#31 Team Past News and Rumors
NOTE: many of the links in the past news will be old and may not work
decided it was not worth the time to go thru each one on all the Team Past News pages
2007 News
AT&T Lawsuit could be resolved by end of April: AT&T's lawsuit against NASCAR, in which it asks for an injunction to allow it to rebadge Jeff Burton's #31 car from Cingular-orange to AT&T blue this spring, may have quick resolution, perhaps even as soon as the end of this month, according to sources close to the situation. However, Sprint Nextel officials continue to have nothing to say about the issue, even though it is directly related to their series sponsorship contract with NASCAR, a $70 million a year sponsorship in its fourth year of a 10-year pact.(Winston Salem Journal)(4-2-2007)
Cingular/AT&T/NASCAR update: With no court date set for Friday, employees of Richard Childress Racing didn't even bother to pack the forbidden AT&T logos for the #31 Chevy. AT&T filed a lawsuit on March 16 and sought an immediate injunction earlier this week to allow the logos to appear on the #31 driven by Jeff Burton. NASCAR has so far refused the change, citing its contract with the series' title sponsor, Nextel. Since its merger last year with BellSouth, AT&T has begun to phase out the Cingular name. It submitted a paint scheme in January to NASCAR, but it was rejected. AT&T spokesman Chris Capo told USA TODAY earlier this week crewmembers could affix the logo to the car this weekend if a federal court judge grated the injunction. He was hopeful Friday that there would be a hearing sometime before the next Cup race, scheduled for Texas Motor Speedway on April 15.(USA Today)(3-31-2007)
AT&T wants logo on Burton's car immediately UPDATE NASCAR responds: Telecommunications giant AT&T filed a motion Monday, asking that its logo be added to Jeff Burton's #31 Chevy immediately. The motion was filed in U.S. District Court in Atlanta, where the company also filed its lawsuit against NASCAR. A hearing on the motion has not yet been scheduled. Burton is sponsored by cell phone service provider Cingular. AT&T recently took full ownership of Cingular as part of its recent merger with BellSouth and intends to eliminate the brand name. AT&T sued NASCAR on March 16 after racing series officials refused to allow AT&T to put its logo on Burton's car because of NASCAR's deal with Nextel, which sponsors NASCAR's top series -- the Nextel Cup. "We must bring this issue to resolution," John Burbank, vice president of marketing for AT&T, said in a statement. "The season is well under way and so are our rebranding efforts. This filing is a logical next step for us in the process, and one we must pursue so that we can simply move forward with our paint scheme -- something our agreement with NASCAR allows us to do." AT&T officials acknowledge they agreed to a contract with Childress' team that contains provisions saying Cingular can't increase the size or placement of its logo on the car and can't switch its sponsorship to another team. But they say the contract does not contain language preventing a logo change if Cingular is bought out by another company. NASCAR and Nextel officials declined comment when the lawsuit was filed. The lawsuit seeks permission to make the logo switch and damages for the "substantial harm" NASCAR has caused to the company. The lawsuit calls altering the design of the #31 car an "integral part" of the company's brand name switch, and that NASCAR's refusal to allow it inhibits the company's ability to "attract new customers and retain existing ones."(AP/ESPN.com), see past news on the AT&T lawsuit and Cingular on my #31 Team Schemes page.(3-26-2007)
UPDATE - NASCAR fires back: AT&T has been pressuring NASCAR with its lawsuit over how to paint the quarter panels on Jeff Burton's Nextel Cup #31 Chevy car as it rebrands Cingular under the AT&T logo. According to papers being filed in the suit, NASCAR officials told Stan Sigman, the president and CEO of Cingular, five weeks ago that in April 2005, George Pyne, NASCAR's CEO at the time, told the Richard Childress-Burton team that it would not allow a change in paint scheme or logos if Cingular was bought and had its name changed. NASCAR further said that its grandfathering of Cingular - after Nextel signed on as the series sponsor - "was tied directly to the Cingular Wireless brand and not the Cingular company." The papers further say that "it is generally not in NASCAR's interest to limit sponsors' participation in the sport." NASCAR suggested that AT&T could sponsor a Busch team or a Trucks team instead, if it wished. That is precisely the route that Verizon has taken. NASCAR's filing refers specifically to Pyne's letter to Childress, dated April 4, 2005. It specifies that "should Cingular be acquired by a third party, the Cingular brand is continually welcome as a team sponsor. However, should the company's name change, we will not allow any paint scheme or branding on the car promoting this new name."
The papers go on to say: "NASCAR certainly has no desire to eliminate the Cingular brand from NASCAR Nextel Cup series competition." But, "unfortunately AT&T's decision to purchase Cingular and then to eliminate the Cingular brand puts NASCAR in the position of having to now enforce the rights granted Nextel in the series sponsorship agreement."(in part from the Winston Salem Journal)(3-28-2007)
Burton hopes for resolution soon with AT&T suit: #31-Jeff Burton says his Richard Childress Racing team can't wait long for a resolution to its AT&T lawsuit against NASCAR. That's why he's keenly awaiting to see if AT&T will get the injunction it's asking for to be allowed to put the AT&T logos on the car in place of Cingular. AT&T and Cingular merged earlier this year, and AT&T is phasing out the Cingular brand. AT&T wants to put its logos on the #31 Nextel Cup car, but NASCAR has said that conflicts with NASCAR's sponsorship agreement with Nextel. No hearings have yet been set in AT&T's request for a temporary injunction as well as a permanent injunction for it to be allowed to remain as a Cup sponsor. NASCAR has not yet responded to the lawsuit, which was filed March 16 in U.S. District Court in Atlanta. "It can't linger," Burton said Friday. "An injunction will have a much quicker decision than a regular court case, and then it still will go to court later. ... If AT&T is told it can't come back, then we have people that we have to feed, people that have house payments and have a life they have to live and they have to be paid. We can't be caught in the position of not having sponsorship going into '08. And if AT&T raised their hand and say, 'We're going to get out and fight it later,' they might not ever be able to get back in." When NASCAR negotiated a 10-year deal with Nextel in 2003 worth an estimated, $700-$750 million, it grandfathered in Cingular but not AT&T. The Cingluar sponsorship was set to run out at the end of the year, and AT&T wants to renew but must now wait for the courts.(SceneDaily.com)(3-24-2007)
AT&T to sue NASCAR to place logos on #31 UPDATE and image: The cell-phone industry's ruthless fight has spilled over into NASCAR, and landed squarely on the hood of Jeff Burton's #31 Chevy. AT&T's wireless unit, formerly known as Cingular Wireless, planned to file a lawsuit later on Friday in Atlanta's U.S. District Court against NASCAR. The suit will center around AT&T's sponsorship on the #31 Chevrolet driven by Burton. The car has traditionally been sponsored by Cingular, with its familiar orange paint scheme. Though federal regulators approved AT&T's acquisition of BellSouth and its wireless unit Cingular on Dec. 29, NASCAR will not allow AT&T logos to appear on the #31 car because it would violate its current agreement with Sprint Nextel, which owns the naming right to NASCAR's top series. "We're filing a lawsuit to protect the right to transition from Cingular to AT&T on the #31 car," AT&T spokesperson Clay Owen said Friday afternoon. NASCAR officials were not immediately available for comment. Burton's car will continue to sport the Cingular Wireless paint scheme for this weekend's Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(3-16-2007)
UPDATE: AT&T Inc., owner of the largest U.S. mobile phone carrier, sued NASCAR after meeting resistance to its efforts to replace the Cingular brand with the AT&T brand on the #31 Chevy car that the company sponsors. “NASCAR’s refusal is apparently a result of its fealty to Spring Nextel Corp., a wireless provider that, since 2004, has been lead sponsor of NASCAR’s ‘Cup Series,’ which is a series of NASCAR’s highest profile races,” stated AT&T in a complaint for injunctive relief. The complaint, filed in federal court in Atlanta, also seeks a declaratory ruling and damages. AT&T, which acquired the remaining 40% ownership of Cingular Wireless L.L.C. in its acquisition of BellSouth Corp. late last year, has a sponsorship agreement with Richard Childress Racing (RCR) that runs from 2005 through 2007, with an exclusive right to negotiate a renewal beyond 2007, the suit said. RCR owns the #31 car, which is driven by Jeff Burton. “NASCAR granted Sprint Nextel a lead sponsor of the Cup Series, exclusivity as the sole communications provider sponsoring NASCAR racing, and it is apparently on this basis that NASCAR refuses to permit RCR to alter the design of the #31 car,” the AT&T suit stated. Andrew Giangola, director of business communications for NASCAR, said the motorsports organization does not comment on litigation. However, Giangola pointed out that NASCAR’s contract with Sprint Nextel grandfathered both Cingular and Alltel Corp. into the competition, allowing Cingular and Alltel to participate in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series as team sponsors indefinitely as long as the firms did not change the scope of their sponsorship (beyond a team) or the actual name and brand on the race car. He said only the “Cingular” and “Alltel” brands are permitted on cars competing in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. “This has been and remains NASCAR’s position,” said Giangola. The issue is notable as Cingular and Sprint Nextel have previously battled over a variety of issues, including advertising claims.(source: rcrnews.com), see an image of the proposed Cingular/AT&T scheme on my #31 Team Schemes page.(3-20-2007)
