Blog of dalejr on Infield Parking

Montreal Preview

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 16:58:29 PDT

Ron Fellows - No. 88 Canadian Tire Chevrolet
What makes Montreal such a good destination for NASCAR?
�Montreal is a great event, not only for the Quebec-based fans, but for the
teams too.�It�s such a change of pace from what we typically deal with.�Most
of the tracks we visit in the states aren�t in the middle of the city like
Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.�So it�s definitely a unique weekend.�My family
always enjoys going to Montreal, especially all the great restaurants.�
�
Are there any secrets to getting around Circuit Gilles Villeneuve?
�As far as the track goes, you need the best of both worlds.�You need good
brakes and a lot of power.�The track has some very long straightaways
followed by high braking corners.�Our Canadian Tire Chevrolet will need a
lot of horsepower to get off the corners and onto the straights with speed,
but we�ll have to have a good brake package in order to get slowed down
enough to make those sharp corners.�It�s a fast, fun track and you get to do
a lot of shifting.�
�
J.R. Fitzpatrick
No. 7 Schick Hydro Chevrolet
What has it been like working with JRM this season?
�It�s been a good experience for me to work with Tony Eury Jr. and all the
guys on this Schick Hydro team at JRM. We�ve had one top-10 effort in my two
races with the team, but now I want to go out there and get a top-five run
at Montreal.�I know we�re a good enough team to do it.�We just need to stay
focused and stay out of trouble, which at Montreal can be a tough thing to
do.�Sometimes trouble just seems to find you there.�
�
You have a busy weekend running both the Nationwide Series race and the
Canadian Tire Series race, what are your thoughts on that?
�I think running the Canadian Tire Series race on Sunday morning before the
Nationwide race is a good thing.�Not only have we been running great in that
series, but as a driver any time you can get more laps at a track you�re
going to take advantage of it.�Plus, we�re running fulltime in that series
and have the championship points lead right now. It�s a thrill to have the
potential to win that race and the Nationwide Series race.�I�m really
looking forward to that chance.��
�
JR MOTORSPORTS NOTEBOOK �
�
TEAM CANADA � For the third time this year,JR Motorsports teams will feature
Canadian drivers in its race cars in Ron Fellows and J.R.
Fitzpatrick.�Fellows hails from Windsor, Ontario, while Fitzpatrick�s
hometown is Cambridge, Ontario.�
�
WELCOME CANADIAN TIRE � Canadian Tire will join JRM as the primary sponsor
of its No. 88 Chevrolet driven by Ron Fellows for the Nationwide Series
event in Montreal.�Canadian Tire, also the title sponsor of NASCAR�s
Canadian Tire Series, is one of Canada�s most shopped general retailers with
480 Canadian Tire stores across the country.�
�
CIRCUIT GILLES VILLENEUVE � Fellows is a past winner of the Montreal event
in 2008.�With the win, he was part of NASCAR history, as he became the first
Canadian to win a NASCAR event on Canadian soil. He qualified sixth and led
seven laps en route to his fourth series victory. �The win was also the
first road-course victory for JRM. �In three starts at the 2.71-mile road
course, Fellows has one win and two top-five finishes.�He has led 11 laps,
earned an average finish of 13.3, and an average start of 4.0. �Fellows
holds the additional distinction of being the oldest winner of the race at
48 years, 10 months and five days old.
�
FITZPATRICK SEASON - Fitzpatrick has two starts in the Nationwide Series
this season with a career-best finish of seventh at Road America driving the
No. 7 Schick Hydro Chevrolet for JRM. At Montreal, the Canadian native owns
two starts with a best finish of 27th.�
�
DOUBLE DUTY DRIVER � In addition to the Nationwide Series event at Montreal,
Fitzpatrick is also competing in the Canadian Tire Series race on Sunday
morning. The 22-year-old is the defending race winner of that event.�He has
scored two wins (Bowmanville, Edmonton), six top-five, and nine top-10
finishes in nine starts this season.�With an average start of 4.3, and an
average finish of 3.7, Fitzpatrick is atop the season standings by 16 points
over DJ Kennington.�He has led at least one lap in five of the nine events
this year for a total of 99 laps led.
�
HISTORY WITH JRM � Known for his impeccable road-course talents, Fellows
owns five career starts with JRM. He earned one win (Montreal �08), three
top-fives and four top-10 finishes.�Fellows led seven laps in those
events.�He has qualified in the top 10 in three of his five starts driving
for JRM.�
�
JACK-OF-ALL-TRADES - A longtime sports car and road-racing veteran, Fellows
is credited with three class championships in the American Le Mans Series,
two class wins in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and 19 overall victories in the
Sports Car Club of America's Trans-Am Series as a member of the Corvette
Racing Team. His NASCAR credentials include six overall wins (two in the
Camping World Truck Series), and two runner-up finishes in Sprint Cup
competition.�
�
TEAM POINTS POSITION � The No. 88 Canadian Tire team are ranked seventh in
the 2010 owner points after Bristol.�The No. 7 Schick Hydro team is 18th in
owner points.
�
FREE JR NATION CREW FAN CLUB � Dale Jr. and JR Motorsports are welcoming
race fans to join the JR Nation Crew Fan Club for free. The exclusive fan
club offers fans an online hub with chat rooms, forums, and blogs from JRM
personalities. Join today for your chance to win an autographed fire suit
courtesy of Hellmann�s�. For more information, visit www.jrnation.com.
�

Almirola Signs Multi-Year Deal to Drive JR Motorsports' No. 88

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 12:28:31 PDT

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Aug. 18, 2010) � JR Motorsports cemented an integral part
of its future Wednesday by signing Aric Almirola to a multi-year driving
contract for the company�s flagship No. 88 NASCAR Nationwide Series team
starting in 2011, general manager Kelley Earnhardt announced today.
�
A 26-year-old native of Tampa, Fla., Almirola has 32 career Nationwide
Series starts, including one for JR Motorsports in which he finished third
at O�Reilly Raceway Park in July.� Almirola�s full-time duties as the No. 88
driver will officially begin in 2011, but he could potentially fill the seat
in select races this season while he continues to run for a NASCAR Camping
World Truck Series championship.
�
�The chance to drive full time in the Nationwide Series with a top caliber
team is something I am extremely excited about,� Almirola said.� �I was at
the shop yesterday, and Kelley gathered all the employees around to announce
our deal.� The energy and excitement was addicting.� We raced at ORP
together a month ago and had a really good run.� There is no reason why we
cannot compete like that every race, and there is no reason why we shouldn�t
be running for a championship.� I would expect nothing less.�
�
Almirola comes to JR Motorsports with proven credentials.� In 2006-07, he
competed in the Nationwide Series with Joe Gibbs Racing, earning three poles
and six top-10s.� He is credited with one victory � the June 23, 2007, race
at Milwaukee Mile � in which he and Denny Hamlin shared seat time in the
victorious No. 20 car.� That performance was part of a successful 2007
campaign, which opened doors to a lifelong dream of racing in the NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series.� Dale Earnhardt Inc. signed Almirola to a part-time
driving deal in 2008 with the unique task of splitting seat time with one of
NASCAR�s all-time greats, Mark Martin.� Nineteen of Almirola�s 30 Sprint Cup
starts came with DEI (later to become Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing).� In his
very first race of the 2008 season, Almirola scored a career-best Sprint Cup
finish of eighth at Bristol Motor Speedway.
�
Almirola continued racing in sporadic Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series races
in 2009 and 2010, but the opportunity to compete full-time this year with
Billy Ballew Motorsports in the Camping World Truck Series was too good to
pass up.� In 15 races so far this season, Almirola has two wins (Dover on
May 14 and Michigan on June 12) and has finished in the top-10 in all but
four events.� He currently sits second in the championship point standings.
�
�If there is a quintessential JR Motorsports driver, we feel it�s Aric
Almirola,� Kelley Earnhardt said.� �The way he drives, the ambition he
carries, the way he represents himself on and off the track, it all fits
within our company�s dynamics, our core objectives, and the values of our
sponsorship partners.�� We look forward to putting him in our No. 88 car so
he can continue his success.�
�
Almirola�s one stint for JRM took place on July 24 at O�Reilly Raceway
Park.� He started the Kroger 200 in sixth position, led one lap, ran among
the top-five all night, and finished third in his debut in the No. 88 GT
Vodka Chevrolet.� Almirola is one of 10 drivers who has or will have raced
the No. 88 Chevrolet at least once in 2010.� Team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr.
will drive the No. 88 Realtree Outdoors Chevrolet at Bristol this Friday
night in the Food City 250.
�
�This has been a far different year than anything we have ever experienced
before, but we feel like our decision to take our time and not be rushed
into naming a full-schedule driver for the No. 88 paid off with the signing
of Aric,� Kelley Earnhardt said.� �He brings a lot to the table for us, as
well as our sponsors.� He is someone they can build their brands around, and
he has the talent to take them to the Winner�s Circle.�
�
MEDIA NOTE:��Aric Almirola and Kelley Earnhardt will visit the Bristol Motor
Speedway media center at Noon ET on Friday, Aug. 20.� A transcription of
their media session will be available upon request.
�
About JR Motorsports:
JR Motorsports is the management company and racing operation for Dale
Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR�s seven-time Most Popular Driver and winner of more
than 40 NASCAR-sanctioned races.�JR Motorsports competes in multiple racing
divisions, including the NASCAR Nationwide Series. �In 2008 JRM enjoyed a
breakout season with four Nationwide Series victories between its two
teams.�The company followed suit with four more wins in 2009.�The JR
Motorsports facilities are based out of Mooresville, N.C., and include the
JR Nation retail store, Hammerhead Entertainment, and DEJ Realty.�For more
information on JR Motorsports, visit www.dalejr.com.
�

Dale Jr. Visiting Cedar Point on Thursday, August 12

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 10:33:20 PDT

ADMISSION DEAL: Bring in any AMPEnergy can during the 3-day run and receive $7 off a Regular, one-day adult ticket. One discount per AMPEnergy container. Present at park admission booths. Valid August 10-12, 2010 only.

MIS DISPLAY: On all three days, visit the Michigan International Speedway interactive area near Dodgem. See driver memorabilia, a cut-away show car, two racing simulators and a Dale Earnhardt, Jr. show car. The exp...erience is open 10 a.m - 6 p.m. (Tuesday & Wednesday) and 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Thursday.

MEET DALE EARNHARDT, JR.: You'll have two chances to see Dale. The first is when he stops by an all-you-can-eat meal at the Point Pavilion shortly before 5 p.m. During the meal, you can win autographed prizes, race-used Goodyear tires, stand-up displays and more! You can purchase your ticket to this meal by clicking here.

Dale will also make a public appearance on the WildCat Midway just before 5:30 p.m. to say hello to all race fans. Plus, win autographed prizes, tickets to the CARFAX 400 race, pit passes and more.

Make sure you visit the registration table next to the stage to submit a question for Dale during the public appearance - contest winners will be chosen from all who ask a question! You won't want to miss any of this!

RIDE IN THE GOODYEAR BLIMP & MEET DALE: The world-famous Goodyear Blimp will navigate the skies above Cedar Point on Thursday, August 12 - and you have a chance to take a ride in it! Just show your love for Goodyear while you're at the park (face painting, wear Goodyear gear, etc.) and if you're spotted by park staff, you could win 1 of 5 spots for a ride on the blimp! Plus, you and a friend will be invited to a private meet & greet with Dale Earnhardt, Jr.!

Fans will be chosen August 10-12 with the actual ride taking place on Thursday, August 12, departing from the Sandusky Griffing Airport (about 5 minutes away from the park).

