Ollie’s Bargain Outlet Teams Up With Tommy Baldwin Racing For Daytona 500

Ollie’s Bargain Outlet will join Tommy Baldwin Racing as primary sponsor for the No. 36 Ollie’s Bargain Outlet Chevrolet and Dave Blaney at the 54th Annual Daytona 500 February 26. The sponsorship will be the company’s third venture in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Ollie’s Bargain Outlet is one of America’s largest retailers of closeouts, salvage and surplus merchandise. The Pennsylvania-based company currently operates 114 stores in 12 states and has previously sponsored other drivers in various NASCAR series.

“We’re excited to support Dave Blaney and TBR and to have a part in the Daytona 500,” says Mark Butler, president and CEO of Ollie’s Bargain Outlet. “A lot of our customers are NASCAR fans, so it will be great for them to see our car out on the track.”

Blaney had to qualify into last season’s Daytona 500. He made the race, led three laps and finished 26th in the 2011 Daytona 500. He will once again attempt to qualify for the Great American race this season for his 23rd start at the 2.5-mile speedway.

“We are thrilled to have Ollie’s come on board for this year’s Daytona 500,” said Tommy Baldwin. “We were pleased with our superspeedway efforts last year and feel like we can build on that for this season. With Ollie’s joining for the biggest race of the season, it is a win-win for all of us. They have worked with Dave in the past, and we are excited to have them as part of our program at TBR.”

Blaney will qualify for the Daytona 500 Sunday, February 19 and compete in the Gatorade Duels Thursday, February 23 to attempt to race in the 2012 Daytona 500.

- Tommy Baldwin Racing Press Release

Statistics from the Last Fourteen Daytona Points Races

Most Laps in the Top 15, Kyle Busch - 1821

Highest Average Running Position, Kyle Busch, 12.331

Highest Driver Rating, Kyle Busch- 98.7

Fastest Speed in Traffic, Kyle Busch - 186.853

Most Positions improved in the last 10% of laps in each race, David Gilliland - 63

Fastest Driver Early In a Run, Scott Wimmer - 188.477 mph

Fastest Driver Late In a Run, Trevor Bayne - 186.762 mph

Fastest driver on Restarts, Robby Gordon - avg speed 173.165 mph

Most Quality Passes of a car running in the Top 15 under green, Kurt Busch - 1927

Number of Fastest Laps Run, Matt Kenseth - 68

Most Green Flag Passes under Green Flag, Kasey Kahne - 3013

Fastest green Flag Speed, Landon Cassill - 187.060 mph

Most Laps Led, Tony Stewart - 524

- Nascar 

Lenny Kravitz will perform the Daytona 500 Pre-Race Show

Rock superstar Lenny Kravitz will perform the Daytona 500 Pre-Race Show, the pre-race extravaganza leading up to the start of “The Great American Race” at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday, Feb. 26. 

Kravitz, who has sold more than 35 million albums and is the only musician in history to win the Grammy for best male vocals in rock music four times consecutively, will perform three songs prior to the start of the 54th annual Daytona 500 – the season-opening event to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the biggest stock car race in the world.

All race fans that purchase a Pre-Race/Sprint FANZONE access pass for the Daytona 500 will be able to view Kravitz’s Daytona 500 Pre-Race Show, as well as driver introductions, from the grass tri-oval area.

“Lenny Kravitz is an iconic performer and multi-talented musician - he will deliver a rousing performance prior to the start of the 54th Daytona 500,” Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III said. “Race fans will experience a first-class, heart-pounding pre-race show that will serve as the perfect prelude to what will be an historic and thrilling afternoon of NASCAR racing on the high banks of Daytona.”

Kravitz joins a long list of star-studded names that have performed in the Daytona 500 Pre-Race Show including Tim McGraw, Keith Urban, Bon Jovi, Kelly Clarkson, Mariah Carey and Brad Paisley.

In addition to his Daytona 500 Pre-Race Concert, a special ticket package designed around Kravitz has been created that includes a Daytona 500 ticket, Pre-Race/Sprint FANZONE access and VIP area access to Kravitz’s performance. Packages start at $164.

- Daytona International Speedway Press Release

Three Stooges Stars named Daytona 500 Grand Marshals

Kate Upton, left, and Jane Lynch  

As Grand Marshals, co-stars from the new Three Stooges movie Jane Lynch and Kate Upton will deliver the four most famous words in motorsports – “Drivers, start your engines.”

Sean Hayes, Chris Diamantopoulos, and Will Sasso -- starring as Larry, Moe & Curly – in the all new The Three Stooges movie from Twentieth Century Fox, will start the action by delivering the green flag at the Daytona 500, NASCAR’s most prestigious race, on Sunday, February 26th.

“We look forward to Jane and Kate’s participation in the pre-race ceremonies, adding to the star power of NASCAR’s biggest and richest race of the year,” Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III said. “Also, the thousands of race fans in attendance and the millions more watching on FOX Sports are eagerly waiting to experience ‘Stoogemania,’ when The Three Stooges deliver the green flag”

In The Three Stooges, which hits theaters everywhere April 13, 2012, newborns Larry, Moe and Curly 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.

Earl Benjamin, President and CEO of C3 Entertainment, Inc. (The Three Stooges brand owner) and Executive Producer of the new movie, said “The Three Stooges as a part of the Daytona 500 gives both comedy and racing fans a truly unique blend of two of America’s most enduring cultural icons – The greatest comedy team of all time and the aptly named The Great American Race. What could be better?”