AT&T Rolls Out Burton Blog: #31-Jeff Burton now sharing his views on this year's season in a new blog available only through the MEdia Net Racing Portal from the wireless unit of AT&T Inc. Jeff Burton, driver of the #31 Cingular Wireless Chevy and
18-time Cup Series winner, is launching the Burton Blog, a unique perspective on a variety of issues ranging from candid reviews of his
race performances to light-hearted commentary on pop culture. Cingular, now AT&T, is making the unique content available to its more than 61 million customers exclusively on its MEdia Net Racing Portal. Continuing through the end of the Cup season in November, new Burton Blog entries will be posted several times a week in the "Cingular Exclusives" section of the MEdia Net Racing Portal. Fans can participate in the Burton Blog mailbag by submitting a text message with a question to "JB31" (5-2-3-1). Burton will answer select
questions throughout the season. Other content available on the Racing Portal includes Jayski.com text alerts of news and in-race results, NASCAR.com To Go and racing-themed ringtones and wallpapers. Fans with 3G capable handsets can view weekly exclusive video insight on Burton and the #31 Chevrolet. Cingular Video features pre- and post-race video analysis from Burton and TEAM Cingular members, filmed on location at the Richard Childress Racing team shop. Customers can access the Racing Portal and the Burton Blog on their wireless handset by launching the MEdia Net option and then visiting the main Sports home page. Customers can access the Burton race reviews and previews on their 3G handsets by launching Cingular Video and visiting the Richard Childress Racing option on the main Sports page of MEdia Net. Standard MEdia Net data-usage charges and text-message charges apply.(Career Sports & Entertainment PR)(3-10-2007)
Childress to Speak March 8 at Neurosurgeon Convention: Richard Childress will give a speech March 8 to the American
Association of Neurological Surgeons and Congress of Neurological Surgeons (AANS/CNS). The speech, entitled "The Importance of Teamwork," is part of the 2007 AANS/CNS Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves Annual Meeting at the J.W. Marriott Desert Ridge Resort in Phoenix. The 10-time NASCAR championship team owner and winning team owner of the 2007 Daytona 500 was invited to speak to the group by his friend, Charles L. Branch Jr., MD, chair of the AANS/CNS Joint Section on Disorders of the Spine
and Peripheral Nerves, and a practicing neurosurgeon at Wake Forest University Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C.(RCR PR)(3-8-2007)
Burton comments on Martin; Martin testing at Bristol: Mark Martin signed up to run 22 races in the #01 US Army Chevy in 2007. However, with his success in the first two races cause him to re-think that plan? “I’d bet almost anybody right now today that Mark Martin runs all 38 races” said fellow driver and long-time friend #31-Jeff Burton. “Matt (Kenseth) and I told him (Martin) before the Daytona 500 that we both bet that he would run every race. I believed it before the year started and I believe it even more today.” Burton felt all along that if Martin would be up front competing for wins it would be almost impossible for him to give up his ride to Regan Smith for 16 races. “I know him really well” said Burton. “I hate to use this analogy but he’s like a drug addict that can’t get away from it…and that’s a horrible analogy but this is an addicting thing and when you’re having success it’s much, much harder to walk away. The only way that he wouldn’t is if they’d gone to Daytona and got in a wreck or gone to California and had some kind of problem. Mark Martin isn’t going to have a car owner look him in the eye and say, “Hey, we have a chance to win a championship and him say well I’m not riding. I know he’s not going to. He can say all he wants to but he’s not scheduled to run Bristol but who’s doing the Bristol test? Mark Martin.” While the official Bristol scoring rundown indicates Regan Smith was testing both US Army cars, Martin was in fact turning laps in the teams’ “A” machine.(PRN's Garage Pass radio show)(2-28-2007)
#31 Jackman needs surgery: #31-Team Cingular jackman Josh Yost will undergo surgery to his left ankle Thursday at Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem, N.C. During a routine pit stop in last Sunday's Daytona 500, Yost's left Archilles tendon ruptured. Adam North, the jackman for the #29 Holiday Inn NBS team, will fill in for Yost beginning this weekend at California.(RCR PR)(2-21-2007)
News on the two injured crew members: It appears that Josh Yost, jack man for Jeff Burton's #31 Chevy, suffered his second serious Achilles' tendon injury in less than two years in Sunday's Daytona 500. Richard Childress Racing team spokesman David Hart said Yost suffered an injury to his left Achilles' tendon that doctors described as showing "classic signs of a rupture."
In May 2005, Yost suffered a laceration to his right Achilles tendon at Talladega Superspeedway when he was struck by Rusty Wallace's Dodge on the pit lane. That took months to heal. Yost required a wheelchair and had to learn how to walk again. Hart said Yost flew home to North Carolina on Sunday in a splint and will see an orthopedic doctor as soon as possible Monday. Yost wasn't the only crewman injured Sunday. Jeremy Geiter, a crewmember on Mike Wallace's #09 team, suffered an injury to his left foot and ankle after being struck by #26-Jamie McMurray during a pit stop on Lap 176. Geiter told ESPN.com that he and the #09 team were pushing Wallace from the pit stall when McMurray, pitting behind them, pulled out and ran over his left foot. Geiter said doctors informed him he might have a hairline fracture, but that a sprain and bruise was likely the extent of the injury.(ESPN.com)(2-19-2007)
New sponsor for Burton? UPDATE 2 no, sponsor extends with NHIS: Nextel Cup driver Jeff Burton and New Hampshire International Speedway will conduct a press conference on Thursday, Jan. 25 at 11:30am/et at Boston Park Plaza Hotel [Boston, MA]. With recent news that Burton's Cingular sponsor has decided not to extend its relationship [have not heard that, just that AT&T was taking over Cingualr name] with Richard Childress Racing, its expected that Danvers-based Sylvania lighting company will become the #31 car's primary sponsor for the 2007 season. Sylvania also partners with NHIS by sponsoring the Sylvania 300 each September.(Boston Herald)
UPDATE: been told by sources that the press conference at NHIS will be about LENOX becoimg more involved with the team somehow and about re-upping at the title sponsor for the July race at NHIS. Sources tell me that Cingular/AT&T will stay as the primary sponsor of the #31 RCR Chevy and Jeff Burton at least thru 2007.(1-22-2007)
UPDATE 2: LENOX Industrial Tools, a leading manufacturer of premium power tool accessories, hand tools, torches and band saw blades announced it has extended its sponsorship of the LENOX Industrial Tools 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway (NHIS). For years to come, the summer Nextel Cup Series race at “The Magic Mile” will be known as the LENOX Industrial Tools 300. The announcement was made during a luncheon at The Boston Park Plaza Hotel & Towers in Boston, Mass. After much success with the race entitlement last year, LENOX, based in East Longmeadow, Mass. (just 150 miles from New Hampshire International Speedway), decided to join the track with a long-term partnership. In addition to the race entitlement, LENOX will also have another presence. Jeff Burton, the driver with the most Nextel Cup Series wins at NHIS, will race a special white and blue #31 Chevy in the event with LENOX Industrial Tools Chevy as his primary sponsor. LENOX is also an associate sponsor on Burton’s Richard Childress Racing car throughout the 2007 season. Advance tickets for the LENOX Industrial Tool 300 are on sale now, please call Speedway Guest Services at 603-783-4931 or visit the track website at www.nhis.com for more information.(Pro Sports Management & Marketing/LENOX PR), no terms were released.(1-25-2007)
