Denver, NC - Eddie Sharp Racing (ESR) announced today that Michael McDowell will take over as driver of the No. 20 Dodge this weekend at Milwaukee for Governor’s Cup 200. McDowell will be making his oval track debut in the first of five scheduled races in 2006.

 

“This is a great opportunity that came available when the previous driver left the team,” said the 21-year-old McDowell.  “The team has been running strong all year long; the seat was available and it was an opportunity for me to get some experience in stock car racing.  There is no better place to get that experience than the ARCA RE/MAX Series.”

 

The first opportunity for the team to excel and gel together will come this weekend with the Governor’s Cup 200.  ESR Teammate Ryan Mathews is from Wisconsin and has had many laps around The Milwaukee Mile, so McDowell hopes to use that to his advantage.

 

“I have been hanging around the last couple of weeks and talked with all of the guys,” added McDowell. “Ryan is from Wisconsin and knows Milwaukee pretty well, and I have just been trying to get as much information from him and the rest of the team as I can before we get out there.  These guys have been running all year and they all have been running really well.  I am just trying to utilize them as much as possible.”

 

When McDowell walks into the infield at The Milwaukee Mile it will be his first time he sees the track.  Despite not having experience in an ARCA car, he is excited about the opportunity and taking every available chance to prepare himself for the race.

 

“I am really excited about going to Milwaukee.  It is going to be pretty interesting for me; it will be the first time that I have done anything like this; it will be a learning experience, but I feel pretty good about it.  We are doing some testing at Hickory Motor Speedway in order for the team and I to get some practice in before the race and I think that we should be able to do pretty well.  We have good equipment and it should be a good race for the team.”

 

Eddie Sharp, team owner of ESR is looking forward to looking forward to having McDowell as one of the racers in his driver development program.

 

“I am extremely excited to have Michael come and join our team,” said Sharp.  ”He has all of the credentials that one has to have in order to be successful in stock car racing.  From what I have seen him do in road racing, I know that he is racer.  And that is the kind of person that I want involved with my company, a racer.

 

“But we are managing our expectations.  We are going into this weekend to gain experience and to earn respect from the other racers.  We are going to take our time to build this; this is for the long term, not the short term.  We are going to go to Milwaukee, qualify solidly, and run all of the laps, finish the race and build for the future. That is our goal.”

 

The Governor’s Cup 200 at The Milwaukee Mile will take the green flag at 3pm local time on Sunday August 27th.  Pork Pole Qualifying takes place on Saturday the 26th at 5:15pm. SCR

Matthew Blaylock

 

 

HIGH POINT, N.C. – Bill Davis Racing (BDR) announced today that Jeremy Mayfield will join the organization to drive the No. 36 Toyota Camry the team will field in 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series competition.  Additionally, Dave Blaney, current driver of the No. 22 Bill Davis Racing entry, will remain in the Caterpillar car for the ‘07 season.

 

“We’re happy to have Dave back in the Caterpillar car next year, and we’re just as excited that Jeremy has decided to join our team,” said Team Owner Bill Davis.  “Both of these men are very talented and capable drivers who are veterans of the sport and yet still hungry to win. Both Jeremy and Dave are extremely knowledgeable and will play an important part in taking our race team to the next level.”

 

360 OTC™ joins Bill Davis Racing to serve as the primary sponsor of the No. 36 Toyota machine beginning with the ’07 Daytona 500. Headquartered in Athens, Ga., Rockford-Montgomery Labs, Inc. is the developer of 360 OTC, a brand of FDA-approved Over-the-Counter (OTC) pain relief medicines.  Included in the 360 OTC family are 360 OTC Relief, which relieves symptoms of headache, fatigue, heartburn, upset stomach and generalized aches and pains associated with a hangover, and 360 OTC Lite Relief, a caffeine-free version of 360 OTC.  Other products include 360 OTC Ignite, a fast-acting alertness aid that safely helps restore mental alertness during times of drowsiness and fatigue, and 360 OTC Hangover Relief, which relieves generalized aches and pains associated with a hangover.

