2010 NMPA Richard Petty Driver of the Year Awarded to Jimmie Johnson

Jimmie Johnson continued his record-breaking streak of NASCAR Sprint Cup championships in 2010, winning his fifth consecutive title – and his second consecutive NMPA Richard Petty Driver of the Year award.

It’s the fifth time the membership of the National Motorsports Press Association has voted Johnson for the award, which has been given since 1969. That ties Johnson with Dale Earnhardt, who was named NMPA Richard Petty Driver of the Year five times.

The announcement was made Sunday during the NMPA’s annual convention in Charlotte, N.C.

During the 2010 season, Johnson earned six victories with 17 top-five finishes and 23 top-10 finishes. His top-five finishes led the series and his wins and top-10 finishes were second in the series.

Johnson also won this honor in 2004, ’06,’07 and ‘09.
Also receiving votes were Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Jamie McMurray and John Force.
Determined by vote of the membership, the Richard Petty Driver of the Year award has been presented annually since 1969 to recognize the season’s most outstanding driver. It is named in honor of NASCAR’s all-time leader in Cup victories.

Richard Petty Driver of the Year

2010, Jimmie Johnson; 2009, Jimmie Johnson; 2008, Carl Edwards; 2007, Jimmie Johnson; 2006, Jimmie Johnson; 2005, Tony Stewart; 2004, Jimmie Johnson; 2003, Ryan Newman; 2002, Tony Stewart; 2001, Kevin Harvick; 2000, Bobby Labonte; 1999, Dale Jarrett; 1998, Jeff Gordon;
1997, Dale Jarrett; 1996, Terry Labonte; 1995, Jeff Gordon; 1994, Dale Earnhardt; 1993, Rusty Wallace; 1992, Davey Allison; 1991, Harry Gant; 1990, Dale Earnhardt; 1989, Mark Martin; 1988, Rusty Wallace;
1987, Dale Earnhardt; 1986, Tim Richmond and Dale Earnhardt; 1985, Bill Elliott; 1984, Terry Labonte; 1983, Bobby Allison; 1982, Darrell Waltrip; 1981, Darrell Waltrip; 1980 Dale Earnhardt; 1979 Cale Yarborough; 1978 Cale Yarborough;
1977, Cale Yarborough; 1976, Darrell Waltrip; 1975, Richard Petty; 1974, Richard Petty; 1973, David Pearson; 1972, Bobby Allison; 1971, Bobby Allison; 1970, Bobby Isaac; 1969, LeeRoy Yarbrough.

Note: Kerry Murphey is a proud member of The National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) and NASCAR’s Citizen Journalists Media Corps.

RICHARD PETTY MOTORSPORTS ANNOUNCES SPONSOR LINEUP FOR 2011

Concord, N.C. (January 24, 2011) – Richard Petty, owner of Richard Petty Motorsports, Andrew Murstein, President of Medallion Financial and Doug Bergeron, co-owners of RPM, announced today the 2011 partner lineup for the No. 9 and No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams.

“We’ve got a lineup of great sponsors for both Richard Petty Motorsports teams next season,” said Richard Petty. “Though we went through some trying times at the end of 2010, our partners saw the value in our organization and remained committed to us for the future. Best Buy, Stanley and DEWALT have made huge commitments to this race team and we thank them for their confidence in our race team. We’re fortunate to have Valvoline, U.S. Air Force, WIX Filters, Reynolds, Super 8 and Paralyzed Veterans of America on board as well.”

“We’ve set our goals and our standards high at Richard Petty Motorsports, and we’re committed to reaching those goals,” continued Petty. “Getting the No. 43 and No. 9 cars to Victory Lane is our number one priority and we have the drive, talent and enthusiasm to do so. We’re completely focused on building this organization into a winning race team and the talent at RPM runs deep.”

The sponsor line up for 2011 includes several organizations that have partnered with Richard Petty in the past. Stanley, an RPM sponsor since 2005, returns for the 2011 season. The 2011 season will also have a new addition to the RPM partner family as DEWALT returns to the sport. Both brands will serve as primary sponsors of the No. 9 Ford Fusion driven by Marcos Ambrose.

“Stanley and DEWALT are proud to partner with Marcos Ambrose and Richard Petty Motorsports,” stated Scott Bannell, Vice President Corporate Brand Management and Licensing, Stanley and DEWALT. “Richard Petty is a legend in the sport and we are honored to have him as the face of our brands on and off the track. Marcos Ambrose is a passionate and determined competitor and we look forward to a successful season together.”

Marcos Ambrose, a two-time winner in the V8 Supercar Series will once again get behind the wheel of a Ford machine as he begins his tenure with RPM. Ambrose has racked up an impressive seven Top-five and 13 Top-10 finishes in his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career. Championship winning crew chief Todd Parrott will lead the No. 9 team.

Best Buy will return to sponsor the No. 43 Ford Fusion and driver AJ Allmendinger for 24 races. Leading that team will be Mike Shiplett, who has worked with Allmendinger for several years at Richard Petty Motorsports. Valvoline, U.S. Air Force, WIX Filters, Reynolds and Paralyzed Veterans of America will round out the sponsorship package on the famed No. 43 car for the 2011 season.