More on the Cingular Sponsorship Story: Team owner Richard Childress is still hopeful a solution can be reached that will allow him to keep his sponsor on his #31 Nextel Cup car. Cingular is the current sponsor, but that company has been bought by AT&T. The AT&T brand cannot be put on the car because of Nextel's agreement to sponsor NASCAR's premier series. Nextel grandfathered existing sponsorships for Cingular and Alltel, but its NASCAR agreement does not allow any changes. "I'm going to let that ball roll on its own, that globe roll on its own," Childress said Tuesday in reference to AT&T's logo. "I laid some plans out there, and it's up to NASCAR to make that call." NASCAR is still looking for a possible solution. "We are positive we will be able to come to an amicable relationship with those guys and look forward to 2007," said NASCAR Vice President of Operations Steve O'Donnell. "We're working with folks at Cingular and Richard Childress Racing." O'Donnell said the AT&T brand cannot be on the car. "Is there a way that we can work with Sprint [which has taken over Nextel in a merger] and figure out what might work?" O'Donnell said about the discussions. "At the end of the day, we need team sponsors." Dean Kessel, who handles the Nextel Cup marketing program for Sprint, said he has not been involved in any discussions, leaving it up to NASCAR and RCR to figure out if there is a solution. "Paint schemes have to be approved, and [NASCAR officials] are charged with protecting our rights," Kessel said. The issue is not new. The team has been aware of the situation since the Cingular-AT&T merger was first discussed nearly a year ago. Childress called Nextel a great series sponsor, and the negotiations continue. "I'm going to leave all of that up to those guys to work that out," Childress said. "We're just going to try to win some races this year with Cingular Wireless. [NASCAR] controls the paint schemes and stuff like that. Right now, we're working through any details on that." Kessel said he didn't think the new iPhone, a product of Cingular and Apple, could be on the car.(SceneDaily.com)(1-24-2007)
MORE: Dean Kessel, director of NASCAR Nextel Cup Series marketing for Sprint Nextel, said it is written in Nextel's contract that they can only have one name change . In other words, they can only change their name from the Nextel Cup Series once. But it's also written that if Cingular and Alltel want to sponsor cars while Nextel is the title sponsor, they can, but they can't make a name change. Kessel was very adamant about not altering his feelings on that point.(Larry McReynolds/FoxSports)(1-24-2007)
Cingular / AT&T hope to stay as #31 sponsor: #31-Jeff Burton said sponsor Cingular would like to stay in the sport and is looking at ways to remain a car sponsor while changing its name to AT&T. When Nextel signed the title sponsorship for NASCAR's premier series in June 2003, it grandfathered in Cingular and Alltel as team sponsors. It prohibited other telecommunication companies from becoming team sponsors and prohibited any moves by Cingular and Alltel to other teams or, in case of a merger or name change, to a new brand. With Cingular's merger with AT&T and the Cingular name being phased out, the sponsorship of the #31 Richard Childress Racing team and Burton is up in the air because AT&T cannot be branded on the car. Cingular is in its final year of its deal with RCR. "I can tell you that Cingular is extremely excited about their involvement with AT&T," Burton said Monday. "I can tell you that they're extremely excited about being involved in this sport. They love their sponsorship opportunity and they're going to do everything in their power to continue it. It's an interesting situation to be in, and time will tell exactly what happens. But from a marketing standpoint, it certainly is going to require some creativity and it's going to require some interesting strategies. But they're committed to doing what it takes to make it work, and I'm confident that they will."(SceneDaily.com)(1-16-2007)
Cingular name going away? UPDATE yes: The largest wireless service provider in the United States, Cingular Wireless, will soon undergo a name change. This carrier had been jointly owned by AT&T and BellSouth, but last week AT&T finally got Federal permission to acquire BellSouth. As the sole owner of Cingular, AT&T has said in the past that it intends to change the carrier's name to "AT&T Wireless". The re-branding is expected to happen over the next several months. This wireless service provider's headquarters will remain in Atlanta.(cdrinfo.com)
MORE: Cingular's sponsorship contract with Richard Childress Racing expires at the end of the 2007 season, but the Cingular name will expire before then, leaving the branding of the #31 car driven by Jeff Burton up in the air, according to a story in this week's NASCAR Scene. With the Bell South-AT&T merger approved Dec. 29, AT&T has announced that it is phasing out the Cingular name and replacing it with AT&T. That's a problem for RCR's #31 team because it cannot change the name on the hood of the car. When Nextel became NASCAR's top series sponsor in 2004, the sponsorship agreement grandfathered in existing team-sponsor telecommunications relationships, but it does not permit any changes. Sprint Nextel's Dean Kessel confirmed that remains the group's position Jan. 3. Cingular spokesman Clay Owen would not speculate about the future of the sponsorship. "We look forward to the start of the 2007 NASCAR season with Jeff Burton behind the wheel of the #31 Cingular Wireless Chevrolet," Owen said in a statement Jan. 5. "It's an exciting time as we begin the early planning stages of transitioning our brand into the AT&T family." Kessel said there is no wiggle room to allow a change. "We grandfathered in the companies that were involved in the sport, and that was our take," he said. "We're not looking to renegotiate anything." Part of the Bell South-AT&T merger includes yellowpages.com. Kessel said Sprint hadn't investigated whether that would be permissible as a possible replacement for the team. Cingular could still sponsor a car in the Busch Series or Craftsman Truck Series.(SceneDaily.com)(1-10-2007)
UPDATE: AT&T Inc. will begin next week to extinguish the brand of cellphone operator Cingular to imprint its more-than-century-old name firmly across its services. AT&T (Charts), which took full control of No. 1 U.S. mobile carrier Cingular with its $86 billion purchase of BellSouth Corp. last month, will launch a campaign Monday to mark the change. In its first stage, Cingular will share its orange logo of a bouncing jack with the AT&T globe logo on everything from television ads to sales uniforms and monthly bills. AT&T's name and logo will eventually replace Cingular in a process expected to take several months, with the exact timing determined as more customer feedback comes in, Wendy Clark, vice president of advertising at AT&T, said. One new ad will portray a familiar Cingular image - grain harvesters mowing a field to represent "bars" showing maximum cellphone reception. But in a new take, the harvesters will change direction and mow the AT&T globe out of the stalks. The new AT&T was formed in the merger of SBC Communications and AT&T Corp. in late 2005. Adding to the mix, in late 2004 Cingular bought AT&T Wireless, eradicating that brand because of its poor reputation among customers.(CNN)
NO WORD how this effects the sponsorship of the #31 Chevy Jeff Burton drives for Richard Childress Racing as it is not mentioned in the article and have not heard.(1-12-2007)
Jeff Burton tests COT at Phoenix: #31-Jeff Burton wrapped up a day of testing the COT [Car of Tomorrow] Goodyear Tire test at Phoenix International Raceway on Wednesday.(PRN's Garage Pass Radio Show)(1-11-2007)
2006 News
Testing at Nashville: been told #55-Michael Waltrip, #00-David Reutimann and #31-Jeff Burton were testing on Wednesday, Dec 13th at Nashville Superspeedway AND also....Darrell Waltrip was helping brother Michael by testing a Toyota Camry.(12-14-2006)
Neighbors not happy with RCR engine noise, RCR working on problem: Until a few months ago, racing the engines at the Richard Childress Racing [#'s 07,29,31,33 in Nextel Cup] garage in Welcome, NC was never a problem, according to residents. Then, the team cleared 10 acres of forest between its buildings and nearby neighborhoods for its expansion. Those trees served as a muffler for the noise. Now that they're gone, people say the noise is unbearable. Some neighbors said the noise rattles their windows. Monday night, the Davidson County Commissioners granted RCR a zoning request that green lights the expansion. While the neighbors were disappointed with the decision, RCR spokesman Bill Patterson said the racing team will plant cypress trees along the back property line to create a buffer. Patterson also said the team has spent $500,000 on reducing noise and will do more. Neighbors said they'd like to see a sound reduction wall.(wxii12.com)(12-12-2006)
Headbanger Rachtman to get head shaved on NASCAR Raceday: In February, at the Daytona 500, TV and Radio personality, Riki Rachtman, was on stage at the Chevy fanfest in front of thousands of fans. As a fan of Nextel Cup driver #31-Jeff Burton, Riki told the audience that when the driver of the # 31 Cingular Wireless Chevy won a race he would shave his head
bald. After a winless streak of 5 years, Jeff Burton scored a victory at Dover. That was Sept 24th. Live on “NASCAR Raceday” (Speed TV) host and NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace challenged Riki to come to the Phoenix NASCAR race and have his head shaved live
on the show. “NASCAR Raceday” is the definitive pre-race program that gets fans pumped and ready for the adrenaline rush of each race. After taunts from the other hosts Jimmy Spencer and John Roberts, Riki reluctantly agreed. "You gotta respect a man of his word," said Chris Long, Speed VP of Production. "NASCAR Raceday” is the ultimate fan show and we love that Riki is going to honor his promise to Jeff Burton on our show and in front of the NASCAR fans."
