE EARNHARDT JR.

BREAKTHROUGH!

N A SC A R NE W S & NOTE S | TA IL G AT IN G T IP S | GE A R | N A SC A R FUE L | ROSTE RS & SCHE DULE S O N T HE R O A D W I T H H A U LE R D R I VE R S | N A S C A R C O L LE C TA B LE S | d i d yo u k n o w ? | D A N I C A PAT R I C K | I N S I DE R ’ S V IE W

nascar women Still Breaking Ground in NASCAR

DANICA PATRICK FOCUSES ON IMPROVING IN EACH RACE

D

anica Patrick doesn’t concern herself with other people’s expectations because there are “a million” of them and “somebody’s right every weekend.” Instead, she focuses on the progress she and her team make each week.

“It’s about how my team and I are working together; what we hope for and what our goals are,” Patrick explained. “Expectations are just a point of conversation.

Obviously, we want to keep improving on the things done and we will. That’s just going to take time.”

In Patrick’s inaugural full-time season in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, she recorded a pole, consistently ran in the top 20 and climbed as high as ninth in the points standings during the 33-race schedule’s first 14 races. She failed to complete only three of those 14 races and of the 2,518 laps run, she was on the lead lap 58.90 percent of the time.

Her best finish in those events was eighth at Texas. She appeared headed for a top-five finish at Road America in June before being spun on the final lap. Patrick recovered and finished 12th.

“I can’t change anything about the fact that stuff just happens in the race; bad luck comes,” she said. “All we can do is work really hard, be as fast as we can in practice, qualify as fast as we can and let it all play out. Instead of getting upset about the individual weekends and the results, it’s better to think about what you have improved on and the things you need to improve on moving forward so that your results keep getting better.”

One thing that became quickly apparent was Patrick’s comfort level with the high speeds at NASCAR’s superspeedways. She earned the pole for the season opener at the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway and led in the race. She’s also led races at the 2.66-mile Talladega track and the two-mile Michigan speedway where she became the first NASCAR Nationwide driver to crack the 190-mph barrier.

“Speed has never been that big of a problem for me. It’s more about the balance of the car,” Patrick said. “In IndyCar, the car you have in practice is the car you

52

POLE POSITION // 2012

BY DEB WILLIAMS

have the entire weekend. Stock cars move around a lot more.”

Learning a stock car’s idiosyncrasies and being competitive rank at the top of Patrick’s objectives in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. In her 10-race NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule, it’s about gaining valuable seat time. She finished all three of the NASCAR Sprint Cup races she ran in the season’s first half – Daytona, Darlington and Charlotte – and became the first woman to compete in the Coca-Cola 600 in 36 years.

She improved her finishing position in each NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, but still had yet to crack the top 20.

“When you go from [NASCAR] Nationwide to [NASCAR Sprint] Cup it’s a big, big jump,” said TV analyst Ray Evernham, a NASCAR championship crew chief and former team owner. “I think she’s going to struggle in [NASCAR Sprint] Cup for a while, but I really expect to see her be the first lady to win a [NASCAR] Nationwide Series race.”

Evernham considers Patrick “a damn good race driver.”

“The bottom line is she won in IndyCar

and I don’t care if it was on fuel mileage or not,” Evernham continued. “I watched her race at Indianapolis and you don’t go around Indianapolis at 225 mph and not be a good race driver.

“I’ve been impressed with her finishing record in the [NASCAR] Nationwide Series.

I’ve worked with some really talented drivers and some good cars and it’s hard to run in the top 15 and she seems to be able to do that pretty easily on the [NASCAR] Nationwide side.”

Evernham also notes Patrick is a “marketing machine.” She’s attractive, speaks well and is very determined.

“Ultimately, I think you’re going to find a level of jealously because she gets more attention or she gets the sponsorship that someone else didn’t get and I think that’s normal,” Evernham said. “I think if you look at the top level guys that aren’t intimidated by her being a woman or intimidated by her sponsorship, overall, those guys will tell you she’s got a little bit to learn but she can drive a race car. Again, it’s difficult. She’s still creating something new.”

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POLE POSITION // 2012

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Prevents rust and corrosion, protects brightwork and loosens rusty nuts and bolts. Excellent for drilling, tapping and sawing. Available in a 12-ounce spray can, Part No. L0135-063. Buy it today at lubriplate.com or CARQUEST Auto Parts stores.

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10 SPRAYWAY

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55

careers Amanda Ellis

Jerry Gappens

SENIOR MANAGER OF NASCAR COMPETITION COMMUNICATIONS

N

A

manda Ellis, a senior manager of NASCAR competition communications, is a firm believer in the power of internships – even if they’re unpaid.

In fact, Ellis believes internships are the best way to lay the groundwork for a career in various professional fields.

As a senior at Union University in Jackson, Tenn., Ellis and fellow public relations majors were required to complete an internship to graduate. Through a prior connection, Ellis was able to land an internship with Nashvillebased Bobby Hamilton Racing, one of the premier organizations in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at the time.

She started with BHR in the summer of 2004 and stayed on as an intern through the end of the racing season, even though the internship was originally only supposed to last two months.

As an unpaid intern, Ellis wrote press releases, traveled with the team to races and entertained sponsors, but also had less glamorous duties such as making photocopies and answering phones.

“As an intern, you’re going to do the so-tospeak crappy work a lot of times,” Ellis said.

“You may be answering phones, you may be making copies but if you can earn respect from co-workers or other people by doing the simplest projects without complaining, you will be amazed at where that can take you.”

Ellis’ time and efforts didn’t go unnoticed. The next January, she had a job offer from Bobby Hamilton Racing – five months before her May graduation date.

“It’s just a great example of how internships can open doors,” the native of Paris,

VITAL STATS

■ ■ ■ ■

Name: Amanda Ellis Resides: Mooresville, N.C. Age: 29 Occupation: Senior Manager of NASCAR Competition Communications

Tips for Students

■ Pursue an internship ■ Be willing to go beyond your job description

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POLE POSITION // 2012

BY JARED TURNER

GM OF NEW HAMPSHIRE MOTOR SPEEDWAY amed executive vice president and general manager of New Hampshire Motor Speedway in January 2008, Jerry Gappens is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of New England’s largest sports and entertainment facility.

Upon being appointed to his role by Speedway Motorsports, Inc. Chairman Bruton Smith, there was no question whether Gappens was ready for the job. Like many other executives in the Speedway Motorsports, Inc. family, Gappens cut his teeth marketing and promoting events for an SMI track – in Gappens’ case, Charlotte Motor Speedway – before being promoted.

“If you look at Speedway Motorsports, Bruton has had a lot of success taking people from the PR and marketing side of the business and moving them into a general manager’s role,” Gappens said. “Eddie Gossage [Texas Motor Speedway], Ed Clark [Atlanta Motor Speedway], Chris Powell [Las Vegas Motor Speedway], Marcus Smith [Charlotte Motor Speedway], they all have backgrounds with either PR or marketing.”

At Charlotte, Gappens worked as senior vice president of events and marketing and was responsible for promoting a wide array of annual events including three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race weekends and three major car shows. Gappens then took his marketing and promotional skills to New Hampshire where he has put them to good use in seeking publicity for the track’s two annual NASCAR Sprint Cup Series dates.

Take, for example, Gappens’ decision in June to leave race tickets at the track’s Will Call office for President Barack Obama — a publicity move that was proudly announced in a track press release. Obama has never attended a NASCAR race but was scheduled to campaign in The Granite State in the coming weeks. So Gappens hoped the president might stop in for the track’s July 15 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.

“With the rich tradition of New Hampshire’s ‘First in the Nation Primary,’ and great racing action here at ‘The Magic Mile,’ this is a perfect place for him to come,” Gappens said. “You can’t get more ‘Americana’ than a NASCAR race.”

Obama politely declined the invitation, but it might not be the last one that he or another president receives from Gappens.

“The first thing as a general manager when you work for Bruton is you’ve got to be a promoter,” Gappens said.

Tenn., said. “That real-world experience made the difference.”

And the rest, as they say, is history. After five years with Bobby Hamilton Racing – years during which team owner Bobby Hamilton won a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship (2004), Hamilton succumbed to neck cancer (2007) and the company folded in Hamilton’s absence (2008) – Ellis became the media relations manager for NASCAR driver Martin Truex Jr. She held that post for about a year, and then became a team public relations representative in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with motocross legend Ricky Carmichael.

Looking back on her experiences in the industry, Ellis considers her proximity to Hamilton’s battle with cancer as a circumstance that made her stronger.

“When you walk through events like that, they set you apart from other people sometimes because you’ve experienced what that was like and you’ve experienced that on the business side of how you continue moving forward,” she said.

NASCAR hired Ellis in April 2010 as communications manager for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, and this past January, Ellis was promoted to her current role which involves oversight of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series’ communications efforts along with additional duties reaching across NASCAR’s three national series, the NASCAR Hall of Fame and beyond.

Ellis has some advice for others aspiring to a similar path.

“Don’t ever say, ‘that’s not in my job description,’ because you never know where that could lead you,” she said.

And, she adds: “Don’t be afraid to work for free. Don’t be taken advantage of, but don’t be afraid to work for free.”

lifestyle DOWNTIME WITH MATT CRAFTON

W

hen NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Matt Crafton isn’t at a race track, he can often be found in the desert.

“In the offseason I go out to the desert,” said Crafton, driver of the No. 88 ThorSport Racing Toyota. “That’s one of my most relaxing things I do. I have an off-road buggy and I go out there in the desert and hang out for a week or two at a time.”

Back at home in North Carolina, Crafton enjoys relaxing with his wife, Ashley.

“We have so much in common,” he said. “We spend so much time together. She’s a great partner.”

When time and money allow for it, Crafton also enjoys extracurricular racing. “I used to do a lot of late model racing but it’s expensive,” the California native said. “I wish I made enough money where I could race more, and I was just spending a lot of money going racing and playing. I want people to give me opportunities to drive late models. I’ll do that and drive [NASCAR] K&N [Pro Series] East cars and West cars, but that’s about the gist of it.”

TRAINING WITH JEFF BURTON

V

eteran NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Jeff Burton isn’t keen on exercise regimens that focus exclusively on walking or running. But, when combined with other activities, he doesn’t mind cardiovascular routines.

“What I do now is a lot of what you see called CrossFit where you’re doing a lot of different activities,” said the driver of the No. 31 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. “You don’t necessarily do it for three hours. You train for an hour, do cardio and weight at the same time, high intensity, low time, quick intervals and short breaks. I train at least four days a week and I really pay attention to what I drink and what I eat.”

Burton, 45, believes he’s in better condition now than when he was in his mid-20s.

“I didn’t try then because I didn’t have to,” he said. “The older I’ve gotten, the more I’ve had to make sure I stay on top of it. There are times I miss a week at a time because of scheduling. When I do miss that week, I know it when I get back in the gym. When I was younger, I didn’t feel those differences.”

MENTAL PREP WITH MARCOS AMBROSE How do you mentally prepare to race? Is there anything special you do to get your mind ready?

Once the prerace ceremony starts, I start to get in the zone. I think it’s repetition that makes me comfortable, relaxed.It’s a matter of getting your head and your heart in the right place.

FUELING UP WITH JIMMIE JOHNSON

Breakfast: Lunch: WHILE THE FIVE-TIME NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion likes to eat, Johnson isn’t one for fancy breakfasts.

“Probably breakfast burritos in the morning,” Johnson said.

“IT’S REALLY JUST chicken, fish, a bunch of steamed vegetables throughout the day,” Johnson said. “I like good carbs, from brown rice to sweet potatoes and things like that.”

Dinner:

“ON THE ROAD, IT changes dramatically. I think I’ve had In-N-Out [a fast-food restaurant] for dinner a few nights since I’ve been here in California.”

Snack:

“I TRY TO GET FOOD IN me every three hours, a smaller meal every three hours. If I’m on the run, it’s a power bar. I’m just focusing on lean protein five, six times throughout the day.”

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trivia How Well Do You Know Matt Kenseth?

0-20 30-40 50-60 70-80 90-100

2

Who finished second to Kenseth in the battle for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rookie-of-theyear title in 2000?

A. Dale Earnhardt Jr. B. Kevin Harvick C. Scott Pruett D. Dave Blaney

3

1

POLE POSITION // 2012

Take the quiz and score 10 points for each correct answer.

Add up your points and see how you rank!

Matt Kenseth made his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start at Dover International Speedway in 1998 as a substitute for which driver?

A. Mark Martin B. Darrell Waltrip C. Bill Elliott D. Jeff Burton

Kenseth has made all but one of his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts driving for which team owner?

A. Robbie Reiser B. Rick Hendrick C. John Henry D. Jack Roush

4 58

Rookie Spectator Fan Race Chaser Super Fan

Kenseth is a spokesman for which watch brand?

A. Rolex B. Citizen C. Timex D. Seiko

56

How many NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races did Kenseth win during his championship season in 2003?

A. 1 B. 3 C. 0 D. 4

In what year did Kenseth claim the International Race of Champions title?

A. 2008 B. 1999 C. 2004 D. 2002

7

Kenseth is an avid fan of which NFL football team?

A. Carolina Panthers B. Miami Dolphins C. Chicago Bears D. Green Bay Packers

8 10

The Matt Kenseth Museum is located at 700 Kenseth Way in what city?

A. Mooresville, N.C. B. Cambridge, Wis. C. Concord, N.C. D. Slinger, Wis.

What was the number on the first stock car Kenseth drove to victory when he was 16 years old?

A. 8 B. 17 C. 94 D. 88

In which race did Kenseth score his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory?

A. Daytona 500 B. Southern 500 C. Coca-Cola 600 D. Brickyard 400

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

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

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POLE POSITION // 2012

ANSWERS // (1) Airplane in sky (2) Water tower outside of track (3) Sunoco on the awning is red (4) Smiley face on awning support pole (5) Bird in the sky (6) Pit crew member is looking at wall (7) Extra gas can on red gas wagon (8) A.E. Engine logo has been placed on the ground (9) Pit crew member holding broom (10) Tire tracks on ground

fun pages

PHOTOHUNT

AND THE WINNERS ARE...

2

FAN ARTWORK

■ [1] Nick Kluksdahl – Age 12 – Buford, Ga. ■ [2] Tristan Drew Baker – Age 11 – Charlotte, N.C. ■ Visit freeracemag. com to learn more about the Winner’s Circle.

1

Can you draw NASCAR?

N

ow is your chance to be featured in the pages of NASCAR Pole Position!

Send us your NASCAR-themed artwork. The lucky winners will receive a race jacket of their favorite driver! On a piece of paper, send us your name, age, complete mailing address, email address or phone number and the driver jacket you would like to win. No purchase necessary. All entries are eligible.

Submissions cannot be returned. Questions?

Email poleposition@ae-engine.com. Send your artwork, unfolded, in an oversized envelope to: NASCAR Pole Position Magazine c/o A.E. Engine, Attn: Stacey Foster 11880 28th St. North, Suite 101 St. Petersburg, FL 33716

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

clint bowyer lint, bow...

WHO AM I?

MATCH UP

■ I was born in Vancouver, Wash.

■ I was the 2001 NASCAR Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year ■ I race for Roush Fenway Racing ■ I have 17 wins in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series ■ My first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win was in 2003 in the July race at Daytona

Match the driver to his car number:

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Kevin Harvick Kasey Kahne Aric Almirola Kyle Busch Brad Keselowski

ANSWERS // WHO AM I? Greg Biffle // MATCH-UP: Kevin Harvick (29), Kasey Kahne (5), Aric Almirola (43), Kyle Busch (18), Brad Keselowski (2)

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rosters & schedules 2012 NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES ROSTER No.

