Goody’s Fast Relief 500 NASCAR HOTPASS Lineup

NASCAR HOTPASS on DIRECTV is back, and it’s FREE to all DIRECTV customers. Four dedicated driver channels offering viewers multiple camera angles, real-time statistics and audio of the network broadcast augmented by live communication between the drivers and their pit crews are available for all 36 points-paying races during the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. 


The NASCAR HOTPASS lineup for the Goody’s Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway is as follows:   

DIRECTV Channel 795: Matt Kenseth and the No. 17 Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers / Gary Sinise Foundation Ford team of Roush Fenway Racing.

DIRECTV Channel 796: Kevin Harvick and the No. 29 Budweiser is Back Chevrolet team of Richard Childress Racing. 

DIRECTV Channel 797: Jimmie Johnson and the No. 48 MyLowe’s Chevrolet team of Hendrick Motorsports.

DIRECTV Channel 798: Dale Earnhardt Jr., and the No. 88 AMP Energy / National Guard Chevrolet team of Hendrick Motorsports.

About NASCAR HOTPASS on DIRECTV: 
NASCAR HOTPASS is available free to all DIRECTV customers. More information is available at www.directv.com/hotpass.  


- TrueSpeed Communications Press Release

Martinsville Chassis Selections

Not all teams announce their weekly race chassis'. Here is a list of those teams that do reveal the chassis in the teams race preview:
#1- Jamie McMurray - Crew Chief Kevin “Bono” Manion and the No.1 Belkin team will bring Chassis #1210 to Martinsville Speedway this weekend. This is a brand new chassis.


#2- Brad Keselowski - The No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger team will race chassis PRS-818 during Sunday’s Goody’s Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway. This is a new chassis to the No. 2 fleet.


#5- Kasey Kahne - For the April 1 race, crew chief Kenny Francis has selected Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 5-651. Built in 2011, Mark Martin drove this car in both Martinsville races last year, collecting a top-10 finish in April.


#9- Marcos Ambrose - The No. 9 RPM team has prepared chassis No. 754 for the 500-lap race at Martinsville Speedway. This DEWALT Ford Fusion ran in both Martinsville races last season.


#10- David reutimann - CHASSIS NO. 297 – Reutimann will pilot the No. 297 chassis, which he also drove at Phoenix International Raceway this season. TBR debuted chassis No. 297 with Blaney at Texas Motor Speedway in November 2011. Blaney also piloted the chassis at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the 2011 NSCS Season Finale where he finished 28th. TBR purchased the chassis from Richard Childress Racing during the 2011 season.


#14-Tony Stewart - Chassis No. 14-587: This car made its debut in March 2010 at Martinsville, where it qualified fifth and finished 26th . Prior to Martinsville, Chassis No. 14-587 never turned a wheel on the racetrack. With a new body honed in the wind tunnel, it was tested at The Milwaukee Mile June 1 in preparation for its second career start in June at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon. There, Chassis No. 14-587 earned a hard-fought second-place finish, for after starting 25th, it fell to 33rd after a lap-36 pit miscue on the team’s first stop. Two late-race cautions allowed Stewart to regain his lost track position, and with a savvy two-tire pit call, Stewart wheeled Chassis No. 14-587 to pass second-place Kurt Busch on the penultimate lap. The car returned to New Hampshire for the first event of the 10-race Chase for the Championship, where in its third career start, it qualified third before leading three times for 100 laps. But while leading with less than two laps to go, it ran out of fuel. Stewart coasted around the 1.058-mile oval for the final circuit of the 300-lap race and finished 24th, the last driver on the lead lap. Clint Bowyer, who served as Stewart’s primary competition for much of the race, wound up with the victory. Chassis No. 14-587 revisited Martinsville for round six of the Chase, where it qualified sixth and rallied back from two pitroad miscues during the race, but a flat right-front tire with less than 10 laps remaining relegated it to a 24th-place finish. With another new body, this car made its first start of 2011 and fifth overall at Phoenix International Raceway in February. It started 18th and led four times for 59 laps before an ill-timed caution period late in the race jettisoned solid pit strategy and left it with a seventh-place finish. Chassis No. 14-587’s second start of 2011 came at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway back in April, where it qualified 31st and rallied its way to a ninth-place finish. The car sat idle until returning to Richmond in early September for it seventh career start, where it logged its third straight top-10 finish. In its final start of 2011, Chassis No. 14-587 went out on top. The site was Martinsville in late October, where it started fourth, nearly fell off the lead lap midway through the 500-lap race, and overcame an unscheduled pit stop on lap 415 to replace a perceived flat tire. Stewart used Chassis No. 14-587 to rally his way from 20th to take the lead from five-time Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson on a restart with three laps to go. When the checkered flag dropped, Stewart had his third Sprint Cup win at Martinsville and was on his way to his third career Sprint Cup Championship. This weekend, Chassis No. 14-587 makes its ninth career start, its fourth at Martinsville and first of 2012 in Sunday’s Goody’s Fast Relief 500.


