An announcement from Tommy Baldwin Racing on Tuesday:
Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) added NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) driver David Reutimann to the team’s 2012 driver lineup alongside Dave Blaney. Still seeking sponsorship for both Reutimann and Blaney, details regarding car number, sponsors and team members will follow in the upcoming weeks.
Reutimann, a Zephyrhills, Fla., native, made his first NSCS start in 2005. He competed in four full NSCS seasons with Michael Waltrip Racing and compiled two wins, 12 top-fives, 26 top-10s and four poles. The 41-year-old racer also competed in the NASCAR Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series where he captured two wins.
“Tommy has built a really good organization from the ground up in a really short amount of time,” said Reutimann. “One of the things I like about Tommy and what’s refreshing about him is that he is just a racer. There are lots of things he could be doing but instead he is at the shop every day working hard to build the organization from the ground up. There are not a lot of true racers in the garage, and he is one of them. It’s the way I was raised with my Dad, so we are on the same page. I’m just really looking forward to the season and see what we can do.”
TBR competed in every event in the 36-race NSCS schedule in 2011 and raced into the top-35 in NSCS Owner Points, meeting the team’s 2011 season goals. Blaney drove to the team’s best finish of third in the October event at Talladega Superspeedway. The team also fielded a second car for five events in the second half of the season.
"Reutimann will be a great addition to our program and to Dave Blaney,” commented team owner Tommy Baldwin. “Last season, we met our goal of running the entire schedule and making the top-35 in points. This season, our goals is to continue our progress on the competition side. Having two veteran drivers in Reutimann and Blaney is a very important step in our program’s growth.”
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
NASCAR drivers are a changin'
The offseason shuffle of NASCAR rides will continue into the new year, with several teams still finalizing their plans for the 2012 season.
Among the expected moves to be announced over the next week or so:
-- Jason Leffler, who drove in the Nationwide Series in 2011 for Turner Motorsports, is the leading candidate to drive a full season for Kyle Busch Motorsports in the Camping World Truck Series, multiple sources have confirmed. It appears owner Kyle Busch will drive few - if any - races for his own Truck or Nationwide teams next season.
-- David Ragan and Cole Whitt are the leading candidates to replace Aric Almirola in JR Motorsports' No. 88 Nationwide team in 2012, sources said. A decision is expected early next week, around the time Almirola's move to the Sprint Cup Series and Richard Petty Motorsports' No. 43 car should be officially announced.
-- The possibility of Kurt Busch driving his brother Kyle's Nationwide team fulltime in 2012 and competing for the series championships continues to be discussed, sources said. Kurt will drive a majority of the team's races regardless. Monster is expected to be announced as the team's sponsor during a news conference in January.
Stayed tuned for more changes.
Among the expected moves to be announced over the next week or so:
-- Jason Leffler, who drove in the Nationwide Series in 2011 for Turner Motorsports, is the leading candidate to drive a full season for Kyle Busch Motorsports in the Camping World Truck Series, multiple sources have confirmed. It appears owner Kyle Busch will drive few - if any - races for his own Truck or Nationwide teams next season.
-- David Ragan and Cole Whitt are the leading candidates to replace Aric Almirola in JR Motorsports' No. 88 Nationwide team in 2012, sources said. A decision is expected early next week, around the time Almirola's move to the Sprint Cup Series and Richard Petty Motorsports' No. 43 car should be officially announced.
-- The possibility of Kurt Busch driving his brother Kyle's Nationwide team fulltime in 2012 and competing for the series championships continues to be discussed, sources said. Kurt will drive a majority of the team's races regardless. Monster is expected to be announced as the team's sponsor during a news conference in January.
Stayed tuned for more changes.
Monday, December 26, 2011
Tony Stewart to compete in Chili Bowl
Three-time and reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart will return to Tulsa, Okla., to compete in the 2012 Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals, which begin Jan. 10.
Stewart made his most recent appearance in the event in 2008, finishing eighth in the A-main finale. After taking a three-year hiatus from the biggest Midget race of the year, Stewart will return in January behind the wheel of the No. 14 Chevrolet/Chevrolet Performance Parts/Spike.
Stewart will join one of the most powerful teams ever assembled for the events Joined him will be 2011 Nationwide Series champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr., 2011 United States Auto Club (USAC) National Drivers champion Bryan Clauson, and 2011 POWRi Rookie of the Year Jake Blackhurst.
Stewart has won the Chili Bowl in 2002 and 2007.
Friday, December 23, 2011
Preview the 2012 NASCAR season
More than 50 drivers from the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Truck series will appear at the inaugural NASCAR Preview 2012 Presented by Sprint, scheduled for Jan. 21 at the Charlotte (N.C.) Convention Center.
