Phoenix Nationwide Race to Be Sponsored by Dollar General/Amerigas

Phoenix International Raceway President Bryan R. Sperber announced today Dollar General, together with AmeriGas, will be the title sponsor of the March 2, 2013 NASCAR Nationwide Series race. The Dollar General 200 Fueled by AmeriGas is the second race of the 2013 NASCAR Nationwide Series season.

The Dollar General 200 Fueled by AmeriGas will be the feature event for the third day in PIR’s March race weekend. The green flag will drop on the Dollar General 200 Fueled by AmeriGas at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 2.

“We are excited to welcome Dollar General and AmeriGas as title sponsors of the NASCAR Nationwide Series event on March 2,” said Sperber.  “As the second race of the season, this event has always been an exciting stop on the NASCAR schedule and I’m sure fans will appreciate as much as we do the support of Dollar General and AmeriGas helping to make this race possible.”

In addition to the title sponsorship deal with Phoenix International Raceway, Dollar General is the full-season Nationwide Series sponsor for the No. 20 Toyota driven by Brian Vickers and half-season sponsor for Matt Kenseth’s No. 20 Dollar General Toyota Camry for 17 races in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

“Dollar General’s NASCAR participation is a key element in connecting with our customers and we are excited to partner with AmeriGas in Phoenix,” said Rick Dreiling, Dollar General Chairman and CEO.

“AmeriGas is pleased to announce our partnership with NASCAR and Phoenix International Raceway,” said Andy Peyton, Vice President of AmeriGas Cylinder Exchange. “As a NASCAR partner, AmeriGas is committed to the sport and its loyal fans.  NASCAR fans are among the most passionate in all of sports, and they love nothing more than getting together with friends to watch the race while grilling their favorite food.  We are looking forward to kicking off the 2013 grilling season in such a big way, especially with a valued partner like Dollar General.”

The March 1-3 NASCAR event weekend at PIR kicks off Friday, March 1 with the first ever stateside NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series race. The party continues on Saturday, March 2 with the Dollar General 200 Fueled by AmeriGas NASCAR Nationwide Series race, as well as the Talking Stick Resort 50 NASCAR K-&N Pro Series- West race.  Sunday, March 3 features the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.

Phoenix International Raceway’s corporate partners include: AdvoCare, AmeriGas, Amkus Rescue Systems, Anheuser Busch, Casino Arizona, Chevrolet, Coca-Cola, Dollar General, FedEx, Ford Motor Company, Gatorade, GEICO, Greater Phoenix Convention & Visitors Bureau, Goodyear Tires, Lucas Oil, Miller Towing Industries, New Holland, Safety-Kleen, Service Master Clean, Sprint, SUBWAY, Sunoco, Talking Stick Resort, Toyota and UPS.

- Phoenix Raceway Press Release

Armour, Pinnacle Foods Group & RCR Renew Multi-Team Partnership

Richard Childress Racing and Pinnacle Foods Group brands have developed a program that will see multiple brands from the leading packaged food company serving as primary sponsors of multiple race teams in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

From Pinnacle Foods Group, the Armour Vienna Sausages brand will be the primary sponsor for five races with three drivers in 2012 (Kevin Harvick/No. 33: March 16/Bristol Motor Speedway; Brian Scott/No. 2: May 4/Talladega Superspeedway, Aug. 31/Atlanta Motor Speedway; and Ty Dillon/No. 33: May 10/Darlington Raceway, September 6/Richmond International Raceway). Hungry-Man® will sponsor Harvick and the No. 33 team on April 26 at Richmond International Raceway.

Pinnacle Foods Group is a leading producer, marketer and distributor of high-quality branded food products, many of which have been trusted household names for decades. Armour is one of America’s favorite canned meat brands known for its Chili, Vienna Sausage, Hash, Stews and more. An associate sponsor of RCR’s No. 29 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team and driver Harvick in 2008, Armour® has been a major associate of Kevin Harvick Inc., in both the NASCAR Nationwide Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, since 2009. In 2012, Pinnacle Foods brands were RCR sponsor partners in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

“Pinnacle Foods Group along with the Armour and Hungry-Man brands are very excited about the opportunity to continue to partner with Richard Childress Racing,” said Eric Hintz, vice president of marketing. “We want to thank Kevin Harvick, Brian Scott, Ty Dillon and all the RCR employees for their ongoing support, and look forward to seeing them continue to take home the checkered flag in 2013. We’re thrilled to maintain our winning ways on the track, and expect to extend our winning ways to our key grocery retail partners and consumers throughout the nation.”