#15- Clint Bowyer - The No. 15 5-hour ENERGY team will race chassis No. 701 at Martinsville. Chassis No. 693 will serve as the backup. Both chassis are new in 2012.


#16- Greg Biffle - Primary: RK-807 Brand new chassis; Backup: RK-759 Last ran Phoenix as the No. 6 – finished 33rd.


#17- Matt Kenseth -  No. 17 Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation/Gary Sinise Foundation Ford Fusion team and Crew Chief: Jimmy Fennig will unload chassis RK-790 (Last ran at Martinsville, Oct. 2011)


#22- A J Allmendinger -  Allmendinger, Gordon and crew will be racing their new "PRS-819" Shell-Pennzoil Dodge Charger this weekend at Martinsville. The "PRS-807" is the backup Dodge Charger for the "Double-Deuce" team. It was in the transporter serving as the backup at Phoenix and at Bristol, but has never seen any track time.


#24-Jeff Gordon - The No. 24 Drive To End Hunger team will be using chassis No. 24-652. It finished third and fifth at Martinsville in 2011.

#27- Paul Menard - Paul Menard will pilot Chassis No. 349 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This No. 27 Chevrolet was last seen on track at Martinsville in October 2011 where Menard finished 24th after starting in the 21st position.


#29- Kevin Harvick - Kevin Harvick will pilot Chassis No. 320 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable in this weekend’s Goody’s Fast Relief 500. This former No. 33 racer was transformed to a No. 29 entry during the off-season and will turn its first competitive laps as a Budweiser is Back Chevrolet during Friday’s opening practice session.


#31- Jeff Burton -  Jeff Burton will race chassis No. 329 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable this weekend. This No. 31 Chevrolet, originally built in 2010, has seen significant track time over the last two seasons including Texas Motor Speedway in Nov. 2010 (started-16th, finished-36th), Bristol Motor Speedway in Aug. 2011 (started-21st, finished-15th) and New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Sept. 2011 (started-18th, finished-13th). Burton also tallied a top-five finish at Phoenix International Raceway last November, finishing fourth after starting 14th.


#36- Dave Blaney - CHASSIS NO. 78 – Blaney will pilot chassis No. 78 this weekend. In the 2011 season, he drove the chassis in the Martinsville fall event where he finished 23rd and at six other events. His best finish in the chassis was 19th at Richmond International Raceway last fall.


#39- Ryan Newman - Chassis No. 39-645: This will be the fifth start for Chassis No. 39-645, its first this season and its third start at Martinsville  Speedway. The chassis made its first start last April at Martinsville, where Newman started second and finished 20th, two laps down. Newman led three laps and was in the top-10 for much of the first 300 laps of the 500-lap race, but a broken header pipe and a flat left-rear tire caused him to lose two laps. The next start for Chassis 39-645 was in July at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, where Newman started on the pole and led 119 of 301 laps en route to his 15th career Sprint
Cup Series victory. The chassis returned to Loudon in September, when Newman again started on the pole and then led the first 62 laps before finishing a disappointing 25th. A cut tire with less than five laps remaining dropped Newman from 11th to 25th. The last on-track action for this chassis came at Martinsville last fall. Newman led 41 laps and recovered from a late-race spin and made up 10 spots in the race’s final 25 laps to finish in the top-10. The car has been updated for the 2012 season and returns to action for the first time this weekend at Martinsville.


#42- Juan Pablo Montoya - Crew Chief Chris Heroy and the No.42 Target team will bring Chassis #1207 to Martinsville Speedway this weekend. This is a brand new chassis.


#43- Aric Almirola - The No. 43 Smithfield Ford will be chassis number 736. The chassis was last used at Phoenix last November and the team finished sixth.


#48- Jimmie Johnson - Jimmie Johnson will return in the same car, No. 653 that he finished 11th and 2nd with, respectively, last season at Martinsville.

#51- Kurt Busch - Chassis No. 524: This weekend’s Goody’s Fast Relief 500 will be the first race of the 2012 season for this chassis. The No. 51 Phoenix Racing team competed with this chassis at a number of short-track races during the 2011 season. Prior to the 2011 season, this chassis was used by the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports team and driver Jeff Gordon.


#55-Brian Vickers - Vickers will drive chassis 703 and chassis 694 will serve as a backup car. Neither has raced in 2012.


#88- Dale Earnhardt Jr - Crew chief Steve Letarte will unload Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 88-654 for this weekend's race at Martinsville Speedway. This will be the third time that Earnhardt has raced this car, which he drove last season to a second-place finish at Martinsville in April and a seventh-place finish in October at Martinsville.


#99- Carl Edwards - The No. 99 Fastenal Blue Team will unload RK-791 for the weekend. Edwards raced this car at Martinsville last October and finished ninth



- Reported in Team News/Press Releases

Martinsville Driver Previews

Not all teams announce their weekly race previews'. Here is a list of those teams that do reveal the information in the teams race preview: 


#1- Jamie McMurray - McMurray will make his 19th start this weekend at Martinsville Speedway. McMurray has accumulated 10-top-10 finishes, which is nearly 56% of the races he has run at the track. He has an average starting position of 14.6 and an average finishing position of 16.8. McMurray’s best finish at the track came in the fall race of 2004, when he came to the checkered in second.


