Rusty Wallace Racing on Hiatus For 2012 NASCAR Season

Officials of Rusty Wallace Racing, LLC (RWR) announced today that the team’s on-track activities will be put on temporary hiatus.

While the organization’s day-to-day competition activities will temporarily cease, key elements of RWR’s business staff will remain in place to continue development of future opportunities.

The team is currently assisting No. 66 driver, Steve Wallace, in exploring several exciting opportunities for 2012, with backing from his current RWR sponsors. RWR will continue to maintain and manage those sponsor relationships on Wallace’s behalf.

No. 62 driver, Michael Annett has been released from the team and will pursue other 2012 opportunities with his longtime family sponsor, Pilot Flying J.

Noted team owner Rusty Wallace, “This was a tough decision to make, but it was the prudent one from a number of perspectives. While we had several great partners—such as Pilot Flying J—on board for 2012, we just didn’t feel like we had enough sponsorship in place to accomplish all of our goals.

“A lot of teams would have run with the level of funding we have now, but we want to ensure that our team has the resources necessary to compete and to improve our operations. I promised myself and my family long ago that if the team wasn’t funded to a level with which we were comfortable, we just wouldn’t run it. I’ve worked way too hard to put part of my life savings into a race team.

“So, we collectively decided to take a break, regroup and focus on the future. We’ll keep working hard on sponsorship programs for Steve (Wallace) and for future seasons. This also allows us to focus on the other aspects of our companies and our brand as well, whether it’s our car dealerships, new track design projects, licensing, personal services or even something new.

“Nearly all of our current partners are staying on board with us to support Steve in 2012 and we’re really grateful for their support. We’re working hard on an exciting 2012 program for Steve and hope to have an announcement on his plans very soon. We’re all very excited about working with our great group of sponsors both this year and well into the future.

“Most of all, I really want to thank all of our employees for their hard work and dedication. One of the hardest parts of this decision was knowing the impact that it would have on our employees and their families. It’s just the unfortunate reality that our sport is facing right now. We wish all of our employees the very best in the future.”

- Rusty Wallace Racing Press Release

JR Motorsports tabs Whitt to Drive the #88 Chevy in 2012

JR Motorsports' flagship team will compete for a NASCAR Nationwide Series championship with one of the sport’s up-and-coming stars, as Cole Whitt has been tabbed to drive the company’s flagship No. 88 Chevrolet in 2012, team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced today.

Whitt, a 20-year-old native of Alpine, Calif., will also compete for Sunoco Rookie-of-the-Year honors. He comes to JR Motorsports from the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, where he finished ninth in last year’s championship standings with one pole, two top-five and 11 top-10 finishes. To date he is the youngest driver ever to win the USAC (United States Auto Club) National Midget championship, as his title-winning effort in 2008 put him alongside esteemed former USAC national champions such as Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and Kasey Kahne.

“Cole is the guy we wanted, and we’re lucky to get him,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “He’s got raw, untapped talent, but we are most impressed with his ambition. I sought advice and input from people I respect in the industry, and the overwhelming consensus was that Cole has the potential to do great things in this sport.”

The signing of Whitt completes the 2012 driver line-up for JR Motorsports, which will compete in Nationwide Series competition with Whitt in the No. 88 Chevrolet, Danica Patrick in the No. 7 Chevrolet, and Earnhardt Jr. in select races in the No. 5 Chevrolet. All three drivers will compete in the season-opener at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 25.

“This is a big opportunity for me, and I’m happy to be a part of the JR Motorsports team,” said Whitt, who was introduced to employees Wednesday morning. “I’m grateful to Dale, Kelley and everyone at JR Motorsports for giving me this chance. It’s an honor to work with the Eurys, and I will do everything in my power to put this No. 88 team where it belongs in Victory Lane.”

Whitt got his start racing karts and saw immediate success with eight International Karting Federation championships and two World Karting Association grand national championships. He was the Hoosier Sprint Car Rookie of the Year in 2006 and earned 34 top-10 finishes in 60 USAC starts in 2007 before winning the championship in 2008. Whitt advanced to the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East in 2010, promptly notching two poles and finishing fourth in in points in his first year.

OTHER NEWS: JR Motorsports has hired Bruce Cook as crew chief for the No. 5 team, which will run primarily with Earnhardt Jr. in select races. Cook comes to JR Motorsports from Kevin Harvick, Inc., where he served as crew chief in 2011 in the Camping World Truck Series, predominately for the No. 2 KHI Chevrolet, which won the owner’s championship. With Cook atop the pit box, his team scored six wins, 19 top-fives and 22 top-10s. Cook was also the winning crew chief of the Nationwide Series season-opener at Daytona in 2011 with driver Tony Stewart.

