Top Drivers (in alphabetical order)

Kyle Busch – In 15 starts this season, Busch collected seven wins, 11 top-five and 13 top-10 finishes. Busch had an average finish of 4.3. His strong performance in the final races of the season had his team owner Billy Ballew in contention for his first NASCAR owners’ title up until the season finale.

Matt Crafton – Finished second in the championship standings, his best finish and fifth top-10 finish in the final standings in nine seasons as a full-time competitor. Crafton earned 11 top-five and 21 top-10 finishes and collected two poles this season. He held the lead in the point standings for two weeks before falling to second behind Hornaday.

Ron Hornaday Jr. – At the age of 51 he becomes the first driver in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series to win a fourth championship. He joins first ballot Hall of Fame selections Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt, along with Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson as the only drivers to have captured four national series titles. Hornaday added his name to another distinguished list by becoming only the third driver to win five consecutive races in NASCAR’s three national series. Petty and Bobby Allison both won five in a row in 1971 in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Ron finished the season with six wins, 15 top-five, 20 top-10 finishes, and four poles.

Continue reading “Truck Series Top Performances of 2009”

IndyCar Star To Compete In NASCAR Nationwide Series For JR Motorsports

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (December 9, 2009) – Racer Danica Patrick and JR Motorsports co-owner Kelley Earnhardt announced Tuesday a two-year deal for the IndyCar star to compete in a partial NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule starting in 2010. The announcement came at a press conference in Phoenix, Ariz., home to primary sponsor GoDaddy.com. Patrick and Earnhardt joined CEO and Founder of Go Daddy Bob Parsons in unveiling the No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet.

The following is a complete transcript of a media teleconference featuring Patrick, Earnhardt, and Parsons. For a complete replay of the announcement, photos, and information pertaining to Tuesday’s media event, please visit http://www.GoDaddy.com/Danica:

TELECONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT —

DANICA PATRICK (What are your feelings after this announcement?) – “We’re all really excited to finally announce our partnership of me driving for JR Motorsports in the GoDaddy.com car. We’ve obviously had to sidestep these questions for quite a while, so it’s really exciting to finally be able to talk about it and now it’s time for the hard work. It’s time to buckle down and learn how to drive these cars and it’s going to be challenging, but we’re ready, and it’s time to get going.”

Continue reading “Danica Patrick Media Q & A”

TEAM RELEASE

YES SHE WILL!  GO DADDY GIRL DANICA PATRICK ‘GOING NASCAR!’
Go Daddy Seals Deal with Danica & JR Motorsports – Confirms NASCAR’s “Worst-Kept Secret”

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (Dec. 8, 2009) – At last, the long-awaited announcement is official – Go Daddy is taking Danica Patrick to the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2010.

Danica will drive the No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet in a partial Nationwide schedule next season, plus one ARCA race.  The Go Daddy Girl will be racing as a member of the JR Motorsports (JRM) team owned by Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Rick Hendrick, Kelley Earnhardt and Tony Eury, Jr. through 2011.

Photo: CIA Stock Photo

“It’s been a long time coming, but the stars finally aligned for me with Go Daddy and JRM,” Danica said just before making her announcement. “I have always said I love to drive, and if I could make it work to race in both IndyCar and NASCAR – with the right sponsor, like GoDaddy.com and the right team, like JRM – then I’d love to drive in NASCAR!”

Continue reading “JR Motorsports signs Danica Patrick for 2 years”

After months of speculation and rumors, we now have the official facts, Danica Patrick will drive NASCAR next season in the Nationwide Series for Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his JR Motorsports. She’ll be racing the colors and sponsorship from GoDaddy.com in the #7 Chevy.

Danica will drive a partial schedule next season plus one ARCA Series race at Daytona on February 6th. Her schedule will be all over the map, before, after, and even during the IndyCar Series calendar.

Danica is the only woman to ever win an IndyCar race at Twin Ring Motegi Japan, but has only tested a Nationwide Series car once back in 2002, so it should be interesting as she comes to NASCAR.

Guest Column By Cathy Elliott
You can learn at lot of useful stuff at the blackjack table.

Champion’s Week in Las Vegas reached its end Friday, and what a week it was.

The first few minutes of the awards ceremony left most of the folks sitting at my table a little bit shell-shocked. The Ken Squier-narrated “Spirit of the Fans” video was immediately followed by Brooks and Dunn’s performance of “Only in America.” During the song, representatives from the different branches of the armed forces came on stage and raised their right hands in salutes so precise and razor-sharp that Gillette might want to consider signing them up for the “Young Guns” promotion in 2010.

This proved two things: first, that patriotism can bring NASCAR’s elite to its feet. And second, that NASCAR can bring Brooks and Dunn back together. I’m not sure if the performance can actually be considered leg one of the “Reunion Tour,” but that’s some serious clout we’re talking about.

Continue reading “NASCAR Plays Cars and Cards Right in Vegas”