NASCAR has only released its 2013 Sprint Cup Schedule but The Charlotte Observer and ThatsRacin.com have obtained a copy of the Nationwide Series schedule, which is expected to be released to the public next week.
There are no major surprises in the schedule. There are 33 points-paying races, beginning Feb. 23, 2013 at Daytona and concluding Nov. 16 at Homestead, Fla. The only notable change is slight change in dates involving Iowa Speedway's two races.
There are no additional night races added to the schedule.
The 2013 Nationwide Series schedule
Feb 23 Daytona
March 2 Phoenix
March 9 Las Vegas
March 16 Bristol
March 23 California
April 12 Texas
April 26 Richmond
May 4 Talladega
May 10 Darlington
May 25 Charlotte
June 1 Dover
June 8 Iowa
June 15 Michigan
June 22 Road America
June 28 Kentucky
July 5 Daytona
July 13 New Hampshire
July 21 Chicagoland
July 27 Indianapolis
Aug. 3 Iowa
Aug. 10 Watkins Glen
Aug. 17 Montreal
Aug. 23 Bristol
Aug. 31 Atlanta
Sept. 6 Richmond
Sept. 14 Chicagoland
Sept. 21 Kentucky
Sept. 28 Dover
Oct. 5 Kansas
Oct. 11 Charlotte
Nov. 2 Texas
Nov. 9 Phoenix
Nov. 16 Homestead
Friday, September 28, 2012
"Dean of American Motorsports" Chris Economaki dies
Economaki began selling single copies of National Speed Sport News at age 14 and eventually became the publication’s editor - a position he held for 60 years.
Economaki next turned his attention and energies to broadcasting, covering several Indianapolis 500s, Daytona 500s, Formula 1 Grand Prixes and other motorsports events for “ABC Wide World of Sports” in the ’60s. Two decades later, he moved on to CBS Sports and later contributed to ESPN and TBS motorsports programming.
Funeral arragements are incomplete.
For more information, read Economaki's obituary at National Speed Sport News here.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Your chance to go After the Lap with NASCAR's best
Tickets are now on sale for tell-all fan event, "NASCAR After The Lap." Returning to Las Vegas for its fourth consecutive year, After The Lap will take place on Nov. 29 at 5 p.m. Pacific at PH Live at Planet Hollywood. ESPN pit reporter Jamie Little will host the event.
Fans in attendance will interact with all 12 Chase for the Cup drivers, which in the past has resulted in unfiltered answers and unpredictable antics. Last year, 2011 champion Tony Stewart drove his car into the venue, which set the tone for the event’s highlight: Jeff Gordon’s break dancing performance that took the audience by surprise.
“Our top drivers take their helmets off and celebrate the season with our fans, resulting in a wildly entertaining evening and a unique platform for two of our long-standing partners, Ford and Coca-Cola," said Norris Scott, vice president of partnership marketing for NASCAR.
Fans in attendance will interact with all 12 Chase for the Cup drivers, which in the past has resulted in unfiltered answers and unpredictable antics. Last year, 2011 champion Tony Stewart drove his car into the venue, which set the tone for the event’s highlight: Jeff Gordon’s break dancing performance that took the audience by surprise.
“Our top drivers take their helmets off and celebrate the season with our fans, resulting in a wildly entertaining evening and a unique platform for two of our long-standing partners, Ford and Coca-Cola," said Norris Scott, vice president of partnership marketing for NASCAR.
One fan will also win a grand prize package that includes a 2013 Ford F-150 FX4 truck, round trip for two to Las Vegas, two nights at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino and two VIP tickets to NASCAR After The Lap.
To purchase tickets and enter the “NASCAR After The Lap” Sweepstakes, fans can visit www.NASCARafterthelap.com. Tickets are $20 each, with proceeds benefiting The NASCAR Foundation. Grand prize sweepstakes entries will be accepted up until Nov. 18 at 2 p.m. Eastern.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Kurt Busch joins Furniture Row Racing for 2013
Official press release
Furniture Row Racing announced today that Kurt Busch has been hired to drive the team’s No. 78 Chevrolet during the 2013 Sprint Cup season.
