1 33 Ron Hornaday Jr. E-Z-GO 2Five Chevrolet
2 23 Jason White GunBroker.com/Pursuit Channel Ford
3 3 Austin Dillon # BassProShops/Rmngtn/TrckrBoats Chev
4 2 Ken Schrader Moore’s Marinade Chevrolet
5 51 Aric Almirola Billy Ballew Motorsports Toyota
6 84 * Chris Fontaine Glenden Enterprises Toyota
7 4 Ricky Carmichael Monster Energy Chevrolet
8 13 Johnny Sauter FarmPaint.com Chevrolet
9 31 * James Buescher Wolf Pack Rentals Chevrolet
10 30 Todd Bodine Valvoline Toyota
11 88 Matt Crafton Australian Gold/Menards Chevrolet
12 95 * Grant Enfinger BeasleyAllen.com/Roush Yates Ford
13 81 David Starr Zachry Toyota
14 60 Narain Karthikeyan SafeAuto Insurance/Wyler.com Chevrolet
15 17 Timothy Peters Red Horse Racing Toyota
16 5 Mike Skinner Exide Toyota
17 7 Justin Lofton # visitpit.com Toyota
18 18 Kyle Busch Toyota Tundra/TRAXXAS Toyota
19 46 Craig Goess Jr. Greenville Toyota Toyota
20 9 * Max Papis GEICO Toyota
21 10 Jennifer Jo Cobb # DrivenMale.com Ford
22 12 Mario Gosselin Accell Cnstrctn/TireMnky/JamesCrtr Att Chev
23 47 Donnie Neuenberger Plan B Techologies Chevrolet
24 6 Jeffrey Earnhardt Firestop/FWI/FuelDoctor Dodge
25 07 Tony Jackson Jr. ASI Limited/Akzo Nobel Chevrolet
26 39 Ryan Sieg S&W Towing Chevrolet
27 93 Mike Garvey S&W Towing Chevrolet
28 53 * Justin Hobgood Alabama Cattlemen’s Association Chevrolet
29 57 Norm Benning Norm Benning Racing Chevrolet
30 89 * Mike Harmon Lafferty Performance/Blue Ox Ford
31 85 Brent Raymer Blast It All Ford/Ford Drive one Ford
32 28 * Andy Lally FDNY Racing Chevrolet
33 72 * John Jackson James Carter Att./SponsortheTruck.com Chev
34 48 * Bryan Silas Pro Gold Chevrolet
35 00 * Dominick Casola Koma Unwind Chevrolet
36 24 * Jerick Johnson Lafferty Performance Chevrolet

Hunter Served Sport For More Than 40 Years As Journalist, Promoter And Executive

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Oct. 30, 2010) – NASCAR Vice President of Corporate Communications Jim Hunter, whose career in motorsports spanned portions of six decades as both a journalist and public relations professional, died last night in Daytona Beach, Fla. following a 12-month battle with cancer. He was 71.

“Jim Hunter was one of NASCAR’s giants,” said NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France. “For more than 40 years Jim was part of NASCAR and its history. He loved the sport, but loved the people even more. It seems as if everyone in the sport called him a friend. Jim will forever be missed by the NASCAR community. Our sympathies go out to his entire family.”

Added NASCAR President Mike Helton: “Jim was a uniquely talented man that cannot be replaced. He was a great friend and mentor to so many in the sport. His influence will remain with and be carried on by so many of the people he touched. This is a sad day for Jim’s family and his extended, NASCAR family.”

As a young man growing up in his native South Carolina, Hunter was a football and baseball player at the University of South Carolina. Those years preceded a future of being immersed in the sports world, primarily motorsports. Hunter learned motorsports from “both sides” by working as a newspaper reporter/editor and a public relations representative.

As a member of the media, Hunter was sports editor of the Columbia Record newspaper; he had an award-winning stint at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution; he was a columnist for Stock Car Racing magazine; and he authored a number of books, including a widely-read biography on NASCAR great David Pearson, entitled “21 Forever”.

On the public relations side, Hunter broke into that business in the 1960s, with Dodge’s motorsports operation. He handled public relations for a number of top IndyCar drivers before going on to become the public relations director at his beloved Darlington Raceway and Talladega Superspeedway.

In 1983, Hunter was named to his first executive position in his first NASCAR stint, becoming NASCAR’s vice president of administration. In 1993 he was named president of Darlington Raceway and corporate vice president of the International Speedway Corporation. He remained at Darlington until 2001 when he accepted an offer from then-NASCAR Chairman and CEO Bill France Jr. to return to Daytona Beach to lead an expanded public relations effort aimed at responding to the needs of burgeoning media coverage.
Hunter won numerous awards during his career, including: the Hugh Deery Memorial Award in 1988; South Carolina Ambassador for Economic Development in 1994; South Carolina Tourism Ambassador of the Year in 1997; the National Motorsports Press Association’s Joe Littlejohn Award in 2005; and the Buddy Shuman Award in 2006.
Hunter is survived by his wife of 48 years, Ann Hunter; his children, Scott Hunter and Amy McKernan and his grandchildren Dakota Hunter, and Hunter and Luke McKernan.
In lieu of flowers the family asked that donations be made to The NASCAR Foundation or Hospice of Volusia/Flagler County. Funeral arrangements will be announced later.