#2- Brad Keselowski - In four Cup starts at Martinsville, Brad has scored one top 10 finish, 2010.


#5- Kasey Kahne - In 16 NASCAR Sprint Cup starts at Martinsville Speedway, Kasey Kahne has one top-five finish and two top-10s. He scored his best result at the short track in April 2005 when he rallied from a 35th-place starting spot to finish second. The driver of the No. 5 Hendrickcars.com Chevrolet has become a strong qualifier in the track’s spring races, starting from an average position of 9.5 during the last four events.


#9- Marcos Ambrose - Marcos Ambrose has made six career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Martinsville. Ambrose enters the weekend in 24th place in the Sprint Cup Series point standings. Ambrose’s best start (second) at the half-mile track came in 2010 which was also the year he had his best finish of 11th.


#14- Tony Stewart - Stewart has three wins, three poles, seven top-threes, nine top-fives, 14 top-10s and has led a total of 1,208 laps in his 26 career Sprint Cup starts at Martinsville. His average start is 13.2, his average finish is 13.4 and he has a lap completion rate of 95.9 percent.


#15- Clint Bowyer -  Bowyer will make his 13th career NSCS start at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday. In 12 previous starts, he has one top-five and six top-10 finishes. He finished a career-best fifth in the spring 2009 race. Last spring he led 91 laps and finished ninth. On average he starts 18th and finishes 15th. Bowyer has four straight top-10 finishes in the spring race at Martinsville. He averages an 11th place finish in the spring compared to a 20th place finish in the fall.


#16- Greg Biffle - Biffle is currently leading the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver point standings; seven points ahead second. Biffle has 18 starts at Martinsville and has scored 2 top 10's


#17- Matt Kenseth - In 24 Cup starts at Martinsville, Kenseth has completed 11,886 of 12,019 laps (98.9 percent) and led for 71 laps. Kenseth has an average starting position of 22.4 and an average finishing position of 16.5 at Martinsville. Kenseth has achieved two top-five and seven top-10 finishes at Martinsville in the Cup series. This weekend at Martinsville, Kenseth will pilot the No. 17 Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation/Gary Sinise Foundation Ford Fusion. Entering the weekend at Martinsville, Kenseth is currently sixth in the NSCS driver point standings.


 #18- Kyle Busch - Busch has no wins, six top-five and seven top-10 finishes, and has led a total of 397 laps in his 14 career Sprint Cup starts at Martinsville. His average Martinsville finish is 16.4.


#22- A J Allmendinger - In nine career starts on the tight little .526-mile paper clip-shaped track, Allmendinger has posted one top-10 finish (a ninth in the 2009 edition of this race). He has a 21.6 average start and 22.9 average finish at Martinsville. He has an 89.5 percent lap completion average (4,046 of 4,519 laps) and has led a total of 25 laps. He has been running at the finish in all but one of the races and has finished on the lead lap three times.


#27- Paul Menard - In nine previous starts at Martinsville Speedway, Menard has completed 94.5 percent of his laps (4,269 of 4,519), has an average starting position of 24.8 and an average finishing position of 22.7. His best finish of 13th came in the October 2010 event and his best start at the 0.526-mile speedway came in March 2010 when he took the green flag in the ninth position.


#29- Kevin Harvick -Harvick will mark a milestone in his NSCS career this weekend as he makes his 400th start in Sunday’s race at Martinsville Speedway. Since his first NSCS start on Feb. 25, 2001, at Rockingham Speedway, Harvick has earned 18 wins, 88 top-five finishes, 177 top-10 finishes and five pole awards. Harvick has made 21 NSCS starts at Martinsville Speedway since 2001. During that time he has scored one win (April 2011), three top-five and 10 top-10 finishes. He has completed 97.44 percent of the laps run in those 21 races (10,250 of 10,519) and he’s led a total of 342 laps at the short track. Harvick holds an average starting position of 13.9 and an average finishing position of 15.9 at Martinsville.


#31- Jeff Burton - Burton is now 15th in the Sprint Cup Series driver championship point standings, just 13 points out of the final Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup spot. Burton has One win, 10 top fives, 16 top 10sand an Average finish of 14.6 at Martinsville.


#39- Ryan Newman - The Goody’s Fast Relief 500 will mark Newman’s 374th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start and his 21st Sprint Cup start at Martinsville Speedway. Newman has three poles, six top-five finishes and 10 top-10s in 20 starts at Martinsville.


#42- Juan Pablo Montoya - Montoya will make his 11th start this weekend at Martinsville Speedway. In his NSCS career Montoya has earned two top-five finishes, three top-10 finishes and has led 46 laps at the track. Montoya has zero DNF’s (did not finish) and has completed 4,906 of 5,019 laps (97.7%). Montoya’s highest starting position is fifth in the 2010 fall race and his highest finish is third in the 2009 fall race.