 

“We have done an incredible amount of research to find the perfect combination of ownership, team chemistry, driver performance and manufacturers support,” said Michelle Shearer, CEO of Rockford-Montgomery Labs. “There is no question that we have found the best business partner in NASCAR to entrust the value of our brand. “  Having Bill and Gail Davis, Tommy Baldwin, Jeremy Mayfield and Toyota behind our brand on the track every week is a direct reflection of our commitment to NASCAR fans, our retailers and our shareholders.  We need to get the 360 OTC No. 36 Toyota Camry in victory lane, and we are very fortunate to have this winning combination at BDR to accomplish that goal.”

 

“We feel like we’ve put together a winning combination,” Davis said.  “Rockford-Montgomery Labs, Inc. is a solid company which has learned in the short time they have been involved in the sport just how big a marketing tool NASCAR can be.  They were interested in finding a spokesperson that can get their No. 36 Toyota to victory lane as well as appeal to the people in their market. Everyone agrees that Jeremy is that guy. He’s a proven winner and is obviously a talented and consistent driver, as well as a smart businessman.  He brings with him Chase experience and a great deal of excitement, and we feel fortunate to welcome both he and 360 OTC to our family.”

 

Mayfield most recently competed for Evernham Motorsports.  The 37-year-old driver, who hails from Owensboro, Ky., has made 402 starts at NASCAR’s highest level and was a contender in the Chase for the Championship during both the 2004 and 2005 seasons. 

 

“I’m very, very excited about the opportunity to be a part of Bill Davis Racing,” Mayfield said.  “I’ve always thought a lot of and had a lot of respect for Bill and Gail, and I’m thrilled to be a part of their organization.  Obviously, I’m looking forward to working with Toyota, Todd Holbert [General Manager of Triad Racing Development, Inc.], Tommy Baldwin and everyone involved with the Toyota program, and I’m

looking forward to being a part of Toyota’s entrance into NEXTEL Cup racing as well as working with them for a long time to come. Rockford-Montgomery Labs and 360 OTC has also given me a great opportunity, and I’m happy to have the chance to represent their company, their people and their products.

 

“From what I’ve seen at Bill Davis Racing, they have the resources in place and the desire to do whatever it takes to be competitive, and those are the kinds of people and the type of place that I want to be involved with.”

 

Mayfield made his first Cup Series start in 1993 before teaming with Cale Yarborough the following season.  He remained with that team through most of the 1996 season, before uniting with car owner Michael Kranefuss, who eventually joined forces with Roger Penske in 1997.  Mayfield spent the next four seasons with the Penske organization.  He scored his first career victory at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway in 1998, and went on to finish seventh in the championship standings that year.  Mayfield earned two more victories in 2000.  He joined Evernham Motorsports beginning with the 2002 season, where he continued to prove his talent by winning races in 2004 and 2005.  Mayfield has five NEXTEL Cup victories under his belt, has started from the pole position nine times and has posted 96 top-10 finishes throughout his career.

 

Blaney, a Hartford, Ohio, native, has been behind the wheel of the Caterpillar car the entire 2006 season.  His first partnership with Bill and Gail Davis came back in 1998, when Blaney drove part-time in the NASCAR Busch Series.  He joined the Cup Series in 2000 and remained with Bill Davis Racing through 2001.  After departing to race for Jasper Motorsports in 2003, he returned to BDR to drive part-time in the Cup Series in 2004.  In 2005, Blaney was invited drive for Richard Childress Racing, where he posted two top-10 finishes.  In all, Blaney has made 222 starts in NASCAR’s premiere series and has captured one pole position and 19 top-10 finishes during his tenure.

