(MOORESVILLE, NC) – Mike Bliss will pilot the No. 36 Wave Energy Drink race car for Tommy Baldwin Racing in 2010 and Michael McDowell will continue his marketing relationship with the sponsor.

Bliss, a 44-year old native of Portland, Oregon, has 476 combined starts in all three NASCAR series with a record of 15 wins, 89 top-fives, 181 top-10’s and 21 pole positions. Bliss also drove in the International Race of Champions (IROC) Series in 2003, garnering one win (Chicagoland Speedway), two top-fives and four top-10’s in four total starts. Bliss began his racing career in quarter midgets at the age of nine. He’s married with one nine-year old daughter and restores custom hot rods in his spare time. Among his collection is a bright yellow 1970 Plymouth ‘Cuda with a Hemi Engine.

After careful consideration, Baldwin chose Mike Bliss to lead his 2010 program. “Mike brings a lot of experience to the table and next year, we’re stepping everything up,” said Baldwin. “He gives us the best chance to qualify for the Daytona 500 and get ourselves in the top-35 in points after the first five events of the 2010 season. I’m very excited to have him on board along with our sponsor, Wave Energy Drink,” he added.

Driver Michael McDowell, who closed out the 2009 season for Tommy Baldwin Racing, will still play a vital part of sponsor Wave Energy Drink’s future marketing plans. McDowell is slated to drive in several select Sprint Cup events in a Wave Energy Drink-sponsored car in 2010.

Wave Energy Drink executives are delighted with the plan of action for their 2010 NASCAR Season. “We’re thrilled with the arrangement that has been put in place for next year,” said Jason Wolter, VP of Marketing for Wave Energy Drink. “As a sponsor, we still get the best of both worlds. We have Mike Bliss to lead the competition side and we’re retaining the personal representation services of Michael McDowell. In the end, everyone is on the same page and the stage is now set for Wave Energy Drink’s most successful year ever,” he added.

With the driver lineup and sponsor representation secured for next year, Baldwin is revved up about the future of his race team and relationship with sponsor, Wave Energy Drink. “We’ve got a great deal of energy coming together at the right time,” said Baldwin. “Our plan is to keep Bliss and McDowell involved in our racing program and as brand ambassadors for Wave Energy Drink. Both of these guys are very talented both on the racetrack and off the track. Now we’ll be able to take this program to the next level with our own version of the ‘Mike and Mike Show’,” he added

Copiapo, Chile (January 10, 2010) – After a much needed rest day on Saturday, Team HUMMER returned to face the unforgiving Atacama in Stage 8 of the Dakar Rally. The competitors covered 568 km as they traveled from Antofagasta to Copiapo. To start the day, the drivers had to navigate their way through extremely rocky terrain where the slightest mistake can cost the most experienced competitor precious minutes. As the stage progressed, the pace quickened as the drivers covered approximately 300 km of winding, fast tracks leading to the frequent dune zones above Copiapo. After conquering the dunes, competitors raced through the final 90 km, which was composed completely of sand.

Robby Gordon and the No. 302 Monster Energy / Toyo Tires HUMMER started the day in 24th position, but quickly moved his way towards the front. By the half way mark of the stage, he was in the second position looking for another possible stage win. Then unfortunate circumstances would once again alter the outcome for Robby Gordon in his Monster Energy / Toyo Tires HUMMER. Gordon recovered as quickly as possible to finish the stage in tenth place, 37 minutes down to the stage winner. Gordon remains tenth in the overall standings, roughly five hours behind leader Carlos Sainz.

‘”We finished the stage in tenth place, which is the disappointing part of the day. It is frustrating because we know that we have a race car that is capable of finishing good each and every stage; we raced our way from 24th to 2nd. We just need everything to go good so that we can get the finishes that we deserve. Looking at the bright side of things, we’ll be getting a better starting position tomorrow. We will be starting 10th, which is about 2 minutes a car so it should be good for us,” Robby Gordon commented about his day hoping for a better outcome during stage 9.

The driver of the Vanguard HUMMER would soon follow Robby Gordon across the finish line, coming in 13th place.

The team will regroup tonight and hope to have a strong showing tomorrow. Stage 9 will take the team from Copiapo to La Serena with the special stage starting at 8:50 am local time. Robby Gordon in his Monster Energy / Toyo Tires HUMMER will start at 9:08 am.

Race Coverage – For fans tracking the Dakar Rally at home, please visit robbygordon.com, planetrobby.com, and Robby Gordon’s twitter page for daily updates on the team’s performance including a daily recap, photos and videos. Versus will provide coverage throughout the United States. A 30-minute daily program featuring highlights from that day’s racing will be aired on Versus daily at 3:30 p.m. with a replay airing later in the day. The show is set to air daily from January 3rd through January 18th, check your local listing for exact show times. A 60-minute recap show featuring all fourteen stages will air on Versus on Sunday, January 24th at 3:00 p.m.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers talk with fans on Saturday during the Sprint Sound and Speed Fan Festival at Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tenn.

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Photo Credit: NASCAR Media

Logano Wins At Bobsled Challenge
Captured Head-To-Head Race With NHRA’s Troxel
Jason Cunningham, NASCAR
January 10, 2010 – 7:10pm
LAKE PLACID, N.Y. – The Fifth Annual Lucas Oil Geoff Bodine Bobsled Challenge presented by Whelen Engineering concluded on Sunday with NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Joey Logano a winner.