For more information, please visit http://www.cedarpoint.com/

NNS Michigan Preview

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 12:30:29 PDT

Elliott Sadler - No. 88 Grand Touring Vodka Chevrolet
�I�m looking forward to the weekend at Michigan, because I�m a big fan of
the track.�It gives you a lot of options as a driver to move your car around
and find a line that works best.�Having options out on the racetrack is a
good thing.�It will be the second race for the Nationwide Series new car.�I
haven�t driven the new car yet, but I�ll have a lot of time on Thursday with
the six-hour practice session.�I�m hoping my experience in the Cup car can
transfer over to the Nationwide side and help us out.�I think the more loose
you can drive these new cars the better you�re going to be.
�
�It�s exciting to have GT Vodka back on the No. 88 this weekend.�Having GT
on the hood is good luck.�The last time I raced with them on board was in
the truck race at Pocono, and we won.�It would be awesome to get them a win
in both the truck series and the Nationwide Series this year.�
�
Danica Patrick
No. 7 Hot Wheels/GoDaddy.com Chevrolet
�
�Looking back at Chicagoland, I think it was a very positive race for me.�We
were able to run the entire race fairly clean, which was something we
needed.�Getting laps and more laps are what I�m focused on right now.�I�m
thankful for the extended practice sessions NASCAR has given us in Michigan
on Thursday.�It�s going to be nice to get out there and run these new
cars.�We�ve been talking about the new cars so much this year, and now I�ll
get a chance to shake one down. JR Motorsports has put a lot of effort into
its new car program, so I�m hoping we can get the most out of it in
Michigan.
�
�This is a big weekend because we�re featuring Hot Wheels on the No. 7
car.�It�s fun to change it up every once while.�I think our green Go Daddy
paint scheme looks good, but this Hot Wheels car is going to turn some heads
too.��
�
JR MOTORSPORTS NOTEBOOK �
�
HOT WHEELS DEBUT �The No. 7 Chevrolet will look a bit different this weekend
at Michigan, with Hot Wheels being the primary sponsor aboard Danica
Patrick�s Chevrolet for the CARFAX 250.�Hot Wheels designed the paint scheme
for the No. 7, which features a bold, blue paint scheme with the familiar
red and orange Hot Wheels flames streaking across the hood and side panels
of the vehicle.
�
PRESS EVENT � Danica Patrick will participate in a press event with Hot
Wheels on Thursday, Aug. 12th at 12:30 p.m. in the infield media center at
Michigan International Speedway.�
�
SADLER AT MICHIGAN � Elliott Sadler has five career starts in the Nationwide
Series at Michigan. He scored two top-10 finishes with an average finish of
18.0.�This weekend marks Sadler�s second start in the No. 88 GT Vodka
Chevrolet for JRM.
�
SADLER IN NNS � Sadler�s history in the Nationwide Series spans 13 years
dating back to 1995.�In his 126 starts the Emporia, Va. native has scored
five wins, 18 top-five and 36 top-10 finishes.�He has totaled five poles and
led 674 laps.�
�
PATRICK�S SEASON STATS � In five Nationwide Series starts in the Hot
Wheels/GoDaddy.com Chevrolet, Patrick has a best finish of 24th at
Chicagoland Speedway.�The No. 7 Chevrolet was caught in accidents in three
of those five starts.�Patrick will return to drive the No. 7 in the Sept.
25th race at Dover International Speedway.
�
AT MICHIGAN � Patrick will make her Michigan debut in a stock car this
weekend, but the Roscoe, Ill. native does have past experience there in the
IZOD IndyCar Series.�She owns two top-10 starting spots in three races, with
one top-10 finish (seventh) in 2007.
�
AUTOGRAPH SESSION � �Race fans looking for a Danica Patrick autograph are
invited to the NASCAR Nationwide Series open autograph session on Thursday
Aug. 12th from 4:30 p.m. to 5:15 p.m at the Grandstand Pavilion at Michigan
International Speedway. Wristbands for the autograph event will be handed
out at 9 a.m. when track gates open.
�
MEDIA AVAILABILITY � Danica Patrick will be available to members of the
NASCAR media on Friday, Aug. 13th at 12:00 p.m. in the MIS infield media
center.
�
TEAM POINTS POSITION � The No. 88 GT Vodka team is ranked eighth in the 2010
owner points standings.�The No. 7 Hot Wheels/GoDaddy.com team advanced two
positions to 16th in owner points after last week�s race at Watkins
Glen.�Between the driving tandem of Josh Wise and J.R. Fitzpatrick, the No.
7 team has gained a total of five spots in owner points over the past two
weeks.
�
FREE JR NATION CREW FAN CLUB � Dale Jr. and JR Motorsports are welcoming
race fans to join the JR Nation Crew Fan Club for free. The exclusive fan
club offers fans an online hub with chat rooms, forums, and blogs from JRM
personalities. Join today for your chance to win an autographed fire suit
courtesy of Hellmann�s�. For more information, visit www.jrnation.com.
�

NNS Watkins Glen Preview

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 08:51:29 PDT

Ron Fellows - No. 88 Grand Touring Vodka Chevrolet
�I�m excited to get back to racing with the GT Vodka Chevrolet and all the
guys on this No. 88 crew.�We not only raced well at Road America last month,
but we had a lot of fun in the process.�It�s a pleasure to be working with
Tony Eury Sr. again.�I�ve known him for a long time and he�s one of those
guys that have spent a lifetime in the racing world, and he always has a
great setup under the car.��
�
�This GT Vodka team certainly was up for the challenge at Road America, now
we just need to do the same at the Glen this weekend.�JR Motorsports
preparation is top-notch and that puts you at ease when you climb behind the
wheel of their equipment.�We ran well in this race last year, even after we
had some pit trouble.�We managed to drive from the back to finish fifth, so
I want to top that this time around.�
�
J.R. Fitzpatrick
No. 7 Schick Hydro Chevrolet
�This is another great opportunity for me to drive the No. 7 Schick Hydro
Chevrolet for JR Motorsports at Watkins Glen this weekend.�We had a solid
run in our last race together and we�re hopeful for at least another top-10
heading into Watkins Glen.�It�s a fun track that offers a lot of high-speed
corners, but only a couple corners offer solid passing chances.�
�
�It�s been an awesome season for me so far in the Canadian Tire Series, and
it�s good to challenge myself in the Nationwide Series too.�There�s a lot of
talent in both series. It would be a thrill to drive the Schick Hydro
Chevrolet into victory lane, and that�s what I�m focused on this week.�
�
JR MOTORSPORTS NOTEBOOK �
�
FELLOWS AT THE GLEN � In nine starts Fellows owns three wins (1998, 2000 and
2001), five top five and six top-10 finishes with 189 laps led � the most
among current drivers at the Glen.�He earned two poles at the facility and
has an average finish of 12.2.�Fellows holds the additional distinction of
being the oldest winner of the 82-lap race at 41 years, nine months and 10
days of age following his 2001 victory.�In last year�s event with JRM,
Fellows raced to a fifth-place finish, completing 48 total green-flag passes
according to NASCAR Statistical Services.�
�
FITZ STATS - Fitzpatrick has five starts in the Nationwide Series with a
career-best finish of 7th at Road America earlier this year driving the No.
7 Schick Hydro Chevrolet for JRM. At Watkins Glen, the Canadian native owns
one start with an 18th-place finish.�He will return to drive the No. 7
Chevrolet in Montreal on Aug. 29.
�
TEAM ONTARIO � JR Motorsports will feature drivers hailing from north of the
border for the second time this year at Watkins Glen.�Canadians Ron Fellows
and J.R. Fitzpatrick will fill the seats of the No. 88 and No. 7 Chevrolets
at the 2.45-mile road course.�Fellows hails from Windsor, Ontario, while
Fitzpatrick�s hometown is Cambridge, Ontario.�
�
HISTORY WITH JRM � Known for his impeccable road-course talents, Fellows
owns four career starts with JRM. He earned one win (Montreal �08), three
top-five finishes and has led seven laps in those events.�He has qualified
in the top 10 in three of his four starts driving for JRM.�
�
THE DOMINATOR � Fitzpatrick continues to storm through NASCAR�s Canadian
Tire Series in 2010.�This season he has scored two wins (Bowmanville,
Edmonton), three top-five, and six top-10 finishes in six starts.�With an
average start of 2.8 and an average finish of 4.5, Fitzpatrick is atop the
season standings by seven points over DJ Kennington. �
�
NATIONWIDE SERIES STATS � Fellows� Nationwide Series history goes back 13
years to 1997. In his 16 career races, he has scored four wins, eight
top-five, and nine top-10 finishes. Fellows earned two poles, led 200 laps,
and has an average finish of 16.1 with an average start of 7.4.
�
JACK-OF-ALL-TRADES - A longtime sports car and road-racing veteran, Fellows
is credited with three class championships in the American Le Mans Series,
two class wins in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and 19 overall victories in the
Sports Car Club of America's Trans-Am Series as a member of the Corvette
Racing Team. His NASCAR credentials include six overall wins (two in the
Camping World Truck Series), and two runner-up finishes in Sprint Cup
competition.�
�
JUNIOR COMING TO PRIMETIME: Dale Earnhardt Jr., owner of JR Motorsports,
will be featured in the season premiere of the television series �Shaq Vs.�
on ABC on Tuesday, Aug. 3 at 9 p.m. ET.�The television series pits NBA
superstar Shaquille O�Neal in one-on-one competitions against other
athletes.�Last month, O�Neal visited Mooresville, N.C., and challenged
Earnhardt Jr. to a match race at Concord (N.C.) Motorsports Park driving
NASCAR Sprint Cup �New Cars�.�Aside from his race against Earnhardt Jr.,
O�Neal is also slated to engage in an eating contest against Joey Chestnut
and compete in a track meet against Tyson Gay for the second season of �Shaq
Vs.�
�
TEAM POINTS POSITION � The No. 88 GT Vodka team are ranked eighth in the
2010 owner points after Iowa.�The No. 7 Schick Hydro team advanced three
positions to 18th in owner points.
�
FREE JR NATION CREW FAN CLUB � Dale Jr. and JR Motorsports are welcoming
race fans to join the JR Nation Crew Fan Club for free. The exclusive fan
club offers fans an online hub with chat rooms, forums, and blogs from JRM
personalities. Join today for your chance to win an autographed fire suit
courtesy of Hellmann�s�. For more information, visit www.jrnation.com.
�

Junior & Shaq To Kick Off Season Two of "Shaq Vs." Tuesday Night

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 10:45:53 PDT

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (August 2, 2010) � It might not be Dale Earnhardt Jr.�s
toughest challenge, but by far it is his biggest.
�
The season premiere of ABC�s primetime television series Shaq Vs. will
feature Dale Earnhardt Jr. �� NASCAR�s most popular driver and winner of
more than 40 NASCAR-sanctioned races �� in a one-on-one stock car race
against 7-foot-1, 325-pound Shaquille O�Neal.� The program will air this
Tuesday, Aug. 3, at 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CT on ABC. (Check local listings for
further details.)
�
In the television series, O�Neal matches his skill and athletic ability
against the best athletes, entertainers, and pop culture stars in the
country by competing in their respective realms.� The first season featured
epic battles against Albert Pujols in a homerun-hitting contest, Michael
Phelps in a swimming race, and Oscar de la Hoya in a boxing match.� Tuesday
night�s premiere will pit O�Neal against Earnhardt Jr. in a stock car race
as well as champion speller Kavya Shivashankar in a spelling bee.
�
�Having Shaq come to my place in North Carolina was a great experience,�
said Earnhardt Jr.� �When he walked up to me for the first time, my first
thought was it�s 50-50 whether he�ll be able to fit in the car.� But that
was part of the intrigue, and that alone is why people should watch Tuesday
night.� It�s a sight to behold.
�
�I am very appreciative to Shaquille for the opportunity to be on the show.�
I think NASCAR fans enjoy seeing other stars embrace our sport and display
the same passion we have.� It proves that NASCAR is still a very powerful
and prominent attraction."
�
In conjunction with his appearance on Shaq Vs., Earnhardt Jr. will be a
guest on the following radio programs Tuesday morning:
�
8:30 a.m. � Stephen A. Smith Show, nationally syndicated on Fox Sports Radio
8:40 a.m. � The Mac Attack Show on 610 AM WFNZ-AM Charlotte
8:50 a.m. � Zakk & Jack Show, syndicated throughout Midwest on Fox Sports
Radio
9:00 a.m. � Tony & Kris Morning Show, nationally syndicated out of
Nashville, Tenn.
9:20 a.m. � The Dan Patrick Show, nationally syndicated out of Chicago, Ill.
�
Shaq Vs., is produced by Media Rights Capital in association with dick clark
productions.
�

Pocono Advance

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 11:31:20 PDT

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. (July 28, 2010) � Six races have passed since the NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series last raced at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa., and
ironically, six races remain before the top-12 drivers in points will vie
for this year�s championship as part of the 10-race Chase.