#43- Aric Almirola - Almirola and the No. 43 team moved up to 21st in championship points after California.Almirola stayed out in California after the race this week. He spent time visiting family in the area before returning to his home in North Carolina on Thursday.Aric has 6 starts at Martinsville with a best finish of 20th in 2008


#48- Jimmie Johnson -  Quick Stats: Six wins in 20 starts. One pole (April 2006) at the short track. 14 top-five (70 percent) and 18 top-10 finishes (90 percent) in 20 starts. An average start of 11.9 and an average finish of 5.4. One DNF (did not finish) that occurred in his first race at the track in April 2002.


#51- Kurt Busch - Kurt Busch has scored one win, two top-five finishes, four top 10s and led 377 laps led in 23 career Sprint Cup starts at Martinsville. Busch’s average Martinsville finish is 20.8.


#55- Brian Vickers - Vickers has 13 career cup starts at Martinsville. He owns top-12 finishes in three of the last six Martinsville races. Sunday marks his 257th career Sprint Cup start.

#88- Dale Earnhardt Jr - Earnhardt is currently 3rd in Sprint Cup points. In 24 Sprint Cup starts at Martinsville Speedway, Earnhardt has scored nine top-five finishes, 13 top-10s and led 865 laps. He recorded a career-best runner-up finish at the Virginia short track behind the wheel of the No. 88 Chevrolet in October 2008 and again in April 2011.


#99- Carl Edwards - Carl Edwards enters Martinsville 12th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup point standings, trailing leader Greg Biffle by 49 points. He has earned two top-five, three top-10 finishes and one pole this season. In 15 starts at the 0.526-mile track, Edwards has one top-five and five top-10 finishes. His average start is 17.1, and his average finish is 16.3. Edwards has completed 97.6 percent (7336 of 7519) of laps in Cup competition attempted at Martinsville Speedway


- Reported in Team News/Press Releases

Bruton Smith Announces Changes to be Made to Bristol Motor Speedway

After more than a week of studying requested fan input, Bruton Smith, Chairman and CEO of Speedway Motorsports, today announced he has ordered the go-ahead to make changes to the track surface at Bristol Motor Speedway.

“The race fans have spoken,” Smith said. “We had input that included a wide range of opinions. But the majority we heard from said they wanted to see changes made. As a result, I have ordered the equipment and work will begin within the next two weeks to allow time to have everything ready for August.”

Smith said an announcement regarding the scope of the work will be made soon.

“The question we wanted to answer as quickly as possible was ‘Is something going to be done?’ Smith said. “The answer to that is ‘yes.’ We will have the details in two weeks as to what that ‘something’ is.

“Bristol Motor Speedway has been voted the most popular race track in the country more than a half-dozen times, even one of the 10 things you need to see before you die. We aim to keep the status as the fans’ favorite.”

- Bristol Motor Speedway Press Release

Goodyear Schedules Busy Stretch of Tire Testing

Amidst the spring racing season, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has set an aggressive schedule of tire tests at NASCAR tracks. Beginning this week at Michigan International Speedway, Goodyear will hold four tests in a six-week stretch.


Two of the tracks at which Goodyear will test – Michigan and Pocono Raceway – will have new surfaces for 2012, thus the immediate need for tests. The other two tracks – Dover International Speedway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway – have been designated as tracks where Goodyear continues to incorporate feedback and stay attuned with advancements NASCAR teams continue to make.

The Michigan test is scheduled to be held today and Wednesday (April 3-4). The tentative list of participating teams and drivers are the No. 2 Penske Racing Dodge with Brad Keselowski, No. 17 Roush Fenway Ford with Matt Kenseth, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet with Jeff Gordon and No. 42 Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing Chevrolet with Juan Pablo Montoya.

Pocono’s test is scheduled for April 24-25 with the No. 1 Earnhardt-Ganassi Chevrolet with Jamie McMurray, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsport Chevrolet with Kasey Kahne, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota with Joey Logano, No. 22 Penske Racing Dodge with A.J. Allmendinger and No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford with Aric Almirola.


Participating in the Dover test will be the No. 9 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford with Marcos Ambrose, No. 22 Penske Racing Dodge with A.J. Allmendinger, No. 29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet with Kevin Harvick, No. 36 Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet with Dave Blaney, No. 39 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet with Ryan Newman, No. 51 Phoenix Racing Chevrolet with Kurt Busch and No. 56 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota with Martin Truex Jr.

Teams scheduled to test at New Hampshire are the No. 27 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet with Paul Menard, No. 47 JTG-Daugherty Racing Toyota with Bobby Labonte, No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet with Regan Smith, No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and No. 99 Roush Fenway Racing Ford with Carl Edwards.


All in all, it will be a busy stretch for Goodyear Racing engineers. With the help of 21 different Sprint Cup teams, this slate of tire tests promises to have a positive impact on the 2012 NASCAR season.