Driver

Team

Sponsor & Make

Crew Chief

Hometown

Birthdate

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

5

Kasey Kahne

Hendrick Motorsports

Farmers Insurance/Quaker State Chevrolet

Kenny Francis

Enumclaw, Wash.

April 10, 1980

9

Marcos Ambrose

Richard Petty Motorsports

Stanley/DeWalt Ford

Todd Parrott

Tasmania, Australia

Sept. 1, 1976

10

Danica Patrick

Stewart-Haas Racing

GoDaddy.com Chevrolet

Greg Zipadelli

Roscoe, Ill.

March 25, 1982

David Reutimann

Tommy Baldwin racing

Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet

Tommy Baldwin Jr.

Zephyrhills, Fla.

March 2, 1970

11

Denny Hamlin

Joe Gibbs Racing

FedEx Toyota

Darian Grubb

Chesterfield, Va.

Nov. 18, 1980

13

Casey Mears

Germain Racing

GEICO Ford

Robert “Bootie” Barker Bakersfield, Calif.

March 12, 1978

14

Tony Stewart

Stewart-Haas Racing

Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet

Steve Addington

Columbus, Ind.

May 20, 1971

15

Clint Bowyer

Michael Waltrip Racing

5-Hour Energy Toyota

Brian Pattie

Emporia, Kan.

May 30, 1979

16

Greg Biffle

Roush Fenway Racing

3M Ford

Matt Puccia

Vancouver, Wash.

Dec. 23, 1969

17

Matt Kenseth

Roush Fenway Racing

Best Buy 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

The Home Depot/Dollar General Toyota

Jason Ratcliff

Middletown, Conn.

May 24, 1990

21

Trevor Bayne

Wood Brothers Racing

Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford

Donnie Wingo

Knoxville, Tenn.

Feb. 19, 1991

22

A.J. Allmendinger

Penske Racing

Shell/Pennzoil Dodge

Todd Gordon

Los Gatos, Calif.

Dec. 16, 1981

23

Scott Riggs

R3 Motorsports

R3 Motorsports Chevrolet

Greg Conner

Bahama, N.C.

Jan. 1, 1971

24

Jeff Gordon

Hendrick Motorsports

Drive to End Hunger/DuPont Chevrolet

Alan Gustafson

Vallejo, Calif.

Aug. 4, 1971

26

Josh Wise

Front Row Motorsports

Front Row Motorsports Ford

Charles Dickey Jr.

Riverside, Calif.

Feb. 7, 1983

27

Paul Menard

Richard Childress Racing

Menards Chevrolet

Richard “Slugger” Labbe Eau Claire, Wis.

Aug. 21, 1980

29

Kevin Harvick

Richard Childress Racing

Budweiser/Rheem Chevrolet

Shane Wilson

Bakersfield, Calif.

Dec. 8, 1975

30

David Stremme

Inception Motorsports

Inception Motorsports Chevrolet

Steve Lane

South Bend, Ind.

Jun 19, 1977

31

Jeff Burton

Richard Childress Racing

Caterpillar/Wheaties Chevrolet

Drew Blickensderfer

South Boston, Va.

June 20, 1967

33

Stephen Leicht

Circle Sport

LittleJoesAutos.com Chevrolet

Tony Glover

Asheville, N.C.

Jan. 9, 1987

34

David Ragan

Front Row Motorsports

Front Row Motorsports Ford

Jay Guy

Unadilla, Ga.

Dec. 24, 1985

36

Dave Blaney

Tommy Baldwin Racing

Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet

Ryan Pemberton

Hartford, Ohio

Oct. 24, 1962

38

David Gilliland

Front Row Motorsports

Front Row Motorsports Ford

Pat Tryson

Riverside, Calif.

April 1, 1976

39

Ryan Newman

Stewart-Haas Racing

U.S. Army/Quicken Loans Chevrolet

Tony Gibson

South Bend, Ind.

Dec. 8, 1977

42

Juan Montoya

Earnhardt Ganassi Racing

Target Chevrolet

Chris Heroy

Bogota, Colombia

Sept. 20, 1975

43

Aric Almirola

Richard Petty Motorsports

Smithfield Foods Ford

Mike Ford

Tampa, Fla.

March 14, 1983

47

Bobby Labonte

JTG Daugherty Racing

Clorox/Kingsford Charcoal Toyota

Todd Berrier

Corpus Christi, Texas

May 8, 1964

48

Jimmie Johnson

Hendrick Motorsports

Lowe’s/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet

Chad Knaus

El Cajon, Calif.

Sept. 17, 1975

51

Kurt Busch

Phoenix Racing

Phoenix Construction Chevrolet

Nick Harrison

Las Vegas, Nev.

Aug. 4, 1978

55

Mark Martin

Michael Waltrip Racing

Aaron’s Toyota

Rodney Childers

Batesville, Ark.

Jan. 9, 1959

56

Martin Truex Jr.

Michael Waltrip Racing

NAPA Auto Parts Toyota

Chad Johnston

Mayetta, N.J.

June 29, 1980

78

Regan Smith

Furniture Row Racing

Furniture Row Chevrolet

Pete Rondeau

Cato, N.Y.

Sept. 23, 1983

83

Landon Cassill

BK Racing

Burger King Toyota

Doug Richert

Fairfax, Iowa

July 7, 1989

87

Joe Nemechek

NEMCO Motorsports

NEMCO Motorsports Toyota

Steven Gray

Lakeland, Fla.

Sept. 26, 1963

88

Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Hendrick Motorsports

National Guard/Diet Mt. Dew Chevrolet

Steve Letarte

Kannapolis, N.C.

Oct. 10, 1974

93

Travis Kvapil

BK Racing

Burger King Toyota

Todd Anderson

Janesville, Wis.

March 1, 1976

98

Michael McDowell

Phil Parsons Racing

Curb Records Ford

Gene Nead

Glendale, Ariz.

Dec. 21, 1984

99

Carl Edwards

Roush Fenway Racing

Fastenal Ford

Bob Osborne

Columbia, Mo.

Aug. 15, 1979

2012 NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES SCHEDULE

62

Feb. 18

*Daytona International Speedway

May 27

Charlotte Motor Speedway

Sept. 2

Atlanta Motor Speedway

Feb. 26

Daytona International Speedway

June 3

Dover International Speedway

Sept. 8

Richmond International Raceway

March 4

Phoenix International Raceway

June 10

Pocono International Raceway

Sept. 16

Chicagoland Speedway

March 11 Las Vegas Motor Speedway

June 17

Michigan International Speedway

Sept. 23 New Hampshire Motor Speedway

March 18 Bristol Motor Speedway

June 24

Sonoma

Sept. 30 Dover International Speedway

March 25 Auto Club Speedway

June 30

Kentucky Speedway

Oct. 7

Talladega Superspeedway

April 1

Martinsville Speedway

July 7

Daytona International Speedway

Oct. 13

Charlotte Motor Speedway

April 14

Texas Motor Speedway

July 15

New Hampshire Motor Speedway

Oct. 21

Kansas Speedway

April 22

Kansas Speedway

July 29

Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Oct. 28

Martinsville Speedway

April 28

Richmond International Raceway

Aug. 5

Pocono Raceway

Nov. 4

Texas Motor Speedway

May 6

Talladega Superspeedway

Aug. 12

Watkins Glen International

Nov. 11

Phoenix International Raceway

May 12

Darlington Raceway

Aug. 1

Michigan International Speedway

Nov. 18

Homestead-Miami Speedway

May 19

*Charlotte Motor Speedway

Aug. 25

Bristol Motor Speedway

*Non-Points, Special Event

POLE POSITION // 2012

2012 NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES ROSTER & SCHEDULE No.

Driver

Hometown

Team

Make

Crew Chief

Feb. 25

Daytona International Speedway

01 2 3 4 6 7 10 11 12 14 15 18

19 20

22 23

31 33 38

39 40 41 43 44 50 51 54

70 81 87 88 89 99

Mike Wallace Elliott Sadler Austin Dillon Danny Efland Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Danica Patrick Jeff Green Brian Scott Sam Hornish Jr. Eric McClure Blake Koch Denny Hamlin Michael McDowell Tayler Malsam Joey Logano Denny Hamlin Brad Keselowski Robert Richardson Jr. Jamie Dick Justin Allgaier Kevin Harvick Brad Sweet Kasey Kahne Josh Richards Erik Darnell Timmy Hill Michael Annett Mike Bliss T.J. Bell Jeremy Clements Kyle Busch Kurt Busch Johanna Long Jason Bowles Joe Nemechek Cole Whitt Morgan Shepherd Travis Pastrana

St. Louis, Mo. Emporia, Va. Lewisville, N.C. Irmo, S.C. Olive Branch, Miss.

Roscoe, Ill. Owensboro, Ky. Boise, Idaho Defiance, Ohio Chilhowie, Va. West Palm Beach, Fla. Chesterfield, Va. Glendale, Ariz.

Seattle, Wash.

Middletown, Conn.

Chesterfield, Va. Rochester Hills, Mich.

McKinney, Texas Albuquerque, N.M. Riverton, Ill. Bakersfield, Calif.

Grass Valley, Calif.

Enumclaw, Wash.

Shinnston, W.Va. Beach Park, Ill. Port Tobacco, Md. Des Moines, Iowa Milwaukie, Ore. Sparks, Nev. Spartanburg, S.C. Las Vegas, Nev. Las Vegas, Nev. Pensacola, Fla. Ontario, Calif.

Lakeland, Fla. Alpine, Calif.

Conover, N.C. Annapolis, Md.

JD Motorsports Richard Childress Racing Richard Childress Racing JD Motorsports Roush Fenway Racing JR Motorsports Tri-Star Motorsports Joe Gibbs Racing Penske Racing TriStar Motorsports Rick Ware Racing Joe Gibbs Racing

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

Newt Moore Luke Lambert Danny Stockman Thomas Efland Mike Kelley Tony Eury Jr. Todd Myers Kevin Kidd Chad Walter Wes Ward Keith Plaza Matt Lucas

March 3

Phoenix International Raceway

TriStar Motorsports Joe Gibbs Racing

Toyota Toyota

Eddie Pardue Adam Stevens

Penske Racing R3 Motorsports

Dodge Chevrolet

Jeremy Bullins Jason Miller

Turner Motorsports Richard Childress Racing Turner Motorsports

Chevrolet Chevrolet Chevrolet

Jimmy Elledge Ernie Cope Mike Shiplett

Go Green Racing The Motorsports Group Rick Ware Racing Richard Petty Motorsports TriStar Motorsports MAKE Motorsports Jeremy Clements Racing Kyle Busch Motorsports ML Motorsports MacDonald Motorsports NEMCO Motorsports JR Motorsports Faith Motorsports RAB Racing

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

Clinton Cram Gary Showalter George Church Phillippe Lopez Paul Clapprood Bobby Burrell Ricky Pearson Mike Beam Mark Gutekunst John Monsam Gary Cogswell Bruce Cook Gary Ravan Scott Zipadelli

March 10

Las Vegas Motor Speedway

March 17

Bristol Motor Speedway

March 24

Auto Club Speedway

April 13

Texas Motor Speedway

April 27

Richmond International Raceway

May 5

Talladega Superspeedway

May 11

Darlington Raceway

May 20

Iowa Speedway

May 26

Charlotte Motor Speedway

June 2

Dover International Speedway

June 16

Michigan International Speedway

June 23

Road America

June 29

Kentucky Speedway

July 6

Daytona International Speedway

July 14

New Hampshire Motor Speedway

July 22

Chicagoland Speedway

July 28

Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Aug. 4

Iowa Speedway

Aug. 11

Watkins Glen International

Aug. 18

Circuit Gilles Villeneuve

Aug. 24

Bristol Motor Speedway

Sept. 1

Atlanta Motor Speedway

Sept. 7

Richmond International Raceway

Sept. 15

Chicagoland Speedway

Sept. 22

Kentucky Speedway

Sept. 29

Dover International Speedway

Oct. 12

Charlotte Motor Speedway

Oct. 20

Kansas Speedway

Nov. 3

Texas Motor Speedway

Nov. 10

Phoenix International Raceway

Nov. 17

Homestead-Miami Speedway

2012 NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES ROSTER & SCHEDULE No.

Driver

Hometown

Team

Make

Crew Chief

Feb. 24

Daytona International Speedway

08 09 2 3 5 6 9 10 11 13 17 18 22 23 24 29 30 31 32 33 39 57 81 88 92 98 99

Ross Chastain John Wes Townley Tim George Jr. Ty Dillon Paulie Harraka Justin Lofton Ron Hornaday Jr. Jennifer Jo Cobb Todd Bodine Johnny Sauter Timothy Peters Jason Leffler Joey Coulter Jason White Max Gresham Parker Kligerman Nelson Piquet Jr. James Buescher Miguel Paludo Cale Gale Ryan Sieg Norm Benning David Starr Matt Crafton Chad McCumbee Dakoda Armstrong Bryan Silas

Alva, Fla. Watkinsville, Ga. New York, N.Y. Lewisville, N.C. Fair Lawn, N.J. Westmorland, Calif.

Palmdale, Calif.

Kansas City, Kan. Chemung, N.Y. Necedah, Wis. Providence, N.C. Long Beach, Calif.

Miami Springs, Fla. Powhatan, Va. Stockbridge, Ga. Westport, Conn.

Brasilia, Brazil Plano, Texas Nova Prata, Brazil Mobile, Ala. Tucker, Ga. Level Green, Pa. Houston, Texas Tulare, Calif.

Supply, N.C. New Castle, Ind. Stuart, Fla.

SS Green Light Racing Robby Benton Racing Richard Childress Racing Richard Childress Racing Wauters Motorsports Eddie Sharp Racing Joe Denette Motorsports Cobb Racing Red Horse Racing ThorSport Racing Red Horse Racing Kyle Busch Motorsports Richard Childress Racing GunBroker.com Racing Joe Denette Motorsports Brad Keselowski Racing Turner Motorsports Turner Motorsports Turner Motorsports Eddie Sharp Racing RSS Racing Norm Benning Racing Arrington Racing ThorSport Racing RBR Enterprises ThorSport Racing T3R Racing

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

Bryan Berry Chris Rice Marcus Richmond Scott Naset Richie Wauters Danny Bormann Jeff Hensley Steve Kuykendall Rick Gay Jr. Joe Shear Jr. Butch Hylton Eric Phillips Harold Holly Doug George Richie Snyder Doug Randolph Chris Carrier Michael Shelton Mike Hillman Jr. Jerry Baxter Tony Wilson Ted Walters Doug Howe Carl Joiner Kevin Starland Dan Stillman Cal Boprey

March 31

Martinsville Speedway

April 15

Rockingham Speedway

April 21

Kansas Speedway

May 18

Charlotte Motor Speedway

June 1

Dover International Speedway

June 8

Texas Motor Speedway

June 28

Kentucky Speedway

July 14

Iowa Speedway

July 21

Chicagoland Speedway

Aug. 4

Pocono Raceway

Aug. 18

Michigan International Speedway

Aug. 22

Bristol Motor Speedway

Aug. 31

Atlanta Motor Speedway

Sept. 15

Iowa Speedway

Sept. 21

Kentucky Speedway

Sept. 29

Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Oct. 6

Talladega Superspeedway

Oct. 27

Martinsville Speedway

Nov. 2

Texas Motor Speedway

Nov. 9

Phoenix International Raceway

Nov. 16

Homestead-Miami Speedway FREERACEMAG.COM

63

did you know?