RCR has earned five championships, 64 race wins and two rookie-of-the-year awards since beginning its NASCAR Nationwide Series program in 2000.

“Armour was a great partner in 2012 so we’re glad to have them back this season along with the addition of Hungry-Man,” said Richard Childress, president and chief executive officer of Richard Childress Racing. “Pinnacle Foods was instrumental in the re-launch of RCR’s successful NASCAR Nationwide Series program last year. Our goal this year is to continue our success at the race track to grow their businesses in the marketplace.”

- RCR Press Release

Hunt Brothers Pizza Continues 4 Race Sponsorship with RCR

Hunt Brothers Pizza will be the primary sponsor during four races with Richard Childress Racing’s new 2013 NASCAR Nationwide Series Chevrolet Camaro. Kevin Harvick will debut the No. 33 at Texas Motor Speedway on April 13, 2013.

“We are eager for the 2013 NASCAR season and to showcase the Hunt Brothers Pizza paint job on the new Chevrolet Camaro,” said Keith Solsvig, Vice President of Marketing for Hunt Brothers Pizza. “We want to continue our winning tradition with Kevin Harvick and welcome Ty Dillon to our race team.”

Hunt Brothers Pizza will be the primary sponsor during four Nationwide Series races, including three events with Harvick and one with Dillon. Throughout the 2013 NASCAR season, the company will also be an associate sponsor for Richard Childress Racing’s Nationwide Series Nos. 33, 2 and 21 Chevrolets with drivers Dillon, Brendan Gaughan, Harvick and Brian Scott, and with Austin Dillon on the RCR No. 33 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series entry and No. 2 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Chevrolet. Hunt Brothers Pizza will also continue its partnership with Harvick and RCR’s No. 29 Sprint Cup Series team as a season-long associate sponsor. The four Nationwide Series primary sponsored races include:
April 12 - Texas Motor Speedway – No. 33 Harvick
May 25 - Charlotte Motor Speedway – No. 33 Harvick
July 5 - Daytona International Speedway – No. 33 Dillon
July 27 - Indianapolis Motor Speedway – No. 21 Harvick

- RCR Press Release

Darlington Raceway Marks Another Historic Moment In 2013

With the new Gen-6 race car making its first appearance during the Goodyear Tire Test at Darlington Raceway today, a historic foundation was laid in anticipation for its racing debut at the track Too Tough To Tame during the Bojangles’ Southern 500 on May 11.

Today’s tire test drew several hundred fans to the track to see the new Gen-6 car, many which came from as far as Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

“We were running some really fast times today. I think you’ll see a good possibility of the qualifying record being broken here at Darlington in May,” Carl Edwards, driver of the No. 99 Fastenal Ford Fusion said during the lunch break. “I love this race track and being able to test out here today and see how well the new car handled is great for our team and Goodyear.”

With its annual NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race weekend just under 100 days away, Darlington is looking forward to being just one of only two tracks in the sport to claim it has seen every generational style of race car compete on its oval since its inaugural season in 1950. Martinsville Speedway is the other.

The first generation of race cars that were introduced in NASCAR were from 1948-1966, which featured Plymouth, Oldsmobile, Hudson, Ford and Studebaker to name a few.

Many of these early models, like the famed Hudson Hornet which won the Southern 500 at Darlington in 1951 and 1952, competed at various other tracks during the early 1950’s but most are not in use on the current NASCAR schedule today and tracks such as Daytona and Charlotte were raced on the beach and on dirt, respectively. Other Generation 1 cars, like the 1956 Ford Convertible, made its last appearance in NASCAR competition at Darlington in 1962.

Darlington and Martinsville are the only two tracks still around today that hosted the original models of Generation 1.

“It’s amazing that there are only two tracks in NASCAR today that have hosted every generation of race car since 1949,” Darlington President Chris Browning said. “Darlington takes great pride in knowing that we are one of two facilities around today that hosted the first Generation 1 models back then and will now be racing the Gen-6 car in 2013. We’ve seen every make and model and every great NASCAR driver throughout the last 60-plus years of stock car racing!”