Busch, a former NASCAR Cup champion, will replace Regan Smith, who joined Furniture Row Racing at the beginning of the 2009 season.
“Though we have made strides as a resourceful single-car Sprint Cup team, we are not where we want to be, which led us to the difficult decision of making a driver change as we move forward,” said Furniture Row Racing's general manager Joe Garone. “Kurt’s exceptional driving talent has the capacity to take a team to another level. We look forward to having Kurt join our Denver-based organization and feel his racing experience will play an important role as we plan ahead to 2013.”
Garone added, “As our team driver the past four years, Regan has represented Furniture Row Racing with both class and competitiveness. His win at Darlington in 2011 – the first for Furniture Row Racing – will be a memory forever etched in our organization’s history. He is a friend, and will always be a friend of Furniture Row Racing. We wish him all the best.”
Busch, a 34 year-old native of Las Vegas, has been a full time driver in the Sprint Cup Series since 2001. He has 427 Cup starts and has scored 24 wins, 89 top-fives, 171 top-10s and 15 poles. He has qualified for the Chase six times in the past nine years and won the 2004 inaugural Chase season championship in only his third full season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series.
“Furniture Row Racing has the commitment, talent and resources to compete at a high level in the Sprint Cup Series,” said Busch. "I have watched with admiration on how this team has grown over the years and that is why I am excited about the opportunity as I eagerly look forward to a new chapter in my racing career."
Since the beginning of the 2012 season, Busch has driven the No. 51 Chevrolet for Phoenix Racing. His previous two teams in the Sprint Cup Series were at Penske Racing and Roush Fenway Racing.
Furniture Row Racing announced today that Kurt Busch has been hired to drive the team’s No. 78 Chevrolet during the 2013 Sprint Cup season.
Busch, a former NASCAR Cup champion, will replace Regan Smith, who joined Furniture Row Racing at the beginning of the 2009 season.
“Though we have made strides as a resourceful single-car Sprint Cup team, we are not where we want to be, which led us to the difficult decision of making a driver change as we move forward,” said Furniture Row Racing's general manager Joe Garone. “Kurt’s exceptional driving talent has the capacity to take a team to another level. We look forward to having Kurt join our Denver-based organization and feel his racing experience will play an important role as we plan ahead to 2013.”
Garone added, “As our team driver the past four years, Regan has represented Furniture Row Racing with both class and competitiveness. His win at Darlington in 2011 – the first for Furniture Row Racing – will be a memory forever etched in our organization’s history. He is a friend, and will always be a friend of Furniture Row Racing. We wish him all the best.”
Busch, a 34 year-old native of Las Vegas, has been a full time driver in the Sprint Cup Series since 2001. He has 427 Cup starts and has scored 24 wins, 89 top-fives, 171 top-10s and 15 poles. He has qualified for the Chase six times in the past nine years and won the 2004 inaugural Chase season championship in only his third full season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series.
“Furniture Row Racing has the commitment, talent and resources to compete at a high level in the Sprint Cup Series,” said Busch. "I have watched with admiration on how this team has grown over the years and that is why I am excited about the opportunity as I eagerly look forward to a new chapter in my racing career."
Since the beginning of the 2012 season, Busch has driven the No. 51 Chevrolet for Phoenix Racing. His previous two teams in the Sprint Cup Series were at Penske Racing and Roush Fenway Racing.
Pastrana to make NASCAR Truck series debut at Vegas
The Sept. 29 Smith’s 350 will mark Pastrana’s first race in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Pastrana, headlined in the recently-released Nitro Circus: The Movie 3D, is a star of the ESPN X Games and a champion motocross rider. He will drive the No. 98 AM/PM Toyota in the Smith’s 350 and the Red Bull/Discount Tire Dodge Dart in the GRC event. Pastrana won the July 14 GRC race at Loudon, N.H.