 

“It’s certainly nice to know with half the season left where I’ll be next year, and I’m glad it will be back with Bill Davis Racing,” Blaney stated.  “This is the place I have always considered home, and though we’ve struggled a bit more than anyone thought we would this year, we all think the future is bright for BDR.  I’m excited about the opportunity to be a part of Toyota’s entrance into the Cup Series, and I’m looking forward to working with Jeremy next year.  I think next season has the possibility to be the best one Bill Davis Racing has ever seen.” SCR

 

 

Union organizers crisscrossed the state line Thursday getting signatures on a petition that seeks to keep the status quo with regard to the assignment of NASCAR race dates.

 

The group wants NASCAR to sever its ties with Kentucky Speedway and uniform company Cintas.

 

Volunteers told fans who turned out along Bristol’s State Street for Family Race Night that a lawsuit filed by Kentucky Speedway against NASCAR could force the race-sanctioning body to take race dates away from smaller tracks.

 

The Kentucky track, owned in part by Cintas Chairman Richard Farmer, accuses NASCAR of antitrust violations because of the way the organization assigns race dates to tracks.

 

The speedway in Sparta, Ky., opened in 2000 but has been unable to secure a Nextel Cup race date.

 

If the lawsuit succeeds, tracks would have to compete for race dates, and the highest bidders would get the races, petition organizers said.

 

The volunteers working the crowd didn’t tell those who signed the petition that the textile and hotel workers’ union Unite-Here! backed the petition drive.

 

The union has a long-running dispute with Cintas over efforts to unionize Cintas’s work force. The union accuses Cintas of using intimidation to quash any moves toward unionization.

 

Chris Rook, the organizer of the petition volunteers, said Unite-Here! would be interested in Kentucky Speedway’s lawsuit even if the track weren’t connected to Cintas.

 

"A lot of our members are NASCAR fans, and this issue is of great concern to our members," he said.

 

The union has collected 25,000 signatures at tracks across the country, and volunteers seemed to have little trouble attracting interest on State Street.

 

 

HAMPTON, Ga. – When an F2 tornado ripped through Atlanta Motor Speedway one-year ago, it left what could have been mistaken for a high-speed jig-saw puzzle. This week, the final piece of the puzzle was locked into place when the giant scoring tower that sits in Turn One was re-erected after its collapse following the twister.

 

Like its twin in Turn Four, the 100-foot behemoth has indicators for lap times and the number of laps completed, the top-20 cars in the running order and the ability to scroll through the entire fields running order.

 

The towers were constructed as part of the track reconfiguration following the March race in 1997 and hold a place in NASCAR history. The pylons flashed Geoff Bodine’s non-restrictor plate NASCAR qualifying record of 197.478 mph on November 15, 1997.

 

Both drivers and fans look to the Turn One tower for instant race updates. Fans look to find out where their favorite driver is running and how many laps remain until they can expect a door-banging finish.  Even at the high speeds they are running, drivers look at the tower when they cross the start/finish to note what position they are in.

 

“I used to always look at the Turn One scoring tower after each qualifying run to see if I was on the pole,” said six-time AMS pole winner, Ryan Newman.  “I couldn’t do that the past two races, so it will be good to have it back in place.” SCR

 

 

Mooresville, NC - La Crosse, Wisconsin native Tony Leis will be fulfilling a dream this weekend at the historic Milwaukee Mile in the Governor's Cup 200. Leis will be making his first start in the ARCA RE/MAX Series, behind the wheel of the #24 Chuck Weber/Bob Schacht Motorsports Ford.

"This is really a dream come true for me, says Leis, I grew up not all that far from Milwaukee and now Bob (Schacht) is giving me the chance to race there, in one of his cars, that I know can get the job done."

Leis began his racing career at the age of 16 in the Pure Stock division at the La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway in Wisconsin. There he earned the Dash Champion crown in only his 2nd year of competition. At 18 he moved on to the Sportsman ranks and earned Rookie of the Year honors.

In October of 2005 Leis picked up and moved to Mooresville, NC to continue to chase the elusive dream of racing. The move came with benefits, including a friendship with fellow Wisconsin racer Johnny Sauter. "Johnny has truly been an inspiration to me, says Leis, I look at what he's accomplished and know it's possible for me."