When Tony Stewart came to Pocono on June 6 for round 14 on the 36-race
Sprint Cup schedule, he was an uncharacteristic 16th in the championship
standings, 27 points out of the ever-important top-12. His best finish was a
second-place effort in March at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway and he had
just three other top-10 finishes. It was a stark contrast to the first 13
races of 2009, where in Stewart�s inaugural year as a driver/owner with
Stewart-Haas Racing, he had six top-fives, nine top-10s, was leading the
championship standings and was about to log his first point-paying win as a
driver/owner at Pocono.

Stewart wasn�t happy, and he knew that he needed a spark to get his 2010
season going if he was going to make the 12-driver Chase for a sixth time.

That spark came on lap 160 of the Pocono 500. Crew chief Darian Grubb rolled
the dice and made a gutsy call to top off the fuel cell of Stewart�s No. 14
Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet Impala with just enough gas to get him to
the finish. No matter what anyone else did, Stewart was going to stay out
and earn valuable track position while those ahead of him with thirstier
racecars would later pit for fuel.

The strategy worked to near perfection. When the race restarted on lap 166,
Stewart was in 16th. When another caution came out three laps afterward,
many of those in front of Stewart headed to pit road for enough gas to get
them to the finish. Stewart rose to second, and as the field ambled around
the vast and quirky 2.5-mile triangle while under caution, it bought Stewart
better fuel mileage and enough cushion in case the race went into overtime
with a green-white-checkered finish.

With 10 laps to go, the two-time Sprint Cup champion appeared to have
second-place in hand, but just as the field was coming to take the final
lap, Kevin Harvick spun Joey Logano in turn three to bring out the race�s
final caution and set up a green-white-checkered finish.

It was not the outcome Stewart and Co., wanted to see, for now they�d have
to stretch their fuel mileage even further and work hard to hold off any
challenges for second.

When the green flag dropped for the final time, Stewart pursued leader Denny
Hamlin hard, knowing that he had to go all-out, for Kyle Busch was going to
do the same behind him for second. While Stewart made Hamlin earn it, Hamlin
nonetheless pulled away. Busch, meanwhile, snuck past Stewart, and that�s
how they finished when the checkered flag dropped; Hamlin first, Busch
second, Stewart third.

Stewart�s best run since Bristol moved him up to 13th in points, just one
point outside the top-12. And in the six races since, Stewart has finished
outside the top-10 only once while nabbing three top-fives, including a
second-place finish at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon � round one in
the Chase on Sept. 19.

As Stewart returns to Pocono for Sunday�s Sunoco Red Cross Pennsylvania 500,
he is a healthy ninth in points with a 160-point margin over 13th-place Mark
Martin � the first driver currently on the outside looking in at the Chase.

Fresh off a solid fifth-place finish last Sunday at Indianapolis Motor
Speedway, Stewart aims to maintain his front-running ways to further
solidify his Chase standing and notch his first victory of 2010.

TONY STEWART, Driver of the No. 14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet Impala
for Stewart-Haas Racing:
�
Can you put your finger on what�s turned the performance of your race team
around?

�I think it�s just the work everybody has been doing. You know, it�s kind of
weird how last year we started off the season really well, literally the
first half of the year was right on pace with what we were looking for. Then
four or five weeks before the Chase started, we started falling off and then
really we were struggling during the Chase. It was kind of frustrating from
that standpoint and we couldn�t really put our finger on what we were doing
differently and what we were doing wrong that was causing us to not have
that kind of performance. It seems like this year we got a slow start and it
seems like now we�re picking it up, so hopefully we�re having the polar
opposite of what we had last year. We�re going to start slow and finish
strong this year. I just think it�s due to everybody�s work at the shop.
There is one thing about our guys � they just don�t quit. They don�t give
up. They�re all racers. We�ve got a lot of guys that have come from Sprint
car racing or Modified racing or running pavement Late Models across the
country. It�s neat to have a shop full of what I call true racers � people
that race because they love racing and we�re all lucky that we get paid to
do it. That�s just the mentality of good racers. If things get tough, they
don�t give up. They sit there and sort it out and try to figure out what it
is they have to do to make it better, and that�s what our guys have done.
They keep digging in and keep trying, and I think the results the last
couple of weeks have shown that.�

Is there any one thing in particular you�ve had to work to overcome this
season?

�We were definitely fighting handling, for sure. That was the one variable
we were struggling with there. We�ve been working through it at the shop and
we�re finding some things that are giving us a direction that seems to be a
positive direction for us, and we�ve just been continuing down that path.�It
doesn�t mean it will fix it, but at least it�s a path right now that�s
getting us going better in the standings and getting my cars to handle a
little better.�It�s a lot less frustrating driving them on Sunday when they
handle well.�

There�s school of thought that if you run well at Indianapolis, you�ll run
well at Pocono and vice versa. Is that still the case?

�It used to be that if you ran well at Pocono then you had a good shot at
running well at Indy. I don�t know if it�s still correlated the last couple
years with the new car.�The thing about Indy is that it�s glass smooth. It�s
got a couple little bumps here and there, but you go to Pocono and it�s
rough and bumpy. The setups are quite a bit different now.�

Your win at Pocono last June came in a fuel mileage race. Can you explain
what you did to make sure you had enough fuel to go the distance while many
of your competitors did not?

�I�ve lost a lot more races like that than I�ve won.�It was between Carl
(Edwards) and I.�We were the strongest two cars at the end of the race and
we were able to get the track position we needed.�Our guys did a great job
of getting us out of the pits in the lead and that gave us the opportunity
to make Carl push harder in the beginning to get the lead.�Once he went into
that fuel conservation mode, we had to follow suit. To be in a situation
where your speed is dictated off the guy behind you and not off of what you
can do, it�s a different style of racing.�It�s hard.�It�s just as hard, if
not tougher, than trying to run 100 percent.�

Explain a lap around Pocono.

�Turn one is probably the easiest of the three � you drive it in kind of
deep and then try to float the car through the corner.�You go down the
backstretch and into the tunnel turn and it�s basically one lane.�It�s flat
and very line-sensitive.�You�ve got to make sure you�re right on your marks
every lap when you go through there.�Then you�ve got a short chute into turn
three. It�s a big, long corner and it too is very line-sensitive.�Add the
fact that we�ve got a straightaway that�s three-quarters of a mile long
after that, and it�s very important that you get through the last corner
well.�You need to come off the corner quickly so that you�re not bogged down
when you start down that long straightaway. Each corner has its challenges,
and each one tends to present a different set of circumstances with each lap
you make.�

From a driver�s standpoint, what�s your biggest challenge at Pocono?

�All three corners are different � that�s the most challenging part. It
seems like you can always get your car good in two of the three corners, but
the guys who are contending for the win are the guys who can get their car
good for all three corners, which is very hard to do. It seems like if we
can get our car to go through the tunnel turn well, then we�re normally able
to get it to go through the rest of the racetrack well.�The tunnel turn
seems to be our toughest turn on the racetrack.�Getting through turn two and
the last corner of the racetrack that�s flat, long and sweeping � those seem
to be the toughest two corners to get through.�And if you�re a little bit
off, you�re a bunch off.�If there�s a guy who can get all three of those
corners right, then that�s the guy who�s going to win the race.�

NNS Iowa Preview

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 06:49:40 PDT

No. 88 Realtree Outfitters Chevrolet/No. 7 GoDaddy.com/HowDoYou.com
Chevrolet
�
EVENT � U.S. Cellular 250 (200 laps / 137 miles)
TRACK � Iowa Speedway (.875-mile oval)
DATE � Saturday, July 31, 2010
TV / RADIO � ESPN2 (coverage begins at 7:00 p.m. EST) / MRN (broadcast
begins at 7:00 p.m. EST)
�
Steve Arpin
No. 88 Realtree Outfitters Chevrolet
�It�s really special to be able to drive the Realtree Outfitters Chevrolet
for Bill Jordan, the folks at Delta Apparel, and everyone at JR Motorsports
this weekend.� I know all the guys at JRM are thrilled to have the Realtree
Outfitters brand on the No. 88 again, and we�re pumped for the race at Iowa.
�Both Realtree and Bill Jordan have a long history in NASCAR and with the
Earnhardt family and we want to do them proud.
�
�Iowa is a track I raced on in ARCA (Automobile Racing Club of America), but
driving the Nationwide car there will be a new experience for me. �I will
tell you it�s a state-of-the-art facility.� The folks up there should be
really proud of what they built.� It�s an awesome place. �As the defending
race winners, this Realtree Outfitters team will have some pressure on us.
We�re definitely up to the challenge though, and look forward to a chance at
getting the Realtree Outfitters Chevrolet its first win of the season.�
�
Josh Wise
No. 7 GoDaddy.com/HowDoYou.com Chevrolet
�I�m excited to have another short track race on the schedule this
weekend.�I think this GoDaddy.com/HowDoYou.com team learned a couple things
about our short track program last week that we can take with us and build
on for Iowa. This will be my first trip out there, so I�ve been busy this
week watching past race footage and using my racing simulator to get
adapted.�
�
�The month of July has been busy for everyone at JRM.�Driving in three
consecutive races this month has meant a lot to me. The
GoDaddy.com/HowDoYou.com team has really jelled over the past few weeks.�I�m
at the shop a lot, and I see all the effort Tony [Eury] Jr. and all the guys
put in these race cars. I think anything short of a top 10 this week will be
disappointing for everyone.�We know what this team can do and where we need
to be running.�Hopefully all goes well this weekend, and we grab another
deserving finish for this No. 7 team.� ��
�
JR MOTORSPORTS NOTEBOOK �
�
REALTREE OUTFITTERS RETURNS � The camouflage paint scheme of Realtree
Outfitters will be on board the JR Motorsports flagship No. 88 Chevrolet at
Iowa this weekend.�Realtree, the world's leading camouflage designer,
marketer, and licensor with over 2,000 licensees utilizing the Realtree
camouflage brand, is primary sponsor of the No. 88 in its second of five
races this season.�Realtree Outfitters will return to the No. 88 at Bristol
Motor Speedway (Aug. 20), Dover International Speedway (Sept. 25) and
Gateway International Raceway (Oct. 23).
�
DEFENDING RACE WINNERS � The No. 88 Realtree Outfitters team return to Iowa
Speedway as the defending race winners.�In last year�s event, the No. 88
Chevrolet started 11th and led 121 laps en route to its second of four
victories during the 2009 season.
�
WISE AT IOWA � Wise makes his track debut at Iowa Speedway this weekend.�It
will also mark his fifth start for JR Motorsports.�The Riverside, Calif.
native earned a season-high finish with the team after an eighth-place
showing at Gateway.�
�
ARPIN AT IOWA � Arpin holds two starts at Iowa in the ARCA Series.�In 2009,
he raced to an eighth-place showing and finished 28th after a crash in this
year�s race.�
�
SHARING THE SUCCESS � Four of the nine drivers piloting the No. 88 Chevrolet
in 2010 have raced their way to top-10 finishes this year.�After last week�s
event, the list includes Aric Almirola (ORP), Kelly Bires (Fontana), Ron
Fellows (Road America) and Jamie McMurray (Texas, Richmond, Darlington,
Dover and Chicagoland).
�
UNDER THE LIGHTS � The No. 88 Realtree Outfitters Chevrolet has performed
notably in night races in 2010.�Three of team�s five top-five finishes have
come at races under the lights, leading to an average finish of 11.0 in the
nine night events this season.
�
JUNIOR COMING TO PRIMETIME: Dale Earnhardt Jr., owner of JR Motorsports,
will be featured in the season premiere of the television series �Shaq Vs.�
on ABC on Tuesday, Aug. 3 at 9 p.m. ET.�The television series pits NBA
superstar Shaquille O�Neal in one-on-one competitions against other
athletes.�Last month, O�Neal visited Mooresville, N.C., and challenged
Earnhardt Jr. to a match race at Concord (N.C.) Motorsports Park driving
NASCAR Sprint Cup �New Cars�.�Aside from his race against Earnhardt Jr.,
O�Neal is also slated to engage in an eating contest against Joey Chestnut
and compete in a track meet against Tyson Gay for the second season of �Shaq
Vs.�
�
COMMEMORATING THE INTERNET AGE � The No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet will
feature a special HowDoYou.com logo on the hood, lower-quarter panel and
decklid this weekend at Iowa.� GoDaddy.com, the world's largest Web hosting
provider and domain name registrar is commemorating the 25th anniversary of
.com domain registrations. The website HowDoYou.com is gathering stories of
how .com has changed people�s lives.� The site features a contest in which
users can submit stories of how the .com age has affected their lives and
compete for prizes.� Fans can win up $10,000 or one of 10 iPads.� Submit
your story at www.howdoyou.com
�
THIRD DASH-FOR-CASH RACE - Dash 4 Cash, a bonus program created to develop
and support NASCAR Nationwide Series regulars and up-and-comers, will see
drivers battle it out for a $25,000 bonus in the third of four such races
this weekend at Iowa.�Eligible drivers also are competing for a year-end
$75,000 bonus. Brad Keselowski swept the 2009 Dash 4 Cash program driving
the No. 88 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports.�The final Dash-For-Cash event will
come on Nov. 6 at Texas Motor Speedway.
�
TEAM POINTS POSITION � The No. 88 Realtree Outfitters team are ranked eighth
in the 2010 owner points after ORP.�The No. 7 GoDaddy.com/HowDoYou.com team
occupies the 21st spot in owner points.
�
FREE JR NATION FAN CLUB � Now race fans can be part of all the JR
Motorsports action with a free subscription to The JR Nation Crew Fan Club �
the official fan club of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and JR Motorsports.� The club
has just launched a new website complete with chat rooms, forums and blogs
from your favorite JRM drivers.�
�

NNS ORP Preview

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 11:14:50 PDT

Aric Almirola
No. 88 GT Vodka Chevrolet
�
What does it mean to you to get an opportunity with JR Motorsports?
�It�s awesome. It�s going to be a fun weekend at ORP.�Pulling double duty
between the Nationwide Series and Trucks will give me a lot of seat
time.�The JR Motorsports equipment is definitely top-notch stuff, so we just
want to go in and get everything we can out of the car.�Like any short
track, it�s all about track position.�Tony Eury Sr. is a definite old-school
racer, and I�m sure he�ll have a solid setup and good pit strategy for this
race.�He�s the guy you want on the pit box for you at a place like this.��
�
You�re no stranger to racing at ORP. Talk about some of your past races
there.
�I have a decent amount of experience at ORP. In 2007, I sat on the pole in
a Gibbs car and led a bunch of laps.�Running the truck race on Friday night
will definitely help out too.�It�s cool to have a sponsor like GT Vodka on
board and I think the paint scheme on the 88 car looks great.�We�re going to
do everything we can do get GT Vodka in victory lane.�
�
Josh Wise
No. 7 Go Daddy/HowDoYou.com Chevrolet
�
The Go Daddy/HowDoYou.com team had a great race last weekend. How do you
plan on building on that this weekend?
�It means a lot to have great organizations like JR Motorsports and Go Daddy
behind me.�It�s been a great experience working with both of them, and I�m
excited for the next two races.�Last week, my goal was to take everything
one step at a time and go for a top-10 finish.�We were successful with that
at Gateway.�Now it�s time to step it up a notch.�ORP is a track that I�m
very familiar with and a top-five finish is a realistic goal for this
week.�I�ve logged a ton of laps there, especially in a sprint car.�It�s a
track I�ve always enjoyed.�I�m really optimistic for a top-five finish
there.�I know we can do it, it�s just a matter of putting together a solid
qualifying effort, keep our fenders clean and taking advantage of track
position.
�
�I was fortunate enough to test with the JRM team at North Wilkesboro this
week, so I feel good heading into this weekend.�It�s a nice feeling to have
everyone on the same page, and if we can carry all the positive work from
last week into ORP, that�s what we need to do.�This is a solid opportunity
that was put in front of me, and I need to my absolute best to take
advantage of it.�
�
JR MOTORSPORTS NOTEBOOK �
�
COMMEMORATING THE INTERNET AGE � The No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet will
feature a special HowDoYou.com logo on the hood, lower-quarter panel and
decklid this weekend at ORP.� GoDaddy.com, the world's largest Web hosting
provider and domain name registrar is commemorating the 25th anniversary of
.com domain registrations. The website HowDoYou.com is gathering stories of
how .com has changed people�s lives.� The site features a contest in which
users can submit stories of how the .com age has affected their lives and
compete for prizes.� Fans can win up $10,000 or one of 10 iPads.� Submit
your story at www.howdoyou.com
�
NEW FACE IN THE 88 � Another newcomer will be featured in the No. 88 Grand
Touring Vodka Chevrolet this weekend at ORP.�Twenty-six-year-old Aric
Almirola becomes the ninth driver in the 88 this season, joining Steve
Arpin, Kelly Bires, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Ron Fellows, Jamie McMurray, Coleman
Pressley, Greg Sacks and Elliott Sadler.�Almirola owns 31 starts in the
Nationwide Series, with one win (Milwaukee), two top-five and six top-10
finishes.�He earned four poles and led 210 laps in his career.
�
SECOND RACE FOR GT VODKA � This weekend is the second of 10 races this
season for the GT Vodka paint scheme.�GT Vodka debuted at Daytona with
driver Greg Sacks.�The team raced its way to a 21st-place finish after a
seventh-place qualifying effort.�In addition to its 10 races this season, GT
Vodka will be back for 15 races on board the No. 88 Chevrolet in 2011.
�
ALMIROLA AT ORP � Almirola, a previous pole sitter at ORP in 2007, owns
three starts there in the Nationwide Series with one top-10 finish and 87
laps led.�In the Camping World Truck Series, Almirola secured three starts
with one top-five and two top-10 finishes.
�
SEASON UPDATE FOR GT VODKA TEAM � The No. 88 GT Vodka team has earned four
top-five and seven top-10 finishes on the season.�They�ve also led 32 laps
this year.�Jamie McMurray has secured three top-five and five top-10
finishes with Ron Fellows earning one top-five and one top-10 finish.�Kelly
Bires also contributed a single top-10 finish on the season.�
�
WISE AT ORP � After a season-best effort in the No. 7 Go Daddy Chevrolet
last weekend at Gateway, Wise will compete in his fourth race with the JRM
team.�Wise earned his career best NNS finish at ORP with a fifth-place
showing in 2008.�He has notched one top-five and one top-10 finish in two
career races at the facility.
�
SEASON UPDATE FOR GO DADDY TEAM � Last week�s eighth-place showing at
Gateway International Raceway brings the Go Daddy team�s season totals to
five top-10 finishes.�Steve Arpin, J.R. Fitzpatrick and Josh Wise have each
contributed one top-10 finish to the team�s tally.�Scott Wimmer earned two
top-10 finishes for the team and led 39 laps on the season.
�
TEAM POINTS POSITION � The No. 88 GT Vodka team are ranked eighth in the
2010 owner points after Gateway.�The No. 7 Go Daddy/HowDoYou.com team
occupies the 21st spot in owner points.
�

ESPN - My Wish Q&A: Ruth Buzzell

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 07:00:22 PDT

Fifteen-year-old Jeffrey Buzzell loves fast cars and the work that goes into making them run. But nothing gets his motor going like watching his favorite driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr. So when the Make-A-Wish Foundation arranged for Jeffrey to fly from Maine to North Carolina to meet Junior, he was speechless. The two bonded over their love for NASCAR and shared a special weekend together -- one that Jeffrey and his family will not soon forget.

Jeffrey's mother, Ruth Buzzell, discussed the highlights of her son's My Wish experience with ESPN.com.

How did Jeffrey become a fan of NASCAR?

Read More

Dale Jr on ESPN next week

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 10:59:17 PDT

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Featured as SportsCenter 'My Wish' Series Returns

For the fifth straight year, ESPN will present its critically acclaimed
SportsCenter's "My Wish" series, which chronicles sports-themed wishes
granted to children with life-threatening medical conditions in
collaboration with the Make-A-WishR Foundation. Stephanie Druley, senior
coordinating producer, ESPN, and David Williams, Make-A-Wish Foundation of
America president & chief executive officer, announced today that the series
will air Sunday, July 18, through Thursday, July 22.

This year's series will bring the total of original SportsCenter "My Wish"
episodes to 30 since 2006. This season, ESPN will help the Make-A-Wish
Foundation, one of the world's leading children's charities, grant to five
children wishes involving leading sports figures. Each wish will be the
subject of one SportsCenter feature segment.

Similar to previous years, the SportsCenter segment will feature the story
behind the wish, interviews with the youngsters and their families and a
behind-the-scenes look at the wish fulfilled, including the interaction
between each child and his or her favorite athlete. Emmy Award-winning
reporter Chris Connelly will again host. This year's participating
wish-granters are Dale Earnhardt Jr., Albert Pujols, LaDainian Tomlinson,
the Oakland Raiders and one other to be announced before air date.

"Sports have a way of connecting people, the athletes, fans and viewers at
home, and the 'My Wish' series is a great way to share unique and heartfelt
experiences with some of the world's top athletes and teams," Druley said.
"The response we have received from participants and viewers these last four
years has been incredibly positive, and we look forward to sharing the
stories of the kids and athletes this season as we celebrate 30 wishes."

"Wherever I go across the country, the 'My Wish' series continues to be one
of the most popular topics of conversation with people I meet," Williams
said. "The features really engage viewers in our mission thanks to ESPN's
wonderful storytelling, and of course our courageous wish kids and the
athletes who generously give time to grant their unique wishes. We truly
appreciate the ongoing support of ESPN and its staff, who put so much
dedication and care into bringing the kids' stories to viewers each year."