DUPONT EXTENDS SPONSORSHIP OF JEFF GORDON’S NO. 24 TEAM
NEW CONTRACT WILL TAKE HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS RELATIONSHIP INTO THIRD DECADE

CONCORD, N.C. (Oct. 28, 2010) – Hendrick Motorsports announced today that DuPont will continue its longstanding relationship with four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon with a three-year agreement to remain a primary sponsor of the No. 24 Chevrolet team through the 2013 season.

DuPont, which has maintained a presence on Gordon’s cars since his Sprint Cup debut in November 1992, will have primary paint schemes in 14 races annually beginning next season. The agreement will extend one of NASCAR’s most enduring sponsor-driver relationships into its third decade.

“I can’t remember what it was like to race without DuPont on board,” said Gordon, 39, who with 82 Sprint Cup victories is sixth on NASCAR’s all-time wins list. “We’ve had such an incredible ride together, and I’ve learned so much about how DuPont applies science and innovation to make a positive difference in the world. It means a lot to me to keep it going for at least another three seasons.

“DuPont has supported me throughout my Cup career, and I feel like we have more wins and championships ahead.”

DuPont, which will have prominent brand placement on the No. 24 Chevys in every Sprint Cup race in 2011, 2012 and 2013, will celebrate its 20th anniversary with Gordon and Hendrick Motorsports in November 2012.

“We are proud to continue our relationship with Jeff, Hendrick Motorsports and the No. 24 car. This continues to be a unique opportunity to showcase DuPont innovations,” said Cynthia C. Green, chief marketing officer, DuPont. “We look forward to putting the No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet on the racetrack for another three years and winning more championships with Jeff and Hendrick Motorsports.”

With the exceptions of only auto manufacturer Chevrolet (1984) and tool supplier MAC Tools (1986), DuPont is Hendrick Motorsports’ longest-standing corporate partner. The 2011 Sprint Cup campaign will mark the company’s 19th full season with a presence on the No. 24 Chevys.

“I firmly believe Hendrick Motorsports would not be where we are today without DuPont’s commitment to our company and our sport,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. “They took a leap of faith by sponsoring Jeff and the No. 24 team back in 1992, and the relationship has been unbelievable ever since. They are terrific people, and it’s extremely gratifying to continue into our 19th full season together (in 2011).”

SHOW #133 – We chat with Michael Waltrip about driving this weekend, The Chase, and his show Inside NASCAR on Showtime. Plus we recap Martinsville and preview Talladega. Hosted by Kerry Murphey and Paul Northrop

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CREDITS:
Hosts: Kerry Murphey & Paul Northrop
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JEFF GORDON WILL ‘DRIVE TO END HUNGER’ BEGINNING IN 2011
THREE-YEAR EFFORT INCLUDES PRIMARY PLACEMENT ON NO. 24 CHEVYS FOR 22 RACES ANNUALLY

CONCORD, N.C. (Oct. 27, 2010) – Hendrick Motorsports and four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon have teamed with AARP and AARP Foundation on the Drive to End Hunger (www.DriveToEndHunger.org), an unprecedented three-year initiative to address the growing problem of hunger among older Americans, including 6 million over the age of 60.

Drive to End Hunger will be the majority sponsor of Gordon’s No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports team in 2011, 2012 and 2013, with primary paint schemes in 22 Sprint Cup races annually. The No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet, which will be unveiled at a later date, will race in the next three Daytona 500 events.

“This is a truly unique opportunity to help people, and it’s a completely new, cause-driven approach to sponsorship,” said Gordon, 39, winner of 82 career Sprint Cup races. “Every single day, millions of older Americans are forced to make a choice between food, medicine and utilities. It’s going to be a team effort, and it’s not going to be easy, but we can solve this problem.”

With Gordon as its spokesperson, Drive to End Hunger will help the millions of older Americans who are facing hunger across the United States. The effort will engage the NASCAR fan base, corporations and charitable organizations via a text-to-donate program; activation at racetracks across the country; further research on the causes and consequences of hunger in older Americans; and an innovative national grant program that will provide resources to address the problem at a local level.

Donations from Drive to End Hunger will benefit the hunger programs of AARP Foundation.

“Hunger is a hidden problem that millions of older Americans are battling silently. In fact, between 2006 and 2008, the percentage of seniors struggling with hunger more than doubled,” said Jo Ann Jenkins, AARP Foundation president. “NASCAR fans are among the most charitable, community-minded sports fans in the country, and they have a track record of commitment. With the help of Jeff and the Hendrick team, we will make the most of this unprecedented opportunity to end the struggle that so many older Americans have with hunger.”

Drive to End Hunger will build on the hunger initiative launched earlier this year by AARP Foundation, including volunteer-led food drives, individual and corporate fundraising campaigns, and online hunger resources at http://www.aarp.org/hunger.

“It’s exciting to see a new organization engage with our sport and our fans through such an innovative approach,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. “Having seen firsthand what the NASCAR community is capable of accomplishing, I know the program will help a lot of people in our country who desperately need it. Success ultimately will be measured by how many lives we can impact, and that’s a truly unique and special opportunity for everyone involved.”

For more information, please visit www.DriveToEndHunger.org.