Jane Lynch is best known for her role as the sarcastic villain on FOX’s hit show Glee, for which she has earned an Emmy and Golden Globe. Kate Upton, who was raised in Melbourne, Fla., is known for her appearance in the 2011 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, where she was named Rookie of the Year.

Sean Hayes (Larry) garnered acclaim as the sarcastic and hilarious Jack McFarland on NBC’s long-running sitcom, Will & Grace. Will Sasso (Curly) starred for five seasons (1997-2002) on FOX-TV’s hit sketch comedy series MADtv, Chris Diamantopoulos (Moe) recently portrayed Frank Sinatra in the Emmy-nominated mini-series The Kennedys.

- Daytona International Speedway Press Release

John Cena will wave the Green Flag as Honorary Starter of the Daytona 500

WWE Superstar John Cena will wave the green flag as Honorary Starter of the 54th annual Daytona 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday, Feb. 26 at historic Daytona International Speedway.

Cena was invited to participate in this year’s big race by 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series runner-up Carl Edwards last night on WWE’s Monday Night Raw. Edwards got out of his official No. 99 Fastenal Ford and told Cena, “NASCAR asked me to come to Monday Night Raw and personally invite you to drop the green flag and officially start the Daytona 500 on February 26.” An appreciative John Cena enthusiastically accepted with an emphatic “Yes!”

“John Cena is the greatest Superstar in WWE today,” Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III said. “We look forward to seeing him on the flag stand waving the green flag to start ‘The Great American Race’ and kick off the new NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.”

Cena, who made his WWE debut in 2002, is a ten-time World Champion. He can be seen each week on the hit cable series Monday Night Raw on USA Network. The avid NASCAR fan will headline WrestleMania against The Rock® at Sun Life Stadium in Miami on Sunday, April 1, 2012.

Cena’s success has led to starring roles in various Hollywood films. He recently starred in The Reunion from WWE Studios and alongside Patricia Clarkson and Danny Glover in the family drama Legendary. His first theatrical film was the 2006 action-thriller The Marine from Twentieth Century Fox. Always a fan favorite with kids, Cena played himself in Nickelodeon’s popular teen comedies Fred: The Movie and Fred 2: Night of the Living Fred. A popular talk show guest, Cena has appeared on The Today Show, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, The Talk and many more.

Cena, like many NASCAR drivers, has a long standing relationship with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He is on pace to grant his 300th wish, making him the first celebrity wish granter ever to reach that lofty goal. The Make-A-Wish Foundation recently dedicated a room to WWE at the foundation’s headquarters in Phoenix, AZ, in honor of Cena’s unwavering dedication to children with life-threatening medical conditions.

Past Honorary Starters for the Daytona 500 include NASCAR Hall of Famers Bobby Allison and Richard Petty, actor Ashton Kutcher, comedian Whoopi Goldberg and singer Mariah Carey.

Tommy Baldwin Racing Hires Ryan Pemberton As Crew Chief For Blaney

Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) hired Ryan Pemberton to lead the No. 36 team as crew chief for Dave Blaney. Pemberton will join the team as they attempt to make the 54thAnnual Daytona 500 February 26. The No. 36 team’s 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) schedule is still being finalized as the team seeks funding for all 36 events.

Pemberton comes from a family of racers. The Saratoga, N.Y., native started out sweeping floors at Roush Fenway Racing and worked his way up to a NSCS crew chief in 1997. Most recently, he served as crew chief for Brian Vickers at Red Bull Racing. During his career as a NSCS crew chief, he compiled two wins, 21 top-fives, 92 top-10s and 15 poles.

“I’m thrilled to join Tommy Baldwin Racing,” explained Pemberton. “TBR has shown a lot of growth in a short time, and I’m looking forward to the challenge of stepping up the program this year. Tommy, Dave and I all come from families of racing and have similar backgrounds, so I think it will be a good fit.”

This season will mark TBR’s fourth season of competition. TBR began as a part-time, one-car NSCS team in 2009 and developed into a top-35 team by 2011. In 2012, TBR plans to compete with two NSCS teams and a part-time NASCAR Nationwide Series team. The team would like to increase the number of races in both the NSCS and NNS schedules, provided more sponsorship can be found.

“Hiring Ryan is another stepping stone for TBR,” Tommy Baldwin commented. “Ryan brings experience and a wealth of knowledge from all the years he has been in the sport. He has been successful with every team he has worked for, and we are excited to have him be a part of our program.”

- Tommy Baldwin Racing Press Release

DAYTONA 500 BOASTS A RECORD PURSE OF MORE THAN $19 MILLION

The 54th annual Daytona 500, NASCAR’s biggest and most prestigious race, will carry a record purse of more than $19 million as well as a new contingency award that will payout $200,000 to the driver leading at the completion of Lap 100.

The posted awards for “The Great American Race” are $19,142,601 with the winner collecting a minimum of $1,431,325. The second, third, fourth and fifth-place finishers in the Daytona 500 will receive a minimum of $1,050,075, $759,600, $609,900 and $486,550.

The Daytona 500 Mid-Race Leader Award will reward the driver leading the midway point of the historic 200-lap, 500-mile race with a $200,000 bonus. If the race is under caution at Lap 100, the leader of the race at the completion of the fifth consecutive green flag lap following the caution will receive the award.

- Daytona International Speedway Press Release