Although a newcomer to Trucks, Pastrana has competed on a limited schedule in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and K&N Pro East series. He made his stock car racing debut last year in the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown at Irwindale, Calif.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Vote for most popular driver in NASCAR Nationwide and Trucks
For the fifth
consecutive year, fans can vote online on NASCAR.com for the 2012 Most Popular
Driver in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck series. Voting begins Sept.
21 and runs through Friday, Nov. 16, prior to the season finale for both
national series at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
New this year: two fans and their guests will win an all-expense paid trip to the 2012 Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series Awards on Nov. 19 at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel by registering for the Most Popular Driver Vote Sweepstakes after placing their vote on NASCAR.com. The sweepstakes is open to fans 18 and older in the 48 continental states. Eligible fans may register once (1) per 24 hours. The sweepstakes entry period ends November 3, 2012 at 11:59 p.m. ET. The Most Popular Driver winners from both series will be announced at the combined gala event.
Each series has a dedicated page on NASCAR.com for voting. Fans can go to www.NASCAR.com/nnsmpd for the NASCAR Nationwide Series and to www.NASCAR.com/ncwtsmpd for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Fans are encouraged to vote once per day leading up to the Nov. 16 deadline.
To be eligible to receive votes, drivers must have selected either the Nationwide Series or Camping World Truck Series for their 2012 driver championship points. Additionally, drivers must have attempted at least half of each series’ races this season.
New this year: two fans and their guests will win an all-expense paid trip to the 2012 Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series Awards on Nov. 19 at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel by registering for the Most Popular Driver Vote Sweepstakes after placing their vote on NASCAR.com. The sweepstakes is open to fans 18 and older in the 48 continental states. Eligible fans may register once (1) per 24 hours. The sweepstakes entry period ends November 3, 2012 at 11:59 p.m. ET. The Most Popular Driver winners from both series will be announced at the combined gala event.
Each series has a dedicated page on NASCAR.com for voting. Fans can go to www.NASCAR.com/nnsmpd for the NASCAR Nationwide Series and to www.NASCAR.com/ncwtsmpd for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Fans are encouraged to vote once per day leading up to the Nov. 16 deadline.
To be eligible to receive votes, drivers must have selected either the Nationwide Series or Camping World Truck Series for their 2012 driver championship points. Additionally, drivers must have attempted at least half of each series’ races this season.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
NASCAR reinstates Allmendinger
NASCAR has reinstated suspended driver AJ Allmendinger after he successfully completed the Road to Recovery program.
Allmendinger had been suspended by NASCAR on July 24 after failing a drug test. He was subsequently released by Penske Racing.
Allmendinger was temporarily suspended after failing a drug test taken in June in Kentucky. When a backup, Sample B test also failed, he was indefinitely suspended.
Team owner Roger Penske said last weekend in Sonoma, Calif., that he would consider giving Allmendinger another chance. But Joey Logano has signed to drive Penske's No. 22 Dodge in 2013. Sam Hornish Jr. has been in the car in Allmendinger's absence. -- David Scott
Allmendinger had been suspended by NASCAR on July 24 after failing a drug test. He was subsequently released by Penske Racing.
Allmendinger was temporarily suspended after failing a drug test taken in June in Kentucky. When a backup, Sample B test also failed, he was indefinitely suspended.
“I want to thank everyone for their support through this entire process,” said Allmendinger in a statement. “I appreciate that NASCAR created the the Road to Recovery program, and am grateful for the opportunity to return to competition. The Road to Recovery program was really helpful to me in getting my priorities reset away from the race track. And, honestly, that helped find my love of racing again and why I began racing in the first place. I’m looking forward to taking this experience and be better for it moving forward.”
Team owner Roger Penske said last weekend in Sonoma, Calif., that he would consider giving Allmendinger another chance. But Joey Logano has signed to drive Penske's No. 22 Dodge in 2013. Sam Hornish Jr. has been in the car in Allmendinger's absence. -- David Scott
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