The transition to North Carolina for Leis led him to employment at Nitro Manufacturing where they manufacture and produce top of the line pit boxes and accessories for the majority of the NASCAR teams. Although Tony enjoyed the creativity allowed at Nitro Mfg. he was searching for a more detailed and inside line to racing. That led him to Bob Schacht Motorsports, where he is still employed today.

"Tony's a good kid, said Bob Schacht, Owner and Crew Chief, he's got a lot of talent, not just on the track but in the shop too, I think he will do us a good job at Milwaukee."

Leis said of Bob Schacht, "Bob is like a father figure to me, he has helped me out a lot and I've learned so much working with him in the shop and at the track." Tony added, "We're ready to rock at Milwaukee."

With help and support from his friends and family and Bob Schacht atop the pit box, this promising young talent is sure to be a contender.

The Bob Schacht Motorsports Team and driver Tony Leis will be at the Milwaukee Mile on Saturday, August 26 for a practice session form 1:00 PM to 2:15 PM and Pork Pole Qualifying at 5:15 PM. The green flag is set to wave for the Governor's Cup 200 ARCA RE/MAX Series race at 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 27. SCR

 

 

MOORESVILLE, N.C. - MB2 Motorsports announced that crew chief Richard "Slugger" Labbe has joined the NASCAR racing organization and will play a key role in the company's expansion for 2007.   

 

Labbe's specific position with MB2 will be announced at a later date. His immediate role is to work with the organization's Nextel Cup teams -- the No. 01 Chevrolet driven by Joe Nemechek and the No. 14 Chevrolet driven by Sterling Marlin. 

 

Labbe, who previously worked as a crew chief for Robert Yates Racing, Evernham Motorsports and DEI, will join the MB2 teams at this weekend's Nextel Cup race in Bristol, Tenn.

 

"The hiring of Slugger is the first phase of our expansion program for 2007," said MB2's CEO and general manager Jay Frye. "Slugger is a talented crew chief and when the opportunity became available to hire him we jumped on it."

 

"We recently shored up our organization when Bobby Ginn purchased majority interest in MB2," Frye added. "Bobby is committed to growing our program and making our teams better."

 

Labbe, a 38-year-old native of Saco, Maine, said, "I am excited to join MB2 Motorsports. The company has a good vision on what's going to happen in the coming years. I hope my knowledge in the Nextel Cup field will help the organization. This is a great opportunity and I am looking forward to getting started." 

 

One of Labbe's biggest wins as a crew chief was the 2003 Daytona 500 with driver Michael Waltrip. SCR

 

 

TOLEDO OH - The ARCA RE/MAX Series, now in its 54th year of competition, is heading to Southern Indiana for the Eddie Gilstrap Motors ARCA Fall Classic by Advance Auto Parts, set to roll off at Salem Speedway on Saturday, September 16th, 2006.

 

No track on the series tour has appeared more on the schedule through the years than Salem. The 200-lap event marks the 77th appearance of the national stock car tour at the high-banked, half-mile short track since 1955. In April, second-generation driver Billy Venturini picked up his career-first series win in an action-packed edition of the race over NASCAR Nextel Cup veteran Ken Schrader, Bobby Gerhart, Phil Bozell and Josh Allison.

 

On September 16th, the ARCA warriors will go for round two at Salem. Seven-time and defending ARCA RE/MAX Series champion Frank Kimmel and rookies Ryan Foster, Ryan Howard, Dexter Bean, Blake Bjorklund, Justin Allgaier and Brett Rowe are just a few of the talented shoes expected to enter the Eddie Gilstrap Motors ARCA Fall Classic by Advance Auto Parts.

 

Kimmel is the all-time ARCA RE/MAX Series winner at Salem with eight career victories at the Southern Indiana bullring, which is also the Borden, Indiana, resident’s hometown track. Other RE/MAX winners at Salem through the years include Jack Bowsher, Les Snow, Tim Steele, Ramo Stott, Benny Parsons, Bobby Allison and Tracy Leslie to name a few.

