Zac Brown Band to Perform at the Daytona 500

Grammy-award winning musicians Zac Brown Band will perform the Daytona 500 Budweiser Pre-Race Show leading up to the start of “The Great American Race” at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday, Feb. 24th.

Zac Brown Band will perform several songs prior to the start of the 55th annual Daytona 500 – the prestigious season-opening event to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the biggest stock car race in the world.

Zac Brown Band member and Southern Ground recording artist Clay Cook will sing the National Anthem. An accomplished multi-instrumentalist with Zac Brown Band, Cook has also recorded and toured with John Mayer, Sugarland, The Marshall Tucker Band, Shawn Mullins, and as a solo artist.

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

“Zac Brown Band will kick off pre-race activities for the 55th annual Daytona 500 with a rousing, heart-pumping concert that will be sure to get everyone on their feet and ready to race at Daytona International Speedway,” said Speedway President Joie Chitwood III. “The group is renowned for their energetic live performances and they are the perfect complement to ‘The Great American Race.’ ”

Zac Brown Band’s latest album “Uncaged” (Atlantic/Southern Ground) has been nominated for Best Country Album at the 2013 Grammy Awards and debuted No. 1 on Billboard 200. The album follows the Georgia seven-piece’s triple-platinum major label debut ‘The Foundation’ (Atlantic Records/Home Grown/Big Picture) and platinum #1 follow-up ‘You Get What You Give’ (Atlantic/Southern Ground), which together produced a historic series of nine consecutive #1 hit singles. Since 2009, the band has garnered over 70 GRAMMY, ACM, AMA, CMA and CMT award nominations.

Zac Brown Band joins a long list of star-studded names that have performed in the Daytona 500 Budweiser Pre-Race Show including Lenny Kravitz, Brad Paisley, Tim McGraw, Keith Urban, Bon Jovi, Five for Fighting and Kelly Clarkson.

In addition to his concert, a special ticket package designed around the Zac Brown Band has been created that includes a Daytona 500 grandstand ticket, Pre-Race/Sprint FANZONE access and VIP area access to Zac Brown Band’s performance. Packages start at $164. Fans that already have race tickets can add Pre-Race/Sprint FANZONE access along with VIP area access for $99. Packages go on sale Tuesday at noon.


- Daytona International Speedway, Press Release

Joe Gibbs Racing and Kyle Busch Agree to Contract Extension

Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) announced today that it has signed driver Kyle Busch to a long-term contract extension. In addition, JGR will field the No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota in the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2013 with Busch serving as the primary driver.

“I’m passionate about winning and that was a big factor in deciding to re-sign with Joe Gibbs Racing,” said Busch. “I think JGR gives me the best opportunity to win a championship in the Cup Series for M&M’s and Interstate Batteries. I know that everyone on our team is committed to that goal and will push towards making that a reality in 2013. I’m also looking forward to the opportunity to work with Adam Stevens in the Nationwide Series and put Monster Energy in Victory Lane where they belong.”

“I’m extremely proud of what we have accomplished in a short period of time at KBM in both the Camping World Truck Series and Nationwide Series. When we started KBM our attention was to build something for the long term and now we are going to put a greater focus on our future with Parker (Kligerman) competing in Nationwide and Joey (Coulter) running trucks.”

The No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota will run a full season schedule for JGR with crew chief Adam Stevens calling the shots from atop the pit box. Busch is currently scheduled to drive the majority of the races in 2013. Additional drivers for the 54 team will be announced soon.

Since joining JGR prior to the 2008 season, Busch and JGR have enjoyed tremendous success together, which includes 20 wins in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. While driving in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for JGR from 2008-2011, Busch visited victory lane an astounding 40 times and would pass Mark Martin in career wins for the Series with 51.

“This is a big deal for us,” said JGR President J.D. Gibbs. “It’s no secret that you have to have great drivers to win in NASCAR and in the past year we’ve been able to secure long-term deals with Kyle and Denny and of course we were able to add Matt as well. Kyle is a big part of our success at JGR and we’re thrilled to know he will be with us for a long time.”

