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BURTON inducted into TEXAS MOTORSPORTs HALL OF FAME
The Wood Brothers, Tony Stewart, Martin Truex Jr. and Erik Jones to be honored as well on April 7 PAGE 2
sadie robertson headlines duck commander 500 honorary positions
Robertson family will be well represented prior to Duck Commander 500 PAGE 4
T E X A S M O T O R S P E E D WAY
SPEEDREADS March 15, 2016
Te x a s M o t o r S p e e d w a y | M a r c h 1 5 , 2 0 1 6
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TOP NEWS FROM TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
BURTON SET TO MAKE ONE FINAL TEXAS MEMORY WITH INDUCTION INTO TEXAS MOTORSPORTS HALL OF FAME career Sprint Cup Series wins at Texas Motor Speedway with his victory in the Interstate Batteries 500 in 1997. Ten years later, he became with first Sprint Cup Series driver with multiple victories when he led just one lap en route to the win during the 2007 Samsung 500.
Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame Inductee Jeff Burton celebrates his second win at Texas Motor Speedway in 2007.
As Texas Motor Speedway celebrates its 20th season of racing, it’s only appropriate that Jeff Burton, long synonymous with the speedway, will be inducted into the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame. Burton, the winner of the Texas Motor Speedway’s inaugural Sprint Cup Series race in 1997 and the first Cup driver with multiple victories at the 1.5mile track, will become the 18th member inducted into the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame. Burton will be honored Thursday, April 7, at the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame Gala benefitting Speedway
Children’s Charities-Texas Chapter held in The Speedway Club’s Grand Ballroom during the Duck Commander 5000 NASCAR weekend. The event recognizes some of the most outstanding individuals in motorsports. Along with Burton, other honorees include NASCAR Hall of Famers Glen and Leonard Wood, three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart, 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup championship contender Martin Truex Jr. and 2015 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Erik Jones. Burton earned the first of his 21
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The Wood Brothers, who have become common face in NASCAR, will receive the Bruton Smith Legend Award for their contributions to the sport. Both Glen and Leonard have been instrumental to the success of NASCAR and Wood Brothers Racing, which was founded in 1950. Since that time, the organization has become cemented in the legacy of NASCAR. Still competing in the famed No. 21 car, the team holds the distinction of being the oldest active team in NASCAR. Some of NASCAR’s most legendary drivers competed for Wood Brothers Racing. The list includes Glen Wood, Curtis Turner, Joe Weatherly, Junior Johnson, Bob Welborn, Ralph Earnhardt, Ned Jarrett, Fireball Roberts, Tiny Lund, Marvin Panch, Fred Lorenzen, Cale Yarborough, A.J. Foyt, David Pearson, Neil Bonnett, Buddy
SPEEDREADS Baker and Dale Jarrett. Stewart will be honored with the prestigious Maj. General Thomas Sadler Award for his support of Speedway Children’s Charities-Texas Chapter. Stewart’s support through hosting his annual “Smoke Show” Fantasy Camp and contributions with his parade lap for auctions has allowed Speedway Children’s Charities to raise more than $1 million dollars – all of which is distributed to North Texas non-profit organizations benefitting children. Truex Jr., one of the respected voices in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series garage, will receive the Texas Motor Speedway Sportsmanship Award. Last year Truex Jr. enjoyed a career year, establishing career highs in top fives (8), top 10s (22) and points finish (4th). However, his on track success came after dealing with news of his longtime girlfriend Sherry Pollex diagnoses of Stage III ovarian cancer in August 2014. Even before Pollex’s diagnoses, Truex Jr. dedicated himself to helping end cancer through his work with the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation. The foundation, created by both Truex Jr. and Pollex, has a mission to help support underfunded cancer initiatives specific to ovarian and childhood cancers, and assist the individuals and families affected by them. Jones, one of NASCAR’s promising young stars, experienced breakout performances at Texas Motor Speedway in 2015. His victory in the O’Reilly Auto Parts 300, defeating the likes of Sprint
Cup regulars Brad Keselowski, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Denny Hamlin, for his first career victory in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. His victory came on the heels of qualifying on the pole for the race. He became the second-youngest XFINITY Series winner (18 years and 10 months) in the speedway’s history, behind Chase Elliott (18 years and four months) who the O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 in 2014. Jones followed up his victory in April with a win in November’s WinStar World Casino and Resort 350 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race. It was his first NCWTS victory at Texas Motor Speedway. The victory propelled him to his first truck series championship.