 

A full schedule of racing is planned for the weekend, with ARCA RE/MAX Series rig parking and optional pre-registration and unloading scheduled for Friday, September 15th from 5-8 p.m.  On-track activity begins Saturday, September 16th with a practice session from 1:05-2:35 p.m., Pork Pole Qualifying at 4, and the Eddie Gilstrap Motors ARCA Fall Classic By Advance Auto Parts set to roll off at 7:15 p.m.

 

The ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series will join the ARCA RE/MAX Series for same-day action.

 

For tickets, contact Salem Speedway at (888) 246-7223. SCR

 

 

NASCAR released its 2007 Nextel Cup schedule today with very few changes from the 2006 season. The season will start at Daytona February 18, 2007 and end November 18, 2007 at Homestead-Miami.

 

The Allstate 400 at the Brickyard will move from its traditional August date to July 29^th while Pocono will be the week after Indy. Aug. 5^th. Richmond will once again host the last race before the “Chase for the Championship.” SCR

Matthew Blaylock

 

 

 

Bristol, TN – When asked about his plans for 2007 Wednesday night at Bristol, Mark Martin told SCR "I really don't know, but I expect to run the full Truck season and maybe a little bit of Cup too." SCR

Matthew Blaylock, Kevin Carver

 

 

Denver N.C. - Front Row Motorsports announced local East Tennessee company Thompson Metal Services will sponsor the #61 Front Row Motorsports Chevrolet Monte Carlo piloted by Chad Chaffin this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway for the Sharpie 500.

 

This will mark the fourth Bristol race that Thompson Metal Services has adorned a Front Row Motorsports entry. They were on the car for both races at the track last year and the spring race this season. “We appreciate Thompson Metal Services coming abroad once again. We have enjoyed partnering with them in past and look forward to a great weekend this time around,” commented team owner Bob Jenkins. 

 

Thompson Metal Services is an industrial scrap metal recycler. They are a privately owned company that has been in business for over 25 years. “We understand what it takes to own your own business,” said Thompson Metal Services President Bradley Thompson. “We recognize what Bob and Front Row Motorsports are trying to do to compete at this level and we are happy to be a part of their effort this weekend.” In addition, to the original location in Piney Flats, TN they own and operate Kingsport Iron and Metal in Kingsport, TN. Both locations specialize in solving the scrap metal recycling needs for businesses and individuals.

 

“I’m looking forward to driving the Thompson Metal Services Chevrolet,” commented Front Row Motorsports driver Chad Chaffin. “As always I have the utmost confidence in the team to give me a good car and I feel we will give Thompson Metal Services a great effort on the track this weekend.”

 

Thompson Metal Services is in the process of putting the final touches on their website www.tmsitn.com, but in the meantime can be reached at 423-245-5124 or 423-538-6137. SCR

 

 

Only three drivers in 2006 have not used the “Lucky Dog” free pass to get a lap back during a caution. Those drivers are Jeff Burton, Tony Stewart and Brian Vickers. SCR

Matthew Blaylock

 

 

Hall of Fame racing officials announced Wednesday that Tony Raines would return to pilot the No. 96 Chevrolet in 2007. Raines will pilot the car in all 36 Nextel Cup events in 2007.

 

"Two-and-a-half months before the Daytona 500, we didn't even own a lug nut," said Bill Saunders , managing partner of Hall of Fame Racing. "Without the heart, desire and talent of Tony Raines and Philippe Lopez, we couldn't have come this far. And without the help and leadership of Terry Labonte, we don't even get started. We've come a long way this year, but we are not putting consistently good race cars on the track yet. So it's hard to evaluate just how good our driver is or can be. We are going to get better and give Tony something to showcase his talent."

 

"I'm happy to be coming back," Raines said. "I think we've made progress and we're learning, but we are a long way from being as good as I know we will be. I'm looking forward to finishing 2006 in a strong way and having a great season in 2007 in the DLP HDTV Chevy."

 

Raines best finish of 2006 was and 11^th at