KYLE BUSCH NASCAR CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

Starts: 293

Wins: 24

Poles: 10

NASCAR Nationwide Series

Starts: 244

Wins: 51*

Poles: 26

*NASCAR Nationwide Series record

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

Starts: 104

Wins: 30

Poles: 12 

- Joe Gibbs Racing  Press Release

Austin Dillon Joins Drive4COPD Movement to Raise Awareness in 2013

Armed with the memory of his late grandfather and a desire to promote healthy living, Richard Childress Racing driver Austin Dillon has joined the DRIVE4COPD campaign to raise awareness about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a serious and progressive lung disease that is the third leading cause of death of Americans.

DRIVE4COPD will serve as an associate sponsor of the No. 3 AdvoCare Chevrolet driven by Dillon in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and as a major associate sponsor of the No. 33 Honey Nut Cheerios Chevrolet driven by Dillon in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in this year’s Daytona 500.

“It means a lot to be able to work with DRIVE4COPD, a campaign of the COPD Foundation,” said Dillon. “It’s an honor to play a small part in helping to raise awareness about COPD and work towards improving the quality of people’s lives.”

COPD takes one life every four minutes and kills more people each year than breast cancer and diabetes combined. Dillon’s paternal grandfather, Stan Dillon, passed away from COPD in May 2012, prompting the NASCAR driver to join the DRIVE4COPD health initiative.

“My Paw Paw was an outdoorsman his entire life but as his COPD progressed, he could do less and less. It made it really hard because we couldn’t enjoy the outdoors together or do other active things,” said Dillon. “It was tough watching my grandfather live with his illness and I know that other families are dealing with the same issues. Seeing the DRIVE4COPD initiative within NASCAR gives me hope that by raising awareness, I can help other families understand COPD and screen for the disease.”

Currently, half of the estimated 24 million Americans who may be living with COPD remain undiagnosed. Dillon will play a role in encouraging all Americans aged 35 or older to log onto www.drive4copd.org/screener to take a brief, five-question screener to see if they might be at risk for COPD. If the screener indicates risk, patients are encouraged to take the next step and speak with their healthcare professional or call the C.O.P.D. Information Line (1-866-316-2673) to discuss what their score may mean. Because COPD is a progressive disease that causes irreversible lung damage, early diagnosis and disease management are critical to helping patients breathe better in the future.

“We are thrilled that Austin Dillon has joined the DRIVE4COPD team as its honorary ambassador,” said John W. Walsh, COPD Foundation president and co-founder. “With Austin’s support, we know we can reach people to promote early diagnosis as a means to slowing the progression of COPD.”

- Richard Childress Racing Release

Michael Waltrip to drive for Swan Racing in the Daytona 500

Michael Waltrip, a two-time Daytona 500 champion, will pilot Swan Racing's No. 30 in the 2013 "Great American Race," reuniting him with former crew chief Tony Eury Jr. The race marks Swan Racing's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut since announcing its new ownership this month. 

"I am thrilled to drive the No. 30 Toyota for Swan Racing and the chance to win a third Daytona 500," said Waltrip about the one-race deal. "Reuniting with Tony Jr. and Steve Hmiel brings back a lot of good memories and is going to create new ones."
"Swan Racing is here to compete and to build a championship contender," said Swan Racing owner Brandon Davis who has vowed to end the practice of habitual "start and parks" for the team. "This one-race partnership with Michael puts a two-time champion behind the wheel and the No. 30 in the mix at the Daytona 500."

Waltrip qualified for 25 consecutive Daytona 500s between 1987 and 2011 winning his first in 2001 and a second in 2003. In 2002, Waltrip won the July race at Daytona International Speedway, bringing his total to three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series wins at the "World Center of Racing."

"This is a great move for Swan Racing," said David Stremme who will be the regular driver of the No. 30 Toyota."Michael and I have been friends for a long time. We got to talking last year and from my perspective I thought this would help to further our relationship with Toyota and be a good building block for Swan Racing."