- Goodyear Racing Press Release

SRT Motorsports (Dodge) Presents THE NUMBERS: Goody’s Fast Relief 500

THE NUMBERS for the GOODY’S FAST PAIN RELIEF 500

Martinsville Speedway (All 126 Sprint Cup races)
1 – fewest cautions (three times, most recent 4/25/71)

1 – fewest cars on lead lap at finish (27 times, most recent 4/27/86)

1 – fewest lead changes (three times, most recent 4/9/61)

2 – fewest leaders (11 times, most recent 9/26/76)

3 – fewest caution laps (4/25/71)

4 – fewest laps led by race winner (John Andretti, 4/18/99)

4 – fewest running at the finish (5/6/51); 35 cars started the 200-lap race on .500-mile dirt track

4 – number of jet dryers available for track drying this weekend

11 – cautions in last year’s spring race

14 – most leaders (10/15/01)

15 – most wins by driver (Richard Petty)

19 – races won from the pole

21 – most cautions for a race (10/21/07)

26 – most cars on the lead lap at finish (twice, most recent 10/22/06)

29 – cautions for two races last year: 11 for the Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 and 18 for TUMS Fast Relief 500

42 – most running at finish (two times, most recent 4/1/07)

46 – different race winners

56 – different pole winners

90 – minutes, amount of time it takes to dry the .526-mile track after a significant rainfall.

126 – Sprint Cup races at Martinsville Speedway since 1949

127 – most caution laps (10/21/07)

493 – most laps led by race winner (Fred Lorenzen, 9/27/64)

2012 Caution Update

31 – cautions in the first five Sprint Cup races; 45 after five races last year

16 of 31 – cautions have been for accidents; 25 of 45 for accidents last year

166 of 1,410 laps completed have been under caution; 211 of 1,487 in 2011

227.617 of 1,742.000 miles completed have been under caution; 307.881 of 1,899.000 in 2011

BONUS: Nine Virginia tracks have hosted 274 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races (does not include convertible events) through the years dating back to the early 1950s. Two tracks remain on the schedule – Martinsville (126) and Richmond (111). Of the seven tracks that are no longer on the Sprint Cup calendar, Boston Speedway hosted 10 events, Langley Field Speedway nine and Old Dominion Speedway seven. The other four tracks had a total of 11 races.

- Darnell Communications for SRT Motorsports Press Release

Jesse Jones Hot Dogs Becomes Official Martinsville Partner

Sixty-five years after the first Jesse Jones wiener was served at Martinsville Speedway it has become an official partner with the historic Virginia track.

Martinsville Speedway president Clay Campbell announced today that the track and Jesse Jones, LLC had partnered to bring official status to the wiener just in time for the Goody’s Fast Relief 500 weekend.

“We have obviously been partners for many years, ever since my grandfather H. Clay Earles made the first Famous Martinsville Speedway Hot Dog™, but this makes it official,” said Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell.

“Our hot dog is the most iconic concession item in all of racing, and the key reason for that is the Jesse Jones wiener. We have our special, secret way of dressing it, but the dog is at the heart of it all.”

If stretched end-to-end, the hot dogs sold during this weekend’s events at Martinsville Speedway would wrap around the half-mile track more than nine times.

“We at Jesse Jones are proud and excited to carry on the historical relationship between Jesse Jones and Martinsville Speedway,” said Leigh Smithson, executive vice-president of the Fredricksburg-based company. “This is a proud tradition that has been carried on for 65 years and Jesse Jones looks forward to coming back every year.

The Famous Martinsville Speedway Hot Dog™ has achieved rock-star status in racing over the years. Team members battle to see who can get in line first when the infield concession stands open on race Friday; hundreds of stories have been written about the hot dog over the years, and it even has its own Twitter account.

“When my grandfather first started selling Jesse Jones products, he just wanted to sell the best hot dog possible,” said Campbell. “He accomplished that and so much more because he was working with such a great product.”

- Martinsville Speedway

NASCAR Driver Press Conference Schedule - Martinsville

Press Conference Schedule, Martinsville Speedway, March 30-April 1

NASCAR schedules driver press conferences at every race weekend event. These normally include the Top 12 drivers in championship points in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, along with other drivers of note. The press conferences will last approximately 15 minutes each and may be viewed at NASCAR.com.

March 30:

10:15 a.m. – John King (No. 7 Red Horse Racing Toyota) & Timothy Peters (No. 17 NTB Service Central Toyota) in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

10:30 a.m. – Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Budweiser Is Back Chevrolet) – Media Center

10:45 a.m. – Brian Vickers (No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota) & team owner Michael Waltrip – Media Center

11:15 a.m. – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 MyLowe’s Chevrolet) – Media Center

11:30 a.m. – Matt Kenseth (No. 17 Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers/Gary Sinise Foundation Ford) – Media Center

11:45 a.m. – Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet) – Media Center

2 p.m. – Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet) - #14 hauler

2:05 p.m. – Carl Edwards (No. 99 Fastenal Ford) – Media Center

2:20 p.m. – Martin Truex Jr. (No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota) – Media Center

