Paul Menard to Drive RCR’s Fourth Sprint Cup Series Team in 2011
Menards home improvement stores to sponsor NASCAR Sprint Cup Series effort

WELCOME, N.C. (Aug. 11, 2010) — Richard Childress Racing and Menards, the third-largest home improvement company in the United States, have signed a multi-year partnership agreement for the Eau Claire, Wisconsin-based company to become the primary sponsor of RCR’s fourth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team beginning in 2011 with driver Paul Menard.

“Paul has developed into a very good race car driver, and we see his move to RCR next year as an opportunity for him to continue that progress,” said Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. “At the same time, we feel Paul will contribute to the continued progress and success of RCR. Paul will fit in perfectly with our team of drivers at RCR, and they are all looking forward to working with him. We’re also very proud to be aligned with Menards, one of the great family business success stories in American history.”

Menard is in his fourth full season of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition and is currently 23rd in the point standings after 22 of 36 points races. The Eau Claire, Wis., native made his series debut in 2003, running just one race while also competing in six Nationwide Series races. He raced fulltime in the Nationwide Series from 2004 through 2006 while picking up Cup Series experience in eight other races during that time. In 2007, Menard became a fulltime driver in the Cup Series and part-time Nationwide Series driver, though he is scheduled to compete in every event of both series in 2010. He is currently sixth in the Nationwide Series point standings after 22 of 35 races.

“Richard Childress Racing has shown this year that they’re headed on the right track,” said Menard. “Having three cars competing for the Chase and, ultimately, the championship is no small feat and they’re on top of their game. With that in mind and having known Richard for the past 10 years or so, when this opportunity to join RCR came about it was a no-brainer. I have always had the utmost respect for Richard and what his organization has accomplished in the past and what they’re capable of achieving in the future.”

Menards has a long, successful history as a racing sponsor dating back to the 1970’s. A family-owned and operated business with headquarters in Eau Claire, WI, Menards has 255 retail store locations throughout the Midwest. Menards carries the materials, tools and supplies for all your home improvement needs and is widely recognized as the place to “Save Big Money!” The Menards family has always been dedicated to service and quality, treating guests like family in a hometown hardware store atmosphere.

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES TO VISIT KENTUCKY SPEEDWAY IN 2011
Inaugural 400-mile event scheduled for July 9

SPARTA, Ky. – Speedway Motorsports, Inc. (SMI) Chairman and CEO Bruton Smith announced today that Kentucky Speedway will play host to its inaugural 400-mile NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Saturday, July 9, 2011.

“The passionate NASCAR fans throughout Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati have deserved a Sprint Cup Race for a long time. Before this, racing in Kentucky was about horses, but now it’s all about more horsepower. We’re going to create the grandest sports event in the history of the state in 2011, and any fan that comes here will know what it means to be ‘Lucky in Kentucky,’” Smith said.

The Sparta, Ky., venue will become the 23rd motorsports facility on the 36-race Sprint Cup Series schedule and the first facility to be added to the national tour since Chicagoland Speedway made its debut July 15, 2001 and Kansas Speedway staged its first series race on Sept. 29, 2001.

Kentucky Speedway will be the eighth SMI facility to welcome the premier American stock car racing series which features former Kentucky Speedway NASCAR Nationwide Series 300-mile race winners Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch along with four-time series champions Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon.
“I am thrilled that all the hard work of my administration to bring a NASCAR Sprint Cup race to Kentucky has finally paid off,” Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear said. “The legislation we proposed, pushed and I signed amending our Tourism Development Act to attract legacy expansion projects to Kentucky was critical in bringing this race to Kentucky. In addition to the excitement this race will bring to race fans, it will have an unparalleled economic impact on the region.”

Kentucky Speedway played host to its first major NASCAR-sanctioned event on its 1.5-mile tri-oval track on June 17, 2000 and witnessed current Sprint Cup Series mainstay Greg Biffle score a 225-mile NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory. The track first welcomed the Nationwide Series on June 16, 2001 and saw current Sprint Cup Series championship leader Harvick race to Victory Lane. Overall, Kentucky Speedway has played host to a combined 20 Camping World Truck Series and Nationwide Series events as well as a variety of NASCAR developmental touring stock car series through its 11-year history.
“The arrival of Sprint Cup racing in Kentucky is a testament to the consistently solid support our corporate partners and avid fan base in Greater Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky, Lexington, Ky., and Louisville, Ky., has provided our events since 2000. Our facility was constructed with the goal of attracting Sprint Cup racing to the Commonwealth and we thank all whose efforts made that goal a reality. We’re looking forward creating a supercharged atmosphere for our first Sprint Cup Series weekend,” Kentucky Speedway General Manager Mark Simendinger said.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (Aug. 10, 2010)  Kansas Speedway and International Speedway Corporation (ISC) announced today that NASCAR has approved ISC’s request for realignment and beginning in 2011, Kansas Speedway will host two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekends.

The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekend will be held June 4-5 and the second event weekend will be the fourth race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Oct. 8-9.

2010 Kansas Speedway ticketholders will have the first opportunity to purchase tickets for the new June race. Tickets for the 2011 events will go on sale after Kansas Speedway’s 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race weekend in October.

