Posted on 12/10/2014 7:57:22 AM PST by mabarker1
USAF Thunderbirds to Perform Flyover for the Daytona 500: For the fifth straight year, the world-renowned U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds will provide the flyover for the 57th annual DAYTONA 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season opener on Sunday, Feb. 22. The Thunderbirds, officially known as the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, will fly their signature "Delta" formation over the "World Center of Racing" during the finale of the national anthem for "The Great American Race." The Thunderbirds have visited Daytona International Speedway to perform the flyover for the DAYTONA 500 for the past five years. In addition, the Thunderbirds also provided the flyover in 2008 for the historic 50th running of the DAYTONA 500. "The flyover by the Thunderbirds is a signature moment in the pre-race festivities for the DAYTONA 500," Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III said. "We're proud and honored to be able to host this elite flying team and the thousands of race fans and the millions more watching on FOX Sports are looking forward to seeing them soar over Daytona International Speedway."
"We have a long-standing relationship with the Daytona 500," said LtCol Greg Moseley, the squadron's commander and lead pilot. "We're grateful to the Speedway for allowing us to share the Air Force story with race fans." The Thunderbirds feature six F-16 Fighting Falcons, the Air Force's premier multi-role fighter aircraft. Assigned to Air Combat Command, the squadron is composed of 12 officers and more than 100 enlisted Airmen serving in about 30 Air Force job specialties. Since the unit's inception in 1953, more than 350 million people in all 50 states and more than 60 countries have witnessed the distinctive red, white and blue jets in thousands of official aerial demonstrations. Tickets for the 57th annual DAYTONA 500 are on sale now and can be purchased by calling 1-800-PITSHOP or visiting daytonainternationalspeedway.com.(DIS)((12-10-2014)
This story is getting so totally wild they will be talking about it all season, I’d guess.
Thanks, believe Me I’m trying and ready. This stuff SUCKS!!!
I was just asking Mama last night how long after TV starts this Season will it be before the 1st mention of the Kevin Ward/Tony situation is made?
Tony is sitting back going “It sure is nice not to be in the spotlight, thanks Kurt;)”
Chiquita closing headquarters at NASCAR Hall of Fame: Chiquita Brands International is closing its Charlotte headquarters barely more than three years after deciding to move here, the company said Wednesday. Chiquita employs about 320 office workers uptown. Chiquita was acquired earlier this month for about $681 million by two Brazilian companies, who took the banana-and-salads firm private after a bruising takeover fight. The move out of Charlotte will help streamline Chiquita's business and move its employees closer to suppliers and customers, Chiquita said in its message to employees. The company was lured to Charlotte from Cincinnati in 2011 with the promise of $22 million worth of state and local incentives. Chiquita moved into the NASCAR Plaza office tower, putting its iconic blue and yellow logo atop the building. The company has agreed to refund the city and county $1 million worth of the incentives money.(Charlotte Observer)(1-15-2015)
School Hopes To Memorialize Benny Parsons: While a student at little Miller’s Creek High in Wilkes County (N.C.), Benny Parsons was dedicated to playing the school’s baseball and football. The depth of his dedication can be measured in what he went through to attend practices. Since practice was held after class hours, this meant Benny, the student body president his senior year, missed getting to ride the school bus home—and he lived deep in the Blue Ridge Mountains. He had to either walk the several miles across steep ridges or else hitch-hike, hoping a kind soul would give him a lift to his family’s old homeplace in a picturesque valley called Parsonsville. “It was about 5 or 6 miles if I walked,” Parsons recalled in later years. “And I did that most of the time unless the weather was awful.” Benny brought the same devotion to racing when he became a NASCAR driver in 1964. This led him to the Cup Series championship in 1973, 21 career victories and recognition as one of NASCAR’s 50 greatest drivers. After retirement from the track, Parsons became an award-winning analyst of races on TV, winning an ESPY for his work. Parsons died in 2007 at age 66 of complications from cancer. Now, a school in the area of Wilkes County where he once lived is undertaking a drive to memorialize Benny. West Wilkes High, into which Miller’s Creek was consolidated, plans to upgrade the broadcast booth at its football stadium and name the facility for Benny. “We think it’s a fitting way to honor the legacy of an alumni who had such a successful career in both racing and broadcasting,” says West Wilkes principal Wayne Shepherd. “We’d like to hear from Benny’s fans who might be interested in contributing to the project.” Shepherd can be reached at (336) 973-4503.(from NASCAR writer Tom Higgins)(7-1-2014)
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Jan. 12, 2015) – JR Motorsports will expand into the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) for 10 races in 2015 with driver Cole Custer, general manager Kelley Earnhardt Miller announced today. Custer, who turns 17 this month, became the youngest winner in NASCAR national touring series history last year with a truck series victory in only his seventh start. He and the No. 00 Chevrolet Silverado team will receive primary sponsorship from Haas Automation Inc., the largest CNC machine tool builder in North America.
