Missing NASCAR Disorder

Are you suffering, or think you’re suffering, from Missing NASCAR Disorder (MND)?  If you are, you’ve come to the right place to check your symptoms.  Although not deadly, it has a tendency to stick around for ninety-or-so days.  

Commonly reported warning signs that you have MND:

• At a yellow traffic light, you swerve back and forth to warm your tires for the restart.
• You go into your favorite driver’s sponsor’s store just to think you’re helping sponsor your driver.
• You have great difficulties turning right and make left turns around the block.
• You start to cry and become very emotional when you hear the sound of engines revving or smell burnt rubber.
• You yell at the person pumping gas into your car that they’re going to make you go a lap down because the “pit stop” was taking too long.
• You pretend your hands-free device is your radio and yell at your crew chief, “I’m free in the corner!”
• When you’re in the passing lane and your passenger is yelling, “Outside, outside, outside.  All clear!”
• When you can’t find Race Day anywhere on television and start to cry.
• You keep checking the SPEED channel hoping to find a re-run of a race.
• You start to count the days until the Daytona 500 like it’s a holiday.
• You’re driving on the highway, get passed by another car, throw a water bottle out the window and yell, “Debris! Debris!” and pray for a caution so you can be side by side on the restart.
• You see the American flag and yell, “Gentlemen, start your engines!”
• You get pulled over for riding the bumper of the car in front of you and you have to explain that you were only bump-drafting.
• You wake up yelling, “Go low, go low, go low!” after having a nightmare that your favorite driver was about to wreck.
• When you are getting off the highway and have to go Pit Road speed on the ramp.  
• You sit around on Sunday playing with your kid’s Hot Wheels, making revving noises while you make them run in an oval and you won’t allow your kids to play with them.

Even though this disease is present for a long period of time, the good news is it can be cured almost instantly! Possible temporary cures to MND?  

• Try to find a race replay on YouTube.
• Write on your favorite driver’s Facebook.
• Watch Race Hub.
• Start a group with other NASCAR fans and talk about anything NASCAR-related.

The only sure-fire way to fully get rid of MND is to patiently wait for Speedweeks and the Daytona 500, which is now only ninety-one very long days away!


Thank you to Bill Baker, Greg Finn, Mike Oakleaf, Fleming Dana, and Christala Gaddis for submitting their favorite “Warning Sign.”

Happy Thanksgiving!

I would like to say Happy Thanksgiving to all of those who celebrate it tomorrow.  I also wanted to tell you all how grateful I am for having so many loyal readers - whether you've been there since day one or not - I'm extremely grateful for all of you!  Without your support and encouragement, there would be no NASCAR Corner.  I hope you all have a great day tomorrow!

- Ashley Schindler 

  

My Trip as a Homestead Rookie

The Flag Stand

Thursday morning, I stared out the window at the semi-dark sky, looking at the wing of the airplane, waiting for the plane to take off.  I sat back, turned on the television in the back of the seat in front of me and waited for the engines to roar to life.  Before I knew it, the plane was in the sky, above the clouds.  I plugged my iPod into my ears and slept for a portion of the flight.  Two and a half hours later, my mom and I were walking off the plane in sunny Miami; the first words I uttered were "Oh my goodness! There are palm trees!" an obvious sign I'm from the North, where we had snow on the ground two weeks prior.

Friday morning, my mom and I got up early and headed out to breakfast (where there were Cup crew members) then to the track for the Truck Series race.  What started out as a sunny, humid day, quickly turned into an overcast, humid day.  After meeting up with Dan Haim and Jason Shatzkamer from College Complete (where I'm an intern) at their RVs, my mom and I walked around the stands and fan zone for a little while.  We then headed back to the RV for lunch (a very tasty one, I might add).  That's when the weather took a turn for the worse - the rain started.  The rain would start, and then it would stop; start then stop; start then stop...all afternoon.  A great portion of the afternoon was spent in the RV playing with Dan's daughter and watching SPEED - neither of which I minded.

At six o'clock, the rest of the College Complete team and a few others came to the RV for dinner (again, very tasty).  I was fortunate enough to meet Joe Mattioli, whose family owns Pocono Raceway, one of my favorite tracks...then again, it’s my hometrack.  At seven thirty, we headed over to the track for driver introductions and the race.

With fifteen laps to go and the 2011 Camping World Truck Series Championship on the line, the rain started once again, and within ten minutes, NASCAR called the race.  Johnny Sauter was declared the race winner and Austin Dillon was crowned the champion. If you know me well enough, you know how excited I was.