NASCAR Preview 2012 will offer a festival-like experience for fans that features driver autograph and question-and-answer sessions, show car appearances, simulators, games and more. The fan event is one of several events that comprise NASCAR Acceleration Weekend, which begins Jan. 20 with the NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony for Class of 2012 inductees Richie Evans, Dale Inman, Darrell Waltrip, Glen Wood and Cale Yarborough. Following Saturday’s NASCAR Preview 2012 Presented by Sprint event will be the unveiling of the Class of 2012 exhibits in the Hall of Fame on Jan. 22.
10:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. – Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson
11:45 a.m. – 1:45 p.m. – Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski
12:15 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. – Greg Biffle
12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. – Kasey Kahne, Ryan Newman
2:45 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. – Dale Earnhardt Jr., Juan Pablo Montoya
3:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. – Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards, Tony Stewart
Driver Appearance Times (Exhibit Hall)
9 a.m. – 11 a.m. – AJ Allmendinger, Jeff Burton, Bobby Labonte, Joey Logano, Mark Martin, Jamie McMurray, Casey Mears, David Ragan, Justin Allgaier, Jeffrey Earnhardt, Timmy Hill, Blake Koch, Travis Pastrana, Timothy Peters
11 a.m. – 1 p.m. – Marcos Ambrose, Clint Bowyer, Paul Menard, Regan Smith, Brian Vickers, Aric Almirola, Trevor Bayne, Brian Scott, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Brad Sweet, Cale Gale, Justin Lofton, Todd Peck
12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. – Michael Annett, Elliott Sadler, Mike Wallace, Dakoda Armstrong, Johnny Sauter, Parker Kligerman, Brian Keselowski, Michael Waltrip, Jason Leffler, Todd Bodine
2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. – Danica Patrick, Martin Truex Jr., Austin Dillon, Morgan Shepherd, Kenny Wallace, Joey Coulter, Ty Dillon, Brendan Gaughan, Tim George Jr., Max Gresham
Tickets to NASCAR Preview 2012 Presented by Sprint are available now starting at $10 for individual event admission at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets will also be available the day of the event for $15. A discounted $20 combo ticket includes admission to both the Preview event and the NASCAR Hall of Fame, while a $299 VIP weekend package includes all NASCAR Acceleration Weekend events, including the NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.
NASCAR Preview 2012 will offer a festival-like experience for fans that features driver autograph and question-and-answer sessions, show car appearances, simulators, games and more. The fan event is one of several events that comprise NASCAR Acceleration Weekend, which begins Jan. 20 with the NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony for Class of 2012 inductees Richie Evans, Dale Inman, Darrell Waltrip, Glen Wood and Cale Yarborough. Following Saturday’s NASCAR Preview 2012 Presented by Sprint event will be the unveiling of the Class of 2012 exhibits in the Hall of Fame on Jan. 22.
2011 champions Tony Stewart, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Austin Dillon plus other drivers from the Cup, Nationwide and Truck series will sign autographs in the Ballroom and the Exhibit Hall at the Charlotte Convention Center starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 21.
Driver Appearance Times (Ballroom)
9:15 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. – Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth10:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. – Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson
11:45 a.m. – 1:45 p.m. – Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski
12:15 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. – Greg Biffle
12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. – Kasey Kahne, Ryan Newman
2:45 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. – Dale Earnhardt Jr., Juan Pablo Montoya
3:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. – Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards, Tony Stewart
Driver Appearance Times (Exhibit Hall)
9 a.m. – 11 a.m. – AJ Allmendinger, Jeff Burton, Bobby Labonte, Joey Logano, Mark Martin, Jamie McMurray, Casey Mears, David Ragan, Justin Allgaier, Jeffrey Earnhardt, Timmy Hill, Blake Koch, Travis Pastrana, Timothy Peters
11 a.m. – 1 p.m. – Marcos Ambrose, Clint Bowyer, Paul Menard, Regan Smith, Brian Vickers, Aric Almirola, Trevor Bayne, Brian Scott, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Brad Sweet, Cale Gale, Justin Lofton, Todd Peck
12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. – Michael Annett, Elliott Sadler, Mike Wallace, Dakoda Armstrong, Johnny Sauter, Parker Kligerman, Brian Keselowski, Michael Waltrip, Jason Leffler, Todd Bodine
2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. – Danica Patrick, Martin Truex Jr., Austin Dillon, Morgan Shepherd, Kenny Wallace, Joey Coulter, Ty Dillon, Brendan Gaughan, Tim George Jr., Max Gresham
Beginning Saturday at 7 a.m. in the Charlotte Convention Center Ballroom, wristbands will be distributed to a limited number of fans to get into the Ballroom where several of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers will be signing autographs. Recipients must have an event ticket to be eligible to receive a wristband.
Tickets to NASCAR Preview 2012 Presented by Sprint are available now starting at $10 for individual event admission at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets will also be available the day of the event for $15. A discounted $20 combo ticket includes admission to both the Preview event and the NASCAR Hall of Fame, while a $299 VIP weekend package includes all NASCAR Acceleration Weekend events, including the NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.