“This is an exciting announcement for Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, Kansas, and the state of Kansas,” said Kansas Speedway President Pat Warren. “Our fan support for the past 10 years has been tremendous and as a result of that support and the new Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway, we are fortunate enough to gain an additional NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race starting in 2011. We will continue to offer our fans the best guest experience in motorsports.”

ISC Chief Executive Officer Lesa France Kennedy stated, “The Kansas City region is an important one for the NASCAR racing teams and marketing partners, and the Hollywood Casino project will make Kansas Speedway two of the most anticipated stops on the NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule.”

The complete 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule is expected to be released later this year.

Kansas Speedway tickets for Sept. 30 – Oct. 3, 2010 events are on sale now by calling 866.460.RACE(7223) or logging onto http://www.kansasspeedway.com, including weekend tickets for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Price Chopper 400 presented by Kraft Foods on Oct. 3, 2010 and the NASCAR Nationwide Series Kansas Lottery 300 on Oct. 2, 2010 are available.

Tickets for O’Reilly Auto Parts Qualifying Day on Oct. 1, 2010 are also on sale.

The Kansas Lottery 150 ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards is set for Thursday, Sept. 30. Fans can bring a non-winning Kansas Lottery ticket for free admission. Fans 18 and under are free.

Parking is always free at Kansas Speedway and fans can bring one 6x6x12-inch soft-sided cooler into the grandstands with their favorite food and beverages.

Phoenix International Raceway President Bryan R. Sperber announced today that the track has been awarded two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race weekends in 2011, marking seven consecutive seasons for PIR to host a pair of nationally-televised event weekends featuring the brightest stars in NASCAR. Phoenix will maintain two NASCAR Sprint Cup weekends in the face of widespread schedule realignment that saw multiple race dates moved amongst multiple facilities.

“We are honored to be the only facility in the West with two Sprint Cup Series events,” Sperber said. “The commitment from NASCAR to race twice at Phoenix International Raceway speaks volumes for the level of enthusiasm the sport has from fans in Arizona and throughout this part of the country.”

As part of the NASCAR’s schedule realignment, Phoenix International Raceway’s SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ will move from April to February 27 – just one week after NASCAR’s largest event, the Daytona 500. PIR will look to capitalize on the season-opening excitement of Daytona with a new Sunday day-race format, allowing fans to take in the 500 km race in Phoenix with a more traditional local start time of 1 p.m. The SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ will be televised nationally on FOX.

Phoenix will continue to host the semi-final race in NASCAR’s playoffs – the Chase for the Sprint Cup – on November 13. The Kobalt Tools 500, a race in which fans have come to expect heavy championship implications, also starts at 1 p.m. locally and will be televised nationally on ESPN. NASCAR will conclude its season the following week at Homestead Miami Speedway in Florida.

“Phoenix will be the first and last stop NASCAR makes in the West,” Sperber said. “It’s a great privilege for us to help celebrate the excitement of a new season in February and to help crown season champions as the year winds down with the Chase in November.”

Phoenix International Raceway is one of just 13 NASCAR facilities to be awarded two Sprint Cup weekends in 2011. Past studies conducted by Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business for PIR have indicated that the economic impact of hosting two NASCAR Sprint Cup weekends annually in Phoenix exceeds $400 million.

“The State of Arizona is well aware of the tremendous economic impact that comes along with hosting a NASCAR weekend in the Valley of the Sun,” Sperber said. “The fact that Phoenix International Raceway has been confirmed to host two Sprint Cup events provides a shot-in-the-arm for our local economy at a time when it’s most needed.”

Race fans can secure 2011 Season Tickets from Phoenix International Raceway before they go on sale to the general public. Starting Tuesday, August 10, fans can make a $50 deposit to reserve 2011 seats by calling 877-PIR-XTRA (747-9872) and speaking directly with one of PIR’s Fan Experience Specialists. 2011 Season Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, October 29, with prices starting at just $99. 2011 SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ tickets go on sale Thursday, November 11 and start as low as $25.

Phoenix International Raceway will release information about its 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and NASCAR K&N Pro Series West events at a later date. NASCAR is expected to release the entire 2011 Sprint Cup Series schedule in coming weeks.

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY, Calif. (August 10, 2010) – Auto Club Speedway will host one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekend – March 25-27 – returning to its traditional spot on the schedule beginning in 2011. Speedway officials also continue to work in earnest to add events to the Speedway’s race schedule in an effort to diversify on-track activity for the 2011 year.

PHOTO CREDIT: KERRY MURPHEY

“Moving our Auto Club 500 event from February to March provides us the opportunity to show off the area’s beautiful ‘Chamber of Commerce’ weather,” said Auto Club Speedway President Gillian Zucker. “Our staff and the thousands of Southern California loyal race fans look forward to the return of NASCAR’s most talented drivers in both the Sprint Cup Series and the Nationwide Series as well as Southern California’s own four-time Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson.

“We remain committed to providing unforgettable experiences to our loyal fans and we will continue to look at ways to diversify our schedule, working diligently to add exciting events for 2011 and beyond,” added Zucker.