“Best Buy is proud to renew our relationship with Richard Petty Motorsports and driver AJ Allmendinger for the 2011 season,” said Drew Panayiotou, senior vice president marketing, Best Buy. “Richard Petty is a motorsports icon and is well respected within the sport of NASCAR. Being a part of a team with his leadership is a privilege. We will be doing some innovative work with Richard Petty Motorsports around activating our sponsorship in new and fun ways for the fans. We look forward to continuing our support of AJ and the No. 43 team as they strive to make their way to Victory Lane.”

CORNELIUS, N.C., and IRVINE, Calif. – Boost Mobile, an industry leader in no-contract wireless service, and Samsung Mobile, the No. 1 mobile phone provider in the U.S.1, will sponsor Travis Pastrana when the action sports icon embarks on his NASCAR Nationwide Series career in 2011.

Pastrana will drive the No. 99 Boost Mobile Toyota for Pastrana-Waltrip Racing in seven Nationwide Series races this season, including a mid-summer debut in Indianapolis designed to bridge NASCAR with the ESPN X Games. Pastrana plans to compete in at least 20 races in 2012.

The Boost Mobile announcement came Friday night at L.A. Live – the sports and entertainment district in downtown Los Angeles. Boost Mobile and longtime Pastrana sponsors Red Bull, DC Shoes and Nixonstaged the launch party for 500 fans and members of the media. To celebrate the partnership, Pastrana received a Samsung Mobile handset from Boost Mobile to use as his official phone for the race season.

Pastrana, who owns 11 X Games gold medals, multiple supercross and motocross championships, and four Rally America championships, entertained the crowd with a freestyle motocross show and unveiled his race car. He is also known for his Nitro Circus empire, which includes a TV show, live tours and a soon-to-be-released 3D feature film.

“To announce this partnership in November and have a sponsor this soon is really gratifying, and we certainly appreciate Boost’s support,” Pastrana said. “Having worked with Boost in the past and knowing what an innovative brand it is, I am excited to see what we can do together this year. To see this many people here tonight is quite a testament to the interest everyone has in what we plan to do in NASCAR. I’m ready to get started. We’ve tested, but nothing compares to racing and I’m really looking forward to that!”

“Boost has aligned with Travis’ previous racing endeavors on the rally circuit and we are thrilled to be working with him again as he makes his debut on the NASCAR Nationwide Series,” said Ron Faris, director of brand experience, Boost Mobile. “He brings a level of energy and fun that is a perfect match for the Boost brand. With our handset partner Samsung, we look forward to bringing the sponsorship to life and giving his fans and our customers an experience to remember this race season.”
Pastrana’s debut weekend will be a sports first. Pastrana will compete at the X Games in Los Angeles July 28 and July 29, fly to Indianapolis for his Nationwide Series debut on Saturday, then return to Los Angeles to finish his X Games competition.
“That is going to be a phenomenal weekend,” Pastrana said. “We’re going big that weekend. Our vision for this team is to expose NASCAR and action sports to each other’s world, and this is a perfect way to accomplish that. We have a lot of work to do before then, but that weekend has already been marked on my calendar.”
In addition to Indianapolis, Pastrana plans to race in the following Nationwide Series races:

Sept. 9 – Richmond, Va.
Oct. 1 – Dover, Del.
Oct. 8 – Kansas
Nov. 5 – Fort Worth, Texas
Nov. 12 – Phoenix
Nov. 19 – Homestead-Miami

In November, Michael Waltrip Racing, Gary and Blake Bechtel and Pastrana announced the creation of Pastrana-Waltrip Racing, which will field cars in the NASCAR Nationwide Series beginning this year. The team will focus on creating programs that expose the action sports world’s fans and participants to NASCAR and develop youth marketing initiatives designed to create greater awareness of both sports.

“I think this shows you the power of Pastrana with both fans and sponsors,” said Blake Bechtel, who initiated conversations with Pastrana about coming to NASCAR after attending the 2010 New Year’s Eve event where Pastrana shattered the world record for the longest jump in a rally car.

“He has such an amazing following and to see him team up with a brand like Boost Mobile is really awesome. Both Boost and Travis think outside of the box and have really done some unique programs, so I think we’re going to have a lot of fun this year.”

The team also signed an associate sponsorship agreement with KMC Wheels for all of Pastrana’s races.

To prepare for the 2011 Nationwide season, Pastrana will race in Saturday’s Toyota All-Star Showdown in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series at Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway.

Check out the official Travis Pastrana NASCAR announcement and several behind-the scenes videos at http://pastranawaltrip.com/. Also follow team updates and announcements at http://www.facebook.com/pastranawaltrip and on Twitter at @pwr99.