For additional information and updates on driver appearances, visit www.NASCARAcceleration2012.com.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Kurt Busch will be doing plenty of NASCAR racing in 2012
By Jim Utter
Kurt Busch will be doing plenty of racing in the 2012 NASCAR season.
On Friday, Phoenix Racing announced it had hired the 2004 Sprint Cup Series champion to drive for its No. 51 Chevrolet team next season.
The No. 51 entered every Cup race in 2011 with several different drivers. The news release announcing Busch’s move said he would drive a “full schedule” with the team.
Busch is also expected to join forces with his younger brother, Kyle, and drive for Kyle’s Nationwide series team in 2012, the Observer and ThatsRacin.com have learned.
One option being considered is for Kurt Busch to run the full Nationwide schedule and compete for the series championship, multiple sources said.
Under NASCAR’s current system, Busch will only be able to earn driver points in only one series. It remains unclear what effect Friday’s Cup announcement will have on the Nationwide plans.
A spokesman for Kyle Busch Motorsports said Friday the team was still finalizing its driver lineup and would not have any official announcements until after Jan. 1.
Kurt Busch parted ways with Penske Racing earlier this month, ending his six-year tenure with the organization. He has won 24 Cup races and the 2004 series championship in his career.
Busch’s first race with Finch will be the Feb. 18 Budweiser Shootout, which he won last season.
“It’s going to be old-school racing, where we show up, race hard and go for the win,” Kurt said of his new Cup ride with Phoenix. “And if we don’t win, we’ll go back to the shop, work hard and do it all over again next week.
“That’s the way we all started racing, and it’s great to get back to that.”
James Finch, owner of Phoenix Racing, celebrated his 20th year as a team owner in 2011. His Spartanburg, S.C.-based team has won 13 NASCAR races, the most prominent being the April 2009 Cup race at Talladega, Ala., with then-driver Brad Keselowski.
“All we want to do is win,” Finch said. “Winning is why I’ve been in racing for as long as I have, but NASCAR is a very competitive sport, and winning – especially at the Sprint Cup level – is hard.
“But now with Kurt Busch as our driver, we have a shot to win every week.”
Monday, December 19, 2011
NASCAR digital media outlets to grow
NASCAR coverage on digital media platforms is looking to expand, perhaps as soon as the 2012 season.
Sports Business Daily reported Monday that NASCAR is close to reaching an agreement to buy its digital rights back from Turner Sports, a move that could see the sanctioning body manage its own digital business as soon as 2013. Specific terms of the pending agreement were not available.
Some changes could be seen in 2012, the Observer and ThatsRacin.com have learned. They include Sirius Satellite Radio being able to stream its content on-line to subscribers and MRN and PRN - which own the radio broadcasts rights to NASCAR races - being able to stream their race coverage online.
When these changes could take effect remains unclear.
There was no immediate comment from officials at Sirius.
NASCAR spokesman Scott Warfield would not confirm any specifics but did offer the following statement:
“As is the case with all of our partners, we are in constant dialogue with Turner Sports. While we don’t publicly comment on the nature of those discussions, it is fair to say we are exploring various options as it relates to the future of our long-standing partnership.”
In any case, it seems NASCAR offerings in digital media should be on the rise in the near future.
Sports Business Daily reported Monday that NASCAR is close to reaching an agreement to buy its digital rights back from Turner Sports, a move that could see the sanctioning body manage its own digital business as soon as 2013. Specific terms of the pending agreement were not available.
Some changes could be seen in 2012, the Observer and ThatsRacin.com have learned. They include Sirius Satellite Radio being able to stream its content on-line to subscribers and MRN and PRN - which own the radio broadcasts rights to NASCAR races - being able to stream their race coverage online.
When these changes could take effect remains unclear.
There was no immediate comment from officials at Sirius.
NASCAR spokesman Scott Warfield would not confirm any specifics but did offer the following statement:
“As is the case with all of our partners, we are in constant dialogue with Turner Sports. While we don’t publicly comment on the nature of those discussions, it is fair to say we are exploring various options as it relates to the future of our long-standing partnership.”
In any case, it seems NASCAR offerings in digital media should be on the rise in the near future.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
How much did the Chase drivers make?
2011 Season Winnings
Rank Driver Season Total
1 Tony Stewart $12,671,071
2 Carl Edwards $11,351,964
3 Kevin Harvick $8,072,369
4 Matt Kenseth $7,901,409
5 Brad Keselowski $6,503,444
6 Jimmie Johnson $7,599,034
7 Dale Earnhardt Jr $5,329,888
8 Jeff Gordon $7,126,719
9 Denny Hamlin $6,578,688
10 Ryan Newman $6,388,178
11 Kurt Busch $6,714,991
12 Kyle Busch $7,160,043
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