2:35 p.m. – Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford) – Media Center

2:45 p.m. – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Freight Toyota) – Media Center

2:45 p.m. – Kasey Kahne (No. 5 Hendrickcars.com Chevrolet) - #5 hauler

March 31:

10:15 a.m. – Jeff Burton (No. 31 BB&T Chevrolet) – Media Center

10:30 a.m. – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet) – Media Center

 - NASCAR 

NASCAR Inanimate Objects Martinsville Preview

@MartvilleHotDog This weekend, Martinsville will dole out an estimated 50,000 of these bright red meat snacks, starting as early as 8 a.m. Hot dogs for breakfast? And for only a couple bucks? Must be a true NASCAR fan if you've sampled one of these delicacies, congrats!  Dog is not worried about being eliminated any time soon, he's like the Loaves and Fishes in the Bible, reproduces early and often, kinda like voting in Chicago also. Now just remember, Dog, try to keep the wrapper on, otherwise your 2 buddies will get all the attention, Debri and Caution, oh and that other startup, Green,,whats his name?


@TheNascarGarage informed I'm Just Sayin' today that he is thrilled with the new All Star Race format. Garage says that with cars racing for position in the first four segments, his inanimate pals Wreck and Caution should provide Garage with plenty of miserable drivers to talk to after each segment. Garage is preparing for a similiar fiasco this weekend at Martinsville and has assured us there will be plenty of Tums, Pepto Bismol and Goody's Headache Powder at both events. Garage also asks all cars, if they are leaking any bodily fluids, to please do so outside the convenient confines of his stalls, unlike a certain 10th place finisher last week at Fontana, hint, hint Maxi Chad!


@TheOrangeCone Congrats to Cone for being named to mashable's 10 Best Inanimate Objects on Twitter list. We're hearing it was because of the "Just for Cone" he used to get rid of black streaks left over from @KyleBusch at Vegas. Cone will be sporting a slightly different scheme at Martinsville as he adorns himself with a shade of orange more closely resembling the color of the infamous HotDog at the track. Cone asks all in attendance at the track to refrain from offering him a Dog, since some condiments may clash with his coloring, he also has "no arms, hands or mouth" and they also give him indigestion.


@In_CarCamera says it has a new mount with a lubricant that is "smoother than a prom queen's thighs".  Well, Cam you're going to need it at Martinsville, because with all the swiveling you'll be doing Sunday, you're going to need more than the 4 adjustments they made to Peyton Manning's neck and TV may ban you like they did the Hound Dog Man,,that's Elvis for you fetuses.


@TheCatchFence Fence is happy to be heading to Martinsville this week due to a slight decrease in banking as opposed to Auto Club Speedway. Fence says the 12 degrees at Martinsville is much easier on his posts as well as his tie wires. It also makes it easier if Tony wins again and decides to do "The Climb". Fence was concerned about his appearance heading to Martinsville after the rain in Fontana, but has indicated he's as galvanized as ever. Heard he got heavily"galvanized"riding back in the NASCAR Hauler sipping WD40,,I'm just sayin'...


@TheMiniChad Not sure what Mini was doing with EddieGossage at Texas Motor Speedway on Wednesday, but Maxi Chad was not invited. Hearing rumors Mini is upset he didnt make the trip on the Team Hendrick plane to California. We had a great time at Mini's BBQ's this week, glad he's still intact after that little flare up between he and WeberGrille. Heading to the track where "Virginia is for Lovers" both MC guys are focused on just one thing, increasing their followers,, oops, Maxi isnt on Twitter so I guess the focus is on a victory for @JimmieJohnson.


@TheNASCARHauler enjoyed a wonderful hauler parade at Fontana with all his relatives and after an uneventful week at the track made a safe trip back east accompanied the #5 and #14 cars. Hauler says "that #14 is a party chassis, kept us up all night, he sure can put away the E15". The #5 was more subdued, just happy to move up 7 spots to 27th in owners points. Hauler is a little scratched up from those pesky "C" posts he had a for a while and is glad to be free of them. He says they were a little oversized to be hauling around. Hauler is revitalized though and resting, getting ready to be inundated by visits from disgruntled drivers, owners and crew chiefs at Martinsville. 


@DebriInTurn4 After being absolutely nonexistent during the last 2 races, Debri is being considered for the Inanimate practice squad. Deb has confirmed to Just Sayin that his heart and junk are truly in his job and intends to put on "the show of his life" at Martinsville. Deb says he will team with @MartvilleHotDog and its associate wrappers to make sure that he slows down the race and bunches up the field as often as possible. Deb has apologized in advance to all engine builders for any problems he may create this weekend due to overheating.


@FlagofCaution was unfairly accused of being "yellow" or scared the past 2 weekends after only showing itself 5 times at Bristol and once at Fontana. Flag is flaming hot and says with the help of its inanimate friends, Debris, Wreck and Wrapper, he fully intends to fly much more than the record 19 times he flew at Martinsville back in October, 2005. 