After the race was called, the whole College Complete team headed back to the RV for a party to mark the end of the season.  Justin Lofton came to the party, CollPreviewege Complete is his sponsor.  He brought his father and his friend Brett Bortle, who owns Weekend Warriors TV.

Justin Lofton and Myself

It's amazing the little, random things you learn.  For example, I learned that for the last four months, Justin Lofton thought that my dad hated him.  It all started at Pocono in August over a shirt.  No, I'm serious, a shirt.  Justin wanted to sign the shirt I always have signed by drivers,  I told him no because he already signed it.  He didn't believe me when I told him that he had signed it at Dover a few months earlier (it obviously wasn't a serious fight).  I guess my dad happened to look at him in a weird way, and for four months he thought my dad hated him - totally not the case.  

This race marked the end of the awesome 2011 season for me!  I look forward to attending more races next year and writing more race trip recaps for you all to read!

Addington Leaves Penske Racing

Credit to Zimbio

It was announced Tuesday, November 22, that Steve Addington left Penske Racing and would not return for the 2012 season.

Addington was Kurt Busch’s second crew chief in three years; only lasting for two years.  In the short period of time, he helped Kurt win four races, two of which came during this past season, and secure a place in both the 2010 and 2011 Chase.  Even with two wins during the 2011 season, Busch finished eleventh in points after a string of bad luck plagued the team.  

Kurt isn’t known for his quiescent temperament.  Often expressing his emotions without a filter, Kurt says what he thinks.  That was the case this past weekend at Homestead.  Once again plagued by bad luck, Busch lost his transmission early in the race on Sunday.  When ESPN’s Dr. Jerry Punch went over to Kurt to interview him, let’s just say Kurt let his emotions known in a very verbal way.

Was Kurt’s temper to blame for Addington’s departure from the No. 22 team, or was there some other reason?  We may never know, but for now, all we can do, much like Penske Racing, is wish him “the best in his future endeavors.”      

NASCAR Announces 2012 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Schedule

NASCAR Announces 2012 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Schedule

A Return To Rockingham, Two Trips To Iowa Short Track Highlight 18th Season

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Nov. 21, 2011) – NASCAR announced today the 2012 schedule for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, highlighted by the sport’s return to historic Rockingham Speedway for the first time since 2004 and a number of familiar venues known for the typically intense battles among the tough trucks.

“The 2012 schedule has a great mix of tracks that will continue to deliver great racing for our fans," said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations. "We're excited to bring the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series to the famed Rockingham Speedway, along with the addition of a second date at Iowa Speedway. Looking ahead, interest in the truck series continues to grow in a number of different markets and we’re excited about what the future holds for next season and beyond.”

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will race at Rockingham for the first time in its 17-year history, marking the first time the 1.017-mile track will host a NASCAR national series race since February of 2004.

Next season’s schedule, which features 22 races, opens with the traditional Daytona International Speedway Friday night bout, on Feb. 24. The championship will once again be decided at the season-finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov. 16.

With a nod to the sport’s – and the series’ – roots, the trucks will race on short tracks five times, at three different tracks, next season. MartinsvilleSpeedway hosts the first short-track event, on March 31, with a return engagement on Oct. 27.

Iowa Speedway, the popular 7/8th-mile short track, also hosts two NASCAR Camping World Truck events next season – on July 14 and Sept. 15. BristolMotor Speedway’s high banks will hold its traditional Wednesday night show, on Aug. 22.

For the third consecutive season, the series will race at the 2.5-mile Pocono Raceway triangle for its fast 50-lapper.

2012 NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES SCHEDULE

2/24 Daytona International Speedway

3/31 Martinsville Speedway

4/15 Rockingham Speedway

4/21 Kansas Speedway

5/18 Charlotte Motor Speedway

6/1 Dover International Speedway

6/8 Texas Motor Speedway

6/28 Kentucky Speedway

7/14 Iowa Speedway

7/21 Chicagoland Speedway

8/4 Pocono Raceway

8/18 Michigan International Speedway

8/22 Bristol Motor Speedway

8/31 Atlanta Motor Speedway

9/15 Iowa Speedway

9/21 Kentucky Speedway

10/6 Talladega Superspeedway

10/13 Las Vegas Motor Speedway 

10/27 Martinsville Speedway

11/2 Texas Motor Speedway

11/9 Phoenix International Raceway 

11/16 Homestead-Miami Speedway 

ALL RACES WILL BE TELEVISED ON SPEED

*Official NASCAR Press Release*

Congratulations Tony!