“I have always been a fan of the program “NASCAR Raceday,” said Riki Rachtman. “At first I thought, how cool. I get to be a guest on the show. Then when it sunk in why I was going to be on the show, I got a little nervous.” Riki also claims he dug up some dirt on Kenny Wallace and he will reveal it on the program.
Who is Riki Rachtman ? The answer depends on who you ask. Many remember Riki as the host of the highly rated MTV show, “Headbangers Ball” [a huge Jayski Fave]. Today he is a regular on the music channel, VH1. Yes, many people still know Riki from the world of rock n’ roll. Riki has a passion for NASCAR as much as he has for music. In the spring of 2003, “Racing Rocks! with Riki Rachtman,” debuted. In October of 2006 United Stations EVP/Programming Andy Denemark, made the announcement from the network’s New York City Headquarters that “Racing Rocks with Riki Rachtman” had secured its 100th affiliate. “Racing Rocks with Riki Rachtman” is a two-hour weekly long-form program that provides rock fans coast-to-coast with news, exclusive insights, interviews and dedicated coverage from the world of NASCAR, primarily the Nextel Cup racing series. The show is driven by the star power of its host and NASCAR’S massive fan base.(PR)(11-10-2006)
Holiday Inn/RCR Cup debut Nov 19th UPDATE: no real details, but on the Holidayinn.com site, it shows [bottom right corner] a #29 Holiday Inn Chevy [which has been raced by Jeff Burton for Richard Childress Racing (RCR) in the Busch Series] but it has a driver 'greened' out and says "November 19: The Last Race, A Cup Debut, A New Teammate", the teammate could be Scott Wimmer, who has been testing for RCR lately and has been rumored to be running a partial Busch/Cup scheduled for RCR in 2007, possibly in the #33 4th RCR Chevy.(11-8-2006)
UPDATE: Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts will expand its winning Busch Series program with Richard Childress Racing (RCR) in 2007 to a full season of competition with co-drivers Jeff Burton and Scott Wimmer. The program is the next step of this season’s 10-race program with Burton behind the wheel of the #29 Holiday Inn Chevy. In those ten starts, Burton earned one victory (June 3 at Dover International Speedway in Delaware), five top-five and seven top-10 finishes. Wimmer is also scheduled to drive RCR’s #33 Chevy
with sponsorship from Holiday Inn, in this season’s Nextel Cup Series season finale, Nov. 19 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. “It’s an honor to be able to continue and grow our relationship with an American icon like Holiday Inn,” said Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. “Jeff Burton, Pat Smith (crew chief) and the entire team have done a solid job on the competition side and the folks at Holiday Inn have done a great job in promoting their program to their customers. We’ve had pretty good success the past couple of years running a two-driver program and we think that will only continue with the Holiday Inn team in 2007.” Burton and Wimmer will split the 35-race season down the middle, though which driver runs an 18th race is yet to be determined. Plans for 2007 also call for Wimmer to compete in two still-to-be-determined Nextel Cup Series events in RCR’s #33 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS with
primary sponsorship from Holiday Inn. “I’m really excited about the opportunity to drive for Richard Childress and his Busch Series program,” said Wimmer. “Being teamed up with Jeff Burton, and having Kevin and Clint (Bowyer) to draw from, is one of the big reasons why I decided to drive for RCR. I’ve raced in NASCAR for almost six years and have never had a teammate. It’s something I’ve always been missing in my career so I’m really looking forward to it, especially with someone the caliber of Jeff Burton. Growing up in the Midwest, I think I had every birthday party from the time I can remember until I was 14 or so at a Holiday Inn Holidome so it’s great to be driving for them. We had a lot of fun in those Holidomes and I’m looking forward to having just as much fun in their race cars.” Call 1-800-HOLIDAY or log onto www.holidayinn.com for more information or to book a reservation.(Richard Childress Racing PR)(11-9-2006)
Outside the Lines ESPN Sunday 9:30am/et: #31-Team Cingular driver Jeff Burton is scheduled to be a guest on ESPN's 'Outside the Lines' Sunday, November 5 from Texas Motor Speedway. The Emmy Award winning series will air live at 9:30am/et.(11-2/4-2006)
MORE In a garage in High Point, N.C., Toyota is preparing for its debut on the NASCAR scene. Its entry marks the first time a Japanese manufacturer will be allowed to compete in NASCAR and some are criticizing Toyota's lavish spending and technological onslaught. Toyota insists it has earned its way here and that, with 10 U.S. manufacturing plants, Toyota has become a part of the American automotive landscape. "Outside the Lines," (Sunday 9:30am/et - ESPN) takes a look at Toyota's arrival in stock-car racing. For more, click here.(11-5-2006)
Franchitti visits Texas: During Saturday's Nextel Cup Happy Hour practice session at Texas Motor Speedway, open wheel veteran Dario Franchitti was an observer on top of Jeff Burton's hauler. His visit was purely business. Franchitti shares a business relationship with one of Burton's team sponsors and the Scotsman was invited to attend and speak at a dinner in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Yahoo's Bob Margolis had a chance to chat with Franchitti, and the conversation turned to Franchitti's future. There had been some speculation during the summer that Franchitti perhaps was interested in a NASCAR ride. Obviously the interest was in passing – or maybe a way to leverage a better deal from his current team – as Franchitti acknowledged that he would be back in his Indy Racing League ride with Andretti Green Racing for the entire 2007 season. He also expects to race the entire season in the American Le Mans Series with AGR teammate Bryan Herta in AGR's recently announced Acura/Courage program. Might there be a NASCAR ride somewhere down the road for Franchitti? "Not in the immediate future," Franchitti said.(Yahoo Sports)(11-5-2006)
Burton and Childress to announce new partnership UPDATE 2: on Friday, November 3rd at Texas Motor Speedway, #31 team owner, Richard Childress and driver Jeff Burton, along with a New Sponsor Representative will be announcing a new partnership for the 2007 NASCAR season.(RCR PR)(11-3-2006)
UPDATE: on Speed Channel's NASCAR Live, Jeff Burton, driver of the #31 Cingular Chevy for RCR, said LENOX Industrial Tools will be a major associate sponsor for the team in 2007 and be the primary sponsor at Richmond in May and New Hampshire in July.(Speed Channel's NASCAR Live)(11-3-2006)
UPDATE 2: Lenox Industrial Tools has partnered with Richard Childress Racing and driver Jeff Burton in a multi-year sponsorship agreement beginning with the 2007 Cup season. LENOX will be an associate sponsor throughout the season on Burton’s #31 Cingular Wireless Chevy. The LENOX logo will appear on the rear quarter panels of the car just behind the rear wheels. In addition, LENOX will serve as the primary sponsor of the #31 in two races during the 2007 season – May 5 at Richmond International Raceway and July 1 at New Hampshire International Speedway (located less than 150 miles from LENOX’s home headquarters). This season’s July New Hampshire event was known as the LENOX Industrial Tools 300. LENOX, which will utilize the partnership through marketing and advertising initiatives, has an extensive product line including the LENOX Gold bi-metal reciprocating saw blades; LENOX Gold bi-metal utility blades and knives; LENOX ARMOR Rx+ bi-metal coated band saw blades for cutting structurals and tubing; and the LENOX all-in-one screwdriver, just to mention a few. For more information see www.LENOXsaw.com.(RCR PR)(11-4-2006)
#31 Pit Crew to be honored: The #31 Team Cingular pit crew will be awarded Mechanix Wear's third quarter 'Most Valuable Pit Crew Award' during the Bank of America 500 pre-race ceremonies. The award was voted on by the NASCAR Cup Series crew chiefs. An outstanding pit crew is selected each quarter of the season and one of the quarterly winners will be chosen as the Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew at season end and awarded $75,000.(RCR PR)(10-11-2006)
RCR Cars to carry special sticker: Each of the three RCR Cup Series entries [#07, #29, #31] will carry a Down Syndrome Awareness Month decal this weekend at Lowe's Motor Speedway to promote acceptance and inclusion of individuals born with this genetic condition. The Down syndrome community has been celebrating Down Syndrome Awareness Month each October since 1981.(RCR PR)(10-11-2006)
Wimmer to RCR? hearing that Scott Wimmer, who parted ways with Morgan-McClure Motorsports on Tuesday, will have a ride with a Richard Childress Racing Busch Series team in 2007.(10-4-2006)
#31 back in the winners circle: Jeff Burton is only the 2nd person to ever win a Cup race running the #31 after winning at Dover on Sept 24, 2006. Robby Gordon [also for RCR] was the last winner in the #31, at Watkins Glen in August 2003 and was the first winner ever in the #31 at New Hampshire in November 2001, the #31 has now won four times, see more about wins by car numbers on my Wins by Car# page.(9-26-2006)
Jeff Burton wins at Dover: #31-Jeff Burton won the Dover 400 at Dover International Speedway for his 1st win of 2006 and first in 175 races ago, at Phoenix in Oct 2001, the 18th of his career and vaults the #31 Cingular Wireless driver into the points lead for the first time since May 1999. Burton led only 6 laps, the final 6 laps, dueling with #17-Matt Kenseth [who led the most laps 215] until passing Kenseth on lap 394. Kenseth then ran out of fuel on the final lap and finished 10th. Rounding out the top 10 were: #99-Edwards, #24-Gordon, #2-Busch, #16-Biffle, #1-Truex Jr. [best career finish], #43-Labonte, #07-Bowyer and #17-Kenseth. Points leader, #29-Kevin Harvick was running in the top-10 when his engine failed on lap 366, dropping him out of the points lead. Three other Chasers had rough days with #9-Kasey Kahne getting caught up early in a #20-Stewart spin finishing 38th, #5-Kyle Busch lost an engine and finished 40th and #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. had some tire issues, finishing 21st down 3 laps. There were 9 leaders with 12 lead changes and 10 cautions for 48 laps.
