Last season's surprise Daytona 500 winner, Trevor Bayne, was asked on Friday why he thought Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow's publicly professed religious beliefs were so polarizing to some people. Bayne is also very public in professing the role his religious beliefs play in his life, including his profession as a race car driver.
Here was Bayne's answer:
"Well, it's polarizing to me because it's something different that I think our world needs and I think it desires, and so when you look at somebody and you see something different, you wonder what that is, then I think Tim Tebow has made that very clear what that is, and I think that's our mission is to make it very clear. If we look different from the world, it's because of Jesus.
"I think he's done a lot in my life. I can't speak for Jamie. I've seen some things that he's seen the same way. It's what we're here for. I started racing for me, I started racing because I wanted to be a driver and I wanted to be successful and I wanted to win races and I wanted to have the most followers on Twitter or the most fans or whatever it is.
"But I think that's changed over the past few years. I got to go to something that was really incredible this year called Passion, which is for 18 to 25 year olds, and it really got me fired up to see what this is all about, that it's not about me, it never has been. It's not about what I do here, but it's about what happens for the kingdom. I think this year I'm a lot more fired up about storing my treasures in heaven instead of here.
"I think it's a really great thing that Tim Tebow is staying firm in what he believes in. He's not letting that change him. I read an article today in USA Today that talked about that, and I can see how that would be really hard when you have that much flak that you're catching, whether it's good or it's bad, if people are talking about it so much, it would be easy to change and waver, but I think the reason he doesn't is because it's real. I think Jesus is something that can really change lives, and I think that if we believe all that he says he is and we believe like we say we do, then we'll look different just like he does and like we're trying to do here."
Friday, January 13, 2012
2012 NASCAR Speedweeks schedule
Thursday, Feb. 16
1-5 p.m. ARCA practice
Friday, Feb. 17
2 p.m. ARCA qualifying
5-5:45 p.m. Budweiser Shootout practice
6:30-7:30 p.m. Final Budweiser Shootout practice
Saturday, Feb. 18
10-10:45 a.m. final ARCA practice
11 a.m.-1 p.m. Sprint Cup practice
2-3:45 p.m. Cup practice
4:30 p.m. ARCA race
8:10 p.m. Budweiser Shootout
Sunday, Feb. 19
1:05 p.m. Daytona 500 pole qualifying
Monday, Feb. 20
No track activity
Tuesday, Feb. 21
No track activity
Wednesday, Feb. 22
noon-1:30 p.m. Cup practice
2:30-4 p.m. Cup practice
Thursday, Feb. 23
9-9:50 a.m. Nationwide practice
12:10-1 p.m. Truck practice
2 p.m. Gatorade 150-mile qualifying races
6-7:20 p.m. Final Truck practice
Friday, Feb. 24
11 a.m.-noon Cup practice
2:05 p.m. Nationwide qualifying
4:05 p.m. Truck qualifying
7:30 p.m. Truck series race
Saturday, Feb. 25
10:30 a.m.-noon Final practice for Daytona 500
1:15 p.m. Nationwide Series race
Sunday, Feb. 26
1 p.m. 2012 Daytona 500
1-5 p.m. ARCA practice
Friday, Feb. 17
2 p.m. ARCA qualifying
5-5:45 p.m. Budweiser Shootout practice
6:30-7:30 p.m. Final Budweiser Shootout practice
Saturday, Feb. 18
10-10:45 a.m. final ARCA practice
11 a.m.-1 p.m. Sprint Cup practice
2-3:45 p.m. Cup practice
4:30 p.m. ARCA race
8:10 p.m. Budweiser Shootout
Sunday, Feb. 19
1:05 p.m. Daytona 500 pole qualifying
Monday, Feb. 20
No track activity
Tuesday, Feb. 21
No track activity
Wednesday, Feb. 22
noon-1:30 p.m. Cup practice
2:30-4 p.m. Cup practice
Thursday, Feb. 23
9-9:50 a.m. Nationwide practice
12:10-1 p.m. Truck practice
2 p.m. Gatorade 150-mile qualifying races
6-7:20 p.m. Final Truck practice
Friday, Feb. 24
11 a.m.-noon Cup practice
2:05 p.m. Nationwide qualifying
4:05 p.m. Truck qualifying
7:30 p.m. Truck series race
Saturday, Feb. 25
10:30 a.m.-noon Final practice for Daytona 500
1:15 p.m. Nationwide Series race
Sunday, Feb. 26
1 p.m. 2012 Daytona 500
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Dale Junior talks about his new hire, Cole Whitt
Dale Earnhardt Jr. was asked Thursday at Daytona International Speedway about the process that led him and his JR Motorsports organization to pick upstart Cole Whitt as the new driver for the No. 88 Chevrolet. The team's previous driver, Aric Almirola, was hired by Richard Petty Motorsports earlier this month to drive its legendary No. 43 car.