@NASCAR_EFI has recommended all team use brand new knock sensors and temperature sensors at Martinsville, not in the engines, but in the drivers. Effy says these guys need to know just how hard the "ol' chrome horn" is being used and how HOT under the collar they're getting. The mass air flow sensor is sure to get a work out this weekend and Effy says "drivers need to leave their feelings and attitudes outside the track". Good call Effy!


@acheckeredflag Chex is a little depressed after his trip out west. Never got a shout out or even 1 second of TV time at Fontana. He especially missed riding around in the winning race car with Tony Stewart. Not to worry Chex, this week there will be no rain to dampen your spirit and you'll fly as always when the winner crosses the finish line. Nascar officials have been informed to hand you to the winning driver, none of this tossing you down from the flag stand.


@The_GreenFlag says it's so upset that it got to wave only one time at Fontana that it may boycott Martinsville. After laying down with its close friend FlagofCaution and discussing the situation, Green has said he will proudly fly "a bunch of times after Caution" this weekend. Green says he is cheering for all the green sponsored cars this weekend, especially "that crazy AMP car" 


@48Horseshoe has promised all NASCAR fans a special treat at Martinsville Speedway this week. Shoe says he will actually appear in Victory Lane with #DaleJr after physically removing himself from @JimmieJohnson's ass immediately following the race this Sunday, April 1st. Oh, wait a minute, haha, very funny, April Fools to you to Shoe. #SMDH


Compiled from Twitter

New NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race Format

The 28th running of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race will provide some additional incentive for drivers to win one of the four segments heading into the final 10-lap shootout, as the emphasis on winning and pit road strategy have never been more prevalent in this special night of NASCAR star-studded competition. Through the annual Sprint Fan Vote, under way now, fans can again cast ballots for their favorite eligible driver. The driver receiving the highest number of votes will earn a spot in the field.

The NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race set for Saturday, May 19 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (SPEED, 7 p.m.), will consist of four 20-lap segments, concluding with a 10-lap sprint and a $1 million payout to the race winner. This year’s format will place a higher premium for drivers who win one of the four segments, however, as the winners of the first four segments will move to the front of the field and line up 1-4 prior to the field coming to pit road for the final mandatory pit stop.

When the drivers come down pit road, crew chiefs will have to decide on their best pit strategy, as multiple scenarios will unfold. The team that makes the best call, combined with the optimum performance on pit road, is likely to be in the driver’s seat for the final 10 laps of competition. Wherever the drivers are positioned as they come off pit road after that pit stop is where they will line up to start the final 10-lap segment.

“This new addition to the format is going to provide even greater incentive for the drivers to go all out to win one of the four segments,” said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition. “It also puts even more focus on the pit crews and how they perform during that final pit stop. The team aspect of the sport will be highlighted more than ever and it helps set the stage for an exciting race and an exciting evening for the fans.”

The eligibility standards for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race remain the same: race winners from either the 2011 or 2012 season through May 12 or any past champions of the all-star event or NASCAR Sprint Cup Series over the previous 10 years are eligible for the race. In addition, the top-two finishers in the Sprint Showdown, a 40-lap preliminary race scheduled for 7:30 p.m. and the winner of the Sprint Fan Vote, all advance into the all-star race lineup.

Fans can vote by using the NASCAR Sprint Cup Mobile Android™ application on their Sprint phone, or by texting “VOTE” to 229466 on any wireless carrier (standard text messaging and data rates apply). Voting is also open at NASCAR.com/AllStar or by visiting the Sprint Experience, located in the midway at all NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races. Voting will continue until 5 p.m. EDT on Saturday, May 19. As an added customer benefit, votes submitted from a Sprint, Boost, Nextel or Virgin Mobile device count double toward an individual driver’s total.

- NASCAR PR

Martinsville Speedway History and Notes

At Martinsville Speedway:

History
· Opened in September 1947 by H. Clay Earles, Martinsville, originally a dirt track, is one of the oldest continuously-operating race tracks in the United States.

· The first NASCAR-sanctioned race at Martinsville was on July 4, 1948.

· The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was Sept. 25, 1949.

· The track was paved in 1955.

· The first 500-lap event at Martinsville was in 1956.

· Concrete corners were added atop asphalt in 1976.

Notebook:
· There have been 126 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Martinsville Speedway, one in the inaugural year and two races per year since 1950.

· Curtis Turner won the pole for the first NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Martinsville in 1949.

· Red Byron won the first NASCAR Sprint Cup race.

· 56 drivers have won poles, led by Darrell Waltrip with eight. Jeff Gordon, with seven poles, can tie that mark this weekend.

· Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin and Darrell Waltrip share the consecutive pole record, each with three.

· 46 different drivers have won, led by Richard Petty’s 15.

· Jeff Gordon leads active drivers with seven wins. Jimmie Johnson has six and Denny Hamlin has four.

· 19 races have been won from the pole, the last by Denny Hamlin in October 2010.

· Petty Enterprises has won 19 races, more than any other organization. Hendrick Motorsports, with 18 wins, can tie that mark this weekend.