Credit to Google

We would like to say a huge congratulations to the 2011 Sprint Cup Series Champion, Tony Stewart, and to the entire Stewart-Haas No. 14 Team on a great last ten races!  Also, a special congratulations to Carl Edwards on an amazing season!

The Inside Track with Hunter Smith

Life in high school is anything but stress-free; you virtually have to pick whether you want good grades or a social life.  This isn’t the case for Hunter Smith.  Hunter, a New Jersey native, manages school, a social life, and racing.

Currently racing full-time at Hamlin Speedway in Pennsylvania in a Tobias slingshot in the All Star Slingshot Division, the 2012 season will mark Hunter's fourth full season in racing.  When asked about the 2012 season, "Next season I'm hoping to run the complete schedule in the All Star Slingshot National Tour."  

Like I said earlier, balancing school and racing and having a life all at the same time, certainly isn't a piece of cake.  Hunter's learned time management.  "It's not too bad.  I make time to do schoolwork and to work on the car."

When you think about great drivers, what comes to mind?  The number of championships they have?  How many races they've won?  Not for Hunter, "A great driver is someone who is great with people and meeting them.  They talk to everyone and are respectful to everyone around them - including fans."

"My major goal is to race in one of NASCAR's top series, in the World of Outlaws Series, or in the IndyCar Series."  "I love the adrenaline rush," when speaking about his favorite part of racing, "you start to feel invincible [even though you aren't].  I also like how no other sport has the same camaraderie.  If you need a part, someone's always willing to give you one of their spares.  It's truly a great sport."  

"I like Snydersville (in Pennsylvania), Bristol, and Martinsville because they're short-tracks so their fun and action-packed."

The last question I always ask is the one I've received the biggest variety of answers for, "What driver, if any, do you most model your career after?"  Answers have ranged from Mark Martin to Jeff Gordon to none at all.  Hunter said, "I'm trying to make a name for myself; I do certain things from certain drivers.  I always take my sunglasses off out of respect for the reporter like Carl Edwards does and I never turn down an autograph like Richard Petty."   

We wish Hunter the best of luck in all of his future racing endeavors and would like to once again say thank you for taking the time yesterday to do the phone interview.

Be sure to "Like" Hunter on Facebook Hunter Smith, follow him on Twitter @HunterSmith7H and check out his website www.huntersmithracing.webs.com.  

All photos are credit to Hunter Smith

No. 7 NASCAR Nationwide Series Team Penalized

For Immediate Release

No. 7 NASCAR Nationwide Series Team Penalized

For Rule Infractions At Phoenix International Raceway

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Nov. 15, 2011) – NASCAR announced today penalties and fines to the No. 7 team that competes in the NASCAR Nationwide Series as a result of rule infractions at Phoenix International Raceway.

The No. 7 car was found to be in violation of Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4-J (any determination by NASCAR officials that the race equipment used in the event does not conform to NASCAR rules); and 20A-2.3A (improperly attached weight) of the 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series rule book. The infraction occurred during the race on Nov. 12.

As a result of the violations, crew chief Tony Eury Jr. has been fined $10,000 and placed on NASCAR probation until March 28, 2012.

Official NASCAR Press Release

From Staten Island To NASCAR, Joe Karasinski Is A Battler

From Staten Island To NASCAR, Joe Karasinski Is A Battler

No. 99 Roush Fenway Racing Gas Man Beats Cancer, Bids For Championship

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Nov. 14 , 2011) — Helping beat 42 other teams off a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series pit road is tough enough.

Beating cancer is even tougher.

Joe Karasinski, gas man for the No. 99 Ford of Carl Edwards, has done both. The 39-year-old Staten Island, N.Y. native (and Spotswood, N.J. resident) is a member of the fourth quarter 2011 Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew under crew chief Bob Osborne. The award goes to a Roush Fenway Racing team for the second consecutive quarter following the No. 17 Ford of Matt Kenseth and crew chief Jimmy Fennig.

The No. 99 team is comprised of Karasinski, rear tire carrier Jody Fortson, China Grove, N.C.; rear tire changer Dwayne Ogles, Hoover, Ala.; jackman Dennis Killian, Wentzville, Mo.; front tire carrier Alan Troutman, China Grove, N.C.; front tire changer Kale Uphoff, McFarland, Wis. and pit crew coach Andy Ward,Kannapolis, N.C.