Swan Racing is building its team from the ground up by hiring veterans of the sport who share a common long term vision for success. Steve Hmiel, named competition director last week, has over 35 years of experience as a crew chief, car chief and competition director. He has worked with NASCAR greats such as Richard Petty, Mark Martin, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Waltrip. Hmiel was Waltrip's crew chief for 12 races in 2001.

Tony Eury Jr. will be the crew chief for the No. 30 Toyota. The addition of Waltrip for the 2013 Daytona 500 reunites another driver and crew chief combination. Eury was Waltrip's crew chief in 2005 where they teamed up for 26 races.

"Michael is a familiar face for a lot of us here at Swan Racing," said Eury. "We know each other's habits, wants and needs on the track. We're going to Daytona to compete and hopefully we'll make a mark for Swan Racing."

Eury has been a part of 19 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victories with Waltrip and Earnhardt Jr. He was part of teams that won the Budweiser Shootout twice at Daytona International Speedway in 2003 and 2008 with Earnhardt.

- Swan Racing Release

NASCAR's Social Media Leaders among Drivers, Teams and Sponsors

Joe Gibbs Racing, Hendrick Motorsports, and Jimmie Johnson are among NASCAR's strongest and most engaging users of social media, a new social media study of the NASCAR industry finds. 

The study – conducted by Tuckahoe Strategies, a strategic communications firm – scored drivers, teams and select NASCAR sponsors and partners on a 20-point scale.   Joe Gibbs Racing topped the charts with a Social Media Score of 15 points, Hendrick trailed by one point at 14 points and Johnson scored 13 points. 

Gibbs' online accounts comprise one of the broadest social media strategies for reaching fans of the sport.  The team site, www.joegibbsracing.com, is up to date with timely features, and the homepage points to six social media platforms, including a mobile app for iPhone, Blackberry or Droid.  The team maintains active social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram and FourSquare.  Hendrick also has an active and diverse menu of social media platforms including a mobile app.  Gibbs' social media score bested Hendrick's by a single point because of its slightly more effective home page promotion of its social media platforms.


Johnson is the most comprehensive user of social media among drivers.  He reaches his audience on a broad array of platforms including: Facebook, 657,062 page likes; Twitter, 348,402 followers; YouTube, 265 subscribers; and Instagram, with an industry-leading 60,618 followers. Johnson's social media reach (the sum of all social media followers across platforms) is 1,066,347. This veritable  "media machine" has a following larger than the circulation of the Los Angeles Times, which is the fourth largest newspaper in the country. 

The sport's largest audience holder and content curator across the board is NASCAR.  The sanctioning body regained a voice and a direct connection to its fan base this year after repossessing control of its online assets in a January 2012 agreement with Turner Sports Interactive.  NASCAR's total social media reach is an astronomical 5,044,070, more than double the daily circulation of the largest U.S. newspaper,The Wall Street Journal. In fact, NASCAR commands the industry's top position in terms of audience on Facebook likes (3,239,504), Twitter followers (841,027) and YouTube subscribers (5,430).  The sanctioning body also has 1,420 followers on Pinterest and a staggering 956,689 circles on Google+. 


The Tuckahoe Strategies survey was conducted the week of December 24 and captured online holiday updates and fan engagement.  Social media scores were based on online presence, number of social platforms activated and timeliness of updates.  Social media reach was not a factor in the Social Media Score because the size of an audience can be influenced by many factors including level of popularity and "fake" followers such as automated bots.  Virtually all accounts have some level of fake followers.


Johnson, Marcos Ambrose (12 points), Kyle Busch (12), Jeff Gordon (11) and Danica Patrick (11) scored highest among 45 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers, while Gibbs, Hendrick, Penske (12), Robby Gordon Motorsports (12) and Roush Fenway (12) collected the top scores among 30 team owners. Among industry sponsors and partners, high scores were awarded to Ford Racing (12), NASCAR (11), SpeedTV (10), Toyota (8) and Sunoco (7). (NASCAR was grouped with sponsors and partners.)