New Cars for 2013 PUTTING THE “STOCK” BACK INTO STOCK CAR RACING

N

ASCAR is putting a portion of the “stock” back into stock car racing as the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series cars will more closely resemble the three manufacturers’ production versions.

“We’ve always understood but we get today, more than ever, that the NASCAR Nation is made up of car enthusiasts and NASCAR fans certainly love to pull for a brand or make of car second only to being able to pull for their favorite driver,” said NASCAR President Mike Helton. “This change brings back the relevancy of NASCAR on the race track to what the fans have in their homes and in their parking spots at work.”

Beginning with the 2013 Daytona 500 in February, Ford teams will race a redesigned version of the Fusion while Toyota teams will have a redesigned Camry. Chevrolet teams are switching from the Impala to the new Chevrolet SS, a rear-wheel-drive model that is scheduled to arrive in showrooms in late 2013 as a 2014 model.

Ford has raced several legendary cars, including the Fairlane, Galaxy and Torino, over the years and Jamie Allison, Ford’s director of racing, believes these new cars will revive the passion NASCAR fans once had for their favorite manufacturer.

“What was so evident back then was our identity. The fans could tell a Ford from other makes,” Allison said. “Along the way in this sport today we still have a fantastic sport, it is the best sport in the world, and last year was one of the best racing seasons. The competition could never be better. So we wanted to reach out to NASCAR and maintain the great competition that takes place on the track and bring back a little bit of that lust, the fun, the excitement that fans have for cars and watching those cars race.”

Toyota made its NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut in 2007 at a time when the cars all basically looked the same. This is the manufacturer’s first opportunity to incorporate brand identity into its NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car.

“Our 2013 Camry looks more like the production vehicle than ever before, and we hope this helps revitalize the long-standing relationship between fans and manufacturers in NASCAR,” said Ed Laukes, vice president of marketing communications and motorsports for Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. “Never before have we had a Camry competing in NASCAR that looked so similar to its production counterpart.”

Chevrolet is the only manufacturer who has opted to go with a completely new model for its 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car.

“As a passionate race fan and performance enthusiast, I am thrilled that Chevrolet will deliver a true rear-wheel-drive NASCAR race car in the SS that is closely linked to the performance sedan that will be available for sale,” said Mark Reuss, president of GM North America. “The Chevrolet SS is a great example of how GM is able to leverage its global product portfolio to deliver a unique performance experience that extends beyond the track.”

NASCAR eased its rules for several areas of the race cars, giving designers and engineers the opportunity to incorporate design elements from the production models while maximizing performance.

The sanctioning body made a similar design transition with its Nationwide Series cars in 2010 and that change received rave reviews from manufacturers, drivers and fans.

64

POLE POSITION // 2012

DODGE BOWS OUT Ralph Gilles, president and CEO – Street and Racing Technology Brand and Motorsports, Chrysler Group, announced Aug. 7 that Dodge will withdraw from NASCAR racing at the end of the season.

“It’s an extremely difficult decision to know that we won’t be there for our fans next season,” Gilles said.

The decision was made after Penske Racing, Dodge’s lone NASCAR team, revealed in February it is switching manufacturers for 2013.

“We’ve spent an intense five months working to identify and evaluate all options for our future involvement in NASCAR. A number of opportunities emerged, and our team worked diligently to put a structure together to fit our overall business and competitive objectives,” Gilles added. “While we have been pleased and enthused with the amount of interest from teams and sponsors over that time, in the end, we simply couldn’t develop the right structure.”

VICTORY AT MICHIGAN

Dale Earnhardt Jr.

FREERACEMAG.COM

insider’s view FRESH FACES

Parker Kligerman

NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES DRIVER

5

THINGS YOU DON’T KNOW ABOUT PARKER

1 2

T

hree years ago, it appeared Parker Kligerman might be headed for swift stardom.

But before stardom could be attained, the youngster was dealt a swift dose of reality. After sending shockwaves through the NASCAR world by winning the pole in his first NASCAR Nationwide Series event, Kligerman failed to even make the show in his next outing.

Talk about a reversal of fortunes. How could the then-19-year-old qualify first at Kansas Speedway in October and then not even make the starting field for the next month’s season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway? Yes, he was driving for a different team at Homestead, but failing to qualify, under any circumstances, never leaves a good impression on observers in the NASCAR community.

After three more DNQs followed in 2010, a season in which he only made 15 qualifying attempts, Kligerman and others began to wonder about a future that had once looked so promising. Fortunately, Kligerman got another chance. And he’s making the most if it.

Since being hired by NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Brad Keselowki’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team prior to the 2011 season, Kligerman has been consistently fast and shown flashes of the form that carried him to that memorable pole in 2009.

As of press time, the Penske Racing development driver was fifth in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series standings, having finished no worse than 11th in the first seven races of the season.

This follows a 2011 season in which Kligerman notched eight top-10 finishes, including four topfives and a pair of runner-up finishes, on the way to an 11th-place points finish.

Kligerman, who had his share of on-track incidents in 2011, is focused this year on avoiding trouble and finishing consistently well. The approach appears to be paying off.

“I say ‘bigger picture,’ that’s my motto,” said Kligerman, now 22. “The bigger picture is when you look at everything from the outside, what does it look like that you’re doing and what is your goal in the long run? This season, when I think about an aggressive move, I think, ‘We’re trying to win the championship.’ That’s my bigger picture. So I take every situation and say, ‘What garners me the best possibility of winning the championship in this situation?’ Then I make my decision.

“That’s a lot of thought processing but in the end I feel like it’s getting me in the position to put this team in the best position, so that we can go out there and contend for this championship.”

Perhaps Kligerman is still on a path to stardom, and it is just taking longer to get there than he and others originally thought.

“I think we lost a little bit of fanfare there for awhile, but I don’t race for that,” he said. “I do it for the hope that the right people recognize what I’m doing, the people in this sport that make it possible for me to do this sport.

“I think for me this is a make or break year, and I hope to go out there and prove this year with the opportunity I have that all the belief that everyone’s had in me – especially [Penske Racing owner] Roger Penske and Brad Keselowski – that I can repay them for that belief.”

66

POLE POSITION // 2012

BY JARED TURNER

I’m definitely afraid of spiders. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been terrified.

Drake is my favorite music artist. I found his music coming out of high school, and it just kind of clicked and I liked it.

I love to travel. A lot of my friends that I went to high school with go to different colleges, so this racing career has afforded me some time off occasionally, and through that I’m able to visit different colleges that my friends go to, and see how kids my age normally live, you know? That’s been exciting. I enjoy that.

I used to be huge into simulator racing and iRacing. In the last year it’s been really tough to do it just with our schedule and such, and not being home at all. But that’s one thing I really enjoy when I have time off. It’s funny; Dale [Earnhardt] Jr. said it best – he’s a big simulator racer – you race all weekend and you get home that night and all you want to do is go simulator racing.

I have Celiac disease, so I’m gluten intolerant. I’m gluten-free all the time, so I don’t eat any wheat products.

I usually work out in the afternoon. I’m a workout enthusiast, I guess. I work out five or six days a week.

3

4

5

BEST TRACK Everyone has favorites. The same goes for drivers in the

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

driver profiles

BY JARED TURNER

driver profiles: BEST TRACK

▐ OWNER: MARGARET HAAS ▐ TEAM: STEWART-HAAS RACING ▐ CAR: OFFICE DEPOT/MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET ▐ CREW CHIEF: STEVE ADDINGTON

14 tony stewart TONY STE WART – WATKINS GLEN

Nowhere has the three-time and reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup series champion found more success than Watkins Glen International.

In 13 trips to the 2.45-mile, seven-turn road course, Stewart had scored five victories – his most at any track on the schedule – while finishing 11th or better all but twice. Of the current crop of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers, only Jeff Gordon (four victories) and Mark Martin (three) have joined Stewart in winning three or more times at Watkins Glen.

Incredibly, as of press time, the driver nicknamed “Smoke” had completed every one of the 1,174 laps run at The Glen since his first visit to the road course in 1999, while spending 225 of those laps out front.

Stewart’s average starting position at The Glen was a stellar 6.2, while his average finishing position was an only slightly less impressive 7.1 – both his best at any track, as of 14 races into the 2012 season.

Needless to say, it is no wonder Stewart likes competing at The Glen as much as he does at any track on the schedule.

“It’s a race that we always look forward to. We’ve had a lot of success there, and it’s just fun,” Stewart said. “When you’ve won five races, it gives you that confidence that you know how to win, and know what you have to do to get to Victory Lane. I know what feel I need when we get there.”

34

POLE POSITION // 2012

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1

driver profiles: BEST TRACK

driver profiles

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

48 JIMMIE JOHNSON JIMMIE JOHNSON – DOVER

Johnson is excellent at practically every stop on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series circuit. Entering the season, the five-time series champion had prevailed at every track except Watkins Glen International, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Michigan International Speedway, Chicagoland Speedway and Kentucky Speedway. And, it should be noted, Kentucky has only been on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule since 2011.

But while Johnson is pretty good at nearly every track, there’s one that stands out above the rest: Dover International Speedway.

With his victory in the spring race at “The Monster Mile,” Johnson joined NASCAR Hall of Fame inductees Richard Petty and Bobby Allison as the only drivers to conquer Dover a record seven times. But while Petty needed 46 races to win seven times and Allison needed 35 starts, Johnson reached seven in his 21st start at the one-mile, high-banked oval.

“I love this place,” Johnson, who swept the two NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Dover in 2002 and 2009, said after leading 289 of 400 laps in this June’s race. Johnson’s seven wins at Dover are the most scored by the Hendrick Motorsports driver any track, and one more than his win totals at Martinsville Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway.

In addition to his victories, Johnson’s overall record at Dover is equally impressive: three poles and 15 top-10 finishes, including 10 top-fives, in his 21 starts; an average finish of 9.7; and 2,275 laps led out of the 8,404 run.

36

POLE POSITION // 2012

AVAILABLE AT

driver profiles: BEST TRACK

driver profiles

▐ OWNER: RICK HENDRICK ▐ TEAM: HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS ▐ CAR: DIET MOUNTAIN DEW/NATIONAL GUARD CHEVROLET ▐ CREW CHIEF: STEVE LETARTE

88 DALE EARNHARDT JR. DALE E ARNHARDT JR. – TALL ADEGA

Despite not winning at Talladega Superspeedway since the fall of 2004, the high-speed Alabama hardtop remains Earnhardt Jr.’s best track.

His numbers certainly back that assertion up. Junior has won in 20 percent of his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series appearances at the high-banked track, going to Victory Lane five times in 25 starts, and leading laps in all but two of them.

While driving for Dale Earnhardt Inc., the team he left for Hendrick Motorsports prior to the 2008 season, Earnhardt Jr. recorded all five of his Talladega wins over an incredible seven-race stretch. And in the two races he didn’t win during that period, Earnhardt Jr. finished second.

While Earnhardt Jr. has been shut out of Talladega’s Victory Lane in recent years, there is not a track on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule where the sport’s most popular driver is more beloved, or has more confidence in his abilities to win.

“We’ve had some bad luck in getting caught up in wrecks but we’ve always at some point, even when those were happening, been up front and running well,” said Earnhardt Jr., who finished ninth at Talladega in May after leading 10 laps. “I haven’t had a race since 2004 here where I felt like I didn’t know what I was doing, or I was lost or making bad decisions one after the other; or that I had lost my savvy here, or my mojo.”

38

POLE POSITION // 2012

driver profiles: BEST TRACK

▐ OWNER: MICHAEL WALTRIP ▐ TEAM: MICHAEL WALTRIP RACING ▐ CAR: NAPA AUTO PARTS TOYOTA ▐ CREW CHIEF: CHAD JOHNSTON

56 martin truex jr.

MARTIN TRUEX JR. – HOMESTEAD

If there is any driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series who would probably like to see Homestead-Miami Speedway add a second race each season, it would probably be Martin Truex Jr. The 1.5-mile oval is Truex Jr.’s best track, and no other track is really even close.

Over seven starts at the south Florida facility, Truex Jr. has five top-10 finishes, including a runner-up finish in 2006 and a third-place result in 2011. Interestingly, team and manufacturer alignments have mattered little for Truex Jr. at Homestead, where he made his first five starts in a Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chevrolet, with his last two coming in a Toyota fielded by Michael Waltrip Racing.

Take a 32nd-place finish in his 2004 Homestead debut out of the equation, and the New Jersey native’s worst finish in six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races is 11th. As it is, Truex Jr.’s average finish at Homestead is an impressive 10.4.

If Homestead-Miami Speedway has a downside for the two-time NASCAR Nationwide Series champion, it’s that the track hosts only one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race each year. At least the track’s annual NASCAR Sprint Cup date happens to be the season finale, which generally gives Truex Jr. a nice boost headed into the offseason. He has led laps in four of his seven Homestead starts, spending a personal-best 62 laps out front in 2010 – his first Homestead outing with Michael Waltrip Racing.

40

POLE POSITION // 2012

Why jog when you can sprint? The reinvented 2012 Toyota Camry, with an available 268-horsepower engine to help pound that pavement a little faster. The 2012 Camry has also been redesigned so it’s more aerodynamic, pump.

which means you can hug those corners and spend less time at the

It’s a perfect combo of performance and economy. Just add pavement.

Prototype shown with optional equipment. Production model may vary. 1. Vehicle life is dependent on a variety of factors. Toyota basic warranty covers 3 years or 36,000 miles, whichever occurs first. 2. 268-horsepower V6 engine available on SE and XLE models only. ©2011 Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

toyota.com/camry

driver profiles: BEST TRACK

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

24 JEFF GORDON JEFF GORDON – INDIANAPOLIS

Growing up in Pittsboro, Ind., Gordon dreamed of someday racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway – home of the world’s most famous openwheel race, the Indy 500. Little did he know that his dream would become reality – but in a full-bodied NASCAR stock car, not an Indy car.

Gordon scored an emotional victory in the inaugural Brickyard 400, edging Brett Bodine to become NASCAR’s first winner at the fabled facility. That 1994 triumph came shortly after Gordon’s first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory in that May’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Gordon followed his win in the inaugural Brickyard 400 with victories at Indy in 1998, 2001 and 2004, and he finished second in 2011, losing to Paul Menard in a finish determined by fuel mileage.

Gordon captured the pole at Indy in 1995, 1996 and 1999. Only teammate Jimmie Johnson, with three Brickyard wins entering 2012, has achieved a level of NASCAR success at Indy rivaling Gordon’s.

Trips to Indianapolis never get old for the former Hoosier, who ultimately abandoned his childhood aspirations of an open-wheel career for a career in NASCAR. “As a kid racing quarter midgets, we would come to Indianapolis and visit with some friends that built our quarter midgets,” Gordon recalled. “We’d come over here and see the track prior to or the day after the Indy 500. After racing around Indiana later with the midgets and sprint cars, it was a dream to race here.”

42

POLE POSITION // 2012

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driver profiles: BEST TRACK

▐ OWNER: RICK HENDRICK ▐ TEAM: HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS ▐ CAR: FARMERS INSURANCE CHEVROLET ▐ CREW CHIEF: KENNY FRANCIS

5 KASEY KAHNE KASEY KAHNE – CHARLOTTE

Beyond a shadow of a doubt, Kahne is the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ current king of Charlotte Motor Speedway. He gave even more credence to that claim in this year’s Coca-Cola 600. Leading 96 of 400 laps, the driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet cruised to his fourth win in 17 pointspaying events at the 1.5-mile oval.

