Dover International Speedway Logo

Gary Camp will serve as Dover International Speedway’s new Assistant Vice President of Marketing and Communications. Camp, who began his career at Dover International Speedway in 2004, will oversee planning and implementation of the track’s marketing and communications efforts, including advertising strategies, media relations, internal and external customer communications and social media.

Rob Lofland will serve as Dover International Speedway’s new Assistant Vice President of Business Development. Lofland, who started his Dover International Speedway career in 2000, has been instrumental in securing many of the sponsors and partners that play a critical role in the Monster Mile’s two NASCAR tripleheader weekends each year.

“Rob and Gary have both demonstrated their ability to become an even more integral part of our organization and their additional responsibilities are reflective of our confidence in each of them. We’re delighted that they will continue to contribute to our success,” said Mike Tatoian, Dover International Speedway’s president and CEO. “This is an exciting time for our business, with NASCAR’s introduction of Monster Energy as the Cup Series’ premier sponsor and Firefly Music Festival’s continued growth. We’re looking forward to Rob and Gary using their expertise to help us expand our marketing and business development reach for years to come.”

NASCAR returns to Dover International Speedway for two tripleheader weekends on June 2-4 and Sept. 29-Oct. 1, including the “AAA 400 Drive for Autism” Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday, June 4 and the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday, Oct. 1.

For tickets or more information, call 800‐441‐RACE or visit DoverSpeedway.com. You can also keep up with the Monster Mile at Facebook.com/DoverInternationalSpeedway, on Twitter and Instagram at @MonsterMile and the mobile app in the App Store and Google Play.

About Dover Motorsports, Inc:

Dover Motorsports, Inc. (NYSE: DVD) is a leading promoter of NASCAR sanctioned motorsports events whose subsidiaries own and operate Dover International Speedway in Dover, Del. and Nashville Superspeedway near Nashville, Tenn. The company also plays host to the Firefly Music Festival, produced by Red Frog Events and Goldenvoice. For more information, visit www.DoverMotorsports.com.

Source: Dover Motorsports Inc.

The article Dover International Speedway promotes Camp, Lofland to assistant vice president positions is from Catchfence.

Ryan Sieg (Photo Credit: Andy Lyons / Getty Images)

Veterans Kevin Starland, Mike Ford, and Bruce Cook will all return to the team. “Our team is in a great position heading into 2017. With Cowboy, Mike Ford, and Bruce Cook we have some of the smartest guys in the garage. I’m looking forward to making another run at the chase,” commented owner and driver Ryan Sieg.

Source: RSS Racing

The article Ryan Sieg to plan full-time NASCAR XFINITY Series run in 2017 is from Catchfence.

Mark Martin (Photo Credit: Blaine Ohigashi / Getty Images)

With five victories past the age of 50, Martin also came within one standings position of winning the 2009 premier series championship.

The phrase ‘age is just a number’ may be cliché – but it certainly applied to the diminutive Martin, whose fitness regimen of heavy weight lifting and healthy eating became legend and ultimately sent his fellow competitors flocking to gyms and nutritionists.

In short, Martin lived his life like a man half his age – and drove like it as well.

“I told the guys I don’t have any problem keeping up with a 25-year-old,” he told The Associated Press in April 2009 after becoming the third-oldest winner in NASCAR premier series history at Phoenix International Raceway. “I feel really good.”

Only one driver – Harry Gant – won more races after his 50th birthday. Martin polished off a 40-victory resume during a magical year driving for Hendrick Motorsports in 2009, adding to his 35 wins at Roush Fenway Raceway. That’s the most wins by a competitor without a series championship.

And although Martin never won the ultimate prize, the now 58-year-old Martin finished as runner-up a record-matching five times.

Martin’s illustrious career spanned four decades – 1981 through 2013 – and will be celebrated with his Jan. 20 induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina (8 p.m. ET on NBCSN). His fellow inductees in the Hall’s Class of 2017 are Richard Childress, Rick Hendrick, Raymond Parks and Benny Parsons.

Martin’s racing career began as a teenager, competing on dirt tracks in Arkansas then moving to asphalt. Larry Shaw, a top competitor, car builder and fellow Batesville resident, predicted Martin would be a success – and not just on area tracks.

“He did not want to settle for second and he was really dedicated to winning races,” said Shaw.

Martin joined the American Speed Association, a top Midwest late model circuit where he raced against NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison, Dick Trickle, Jim Sauter and Joe Shear. He won 22 races and four championships, the last in 1986 that followed an abortive attempt to crack NASCAR’s premier series.

He fielded his own car in 1981, finishing third at Martinsville and winning poles at Nashville and Richmond, and was runner up to rookie of the year Geoff Bodine the following year. Between 1981 and 1987, Martin drove for eight different owners with little success.

That changed dramatically when Martin signed to drive Jack Roush’s Fords. Martin won his first race in October 1989 at Rockingham, North Carolina, and finished third in series points – marking the first of 12 consecutive seasons of eighth or better in the championship.

Martin battled NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt down to the final race of the 1990 season, ultimately losing the title by 26 points. Martin’s other runner-up finishes came in 1994 (to Earnhardt), 1998 (to (Jeff Gordon), 2002 (to Tony Stewart) and 2009 (to Jimmie Johnson).

Leaving Roush Fenway Racing after the 2006 season, Martin spent the following two years competing part-time prior to joining Rick Hendrick’s team in 2009. His Phoenix victory broke a 97-race winless drought but a Chase victory to begin the Chase proved to be Martin’s last trip to Victory Lane.

Ultimately, Martin himself knew when his time was up.

“The young guys were getting better, I was heading the other way and so it wasn’t fun anymore because I didn’t meet my personal expectations,” he said after stepping away after the 2013 season. “So if it’s not fun, stop. And that’s why it was actually easy for me to quit.

“On a bluesy day, finishing second those times can aggravate you. But normally, I just think, ‘Yeah but look at all the great things I got to do and the great people I got to work with.’”

Martin won races in 15 seasons on 20 different tracks along with 56 poles. Absent from the list is Daytona International Speedway and its Daytona 500, a race he lost to Kevin Harvick by 0.020 second in 2007. Martin also won the All-Star Race twice.

Martin won 49 times in the NASCAR XFINITY Series holding the record for most victories for 14 seasons. He also won seven NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events giving Martin 96 victories across NASCAR’s three national series, ranking seventh all time.

Martin owns a family of automobile dealerships in Arkansas. He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2015.

Source: NASCAR Wire Service

The article Mark Martin’s fitness regimen redefined the NASCAR athlete and prolonged a winning career is from Catchfence.

No. 7 Golden Corral Chevrolet (Photo Credit: Jeff Zelevansk / Getty Images)

Sadler, a 16-year veteran of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, will be running double-duty during NASCAR’s opening weekend competing in both the Cup and Xfinity Series. The Emporia, VA native and Baldwin have a relationship dating back to their days at Robert Yates Racing when Baldwin served as crew chief for Sadler.

“This is a great opportunity for me and everyone affiliated with Tommy Baldwin Racing,” said Sadler. “I love the Daytona 500 and to have Tommy and Golden Corral offer me this opportunity is awesome. Tommy and I have known each other a long time. We actually won a qualifying race for the Daytona 500 together back in 2006. We’re gonna rekindle some of that magic and work our tails off to get our car in the race. I know Tommy is putting a lot of effort into this and we’re gonna go out and get the best result we possibly can for him and TBR’s partners.”

Golden Corral returns for their seventh season together and will bring back their popular ‘Top 10 Kids Eat Free’ promotion. If Elliott Sadler finishes in the top-10 at Daytona, kids 10 and under will eat free at Golden Corral restaurants nationwide on Monday, February 27th.

“We are excited to be working with Tommy Baldwin Racing for the seventh season,” said Shelley Wolford, Vice President of National Marketing and Media at Golden Corral. “We will be cheering Elliott on to qualify at Daytona and then race for a Top 10 Kids Eat Free finish.”

“We look forward to having Elliott join TBR and Golden Corral for the upcoming Daytona 500,” said team owner Tommy Baldwin. “Elliott has always been a strong restrictor plate racer which makes this a great opportunity for everyone involved. We know our fans look forward to the ‘Top10 Kids Eat Free’ promotion every year so we want to capitalize on that and finish the Daytona 500 strong.”

About Golden Corral:

Golden Corral, based in Raleigh, N.C., is the nation’s largest grill-buffet restaurant chain with 482 restaurants operating in 41 states as of January 1, 2017. Golden Corral is famous for its variety, including USDA steaks cooked to order, crispy fried chicken, seafood, awesome pot roast, hot yeast rolls, and desserts like homemade carrot cake and the Chocolate Wonderfall®.

About Tommy Baldwin Racing:

Founded in 2009, Tommy Baldwin Racing is a NASCAR organization that fields the No. 7 Chevrolet in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Baldwin, a native of Long Island, New York, is a Daytona 500-winning crew chief in his ninth season as a Cup Series car owner.

For more information on Tommy Baldwin Racing, please visit them on Facebook, Twitter or their website.

Source: Tommy Baldwin Racing

The article Elliott Sadler Joins Tommy Baldwin Racing and Golden Corral for Daytona 500 is from Catchfence.

• Ford Performance announces driver development program to benefit all its teams in NASCAR

• Program shows long-term commitment by Ford Performance to win at highest level of NASCAR

• BKR is first team program announced in what will be multi-tiered effort

• Drivers, starting with Chase Briscoe, will be involved in both racing and Ford Product Development testing efforts

Chase Briscoe

The first stage of that program will be a formal relationship with Brad Keselowski Racing (BKR) and its NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) effort, where Ford has signed Chase Briscoe as one of the drivers for BKR for the 2017 season as part of his development.

“We’re making a commitment to win long-term in NASCAR,” said Dave Pericak, global director, Ford Performance. “We have been increasing our engineering support and our technological development at the team level, and now we’re looking to work with our teams to find the best available drivers coming up in the sport.”

The BKR effort, as well as other to-be-announced driver development efforts at different levels, will develop talent for all Ford teams in NASCAR. Current teams will be consulted as part of the selection process, but drivers in the program will have contractual obligations to Ford.

In addition to their role within the NCWTS race program and related marketing efforts, drivers in the new Ford program will also assist the company as test drivers within the Ford product development program.

“Starting this program with BKR makes sense since it has made a significant investment in its NASCAR Camping World Truck Series operation and it is reflected in its success on the track,” said Pericak. “As we at Ford look to develop new winning drivers for, ultimately, our Cup Series teams, the BKR model is a proven step in that ladder. We are enthusiastic about the role BKR will play in our efforts and we look forward to working very closely with the team in driver selection, engineering, and other mission critical areas.”

Led by Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and XFINITY Series champion and Team Penske driver Brad Keselowski, BKR currently fields two (2) full-time entries in the NCWTS with the No. 19 and No. 29 Ford F-150s. BKR also fields the No. 2 Ford F-150 in select NCWTS races. The team maintains commercial relationships with long-standing primary partners Cooper Standard, Draw-Tite, and Reese Brands, as well as other industry-leading brands such as Snap-on.

“This is a big day in the history of BKR,” said Keselowski. “To be recognized as a true partner to Ford and Ford Performance and what they are trying to do speaks directly to the hard work our team has put in over the last several years. It is an honor, frankly, and it is really what BKR is all about – providing young, talented drivers with championship-caliber equipment to continue to hone their craft and showcase their talents. We have been fortunate to have had a lot of success together with Ford across the three major NASCAR touring series and to now elevate that relationship in an official capacity is a testament to what we set out to do.”

Briscoe, 22, is an Indiana native who is coming off a 2016 championship in the ARCA stock car racing series, where he captured six wins. He has been racing since 2001 in a variety of series, including quarter midgets, sprint cars, Peak Stock Car Dream Challenge and K&N Pro Series West.

About Ford Motor Company:

Ford Motor Company is a global automotive and mobility company based in Dearborn, Michigan. With about 201,000 employees and 67 plants worldwide, the company’s core business includes designing, manufacturing, marketing, financing and servicing a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs and electrified vehicles, as well as Lincoln luxury vehicles. At the same time, Ford is aggressively pursuing emerging opportunities through Ford Smart Mobility, the company’s plan to be a leader in connectivity, mobility, autonomous vehicles, the customer experience and data and analytics. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide or Ford Motor Credit Company, visit www.corporate.ford.com.

About Brad Keselowski Racing (BKR):

Based in Mooresville, North Carolina and led by NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series champion Brad Keselowski (@Keselowski), Brad Keselowski Racing (@TeamBKR) fields the No. 19 and the No. 29 Fords in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. BKR aims to provide young talented drivers the opportunity to improve their skills with a professional, competitive team. For more information, please visit www.BradRacing.com and www.TeamBKR.com.

Source: Brad Keselowski Racing

The article Ford Performance announces NASCAR driver development program is from Catchfence.

Raphaël Lessard

The driver of the Toyota Camry No. 99 FRL Express / Team Coach Imaging / Toyota / JBL Audio will return for a second season with Gilliland Racing. Lessard will launch his 2017 season on Sunday, Jan. 29, as he participates in the traditional CRA SpeedFest in a 200-lap race at Watermelon Capital Speedway, Georgia. Unlike in 2016, and in line with the game plan established by his agent Robert Desrosiers, David Gilliland Racing and Toyota TRD, Raphaël will not race in only one championship in 2017 but in 5 different series, namely the CRA, CARS, PASS, SSS and ARCA series.

The highlight of his schedule is Toyota’s invitation to Raphaël, a driver in the Toyota development programme, in which he is invited to participate in 3 ARCA races during the summer. Two of the three races have been confirmed, namely the Nashville ARCA 200 at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway on April 8 and the Winchester ARCA 200 at Winchester Speedway in Indiana on August 6. The third ARCA race will be announced shortly. For these three races, Raphaël will join the Venturini Motorsports race team, led by the one and only Billy Venturini.

With a championship in the CARS Tour series under his belt comprising 4 first places, 8 top-5 and 9 top-10, the young Beauceron was also voted “the 2016 ARBodies Most Popular Late Model Driver” in North America, as voted on Speed51.com over the course of the last few months by thousands of car-racing enthusiasts in the US and Canada. Lessard competed for the title against more than 600 drivers representing 21 series and 78 local tracks in Canada and the United States.

In 2017 he will partake in several series and long-distance races that will keep him busy from end of January until beginning of December 2017. “I’m very excited for the upcoming season. I will compete in several 400-lap races, aside from the three ARCA races. It will be quite the season and I thank Gilliland Racing and Toyota for their support. I can’t wait to join them again behind the wheel. A big thank you as well to Toyota for inviting me to participate in the three ARCA races – it promises to be an amazing experience”, said Raphaël Lessard.

Two other Beauce companies are also key players in Raphaël Lessard’s success, namely FRL Express from St-George-de-Beauce, his father’s transport company, without whose involvement this adventure would not have been possible, and Team Coach Imaging (Lettra Pub in Canada), from Ste-Marie-de-Beauce, a commercial vehicle identification specialist.

Raphael will be in the United States next week to attend the CARS Tour’s end-of-season banquet on January 14th; and then will take time to visit David Gilliland Racing’s new facilities in Morrisville, North Carolina, before attending meetings in preparation for the new season.

Source: David Gilliland Racing / Raphaël Lessard Racing

The article Three ARCA races amidst 23 races for Raphaël Lessard in 2017 is from Catchfence.

Brad Keselowski Racing (BKR) Logo

“Expanding our NASCAR involvement and growing our partnership with Brad Keselowski Racing and Team Penske was a natural evolution,” said Glenn Duncan, CEO, PIRTEK USA. “Everyone at PIRTEK was excited about our first foray into NASCAR and we’re looking forward to continuing our relationship with Austin. Our partnership with Brad Keselowski Racing and Team Penske is certainly the right avenue for us.”

PIRTEK Service and Supply Centers stock, customize and install hydraulic and industrial hoses and fittings of all kinds. The PIRTEK range of products and services is designed to meet the diverse requirements of customers of all sizes from a broad cross section of industries. More importantly, within each of these industries there are literally hundreds of opportunities and applications for which the PIRTEK range of products and services are in demand.

“We’re pleased that PIRTEK is expanding their NASCAR involvement with Brad Keselowski Racing,” said team owner Brad Keselowski said. “I’m confident that Austin and our team will deliver a quality performance as they compete full time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2017.”

Cindric, 18, made four starts for the team in 2016 with PIRTEK as a partner, highlighted by a second-place qualifying effort at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada). Cindric also won from the pole in K&N Pro Series East starts in 2016 at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International and Virginia (Danville, Va.) International Raceway and he was victorious in his ARCA Racing Series debut in 2016, winning with PIRTEK as a partner at Kentucky Speedway.

“I’m honored to continue to represent PIRTEK because I’ve seen firsthand that it’s an iconic brand in motorsports across the globe,” said Cindric. “It’s awesome to see their NASCAR program growing and I’m thrilled to be a part of it.”

About About PIRTEK:

PIRTEK is the fluid power system leader in sales and service and the only brand of its kind in franchising in the United States. PIRTEK boasts more than 400 Service & Supply Centers in 23 countries around the world, and has more than 30 years of experience in the hydraulic and industrial hose replacement field. Powered by an industry-leading approach to sales and service and backed by a corporate center passionate about its franchisees and customers, PIRTEK offers unmatched service and logistics.

About Brad Keselowski Racing (BKR):

Based in Mooresville, North Carolina and led by NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series champion Brad Keselowski (@Keselowski), Brad Keselowski Racing (@TeamBKR) fields the No. 19 and the No. 29 Fords in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. BKR aims to provide young talented drivers the opportunity to improve their skills with a professional, competitive team. For more information, please visit www.BradRacing.com and www.TeamBKR.com.

Source: Brad Keselowski Racing

The article PIRTEK joins Brad Keselowski Racing and Team Penske for 2017 NASCAR season is from Catchfence.

Performance Chemicals, LLC

Guy will have a keen eye on the racing and how that ties in with his new venture – National Sales Director of Performance Chemicals, LLC – a Franklin, N.H. based specialty chemicals manufacturing company with offices in Concord, N.C.

“My NASCAR experience has been great,” said Guy, who has more than 300 starts as a crew chief in the top level of NASCAR – the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. “The passion for performance is at an amazing level in NASCAR and it’s the passion to perform that I bring into this new opportunity”

Performance Chemicals, LLC is a specialty chemical manufacturer, that specializes in green flame retardants BURN-OUT ™, water and grease repellents, silicone antifoams and organic defoamers, silicone surfactants and wetting agents, silicone fluids and emulsions, automotive and leather detail products and more. They are an industry leader in green chemistries and offer the “PC Green” hang tag.

“The great opportunity with Performance Chemicals is that we are a specialty company with great chemists working every day to create new products. So, the sky is the limit with applications in every industry and that’s what I find challenging and interesting in this new role.

“As a crew chief there were two major things we worked on – increasing performance and solving problems. That’s precisely what I will be looking for with this new position.”

Guy’s NASCAR Career includes 305 races as crew chief in the premier series and 123 races as a crew chief in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and he has worked with top drives like Brad Keselowski, Clint Bowyer, Terry Labonte, David Green, Kenny Wallace and Regan Smith. And, on May 5, 2013 Guy achieved victory in the Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway with driver David Ragan at the wheel.

“Winning is such a thrill and I look forward to the future victories where we work with a client to find that chemical solution to increase performance or solve a problem,” said Guy.

Guy can be contacted or more information on Performance Chemicals, LLC at (603) 228-1200, email at jguy@perfchem.us, or website at www.perfchem.us

Source: Steve Post Motorsports Communications

The article Jay Guy: Looking for Wins On A New Track in 2017 is from Catchfence.

Cameron Hayley, driver of the No. 13 RideTV / Cabinets by Hayley Toyota, stands on the grid during qualifying for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series American Ethanol E15 225 at Chicagoland Speedway on September 16, 2016 in Joliet, Illinois. - Photo Credit: Sarah Crabill / Getty Images

Hayley, a native of Calgary, Alberta, Canada joined the Sandusky, OH-based team in 2015 after a successful stint with the now defunct HScott Motorsports in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and three races in the Truck Series in 2013.

The two seasons aboard the No. 13 Toyota Tundra, Hayley, 20, reeled in 10-top five and 24 top-10 finishes, including a career-best second twice this past season at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Pocono Raceway respectively.

Working with crew chief Eddie Troconis in 2016, the duo earned six top-five and 11 top-10s, but without a win found themselves on the outside in the inaugural Truck Series Chase. Still, the duo closed out the season 10th in series points.

In all, Hayley owns 10 top-five and 26 top-10s in 49 races.

“I’m incredibly thankful for the opportunity I had at ThorSport Racing,” Hayley told CATCHFENCE.com. “Duke, Rhonda, everyone at ThorSport treated me great and I’m appreciative of the opportunity I had to be in competitive equipment and show what I am capable of. Unfortunately, the sponsorship didn’t materialize as we had hoped for this season, so I won’t be back.

“But, I’m not giving up. I’m just going to regroup and hope to be on the track soon.”

Before HScott Motorsports, Hayley spent two seasons (2012 and 2013) in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West with two different teams. Making the leap to the East division in 2014, he finished second in the standings to teammate Ben Rhodes, who was also a teammate at ThorSport last season.

Hayley first found himself in the NASCAR spotlight when he captured the inaugural NASCAR K&N Pro Series UNOH Battle at the Beach at Daytona International Speedway in February 2013.

Hayley mentioned his greatest achievement, however, happened off the track last summer as he and girlfriend Hali Berger became parents to a girl, Blakely Elizabeth Hayley on Jul. 22, 2016.

Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.

The article Cameron Hayley won’t return to ThorSport Racing in 2017 is from Catchfence.

Elliott Sadler (Photo Credit: Sean Gardner / Getty Images)

An official announcement is expected Thursday.

Golden Corral, a longtime supporter of Tommy Baldwin Racing will sponsor the effort.

The team must qualify for the season-opening event after TBR sold its charter to Leavine Family Racing at the end of the 2016 season. With 36 teams guaranteed a starting position through the charter, Sadler and TBR will fight for one of four available starting positions for the Feb. 26 race.

Some of TBR’s greatest success in Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series has come on the superspeedways. Three of the team’s four top-10 finishes at the sport’s pinnacle level have come at Daytona International Speedway or Talladega Superspeedway, a similar restrictor plate oval.

Driver Dave Blaney earned the team’s first top-five finish of third at Talladega Superspeedway in 2011, while J.J. Yeley and Regan Smith earned the team additional top-10 runs at Daytona’s February race in 2013 and 2016 respectively.

Sadler, the Emporia, Va. native has competed in 13 Daytona 500s, mostly recently in 2013 with Richard Childress Racing. Sadlers’ best effort came in the 2002 race driving for Wood Bros. Racing when he finished second to Ward Burton.

Sadler, 41, is beginning his second NASCAR XFINITY Series season with JR Motorsports. Last year, the 17-time NASCAR winner earned three wins, 14 top-five and 29 top-10s and competed as one of the Championship 4 in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway and finished third, but settled for second in the standings behind champion Daniel Suarez.

Sadler’s first win last season came at Talladega giving him the perfect Birthday present in a wild victory over Brennan Poole.

Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.

The article Elliott Sadler to attempt Daytona 500 with Tommy Baldwin Racing is from Catchfence.