The team with the broadest social media reach is Roush Fenway Racing, with an audience of 976,755.  The vast majority of this audience engages with the team's Google+ account, which includes 912,961 "circles."  Both Hendrick and Stewart-Haas Racing are more balanced, actively utilizing a broad spectrum of platforms to reach their fans.  Hendrick's total audience is 588,889 of which 454,720 are Facebook fans, 128,929 are Twitter followers, 1,531 are YouTube subscribers logging 466,071 views, and 3,709 are Pinterest followers.

The bulk of Stewart-Haas Racing's total social media audience of 404,688 can be found on Facebook (237,107 likes), but the team also is active on Twitter (91,398 followers), YouTube (453 subscribers), Pinterest (1,442 followers) and Google+ (74,288 circles). 

Dale Earnhardt Jr. scored nine 9 points in the study placing him in the middle of the pack.  However, NASCAR's most popular driver holds the single largest audience for a driver at 1,637,697.  About 90% of Earnhardt's audience is concentrated on one platform, his Facebook page, which accounts for 1,470,212 likes.  Earnhardt also has a robust YouTube channel with 1,630 subscribers and 610,714 views. Earnhardt maintains a Pinterest account that includes 231 followers and 124 pins, but it is difficult to find without any promotion from the homepage. Earnhardt does have a Twitter account with 165,855 "followers." It is dormant so far, however, with zero tweets. 

"The goal for each individual and organization should be to build and activate its own 'media machine' by using the digital platform.  All the tools are easily available and NASCAR is taking steps to help the industry expand its online presence," said Poston.

"Drivers, teams and sponsors are best off having a balanced approach to their online strategy," said Poston.  "Homepages should continue to be the primary hub of information.  Social media platforms should be access points to reach and engage fans (and customers) and should ideally include photo and video sharing platforms for maximum exposure.

"A well thought out online plan and content calendar can help drivers, teams and sponsors build a meaningful audience, which in turn provides a much better opportunity to control the message, improve opportunities to sell merchandise and, for teams and drivers, attract new sponsors," said Poston.

Many in the sport can easily improve their social media scores by making simple updates to their websites and expanding their use of social media platforms. Many sites fail to include homepage buttons linking to their full menu of social media platforms. Most sites just include Facebook and Twitter buttons but often fail to include YouTube, Pinterest or Instagram accounts on the website homepage.  (Disclaimer: There may be some social media platforms not scored by the study because they were not identified on homepages or in the extensive search.)

Another common misstep throughout the industry is a lack of shareable content.  NASCAR is a photo- and video-rich sport with an avid fan base.   Teams, drivers and sponsors would do well to utilize photo-sharing platforms, such as Instagram and Pinterest, and video sharing services such as YouTube or Vimeo.  A number of industry websites feature terrific photo and video galleries but they are isolated on the site and not easily shareable. 

While almost every industry entity evaluated could take steps to improve their position, Goodyear stood out for its lack of any social media presence at all.  In fact, one can find virtually no mention of NASCAR at all on its online properties. There is no mention of NASCAR on Goodyear.com and no dedicated Facebook page or Twitter account.

By contrast, NASCAR's fuel supplier, Sunoco, has an active, racing-related Facebook page with nearly 1.2 million likes and an active Twitter account with over 8,000 followers. Sunoco is successfully marketing its NASCAR partnership on social media platforms, in turn better positioning its own corporate brand. NASCAR title sponsor, Sprint, also is expanding the reach of its corporate brand through its NASCAR-related social media presence. Sprint is active on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube via its brand ambassador campaign, Miss Sprint Cup,with a social media reachof more than 1.3 million. 

