Live stream can be accessed here:  www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com/thunder

Car Number Driver Team

00 David Reutimann MWR
1 Jamie McMurray EGR
2 Brad Keselowski Penske
4 Kasey Kahne Red Bull
5 Mark Martin Hendrick
6 David Ragan Roush Fenway
9 Marcos Ambrose RPM
11 Denny Hamlin JGR
13 Casey Mears Germain
14 Tony Stewart Stewart-Haas
16 Greg Biffle Roush Fenway
17 Matt Kenseth Roush Fenway
18 Kyle Busch JGR
20 Joey Logano JGR
21 Trevor Bayne Wood Brothers
22 Kurt Busch Penske
24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick
27 Paul Menard RCR
29 Kevin Harvick RCR
31 Jeff Burton RCR
33 Clint Bowyer RCR
36 Dave Blaney Tommy Baldwin Racing
39 Ryan Newman Stewart-Haas
42 Juan Pablo Montoya EGR
43 AJ Allmendinger RPM
46 J.J. Yeley Whitney Racing
48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick
56 Martin Truex Jr. MWR
60 Todd Bodine Germain
64 Larry Gunselman Max Q Motorsports
66 Michael McDowell HP Racing
77 Steve Wallace RWR
78 Regan Smith Furniture Row
83 Brian Vickers Red Bull
88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Hendrick
99 Carl Edwards Roush Fenway

Veteran Dave Blaney to Pilot No. 36 Chevrolet; Offers Economical 16-race Partnership Package

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (January 17, 2011) – Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) is pleased to announce that the team will run the No. 36 Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet in its third year of competition in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS). NASCAR veteran Dave Blaney will pilot the No. 36 in all 36 events and will kick off the season with the 53rd Annual Daytona 500 on Sunday, February 20th. The team will complete 16 events and look to add more events through innovative partnership packages.

Although TBR will attempt to qualify each week, the team will target 16 races to complete until proper funding is found to complete the remaining 20 events. Going into the season opener in Daytona, the targeted races include: two races at Daytona, Phoenix, Bristol, Martinsville, Richmond and New Hampshire, as well as events at Darlington, Infineon, Indianapolis and Watkins Glen.

“Our plan is in place to compete in 16 events with or without sponsorship,” explained Baldwin. “We would definitely love to bring a sponsor on board to support our team in those 16 races and more. We will continue to seek more funding and add to our schedule by developing unique and customized packages for potential partners. We have put together a comprehensive package for partners looking for an economical entrance into the sport of NASCAR.”

In the 2010 season, TBR competed in 27 NSCS events with multiple drivers, including Blaney. Steve Park posted the team’s season-best finish of 13th in the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway. The Mooresville-based team made 25 starts in 2009 and posted a season-best finish of 18th at Talladega Superspeedway.

In addition to reuniting with TBR this season, Blaney will work with Tommy Baldwin as his crew chief again. The Hartford, Ohio, native made six starts in the No. 36 Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet during the 2010 NSCS season with a season-best finish of 30th at Richmond International Raceway. Baldwin worked as Blaney’s crew chief for two seasons at Bill Davis Racing.

“I am very excited to get back into the No. 36 Chevrolet,” explained Blaney. “TBR ended the year with great promise and rebuilt their fleet of cars in the off-season. With that and our previous experience together, I think we will hit the ground running.”

Blaney has consecutively competed in the NSCS since 1999. He earned two poles, three top-fives and 27 top-10s over his career in the NSCS. Prior to joining the NASCAR ranks in 1998, Blaney found success in the USAC Silver Crown Series.

“We are glad to have Dave back with our team,” owner Tommy Baldwin said. “He gets along well with our team, and his previous NASCAR experience means a lot. Working together in the past will help us going into Daytona and throughout the season.”

The TBR team will head to Daytona International Speedway on Thursday, January 20 to participate in the open test for the Daytona 500 before returning to the World Center of Racing for the biggest race of the NSCS season, the Daytona 500.

For more information on partnership opportunities, contact Heather Lumpp at heather@heinkebaldwinracing.com.

About Tommy Baldwin Racing
Tommy Baldwin Racing was formed in 2009 by NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Crew Chief Tommy Baldwin. Baldwin utilized a slumping economy to open a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team for a fraction of the cost. The team competed in two full seasons with multiple drivers behind the wheel of the No. 36 Chevrolet and improved in the standings each year.

Based in Mooresville, N.C., TBR will compete in the full NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule in 2011 with NASCAR veteran Dave Blaney piloting the No. 36 Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet. Looking to improve on-track performance and increase the number of races they complete, TBR is still seeking partners to support their racing efforts. TBR’s driver development program, Heinke-Baldwin Racing, will also compete in various NASCAR series in 2011.