Drivers Pair Up In Two-Car Draft
Teams Record Near 200 mph Speeds In Final Day Of Testing

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 22, 2011) — After two days of testing at a chilly and overcast Daytona International Speedway, drivers were ready to stick by each other’s sides on Saturday.
Literally.
Two-car drafting was the theme of the day as the sun finally made an appearance. Teammates took to the track to test the pull, push and grip of the newly repaved 2.5-mile speedway during the third and final day of NASCAR Preseason Thunder at Daytona – a three-day series test in preparation for the 53rd Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 20.
During the morning session, Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Joey Logano (No. 20 Home Depot Toyota) and Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota) swapped spots tailing each other and set the day’s top speeds with just over 197 mph.
“I feel like we’ve got a decent speed in the Home Depot Toyota,” said Logano, who had the morning’s fastest lap (197.516 mph, 45.566 seconds). “Usually in single-car runs we were probably a 15th-place car, but I feel like we’re a top-five car in single-car runs right now. That’s exciting to know.”
Numerous teams opted for two-car drafting, including Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot Chevrolet) and Ryan Newman (No. 39 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet), Earnardt-Ganassi Racing’s Juan Pablo Montoya (No. 42 Target Chevrolet) and Jamie McMurray (No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) and Penske Racing’s Kurt Busch (No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge) and Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge).
NASCAR Managing Director of Competition John Darby wasn’t surprised that teams avoided multi-car drafting, instead relying on two- and three-car combinations.
“Obviously the guys are working on the tandem deal knowing that’s faster than the draft,” Darby said. “Everybody’s working on a little different agenda, and it’s all trying to find that edge to win the Daytona 500.”
Darby says it wasn’t about what teams and NASCAR learned during this week’s test, rather more about what fans can expect on Feb. 20.
“I think this test has done more in building confidence,” Darby said. “There’s always some anxiety around what happens when a track repaves.”
Last year’s repave – only the second at the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway and the first since 1978 – began after the NASCAR Sprint Cup event on July 3 and ended in early December. A Goodyear tire test on Dec. 15-16 was the first time teams drove on the repaved surface. This past week was the second time.
“All it has done is amplify the beautiful job they have done on resurfacing Daytona International Speedway,” Darby said. “The grip is at an all-time high, the drivers are comfortable – that’s why you see a lot of the stuff on the race track, because they are comfortable in the cars. Sometimes there’s a fine line between comfortable and cocky but that’s what makes the race exciting. That’s one of the things that’ll make this Daytona 500, I think, different than any one I’ve been able to watch.”
One driver already comfortable in his new No. 22 Penske Dodge was 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Kurt Busch.
“It’s gonna be one heck of a Daytona,” Busch said in the garage during the afternoon test.

Jimmie Johnson: “I think it’s more of an attempt to make our points system easier to understand. I don’t think that it would be a huge change from the thought that I’ve put into it so far. I don’t see it being a big thing. I know people expect me to react and think, oh, they’ve got to leave it alone, don’t change it. I don’t care what races are in the Chase, the format to win the championship; I could care less because I feel confident that my team will be able to win championships under any set of circumstances. We’ll wait until the announcement when and if it comes and kind of take it from there.”

Tony Stewart: “Honestly I’ve kind of been one of those guys it didn’t really bother me when they changed it the first time, and if they change it again, it really won’t matter to me. As long as we all start the year and we understand what the point structure is and how you get the points, then you race accordingly. But it’s still going to be on a situation where if you win races the points take care of itself, and as long as it’s not a deal where you ever get in a situation where running 30th pays more points than winning then it shouldn’t really change how you race, it’s just you know if it’s a 36 week deal that leads into a championship or a ten week deal, you know how to prepare for it. So it’s just knowing what the system is so you know how to prepare for those events.”

Carl Edwards: “I am not sure what the final decision is yet, but if it makes it similar, for instance if I am running 12th or something I don’t even know how many points that is worth and I have been doing this long enough that I should know. So if it makes it simpler for the competitors and the fans to follow along and understand, then I think it is a good move. We all race so hard for the wins so whatever points system it is, we are going to race hard.”

David Ragan: “I think that has been long overdue. I think the points system has been confusing not only for the fans but the drivers and the teams. I think that simplifying it is a good thing. I think you still need to reward the winner a few more points than the second and third place guy. If you get those points too close together, it takes a little of the fame of winning out and getting those extra bonus points. I am sure NASCAR will make the right decision. They are in the right ballpark with the figures. I think it is very understandable that 43 to 1 point meaning first to last makes sense. As long as we get bonus points for leading laps and winning the race, I think it will be a good move.”

Kevin Harvick: “For me, and this is just putting it into perspective, as you look at I got done with the season last year, and I got a text from Joe Girardi, he says, ‘Hey, man, great year, good job; I don’t understand how you can have the best year and not win. I don’t understand your points system.’ And for me, I think if you look at the new point system, I think it’s easy to understand. And those are the people that need to understand it are the people who aren’t here every week, live it, breathe it, and really understand how the sport works. It’s the casual fan that we need to recapture and make it exciting and easily understandable. So however that point system works out, I want it to be easy to understand for those types of people.”