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The Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame Gala will begin with dinner at 7:30 p.m. followed by the start of the ceremonies at approximately 8 p.m. Table sponsorships, beginning at $1,500 and individual tickets for $150 are available by calling the Speedway Children’s Charities at (817) 215-8421. NOTE: To obtain media credentials for the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame Gala, please contact Louis Mora with the Texas Motor Speedway Media Relations Department at (817) 215-8521 or lmora@texasmotorspeedway. com.
2016 TEXAS MOTORSPORTS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE and honorees
Jeff Burton
Tony Stewart
Leonard and Glen Wood
Martin Truex Jr.
Erik Jones
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SADIE ROBERTSON HIGHLIGHTS DUCK COMMANDER 500 HONORARY POSITIONS Sadie Robertson (right), who finished runner-up in last year’s “Dancing With The Stars” competition and one of the stars of A&E’s reality hit show “Duck Dynasty,” has been named the Honorary Starter for the Duck Commander 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Saturday, April 9, at Texas Motor Speedway. She will have the honor of waving the green flag from the starter’s stand for the 40-car field in the first Saturday night race of the Sprint Cup season that will be televised live on FOX (6:30 p.m. CT). Robertson was a fan favorite on “Dancing With The Stars” as she advanced to the finals with partner Mark Ballas before finishing runner-up to actor Alfonso Ribeiro and partner Witney Carson. See Sadie’s DWTS dance finale here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSQgTYWahjQ Sadie will be one of several members of the Robertson clan or associated with Duck Commander that will be in honorary positions for NASCAR’s third-highest paying race. Those include: • Jase Robertson and 12-year-old Rowdy Robertson, the recently adopted son of Willie and Korie who is from Texas, as the tandem that will provide the most famous words in motorsports in their role as co-Grand Marshals. • Uncle Si will spice up driver introductions as he will announce the top-10 starting lineup for the Duck Commander 500 while his brother and family patriarch, Phil, will deliver the invocation. • Justin Martin, a Duck Commander employee and “Duck Dynasty” co-star, will drive one of the pace cars and lead the field to the green flag. • Willie Robertson, CEO of Duck/Buck Commander, will culminate the day by helping present the Duck Commander 500 trophy to the race winner in Sunoco Victory Lane.
CLOSE CALLS For the second time this season, the winning margin of victory in a NASCAR Sprint Cup race was one-hundredth of a second. Kevin Harvick edged Carl Edwards by .010 in a dramatic, side-by-side duel Sunday at Phoenix International Raceway, less than a month after Denny Hamlin nipped Martin Truex Jr. by that margin in the season-opening Daytona 500. The finish ranks as the closest at Phoenix and seventh closest in NASCAR since the advent of electronic timing and scoring in 1993. Two other races had the same winning margin – Matt Kenseth over Kasey Kahne in Feb. 2004 at North Carolina Speedway and Dale Earnhardt over Bobby Labonte in March 2000 at Atlanta. Harvick now has three victories among the 10 closest finishes with his 2001 win at Atlanta over Jeff Gordon by .006 of a second and his 2005 win at Talladega over Jamie McMurray by .011. The closest finish in a Sprint Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway is .028 of a second when Elliott Sadler edged Kasey Kahne in April of 2004. The closest finish of all-time (since timing & scoring in ‘93) is .002, established when Ricky Craven beat Kurt Busch at Darlington in 2003 and equaled when Jimmie Johnson nipped Clint Bowyer at Talladega in 2011. Te x a s M o t o r S p e e d w a y | M a r c h 1 5 , 2 0 1 6
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NOTES FROM TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
FORT WORTH THROWS A PARTY FOR TMS
The Fort Worth Sports Huddle will play host to a business luncheon on Thursday, April 7, at the Top of the Town Room of the Fort Worth Club to honor the 20th anniversary season of Texas Motor Speedway. The featured guests of the event will be TMS President Eddie Gossage and 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick, who will be available for exclusive interviews with local media prior to the start of the event (approx. 11:15-Noon) to discuss TMS’ anniversary as well as that weekend’s Duck Commander 500. Fort Worth CVB President Bob Jameson will host the event as well as discuss the importance of TMS to their tourism efforts and sports landscape over the last two decades.