Race Results on my New Hampshire Race Results/Awards Page.
Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after New Hampshire page
Race Rundown: see my Dover Race Info/Rundown Page for my race rundown page, laps led, top 10, race penalties, race notes, lucky dogs and more.(9-24-2006)
RCR Forms Partnership with Metris: Richard Childress Racing (RCR) is investing in a multi-million dollar partnership with Metris to utilize the Belgium-based company’s integrated metrology solutions for use in the production of the nine-time NASCAR champion racing organization’s engines and race cars. Metris, with U.S. operations in Detroit, California and Virginia, will supply RCR with proven high-technology metrology systems, both contact and optical, and the expertise to improve the aerodynamics and boost the performance of its engines. The partnership is another strategic move in RCR’s continuing bid to boost the performance of its cars with winning technology. “We’re partnering with Metris because of its impressive range of advanced metrology products,” said Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. “We’re confident that the expertise its engineers have demonstrated will help us to push the performance of our race cars to the next level. The technology involved in NASCAR today continues to grow and RCR’s partnership with Metris will put us on the cutting edge in both the engine and fabrication shops.” Metris provides integrated solutions for automotive and aerospace metrology. The portfolio comprises Coordinate-Measuring Machines (CMM), Optical CMM, 3D Laser Scanners, Laser Radar and iGPS systems along with Focus, the leading inspection and reverse engineering software. “Having Metris’ equipment on-site at RCR will help facilitate our engine and body fabrication sides of the business,” said Bobby Hutchens, RCR’s vice president of research and development. “On the fab side, it will provide us with the technology to more precisely duplicate our bodies and, on the engine side, will ensure that both the parts we purchase from outside sources as well as those produced by RCR’s Okuma Technology Center meet our current specifications.” More info about Metris at www.metris.com. (RCR PR)(9-22-2006)
Ex-employee's lawsuit claims improprieties in engine shop at RCR UPDATE Statement by Childress: .A lawsuit filed by a former Richard Childress Racing employee includes specific allegations that engines the team used in events at 2006 Speedweeks at Daytona were designed to defeat NASCAR rules. The team denies the allegations. Anthony Corrente, who lost his job as assistant manager for engine research and development for RCR earlier this year, filed his suit Wednesday in Mecklenburg County superior court. It alleges wrongful termination, defamation and breach of contract against the team, which fields Nextel Cup cars for #29-Kevin Harvick, #31-Jeff Burton and #07-Clint Bowyer. Corrente said he inspected an engine from Harvick’s #29 Chevy after the Budweiser Shootout and found it had been altered to allow more air to enter, which would be contrary to the purpose of carburetor restrictor plates used at the Daytona track. “Inserts were placed in the four outside corners of the cylinder head where the manifold is attached,” the lawsuit says. When tightened, the bottom of the bolts hit these inserts, leaving room for air to get in between the intake manifold and the cylinder head. Such air would get to the engine beneath the restrictor plate, which is designed specifically to limit the flow of air. More air means more power, at least in theory. The suit also says that Burton won the pole for this year’s Daytona 500 with another engine that had the same modifications. Burton’s engine passed NASCAR inspection following the qualifying session. David Hart, a spokesman for Richard Childress Racing, said Thursday that Corrente’s allegations are untrue. “We will deal with them in the courts,” Hart said. Corrente left Joe Gibbs Racing in July 2005, signing a three-year contract with a two-year renewal option at RCR. He said he was fired after a conversation with Harvick in May during a test at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, where Harvick’s team had tested an engine built to Corrente’s specifications that differed from what the team had been doing. See full story by David Poole at ThatsRacin.(9-21-2006)
UPDATE Statement by Richard Childress: The following is a statement from Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing (RCR), regarding allegations made in a lawsuit filed by a former employee: "The allegations made about RCR in a lawsuit filed by a disgruntled former employee are absolutely untrue. Specifically, our cars passed NASCAR inspection both before and after qualifying for the 2006 Daytona 500. Additional allegations made are also untrue. We will make no further comments until after the issue is resolved in a court of law."(RCR PR)(9-22-2006)
More on the Speed Channel/RCR Wheels Report: per NASCAR Live with Eli Gold, Kevin Harvick comments, "We have an inspection process that happens every week. The ironic part about it is that our wheels are taken to the racetrack by a wheel company every week. Really, the only thing you can touch is the valve stem. And the report was, that, you know, I don't even know, laser cut
holes in the wheels. So, there's really no possible way that you could even wind up knowing what corner that the wheels are going to be mounted on, because the tires are already mounted when you get to the race track. If somebody would have just done their homework for thirty seconds or a couple of minutes and just figured out exactly what they were doing, they would have realized they would have realized that it's virtually impossible to do what they reported. So, it's just unfortunate that we've spent the whole week talking about Bob Dillner instead of talking about our win, and that's unfortunate for the Speed Channel that they are where they are in their journalism state of reporters."(MRN Radio)(9-21-2006)
Issue with #29 and #31 cars after race at NHIS UPDATE's NASCAR denies; RCR & Speed's statements: FoxSports/Speed's Bob Dilner reports: have learned that there was an issue with the winning car of #29-Kevin Harvick and also his teammate, #31-Jeff Burton, in postrace tech [at New Hampshire Intl Speedway in the Cup race]. That issue surrounded the actual [wheel] rim of the race car. The team apparently manipulated that rim to act as a bleeder valve to release air pressure from that rim. In English, it was performance advantage for the RCR team. Now, it was not against anything in the rule book so there won't be any fines or points penalties later on this week, but they have been told not to do it again.(more at FoxSports)(9-18-2006)
UPDATE: Race winner Kevin Harvick and his teammate, Jeff Burton, did not have any problems in post race tech Sunday night at Loudon. Late Sunday night, it was reported that the Richard Childress Racing teams had manipulated their rims to act as a bleeder valve to release air pressure from the rim. According to NASCAR however, the issue of the rims never surfaced during post race tech. “We’ve been checking valves and valve stems for about 4 months now,” said Jim Hunter Vice President of Corporate Communications for NASCAR said Monday. “What it was, was one reporter trying to make something that wasn’t there. Then another reporter went on TV and reported it as fact, when it was actually totally untrue. It was one reporter’s unsubstantiated fantasy,”(Cupscene.com)
AND The following is a statement from Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing (RCR), regarding
allegations in the media after the Sept. 19 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race at New Hampshire International Speedway that two of RCR's teams had manipulated the rules: "Reports in the media, specifically on SPEED TV, that one or more of our NEXTEL Cup Series teams was found by NASCAR to be manipulating the rules yesterday at New Hampshire International Speedway are false and misleading. Our cars passed post-race inspection and officials at NASCAR assured us last night and again today that no one from RCR was told at any time not to bring a part back to the race track. The reported events and conversations did not happen. Our focus remains on two of our teams competing for the championship and the other finishing as high in the points as possible.(RCR PR)
SPEED statement: SPEED issues the following response to statements made by NASCAR and Richard Childress Racing regarding a story filed by SPEED reporter Bob Dillner during the Sept. 17 LIVE broadcast of The SPEED Report. "SPEED reporter Bob Dillner has a strong record of solid reporting from the NASCAR garage; so there is no rational reason for us to consider that the events and conversations he related to SPEED viewers are anything other than the truth," said Chris Long, SPEED Executive Producer for NASCAR programming.(SpeedTV.com)
AND Kevin Harvick told Sirius Speedway that he believes a rival team was behind Sunday's SPEED TV report alleging that NASCAR had discovered issues with the team's right-front wheels. "I absolutely think it was a plant from another team," said Harvick. "NASCAR didn't say anything, so it's pretty obvious to me where it came from. It's an attempt to try and distract us from what we're
doing, but they're going to have to do a lot better than that." Harvick said he knows who planted the story, but declined to name names.