- Tuckahoe Strategies Press Release

Preseason Thunder at Daytona Entry List

Car #     Team     Driver

1 Earnhardt Ganassi Racing - Jamie McMurray

2 Penske Racing - Brad Keselowski

5 Hendrick Motorsports - Kasey Kahne

9 Richard Petty Motorsports - Marcos Ambrose

10 Stewart Haas Racing - Danica Patrick

11 Joe Gibbs Racing - Denny Hamlin

13 Germain Racing - Casey Mears

14 Stewart Haas Racing - Tony Stewart

15 Michael Waltrip Racing - Clint Bowyer

16 Roush Fenway Racing - Greg Biffle

17 Roush Fenway Racing - Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

18 Joe Gibbs Racing - Kyle Busch

20 Joe Gibbs Racing - Matt Kenseth

21 Wood Bros Racing - Trevor Bayne

22 Penske Racing - Joey Logano

24 Hendrick Motorsports - Jeff Gordon

27 Richard Childress Racing - Paul Menard

29 Richard Childress Racing - Kevin Harvick

31 Richard Childress Racing - Jeff Burton

33 Richard Childress Racing - Austin Dillon

36 Tommy Baldwin Racing - Dave Blaney

38 Front Row Motorsports - Josh Wise

39 Stewart Haas Racing - Ryan Newman

42 Earnhardt Ganassi Racing  - Juan Pablo Montoya

43 Richard Petty Motorsports - Aric Almirola

47 JTG-Daugherty Racing - Bobby Labonte

48 Hendrick Motorsports - Jimmie Johnson

51 Phoenix Racing - Regan Smith

55 Michael Waltrip Racing - Mark Martin

56 Michael Waltrip Racing - Martin Truex

78 Furniture Row Racing - Kurt Busch

83 BK Racing - Travis Kvapil/David Reutimann

88 Hendrick Motorsports - Dale Earnhardt Jr.

95 Leavine Family Racing - Scott Speed

99 Roush Fenway Racing - Carl Edwards

- NASCAR

The Sprint Unlimited At Daytona To Launch The 2013 NASCAR Season

         

Sprint has partnered with Daytona International Speedway to sponsor The Sprint Unlimited At Daytona, the fan-favorite non-points event formerly known as the Daytona Shootout that traditionally kicks off the stock car portion of Budweiser Speedweeks 2013 and the NASCAR season.

The race will once again be held under the lights on Saturday night, Feb. 16 (FOX 8 p.m. ET) but will feature several new elements that will make this event even more of a fan favorite. Fans in attendance will be eligible to receive special upgraded race experiences from Sprint including roles as Grand Marshal, Honorary Starter, and trophy presenter. Fans can also help deliver the trophy to Gatorade Victory Lane or participate in driver introductions during pre-race ceremonies.

In addition to the new fan elements, The Sprint Unlimited marks the first time the new NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race cars will compete on-track in an event. Dubbed "Gen 6," the new-look sixth generation cars highlight greater brand identity for the manufacturers and are expected to heighten the rivalries among drivers and manufacturers.

As announced earlier in the year, the format for selecting the field of drivers in the invitation-only event will return to its roots for 2013. The eligible field of drivers will consist of pole winners from the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season and past winners of The Sprint Unlimited who have attempted to qualify for at least one race during the 2012 season.

Tickets for The Sprint Unlimited start at $39 and are available for purchase at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP. Children 12 and under are free in general admission grandstands and the Sprint FANZONE.

Fans can follow Miss Sprint Cup (@MissSprintCup) and NASCAR (@NASCAR) on Twitter and stay up to speed on the latest news by using hashtags #SprintUnlimited, #NASCAR, #DAYTONA500 and #NASCARBattle. 

In addition, fans can also stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Pinterest for all the latest news all season long.

The field for The Sprint Unlimited is currently at 22 drivers and features a who’s who of NASCAR stars.

2012 Pole Winners:
Greg Biffle

Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Carl Edwards

Denny Hamlin

Kasey Kahne

Mark Martin

Jeff Gordon

Martin Truex Jr.

Tony Stewart

AJ Allmendinger

Aric Almirola

Joey Logano

Marcos Ambrose

Jimmie Johnson

Matt Kenseth

Kyle Busch

Juan Pablo Montoya

Past champions of The Sprint Unlimited:
Kurt Busch

Kevin Harvick

Bill Elliott

Terry Labonte

Ken Schrader

- NASCAR Press Release