ESPN.com will offer additional and complementary content related to the five
wish-granting experiences.

"My Wish" has offered an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes look at the
wish-granting experience and featured the wish children participating in
sports-related activities with their favorite athletes or teams, including:
Kobe Bryant, Michelle Kwan, Drew Brees, Tony Hawk, Chris Paul, David Wright
and many more. For more information on the series, go to www.espn.com.

Check your local TV listings for the exact dates and times when ESPN
SportsCenter's 'My Wish' Series will air in your area. If you would like to
support the local chapter of Make-A-Wish that facilitated all of Dale Jr's
200 Wishes, visit /www.ncwish.org> www.ncwish.org to see how you can
help them continue to grant the wishes of these amazing kids!

NNS Gateway Preview

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 10:44:47 PDT

Steve Arpin
No. 88 Blueharbor Bank Chevrolet
�
You�ve driven the No. 7 this year but not the flagship No. 88. What are your
thoughts leading into the weekend?
"This is one of those situations where an opportunity fell into my lap.�As
important as everything in the ARCA series is to us, the long-term plan is
to make the most of this JR Motorsports, and it�s a great one.�I think
everyone knows how bad I want to win an ARCA championship, but it�s not
every day you get a chance to drive multiple races for Dale Earnhardt
Jr.�This is a cool experience for me.��
�
What do you think the biggest difference will be between running the 7 and
the 88?
�Everyone at JRM has been great to work with over the past few months.�Tony
Eury Jr. has been an awesome coach and mentor for me at the racetrack.�But
this week we�re going to change it up a bit with me driving the 88 car.�I�m
really excited to work with Pops [Tony Eury, Sr.].�I�ve thrown a lot of
questions at Pops over the past few months.�He�s always willing to give me
some helpful advice.�I think it will be a fairly simple transition because
I�ve spent a lot of time on the road and in the shop with both the 7 and 88
guys.�So I know all of them, and I don�t think too much will change besides
the car number."
�
Josh Wise
No. 7 Go Daddy Chevrolet
�
What�s your experience level at a track like Gateway?
�Gateway is a fun track for me.�I�ve raced a lot of things there,
Nationwide, Truck and ARCA.�It�s a unique track and one that I enjoy.�You�ve
got to slow down a lot getting into turn one, and since we don�t down shift
there anymore, the motor bogs down coming off the corner.�You�ll see a lot
of guys trying to be the first to get back on the throttle.�If you can get
on the throttle really quick coming off of two it gives you a huge advantage
at that place.�The sooner you can throttle up the better.��
�
In your eyes, what constitutes good weekend in the Go Daddy Chevrolet?
�This Go Daddy team is definitely capable of winning races.�This is my first
time running the Go Daddy paint scheme and I�m excited about that.�I think
realistically, a top-10 finish is a great place to start.�I want to take
each practice session, qualifying lap and race lap and run to my full
potential and give Tony Jr. the best feedback I can.�If everyone one this
team gives 110 percent, we can be satisfied no matter what the result is.�

JR MOTORSPORTS NOTEBOOK �
�
BLUEHARBOR BANK ON 88 - Gateway will mark the first race for the Blueharbor
Bank paint scheme. JRM co-owner and general manager Kelley Earnhardt is a
founding board member of Blueharbor and was recently named chairman of the
board.�Blueharbor offers locations in Huntersville, N.C. and Mooresville,
N.C., and is ideal for small businesses and consumers who seek the best in
quality professional bankers in the Iredell and North Mecklenburg areas.
Visit them at www.blueharborbank.com
�
WISE AT GATEWAY �Wise has only one start at Gateway in the NASCAR Nationwide
Series, earning a 16th-place finish in 2008. �The 27-year-old had an
eighth-place showing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2007.�His
most successful race at Gateway was in an ARCA race in 2007 when he started
from the pole with a track-record speed and led 35 laps en route to a
second-place finish.
�
ARPIN STATS �Arpin may be a familiar face at JRM, but this weekend he�ll
climb behind the wheel of No. 88 Chevrolet for the first time.�With five
starts for JRM this season, Arpin is hot off his career-best finish of 10th
at Daytona.�The Fort Francis, Ont. native holds one top-five and one top-10
qualifying efforts this year (Talladega, Charlotte) and joins Kelly Bires,
Dale Earnhardt Jr., Ron Fellows, Jamie McMurray, Coleman Pressley and Greg
Sacks as drivers of the 88 in 2010.�
�
WISE WORDS � Wise�s two races for JRM this season came at Nashville and
Kentucky, finishing 16th and 15th, respectively.�Wise qualified fourth at
Kentucky. He will drive the No. 7 in the next two races at O�Reilly Raceway
Park and Iowa Speedway. ��
�
DEFENDING POLE SITTERS � The No. 88 Blueharbor Bank team is the defending
pole winner at Gateway International Raceway.�The qualifying effort marked
its first of two poles in 2009, the other coming at the fall Bristol event.
�
TEAM POINTS POSITION � The No. 88 Blueharbor Bank team moved up one spot to
eighth in the 2010 owner points after Chicago.�The No. 7 Go Daddy team
occupies the 21st spot in owner points.
�
FREE JR NATION FAN CLUB � Now race fans can be part of all the JR
Motorsports action with a free subscription to The JR Nation Crew Fan Club �
the official fan club of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and JR Motorsports.� The club
has just launched a new website complete with chat rooms, forums and blogs
from your favorite JRM drivers.� Join today for your chance to win a
custom-designed race helmet provided by Nationwide Insurance and signed by
Dale Jr., and Danica Patrick.� For more information visit
www.dalejr.com/jrnation.

Highlights of Dale Jr.’s victory driving the No. 3 Wrangler Chevrolet

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 10:03:28 PDT

Check out “ Inside NASCAR ” on Showtime tonight at 10 p.m. ET for a special feature with Dale Jr. from this past weekend at the Daytona International Speedway . The feature highlights Dale Jr.’s victory driving the No. 3 Wrangler Chevrolet in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race and jumping back into the top 12 in Sprint Cup Series points!

NNS Chicagoland Preview

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 14:58:03 PDT

�I�m happy to be back with the 88 team this weekend at Chicagoland with a
great sponsor like Suave Men.�I know the whole JRM organization is riding
high after Dale�s win in the 3 car last week.�Everyone was excited for that
victory � myself included.�I�m thinking we can carry a lot of that positive
momentum to Chicago this week.�Chicago isn�t a track I�ve had a lot of
success at, but it�s a fun place to drive.
�
�My goal is to go out there and win races for these guys.�Plus, we�ve got
some added motivation with Suave Men putting up the head-to-head challenge
too.�We�re going to be taking on the 7 team in a competition which factors
in our practice speeds, qualifying efforts and race results throughout the
weekend. The winning team is going to have a donation made to The Dale Jr.
Foundation courtesy of Suave Men.�So it�s all for a great cause.�
�
Danica Patrick
No. 7 Go Daddy Chevrolet
�
�There�s no doubt New Hampshire was a tough race for our Go Daddy team.�By
the end of that race I had a lot of good info I can use next time around.
But we�re moving on.��It was a learning experience and that�s exactly what I
need right now.�I need to be learning each and every week.�When we head back
there next year, I�ll have a much better understanding of how to get around
that place.
�
�Chicagoland is a track I�m a little more familiar with than Loudon.�I just
want to get out there and start logging laps in practice on Friday with our
Go Daddy car.�Everything is still fairly new and I�m still learning.�The
only way to get better is to get behind that wheel and log laps. Tony [Eury]
Jr. is a great supporter and someone I can always bounce questions off of,
�but until I really get out there in race conditions it�s hard to know what
I�ll need, and predict how the flow of the race will go.�

JR MOTORSPORTS NOTEBOOK �
�
SUAVE MEN HEAD-TO-HEAD CHALLENGE � This weekend marks the culmination of
Suave Men�s Head-to-Head challenge, a challenge pitting the No. 88 team
against the No. 7 team at Chicagoland Speedway.�Dale Earnhardt Jr. issued
the challenge to his teams, and will factor in average practice speeds,
qualifying, pit-stop times and race results. The team with the best times
will have a substantial donation made on its behalf to The Dale Jr.
Foundation. It�s also the second of two races featuring Suave Men as the
primary sponsor of the No. 88 Chevrolet.
�
MEDIA AVAILABILITY � Danica Patrick, driver of the No. 7 Go Daddy Chevrolet,
will be available to members of the media on Friday, July 9th 2010, in the
Chicagoland Speedway media center at approximately 11:45 a.m. (CST)
following final Nationwide Series practice.
�
SEVENTH FOR McMURRAY � McMurray will drive the seventh of nine scheduled
races in the No. 88 Suave Men Chevrolet for JRM this weekend.�He amassed
three top-five and four top-10 finishes in his previous six starts (Texas,
Talladega, Richmond, Darlington, Dover and Charlotte) for the
team.�McMurray�s average finish in those races is 6.7.
�
McMURRAY AT CHICAGOLAND - In six starts at the 1.5-mile track, McMurray
scored one top-10 finish and has led five laps. His best finish of ninth
came in 2003 driving for James Finch.
�
WINDY CITY STATS � The No. 88 Suave Men team, led by crew chief Tony Eury,
Sr., hold three starts at Chicago.�The team�s best finish was a third-place
showing in 2008.�They�ve led four laps at the facility and earned an average
finish of 11.7.
�
PATRICK�S SEASON STATS � In four Nationwide Series starts in the Go Daddy
Chevrolet, Patrick has a best finish of 30th at New Hampshire Motor
Speedway.�The No. 7 Chevrolet was caught in accidents in three of those four
starts.�Patrick will return to drive the No. 7 in the Aug. 14th race at
Michigan International Speedway.
�
TEAM POINTS POSITION � The No. 88 Suave Men team remains ninth in the 2010
owner points after Daytona.�The No. 7 Go Daddy team occupies the 21st spot
in owner points.
�
FREE JR NATION FAN CLUB � Now race fans can be part of all the JR
Motorsports action with a free subscription to The JR Nation Crew Fan Club �
the official fan club of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and JR Motorsports.� The club
has just launched a new website complete with chat rooms, forums and blogs
from your favorite JRM drivers.� Join today for your chance to win a
custom-designed race helmet provided by Nationwide Insurance and signed by
Dale Jr., and Danica Patrick.� For more information visit
www.dalejr.com/jrnation.
�

Pit stop break down

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 11:28:48 PDT

The #88 JR Motorsports team breaks down how pit stops will play a key role in determining the outcome of the Suave Men Head to Head Challenge. Who will gain an edge with a faster pit stop average when the pressure is on in Chicago? Watch the Suave Men Racing video here:

NNS Daytona II Preview

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 11:57:15 PDT

�This will be a special weekend for us.�We got together with Richard
(Childress) and Teresa (Earnhardt) and put this deal together to honor my
dad and his induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.�We�re bringing back this
Wrangler paint scheme because it�s kind of what started his whole persona as
being the tough guy that he was.�We have a lot of memories of the No. 3
Wrangler car, and I think all my Dad�s fans will get a kick out of seeing it
on the track again.�
�
�This is a one-time deal.�I have no intensions of making it a habit to run
special paint schemes with my dad�s number every year, and I�m pretty sure
this will be the last time I drive the No. 3.�It�s my dad�s number.�We are
borrowing it this weekend to honor him, and I hope the fans remember him
when they see this blue-and-yellow car on the track.�Plus, it�s cool to get
together with Richard and Teresa on cool projects.�So I�m looking forward to
this weekend.�Hope we can give it a good run.�
�
Greg Sacks
No. 88 Grand Touring Vodka Chevrolet
�
�It�s going to be good to be back behind the wheel of a racecar, I can tell
you that.�I participated in the new car test with the Grand Touring Vodka
team earlier this month and things went well.�With the type of equipment
Tony [Eury] Sr. and the guys put together, I know we can be competitive.�A
lot of things around Daytona have changed since my last win there, but the
racetrack is still the slick, bumpy track it�s always been. It�s a fun, yet
challenging track.�
�
�I just couldn't pass on an opportunity to race at Daytona in top equipment
on the 25th anniversary of my Pepsi Firecracker 400 victory.�On top of that,
being the only driver in this event that actually raced with Dale
[Earnhardt, Sr.] in the Wrangler No. 3 and now being teammates with Dale Jr.
in that car is just awesome.�
�
Steve Arpin
No. 7 WOW! Foods Chevrolet
�
�I�m thrilled to represent WOW! Foods in the 7 car.�The night race at
Daytona is always an exciting race and the WOW! Foods Chevrolet is going to
look awesome under the lights.�They offer some great tasting products and
we�re hoping to introduce them to the legions of food-loving NASCAR fans
through this partnership.�They also have a lot of history with the Earnhardt
family, so we want to give them a finish they can be proud of this weekend.�
�
�I learned a lot in Talladega about the way these guys race and how they
take advantage of certain situations. The biggest advantage I had by running
Talladega was to watch how those guys used the air and what decisions they
made at certain times of the race. I am flying in with Dale Jr. on Wednesday
and I plan on asking a lot of questions and trying to learn as much as I can
from him.�He is about the best plate racer in the business.�It�s good to
have him on my side.�
�
JR MOTORSPORTS NOTEBOOK �
�
RETURN OF THE 3 � Dale Earnhardt Jr. will pay tribute to the memory of his
father, Dale Earnhardt, by driving a retro No. 3 Wrangler Chevrolet at
Daytona this weekend.�The Chevrolet will mirror the Wrangler paint scheme
made famous by the elder Earnhardt through the 1981 to 1987 NASCAR Sprint
Cup �seasons.�Earnhardt Jr.�s most recent turn behind the wheel of the No. 3
in the Nationwide Series was in 2002 at Charlotte Motor Speedway driving for
Richard Childress.
�
WOW! FOODS DEBUTS ON THE 7 � JRM welcomes its newest partner, WOW! Foods to
the No. 7 Chevrolet this weekend.�WOW! Foods, based out of Hickory, N.C.,
offers a variety of food items that are available through the convenience
store, club store and vending industries. WOW! Foods sandwiches use the
highest quality ingredients and flavor profiles typically only found in
restaurants. Their first line of products all carries the Dale Earnhardt Jr.
signature on the package.
�
SACKS INFO � Sacks owns two starts at Daytona in the NNS with one top-five
and two top-10 finishes.�His best outing was a third-place finish in the
spring of 1990 driving the City Chevrolet car for Rick Hendrick.�Sacks� last
Nationwide Series race came at Dover in 2004.
�
FIRST OF 10 RACES FOR GT VODKA�� Daytona will be the first of 10 races
sponsor Grand Touring Vodka is on board the No. 88 Chevrolet.�Sacks will
make GT�s debut this weekend and the Vodka company will be featured on the
88 Chevrolet for races at O�Reilly Raceway Park (July 24), Watkins Glen
(Aug. 7), Michigan (Aug. 14), Richmond (Sept. 10), Kansas (Oct. 2),
California (Oct. 9), Texas (Nov. 6), Phoenix (Nov. 13), and Homestead-Miami
(Nov. 20). Aside from Daytona, Elliott Sadler will drive all but the Watkins
Glen race for GT Vodka.�Road-race veteran Ron Fellows will return to the
seat of the No. 88 for the race at The Glen.
�
SILVER ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND � This weekend marks the 25th anniversary of Greg
Sacks� monumental NASCAR Sprint Cup victory in the 1985 Pepsi Firecracker
400. Sacks made NASCAR history, taking a research-and-development car from
DiGard Motorsports, qualifying ninth, and mounting a monumental upset over
Bill Elliott and Darrell Waltrip.�Sacks benefited from a fast race car and
savvy pit strategy to lead 33 laps and claim the victory.
�
FAMILY REUNION � Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be reunited with cousin and fellow
JRM co-owner Tony Eury Jr. this weekend, with Eury Jr. serving as crew chief
of the No. 3 Wrangler Chevrolet.�It marks the duo�s first pairing since the
spring Cup race at Charlotte in 2009.
�
AT DAYTONA � In 18 starts at Daytona, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has five wins,
eight top-five and 10 top-10 finishes. He has led 488 laps and earned an
average finish of 13.1. In his last Daytona outing in February, he started
third but was victim to a crash that resulted in a 29th-place finish.
�
UNDER THE LIGHTS � Earnhardt Jr. led at least five laps in five of his seven
career night races at Daytona, for a total of 234 laps.�In 2003 he led every
lap (100) en route to victory in the Winn-Dixie 250.
�
FIFTH RACE FOR ARPIN � Canadian Steve Arpin will make his fifth start for
JRM in the No. 7 Chevrolet at Daytona with sponsorship from WOW! Foods this
weekend.�In Arpin�s previous four starts in the No. 7, he earned a best
finish of 25th at Richmond and is averaging a finish of 28.5.�Arpin owns two
top-10 starting spots on the season.
�
DAYTONA STATS FOR 88 � No. 88 Grand Touring Vodka team has finishes of fifth
and sixth in the last two summer events at Daytona.��
�
NO. 88 ROTATION � Sacks becomes the seventh driver to wheel JRM�s flagship
No. 88 Chevrolet, joining team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kelly Bires, Ron
Fellows, Jamie McMurray, Coleman Pressley and Elliott Sadler. The team has
led 32 laps on the season and earned four top-five and six top-10 finishes.
�
��
TEAM POINTS POSITION � The No. 88 GT Vodka team remains ninth in the 2010
owner points after Loudon.�The No. 7 WOW! Foods team occupies the 21st spot
in owner points.
�
FREE JR NATION FAN CLUB � Now race fans can be part of all the JR
Motorsports action with a free subscription to The JR Nation Crew Fan Club �
the official fan club of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and JR Motorsports.� The club
has just launched a new website complete with chat rooms, forums and blogs
from your favorite JRM drivers.� Join today for your chance to win a
custom-designed race helmet provided by Nationwide Insurance and signed by
Dale Jr., and Danica Patrick.� For more information visit
www.dalejr.com/jrnation.
�

To my fans

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 09:52:43 PDT

Hey guys!

I had my team send this message because the Pepsi Refresh Project is
important to me.
Thanks to everybody that has already voted. Please keep voting and forward
this to your friends so we can win this for the kids.
The program ends tomorrow, Wednesday, June 23rd at 6PM EST and remember, you
can vote more than one time.

http://www.nascar.com/PepsiRefresh

Thank you,
Dale Jr.

Earnhardt Jr. & Shaq To Battle On Track Next Wednesday

Fri, 18 Jun 2010 13:56:51 PDT

CONCORD, N.C. (June 18, 2010) � The challenge has been issued and
accepted.�Four-time NBA champion Shaquille O�Neal has swapped his size-23
basketball shoes for racing Velcro; traded his breezy, cool basketball
jersey for a heavy, fire-retardant driver�s suit; forgone the familiarity of
basketball hardwood for the cramped quarters of a stock-car cockpit � all
7-foot-1, 325 pounds of him.
�
His reason: challenge NASCAR�s most popular driver and winner of more than
40 NASCAR-sanctioned races, Dale Earnhardt Jr., to a one-on-one race in a
test of skill, endurance and speed.
�
The competition will be featured in the second season of Shaq Vs., the
popular television series that is part of ABC�s new summer season.�The
show�s premise is simple: O�Neal takes his top-level skills and athletic
prowess from the basketball court and transfers it to a different and
unfamiliar sporting event.
�
The first season pitted Shaq in a head-to-head match-up against Albert
Pujols in a homerun-hitting contest, Michael Phelps in a swimming
race,�Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh in beach volleyball, and Oscar de la
Hoya in a boxing match.
�
Shaq Vs., which is produced by Media Rights Capital in association with dick
clark productions, will begin airing its second season in early
August.�Season Two will not rely solely on sporting matches but also will
feature fun, comedic non-sports competitions such as a spelling bee contest
and dance crew battle.�Each will test O�Neal�s adaptability, but perhaps
none more challenging than maneuvering a 3,500-pound stock car with more
than 800 horsepower against Earnhardt Jr., winner of the Daytona 500 and 18
NASCAR Sprint Cup races.
�
The race between O�Neal and Earnhardt Jr. will take place at 4 p.m. ET on
Wednesday, June 23, at Concord Speedway, a tricky, half-mile tri-oval that
features some of the best weekly racing in North Carolina.�The event is open
to the public free of charge.�Gates will open at 1 p.m. ET.�No cameras or
phones will be allowed inside the facility.�Terms of the race will be
negotiated by O�Neal and Earnhardt Jr. on the day of the race.
�
MEDIA NOTE
Please note the media is not permitted to cover the actual race event.�Shaq
Vs. Season Two interview and coverage requests should be directed to�Edwin
Escobar (818.460.7758 / Edwin.Escobar@abc.com) or Carolyn Nurnberg
(212.843.9316 / Cnurnberg@rubenstein.com).
�
�
��SHAQ vs. JUNIOR� EVENT DETAILS
When:�Wednesday, June 23 (Race starts at 4 p.m. ET / Gates open at 1 p.m.
ET)
Where:�Concord Speedway / 7940 U.S. Highway 601 South, Concord, NC 28025
Notes:�The show will be taped.�By attending the event you agree to have your
likeness shown on television.�No cameras, phones (of any kind) or outside
recording devices will be allowed inside.�Please leave them in your
car.�Parking is limited. �Please share a ride, when possible.
Social Media & Web Info:�For more information on Shaq Vs., please visit
www.ABC.go.com.�For up-to-the-minute information on Wednesday�s taping,
please visit www.Facebook.com/DaleJr and www.ConcordMotorsportPark.com, or
follow us on Twitter at @ConcordSpeedway and @JRMotorsports.�Directions to
the speedway can be found at www.ConcordMotorsportPark.com
�

JRM Inks 5-Race Sponsorship With Realtree Outfitters Through Delta Apparel

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 08:58:54 PDT

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Wednesday, June 16, 2010) � Delta Apparel � a leading
activewear and headwear manufacturer � has agreed to a partnership with JR
Motorsports to promote the Realtree Outfitters licensed brand, which will
receive primary placement on the No. 88 Chevrolet for five NASCAR Nationwide
Series events this year, general manager Kelley Earnhardt announced
today.�Realtree, the camouflage brand made famous by its long-running
outdoor-themed television programming, recently signed Delta Apparel to an
exclusive apparel and headwear licensing deal with its Realtree Outfitters
brand.
�
One of the five races � the Aug. 20th event at Bristol Motor Speedway � will
feature team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. behind the wheel of the No. 88
Realtree Outfitters Chevrolet.�Two other events � the June 26th race at New
Hampshire Motor Speedway and Sept. 25th race at Dover International Raceway
� will introduce Elliott Sadler as driver of the No. 88 Realtree Outfitters
Chevy.�Sadler has signed a 10-race driving agreement with JR Motorsports to
drive the No. 88 car.
�
��I think this partnership with Delta Apparel and Realtree Outfitters is
something we�re announcing now, but it started a long time ago just on
mutual friendship,� said Earnhardt Jr.��Realtree has been in the sport a
long time, because there is a common interest in racing and hunting.�NASCAR
fans wear Realtree camo.�
�
The complete schedule for Delta Apparel/Realtree Outfitters-sponsored races
includes New Hampshire Motor Speedway (June 26), Iowa Speedway (July 31),
Bristol Motor Speedway (Aug. 20), Dover International Speedway (Sept. 25),
and Gateway International Raceway (Oct. 23).�Drivers for Iowa and Gateway
are still to be determined.
�
�Our licensing agreement with Realtree has opened significant new markets
for our lifestyle t-shirts, caps, and other apparel items in both the
outdoor and NASCAR market places in a very short timeframe,� said Robert W.
Humphreys, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Delta Apparel, Inc.��This
partnership is really true to all of the brands involved.�
Bill Jordan, the popular outdoorsman and president of Realtree, said, �Both
Dale Jr. and Elliott truly enjoy the outdoors, and both have spent time
hunting and filming with us over the years.�We could not be more pleased to
have these two drivers behind the wheel of the Realtree Outfitters
Chevrolet.
�The partnership among Delta Apparel, Realtree Outfitters and JR Motorsports
is the foundation of a multi-media campaign to promote the Realtree
Outfitters brand, and the tie-ins among all of these companies and Chevrolet
makes this the perfect promotion � touching on families, friendships, NASCAR
and the outdoors.�
Both Earnhardt Jr. and Sadler are avid outdoorsmen and have hunted multiple
times with Jordan.�Much of Realtree�s notoriety comes through its television
programming on ESPN2, Outdoor Channel and other networks.�Earnhardt Jr. and
Sadler have been featured on Realtree Outdoors� in each of the past two
seasons.
�
�Our deal with Realtree Outfitters is one of those partnerships that won�t
be too difficult getting our fans and team members to rally around,�
Earnhardt Jr. said.��Our shop is loaded with avid hunters, starting with
(Crew Chief) Tony Eury Jr.�He�s a die-hard and big supporter of Realtree.�My
uncles � the Gee boys, Robert Jr. and Jimmy � are the best body-hangers in
the business, but before they agreed to come to JR Motorsports, they made me
promise to give them the entire month of November off so they can hunt�
every year.�It was the only way I could get them to come to JR Motorsports,
so I agreed.�I�ve never heard of a contract quite like it.�
�
Sadler�s debut for JR Motorsports at New Hampshire will kick off a 10-race
schedule for the Emporia, Va.-native in the team�s flagship No. 88.�His two
races for Realtree Outfitters will be met with eight more for sponsor Grand
Touring Vodka.�Those tracks include O�Reilly Raceway Park (July 24),
Michigan (Aug. 14), Richmond (Sept. 10), Kansas (Oct. 2), Auto Club Speedway
(Oct. 9), Texas (Nov. 6), Phoenix (Nov. 13), and Homestead-Miami (Nov. 20).
�
�I am grateful to Dale Jr. and Kelley for this opportunity,� Sadler
said.��Dale Jr. and I have been friends since our days of racing late
models, so it�s a great opportunity for us to partner together in the
Nationwide Series.�Everyone knows that I hunt every single day during the
off-season.�So, this was like a dream come true for me to have a chance to
represent Realtree Outfitters at my inaugural race with JR Motorsports.�Last
year on a Realtree Outdoors hunt I harvested a monster bull elk, thanks to
Bill Jordan. We�re mixing together my two biggest passions in life: racing
and the outdoors. �I�m going to go out and give it everything I have to put
this No. 88 in victory lane for these 10 races.�
�
Sadler is a five-time winner in the Nationwide Series and three-time winner
in the Sprint Cup Series.�His first full season in the Nationwide Series
featured three victories (Nazareth, Myrtle Beach, and Gateway) and four pole
awards.�He responded a season later with two more wins (Bristol and
Rockingham) and one pole.
�
�Elliott is a really good buddy of mine, and I�m happy that he has agreed to
race our cars on a limited basis this year,� said Earnhardt Jr.��By now
everybody knows our situation.�We are looking for the next full-time
replacement for the No. 88, but in the meantime we�ve called upon some
proven racers to keep it up front, capture points, and contend for
wins.�Jamie McMurray took on a handful of races and has done an incredible
job.�It�s been a lot of fun watching him race, and Pops (Tony Eury Sr.) has
enjoyed working with him.�I think Elliott will do just as well.�He�s a great
race car driver.�
�
Earnhardt Jr.�s turn behind the wheel of the No. 88 Realtree Outfitters
Chevrolet at Bristol will be his third appearance in the Nationwide Series
this season.�He competed in the season-opening event at Daytona
International Raceway, and will return to the track in July to drive the No.
3 Wrangler Chevy.�Earnhardt Jr. is a two-time series champion and winner of
22 races.
�

NNS Road America Preview

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 09:10:38 PDT

"It's great to be back with JR Motorsports this year.�We�ve had some fun
races in the past and we�ll continue that this weekend.�I�m very optimistic
on our chances for a solid run at Road America.�With the powerful Hendrick
horsepower we have under the hood and solid preparation the No. 88 AER team
offers, we have as good a shot as anyone in the field to go to victory lane.
�
�Road America is a great facility to be hosting a Nationwide Series
race.�It�s one of the coolest natural terrain courses around.�I�ve run there
a few times in the past and it�s always an adventure.�You can bet you�ll see
some crazy things happening with guys trying to beat one another into the
corners to make passes.�It will throw a lot of challenges your way,
especially with the elevation changes. You�ve just got to be prepared with
your footwork inside the cockpit and match your RPM�s when you downshift
into the corners.�Turn 14 is an important corner.�If you don�t get through
that corner exactly right and carry the proper amount of speed up the
frontstretch, you can lose a lot getting up to the top of that hill.��
�
J.R. Fitzpatrick
No. 7 Schick Hydro Chevrolet
�
�This is a great opportunity for me, and I�m excited to drive the No. 7
Schick Hydro Chevrolet.�As a driver, surrounding yourself with good people
and good equipment is all you can really ask for, and we�ve got that with
JRM.�Schick Hydro has been a wonderful sponsor of mine for some time, and
I�m thankful to them for making this possible.
�
�It�s going to be an interesting weekend to say the least.�Racing at Road
America is going to put a lot of drivers on the same page as far as
experience.�I�m one of the many guys in the field that hasn�t raced there
yet.�Thankfully NASCAR has given us substantial practice time on Thursday to
get accustomed to the track.��I�ve spent the week on a simulator trying to
get as familiar as I can with this place.�It may be a four-mile track, but
it�s a fast four miles.�We�re going to be carrying a ton of speed down into
turn one and I�m sure you�ll see a lot of guys trying to get make passes
there.�I just want to keep the fenders on our Schick Hydro Chevrolet clean
and hopefully we�ll be up front near the end when it counts.�
�
JR MOTORSPORTS NOTEBOOK --
�
TEAM CANADA � JR Motorsports will feature drivers hailing from north of the
border this weekend at Road America.�Canadians Ron Fellows and J.R.
Fitzpatrick will fill the seats of the No. 88 and No. 7 Chevrolets at the
4-mile road course.�Fellows hails from Windsor, Ontario, while Fitzpatrick�s
hometown is Cambridge, Ontario.�The two join Fort Frances, Ontario native
Steve Arpin as Canadians to drive for JRM in 2010.
�
FITZPATRICK DEBUT � Fitzpatrick will make his first of three starts for JRM
in the No. 7 Schick Chevrolet this weekend.�His next two starts come on Aug.
7at Watkins Glen and Aug. 29 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, all with Schick
Hydro as the primary sponsor.�Fitzpatrick becomes the sixth driver to pilot
the No. 7 Chevrolet this season, joining Steve Arpin, Landon Cassill, Danica
Patrick, Scott Wimmer and Josh Wise.�Wimmer secured the team�s best results
with consecutive top-10 finishes at Bristol Motor Speedway and Nashville
Superspeedway, leading 39 total laps.�
�
FITZ STATS - Fitzpatrick has four starts in the Nationwide Series � all at
road courses � with a career-best finish of 18th at Watkins Glen in 2009.�He
finished 27th in his most recent NNS race at Montreal in 2009.�In NASCAR�s
Canadian Tire Series, Fitzpatrick took the checkered flag in last weekend�s
race at Mosport International Raceway.�It marked his fifth career win in the
series and he now leads the standings by 25 points.�
�
GOOD FELLOWS � Known for his impeccable road-course talents, Fellows owns
three career starts with JRM. He earned one win and one-top five finish and
has led seven laps in those events.�He has qualified in the top 10 in every
race while driving for JRM.�Fellows� next race in the No. 88 comes at
Watkins Glen International on Aug. 7.
�
LONG-TIME PARTNER � AER Manufacturing, the primary sponsor of the No. 88
Chevrolet this weekend, has been a supporter of Fellows for 20 years in the
Trans Am Series, NASCAR and the American Le Mans Series.
�
FITZPATRICK HISTORY - In 2008, Fitzpatrick leveraged his one win and five
podium finishes to become the youngest ever Canadian Association for Stock
Car Auto Racing National Champion at the age of 18. Two years prior, he
became the youngest winner in CASCAR Super Series history.�He continues to
storm through the Canadian Tire Series earning five wins, 14 top-five and 18
top-10 finishes with five poles in 31 career starts.�Fitzpatrick retains the
additional distinction of being the Canadian Tire Series Most Popular Driver
in 2007.
�
JACK-OF-ALL-TRADES - A longtime sports car and road-racing veteran, Fellows
is credited with three class championships in the American Le Mans Series,
two class wins in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and 19 overall victories in the
Sports Car Club of America's Trans-Am Series as a member of the Corvette
Racing Team. His NASCAR credentials include six overall wins (two in the
Camping World Truck Series), and two runner-up finishes in Sprint Cup
competition.�
�
NATIONWIDE SERIES STATS � Fellows� Nationwide Series history goes back 13
years to 1997. In his 15 career races, he has scored four wins, seven
top-five, and eight top-10 finishes. Fellows earned two poles, led 200 laps,
and had an average finish of 17.1 with an average start of 7.1.
�
TEAM POINTS POSITION � The No. 88 AER Manufacturing team sits ninth in the
2010 owner points after last week�s race at Kentucky Speedway.�The No. 7
team gained two positions and now occupies the 24th spot in owner points.
�
SUAVE MEN RAISES THE STAKES - Suave Men recently announced its Head-to-Head
Challenge, a challenge pitting the No. 88 team against the No. 7 team in
July at Chicagoland Speedway. Dale Earnhardt Jr. issued the challenge to his
teams, and will factor in average practice speeds, qualifying, pit-stop
times and race results. The team with the best times will have a donation
made on its behalf to The Dale Jr. Foundation.
�
NEW, IMPROVED AND FREE JR NATION FAN CLUB � Now race fans can be part of all
the JR Motorsports action with a free subscription to The JR Nation Crew Fan
Club � the official fan club of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and JR Motorsports.� The
club has just launched a new website complete with chat rooms, forums and
blogs from your favorite JRM drivers.� Join today by logging on to
www.dalejr.com/jrnation.
�

Help me get Shepherd Elementary School up to speed...

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 05:13:23 PDT

JEFF GORDON, JIMMIE JOHNSON AND DALE EARNHARDT JR. COME TOGETHER IN AN INITIATIVE TO REFRESH AMERICA

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 04:53:53 PDT

Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. are asking fans to join them in making a difference in America’s communities through the Pepsi Refresh Project. Now through June 23, NASCAR fans are encouraged to visit www.NASCAR.com/PepsiRefresh to vote for the idea they believe should receive a grant from the Pepsi Refresh Project.