Kahne swept Charlotte’s two annual points events in 2006 and returned to Victory Lane at the Concord, N.C., track in 2008. Three of Kahne’s Charlotte wins have come in the Coke 600, NASCAR’s longest race. Kahne also has a victory in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, capturing the popular exhibition in memorable fashion in 2008 after making the field via the Sprint Fan Vote.

Equally impressive as Kahne’s multiple wins at Charlotte is that they have been with two different teams; all but this May’s coming with the team now known as Richard Petty Motorsports. Kahne’s victory in the 2012 Coca-Cola 600 was his first for Hendrick Motorsports, the powerhouse organization he joined prior to the season. Moreover, the win helped Kahne and his team get on track after a bumpy start to the year.

Through all of Kahne’s CMS victories, one constant has remained: crew chief Kenny Francis. Francis and Kahne clearly know something that few others do about making a car go fast at Charlotte and together the pair has recorded nine top-10 finishes (including seven top-fives) in 17 points races.

44

POLE POSITION // 2012

▐ OWNER: RICHARD CHILDRESS ▐ TEAM: RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING ▐ CAR: CATERPILLAR CHEVROLET ▐ CREW CHIEF: DREW BLICKENSDERFER

31 jeff burton JEFF BURTON – NEW HAMPSHIRE

New Hampshire Motor Speedway is nicknamed “The Magic Mile” and no track on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule has been more magical for Burton.

While New Hampshire is a notoriously tough place to become a repeat winner – 12 races from fall 2004 through 2011 produced only one – Burton won four races there over an eight-race stretch from 1997 to 2000.

The only problem is Burton hasn’t been back to Victory Lane at New Hampshire since. Entering the current season, the Virginia native had gone 22 races without a win at New Hampshire – a shocking statistic considering he once all but owned the place. All four of Burton’s wins came for Roush Fenway Racing, the organization he left in mid-2004 for his current seat at Richard Childress Racing. Since joining RCR, Burton’s best New Hampshire finish is fourth, recorded in the fall of 2008.

“We haven’t done the job that we needed to do recently,” Burton said.

“We’ve run well, but haven’t run well enough to win. I’ve had to adjust to this race track and the lower groove not really being there has made it that I’ve really had to adjust. The first few races I really didn’t adjust very well on that.

Since then, I feel like we have. I feel like we’ve run competitively and had a chance; we just haven’t been good enough.”

But, recent struggles aside, New Hampshire has still been kind to Burton.

FREERACEMAG.COM

45

driver profiles: BEST TRACK 43 ▐ OWNER: RICHARD PETTY ▐ TEAM: RICHARD PETTY MOTORSPORTS ▐ CAR: SMITHFIELD FOODS FORD ▐ CREW CHIEF: MIKE FORD ARIC ALMIROLA: DOVER Almirola is in his first full season of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racing and the 28-year-old driver had two top-10 finishes in the first 18 races. He finished sixth at Dover International Speedway in June and was eighth at Martinsville Speedway on April 1. Interestingly, Almirola’s car owner, Richard Petty, won a total of 22 races at those two tracks.

9 ▐ OWNER: RICHARD PETTY ▐ TEAM: RICHARD PETTY MOTORSPORTS ▐ CAR: DEWALT FORD ▐ CREW CHIEF: TODD PARROTT Marcos Ambrose: WATKINS GLEN One of NASCAR’s most prolific road racers, Ambrose has been nearly flawless at Watkins Glen International. His worst finish in four Watkins Glen starts prior to this season was third – recorded on two occasions. The two-time Australian V-8 Supercar champion scored his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win at The Glen in 2011, and was second in 2009.

1 6 ▐ OWNER: JACK ROUSH ▐ TEAM: ROUSH FENWAY RACING ▐ CAR: 3M FORD ▐ CREW CHIEF: MATT PUCCIA Greg Biffle: Kansas Biffle, one of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ best drivers on 1.5- and two-mile tracks, is particularly stout at the 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway. With a fifth-place finish in this year’s spring race, Biffle recorded his ninth top-10 finish in a dozen Kansas starts. He won at Kansas in 2007 and 2010, and claimed the pole for the track’s fall 2011 event.

1 5 ▐ OWNER: MICHAEL WALTRIP ▐ TEAM: MICHAEL WALTRIP RACING ▐ CAR: 5-HOUR ENERGY TOYOTA ▐ CREW CHIEF: BRIAN PATTIE Clint Bowyer: New Hampshire Bowyer might hail from Emporia, Kan., but New Hampshire Motor Speedway has been like his second home. Two of his six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victories have come at the one-mile track, and Bowyer was headed for a third last September before running out of gas. While Bowyer has been inconsistent at NHMS, he’s also been the class of the field on multiple occasions.

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POLE POSITION // 2012

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Swirls, holograms, spider webs, towel marks and Swirlinter-changeably marks hazing: Often used to describe the least deep scratch. These generally just lightly mar the surface of the paint or clear coat enough to dull the reflection and add those crazy, circular lines around reflections of the sun.

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Scuff Mark(s): Occur when something rubs against your car at a specific point (a pole, garage opening, another car, etc.), like a bumper. Scuffs often transfer some of the offending paint color to your car.

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driver profiles: BEST TRACK 5 1 ▐ OWNER: JAMES FINCH ▐ TEAM: PHOENIX RACING ▐ CAR: PHOENIX RACING CHEVEROLET ▐ CREW CHIEF: NICK HARRISON Kurt Busch: Bristol Kurt Busch isn’t half bad at any race track on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule. But, he’s downright awesome at Bristol Motor Speedway. A winner of a personal-best five races in 23 Bristol appearances that include the spring 2012 race, Busch has made a habit of delivering top performances at the facility known as “Thunder Valley.”

18 ▐ OWNERS: JOE GIBBS ▐ TEAM: JOE GIBBS RACING ▐ CAR: M&M’S TOYOTA ▐ CREW CHIEF: DAVE ROGERS KYLE BUSCH: Richmond Perhaps Richmond International Raceway should consider building a monument to Kyle Busch. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver is just that good at the three-quarter-mile D-shaped oval. With 12 top-five finishes, including four wins, in 15 Richmond starts, Busch could opt to never run another race at RIR and still go down as one of the track’s all-time greats.

9 9 ▐ OWNER: JACK ROUSH ▐ TEAM: ROUSH FENWAY RACING ▐ CAR: FASTENAL FORD▐ CREW CHIEF: BOB OSBORNE CARL EDWARDS: Homestead Traditionally strongest at the 1.5- and two-mile venues that dominate the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Edwards has one such track that stands out among the rest – Homestead-Miami Speedway. While Edwards’ three victories apiece at Texas Motor Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway both eclipse his two at Homestead, the South Florida track gets the nod here because of Edwards’ overall consistency.

1 1 ▐ OWNERS: J.D. GIBBS ▐ TEAM: JOE GIBBS RACING ▐ CAR: FEDEX TOYOTA▐ CREW CHIEF: DARIAN GRUBB DENNY HAMLIN: Martinsville Determining Hamlin’s best track is truly a coin flip between Martinsville Speedway and Richmond International Raceway. But, despite Hamlin’s closer personal ties to Richmond – he grew up a few miles from the track in nearby Chesterfield – Martinsville has actually been slightly kinder to the Joe Gibbs Racing driver.

Hamlin has a personal-best four wins at Martinsville, compared with two at Richmond.

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POLE POSITION // 2012

NASCAR Pole Position is now available on your tablet or PC Head to Zinio.com or download the app on your device for more information.

NASCARÂŽ is a registered trademark of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc.

driver profiles: BEST TRACK 29 ▐ OWNERS: RICHARD CHILDRESS ▐ TEAM: RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING ▐ CAR: BUDWEISER/RHEEM CHEVROLET ▐ CREW CHIEF: SHANE WILSON KEVIN HARVICK: Chicagoland Harvick won the first two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Chicagoland Speedway in 2001 and 2002. The driver nicknamed “Happy” hasn’t been back to the track’s Victory Lane, but he’s remained a frequent contender. Harvick has seven top-10 finishes in 11 Chicagoland starts; including top-five finishes of second, third and fourth (twice) to go along with his two wins.

1 7 ▐ OWNER: JOHN HENRY ▐ TEAM: ROUSH FENWAY RACING ▐ CAR: BEST BUY FORD ▐ CREW CHIEF: JIMMY FENNIG MATT KENSETH: Texas Always a force on all the intermediate tracks, Kenseth does his very best work at Texas Motor Speedway. In 20 starts at the 1.5-mile oval, the 2003 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion has 14 top-10 finishes, including 11 top-fives and two wins.

The Roush Fenway Racing driver has led 771 laps at Texas, while completing 6,638 of a possible 6,690.

2

▐ OWNER: ROGER PENSKE ▐ TEAM: PENSKE RACING ▐ CAR: MILLER LITE DODGE ▐ CREW CHIEF: PAUL WOLFE

BRAD KESELOWSKI: Bristol Driving the iconic No. 2 Penske Racing car that became synonymous with Rusty Wallace winning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Bristol Motor Speedway, Keselowski has proudly carried on the tradition. The second generation race car driver won at the highbanked, .533-mile track last August and returned to Victory Lane in March, leading a combined 321 laps over the two events.

20 ▐ OWNER: JOE GIBBS ▐ TEAM: JOE GIBBS RACING ▐ CAR: THE HOME DEPOT TOYOTA ▐ CREW CHIEF: JASON RATCLIFF Joey Logano: Charlotte Despite never winning at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Logano and the 1.5-mile track have gotten along quite well since the driver’s entry into the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2009. Logano has four top-10 finishes in seven starts at CMS, giving the Joe Gibbs Racing driver an average finish of 10.3 – Logano’s best among all tracks.

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POLE POSITION // 2012

1

▐ OWNER: TERESA EARNHARDT ▐ TEAM: EARNHARDT GANASSI RACING ▐ CAR: BASS PRO SHOPS CHEVROLET ▐ CREW CHIEF: KEVIN MANION

Jamie McMurray: Indianapolis One of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ best restrictor-plate drivers, McMurray has victories at both Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. However, the native of Joplin, Mo., boasts a much better overall record at a non-restrictor-plate track: Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In nine starts at the Brickyard, McMurray has five top-10 finishes, including a victory in 2010.

▐ OWNER: RICHARD CHILDRESS ▐ TEAM: RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING ▐ CAR: MENARDS CHEVROLET ▐ CREW CHIEF: RICHARD “SLUGGER” LABBE

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Paul Menard: Daytona Similar to his quiet personality, Menard has quietly pieced together a string of runs at Daytona International Speedway that make the 2.5-mile facility his best track. Menard, whose lone NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory came last season at Indianapolis, has fared far better overall at Daytona, where he finished sixth, eighth and ninth in his last three races leading up to the July race.

▐ OWNER: CHIP GANASSI ▐ TEAM: EARNHARDT GANASSI RACING ▐ CAR: TARGET CHEVROLET ▐ CREW CHIEF: CHRIS HEROY

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Juan Pablo Montoya Watkins Glen Montoya won seven Formula One races on road courses prior to joining the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and he continued his rule of the road in NASCAR with victories at Watkins Glen and Sonoma. The Glen has been slightly better to Montoya, however, as the Earnhardt Ganassi Racing driver has led considerably more laps there than at Sonoma.

39 Ryan Newman: New Hampshire

▐ OWNER: TONY STEWART ▐ TEAM: STEWART-HAAS RACING ▐ CAR: U.S. ARMY CHEVROLET ▐ CREW CHIEF: TONY GIBSON

New Hampshire Motor Speedway was the site of Ryan Newman’s first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win in 2002. Today, NHMS is Newman’s best track. As of press time, Newman had 13 top-10 finishes, including three victories, in 20 starts at the one-mile oval. His most recent victory came last July when he started from the pole and led 119 of 301 laps.

FREERACEMAG.COM

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presented by

food & fun at the track ‘Everybody’s Having A Blast’

TAILGATING VETERAN ALEX EDWARDS A NASCAR ROOKIE

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s a student at the University of Kentucky, Alex Edwards was a regular at tailgates before football games. These pregame rituals became a way of life for Edwards and her sorority sisters.

But Edwards, a longtime NASCAR fan, had never tailgated at a NASCAR race. In fact, she had never been to a NASCAR race. Then, one day this past March, all that changed.

Lounging at a bar in Raleigh, N.C., with a group of friends on the Saturday night before the next day’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway, Edwards and cohorts were watching television when the station began airing a race preview.

Edwards and her friends didn’t have race tickets, and it was 10:30 p.m. – not exactly an ideal time for an impromptu road trip.

But the hour didn’t deter them from doing something unconventional.

“We were like, ‘Hey, let’s just go,’” said Edwards, who works as an assistant salon director at a tanning corporation. “So we packed up and bought our tickets online on our way there and slept in a tent and a truck. We got there around 2 o’clock in the morning and got up at 7. It was literally on a whim at 10:30 at night.”

After leaving the bar, the group of friends headed to a local retailer where

they bought a grill, a large cooler and enough food and beer to get them through the weekend. The price tag on the total purchase was about $400, Edwards said.

The four amigos then headed for Martinsville – about a two-and-a-half hour drive from Raleigh – in a 2012 Chevrolet extended cab truck owned by Edwards’ boyfriend, John Parker.

Parker has attended many races over the years, but the experience was all new for Edwards.

“It was on a whim, and we were just all so excited about it,” said Edwards, who grew up in Lexington, Ky., and graduated from college in May 2011. “We just went to have a good time. They had all been to races, and they just wanted to show me a good time. So I showed them how to tailgate and they showed me a NASCAR race.”

After waking up on race morning, the group cooked a breakfast of biscuits, sausage, eggs and bacon on their new charcoal grill, and continued to tailgate up until about 15 minutes before race time. They also made some new friends along the way.

“People would come up and just want to have a beer with us,” Edwards said. “We’d offer them food and drinks, and try to make more friends – the more, the better.”

Once the race ended, at about 4:30 p.m., they headed back to the truck and

tailgated for another three or four hours.

“At Kentucky, everybody had to dress up in really nice dresses and things like that,” Edwards said, remembering her college years. “It was the fraternity/sorority life and you always had to look really good and wear your pearls. And then you go to a NASCAR race and no one cares. You can wear whatever you want to, and you can act any way you want to and everybody’s having a blast.

There’s just no judgment there. Everybody’s just kind of there to enjoy the race, which is really cool.”

Undoubtedly, more NASCAR tailgates are now in Edwards’ future. Since that day in Martinsville, she and Parker have become engaged to be married.

“We’re excited for our next race,” she said. “It’s something that he and I can do together now.”

NASCAR Pole Position is now available on your tablet or PC Head to Zinio.com or download the app on your device for more information.

NASCAR® is a registered trademark of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc.

20

POLE POSITION // 2012

BY JARED TURNER

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GREAT EXPECTATIONS Can Joey Logano Continue to Win Races?

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POLE POSITION // 2012

BY BEN WHITE

J

oey Logano is one of the most liked young drivers in NASCAR. The 22-year-old native of Middletown, Conn., first showed his potential when he won a NASCAR Nationwide Series race on June 14, 2008, at Kentucky Speedway.

That day, Logano became the youngest driver to win a NASCAR Nationwide Series race at 18 years, 21 days old. Then, just over a year later on June 28, 2009, he became the youngest winner in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series history when he visited Victory Lane at New Hampshire Motor Speedway at 19 years, 35 days.

Logano was impressive and the garage area was abuzz about how he could be NASCAR’s “next big thing.” But instead, Logano fell into a very frustrating three-year winless drought in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He had the very best equipment money could buy and an army of fabricators, engine builders and engineers led by championship crew chief Greg Zipadelli preparing his cars.

But the wins just wouldn’t come.

That is until Logano scored a convincing victory from the pole at Pocono Raceway on June 10 with new crew chief Jason Ratcliff calling the shots from pit road.

The win could not have come at a better time for Logano, who is in the final year of his contract with Joe Gibbs Racing. Logano’s inability to put together consistent winning seasons has him on the hot seat with the JGR operation. There is no question he is loved and respected by everyone at JGR, but performance is imperative. Winning races and challenging for championships is a must in order for a driver to keep his ride.

Joe Gibbs is optimistic Logano can become a consistent front runner before season’s end.

“Obviously, we are much higher in points in 2012 than we were because Joey has been more consistent this season,” Gibbs said. “Where we still need to make that big step is to run in the top five each week. We have kind of laid all of that out. We’ve had discussions about that and I think he knows where we are. We have two cars (Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch) that will consistently run 10 or 12 spots higher toward the front. That’s what we’ve got to do to with Joey. We have a new crew chief there, a new spotter and that changed a lot of things. So I’m hoping we get hot here soon.”

Through a lot of hard work and a lot of advice from fellow drivers, Logano may have finally found his potential.

“We’ve been on a roll here lately. We just have to keep that going,” Logano said with a smile. “We’ve had a lot of top-10 finishes on the [NASCAR] Sprint Cup side and on the [NASCAR] Nationwide side we’ve been able to knock off five wins [in 2012]. We just have to keep that rolling.

“I feel like right now we’re one of the better cars out there and we just have to keep working on that. It’s easy to get caught up in where the track’s going and what’s going to happen, and you just have to be aware of what you think is going to happen at the beginning of the race,” Logano continued.

“I think we focus on the positives – something that you always want to focus on. But at the same time, you can’t lose focus on the problems you’ve had and trying to learn from them.”

Wins are really important to get because they’re confidence builders.

When a driver fails to live up to expectations, they are scrutinized by the media and Logano has had his share. He’s always been well aware of the pressure that comes with having a top NASCAR Sprint Cup Series ride.

“I’ve always thought it was time for me to shine,” Logano said. “This year doesn’t change my attitude any, but winning races and stuff like that obviously makes it look like that. That’s alright with me. I think we’ve had some really good cars here lately.

“We’ve had some ups and downs in 2012. Wins are really important to get because they are confidence builders. That carries through everywhere, [NASCAR] Nationwide Series and [NASCAR] Sprint Cup Series. Wins are a big deal.”

Since the season began at Daytona International Speedway in February, Logano has relied heavily on the talents and experience of Ratcliff, a proven winner through

JGR teammate Kyle Busch. Together, they scored 21 of Busch’s 51 NASCAR Nationwide Series victories. Logano feels comfortable working with Ratcliff.

“There’s a lot of potential for us to do well and communicate well,” Logano said. “The way we communicate is very, very good, but there is always room for us to do more. We are focusing in on that and we are getting better. There is room for us to get better.”

Now in his fourth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, Logano knows he still has lessons to learn about racing and about life.

“I feel I have matured a lot as a race car driver,” Logano said. “First off, as a person, I’m still Joey. Nothing has changed there.

I really know what I want more in the car and I’m able to give better information to my crew chief and knowing how to race the cars better. Being a more mature race car driver is huge. It’s really, really important.

At this level, talent alone doesn’t get you anywhere. Everyone has a ton of talent. It’s about knowing what’s going on and being smarter than the next guy.”

The summer months mark the return to many of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series tracks for the second time this season. It could be a time when Logano finally makes plenty of headlines.

“I think anytime you come back to a place the second time, especially with a new crew chief, it’s going to be a gain for sure,” Logano said. “When you come to any of these race tracks coming up for the second time that Jason and I are going to have a notebook on now, I think that is going to help us. When we’ve had bad races, we’ve been able to diagnose where we think we went wrong and you want to put those theories to the test and see if we fixed it.

You’re excited anytime you come to these race tracks the second time, especially with a new crew chief.”

Logano realizes success comes from being smart.

“I think you always have to go out and get the best finish you possibly can, but if it takes a chance to win a race and you have to risk something – if you’re in that position to win a race, you better take that chance to win that race because that’s going to be very important.”

Logano knows what his mission is for the remainder of 2012: To finish strong, win races and gain points.

FREERACEMAG.COM

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on the road presented by Life on the road for team hauler drivers TEAM FOOD

who double as team chefs are harder to find. They’re not gone completely, however.

MICHAEL “COWBOY” BUTCHER DRIVER About a dozen teams still rely on the OF THE NO. 17 ROUSH FENWAY RACING HAULER guy who drives their big rig to also keep their crew members fed on race weekfew years ago, almost every ends. One such person is Michael “Cowboy” hauler driver in the NASCAR Sprint Butcher, driver of the No. 17 Roush Fenway Cup Series was expected to also Racing hauler of 2003 NASCAR Sprint Cup be his team’s at-track chef. Not anymore.

Series champion Matt Kenseth.

Since the rollout some three years ago of Butcher, who is in his second year with the “Garlic Garage,” a catering service that the No. 17 group but has been at Roush travels from track to track providing food to Fenway for a decade, invests considerable teams at pre-negotiated fees, hauler drivers thought, time and energy into the meals he serves on race weekends from a large grill that sits perched beside the hauler.

“I make a salad with grilled chicken everyday – Friday, Saturday and Sunday,” said Butcher, a 53-year-old from Liberty, N.C. “And then on Sunday, I’ll always cook pasta and chicken or pork and vegetables – something real healthy for the pit crew guys.

“Matt has a coach driver that cooks for him. Once in awhile, he’ll eat off the truck but most of the time if he does, it’s just

A

fruit. I cut up fruit every day, and I’ll have stuff on the counter for him to snack on like that all the time.”

Nutrition is always at the forefront of Butcher’s mind when the time comes to make menu selections. One of the main goals is to make sure team members – especially the guys on the pit crew – maintain a nutritious diet while they are at the track.

“We definitely try to stay healthy,” Butcher said. “You don’t want a heavy, heavy stomach out here doing this, especially as hot as it is. And then those guys that go over the wall, they train almost every day, so you don’t need to be eating junk food, especially on a race day.”

Another consideration is time, as one meal – which typically needs to feed up to 30 people – can take two or three hours to prepare.

“You’re talking about five or six pounds of pasta,” Butcher said. “It takes that pot of water a pretty good while to boil but it goes a long way, and it’s also good for them.”

DRIVING TIPS

time to get stopped and get off the side of the road if you need to,” said Denton, SCOTT DENTON DRIVER OF THE NO. 88 who prefers driving at night versus day, HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS HAULER and likes low beams over high beams s co-driver of the No. 88 haulexcept when navigating through intense er that transports the cars of fog. “Following is the No. 1 key in this truck NASCAR’s most popular driver, because you can’t stop it. You have to allow Dale Earnhardt Jr., to 38 races per year, at least 25 or 30 feet to stop this truck.”

Scott Denton has a highly visible job.

There are also situations, such as when When you are the man behind the wheel driving on particularly steep mountain secof the No. 88 rig, it is simply impossible to ondary roads, that Denton suggests driving go unnoticed for very long. It is possible, between five and 10 mph under the speed however, to avoid bringing extra attention limit, and using the so-called “Jake brake,” to the truck as a result of being careless. an engine braking mechanism that, when So Denton adheres to a strict set of activated, releases compressed air trapped guidelines for being as safe as possible on in cylinders, and thus slows the vehicle. the road. What is No. 1 on Denton’s list of “But the best thing to do is just not tips for safe driving? Don’t follow closely speed,” said Denton, an eight-year veteran behind others, and do not exceed the of his trade. “Just stay back away from speed limit – at least by much. those guys in front of you because these Specifically, Denton recommends staythings require twice the stopping distance ing a minimum of 25 feet behind other of a regular car.” vehicles at all times, and he suggests not Denton is never at the controls of the No. going more than 3 mph over the speed 88 rig for more than 11 hours at a time, per limit at any time.

Department of Transportation regulations.

“If you’re following someone and you’re Hauler drivers are permitted to work up to 14 a good 30 feet behind them, it gives you hours a day, as long as three hours are not

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POLE POSITION // 2012

BY JARED TURNER

spent on the road, but they are required to take a 10-hour break between driving shifts.

“The main thing is having proper rest,” Denton said.

As for what others on the road can do to help truck drivers, Denton suggests fans resist the urge to photograph NASCAR haulers while driving down the highway. This practice, especially at night, can hamper vision.

“You’ve got to really watch what you’re doing,” he said.

on the road presented by HAULER PARADES

Some parades, usually shorter in time, are held in the camping area JAMIE “MONTANA” PRICE DRIVER OF THE at the track itself. In either case, NO. 18 JOE GIBBS RACING HAULER the haulers line up according to s driver of the No. 18 hauler NASCAR Sprint Cup Series owner points, that totes the cars of NASCAR and motor along at about 10 to 15 mph.

Sprint Cup Series star Kyle Busch And, in those moments, all the attention up and down highways throughout the United usually reserved for NASCAR’s stars is on States, Jamie “Montana” Price spends most their haulers, – which, including both trailer of his waking hours in relative obscurity. That and cab, measure 72 feet in length – and is, fans from far and wide know Kyle. Almost the men inside. no one, relatively speaking, knows him.

“You’re constantly honking the horn But you wouldn’t know that to be true and waving at everybody,” said Price, who from the hauler parades Price attends. participated in his first parade in 2004 in Staged by various race tracks throughout Mansfield, Ohio, while working as a hauler the NASCAR season, hauler parades offer driver for the Red Horse Racing NASCAR team hauler drivers – who generally keep Camping World Truck Series team. “The a low profile compared with the men who more you honk, the louder the crowd gets. drive the cars they transport – a chance to And most of us have train horns on the have their moment in the sun. truck, so they’re a little bit louder than the And some moment in the sun, it usually average horn.” turns out to be.

Most hauler drivers have a passenger for Hauler parades, which usually occur on the parades – often a child representing a Thursday afternoons and last about 90 children’s charity or children’s hospital afminutes, often take place in the downtown filiated with the event. Darlington Raceway area of that race weekend’s host track. and Bristol Motor Speedway host two of

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HAULER MAINTENANCE JERRY HESS DRIVER OF THE NO. 11 JOE GIBBS RACING HAULER

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or a vehicle that goes as many places as a NASCAR team hauler, it might be tempting to surmise that an unusual amount of maintenance is required to keep it on the road. Surprisingly, that’s not the case.

While NASCAR’s big rigs do travel far and wide to race tracks from New Hampshire to Florida, and Virginia to California, the haulers actually don’t log nearly the number of miles that most commercial freight trucks do, according to Jerry Hess, who drives the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing hauler of Denny Hamlin.

Unlike commercial freight haulers, which are typically on the road between 150,000 and 200,000 miles annually, NASCAR haulers and their drivers travel between 70,000 and 75,000 miles per year.

“We do a lot of miles and then we have to sit at the race track for

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POLE POSITION // 2012

three days while we’re at the event, so we won’t accumulate as many miles as what a freight truck will,” said Hess, who has been the man at the wheel of the No. 11 rig for Hamlin’s entire NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career.

Maintenance – particularly important

the more prominent parades, but other tracks such as Kentucky Speedway and Sonoma have parades, as well.

The parades are generally preceded by a meet-and-greet session in which the hauler drivers mingle with the fans – and are treated like celebrities.

“It’s surprising how many people come up and want our autograph,” said Price, who estimates that he’s signed somewhere in the neighborhood of 2,000.

“There are some people that get just as much enjoyment out of having all the crew guys’ autographs as the driver’s. You never know where you’ll be signing stuff.”

for NASCAR haulers’ power-producing generators and complex braking systems – is done both at the race shop and at a local Freightliner dealership.

“We’re always maxed out weight-wise, so with these cars and these trailers they’re always heavy,” Hess said. “So brakes are always important, and making sure to keep the brakes maintained. All trucks on the road don’t gross out at 80,000 pounds all the time, but we’re grossed out all the time.

That’s one thing we try to keep a real close eye on and keep maintenance up that way.”

Thankfully, breakdowns are rare.

“As a whole in the garage area, everybody’s got such new equipment it doesn’t typically happen a lot but every now and then we’ll break down or have to get towed in,” Hess said. “A couple years ago, I had to get towed in the race track. Hopefully, we leave the shop early enough that we build a cushion in so we have a little time for that.”

NASCAR Pole Position is now available on your tablet or PC Head to Zinio.com or download the app on your device for more information.

NASCARÂŽ is a registered trademark of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc.

nascar classics

A LOOK AT THE PAST NASCAR Classics is a brand that embodies the roots and heritage of NASCAR. From the renegades that blazed the trail on the back roads of the South and the hard-packed beaches of Daytona to the asphalt legends of later decades, NASCAR Classics represents the era when NASCAR originated and established its racing as the best in the U.S.

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POLE POSITION // 2012

PHOTO COURTESY NASCAR LICENSING

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ASCAR Classics is a callback to an era of unbreakable men, fast cars and scores that were settled on dusty ovals and white-hot asphalt – or sometimes, beyond it. It’s about guts, glory and go-for-broke attitude, where winning was everything and nothing dared stand between a man and his trophy.

To today’s fan, NASCAR Classics enriches the NASCAR experience by providing a sense of tradition, meaning and heritage for the sport. And while it’s a throwback brand that encapsulates the sport’s history, it also represents equities and values that are alive and well in NASCAR today.

“NASCAR fans have expressed their desire for a line of nostalgic merchandise for years,” said Blake Davidson, NASCAR vice president of licensing. “This new series of iconic tracks, drivers, ■ STORY CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

FREERACEMAG.COM

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nascar classics

races and logos is a great complement to NASCAR’s current portfolio of apparel and die-cast collectible cars.”

As a licensing property, it provides a rich and extensive portfolio of cues, textures and assets. Fans relish the nostalgia of NASCAR because it’s simply unlike any other sport.

NASCAR Classics bridges the NASCAR of today with its iconic roots, creating an unmatched emotional connection.

The first logo used when NASCAR was founded is not the logo commonly associated or thought of when fans think of NASCAR today. The current logo was introduced in 1976. Various elements of the three logos used prior to that time serve as inspiration for the image found on an assortment of licensed product.

Fans can emulate the rebellious, powerful and uncomplicated spirit of NASCAR when they wear a NASCAR Classics tee or hat. Black leather, brushed metal, weathered paint and red dirt are images that influenced this product line along with many noteworthy images captured on event 30

POLE POSITION // 2012

DIE-CAST PHOTOS COURTESY NASCAR LICENSING

program covers, race tickets and still photography.

The font styles and imagery of the 1940s, ’50s, ’60s and ’70s are iconic. The legendary power, speed and danger is captured in the NASCAR Classics merchandise, channeling an era when race car drivers knew the risks that came with glory – and looked them square in the eye.

For 2012, the NASCAR Classics collection includes historic venues such as Daytona International Speedway, Darlington Raceway, North Carolina Speedway, known to many as “The Rock,” and Talladega Superspeedway, formerly known as Alabama International Speedway. There’s just something about fast cars and tough drivers – it’s the epitome of American cool.

To purchase your NASCAR Classics apparel, visit the official NASCAR merchandise haulers operated by Americrown trackside at any of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, or the NASCAR.com Superstore. NASCAR Classics die-casts are available at the NASCAR.com Superstore.

THE FONT STYLES AND IMAGERY OF THE 1940S, ’50S, ’60S AND ’70S ARE ICONIC.

THE LEGENDARY POWER, SPEED AND DANGER IS CAPTURED IN THE NASCAR CLASSICS

MERCHANDISE, CHANNELING AN ERA WHEN RACE CAR DRIVERS KNEW THE RISKS

THAT CAME WITH GLORY – AND LOOKED THEM SQUARE IN THE EYE. FREERACEMAG.COM

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Show your colors

Show Your True Colors.

Listen up! JVC’s Gumy and Marshmallow headphone lines are the industry’s best selling with good reason — they sound as good as they look. Available in a variety of colors to match your iPod® or favorite gear, they also deliver excellent sound quality with a soft and comfortable fit. Best of all, they are so affordable, you can choose multiple colors for every occassion.

To hear more about JVC’s quality and affordable Gumy and Marshmallow headphones, visit jvc.com today!

Ask a real car guy…They’ll tell you.

Meguiar’s® new All Wheel & Tire Cleaner is specially formulated to grab dirt, grime and grease from rubber and metal. You will see the difference!

For free personal car care advice, go to Meguiars.com or call 800 347-5700 Mon-Sat, 7:00 am to 3:00pm Pacific Time

Hank Parker, host of “Hank Parker’s Outdoor Magazine”and 2-time Bassmaster Classic champion

Your source for top brands at low prices.

Find all these brands and more at your local store.

IT FEEDS ON ASPHALT. © 2012 Adam Ewing

The BFGoodrich® Rugged Terrain T/A® tire is for drivers who want to upgrade their rides. It combines a bold, off-road look with a smooth, comfortable ride on-road. A 50K Mile Manufacturer’s Limited Tread Life Warranty* and excellent wet traction mean you’ll be ready for the road ahead. bfgoodrichtires.com *See bfgoodrichtires.com and owner’s manual for more details.

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6 News & Notes From Around 10 12

12 13 14 16 17 18 19

the World of NASCAR Richard Petty’s Last Ride Lionel Offers Something Special for Die-Cast Car Collectors Giveaways & Getaways Mattioli Foundation NASCAR Diversity Program Team Chatter Q&A with NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Driver Jamie McMurray Walmart Race Time Racin’ Recipes

tailgating 20 Everybody’s Having a Blast

driver profiles 33 Best Tracks

nascar fuel

FEATURES 22

great expectations

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on the road

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nascar classics

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nascar women

54

gear

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Can Joey Logano Continue to Win Races?

Life on the Road for Team Hauler Drivers NASCAR Merchandise Line Gives Fans a Look at the Past Danica Patrick: Still Breaking Ground The latest products from our advertisers

rosters & schedules

Teams and dates for the top three NASCAR series

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did you Know?

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posterized

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. crosses the finish line at Michigan for his first victory in four years

New cars for 2013 Dale Earnhardt Jr.

INSIDER’S VIEW

Fresh Faces: Parker Kligerman

NASCAR Pole Position is now available on your tablet or PC. Head to Zinio.com or download the app on your device for more information.

NASCAR POLE POSITION RACE FAN GUIDE AN OFFICIALLY LICENSED PUBLICATION OF NASCAR 11880 28TH ST. N, SUITE 101 • ST. PETERSBURG, FL 33716 PHONE (727) 209-0792 • FAX (727) 209-1776 WEB FREERACEMAG.COM, AE-ENGINE.COM

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SALES NATIONAL ACCOUNT EXECS: CHRIS VITA, RON TRYTEK, DUSTIN “DOC” LAWSON, ANDREW FISHER, KRISTY LIMOTTA

PRODUCTION ART DIRECTOR: JASON TEDESCHI GRAPHIC DESIGNER: STACEY FOSTER • WEB DEVELOPER: NICOLE HESS COPY EDITOR: KEITH WALTZ • WRITERS: JARED TURNER, KEITH WALTZ, BEN WHITE, DEB WILLIAMS PHOTOGRAPHY: CIA STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY SPECIAL THANKS TO: JOHN FARRELL, NASCAR; BRITTANY MEYER, NASCAR A.E. ENGINE SPECIFIES THAT POST-PRESS CHANGES MAY OCCUR TO ANY INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PUBLICATION AND TAKES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR GOODS OR SERVICES ADVERTISED. NASCAR® IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR STOCK CAR AUTO RACING, INC. MAIL ORDER: TO RECEIVE A 2012 SUBSCRIPTION NASCAR POLE POSITION MAGAZINE, SEND A CHECK OR MONEY ORDER FOR $20.00 TO: POLE POSITION, C/O A.E. ENGINE, 11880 28TH ST. N, SUITE 101, ST. PETERSBURG, FL 33716. PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR RETURN MAILING ADDRESS AND AN EMAIL ADDRESS. ONLINE ORDER: DIGITAL EDITIONS OF NASCAR POLE POSITION CAN BE FOUND AT ZINIO.COM. DISTRIBUTION: IF YOU ARE A BUSINESS OR AN ORGANIZATION INTERESTED IN DISTRIBUTING FREE COPIES OF NASCAR POLE POSITION MAGAZINE, PLEASE CONTACT CRAIG BARONCELLI AT (727) 209-1750 OR CB@AE-ENGINE.COM. SALES INQUIRIES: IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ADVERTISING IN NASCAR POLE POSITION MAGAZINE OR WOULD LIKE TO BECOME A FIELD REPRESENTATIVE, PLEASE CONTACT DAVID WATSON AT (727) 209-0789, OR DKW@AE-ENGINE.COM.

56 Careers 57 Lifestyle 58 Trivia FREERACEMAG.COM

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news & notes from the world of NASCAR NORTH CAROLINA HONORS JEFF GORDON

Panel Selects 2013 NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductees

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uck Baker, Cotton Owens, Herb Thomas, Rusty Wallace and Leonard Wood have been selected for induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

The five will be enshrined in the Charlotte, N.C., facility on Feb. 8, 2013.

• Baker was the first driver to win consecutive NASCAR premier series championships in 1956-57. His career victory total of 46 ranks tied for 14th.

• Owens enjoyed NASCAR success as both a driver and owner. Behind the wheel, he won nine times in NASCAR’s premier series, but Owens stood out as one of the great car owners of the sport’s early era.

• Thomas was one of NASCAR’s first superstars. He was the first driver to win two NASCAR premier series championships (1951, ’53). He finished outside the top two in the championship only once (fifth in 1955) between 1951 and 1956.

• Wallace, the 1989 NASCAR premier series champion, won his first of 55 races in 1986. His influence on the sport continues after his retirement, as an analyst for ESPN. • The Wood Brothers team invented the modern pit stop and Leonard Wood, brother of Glen and Delano Wood, was front and center in its development. As a crew chief, Wood amassed 96 wins and 117 poles.

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POLE POSITION // 2012

NASCAR JOINS “BEYOND SPORT” ORGANIZATION

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ASCAR has joined Beyond Sport, a global organization that promotes, develops and supports the use of sport to create positive social change.

Beyond Sport’s global network includes Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, the National Basketball Association, the National Football League and the National Hockey League.

Through Beyond Sport, NASCAR joins a movement led by a network of sports leagues that allows the sanctioning body to exchange best practices on community involvement, and to promote the numerous efforts of drivers, race teams, track operators and others within the industry to improve communities and the lives of people.

It also provides NASCAR the opportunity to highlight the initiatives of The NASCAR Foundation, NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity and NASCAR Green while networking with leagues and their partners around the world.

As a founding supporter of Beyond Sport United, Brian France, chairman and CEO of NASCAR, will join commissioners from the other major North American leagues as part of the Commissioners’ Roundtable at the Beyond Sport United annual gathering later this year in New York City.

“We are very proud of the contributions our entire industry makes on a daily basis to better the lives, living conditions and futures of people from all walks of life, and especially kids,” said France. “From our green initiatives, to the work of The NASCAR Foundation, to the innumerable good works of NASCAR drivers, teams, tracks and our marketing partners, our industry is a leading example for giving back.

We’re thrilled to align our commitment with that of our peers through Beyond Sport.”

In recognition of four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon’s many accomplishments, North Carolina officials have designated a 1.6-mile section of I-85 near Charlotte Motor Speedway as the Jeff Gordon Expressway.

“Jeff Gordon has made an outstanding contribution to North Carolina both on and off the track,” said N.C. Transportation Secretary Gene Conti. “His efforts have improved life in our state, helped support our economy and served many of our families in a time of great need. It is a fitting tribute to name this road in his honor.”

Since 1999, the Jeff Gordon Children’s Foundation has raised and distributed more than $12 million.

DANICA AND THE HEDGEHOG NASCAR driver Danica Patrick will appear alongside Sonic the Hedgehog in “Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed,” a new video game from SEGA of America where players speed across land, air and water in fully transforming vehicles.

Patrick will be a playable character with customized vehicles. As a result, gamers will have the opportunity to test their racing abilities as Patrick against an all-star cast of SEGA characters.

The game is scheduled to debut later this year and Patrick will run a Sonic the Hedgehog paint scheme on her No. 7 Chevrolet during the Nov. 3 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Texas Motor Speedway.

• • • •

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Preferred timepiece of Champion Race Driver Tony Kanaan. Luminox.com TRY IT BEFORE YOU BUY IT Virtual Reality allows you to try on any Luminox watch using a PC or MAC. Try one on today and experience the Luminox Always Visible technology.

Available at fine jewelers, watch specialty shops, outdoor stores, and other fine retailers nationwide.

green flag DEEPER SHADE OF GREEN

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ASCAR and the Environmental Protection Agency have entered into an understanding that encourages greater environmental awareness and adoption of green products and solutions by NASCAR fans and the racing industry.

The agreement, based on education and awareness, denotes some core areas upon which NASCAR and the EPA will collaborate.

They include E3: Economy, Energy and Environment and Design for the Environment labeled consumer and commercial products.

The agreement also paves the way for other opportunities such as sourcing more sustainable concessions at NASCAR events, expanding the use of DfE-labeled chemical products, conserving water and continuing to grow the promotion and practice of recycling.

“Because NASCAR is such a thrilling sport followed by millions of passionate fans and business-to-business partners, it can be a powerful platform to raise environmental awareness, drive the adoption of safer products by more Americans and accelerate the greening of our economy to protect the planet,” said Jim Jones, the EPA’s acting assistant administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. “The EPA and NASCAR partnership attests to the notable inroads that NASCAR has already made into the arena of environmental stewardship – through multiple recycling initiatives for waste and automotive fluids, to greener fuel choices.”

KYLE BUSCH WINS ON DIRT

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fter knocking on the door to Victory Lane many times in his five previous runs in the Prelude to The Dream at Ohio’s Eldora Speedway, Kyle Busch finally won the all-star dirt Late Model race that benefited Feed The Children.

“This is cool,” said Busch, who finished 2.283 seconds ahead of host and promoter Tony Stewart. “This is what it’s all about when you go dirt racing. It’s a lot of fun.”

Busch took the lead on lap 25 when Kasey Kahne crashed into Bobby Labonte and led the remaining 15 laps on the halfmile dirt track. NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Austin Dillon finished third.

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POLE POSITION // 2012

TWITTER CRANKS IT UP!

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ASCAR and Twitter have formed a unique digital partnership that creates a new way for fans to experience what happens inside NASCAR and its teams on race day.

Built to support the live race broadcast, this new experience gives fans a complementary insider’s view of the action as it unfolds on the track and on Twitter. During a race, when fans click on #NASCAR, search for #NASCAR on Twitter.com or visit twitter.com/#NASCAR, they reach a new Twitter experience where they see the most relevant tweets from NASCAR drivers, NASCAR families, teams, commentators, celebrities and other racing fans and personalities.

NASCAR is the first organization to team with Twitter to create an enhanced live event experience on the Twitter platform.

“Twitter has been an important piece of our effort the last several years to further engage our fan base and help grow the sport,” said Steve Phelps, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of NASCAR. “This new, complementary live race experience product is an evolution of that relationship with Twitter, and we’re excited about continuing to provide our millions of fans with greater access to our athletes and further engagement with our drivers, teams, tracks and executives.”

“Twitter amplifies the excitement of live sporting events and gives NASCAR fans insider access to the drivers and teams they love,” said Dick Costolo, chief executive officer of Twitter. “When sports fans around the world see a hashtag displayed during a game or race, that’s a signal to them that there is a bigger conversation happening on Twitter.”

NEW NAMES FOR SEASON FINALES

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ord and Homestead-Miami Speedway have added Ford’s EcoBoost brand to the names of the season-ending races for NASCAR’s top three series at the South Florida track.

The Ford EcoBoost 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race is Friday, Nov. 16; the Ford EcoBoost 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series event is Saturday, Nov. 17; and Ford Championship Weekend concludes with the Ford EcoBoost 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday, Nov. 18.

This fall’s events will mark the 11th consecutive year that Homestead-Miami Speedway has hosted the three NASCAR championship races under the Ford banner.

Tickets can be obtained at homesteadmiamispeedway.com, or by calling 1-866-GO-NASCAR.

Twitter Abuzz About NASCAR

BY JARED TURNER

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ield trips, tributes to dad and haircuts are among this edition’s Twitter musings from NASCAR drivers.

@JIMMIEJOHNSON

That day when your child learns your name... We just had it.

Hilarious but a reminder they grow up way too fast!

June 12 Following: Fernando Alonso, Dick Vitale @RCR31JEFFBURTON

My dad taught me work ethic, selfbelief and a never quit attitude.

Those things mean a great deal during tough times. Happy Father’s Day Father’s Day, June 17 Following: Charlie Daniels, Mario Andretti @MATTKENSETH

The highlight of my week was going on a school field trip with Kaylin to a strawberry patch.

Upside of working weekends May 11: After a field trip with his daughter Following: Green Bay Packers, Rich Eisen @ELLIOTT_SADLER

That’s freaking awesome what the big 12 and SEC are doing...

Playing each other at the end of football season... 5 year deal… poor big 12... Haha May 18 Following: Bucky Covington, Stephen A. Smith @TBAYNE21

Juuuuunnnniiiioooooorr!!!!

Congrats to those guys on never giving up! We had a good car today…stinks we had engine problems so early!

June 17: After Dale Jr.’s win at Michigan Following: Bubba Watson, Tim Tebow @KASEYKAHNE

Just went to @GreatClips and got my hair cut. Had to show the lady a picture on her wall to prove I raced cars. Pretty funny April 28 Following: Aaron Rodgers, Tiger Woods

green flag Richard Petty’s Last Ride

THE KING’S FINAL RACE CAME AT ATLANTA IN 1992

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ust the mention of Richard Petty brings a smile to the faces of NASCAR fans and produces a high level of respect and recognition even among those who never saw him drive a race car.

After 1,185 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts over a 35-year period, Petty had decided it was time to end his driving career to concentrate on team ownership and work as an ambassador of the sport.

After a very tense afternoon of racing, Bill Elliott enjoyed his fifth victory of the 1992 season. However, second-place finisher Alan Kulwicki led the most laps and claimed the 1992 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship by a mere 10 points, the closest margin in NASCAR history at the time. Kulwicki was the most recent owner/driver to win the title until Tony Stewart in 2011.

A record 160,000 fans arrived at Atlanta

At age 55, the Randleman, N.C., native had amassed 200 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victories – including seven Daytona 500 wins – and seven series championships. Petty’s career was the most illustrious in stock car racing history and it was time for it to come to a close.

Petty officially retired from driving on Nov. 15, 1992, following the season-ending Hooters 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Petty’s retirement was the biggest storyline leading up to the race, but a very close championship battle and the first start for racing phenomenon Jeff Gordon added to the excitement.

Motor Speedway that Sunday morning to witness Petty’s Last Ride, and to watch the exciting championship battle. Today, it is still one of the greatest races in NASCAR history as Kulwicki, Elliott, Davey Allison, Mark Martin, Harry Gant and Kyle Petty were in contention to win the championship. Problems and crashes befell many, leaving only Elliott and Kulwicki to stage a nerve-wracking, lap-by-lap battle with Kulwicki eventually claiming the championship trophy.

Petty’s Last Ride in the famed blue and red No. 43 was one of the most memorable events in NASCAR history. He started 39th and was moving through the field before

POLE POSITION // 2012

BY BEN WHITE

his race took an unexpected turn. Just before the 100-lap mark, Petty was involved in a multi-car crash going into Turn One. His Petty Enterprises Pontiac caught fire, but was quickly extinguished. It was towed back to the garage area and the crew began assessing the damage.

Under the direction of crew chief Robbie Loomis, the crew worked for a majority of the race to get the No. 43 car running again. With only a few laps remaining, Petty pulled out of the garage area with no sheet metal on the front end and no hood, but the car was back on the track. The No. 43 was badly damaged, but Petty was able to maintain the minimum speed set by NASCAR. Petty finished 35th in the 43-car field and was given credit for running at the finish of his final race.

When asked in post-race interviews about the fire during the crash, Petty said, “I wanted to go out in a blaze of glory; I just forgot about the glory part.”

After the Victory Lane celebration for race winner Elliott and champion Kulwicki, Petty climbed into the car for a final ceremonial lap to salute the fans.

Thousands remained to see the final tribute and to pay their respects to the sport’s biggest hero. Petty dropped the window net and waved to the fans while the song “Richard Petty Fans”

by Alabama was played on the public address system.

Throughout his career, Petty remained at race tracks for many hours after winning races to sign autographs for the fans. Even though he’s affectionately called “The King,” Petty was, and still is, NASCAR’s most humble driver.

“There was nobody that had a better situation,” Petty said during his induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2010. “I was born to be a racer, grew up around racing and had a brother [Maurice] and cousin Dale [Inman] to make the nucleus of one of the best race teams on the planet. To have all the people who surrounded those people … I’ve never done anything, but we as a group did a lot.”

Richard Petty

The King of Speed

Trace Adkins

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green flag Lionel Offers Something Special for Die-Cast Car Collectors

■ This No. 3 Goodwrench Chevrolet Monte Carlo, which Dale Earnhardt drove in 1989, is one of the newest – and best-selling releases – in Lionel NASCAR Collectables’ historic NASCAR Classics line.

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or most people, the name Lionel conjures up thoughts of train sets and Christmas, but in 2010 it also started to define NASCAR collectables, specifically die-cast cars.

Lionel entered its partnership with NASCAR with an understanding of the collector’s mindset. Michelle Fannin, marketing manager for Lionel NASCAR Collectables, believes the company has “done a good job of breathing life into the business and making the collectors happy.”

“One of the things we did immediately was limit production numbers so they were more collectable,” Fannin said.

A pre-order business, Fannin notes the number of cars manufactured for each collectable is determined on a case-by-case basis. It can range from a low of 36 for the Elite, which is distributed through the Racing Collectables Club of America, to several hundred in the Action Racing Collectibles brand that is sold trackside and at independent retailers. Once the number to be manufactured is determined, it is never changed.

Orders for Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Michigan car with which he broke a four-year winless streak began arriving at the company’s online store during the race’s closing laps.

Current cars, however, aren’t the only collectables available. Since entering NASCAR, Lionel has created historical die-cast cars.

Known as NASCAR Classics, the line is “very, very popular with fans.”

“There is still a long history of collecting in NASCAR and die-cast is kind of like the football jersey for the NFL,” Fannin said. “People buy the car that represents their team allegiance, their driver or a memory they have at the track that they don’t want to forget.”

The NASCAR Classics line began with Dale Earnhardt’s No. 96 Cardinal Tractor Ford Torino, which became one of the

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POLE POSITION // 2012

company’s top 10 best sellers last year.

Lionel’s entry into the NASCAR arena was a natural for the company. CEO Jerry Calabrese, a collector himself, formerly oversaw Marvel Comics and did some work with NASCAR. When he joined Lionel he wanted to reinvigorate the sport’s die-cast industry.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Action Racing Collectables line and a die-cast car commemorating the anniversary will be produced.

Membership in the Racing Collectables Club of America includes premium pricing, access to some exclusive products, an online forum and autograph opportunities with current and former drivers.

“It’s not just about the product. It’s about getting to know people, building relationships and enjoying the sport,” Fannin said.

For more information on Lionel NASCAR Collectables, go to lionelnascarcollectables.com.

LIONEL NASCAR COLLECTABLES Headquarters: Concord, N.C. Became a NASCAR Partner: 2010 Website: lionelnascarcollectables.com Company Website: lionel.com Company Founded: 1900

GIVEAWAYS & GETAWAYS Your Ticket to the Track Feb. 1 – Dec. 30 3Mcollision.com 40 Years of Respiratory Protection Sweepstakes May 1 – Oct. 31 40yearsofsafetysweepstakes.com Growth Energy’s Go Green on Race Day American Ethanol Ticket Giveaway April 1 – Nov. 18 americanethanolracing.com/go– green–on–race–day American Ethanol Sweepstakes June 8 – Aug. 31 facebook.com/AmericanEthanol Ford’s Win My Fusion Sweepstakes Feb. 24 – Oct. 28 winmyfusion.com Kraft’s Win a Nabisco VIP NASCAR® Experience Feb. 1 – Sept. 30 nabiscoworld.com Kraft’s NASCAR® Night Out May 14 – Sept. 30 facebook.com/ritzcrackers M&M’s When We Win, You Could Win Sweepstakes

Jan. 16 – Nov. 21 mms.com/us/racing/wewinyouwin

Put Yourself in the Pit Sweepstakes June 14 – Aug. 14 mobiloil.com

Driver Pick’em presented by Nationwide Insurance Feb. 20 – Nov. 17 espn.com, search for keyword Nationwide Insurance

■ At the May 2012 Racing Collectibles Club of America Member Appreciation Party, Trevor Bayne signed more than 350 autographs for the club members in attendance.

BY DEB WILLIAMS // PHOTOS COURTESY OF LIONEL NASCAR COLLECTABLES

Sunoco’s Weekends of Speed Sweepstakes Feb. 24 – Nov. 18 facebook.com/SunocoRacing Sunoco’s Checkered Flag Sweepstakes Feb. 24 – Nov. 22 facebook.com/SunocoRacing

Mattioli Foundation Focuses on Community Initiatives

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Finally, a Tough Super Glue

BY DEB WILLIAMS // PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MATTIOLI FOUNDATION

© 2012 Gorilla Glue Company

r. Joseph Mattioli, bet“That will be given to a student in ter known as Doc, was one of the local high schools who has a dentist and race track a community initiative that needs owner in the business world, financial funding to make it successbut he was a philanthropist at ful,” Igdalsky explained. “We’re going heart. He didn’t hesitate to proto have the local high schools nomivide donations anonymously to nate the people and the programs an individual or an organization they think are worth being pursued in need. further and we’ll financially support Still, he and his wife, Dr. Rose those community initiatives with the Mattioli, felt there needed to be Doc Do Good Grant.” a formal way of giving back to Igdalsky said annual donations the area where they made their that go through the Foundation ■■ One of the Mattioli Foundation’s many projects was to fund a Pennsylvania home. and were set in place prior to Doc’s trauma center at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Pennsylvania.

About a decade ago the Matdeath will continue. New requests tioli Foundation was born and will be researched before the famsince then it has impacted lives in ways ily makes a decision. donations in his name in lieu of flowers. that sometimes only the caring couple For more information on the Mattioli Igdalsky said the $40,000 received by The knew. A family-run Foundation, it decides Foundation, contact Igdalsky at Pocono NASCAR Foundation would be turned into its recipients without fanfare. It doesn’t Raceway. the Doc Do Good Grant. even have a website, preferring a low-key approach with its sole purpose being to help the community that’s helped the family and its business in Pennsylvania and the surrounding tri-state area.

“We particularly look for youth initiatives, children’s charities and hospitals,” said Foundation Director Nick Igdalsky, the Mattiolis’ grandson who is also the COO and vice president of Pocono Raceway.

For several years, the Mattiolis have Gorilla Products Promise: given a scholarship to the valedictorian • Incredible Strength and salutatorian at each school in Monroe • Maximum Performance County. Other donations have provided • The Toughest on Planet Earth® for East Stroudsburg University Hospital’s Pocono Medical Center and Mattioli Emergency Center and the Lehigh Valley Hospital’s trauma center. The couple also has provided financial support to the town Welcome to Tough... of Stroudsburg for the rejuvenation of its downtown area.

“Anybody who knew Doc knew a lot of what he did didn’t even go through the Foundation,” Igdalsky said. “He would just send cash in an unmarked envelope or an anonymous check through a friend to an account. A lot of times if there was an item in the newspapers about an anonymous donor who came to the rescue, it was Doc Scan and Rose.” www.GorillaTough.com • 1-800-966-3458 for Video Doc Mattioli passed away in January and The NASCAR Foundation accepted FREERACEMAG.COM

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green flag NASCAR Diversity Internship Program 2012 Students

NASCAR Announces Diversity Internship Program Selections

INITIATIVE CONNECTS TALENTED DIVERSE STUDENTS WITH MOTORSPORTS INDUSTRY

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eventeen of our nation’s most talented students have been selected to participate in the 2012 NASCAR Diversity Internship Program. The NDIP gives multicultural college students the opportunity to complete 10-week, paid summer internships across the NASCAR industry.

Since its inception in 2000, NDIP interns have gained experience working in marketing, engineering, communications, licensing, diversity and public affairs. Each year, the internships are available to college sophomores, juniors, seniors and graduate students who excel in their school and community and have a minimum 3.0 grade-point average.

“NASCAR’s Diversity Internship Program offers real-world work experience to multicultural college students who otherwise might not have this opportunity,” said Marcus Jadotte, NASCAR vice president of public affairs and multicultural development. “NASCAR is proud of its commitment to diversity and growing the sport through this important program.”

The NDIP provides comprehensive involvement in the industry by offering internships within NASCAR offices and those of teams, tracks and broadcast partners. In addition to the NASCAR and GRAND-AM corporate offices in Daytona Beach, Fla., Charlotte, N.C., and New York, 2012 interns are participating in companies across the industry: Rev Racing, Daytona International Speedway, Catalyst Public Relations and Octagon.

The interns began their NASCAR experience with an orientation session during the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C. The group visited the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, NASCAR Productions offices, Roush Fenway Racing, the Sam Bass NASCAR Art Gallery, Rev Racing headquarters, attended the NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge and the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. In addition, the group met with a number of key people in the industry including NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers, crew members and NASCAR executives. The visit was designed to bring the interns together as a class to learn what will be expected of them before they disperse to their various assignments for the summer.

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POLE POSITION // 2012

ANDREA BEJARANO Integrated Marketing Comm.

University of Central Florida Bogota, Colombia CHE BOISSEAU Octagon Virginia State University Richmond, Va. JULIAN XAVIER BOTELLA DIS, Guest Services University of North Florida Palm Coast, Fla. JUSTIN R. CASSELLE Catalyst, PR Xavier University Elyria, Ohio JUSAN M. HAMILTON Racing Operations Ithaca College Ithaca, N.Y. ROBERT HARBOUR Public Affairs Florida State University Pensacola, Fla. CARLA HARRIS Member Services Virginia State University Gainesville, Va. STACEY HOUSTON Marketing & Media Davidson College Lynchburg, Va. PERRON D. JONES Information Technology Georgia Institute of Technology Augusta, Ga. JENISE KING Licensing Howard University Atlanta, Ga. BRIAN LEE R&D Center Purdue University Vienna, Va. CAMERON MCCARTY Engineering North Carolina State University Jackson, Miss.

PEDRO MOJICA R&D Center University of Texas at San Antonio Killeen, Texas ANNA RICHTER The NASCAR Foundation Winthrop University Greenville, S.C. ALISHA JO SANFORD Diversity Affairs Barry University (Undergrad.); Texas A&M University (Grad.)

Columbia, Md. CLARENCE A. SCOTT IV Industry Marketing Baker University St. Petersburg, Fla. VERNON WALKER Automotive Group University of North Florida Jacksonville, Fla.

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green flag TEAM CHATTER NEWS AND NOTES FROM THE GARAGE AREA

T

he race teams – comprised of the men and women who build and prepare the cars – are an integral part of the NASCAR equation and they generate a tremendous amount of off-track news.

Georgia Boot backs Bowyer: Georgia Boot is serving as an associate sponsor of the No. 15 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota driven by Clint Bowyer in 10 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races this summer.

“Georgia Boot joining us on the No. 15 5-hour Energy Toyota is pretty awesome news,” said Bowyer. “Georgia Boot is all about empowering people who work hard, take pride in what they do – and that certainly fits our team.”

Georgia Boot is a full-season sponsor of Clint Bowyer Racing’s No. 15 Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model Series car and its driver Jonathan Davenport.

“Clint Bowyer, Jonathan Davenport and Clint Bowyer Racing have been great partners for Georgia Boot and now to take that next step and team up with Michael Waltrip Racing, it just makes a lot of sense for us,” said Jordan Gottke, Georgia Boot marketing manager.

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POLE POSITION // 2012

Prestigious honor for Stewart: Defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart has been named honorary chairman of National Hunting and Fishing Day on Saturday, Sept. 19.

Congress established National Hunting and Fishing Day to recognize hunters and anglers for their leadership in fish and wildlife conservation. Stewart joins an elite fraternity of other celebrities that have served as honorary chairs, including Travis Tritt, Jeff Foxworthy, Arnold Palmer and Terry Bradshaw.

National Hunting and Fishing Day events, classes and workshops will be held in communities and at businesses all over America.

Ganassi lights it up: Sol, a world leader in solar and energy-efficient LED outdoor lighting, has partnered with Chip Ganassi Racing Teams to install solar and LED outdoor lighting at the organization’s motorsports facilities in Concord, N.C., and Indianapolis.

The solar lights produce no pollution, cause no harmful environmental effects and require no grid electricity to operate.

The grid-connected lights use up to 75

percent less energy when replacing traditional lighting sources.

By replacing conventional sodium vapor and metal halide light sources with Sol’s high-performance 20/20 solar and gridtie LED lights, the Ganassi facilities have lights that are brighter, last longer and provide significant energy savings while improving visibility in the parking lots for visitors and staff.

“We are always looking for opportunities to push the envelope on environmental efforts and this partnership with Sol does just that,” said Steve Lauletta, president of Chip Ganassi Racing Teams.

Patrick joins Coca-Cola family: Danica Patrick is the newest member of the CocaCola Racing Family.

“Joining the Coca-Cola Racing Family is one of the really cool things that’s happened so far in my career. I’m a Coke Zero drinker and fan, so with this partnership, I really get to have it all,” said Patrick. “I’m really excited about working with Coke Zero for a lot of reasons, but the idea of having my image at retail stores next to guys like Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman and the rest of the Coca-Cola Racing Family is amazing.”

In addition to Patrick, the Coca-Cola Racing Family includes Greg Biffle, Jeff Burton, Denny Hamlin, Bobby Labonte, Joey Logano, Jamie McMurray, Ryan Newman and Tony Stewart.

Additional races for McCall Farms: Coming off of a successful foray into NASCAR team sponsorship at Darlington Raceway, McCall Farms has partnered with Front Row Motorsports for six additional NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.

The sponsorship features three McCall farms brands: Margaret Holmes, Peanut Patch and Glory Foods. While McCall Farms will continue to utilize David Ragan and the No. 34 Ford as the representative for its Margaret Holmes and Peanut Patch brands, the company will also utilize David Gilliland and the No. 38 Ford to carry the colors of its Glory Foods brand.

Ragan will sport Margaret Holmes colors in three remaining races: Bristol Motor Speedway (8/25), Atlanta Motor Speedway (9/2) and Charlotte Motor Speedway (10/13). Gilliland raced the No. 38 Glory Foods Ford at Daytona in July and will carry the colors again at Talladega Superspeedway (10/7) and Charlotte Motor Speedway (10/13).

Q&A

with NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Driver Jamie McMurray

What would you be doing for a living if you weren’t racing?

Probably working in racing somewhere. I grew up racing go-karts, so if being a driver hadn’t worked out, I really enjoy working on cars and fabricating and building stuff. I’m more of a hands-on guy than technical, so I’d really enjoy working on stuff.

What do you like to do for fun outside of racing?

I enjoy a lot of outdoor activities. I grew up fishing with my dad, and I still enjoy going and doing that. I like go-kart racing; I still do that on my off weekends. But since having a child not long ago, that really is my life now, and our off weekend revolves around taking him somewhere and just kind of hanging out as a family.

Growing up racing, I didn’t get to do a lot of things with my family that wasn’t at a race track. So that’s kind of important to me since I’ve made it in racing and I don’t have to do that on my off weekend, to go do something with my family and just kind of be a normal dad.

What’s a typical weekday like in the McMurray home?

I get up really early. I get up between 5 and 6 a.m. I like to work out just because I enjoy running. I usually run for about 40 minutes.

Mondays I go to the Ganassi Racing shop and I stay there until 1 or 2 in the afternoon and then come back home. On Tuesdays it’s kind of the same morning and then maybe go to my little go-kart shop and hang out. It’s fairly laid-back when I’m at home, but I’m not very good at sitting at home. I get up and I leave the house by 9 a.m. because I can’t stand just sitting around.

What’s dinnertime like?

We eat dinner about 5 o’clock at our house. We eat really early.

Even before we had Carter, Christy and I would eat early and we go

to bed early. Now, it’s you eat dinner and when dinner is over you have the choice of either doing the dishes or giving Carter a bath.

One does one and one does the other. And then when the bath is over, it’s watching 30 minutes of a cartoon or something to get him calmed down. And then he goes to bed, and it takes us about 10 minutes and then we’re in bed.

What’s your favorite childhood memory?

I remember getting a go-kart for my eighth birthday, and that was probably one of the coolest things for me. I don’t remember many birthdays or Christmases, but I remember very clearly walking from my bedroom to the kitchen, through the dining area and then going out to the garage and there being a go-kart there with like a sheet of paper in it that said, “Happy birthday.” That was the coolest thing ever for me.

What makes you happy in life?

I think that has changed a lot since having a child. I think now more than anything what makes me happy is what would make Christy and Carter happy. Gosh, just doing stuff with your family and, I guess, doing the right thing is what makes me happy.

What is your biggest fear?

My biggest fear is probably being unsuccessful. I have a fear of water and heights but that’s nothing compared to the fear of not doing well.

What is the biggest fulfillment you get from racing?

I race because I really enjoy competition. I love the nerves that you get before a race if you have a chance to win. I love the fear of – if your car is not good – what you’re going to have to do to try to do well. I love competition and I love going out and driving the car and trying to make the car faster. I really enjoy all of that stuff.

Do you ever forget about the risk and the speed?

I don’t really ever think about that because if you think about that, you’re not really focused on what you’re doing. There are times when you’re on the track and someone will blow a tire right in front of you, and you will see them go right and smack the wall. And, it goes through your mind right then. But it’s really strange how when the pits open up one lap later, it’s all gone. I don’t have that and I guess part of the reason I don’t have the fear is because our cars, the seats, the restraints, the SAFER barrier, all that stuff has come so far and it’s so much different than what it used to be.

JAMIE MCMURRAY AT GLANCE ■■FAVORITE FOOD ■ ■ Italian

■■FAVORITE VACATION SPOT ■ ■ The beach, because my wife likes the beach ■■FAVORITE MUSIC ■ ■ Country ■■FAVORITE NON-RACING SPORT ■ ■ Golf, but I watch all racing ■■FAVORITE ANIMAL ■ ■ Dog ■■FAVORITE SEASON ■ ■ The changing of the seasons is my favorite ■■MOST TREASURED MATERIAL POSSESSION ■ ■ I don’t treasure anything other than my family

■■ONE THING YOU WOULD CHANGE ABOUT THE WORLD ■ ■ I just wish everybody could get along

BY JARED TURNER

FREERACEMAG.COM

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green flag Fans Win with Relationship Between Walmart and NASCAR RACE TIME IS BACK!

UPCOMING FAN EVENTS AT WALMART STORES POCONO

Thursday, August 2 Thursday, August 2 Friday, August 3 Friday, August 3 Saturday, August 4 Saturday, August 4

WATKINS GLEN

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almart and NASCAR have once again teamed up to give race fans new NASCAR branded merchandise and special savings on tickets for select races nationwide.

The retail program, branded “Race Time,” is the largest retail promotion in NASCAR’s history and was launched last year. This year, it has been expanded to more than triple the companies offering authentic merchandise, double the number of fan events in race markets and increased the number of tracks where Walmart is offering the Walmart Family Track Pack.

Walmart customers and NASCAR fans can save money by purchasing a “Walmart Family Track Pack,” discounted ticket packages available exclusively through Walmart.com/NASCAR for select NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.

Ticket packages include four race tickets, four hot dogs, four soft drinks and one race program for just $99, a savings of more than $100, while supplies last. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster kiosks in select markets.

Special NASCAR fan events, featuring stock car displays, racing simulators and driver appearances, are also planned at select Walmart stores in each race market.

In celebration of its 50th anniversary, Walmart sponsored racing legend Bill Elliott in the Walmart No. 50 car during the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona on July 7. Elliott also appeared at select Walmart stores before race day, along with his show car.

“We want to bring affordability and accessibility to NASCAR fans,” said Rand Waddoups, senior director, Entertainment Properties and Brands, Walmart. “We’ve offered authentic NASCAR merchandise in our stores for years, and we’re excited to expand our offerings and provide great Race Time experiences in stores and at the track.”

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POLE POSITION // 2012

Thursday, August 9 Friday, August 10 Saturday, August 11

MICHIGAN

Wednesday, August 15 Thursday, August 16 Friday, August 17 Saturday, August 18 Saturday, August 18

BRISTOL

Tuesday, August 21 Tuesday, August 21 Wednesday, August 22 Wednesday, August 22 Thursday, August 23 Thursday, August 23 Friday, August 24 Friday, August 24

ATLANTA

Thursday, August 30 Thursday, August 30 Friday, August 31 Friday, August 31 Saturday, September 1 Saturday, September 1

RICHMOND

Tuesday, September 4 Tuesday, September 4 Wednesday, September 5 Wednesday, September 5 Thursday, September 6 Thursday, September 6 Friday, September 7 Friday, September 7

CHICAGO

Thursday, September 13 Thursday, September 13 Friday, September 14 Friday, September 14 Saturday, September 15 Saturday, September 15

LOUDON

Wednesday, September 19 Wednesday, September 19 Thursday, September 20 Thursday, September 20 Friday, September 21 Friday, September 21 Saturday, September 22 Saturday, September 22

10:00a.m. - 4:00p.m.

11:30a.m. - 5:30p.m.

10:00a.m. - 4:00p.m.

11:30a.m. - 5:30p.m.

10:00a.m. - 4:00p.m.

11:30a.m. - 5:30p.m.

1091 Millcreek Road Allen, Pa. 3722 Easton Road Easton, Pa. 2150 Wilkes Barre Twp. Mktpl. Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 900 Commerce Blvd, Dickson City, Pa. 355 Lincoln Avenue East Stroudsburg, Pa. 500 Route 940 Mount Pocono, Pa.

11:00a.m. - 5:00p.m.

11:00a.m. - 5:00p.m.

8:30a.m. - 2:30p.m.

3217 Silverback Lane 1400 County Road 64 515 East 4th Street

Painted Post, N.Y. Horseheads, N.Y. Watkins Glen, N.Y.

11:00a.m. - 5:00p.m.

11:00a.m. - 5:00p.m.

11:00a.m. - 5:00p.m.

10:00a.m. - 4:00p.m.

11:30a.m. - 5:30p.m.

800 East Chicago Street 701 Olds Street 7000 East Michigan Avenue 1601 U.S. 223 1700 West Michigan Avenue

Coldwater, Mich.

Jonesville, Mich.

Saline, Mich.

Adrian, Mich.

Jackson, Mich.

10:00a.m. - 4:00p.m.

11:30a.m. - 5:30p.m.

10:00a.m. - 4:00p.m.

11:30a.m. - 5:30p.m.

10:00a.m. - 4:00p.m.

11:30a.m. - 5:30p.m.

9:00a.m. - 3:00p.m.

10:30a.m. - 4:30p.m.

110 Rocky Bottom Drive 2915 West Market Street 2500 West Stone Drive 3200 Fort Henry Drive 1001 Over Mountain Drive 3111 Browns Mill Road 220 Century Boulevard 13245 Lee Highway

Unicoi, Tenn.

Johnson City, Tenn.

Kingsport, Tenn.

Kingsport, Tenn.

Elizabethton, Tenn.

Johnson City, Tenn.

Bristol, Tenn.

Bristol, Va.

10:00a.m. - 4:00p.m.

11:30a.m. - 5:30p.m.

10:00a.m. - 4:00p.m.

11:30a.m. - 5:30p.m.

10:00a.m. - 4:00p.m.

11:30a.m. - 5:30p.m.

6149 Old National Highway 11465 Tara Boulevard 4949 Bill Gardner Pkwy.

135 Willow Lane 1569 North Expressway 11465 Tara Boulevard

College Park, Ga. Lovejoy, Ga. Locust Grove, Ga. McDonough, Ga. Griffin, Ga. Lovejoy, Ga.

10:00a.m. - 4:00p.m.

11:30a.m. - 5:30p.m.

10:00a.m. - 4:00p.m.

11:30a.m. - 5:30p.m.

10:00a.m. - 4:00p.m.

TBD 8:30a.m. - 2:30p.m.

10:00a.m. - 4:00p.m.

671 Southpark Boulevard 12000 Iron Bridge Road 145 Hill Carter Parkway 11400 West Broad Street 12200 Chattanooga Plaza 7430 Bell Creek Road 2410 Sheila Lane 7901 Brook Road

Colonial Heights, Va. Chester, Va. Ashland, Va. Glen Allen, Va. Midlothian, Va. Mechanicsville, Va. Richmond, Va. Richmond, Va.

10:00a.m. - 4:00p.m.

11:30a.m. - 5:30p.m.

10:00a.m. - 4:00p.m.

11:30a.m. - 5:30p.m.

8:00a.m. - 2:00p.m.

9:30a.m. - 3:30p.m.

333 East U.S. Route 6 16241 South Farrell Road 16241 South Farrell Road 2424 West Jefferson 501 E. Lincoln Highway 2424 West Jefferson

Morris, Ill. Lockport, Ill. Lockport, Ill. Joliet, Ill. New Lenox, Ill. Joliet, Ill.

10:00a.m. - 4:00p.m.

11:30a.m. - 5:30p.m.

10:00a.m. - 4:00p.m.

11:30a.m. - 5:30p.m.

10:00a.m. - 4:00p.m.

11:30a.m. - 5:30p.m.

10:00a.m. - 4:00p.m.

11:30a.m. - 5:30p.m.

59 Walton Way 35 Fresh River Road 39 E Main / I-93 Exit 20 344 Loudon Road 3 Commerce Drive 344 Loudon Road 116 Farmington Road 344 Loudon Road

Somersworth, N.H. Epping, N.H. Tilton, N.H. Concord, N.H. Hooksett, N.H. Concord, N.H. Rochester, N.H. Concord, N.H.

■ All dates and locations are subject to change.

Racin’ Recipes

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ecipes created for BUSH’S® Grillin’ Beans® exclusively by Chef Jeffrey Saad, grilling expert, television host of numerous food- and cooking-related shows and author of the new cookbook, Jeffrey Saad’s Global Kitchen: Recipes Without Borders.

BUSH’S® PEPPERY CHICKEN KABOBS ■ Servings: 4 to 6 ■ Preparation Time: 30 mins. (plus 3 hours to overnight for marinating) ■ Cooking Time: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS ■ 1 can (21.5 ounces) BUSH’S® Sweet Mesquite Grillin’ Beans® ■ Optional Garnish: Fresh flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped FOR MARINADE ■ 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped ■ 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika ■ ½ teaspoon ground (cayenne) red pepper ■ 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves ■ 2 tablespoons olive oil ■ 2 teaspoons salt

©2012 Bush Brothers & Company. JTG Daugherty Racing,™ Bobby Labonte name and/or likeness and race team, race car and car number used by authority of JTG Racing, Inc. TOYOTA AND ALL ASSOCIATED MARKS, EMBLEMS AND DESIGNS ARE THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS OF TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION AND USED WITH PERMISSION.

FOR KABOBS ■ 2 pounds skin on chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces ■ ½ each large white onion, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces ■ 1 each red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces B:8.625” ■ Salt and pepper ■ 1 12-inch sheet T:8.375” plastic wrap S:7.875” ■ Wooden or metal skewers (recommend metal)

DIRECTIONS FOR MARINADE ■ In large bowl, mix together garlic, paprika, red pepper, thyme, oil and salt.

FOR KABOBS ■ Place chicken in bowl of marinade, turn to evenly coat. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours to overnight.

■ Using skewers create kabob by threading chicken, onion and pepper, leaving ½-inch of space between each piece for even grilling. Alternate between chicken, onion and pepper until all pieces are used. (Tip: If using wooden skewers, soak in cold water for at least 1 hour before use to prevent burning).

■ Season kabobs with salt and pepper.

■ Set clean, well-oiled grill to medium-high heat. When grill is hot, using tongs, place kabobs on grill. Cook 4 minutes. Using tongs, flip kabobs and cook 5 minutes or until chicken internal temperature is at least 165 degrees F˚ and onions and peppers are slightly crispy.

■ Using tongs, remove kabobs from grill and place on platter. Garnish with parsley, as desired. Be sure to remove all ingredients from skewers before eating.

■ Serve with BUSH’S® Sweet Mesquite Grillin’ Beans.

DRIVE BOLD. GRILL BOLD.

With New BUSH’S® Sweet Mesquite Grillin’ Beans®.

Root for Bobby Labonte, driver of #47 BUSH’S® Beans-sponsored car.

FREERACEMAG.COM

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