Through the other Generations, some notable cars made history in NASCAR at Darlington. Here are a few highlights:

Generation 2 (1967-1980)

Richard Petty’s 1967 Plymouth won both races at Darlington that year. It was the first time in track history that a driver swept both races at Darlington in the same year. With his wins that year, he passed his father, Lee, as the all-time winningest driver in NASCAR.

Generation 3 (1981-1991)

Bill Elliott won the Winston Million, a million-dollar prize given to a driver who won three of the four “crown jewels” of racing, in his Ford Thunderbird in 1985. Elliott won the Winston Million after winning at Daytona, Talladega and the Southern 500 at Darlington that year.

Generation 4 (1992-2006)

Ricky Craven piloted his Pontiac Grand Prix to the closest finish in NASCAR history with a .002 margin of victory over Kurt Busch in the March 2003 event at Darlington. It was Pontiac’s final victory at the track Too Tough To Tame.

Generation 5-COT (2007-2012)

Jimmie Johnson’s victory in the 2012 Bojangles’ Southern 500 gave owner Rick Hendrick his 200^thcareer victory in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. It was the last race for the COT and Chevy Impala car at Darlington.

Generation 6 or Gen-6 (2013-)

Will the 2013 Chevy SS, Ford Fusion or Toyota Camry win the famed Bojangles’ Southern 500? We’ll see on May 11.

“These are just a few of the many great racing memories that put Darlington on the map,” Browning said. “It’s amazing to think about all the different manufacturers that raced at Darlington and how each one has impacted our sport, from the 1950 Plymouth driven by Johnny Mantz to the 2012 Chevy Impala driven by Jimmie Johnson in 2012. Many manufacturers have had success at the Lady in Black.”

- Darlington Raceway Release

U.S. Air Force Returns to Aric Almirola’s No. 43 Ford in 2013

The U.S. Air Force will once again partner with Richard Petty Motorsports to connect with America’s best and brightest young adults. The U.S. Air Force will serve as an associate sponsor on Aric Almirola’s No. 43 Ford for the entire 2013 season and as a primary sponsor at the Memorial Day weekend race at Charlotte Motor Speedway and the Fourth of July weekend race at Daytona International Speedway.

The star-studded Air Force paint scheme adorned the historic No. 43 Ford for the same two marquee races in 2012 – the Coca-Cola 600 (Charlotte), where Almirola earned his first career pole, and the Coke Zero 400 (Daytona).

The Air Force will also continue its experiential marketing activities at NASCAR events, air shows and festivals throughout the year, taking the No. 43 U.S. Air Force Ford show car and “Hangar 43″ interactive display to environments where recruiters can connect with young adults. It will also continue to hold swear-in ceremonies of Airmen in the Delayed Entry Program at NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, giving fans an up-close, in-person look at the moment when groups of young Americans commit themselves to their country.

Almirola, who was born on Eglin Air Force Base and whose father served in the Air Force, will participate in the at-track swear-in ceremonies and recognizes the value of the partnership as a whole.

“I’m really proud of how Richard Petty Motorsports helps connect the Air Force with race fans,” the 28-year-old driver said. “We go out to the Air Force display and the swear-ins at the track, and it’s great to see people lined up wanting to learn about the technology and the opportunities available. It’s a perfect partnership, especially for me, having a life-long history with the Air Force.”

This is the 13th season the Air Force has been associated with NASCAR, and the fifth year as a partner with Richard Petty Motorsports, an organization known for its commitment to the military and veteran community.

“RPM’s strong legacy in NASCAR and Almirola’s values and character are a great fit for the Air Force and the type of recruits that we look to attract through the sponsorship, ” said Col. Marcus Johnson, chief of the Strategic Marketing Division at Air Force Recruiting Service. “Our association with NASCAR and RPM is helping us achieve our strategic goal of connecting with the patriotic fan base and recruiting technically inclined youth.”

“We were so proud to accept the Pole Award last Memorial Day weekend with the Air Force car behind us in Victory Lane,” team owner Richard Petty said. “This year we plan to go back there – with a win. We’re going to make them proud.”