Karasinski, who’ll celebrate 10 years with Roush Fenway Racing next month, was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in early 2008 – an illness that also afflicted his mother. “I felt run down and didn’t have much energy,” said Karasinski, a onetime high school shot putter. The diagnosis “wasn’t what I wanted to hear but the doctor told me if you’re going to have cancer, ‘this is the one to have – we can fix it.’”

Surgeons removed Karasinski’s thyroid and 68 lymph nodes followed by radiation treatments. The process put the crew member on the shelf for 2-1/2 months. Annual screenings have confirmed his cancer is in remission.

Karasinski returned to the team at the 2008 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and has been on pit road since. He was part of Kurt Busch’s 2004 championship team, a front suspension specialist, before joining the No. 99 team in 2002.

“I was with the 97 (Busch) at the time and they needed a gas man. A guy twisted his knee and I filled in for him,” said Karasinski, who became a NASCAR fan as a young boy during visits with his father to Wall Stadium in New Jersey. After working on a General Motors assembly line, as a tow truck driver and at a car dealership, he moved south in 1998 without a guarantee of a job. “It was a dream and a lot of my friends told me, ‘as a northerner, you’ll never make it in the south,’” Karasinski said. They obviously were wrong – which Karasinski likes to point out when he visits the old neighborhood.

Karasinski is the oldest member of the fourth quarter Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew – by at least seven years. “It’s a challenge; we’re all at different places in our lives,” he said. “We’ve got a great group of guys. We all have a job in the shop but we’re hired to pit the car. That’s where it’s at. We work hard all week to get to Sunday.”

The crew got Edwards off pit road ahead of championship rival Tony Stewart at Texas Motor Speedway but finished second. On Sunday inPhoenix, they pitted ahead of Stewart on the final stop and finished a position better (second) to preserve a three-point Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup™ lead heading to this week’s Ford 400 finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Karasinski is satisfied, yet remembers 2008 when Edwards won the Ford 300 but finished 69 points behind as runner up to Jimmie Johnson. And in 2005 when a four-win season resulted in a 35-point deficit to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Stewart.

“Myself, I take pride in doing a good job but it doesn’t mean anything if you don’t win (the championship). It’s disheartening,” he said.

With one race remaining, the Chase heads to South Florida for the Ford 400 (ESPN, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, 3 p.m. ET).

Official winners of this week’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Prize Money & Decal Program special awards include:

• AMERICAN ETHANOL GREEN FLAG RESTART: Tony Stewart
• COORS LIGHT POLE AWARD: Matt Kenseth (137.101 mph, 26.258 secs,)
• DIRECTV CREW CHIEF OF THE RACE AWARD: Greg Erwin (crew chief for AJ Allmendinger)
• GOODYEAR GATORBACK BELTS FASTEST LAP AWARD: Tony Stewart (134.333 mph, Lap 188)
• MAHLE CLEVITE ENGINE BUILDER OF THE RACE AWARD: Hendrick Engines, No. 14
• MECHANIX WEAR MOST VALUABLE PIT CREW AWARD (4^th QUARTER): No. 99, Roush Fenway Racing
• MOBIL 1 OIL DRIVER OF THE RACE AWARD: Kasey Kahne
• MOOG CHASSIS PARTS PROBLEM SOLVER OF THE RACE AWARD: Tony Gibson, 0.259 secs (crew chief for Ryan Newman)
• O’REILLY AUTO PARTS POSITION IMPROVEMENT AWARD:  Ryan Newman (25 places)

For a complete description and special award standings of national series awards presented via the NASCAR Prize Money & Decal Program, visitwww.nascarmedia.com.

About the NASCAR Prize Money & Decal Program

The NASCAR Prize Money & Decal Program, commonly referred to as the contingency program, is administered by the NASCAR Automotive Group. The program strives to build strong relationships with high-quality, performance-driven brands that are leaders in their respective categories and award money to NASCAR teams via per-race and year-end postings. Competitors become eligible for awards money by displaying partner decals on the front fender of their race vehicles and, in some instances, use of a sponsor’s product. National series contingency sponsors will contribute over $8.4 million to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2011.

Official NASCAR Press Release

NASCAR Names Kim Brink Managing Director, Brand & Consumer Marketing

For Immediate Release 

NASCAR Names Kim Brink Managing Director, Brand & Consumer Marketing 

Savvy Marketer Brings Wealth Of Global Brand Experience To NASCAR  

To Help Deliver On The Sport’s Five-Year Strategic Plan 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Nov. 14, 2011) — NASCAR announced today that Kim Brink has been named managing director, brand and consumer marketing. Brink begins her duties with NASCAR today, reporting to Steve Phelps, NASCAR chief marketing officer. 


Brink joins NASCAR from General Motors Corporation, where she helped lead the transformation of a pair of iconic global brands – Chevrolet and Cadillac. Most recently as executive director of advertising and sales promotion for Cadillac, Brink led a team responsible for reinvigorating the brand and increasing its retail sales by nearly 40% in the United States, solidifying the make as the fastest-growing luxury brand. Also during her tenure at GM, she helped conceive and launch multiple, award-winning creative platforms and developed powerful branded entertainment and sponsorship alliances. 


“Brink is a proven leader and innovator with more than 20 years of brand marketing, advertising, 
promotions and research experience and we believe she will make an immediate impact and figure prominently into the future vision for this company,” Phelps said. “In addition to being the steward of our brand, she also will help NASCAR penetrate new segments and play a critical role in developing and rolling out our strategic plan.” 


As head of the NASCAR brand and consumer marketing group, Brink will focus her efforts on helping to achieve upon the vision of the company’s five-year  strategic business plan, which was developed and introduced following a NASCAR-commissioned year-long study by Taylor. The plan includes five core components: growing the youth and Hispanic fan base; reaching the next-generation of NASCAR fans; developing a wide-reaching digital and social media strategy; building driver star power; and improving the at-track experience for fans. 


From 2003-10, Brink held the position of general director of advertising and sales promotion with Chevrolet. She was the lead executive for all U.S.  consumer communications, influencing corporate strategy on brand positioning, media planning, multi-cultural coordination, digital oversight and sales promotion activities with NASCAR, among others. 


Brink is a graduate of Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan.

For additional information, contact: 

Jon Schwartz, NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications, (212) 326-1880 or 

jschwartz@nascar.com.

Official NASCAR Press Release

Kid Rock To Open NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Ceremony With Live Performance

For Immediate Release

November 9, 2011

World Renowned Recording Artist To Perform ‘Born Free’ On Dec. 2 At Wynn Las Vegas

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Nov. 9, 2011) – The house will be rockin’ – literally – when Kid Rock takes the stage to open the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Ceremony on Dec. 2 at Wynn Las Vegas.

NASCAR announced today that the renowned singer-songwriter and musician will perform the title track and lead single “Born Free” from his latest platinum-selling album, which was released last November. Kid Rock joins multimedia superstar and event host, Reba, on the list of top name celebrities performing at the year-end awards ceremony.

Much like Reba, Kid Rock is a natural fit for NASCAR as a mainstream artist who appeals to a wide fan base, as his past hits have ranged from country to hard rock to rap. Kid Rock also aligns nicely with NASCAR through his sense of pride for America. He performed live for U.S. troops during an MTV USO Special at Ramstein Air Base in Germany in 2002, recorded “Warrior” for a National Guard advertising campaign in 2008 and regularly makes charitable contributions to “Operation Homefront”, which provides emergency financial and other assistance to the families of service members and wounded warriors.


In addition, Kid Rock can boast the following accolades:

      ·     Winner of the 1999 Billboard Music Awards “Best New Artist”

·         2001 and 2003 American Music Awards Favorite Male Pop/Rock Artist winner

·         Five-time Grammy Award nominee

·         Has sold more than 25 million albums worldwide

·         His album “Rock ‘N Roll Jesus,” released in 2007, debuted at No. 1 and stayed in the charts for 100 weeks, becoming the biggest selling Rock album of 2008

·         His latest album “Born Free” hit No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Top Rock Albums Chart in 2010

Kid Rock attends many NASCAR events as a fan and remains close friends with Tony Stewart after narrating Tony’s documentary “Tony Stewart: Smoke” in 2002. 

Reba will perform the song “Turn on the Radio” from her recently released album “All the Women I Am,” on The Valory Music Co. Other special segments involving Reba also are planned for the season-ending celebration that will be broadcast by SPEED, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio and MRN Radio (9 p.m. ET) from Wynn Las Vegas.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Ceremony is the culmination of Champion's Week, a

week-long postseason celebration consisting of several days of high-energy and fan-friendly

activities involving the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion and drivers who finished in the top
12 of the series' final standings and competed in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

For additional information, contact:

Scott Warfield, NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications, (704) 348-9748 or swarfield@nascar.com

Nick Stern, Kid Rock Publicist, (212) 533-2121 or nick@7-10music.com

Official NASCAR Press Release