· Kurt Busch won the 2002 fall race from the 36th starting position, the furthest back a race winner has started.

· Three active drivers average a top-10: Jimmie Johnson (5.4), Denny Hamlin (6.4) and Jeff Gordon (6.8).

· Youngest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Martinsville Speedway winner: Richard Petty (4/10/1960 – 22 years, 9 months, 8 days).

· Oldest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Martinsville Speedway winner: Harry Gant (9/22/1996 – 51 years, 8 months, 12 days)

Martinsville Speedway Data
Race #: 6 of 36 (4-1-12)
Track Size: .526 mile
Race Length: 500 laps/263 miles
· Banking/Corners: 12 degrees
· Banking/Straights: 0 degrees
· Frontstretch: 800 feet
· Backstretch: 800 feet

- NASCAR

Auto Club 400 NASCAR HotPass on DIRECTV Lineup

NASCAR HOTPASS on DIRECTV is back, and it’s FREE to all DIRECTV customers. Four dedicated driver channels offering viewers multiple camera angles, real-time statistics and audio of the network broadcast augmented by live communication between the drivers and their pit crews are available for all 36 points-paying races during the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. 

 The NASCAR HOTPASS lineup for the Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., is as follows:
DIRECTV Channel 795: Matt Kenseth and the No. 17 Ford EcoBoost Ford team of Roush Fenway Racing.

DIRECTV Channel 796: Kevin Harvick and the No. 29 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet team of Richard Childress Racing.

DIRECTV Channel 797: Jimmie Johnson and the No. 48 Lowe’s / Jimmie Johnson Foundation Chevrolet team of Hendrick Motorsports.

DIRECTV Channel 798: Dale Earnhardt Jr., and the No. 88 Diet Mountain Dew / National Guard Chevrolet team of Hendrick Motorsports.

About NASCAR HOTPASS on DIRECTV: 
NASCAR HOTPASS is available free to all DIRECTV customers. More information is available at www.directv.com/hotpass.  


- TrueSpeed Communications Press Release

John Wes Townley Returns to Driver’s Seat of RAB Racing’s NASCAR Truck

RAB Racing with Brack Maggard announced today that John Wes Townley will return to the driver’s seat of their No. 09 Toyota Tundra in next weekend’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event at Martinsville Speedway.

Townley, 22, served an internally imposed one-race suspension following a violation of Section 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing) of the 2012 NASCAR Rule Book. The violation occurred on Feb. 7.

“We have stood by our commitment to John Wes Townley, and supported him as he has worked through fulfilling what sanctions we’ve placed on him internally, as well as the process that NASCAR has instituted that allows him first, to return to the seat of our Toyota Tundra, and second, to compete on a weekly basis,”said Robby Benton, owner of RAB Racing with Brack Maggard. “It was an unfortunate situation that occurred, and a mistake was made. We now look towards the future and building on a lesson learned. We will work closely with NASCAR and their programs as he returns to full-time competition in the Camping World Truck Series.”

“I want to send my deepest apologies to NASCAR, RAB Racing, my fans, sponsors, family, and friends,” said Townley. “I made a terrible mistake, but I am now ready, having a renewed relationship with God in my life, to move forward making better decisions. Martinsville will be the start of a new chapter in my life, in more ways than one. My future actions will demonstrate where my heart is, and that I am on a mission.”

- teamrab.com

The Three Stooges will serve as Grand Marshals for the Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway

World renowned knuckleheads Larry, Moe and Curley –The Three Stooges – will serve as Grand Marshals for the Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway on Sunday, March 25 at 12 p.m. PT.

As Grand Marshals, The Three Stooges will give the command, “Gentlemen, Start Your Engines,” to the 43-car field of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The event will be televised at noon on FOX.

In The Three Stooges, which hits theaters everywhere April 13, 2012, newborns Larry, Moe and Curley are left on the doorstep of an orphanage run by nuns. The boys grow up finger-poking, nyuk-nyuk-nyuking and woo-woo-wooing their way to uncharted levels of knuckleheaded misadventure. Out to save their childhood home, only The Three Stooges could become embroiled in an oddball murder plot…while stumbling into starring in a phenomenally successful TV reality show.

The all-new motion picture The Three Stooges is a contemporary take on a trio of boneheads, recreating the classic and iconic Stooge sound effects (including “boinks,” finger-snaps, and palm claps), haircuts and other Stooge-isms, with modern-day attitudes, situations and pop culture references.

Stars in the movie include Emmy® and Tony® Award-winner Sean Hayes (“Will & Grace” ), who portrays the balding, sour-faced, bushy-haired Larry; Will Sasso (“MADtv”) as the rotund funnyman Curley, whose trademark “nyuk-nyuk-nyuk” usually invites a physical outburst from Moe; and Chris Diamantopoulos (“24,” “The Kennedys”) as Moe, the dark-haired leader of the farcical trio known for his distinctive bowl-style haircut and intolerant ire. The Three Stooges is a registered trademark of C3 Entertainment, Inc.

- AutoClubSpeedway.com