- Richard Petty Motorsports Press Release

Rebranded Axalta Coating Systems Remains Committed to Hendrick Motorsports

The Carlyle Group, one of the world’s largest and most successful investment firms with a portfolio of businesses that includes Hertz Rental Car, Allison Transmission and Dunkin’ Donuts, has acquired DuPont’s paint business. Although the people, products and technologies will remain the same, the paint business, which sponsors the No. 24 Chevrolet of Hendrick Motorsports and driver Jeff Gordon in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, has been rebranded as Axalta Coating Systems.

The Axalta Coating Systems name will begin appearing on the No. 24 team car in the second quarter of the year. In the meantime, on-car branding will include familiar automotive paint brands and products such as Standox, Spies Hecker, Imron, and CromaxPro, an environmentally friendly water-based paint brand.

“While these are big changes for us, our commitment to the No. 24 team, Jeff Gordon and NASCAR remains the same,” said John McCool, president, Axalta Coating Systems. “We are proud to continue our sponsorship of the No. 24 team and Jeff Gordon in 2013.
“Our Performance Coatings business started the sponsorship of Jeff Gordon more than 20 years ago, and Axalta Coating Systems will continue the longest current sponsor-driver-team relationship in NASCAR in 2013.”

Since the inception of the sponsorship, which began at the last race of the season at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Nov. 15, 1992, the program has achieved four NASCAR Cup Series championships and 87 wins while the business has entertained more than 250,000 customers through at-track hospitality events.

“We may have a new name on the No. 24 Chevrolet SS in 2013, but it’s the same core group that I’ve enjoyed working with for more than 20 years,” said Gordon. “We’ve had success together on and off the track. “We plan to carry that success into our third decade.”

The Axalta Coating Systems contract with Hendrick Motorsports includes 14 primary paint schemes annually on Gordon’s No. 24 car. The first primary paint scheme of 2013 will be at Texas Motor Speedway in April and will run at various races throughout the year including the season-ending race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

“People and relationships are important to our organization,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. “These are the same folks who have spent more than two decades executing one of the most successful sponsorship programs in sports. They understand the value of NASCAR, and we’ve already had positive conversations about the future. It’s been an incredible partnership that we look forward to building on even more.”

- Performance PR Plus press Release for Hendrick Motorsports

Corey LaJoie to Make Nationwide Series Debut with TBR/SLR Teams

Tommy Baldwin Racing announced the continuation of a partnership formed last season with TeamSLR (Scott Lagasse Racing) to field the #8 Chevrolet Camaro in at least 15 races this season.

Lagasse's sponsorship with the Boy Scouts of America and HybridLight is a continuation from his previous efforts in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Teaming up with Lagasse will be crew chief Brad Parrott, who has worked with some of the most successful teams in NASCAR.

"We formed a partnership with TBR (Tommy Baldwin Racing) which allows us the ability to gradually transition our team into the NASCAR Nationwide Series over two seasons," Lagasse said. "We competed in three races at the end of last season to begin the building process, evaluate our weaknesses and sharpen our focus for 2013. We believe that this will be the best approach for our organization as well as our existing marketing partners."

"We are glad to have SLR back with us this year," Tommy Baldwin, Jr. said of the partnership. "Scott is a very talented race car driver who has a bright future in this sport."

Sharing the driving duties of the No. 8 car with Lagasse will be NASCAR K&N Pro Series East star, Corey “Supershoe” LaJoie. LaJoie, the son of two-time Nationwide Series champion Randy LaJoie, has been racing since the age of five with much success leading in to his Nationwide Series debut. Notably, LaJoie holds the honor of being named one of NASCAR’s Next 9 drivers and has had very successful showings in the K&N Pro Series East. LaJoie held the most wins and top-five finishes last season and was runner up in the NKNPSE championship battle.“I couldn’t be more excited to open this new chapter in my career with Tommy Baldwin

Racing and TeamSLR,” says LaJoie. “I’m looking forward to getting this opportunity to race in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, and hopefully we can build on getting something big for 2014.”

“Just like Ryan Blaney, Corey Lajoie is going to make an impact in our sport in the future. We are proud to get his career started in the Nationwide Series with the hopes of bringing him to the Cup level in the near future,” said TBR team owner Tommy Baldwin, Jr.

LaJoie is scheduled to make his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut at Dover International Speedway on June 1st 2013.

- 140 BUZZ Tommy Baldwin Racing Press Release