(Sirius Speedway/MRN Radio)(9-18-2006)
UPDATE 3: Car owner Richard Childress told Benny Parsons during Monday night’s PRN's “Fast Talk radio show" that a Speed Channel report that RCR manipulated a rim giving the 29 car a performance advantage at New Hampshire was not true. Childress said reporter Bob Dilner “Got some bad information and he talked about it before he knew all the facts." Childress fielded many phone calls from various sponsors about the story, but he did not chastise Dilner. “I’ve got to say something for Bob Dilner. He did not report that on purpose. He didn’t do it out of anything derogatory to RCR or Jeff or Kevin. Its part of you guys (the media) job sometimes…you report things and maybe you don’t get the whole story.” Meanwhile the incident brought back some fond memories to the long-time car owner who won six championships with Dale Earnhardt. “All it did was made me think back to the days when Dale and RCR was winning and running good. You know, nobody ever loses…if you’ve ever heard that story...it’s because somebody’s doing something wrong to win. So, naturally with Kevin’s performance the last few weeks and RCR’s performance this year, people are going to say things.”(PRN's "Fast Talk with Benny Parsons" radio show)(9-19-2006)
Peters to RCR? UPDATE: Dodge released Timothy Peters as driver of the Craftsman Series #4 truck, Bobby Hamilton Racing announced Tuesday. However, Peters shouldn’t be without a ride for long. After racing for two seasons with Bobby Hamilton Racing, Peters is expected to sign with Richard Childress Racing as early as this weekend in New Hampshire. Phone messages left with Richard Childress Racing were not immediately returned, and Peters said he couldn’t comment on his future. “I’m not at liberty to say anything,” he said. In 17 Truck Series races this season, Peters has one top-10 finish - placing sixth on June 23 at Milwaukee. He has three career top-10 finishes in 33 Truck Series starts, and is currently 19th in the points standings. “We brought Timothy Peters in as a rookie, and with some seat time under his belt he has proven to be a hot commodity,” team owner Bobby Hamilton said in a release. A potential deal with RCR would join Peters with Danville native Peyton Sellers, who is in RCR’s development program, and South Boston native Jeff Burton. For now the plan is to team back up with his Bailey’s South Boston team for the Bailey’s 300 late model race at Martinsville Speedway on Oct. 1.(Danville Register Bee)(9-15-2006)
UPDATE: Richard Childress Racing has signed Timothy Peters as a driver for its 2007 NASCAR Busch Series program. Peters raced the past two seasons in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for Bobby Hamilton Racing. A determination is forthcoming as to which of RCR’s Busch teams he will drive for. RCR is also scheduled to field a car for Peters in the Oct. 7 ARCA race at Talladega.(RCRRacing.com)(9-19-2006)
Cingular Revs up "Race Talk: The second half of the race season is underway and the top drivers are positioning themselves for a run at the championship. Cingular Wireless, primary sponsor of the #31 Chevy driven by Jeff Burton, is giving one lucky fan a chance to experience all of this excitement VIP-style at the last race of the season in Homestead, Fla. Cingular "Race Talk", which launches this month during motorsports coverage on NBC and TNT, gives viewers the chance to win a VIP trip for two to Miami, spending money and a customized #31 Cingular-branded golf cart. The sweepstakes is part of Cingular's popular on-air polling program that will air through November on race telecasts on NBC and TNT. Viewers are prompted to text message "RACE" to 191 and answer a race-specific question, with the results revealed on-air during the race broadcast. Information about the sweepstakes can be obtained at www.cingular31.com.(8-10-2006)
Senator Jeff Burton? After his racing career is over the #31 Cingular Wireless Chevy driver plans to explore the political arena. “I’ve had the good fortune to spend a little bit of time with Senator (John) Kyl of Arizona quizzing him a little bit about what he does and how the Senate works” said Burton recently. “One of the things I’ve become discontented with politics is that I think that there are a lot of people in politics for the wrong reason. I could go into it without really having an agenda other than trying to do the right thing. I’m not going to do it now, but at some point in my life I’m going to look into it and see if there it’s something I could be successful at and if it’s something that I would enjoy. We’ll see what happens when that time comes.” Burton, a Republican who lives nears Charlotte wouldn’t be satisfied running for local or state office. “No, I’m gonna run for U.S. Senate if I do it. I want to do it at a big level. I think I’d have a chance in North Carolina to win and I’d want to have an impact on a national level. The people I’ve talked to said I have a chance so we’ll see.”(PRN's Garage Pass Radio Show)(8-5-2006)
CarMax on the #31: CarMax, the nation's largest retailer of used cars, will join RCR’s #31 Cingular Chevy as an associate sponsor for The Brickyard 400 and the upcoming Sony HD 500 at California Speedway Labor weekend. Based in Richmond, Va., CarMax currently operates 71 used car superstores in 34 markets throughout the United States and offers consumers a no hassle way of purchasing a car.(RCR PR)(8-2-2006)
Burton to visit ESPN and Online Chat Today: Prior to his arrival at New Hampshire International Speedway for the Lenox Industrial Tools 300 race weekend, #31 Team Cingular driver Jeff Burton will spend Thursday, July 13 in Bristol, Conn. at the ESPN campus. Burton is scheduled for a day-long media tour of various ESPN programs including Mike and Mike in the Morning, Sportscenter, ESPNews, ESPN.com, Cold Pizza, ESPN Radio and EOE, ESPN's in-house production company.(RCR PR)(7-12-2006)
CHAT: fans can chat with Burton at ESPN.com on Thursday, July 13th at 3:50pm/et.(7-13-2006)
Cingular Giving Fan a Chance to win Burton's Pay-Day at Daytona: Once the green flag drops at the Daytona Beach stock car race on July 1, Russell Tillson will be in the stands cheering for Jeff Burton and the #31 Cingular Wireless Chevy harder than anyone else. That's because when Burton wins, he wins. Even if Burton doesn't win, Tillson still wins. Thanks to a unique promotion by Cingular, Tillson is guaranteed of winning the same amount of money that Burton earns during the race, no matter where he finishes in the 43-car field. Tillson was randomly selected for the opportunity to "Win Jeff Burton's Pay-Day" from more than one million entries submitted between February and June. The sweepstakes was part of Cingular's Virtual Crew Chief program that aired during race telecasts on FOX and FX this year, prompting viewers to answer race-specific questions via wireless text messaging or online at foxsports.com, with the results revealed on-air during the race broadcast. Information about the sweepstakes was provided on Cingular31.com. As part of the grand prize, Tillson will get to travel to his first ever Daytona Beach race and root for the bright orange Cingular Chevy at one of motorsports' most famous tracks. Regardless of how Burton performs, Tillson is guaranteed an attractive payout. During last year's race, payouts ranged from $368,261 for the winner down to $80,725.(Career Sports & Entertainment/Cingular PR)(6-28-2006)
Childress interested in Gilliland: [#07,#29,#31] team owner Richard Childress said Sunday [at Infineon Raceway] that he is among those interested in signing David Gilliland to a contract. Gilliland, currently driving without a contract for a part-time, unsponsored entry in the Busch Series, has seen his stock skyrocket since winning the June 17 Busch race at Kentucky, then getting a weak car into Sunday's Nextel Cup race at Sonoma. "He's probably the hottest young commodity out there today," said Childress, who currently fields three Cup cars and won six Cup championships with the late Dale Earnhardt Sr. "There are several teams here that will be after him, but he'd definitely be a good fit for us." Childress noted that Gilliland's good character and family background (his father Butch was also a NASCAR driver) play into the 30-year-old's favor. Childress didn't shy away from expressing his interest in Gilliland, but said the driver might be better served to get more time in the Busch Series. Gilliland has just seven career Busch starts and made his Cup debut Sunday. "I think he has all it takes to become a Cup driver, I'll put it like that," Childress said. "I think he could win races in the Cup Series. I believe if I was him, I'd run a few more Busch races (first)."(Inland Valley Daily Bulletin)(6-26-2006)