Q. How did you to pick Cole Whitt over the other drivers who are out there and what you think he brings to your team?
Earnhardt: Well, I thought that, no disrespect to any of the guys that we didn't choose, they know who they are, but we considered a lot of different people. I just felt like Cole had some potential that was untapped, that we hadn't ‑‑ he had potential and ability that we hadn't been able to ‑‑ he hadn't even discovered yet, and I feel like in the guys that we looked at, we sort of know what kind of hand and cars they had and what kind of talent they had and where they would take us.
And I think it's more exciting, a lot more risky but more exciting to go with a guy who you don't really know what he's capable of and could be big things, but you've just got to take that risk. And that's really why I do it. I don't do it to make money. I don't have a whole lot of other reasons to be in the Nationwide Series other than just to help somebody. When I'm able to do that ‑‑ I enjoy seeing what happened to Brad and seeing Eric get a deal like he's got now. That's why I do it, you know.
It's funner to help the new guy than it is to help the guy that's kind of been through the ringer a few times. Everybody deserves their opportunity, and I just feel like that was going to be Cole's only shot.
Q. You had watched Brad Keselowski and seen him on the track and kind of had him on the radar screen. Did you have that same kind of interest with Cole because this really came together very quickly with Aric leaving.
Earnhardt: I didn't really watch Cole like I did Brad. I knew Brad before I even thought about hiring him as a driver. I just knew him, knew his family and stuff and would see him and watch him drive and watch him do stuff. And he impressed me, but I didn't have the opportunity to sort of ‑‑ I didn't have the opportunity to watch Cole.
The only time I really got to see Cole race was at Phoenix in the Cup car when I was out on the track with him. I never watched any of his truck races, never seen him drive before then. But everybody who works in that garage in there that has my phone number called me and told me Cole was the guy. Every one of them. People I don't even talk to, people that I don't really have relationships with took time out of their day to call me and say, that's the guy you need to hire. They had no other ‑‑ other than interest in seeing Cole do well and get an opportunity. I thought it said a lot for people to do that.
And the ones that I reached out to, that was the first guy on their list. I trusted all these people, and I feel like the guy ‑‑ from what I can tell, what I can see, that he deserves an opportunity. This might be his only opportunity, so I wanted to be the one to give it to him.
Q. How did you to pick Cole Whitt over the other drivers who are out there and what you think he brings to your team?
Earnhardt: Well, I thought that, no disrespect to any of the guys that we didn't choose, they know who they are, but we considered a lot of different people. I just felt like Cole had some potential that was untapped, that we hadn't ‑‑ he had potential and ability that we hadn't been able to ‑‑ he hadn't even discovered yet, and I feel like in the guys that we looked at, we sort of know what kind of hand and cars they had and what kind of talent they had and where they would take us.
And I think it's more exciting, a lot more risky but more exciting to go with a guy who you don't really know what he's capable of and could be big things, but you've just got to take that risk. And that's really why I do it. I don't do it to make money. I don't have a whole lot of other reasons to be in the Nationwide Series other than just to help somebody. When I'm able to do that ‑‑ I enjoy seeing what happened to Brad and seeing Eric get a deal like he's got now. That's why I do it, you know.
It's funner to help the new guy than it is to help the guy that's kind of been through the ringer a few times. Everybody deserves their opportunity, and I just feel like that was going to be Cole's only shot.
Q. You had watched Brad Keselowski and seen him on the track and kind of had him on the radar screen. Did you have that same kind of interest with Cole because this really came together very quickly with Aric leaving.
Earnhardt: I didn't really watch Cole like I did Brad. I knew Brad before I even thought about hiring him as a driver. I just knew him, knew his family and stuff and would see him and watch him drive and watch him do stuff. And he impressed me, but I didn't have the opportunity to sort of ‑‑ I didn't have the opportunity to watch Cole.
The only time I really got to see Cole race was at Phoenix in the Cup car when I was out on the track with him. I never watched any of his truck races, never seen him drive before then. But everybody who works in that garage in there that has my phone number called me and told me Cole was the guy. Every one of them. People I don't even talk to, people that I don't really have relationships with took time out of their day to call me and say, that's the guy you need to hire. They had no other ‑‑ other than interest in seeing Cole do well and get an opportunity. I thought it said a lot for people to do that.