Logano defeated Melanie Troxel from the NHRA in Sunday’s Race 2 finals, which pitted the fastest NASCAR representative against the fastest from the NHRA. Logano’s run of 49.81 seconds edged the 50.08 of Troxel, who was the champion of Race 1 earlier in the day.

“I’m happy with my time, and it makes it a ton of fun to finally get a win,” Logano said. “This is a blast.”

A three-year participant in the Bodine Bobsled Challenge, Sunday’s Race 2 overall win was the first in a bobsled for Logano. Logano recorded the second-fastest time, just behind NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Todd Bodine, during the first round of competition against his fellow NASCAR competitors, and advanced to the semifinals in the head-to-head portion of the racing with a win against part-time driver and ESPN NASCAR analyst Boris Said. Logano then defeated Bodine in the semifinals to earn a match-up with Troxel.

“I’m still not that good, but I got lucky,” Logano said. “I just keep asking questions. Same as in my Cup car, I just ask questions. I didn’t think I had a chance against her.”

Troxel made it to the finals of Race 2 by recording the fastest time among her NHRA competitors in the first round, then defeated Morgan Lucas in the semifinals.

Earlier in the day the event’s 10 participants competed in Race 1, which determined an overall winner based on the combined time of two runs. Troxel took top honors with a composite time of 1:39.33 to just edge fellow NHRA representative Jeg Coughlin Jr. at 1:39.40. Said was third overall, and fastest among the NASCAR drivers at 1:39.69. Bodine was fourth at 1:39.82.

Shawn Langdon (NHRA, 1:40.12), Morgan Lucas (1:40.32), Logano (1:40.40), Philip Morris (NASCAR Whelen All-American Series, 1:40.53), George Brunnhoelzl III (NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour, 1:40.97) and Carl Renezeder (Off-road racer, 1:41.16) rounded out the Race 1 results.

Said recorded the fastest single run of any competitor on Sunday, a trip of 49.21 seconds during the first round of Race 1.

The Bodine Bobsled Challenge was held on Mount Van Hovenburg in rural Lake Placid, site of the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics, and the 2009 World Bobsled Championships. The event is geared to create awareness and greater funding for the Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project, Inc., which provides made-in-America bobsleds for the United States men’s and women’s national teams.

Action from the Fifth Annual Lucas Oil Geoff Bodine Bobsled Challenge presented by Whelen Engineering will air on SPEED on Jan. 24 and Jan. 31.

NOTES: Troxel was the first female to participate in the Bodine Bobsled Challenge in the event’s five-year history … Renezeder was Saturday’s fastest qualifier … An off-road racer who is not affiliated with NASCAR or NHRA, Renezeder competed with the NHRA in Sunday’s Race 2 … Corey LaJoie, son of former NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Randy LaJoie, qualified for Bodine on Saturday.

Race 1 (winner decided by combined times of two runs)
1. Melanie Troxel – NHRA (1:39.33)
2. Jeg Coughlin Jr – NHRA (1:39.40)
3. Boris Said – NASCAR (1:39.69)
4. Todd Bodine – NASCAR (1:39.82)
5. Shawn Langdon – NHRA (1:40.12)
6. Morgan Lucas – NHRA (1:40.32)
7. Joey Logano – NASCAR (1:40.40)
8. Philip Morris – NASCAR (1:40.53)
9. George Brunnhoelzl III – NASCAR (1:40.97)
10. Carl Renezeder (1:41.16)

Race 2
NASCAR Round 1:
1. Todd Bodine (50.16)
2. Joey Logano (50.31
3. Boris Said (50.32)
4. Philip Morris (50.71)
5. George Brunnhoelzl III (50.90)

NHRA Round 1:
1. Melanie Troxel (49.60)
2. Morgan Lucas (50.06)
3. Carl Renezeder (50.25)
4. Jeg Coughlin Jr. (50.26)
5. Shawn Langdon (50.32)

NASCAR Round 2:
Joey Logano (50.00) def. Boris Said (50.03)

NHRA Round 2:
Morgan Lucas (DNF) def. Carl Renezeder (DNF)

NASCAR Semifinal:
Joey Logano (49.70) def. Todd Bodine (50.12)

NHRA Semifinal:
Melanie Troxel (50.12) def. Morgan Lucas (50.14)

NASCAR vs. NHRA Final:
Joey Logano (49.81) def. Melanie Troxel (50.08)

TALLADEGA, Ala. – Clad in Crimson Tide apparel, Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage raised the Talladega Superspeedway flag over the Texas Speedway Club offices, much to the delight of Talladega Superspeedway President Rick Humphrey. The flag ceremony was a condition the two presidents agreed upon when making a friendly wager on the outcome of Thursday night’s BCS Championship game. The University of Alabama’s 37-21 victory over the University of Texas assured that the Talladega Superspeedway flag will fly over Texas throughout the weekend and that Talladega will receive a shipment of Sonny Bryan’s Smokehouse beef brisket.

“I’m very excited to know the Talladega Superspeedway flag is flying over Texas Motor Speedway,” said Humphrey. “But more importantly, I’m excited for the University of Alabama and the pride that a national championship brings to our state. I love Talladega Superspeedway and I love the Alabama Crimson Tide. Today is a great day for both.”

Talladega Superspeedway is preparing for the 2010 Aaron’s Dream Weekend featuring qualifying for the NASCAR Nationwide Series, followed by the ARCA Racing Series 250 race on Friday, April 23. On Saturday, April 24, fans will see qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, followed by the Aaron’s 312 NASCAR Nationwide Series race. On Sunday, April 25, the greatest drivers in the world face off in the Aaron’s 499 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.