- JR Motorsports Press Release

Fans Can Attend Drivers' Meeting prior to Kobalt Tools 400 in Las Vegas

Race fans who’ve wondered exactly what transpires in the drivers’ meeting prior to a NASCAR event will get their opportunity to learn for themselves during the 2012 NASCAR Weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

For the first time ever at LVMS, race fans will be able to attend the pre-race drivers’ meeting for the Kobalt Tools 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event. Weather permitting, the meeting will take place adjacent to the main stage in the center of the Neon Garage.

“The Neon Garage opened in 2007, and it’s provided unprecedented access to all of the behind-the-scenes action within the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series garage,” said LVMS President Chris Powell. “Thanks to NASCAR, we’re able to take that access up another notch. This will give race fans an even deeper look into what goes on for the drivers and crew chiefs prior to a race.”

“The entire NASCAR community has always worked closely to ensure that we are the most fan-friendly sport,” said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations. “This is another terrific example of a race track providing fans with access that is unprecedented in sports.”

NASCAR Weekend is composed of the Kobalt Tools 400 Sprint Cup event on March 11, preceded by the Sam’s Town 300 Nationwide Series event on March 10 and Stratosphere Pole Day on March 9.

- Las Vegas MotorSpeedway Press Release

Almirola will drive the #43 for RPM in 2012

Richard Petty Motorsports announced today that Aric Almirola will drive the legendary No. 43 Ford Fusion in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition beginning in 2012.

Almirola has made 35 starts in the Sprint Cup Series, his most recent stint coming in 2010 when he finished the last five races of the season in the No. 9 Ford. During the final race of the season at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the Tampa, Fla., native posted a career-high, fourth-place effort. Almirola drove a JR Motorsports entry in the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2011 and capped off a successful season with a fourth-place finish in the championship point standings.

“One of the things I am most excited about is to have the chance to drive a car as iconic as the No. 43,” stated Almirola. “There is so much history surrounding that number and to have my name above the door will be really special for me.

“This is the first real opportunity I’ve had to drive in the Cup Series full time,” continued Almirola. “Last year the No. 43 team had a lot of speed and was competitive on a weekly basis. Greg Erwin is a great crew chief and I’m excited to work with him. Everyone at Richard Petty Motorsports has a lot of enthusiasm and drive and I’m really looking forward to getting to work.”

Almirola will join a team that is poised to compete for a spot in the 2012 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Paired with veteran Crew Chief Greg Erwin, Almirola will get behind the wheel for a team that earned one top-five and 10 top-10 finishes in 2011 en route to a 15th-place finish in the owner point standings.

“We are thrilled to welcome Aric Almirola into the RPM family,” said team Co-owner Richard Petty. “We feel extremely fortunate to have had a number of very talented drivers interested in joining our organization, but ultimately we felt Aric would be the best fit for the team and for our current and potential partners. We have had the chance to watch his progress for the past several years and we had success with him in the past. We are really confident in his potential as a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver. We think Aric has all the makings to be the next bright star in our sport.”

- Richard Petty Motorsports PR

NFL celebrates the 2012 season with “NFL Honors” Super Bowl Eve

The First-ever 2-hour prime time awards show on NBC salutes top players & performances from 2011 season.

The night before the two top teams kick off Super Bowl XLVI, the National Football League will salute its best players and plays from the 2011 season with a star-studded football and entertainment event – “NFL Honors” – a two-hour primetime awards special to air nationally on February 4, 9-11 p.m. (ET) on NBC.


Current and former players such as JERRY RICE, BARRY SANDERS, DEION SANDERS, SHANNON SHARPE & STEVE YOUNG will be in attendance as the NFL and THE ASSOCIATED PRESS announce their annual accolades in an awards show format for the first time. “NFL Honors” will become an annual event from the Super Bowl city. The winners will be on hand to accept their awards.


ALEC BALDWIN will host the show from the Murat Theater in Indianapolis. The show will feature a live performance from LENNY KRAVITZ.
Kicking off the night will be a red carpet show on NFL Network from 8 – 9 p.m. (ET) featuring the sights and sounds of Super Bowl week and many of the stars that will be celebrating the best of the NFL later that evening.
Among the awards that will be announced will be the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, which recognizes a player’s off-the-field community service as well as his playing excellence.
Seven of the awards will be from the AP. Those awards, which include AP Most Valuable Player and AP Coach of the Year, are voted on at the end of the regular NFL season by a nationwide media panel of 50 people who regularly cover the league. The ballots are tabulated solely by the AP.
The AP is providing the list of honorees to the NFL for the program, and any advertising or sponsorship on the broadcast is being handled separately and independently by the NFL.
The full list of awards that will be presented will be:

• AP Most Valuable Player
• Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year
• AP Coach of the Year presented by XFINITY, only from Comcast
• AP Offensive Player of the Year presented by Castrol
• AP Offensive Rookie of the Year presented by Pepsi Max
• AP Defensive Rookie of the Year presented by Pepsi Max
• Pepsi Rookie of the Year
• AP Comeback Player of the Year presented by Van Heusen
• AP Defensive Player of the Year
• Fantastic Finish of the Year
• Play of the Year presented by Bridgestone
• NFL .com Fantasy Player of the Year presented by Papa John’s
• Madden Most Valuable Protectors Award presented by Prilosec OTC
• Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year Award
• Salute To Service Award Presented by USAA

Top-Tier Sponsors of “NFL Honors” include Pepsi, Castrol, Van Heusen and Disney’s “The Avengers” and “John Carter”.
Associate Sponsors include USAA, Prilosec, Vicks, Bridgestone, Papa John’s and XFINITY, from Comcast.
“NFL Honors” is an NFL Network production in association with Dick Clark Productions.


- NFL Press Release

David Reutimann Joins Tommy Baldwin Racing

Tommy Baldwin Racing added NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver David Reutimann to the team’s 2012 driver lineup alongside Dave Blaney. Still seeking sponsorship for both Reutimann and Blaney, details regarding car number, sponsors and team members will follow in the upcoming weeks.

Reutimann, a Zephyrhills, Fla., native, made his first NSCS start in 2005. He competed in four full NSCS seasons with Michael Waltrip Racing and compiled two wins, 12 top-fives, 26 top-10s and four poles. The 41-year-old racer also competed in the NASCAR Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series where he captured two wins.

“Tommy has built a really good organization from the ground up in a really short amount of time,” said Reutimann. “One of the things I like about Tommy and what’s refreshing about him is that he is just a racer. There are lots of things he could be doing but instead he is at the shop every day working hard to build the organization from the ground up. There are not a lot of true racers in the garage, and he is one of them. It’s the way I was raised with my Dad, so we are on the same page. I’m just really looking forward to the season and see what we can do.”

TBR competed in every event in the 36-race NSCS schedule in 2011 and raced into the top-35 in NSCS Owner Points, meeting the team’s 2011 season goals. Blaney drove to the team’s best finish of third in the October event at Talladega Superspeedway. The team also fielded a second car for five events in the second half of the season.

“Reutimann will be a great addition to our program and to Dave Blaney,” commented team owner Tommy Baldwin. “Last season, we met our goals of running the entire schedule and making the top-35 in points. This season, our goal is to continue our progress on the competition side. Having two veteran drivers in Reutimann and Blaney is a very important step in our program’s growth.”

“We are still working on finding funding for next year, but having a car guaranteed in the first five races, including the Daytona 500, is a big step for our team,” Baldwin continued. “We had success last year with our partners. Although Golden Corral will not return in 2012, they were very happy with the exposure they received. We hope they have shown other companies the value of our program and that our program will once again align with their business objectives.”

- Tommy Baldwin Racing Press Release

Kasey Kahne to run 15 NNS Races for Turner Motorsports

Turner Motorsports, along with Great Clips, Inc., has announced that Kasey Kahne will increase his time behind the wheel of the No. 38 Great Clips Chevrolet in 2012 to compete in 15 NASCAR Nationwide Series events. Up and coming driver, Brad Sweet, who has competed on a limited basis in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for the last two years and in the USAC Sprint Car Series and World of Outlaws Series for Kasey Kahne Racing (KKR) for the last four seasons, will make a run for the Rookie of the Year title and will round out the balance of the 33-race NNS schedule when Kahne is not behind the wheel. 

Kahne began his NNS career wheeling the No. 38 car with Great Clips, Inc. serving as sponsor. Together, Kahne and the world's largest salon brand reached momentous milestones including capturing Kahne's first NNS victory in 2003 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. It was also Great Clips' first win as primary sponsor. In 2005, Kahne captured his second career win at Texas Motor Speedway before stepping out of the ride as he progressed to the Sprint Cup Series ranks. In 2010, Kahne decided to return to the NNS on a limited basis and found himself back at the helm of the No. 38 machine, sporting the banner of his longtime sponsor. During both the 2010 and 2011 NNS seasons, Kahne piloted the car for eight races, racking up four top-five and six top-10 finishes.

Kahne has thoroughly enjoyed reuniting with his longtime sponsor and is looking forward to another season representing the Minneapolis-based company.

"I have had such a long-standing relationship with Great Clips and it's been great teaming back up with them again," says Kahne. "They gave me my first real shot in this sport and that is something I have never forgotten."

- Turner Motorsports PR