Each of the three Hendrick Motorsports drivers has outlined an idea for a project about which they are passionate.

• Gordon: establishing a program to support the treatment, care and protection of abused children

• Johnson: providing financial relief to pediatric bone marrow transplant patients

• Earnhardt.: building a computer lab for elementary students

The driver’s idea with the most votes by 6:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, June 23 will receive a $100,000 grant from the Pepsi Refresh Project to fulfill their idea.

Gordon’s initiative would support abused children through treatment, care, and protection at the Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) at Jeff Gordon Children’s Hospital in North Carolina. The grant would fund a new Child Life Program that aids physically and sexually abused youth by supporting them through age-specific therapeutic play and rapport-building. This child-sensitive approach emphasizes early intervention, coordinated investigations and allied responses to this growing community problem.

“One in five boys and one in three girls are sexually or physically abused in the United States, which is a shocking and ugly statistic,” said Gordon. “With the Pepsi Refresh Project, we’re hoping to help the long-term physical and emotional health of these innocent children.”

Johnson’s project focuses on providing financial relief to pediatric transplant patients by assisting with uninsured expenses after transplant through the Be The Match Foundation’s Transplant Grants for Kids program. On average, marrow transplant families experience a $1,472 shortfall between their current monthly income and monthly expenses due to increased medical bills and often the loss of a parent’s income.

“With the Pepsi Refresh Project, it is easy to make a difference, all you need is an idea,” said Johnson. “While a marrow transplant can be a life-saving treatment, it takes a significant financial toll on a family. This project gives us an avenue to help families with their uninsured expenses.”

Earnhardt is hoping to secure the grant to support technology needs at Shepherd Elementary School in Mooresville, NC, a school that desperately needs better equipment to help enrich the lives of its many students. Funds will be used to build a new computer lab, purchase 20 new computers, and a SMART board.

“Our future lies in the hands of our children but they cannot acquire the skills they need to compete in a digital world when they don’t have the essential tools,” said Earnhardt. “A Pepsi Refresh grant is a quick and easy way to make a positive impact on America’s communities.”

The Pepsi Refresh Project is a groundbreaking effort to foster innovation in social good that will award more than $20 million this year to fund great ideas that improve America’s communities. Throughout 2010, Pepsi will fund ideas that will move the world forward in six categories: Health, Arts & Culture, Food & Shelter, The Planet, Neighborhoods and Education. The Pepsi Refresh Project will feature significant social engagement around people and the power of ideas. Pepsi Refresh Project launched on Jan. 13. People are encouraged to submit their ideas and to cast a vote for their favorite ideas at www.refresheverything.com.

NNS Nashville II Preview

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 06:41:47 PDT

No. 88 Whisky River/Lee Brice Chevrolet/No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet
�
Coleman Pressley
No. 88 Whisky River/Lee Brice Chevrolet
�
�I�ve been looking forward to the Nashville race weekend ever since I knew
I�d be driving the No. 88 Chevy for JRM.�I feel very lucky to have an
opportunity like this.�I remember when I got the call from them to come into
the shop and talk about driving one of their racecars. I was thrilled, and
I�m hoping to make the absolute best out of this chance.
�
�Nashville is a track that I�ve never raced on before, but I have a great
coach in my dad (former NASCAR driver Robert Pressley).�He�s always someone
I can lean on and bounce questions off of.�I�ve only raced a couple times on
concrete, so this will still be a fairly new experience for me.�But I�m
ready for the challenge. Plus, I�m lucky to have a crew chief that has seen
it all in Tony Eury Sr.� �
�
Tony Eury Sr.
Crew Chief No. 88 Whisky River/Lee Brice Chevrolet
�
�We like what we�ve seen in Coleman during his limited time in the
Nationwide Series.�We�re always looking for young talent and with Jamie
[McMurray] out of the car for a few weeks, this gives us the opportunity to
put a young guy in there and see how he does.�So we�ll have a look at him
driving the 88 at Nashville and Kentucky.�
�
Josh Wise
No. 7 JRM Chevrolet
�
�This is going to be a great experience for me to team up with JR
Motorsports and get a shot driving this No. 7 Chevy.�As a driver, you�ve got
to be able to take advantage of every good opportunity that�s put in front
of you, and that�s what I intend to do with this deal.�The plan is for me to
drive at Nashville this weekend and then at Kentucky next weekend.�It�s no
secret the No. 7 has hit a string of bad luck over the past few races. These
guys have top-notch equipment, so for me, I want to bring the car home in
one piece and hopefully have a good points day for them.�Realistically, I
think a top-15 finish would be a great place to start.�
�
Tony Eury Jr.
Crew Chief No. 7 JRM Chevrolet
�
�I won�t say that I�m not a little disappointed with our results over the
past few weeks.�But in racing, sometimes you�ve just got to accept that
stuff is going to happen. That�s just the way racing is.�Last week at
Charlotte was just such a time.�We had a great qualifying effort, but just
got caught up in three-wide racing way too early in the race.�The effort is
there, but that�s a small piece to the puzzle in securing a good run.�We
still want to use the 7 car to evaluate new drivers for our race team.
That�s exactly what we�re doing right now.�
�
JR MOTORSPORTS NOTEBOOK �
�
DUAL DEBUTS � JR Motorsports features Coleman Pressley and Josh Wise making
their team debut this weekend at Nashville.�Pressley, a third-generation
NASCAR driver, will pilot the team�s flagship No. 88 Chevrolet.�He has eight
career Nationwide Series starts.�Riverside, Calif., native Josh Wise climbs
behind the wheel of the No. 7 with one top-five and one top-10 finish in 31
NNS starts.
�
NO. 7 TEAM AT NASHVILLE � JRM�s No. 7 team earned its season-best finish of
seventh at Nashville Superspeedway in April with driver Scott Wimmer.�Wimmer
led 18 laps in the race en route to earning the team its second top-10
finish of 2010.�
�
COUNTRY MUSIC STAR LEE BRICE AT WHISKY RIVER JACKSONVILLE � The No. 88
Chevrolet will sport a special Whisky River paint scheme featuring country
music sensation Lee Brice heading into Nashville this weekend.�Brice is
preparing for the release of his major-label debut, Love Like Crazy, next
week, and is schedule to perform in concert at Whisky River Jacksonville on
Wednesday, July 28. More information about the concert and how to obtain
tickets will be made available at WhiskyRiverJacksonville.com.
�
WISE FACTS � Wise, a former Michael Waltrip Racing developmental driver,
competed in nine NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races in 2007, earning
two top-10 finishes at Gateway International Raceway and Las Vegas Motor
Speedway.�He has competed in numerous racing series, including NASCAR Pro
Series East and the ARCA Series.
�
PRESSLEY STATS � Pressley owns three starts in the Nationwide Series this
season, all with R3 Motorsports.�He earned his career best finish of 15th at
the legendary Darlington Raceway in May.
�
WISE AT NASHVILLE � Wise holds two starts at Nashville with respective
finishes of 33rd and 20th. His average finish is 26.5.�
�
TEAM POINTS POSITION � The No. 88 team gained an additional spot in the 2010
owner points after Charlotte. They currently occupy the ninth position. The
No. 7 team sits 28th in owner points.
�
SOCIAL MEDIA � Join the JR Motorsports team on Facebook at
Facebook.com/dalejr
�and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/jrmotorsports.
�
NEW, IMPROVED AND FREE JR NATION FAN CLUB � Now race fans can be part of all
the JR Motorsports action with a free subscription to The JR Nation Crew Fan
Club � the official fan club of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and JR Motorsports.� The
club has just launched a new website complete with chat rooms, forums and
blogs from your favorite JRM drivers.� Join today by logging on to
www.dalejr.com/jrnation.
�

Road-Course Veteran Fellows Returns to Drive JRM's No. 88

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 14:20:33 PDT

Road-Course Veteran Fellows Returns To Drive JRM�s No. 88
AER Manufacturing and Grand Touring Vodka on board for two races
�
MOORESVILLE, N.C.� (June 1, 2010) � When the JR Motorsports flagship No. 88
team travels to NASCAR Nationwide Series road-course events at Road America
and Watkins Glen International later this season, it will have one of the
best road-course drivers in the sport behind the wheel and two brand new
sponsorship partners on its hood.
�
AER Manufacturing will sponsor the No. 88 Chevrolet driven by decorated road
racer Ron Fellows in the June 19 race at Road America.�� Fellows has driven
for JR Motorsports three times before, winning at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
in Montreal on Aug. 2, 2008.�AER Manufacturing has been a world leader in
engine remanufacturing for the past 60 years, and has supported Fellows in
the Trans Am Series, NASCAR and the American Le Mans Series since 1990.
�
Grand Touring Vodka, which announced a new partnership with JR Motorsports
earlier this month, will be Fellows' primary sponsor in the Aug. 7 race at
Watkins Glen International.�It will mark the third of 10 sponsored races for
Grand Touring Vodka in 2010, as the vodka brand will be on the No. 88 at
Daytona International Speedway (July 2) and O�Reilly Raceway Park (July
24).�
�
"It's great to be back with JR Motorsports this year," the 50-year-old
Fellows said. �I�m extremely grateful to AER and GT Vodka for making this
program possible. I know we'll be competitive and able to run up front at
these facilities.��
�
A native of Windsor, Ontario, Fellows owns three career starts with JR
Motorsports, notching one win and two top-five finishes.�In 2008, Fellows
earned the team its first road-course victory at Montreal after leading
seven laps.�His best finish in 2009 was a fifth-place showing at Watkins
Glen.
�
�We are thrilled to have Ron back with us,� said JR Motorsports general
manager and co-owner Kelley Earnhardt. �He is an incredible talent behind
the wheel, and he will bring a lot of experience and insight to our
program.�Any time he�s driving, he�s a threat to win.�
�
A longtime sports car and road-racing veteran, Fellows is credited with
three class championships in the American Le Mans Series, two class wins in
the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and 19 overall victories in the Sports Car Club of
America's Trans-Am Series as a member of the Corvette Racing Team.�His
NASCAR credentials include six overall wins (two in the Camping World Truck
Series), and two runner-up finishes in Sprint Cup competition.�With his four
Nationwide Series victories, he also has seven top-fives, eight top-10s and
two poles in 15 starts.
�

Sun, 30 May 2010 05:36:41 PDT

K'NEX is inviting you to participate and help make a difference. During the
month of May, K'NEX is donating 10% of online sales at www.knex.com to The
Dale Jr Foundation. For more information, visit www.knex.com!

Fri, 28 May 2010 07:50:55 PDT

The JR Motorsports Fan Zone is open until 5:30 PM today! JRM drivers Steve
Arpin and JR Fitzpatrick are signing autographs at 1:00 TODAY - Come see
us!!!

Thu, 27 May 2010 13:21:36 PDT

Congratulations to Keri Brotherton! She correctly answered that Dale Jr's
best career finish in a points race at Charlotte Motor Speedway was 2nd
place! Dale Jr finished 2nd in the 1999 Carquest Auto Parts 300 NASCAR
Nationwide Series race during his second championship season!

Thu, 27 May 2010 13:13:37 PDT

Is anyone interested in attending the Sprint Cup Series race Sunday night at
Charlotte Motor Speedway? We have 2 tickets to give away to the first person
to correctly answer the following:

What is Dale Jr's best career finish in a points race at Charlotte Motor
Speedway?

Winner MUST be able to pick up the tickets Friday at JR Motorsports in
Mooresville, NC between 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM.