2011-01-27

NASCAR NEWS - Toyota All-Star Showdown has wide appeal

Le Défi des étoiles NASCAR/Toyota ratisse large

De nombreux pilotes internationaux participeront à cet événement bien spécial Official Release
January 11, 2011 - 1:07pm

Daytona Beach, Floride. — Comme Mario Andretti, Earl Ross et David Hobbs qui se sont sentis interpellés par le Daytona 500 dans le passé, plusieurs pilotes internationaux ont maintenant dans leur mire le Défi des étoiles NASCAR/Toyota (NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown) qui sera disputé les 28 et 29 janvier prochains au Toyota Speedway d’Irwindale en Californie. Cette course, réputée comme étant le «Daytona 500 des courtes pistes», est dorénavant considérée pour ces pilotes de partout dans le monde comme étant une chance de faire leur marque dans l’univers du NASCAR.

Toyota All-Star Showdown Has Wide Appeal

Several International Drivers Taking Part In Special Event Official Release
January 11, 2011 - 1:23pm

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Just as Mario Andretti, Earl Ross and David Hobbs were drawn to the Daytona 500 in years past, several international drivers are targeting the 2011 NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown, a race that has come to be known as the ‘Daytona 500 of short-track racing,’ on Jan. 28-29 at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale (Calif.) as an opportunity to make their mark on the world of NASCAR.

 

 

Parmi les participants prévus à l’épreuve se retrouvent le champion de la série NASCAR Canadian Tire présentée par Mobil 1 DJ Kennington et le champion de la série NASCAR Mexico Germán Quiroga. Kennington sera accompagné par un autre Canadien avec le champion 2007 et 2009 de la série NASCAR Canadian Tire Andrew Ranger qui sera à la ligne de départ. Pour Quiroga, ce seront ses compatriotes Rubén Rovelo et Daniel Suarez qui se joindront à lui pour défendre les couleurs du Mexique. De l’extérieur de la bannière NASCAR, le Français Lucas Lasserre, champion 2010 de la RACECAR Euro Series, se dirige aussi vers la Californie.

«Cette épreuve est tellement prestigieuse que si tu obtiens une occasion d’y courir, tu dois y être, explique Kennington. Le niveau et la profondeur de la compétition sont impressionnants. Chaque pilote à la ligne de départ a sa part de victoires.»

En tant que champions des séries internationales de NASCAR, Kennington et Quiroga ont des places garanties sur la grille de départ de l’épreuve principale. Ils seront aussi coéquipiers, en quelque sorte, en se retrouvant au volant de voitures préparées spécialement pour cette course par le Bill McAnally Racing. BMR est une des écuries de pointe dans la série NASCAR K&N Pro Ouest et le domicile du champion 2010 Eric Holmes.

Le Québécois Ranger obtient aussi une place garantie au départ avec ses victoires dans les séries NASCAR K&N Pro en 2010 à Infineon Raceway (Californie) dans l’Ouest et Lime Rock Park (Connecticut) dans l’Est. Le pilote, qui a partagé sa saison entre le Canada et les Etats-Unis en 2010, a participé aux éditions 2007 et 2010 du Défi des étoiles NASCAR/Toyota après ses deux titres en série NASCAR Canadian Tire.

Les Mexicains Rovelo et Suárez débarquent aussi à Irwindale après des campagnes fructueuses en 2010. Rovelo a terminé sixième au classement et a remporté la course du 22 août à l’Autódromo de Monterrey. Suárez, de son côté, a engrangé le titre de recrue de l,année en vertu de sa 13e place au classement.

Le Français Lasserre sera aussi de la partie en tant que champion mais il devra se tailler une place sur la grille en qualifications s’il veut être de l’épreuve principale. La série française ne roule que sur des circuits routiers dans des bolides basés sur des voitures de stock car de NASCAR. En 2010, Lasserre a gagné trois fois, obtenu trois top-5 et 11 top-10.

«Le (Défi des étoiles NASCAR/Toyota) est un endroit de choix pour se faire remarquer et ouvrir des portes si vous y avez du succès, ajoute Kennington. Vous n’avez qu’à regarder la liste des ex-gagnants.»

David Gilliland a remporté le Défi des étoiles NASCAR/Toyota en 2005 avant de débuter a carrière en coupe Sprint de NASCAR en 2007. Le double-vainqueur et champion en titre de l’épreuve Joey Logano a remporté son premier Défi des étoiles NASCAR/Toyota en 2007, juste avant de passer aux séries NASCAR Nationwide et coupe Sprint de NASCAR avec le Joe Gibbs Racing.

Des 199 pilotes qui ont pris le départ d’un Défi des étoiles NASCAR/Toyota, 68 ont disputé des épreuves dans la coupe Sprint de NASCAR, dans la série NASCAR Nationwide ou dans la série de camionnettes NASCAR Camping World.

Le Défi des étoiles NASCAR/Toyota est divisé en trois étapes — deux segments de 100 tours suivis d’un sprint de 25 tours vers le drapeau à damier. Les champions 2010 des séries de développement de NASCAR ainsi que les gagnants de courses dans les séries NASCAR K&N Pro en 2010 ont des places assurées sur la grille de départ.

L’horaire inclut aussi une course de 75 tours de la série de Super-Récents-Modèles NASCAR Whelen All-American et une épreuve de 50 tours. de la série de Récents-Modèles NASCAR Whelen All-American.

Les deux soirées de courses seront diffusées en direct sur SPEED à partir de 22h HNE chaque soir. Rick Allen et Phil Parsons seront à l’animation et à l’analyse tandis que Dick Berggren et Jim Tretow arpenteront la ligne des puits.

 

Among the entrants expected are 2010 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 champion DJ Kennington and 2010 NASCAR Mexico Series champion Germán Quiroga. Kennington will be joined in the field by fellow Canadian Andrew Ranger, the 2007 and 2009 Canadian Tire Series champion, while Quiroga will be joined by compatriots Rubén Rovelo and Daniel Suárez. Outside the NASCAR umbrella heading to California is 2010 RACECAR Euro Series champion Lucas Lasserre of France.

“The event is so prestigious that if you get an opportunity to race in it, you have to take it,” said Kennington. “The level and depth of the competition is amazing. Every driver there has had his share of wins.”

As NASCAR touring series champions Kennington and Quiroga have a secured starting spot for the main event. They also will be teammates, of sorts, by driving for Bill McAnally Racing for this special event. BMR is one of the top stables in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West and is home to 2010 champion Eric Holmes.

Ranger, a Quebec native, also enters the event with a secure starting spot as a 2010 K&N Pro Series event winner having won at California’s Infineon Raceway in the West and Connecticut’s Lime Rock Park in the East after splitting his season between the U.S. and Canada. He competed in the 2007 and 2010 NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdowns after each of his two Canadian Tire Series titles.

Mexican drivers Rovelo and Suárez come into the event with successful 2010 seasons, as well. Rovelo finished sixth in points and won the Aug. 22 race at Autódromo de Monterrey. Suárez, meanwhile, collected rookie of the year honors and finished 13th in the point standings.

France’s Lasserre comes to the event with a championship in hand, but he will have to earn his spot on the starting grid for the main event. The French series competes exclusively on road courses in a car based on a NASCAR stock car. In 2010, Lasserre won three times and notched 10 top fives and 11 top 10s.

“The (NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown) is a great place to get noticed and open some doors if you have some success,” said Kennington. “Just look at the list of past winners.”

David Gilliland won the 2005 NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown before embarking on his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career in 2007. Two-time and defending race winner Joey Logano won his first NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown in 2007 that preceded his move to the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with Joe Gibbs Racing.

Of the 119 drivers to have started a NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown, 68 have made a start in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series or NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

The NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown main event is broken up into three sections – two 100-lap segments preceding a 25-lap dash to the finish. The race features secured starting spots for the 2010 champions of NASCAR’s developmental series and race winners of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series from the 2010 season.

The schedule also includes a 75-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Super Late Model race and a 50-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model race.

Both nights of racing will air live on SPEED, beginning each night at 10 p.m. ET. The coverage will be anchored by Rick Allen and Phil Parsons in the booth, with Dick Berggren and Jim Tretow covering action in the pits.

 

 


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NASCAR News - NASCAR Names Kristi King Director of Communications, Competition; Steve Pegram Director of Stakeholder Communications

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 27, 2011) – The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) today announced two key additions to the Integrated Marketing Communications team.

 

Kristi King, who has 17 years of public relations and marketing experience in NASCAR racing, has been named director of communications, competition and joins the sanctioning body’s Integrated Marketing Communications team.

Steve Pegram brings more than 15 years of experience working with high-profile brands, sports and entertainment properties across multiple marketing and promotional platforms and has been appointed director of stakeholder communications. Most recently, he has worked with Motorsports Management International, the leading driver management firm, and Red Bull Energy Drink, where he oversaw motorsports communications and played an instrumental role in launching the start-up Red Bull Racing NASCAR team. Pegram’s first involvement with NASCAR was more than a decade ago in servicing the Miller Brewing sports marketing account for Wunderman, a Young & Rubicam-owned integrated marketing agency.

King, who will be based at the NASCAR Research and Development Center in Concord, N.C., has worked at Talladega Superspeedway for the past 6½ years. She was the track’s director of public relations from 2004-08 before being promoted to senior director of communications and consumer marketing in 2008. King was public relations director at North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham, N.C., from 1994 to 2004.

In her new role, King will assist in providing strategic leadership for all competition-related public relations efforts with specific responsibilities geared towards the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

"Kristi brings a solid background in our sport along with a high level of energy and creativity,” said Kerry Tharp, NASCAR senior director of communications, competition. “We’re excited about her joining our team.”

Pegram will play a critical role in leading NASCAR’s collaboration with the marketing and communications teams at various entities throughout the industry, especially race teams and track operators. Pegram will be responsible for working collaboratively with the IMC leadership team and across all NASCAR departments – most notably Industry Relations – to identify and then strategically mobilize NASCAR resources to support key promotional initiatives.

NASCAR veteran Jennifer Powell has been promoted to senior manager, stakeholder communications and will report to Pegram as they collaborate on establishing the department.

“Steve’s relationships and strategic experience will be vital to extending NASCAR’s communications efforts with key stakeholders in the sport,” said Steve Phelps, NASCAR chief marketing officer.

Pegram will be located at the NASCAR Plaza in Charlotte, N.C., and will report directly to the chief communications officer.

 

For more information contact:

Kerry Tharp, NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications

 

 


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Airborne Speedway Press Release

Airborne boosts Sportsman “4-20’s” purse and point fund  

For immediate release – AS-012511

South Plattsburgh, NY – Airborne Speedway has announced that J&S Steel of Plattsburgh has renewed its sponsorship of the Sportsman division for the 2011 stock car racing season.

 

J&S Steel, Vermont Life Safety and Airborne Marketing Manager Sherm Hamel have arranged to double last year’s payout for the Sportsman headliner “4-20’s” event and create a $1,000 point fund lottery.

The Vermont Life Safety 4-20’s race, set for August 13, consists of four 20-lap sprints, each now increased to pay $500 for 1st place. The line-up for successive legs of the race is set by inverting the previous order of finish. The overall event winner, determined by the lowest total of combined finishes, also earns $500.

“The Sportsmen are a pretty competitive division,” Hamel said, “but if someone can win every segment, they can go home with $2,500.”

J&S Steel will provide a year-end bonus to the division’s point fund. “We’ll have a drawing among the top ten drivers and the winner will walk away with a $1,000,” owner Jeff Sears pledged. “All of us at J&S Steel are looking forward to the 2011 racing season at Airborne Speedway. I think 2010 was the best year ever at the speedway. The whole Airborne staff really goes out of their way to bring quality family entertainment to the Plattsburgh area. We are very proud to represent the Sportsman division and add some extra incentive for the racers.”

Bucko Branham of Plattsburgh was the overall  “4-20’s” winner in 2010, edging out track champion Robin Wood and rookie Bill Thwaits, who dropped out with electrical failure on the last lap.

The Champlain Valley Motorsports Show at Plattsburgh’s Crete Civic Center is scheduled for Friday and Saturday April 14, 15. Airborne’s 59th season begins Saturday May 7.

 

Contact: Tom Herzig


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