Burton's Team Grabs Pit Crew Challenge Win In Dover; Jeff Burton's pit crew took home the $10,500 first-place check for winning the Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge in Sunday's Neighborhood Excellence 400 at Dover International Speedway. The #31 crew, which assisted its veteran driver to a fourth-place finish in the 400-lap, 400-mile Nextel Cup race, spent the least amount of time on pit road -- 395.590 seconds. Burton's over-the-wall crew includes: Josh Yost (jackman), Kevin Nervegna (front-tire carrier), Joe Zielinski (front-tire changer), Jason Fowler (rear-tire carrier), Aaron Smith (rear-tire changer), Larry Hartle (gasman), Rich Burgess (catch can) and Wes Adams (windshield). The pit crew coordinator is Corrine Mauldin. The #31 team became the eighth pit crew of the season to win the weekly Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge. A bonus of $105,000 will be presented to the team with the most wins at the completion of the 36-race schedule. Checkers/Rally's is the Official Burger and Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR, more info at checkers.com.(DMF Communications PR)(6-7-2006)
Burton could test in Canada UPDATE NO: Jeff Burton probably will be the driver chosen to test a 750-horsepower Chevy on Circuit Gilles Villeneuve June 19 or 20 [2006]. By then, Canadian Formula One Grand Prix race promoter Normand Legault hopes to have confirmed a summer 2007 race in the Busch Series, a circuit populated by many Nextel Cup stars and by drivers being groomed for the top league. Legault expects to renew an Ile Notre Dame race-site lease soon with the city of Montreal, his landlord. The ink might not even be dry on that document when he announces a NASCAR race. The timing of a mid-June stock-car test would be ideal - Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, a temporary road course, will be in full race trim for the June 23-25 Grand Prix weekend, and Burton will be a short flight away, having run a Nextel Cup race in Brooklyn, Mich., on June 18.(Montreal Gazette)(5-23-2006)
UPDATE: Jeff Burton is not scheduled to test a Busch Series car in Montreal as speculated by the Montreal Gazette.(RCR)(5-25-2006)
RCR to Sponsor Local Soap Box Derby: Richard Childress will lend support to his racing roots June 3 at Hobby Park in
Winston-Salem for the Winston-Salem Area Soap Box Derby presented by Richard Childress Racing. The winner of this All-American Soap Box Derby "local race" will advance to the 69th annual All-American Soap Box Derby presented by Levi Strauss Signature, July 22 in Akron, Ohio. Childress was a teenager in the late 1950s when he and his brother, Larry Childress, went door to door in downtown Winston-Salem soliciting shop owners for funding to purchase a soap box derby kit. Nearly 50 years later, the wheels and axles from that soap box derby racer are on display in the RCR Racing Museum on the RCR campus. For further information, visit the web site of the Winston-Salem Area Soap Box Derby at wsasbd.com.(Richard Childress Racing PR)(5-18-2006)
Childress Vineyards Set to Release Racing Collection: Childress Vineyards is set to release its first collection of race-related wine sets celebrating the championship style of RCR Racing, one of NASCAR’s most winning franchises owned by Richard Childress. The Collector’s Edition sets will feature “Champion’s Blend” Meritage Red Wine individually boxed with two etched crystal Childress Vineyards logo wine glasses. Each of RCR’s car numbers, #29, #31, #21, and #2, will have its own label while a special bottling, called “Legendary,” is planned for the #3. The “Legendary” Limited Collector’s Edition will come in a boxed set along with two etched crystal wine glasses, featuring the number 3. Members of Childress Vineyards Fast Track Wine Club will have the first opportunity to order the Collector’s Edition boxed sets until April 30. Remaining supplies will go on sale to the general public on Monday, May 15 with a limit of 3 per person. The sets will be sold exclusively at the winery in Lexington, N.C. Each will retail for $99.99. Wine club members will receive a discount of 15%.(RCR)(5-3-2006)
4th RCR team,,,with Mears? denied: RCR team sources tell [Marty Smith - NASCAR.com] the organization would like to add a fourth team with [Casey] Mears [current driver of Ganassi's #42 Dodge] as driver, but RCR spokesman David Hart discounted the speculation Wednesday. "No decisions have been made to add a fourth team with Casey Mears or any other driver," Hart said.(NASCAR.com)(4-27-2006)
#31 jackman returns to Talladega: #31 Team Cingular jackman Josh Yost will return to Talladega Superspeedway this weekend for the first time since he was hit on pit road during last season’s Aaron’s 499, severely injuring his right foot and ankle. Following multiple surgeries to repair damage to the tendons in his ankle, Yost started walking in mid-July, began physical therapy in August, returned to work in the shop at RCR in November and then resumed his role as Team Cingular jackman in the 2006 season opening Daytona 500.(RCR PR)(4-26-2006)
New Burton/Cingular Commercial: Cingular Wireless, primary sponsor on Jeff Burton’s #31 Chevy, will debut a new commercial during the Subway Fresh 500. The new spot titled ‘Golf Cart’ features Burton and was shot earlier this season in Las Vegas. It highlights Media Net, a new service which provides Cingular subscribers access to all things racing like insider info, driver stats and racing updates. Burton rides in on a customized high-speed golf cart carrying the same paint scheme as his Cingular Chevy.(RCR PR)(4-20-2006)
Prilosecotc to #31? UPDATE 2: hearing Prilosec OTC will become an associate sponsor for #31 Jeff Burton and that a Prilosec OTC paint scheme will run in 2006, Cingular Wireless is the primary sponsor for Burton and the #31 team. Prilosec OTC had been with the #40 Ganassi Racing team and ran a scheme once a year with Sterling Marlin..now with the #14 team.(12-28-2005)
UPDATE: Prilosec OTC announced new sponsorships with Richard Childress Racing's #31 Nextel Cup Series team and NASCAR. Starting with the 2006 season, both relationships will elevate Prilosec OTC's marketing efforts within NASCAR. "Success in our business is measured by performance," said Richard Childress. "Prilosec OTC is all about performance in treating frequent heartburn with an over-the-counter medicine. Thanks to Prilosec OTC, frequent heartburn is something I don't worry about all of the time. We're proud to have Prilosec OTC as a member of the #31 Cup team." Later this season, Prilosec OTC, proud sponsor of NASCAR will unveil the Victory of a Lifetime Sweepstakes. This sweepstakes will award the Grand Prize winner and, accompanying friends and family, a NASCAR season, that up to now, fans have only dreamed of. 2006 will also mark Prilosec OTC's inaugural season as a "Proud Partner of NASCAR." Prilosec OTC's NASCAR relationship includes heartburn remedy category exclusivity and will allow Prilosec OTC to integrate NASCAR marks into all Prilosec OTC, NASCAR related marketing initiatives. Prilosec OTC's Major Associate sponsorship of RCR's #31 Chevy will be highlighted by a unique one-race paint scheme each season that will transform the orange #31 Cingular Chevy into a purple racing machine. Throughout the NEXTEL Cup Series season, Prilosec OTC will be positioned on Jeff Burton's firesuit and the lower rear quarter panel of the #31 Cingular Chevy.(Yahoo Biz), will run at Phoenix in April and Richmond in May, see the scheme on my #31 Team Schemes page.(2-16-2006)
UPDATE 2: Prilosec OTC’s major associate sponsorship of RCR’s #31 Chevy kicks into high gear this weekend in Phoenix as Burton and the #31 team transform their bright orange #31 Cingular Chevy into a purple Prilosec OTC racing machine for the Subway Fresh 500. Prilosec OTC, marketed exclusively by Procter & Gamble, is available in food, drug, mass, and club stores in the U.S. Prilosec OTC is available over-the-counter for the treatment of frequent heartburn, with one pill taken every day for 14 days and is the #1 selling over-the-counter heartburn medication.(RCR PR)(4-20-2006)
#31 Crew Chief to throw out 1st pitch: As part of a promotion for Cingular Wireless, #31 Cingular Chevy crew chief Scott Miller will throw out the first pitch at Ameriquest Field for the Texas Rangers game Thursday, April 7 vs. the Detroit Tigers.(RCR)(4-6-2006)
Even more on Cingular/AT&T/Childress: Car owner Richard Childress could have sponsor trouble if AT&T changes the names of the brands its about to acquire. AT&T has said it will spend $67 billion to purchase BellSouth, the parent company of Cingular - which currently sponsors Childress' #31 Chevrolet. If the deal goes through, Cingular and BellSouth will be known as AT&T.