“This is a new and exciting venture for us,” said Earnhardt Miller. “We have come a long way since racing street stocks in 2002, and we are constantly evolving. Expanding into the truck series on a part-time basis is furthering our growth. Bringing in a talent like Cole and a great partner like Haas Automation is a great way to do that. I’m proud of the direction we’re heading.”
Haas Automation has sponsored Custer for four years. The company was founded in 1983 by industrialist Gene Haas, and it manufactures a complete line of vertical and horizontal machining centers, turning centers and rotary tables and indexers in the company’s one million square-foot manufacturing facility in Oxnard, California. Distributed through a worldwide network of Haas Factory Outlets, Haas Automation provides the industry’s best sales, service and support while offering unparalleled cost-to-performance value.
“I’ve watched Cole develop as a driver and young man for several years,” said Haas. “Last year Cole successfully represented Haas Automation, bringing attention to machine tool buyers following the truck series by winning poles and races. When presented the opportunity to sponsor the championship team of JR Motorsports with Cole as the driver, I simply said yes. I have complete confidence in Dale Jr., Kelley, and Cole’s ability to take Haas Automation to victory lane.”
Custer is a native of Ladera Ranch, California. He surged onto the scene in 2014 with a NCWTS win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in only his seventh start, becoming the youngest driver in NASCAR national touring series history to win a race. Earlier in the year he became the youngest to win a pole, as he took the honor at Gateway Motorsports Park in Madison, Illinois.
“I’m so excited to get this season started,” said Custer. “With all that JR Motorsports has accomplished over the past few years, we know we have everything needed to go win races and compete. I couldn’t ask for a better opportunity with a better organization. I really want to thank Haas Automation, along with Kelley and Dale Jr. for putting this deal together.”
Custer’s trucks will be based out of a JR Motorsports satellite shop in Mooresville, North Carolina. Joe Shear, Jr., will serve as the team’s crew chief. Shear Jr. was Custer’s crew chief in 2014 when they competed in nine truck races with one win, two top-five and six top-10 finishes with two poles. Shear Jr. is a nine-time winner in the Camping World Truck Series.
Custer’s 10-race NCWTS schedule includes races at Martinsville Speedway (March 28), Dover International Speedway (May 29), Gateway Motorsports Park (June 13), Iowa Speedway (June 19), Eldora Speedway (July 22), Bristol Motor Speedway (Aug. 19), Canadian Tire Motorsports Park (Aug. 30), New Hampshire Motor Speedway (Sept. 26), Martinsville Speedway (Oct. 31) and Phoenix International Raceway (Nov. 13).
In addition to NCWTS competition, JR Motorsports will field cars in select NASCAR K&N Pro Series and ARCA (Automobile Racing Club of America) events in 2015 as part of Custer’s development. Specifics to Custer’s schedule in those two series will be announced at a later date.
ABOUT HAAS AUTOMATION:
Haas Automation is the largest machine tool builder in the United States, and one of the largest builders of CNC machines in the world. All Haas products are built in the company’s 1-million-square-foot manufacturing facility in Southern California, and distributed through a worldwide network of Haas Factory Outlets (HFOs) that provide immediate local service and support to keep customers’ machines operating at their optimum level. Each HFO has complete showroom facilities, factory-trained service personnel, extensive spare parts inventories, and fully stocked service vehicle.
ABOUT JR MOTORSPORTS:
JR Motorsports is the management company and racing operation for Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR’s 12-time Most Popular Driver and winner of more than 40 NASCAR-sanctioned races. JR Motorsports competes in multiple racing divisions, including the NASCAR XFINITY Series, in which it won the 2014 championship with 18-year-old Chase Elliott. The company competes in regional late model divisions, in which it just earned its second championship in three years. To learn more about the organization, its drivers and its sponsorship opportunities, visit www.jrmracing.com.
Thankyou for thinking of me Daffy. My computer was in the shop, just got it back yesterday afternoon and spent some time doing some ‘rearranging’ and checking things out, lol. Display driver kept crashing me so I’m praying he got it fixed!!
Also, loved the ‘post-it’ notes graphic you posted to me and I never got to reply to.
Hope you got to enjoy the auction.
Benny was a class act.
always thought Cale was nuts for taking odd his helmet
Yes He was. And I really like Ned Jarret, God fearing Family Man but still tough as nails on the Track.
Yeah- that never made sense to Me as to why take off the best protection you have on.
I like the Fine Rebate Program thing.
Can You even consider NASCAR doing that these days? HA!
I’d like to see this Archive Pile that JR has been digging through. I’ll bet there is some REALLY COOL stuff in there.
In his John Riggins jersey. That’s my boy!
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