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The number of laps led by Kyle Busch (above) in NASCAR XFINITY Series competition at Texas Motor Speedway. Busch holds the record for most laps led in the series at Texas by a wide margin, 724 laps ahead of second-place Kevin Harvick. The average age of the O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 winner from the previous two years. In 2014, Chase Elliott became the youngest XFINITY Series winner in speedway history, winning at the age of 18 years, 4 months and 7 days. Last year, it was Erik Jones who won his first career XFINITY Series race at the age of 18 years, 11 months and 11 days.
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(When I think of Texas Motor Speedway) I always think big and I think Eddie Gossage. Hopefully this year Eddie will jump off a building or something really spectacular to light the show up. - 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Kevin Harvick Te x a s M o t o r S p e e d w a y | M a r c h 1 5 , 2 0 1 6
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texas motor speedway media day
Texas Motor Speedway’s Media Day is scheduled for Wednesday, March 30. This year’s event will take place at Gilley’s in Dallas (1135 S Lamar St., Dallas 75215) and will begin at 11:30 a.m. The day will feature NASCAR Sprint Cup driver and Prosper, Texas native Chris Buescher, NASCAR XFINITY Series driver and twotime winner at Texas Motor Speedway, Erik Jones, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver John Hunter Nemechek and IndyCar’s all-time leader in wins at TMS Helio Castroneves. Other guests include Willie and Korie Robertson of the popular A&E reality television show “Duck Dynasty”; Speedway Motorsports Inc. Chief Executive Officer Marcus Smith and Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage.
duck commander 500 media credential deadline
The credential deadline for the Duck Commander 500 weekend is Friday, March 25. Credentials can be requested through www.smicredentials.com. Those not yet registered for the website will first need to apply for access through the site. Once a registration confirmation e-mail is received, the credential request can then be submitted. Requests following the deadline will not be accepted.
TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY APP
Texas Motor Speedway’s free mobile app is available for both iPhone and Android users via the iTunes Store and Google Play Store. The app provides exclusive content and promotions, helpful tools to navigate the speedway during race weekends, access to the Texas Motor Speedway fantasy league and more.
DUCK COMMANDER TAKES AIM AT RAISING AWARENESS OF ADOPTION DURING DUCK COMMANDER 500 Texas Motor Speedway has partnered with race entitlement sponsor Duck Commander to raise awareness and funds for adoption in conjunction with the Duck Commander 500. To help generate adoption awareness, Texas Motor Speedway and Duck Commander have established a special “Drive Adoption” ticket package for NASCAR’s first night race of the 2016 Sprint Cup season. The package consists of two frontstretch tickets for the Duck Commander 500 - NASCAR’s third-largest paying race - and a pair of special Uncle Si Duck Commander duck calls for $150. The “Drive Adoption” package offers purchasers more than a 30 percent savings from the retail price. In addition, a $25 donation from each package sold will be made to Worldwide Foundation on behalf of Speedway Children’s Charities. Fans also can visit www.texasmotorspeedway. com/driveadoption to make a “Drive Adoption” donation that Speedway Children’s Charities will present to the Worldwide Foundation. Adoption has touched the family of Duck Commander CEO Willie Robertson and his wife, Korie. The family, from the popular show “Duck Dynasty,” has welcomed three children into their family through adoption and continues to be advocates for the process. The most recent addition was Rowdy, who they met at last year’s Duck Commander 500 through a local adoption agency. “Last year at the Duck Commander 500 - in between the hectic rush of press conferences, riding in pace cars, and announcing, “Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines” - Willie and I walked into a quiet, little room and our lives were forever changed when we met the 12-year-old boy who would soon become ours,” Korie Robertson recalled of that special day. “It is in honor of that special meeting and the millions of children around the world who are still waiting to find a family to call their own that we have decided to dedicate this race to the cause of adoption.” Ticket packages, as well as individual tickets for the Duck Commander 500, can be purchased by calling the Texas Motor Speedway ticket office at (817) 215-8500 or by visiting www.texasmotorspeedway. com.