And the ones that I reached out to, that was the first guy on their list. I trusted all these people, and I feel like the guy ‑‑ from what I can tell, what I can see, that he deserves an opportunity. This might be his only opportunity, so I wanted to be the one to give it to him.
Monday, January 9, 2012
Daytona test will unveil new rules
NASCAR is back in full gear as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams hit the pavement at Daytona International Speedway this week for three days of preseason testing.
The new rules package is a result of information gathered during recent tests at Talladega last October and at Daytona last November.
“While we have had other tests with these set-ups, this is the first opportunity for the entire field to test together and get more comfortable with this package as it relates to their cars,” Pemberton said.
The new rules package includes:
o Maximum of 2 gallon capacity
· Smaller overflow tank
o Maximum capacity of ½ gallon
· Radiator inlet is moved up closer into the front center bumper area
· Rate reduction in the springs – softer springs
· Smaller rear spoiler
· Base line restrictor plate of 29/32 inch (1/64 inch larger than plate size for the 2011 Daytona 500)
The main focus of the test is for teams to work on their final preparations for 2012 Speedweeks – in particular, the 54th running of the Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 26.
“This is an opportunity we are providing to the competitors to implement and test the new Daytona rules package for 2012,” said Robin Pemberton, vice president of competition. “It’s a chance for them to get comfortable with the cooling package, the smaller spoiler and to practice drafting for next month’s Daytona 500.”
The new rules package is a result of information gathered during recent tests at Talladega last October and at Daytona last November.
o Maximum of 2 gallon capacity
· Smaller overflow tank
o Maximum capacity of ½ gallon
· Radiator inlet is moved up closer into the front center bumper area
· Rate reduction in the springs – softer springs
· Smaller rear spoiler
· Base line restrictor plate of 29/32 inch (1/64 inch larger than plate size for the 2011 Daytona 500)
“This three-day test will allow the engine tuners for these teams to be able to work with their engine packages and see how they relate and react to the new cooling regulations,” Pemberton said.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Mark Martin gets a race with JGR
While Martin is only currently scheduled to race in Las Vegas for JGR, the team is still working on opportunities for him to secure additional races this season.
Martin currently has 49 career victories in 235 Nationwide starts. His most recent victory came just last season when he piloted the No. 32 car to victory Las Vegas. He had four starts in 2011, with the one victory and three top-ten finishes.
"No organization has been better in the Nationwide Series over the past three or four seasons and to have the chance to get behind the wheel of a Joe Gibbs Racing Nationwide car will be a thrill," Martin said. "Maybe I can pick up a few more races and try to catch Kyle to get my record back again.”
Friday, January 6, 2012
Are you a NASCAR all-star?
Through Jan. 13, fans who visit and “like” the speedway’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CharlotteMotorSpeedway can enter to win by explaining why they are an all-star and deserve a role in the commercial. The winning entry will join all-stars Carl Edwards, Mark Martin and Junior Johnson on the set for the shoot, which takes place on Jan. 21. The winner will also receive two tickets, two pre-race pit passes and a VIP parking spot for this season's NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race.
The 2012 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race commercial will feature the wild west theme launched by the speedway last year.
Only one entry per person will be accepted. All entries must be received by Jan. 13 at 11:59 p.m. ET. The winning entry will be announced on Jan. 16. No purchase necessary. A complete listing of the official contest rules is available on the Charlotte Motor Speedway Facebook page.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Bayne back in the No. 21
Trevor Bayne will be back in the Wood Brothers' No. 21 Ford this Sprint Cup Series season and will attempt to defend his surprising Daytona 500 victory of a year ago.
Bayne, who delivered the Woods their fifth Daytona 500 triumph in just his second start in the No. 21 Ford , said he’s pleased to be putting any off-season uncertainty behind him.
“I’m excited,” he said. “It’s a big deal for me. It’s what I had hoped for. We’re all excited to be back together.”
Team co-owner Eddie Wood said he too is pleased to have Bayne back behind the wheel. "We all wanted to do what was best for Ford Motor Company and its young drivers, and to be sure everybody had a place to race," he said.
The team will be sponsored in 12 races and is expected to enter about 17 to 18 events.
Bayne, who delivered the Woods their fifth Daytona 500 triumph in just his second start in the No. 21 Ford , said he’s pleased to be putting any off-season uncertainty behind him.
“I’m excited,” he said. “It’s a big deal for me. It’s what I had hoped for. We’re all excited to be back together.”
Team co-owner Eddie Wood said he too is pleased to have Bayne back behind the wheel. "We all wanted to do what was best for Ford Motor Company and its young drivers, and to be sure everybody had a place to race," he said.
The team will be sponsored in 12 races and is expected to enter about 17 to 18 events.
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