For more information on Tommy Baldwin Racing, visit tommybaldwinracing.com or follow us on Facebook, facebook.com/TBR.HBR, and Twitter, twitter.com/TBR_Racing.

As you may know, NASCAR will provide a live streaming video of NASCAR’s Preseason Thunder testing from Daytona this week on http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com.

Below is the link to the streaming page of our website. There is a lot of excitement and anticipation for this three-day testing session and we’re thrilled to have the full test available online for our fans and media partners.

Don’t miss any of the on track action from Daytona, bookmark this page.

The stream can be accessed here:  www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com/thunder

FYI WIRZ: NASCAR’s Keselowski and Chitwood explore Busch Gardens

The Daytona 500 will start 2010 with the 53rd running of “America’s Greatest Race” on a new racing surface. To promote that event for many Tampa Bay area race fans, NASCAR driver Brad Keselowski and Daytona International Speedway President, Joie Chitwood III, visited Busch Gardens for up-close encounters with park animals a month before the green flags fly.

Keselowski and Chitwood fed giraffes on the Serengeti Plain before getting a close-up experience with a two ton rhino. The Daytona 500 is sure to be fast running, but the carefully administered wild animal convergence didn’t require any hasty retreat by either Keselowski or Chitwood.

Photo credit: Dwight Drum @ Racetake.com

Keslowski was playful with his initial assessment about hand-feeding giraffes and a rhino.

“Apparently drooling is cool and maybe I can get away with that now,” Keselowski said. “I don’t know. Drooling—they get away with things that I don’t get away with.”

Keselowski is pleased with many off-track moments.

“It’s a fun day to get to come out to Tampa and have a fun day here at Busch Gardens,” Keselowski said. “One of the things about being a race car driver is the neat opportunities you get to do.”

NASCAR drivers do get unique experiences, many in Tampa. Last year Matt Kenseth played tug-of-war with a large tiger. The tiger swiftly won, but Kenseth was in no danger as the rope was stretched through a tall secure fence. Kenseth also fed giraffes on the plain. The previous year Greg Biffle swam in diving gear with large Ocean fish, turtles and Morey Eels in the main tank of the Tampa Aquarium.

The ample population in the Tampa market creates strong NASCAR support and Tampa native and local University of South Florida graduate, Joie Chitwood, was pleased to there to promote the new surface at DIS.

A pesky pothole in the old surface spoiled the race for some fans last year.

“For me it’s gets back to the basics,” Chitwood said. “I’ve got to make sure I’m competing with every other entertainment option out there and believing that what happened last year doesn’t come back. We had two red flags. We kept customers for six and a half hours, which is two and a half hours too long. The weather was about 45 degrees.

“It was way too long of a day for somebody to have an enjoyable experience.”

Chitwood was clear about the impact of improvements.

“We’ve got to rebuild that trust again,” Chitwood said. “Hopefully when they come back, when we have our open test, we’re going to validate that the $20 million was well spent.

“Our message has to be to our fans, that we fixed that problem. We have stepped up to the plate and fixed the racetrack.”

Chitwood knows his role as promoter can cause some to question his comments.

“I’m excited about what the drivers are saying about the asphalt. I can say the track is smooth until I’m blue in the face, but until a Brad Keselowski says it. That’s when fans believe it.”

“I think it’s going to be a great race,” Keselowski said. “The new surface is going to be a thrilling race. I’m really excited about it, and I mean that. To be able to go to Daytona and not have to worry about tires and all those things we worried about, and knowing that if you have anywhere near a semi-competitive car—you have a shot at winning the race.”

It’s comforting to know that giraffes and rhinos will be well fed and cared for by the efficient and accommodating Busch Gardens staff when the first flag of the NASCAR Sprint Cup season drops Feb. 20 in Daytona.

FYI WIRZ is the swift presentation of pertinent motorsports topics by Dwight Drum @ Racetake.com.

The opinions expressed in this articles are solely those of the author and not this website.

Tony Stewart was arrested in Australia after competing in some Sprint Car races at Sydney Speedway over the last week. It was an off-track incident allegedly between Tony and track owner Brett Morris over the track conditions, and the altercation may have involved a racing helmet to the face. Tony was questioned by local police, released and headed back to the United States.

“Tony was simply questioned about the alleged incident and, after the questioning, he returned to his hotel, got a good night’s rest and is currently en route to the states,” said Stewart spokesman Mike Arning, who did not accompany Stewart on the trip. “No charges were filed.”

FULL STORY AT NASCAR.COM

Photo Credit: Dwight Drum