Te x a s M o t o r S p e e d w a y | M a r c h 1 5 , 2 0 1 6
FINAL PIT STOP
SPEEDREADS
VIDEO SOUND BITES, SOCIAL MEDIA SNAPSHOT
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LIL’ HOSS TV
Kevin Harvick, who has yet to win at Texas Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, discusses his career at TMS and what he and President Eddie Gossage will talk about after he wins. Click video to play.
FROM THE TWITTERVERSE
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PUBLIC SCHEDULE
DUCK COMMANDER 500 WEEKEND EVENTS
SATURDAY, APRIL 2 8a
VIP & Outside Campgrounds open
TUESDAY, APRIL 5 9a-5p
Texas Motor Speedway Credential Office Hours
WednesDAY, APRIL 6 9a-5p 10a 10a
Texas Motor Speedway Credential Office Hours Reserved Infield Camping Opens (South Tunnel) Burnout Alley Load In (closes midnight Friday)
ThursDAY, APRIL 7
9a-6p Texas Motor Speedway Credentials Office Hours 9:30a NXS Haulers Enter 11a NSCS Haulers Enter 11:30a-6p NXS Registration Open 12p-8p NXS Garage Open 2p-6p NSCS Registration Open 2:30p-7p NSCS Garage Open 2:30 pm Gate 4 Open 2:30 pm Gate 2 Open for Victory Lane Club Access Only 3p-4:25p NXS Practice 4:30p-5:55p NSCS Practice 6p-6:55p NXS Final Practice
FRIDAY, APRIL 8
9a-7:30p Texas Motor Speedway Credentials Office Hours 9a-7p NSCS Registration Open 9a-8:30p NSCS Garage Open 10a-7p NXS Registration Open 10a NXS Garage Open 1p Gates 3, 4 & 5 Open 1p Gates 2 & 6 Open for Luxury Suites and Victory Lane Club Only 1:15p3:30p NSCS “HOT PASS” IN EFFECT 1:45p-2:45p NSCS Qualifying 3:45p-4:45p NXS Qualifying 5p-7:30p NSCS “HOT PASS” IN EFFECT 5:30p-6:50p NSCS Final Practice 7:30p NXS O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 (200 Laps, 300 Miles) 12 am Burnout Alley Closes
SATURDAY, APRIL 9
12p-6:30p Texas Motor Speedway Credential Office Hours 12:30p-7p NSCS Registration Open 12:30p NSCS Garage Open 2 p Gates 2-8 Luxury Suites and Victory Lane Club Open 4:40p Loud & Proud Pre-Race Show powered by the Texas Lottery Concert featuring Lynyrd Skynyrd 5:30p-11p NSCS “HOT PASS” IN EFFECT 6:30p NSCS Duck Commander 500 (334 Laps, 501 Miles) 30 min Portacool Post-Race Show featuring post race Charlie Robison
TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY ticket info www.texasmotorspeedway.com 817.215.8500 Facebook: Texas Motor Speedway Twitter: @txmotorspeedway Instagram: txmotorspeedway
Te x a s M o t o r S p e e d w a y | M a r c h 1 5 , 2 0 1 6