That won't fly in NASCAR, where series sponsor Nextel Cup has an exclusivity contract that grandfathered in the Cingular and Alltel sponsorships and logos. But they can't be changed, and new names will not be permitted. "The contract NASCAR presented us is pretty straightforward," said Michael Robichaud, vice president of sports sponsorships. "It's really no different than the category exclusivity that Winston had for 33 years. We actually took it one step further, out of respect for Richard Childress and Roger Penske, and grandfathered in their existing sponsorships as it stood on the day we signed our agreement." Childress wasn't sure how it will play out. "It's too early to comment on all that," he said. "Cingular has said they're going to be here for the long haul, and we expect them to be in the sport for quite a while."(Associated Press)(3-27-2006)
Latest on AT&T and Cingular UPDATE #31 news - NASCAR says NO: Life goes on for Cingular Wireless, even though the brand is mere months from dying away. AT&T, which plans to take full control of the cellphone provider as part of its acquisition of BellSouth, intends to drop the 5-year-old Cingular name. Although Atlanta-based Cingular has spent more than $4 billion advertising itself since the company was born, its services will be renamed with the historic AT&T brand. Cingular's president and chief executive, Stan Sigman, supports the change, saying the company has been at a "competitive disadvantage" in pitting itself against rival Verizon Wireless, which shares the same name as other services offered by Verizon Communications. Cingular, meanwhile, has been distinct from its current corporate parents, AT&T and BellSouth. One thing isn't up for debate: Because the Cingular brand will continue to exist for months, the carrier can't afford to stop spending money on marketing. Thus you'll see plenty of Cingular ads, notably during the NCAA men's basketball tournament — which began this week — and during Fox TV's hugely popular "American Idol." Cingular will come full circle if, as expected, AT&T buys BellSouth for $67 billion in stock, taking full control of Cingular in the process. AT&T's plans to eliminate the BellSouth and Cingular names, and move to the single AT&T name, would save hundreds of millions of dollars on ads.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution), no mention in the column what happens with the #31 team, but would assume it will be rebranded AT&T at some point.(3-18-2006)
UPDATE: NASCAR officials say they have informed Richard Childress Racing that if Cingular Wireless changes its name to AT&T, as expected after a recent merger, AT&T would not be allowed on Jeff Burton's #31 car. NASCAR made the ruling based on its interpretation of its contract with series sponsor Nextel. Cingular and Alltel, as well as Samsung/Radio Shack with Texas Motor Speedway, were grandfathered in as existing sponsors when the Nextel Series sponsorship contract was signed in 2003. "It's pretty clear that they can't transfer a name due to a sale," NASCAR Vice President for Corporate Communications Jim Hunter said March 17.
Executives from Cingular would not comment March 16 when asked about what would happen to the company's sponsorship. "Right now, Cingular is in it and is in it for the long haul," team owner Richard Childress said March 19. "That's about all I can say."
Hunter said that Cingular could negotiate with Nextel to try to transfer the name and keep the sponsorship. But Michael Robichaud, vice president for sports marketing for Sprint Nextel, said there are no plans to negotiate. One option could be for Cingular to move to the Busch Series, where any cellular company can provide sponsorship.(SceneDaily.com)(3-22-2006)
RCR Announcement UPDATE: Richard Childress Racing and #31 driver Jeff Burton have scheduled a press conference Friday, March 17 at Atlanta Motor Speedway to announce a new partnership for the 2006 season.(RCR PR)(3-15-2006)
UPDATE: Holiday Inn is expected to join a growing list of Atlanta companies that sponsor cars and drivers in NASCAR. Richard Childress Racing and driver Jeff Burton will be backed by Holiday Inn in as many as 10 Busch Series races this season, according to team officials. The team has scheduled a press conference today at Atlanta Motor Speedway to reveal details of its new sponsorship.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(3-17-2006)
Latest on AT&T and Cingular: AT&T announced a $67 billion dollar merger with BellSouth that could create the largest telecommunications company in the country. The purchase of Atlanta-based BellSouth would give AT&T total control of Cingular, the nation’s largest cell phone provider, and BellSouth’s nine-state network. Together, the three companies employ more than 316,000 people. The Cingular brand would likely be phased out in favor of the AT&T brand. The name will be familiar to wireless customers: AT&T Wireless Inc., a spin-off of AT&T, was acquired by Cingular in October 2004. The BellSouth name also would be absorbed in the deal.(MSNBC), no word on how this will effect the Cingular sponsorship of the #31 RCR team.(3-6-2006)
Rachtman to serve as #31 honorary crewman: Riki Rachtman, host of the nationally syndicated radio program ‘Racing Rocks’ [racingrocks.com] and original host of MTV’s Headbanger’s Ball [a Jayski fave - still have tapes of it], will join #31 Team Cingular this weekend as an honorary crew member, serving as gas runner. Rachtman is a big fan of Team Cingular driver Jeff Burton and has vowed to shave his head when Burton claims his next victory.(RCR PR)(2-22-2006)
Cingular Launches New Media Net Racing Portal: With the #31 Cingular Wireless Chevrolet in the pole position for the big race in Daytona on Sunday, Cingular Wireless is giving race fans the chance to follow all of the exciting racing action this weekend and all year from their wireless handset. Cingular's new MEdia Net Racing Portal will allow many of its 54 million customers real-time access to the most up-to-date and content-rich motorsports information available from any wireless carrier, putting them almost as close to the action as the drivers.
The Cingular MEdia Net Racing Portal will showcase a wide variety of exclusive motorsports content available only from Cingular. In-depth information will include top stories from around motorsports, as well as pre- and post- race reports, real-time statistical information on
in-race leaderboards and individual driver news. Speed freaks and gear heads will also be able to show off their forecasting skills with
Fantasy Racing presented by Cingular, one of the most user-friendly fantasy racing games available in wireless format. Driver selections
and up-to-date score-tracking can be managed from the ease and convenience of the wireless handset. Fantasy participants will be able to compete against other Cingular customers nationwide for the chance to win great prizes.
"The Cingular MEdia Net Racing Portal will give motorsports enthusiasts quick access to the most comprehensive racing information available," said David Garver, Executive Director of High Growth Segments and Sponsorships at Cingular Wireless. "We want to feed the passion of the race fan by providing compelling interactive content and creating a unique wireless experience for our customers."
"The Cingular MEdia Net Racing Portal is a great way for fans to follow me - and my fellow competitors - throughout the entire season," said Jeff Burton, driver of the #31 Cingular Wireless Chevrolet and pole-sitter for this weekend's race in Daytona. "With all of the news
alerts and race reports, fans won't miss a minute of racing excitement. This is another example of how Cingular is leading the way in providing wireless motorsports content."
For the second year in a row, Cingular has reached a deal to become the Official Wireless Sponsor of Jayski.com, one of the most popular fan destinations on the Internet for breaking racing news, information and statistics. The deal makes Cingular the exclusive wireless licensee to all Jayski content, allowing it to offer popular Jayski content, including up-to-date driver news, race summaries and "Silly Season" gossip. Cingular will continue with its Jayski text alerts throughout the season. "I am looking forward to continuing my relationship with Cingular and adding their customers to the hundreds of thousands of fans who already rely on Jayski.com for NASCAR news," said Jayski Founder Jay Adamcyzk. "Partnering with Cingular to create Jayski content into a wireless format is yet another way that we are able to deliver breaking NASCA R news and information to fans in the quickest way possible. We will continue to look for new ways to develop interactive content as the season progresses."
Additional Cingular MEdia Net Racing Portal features include a variety of action-packed racing games, the Virtual Crew Chief Enter-to-Win sweepstakes, challenging motorsports trivia questions as well as racing-themed ringtones and wallpapers. Cingular customers can access the MEdia Net Racing Portal on their wireless handset by launching the MEdia Net option and then visiting the main Sports home page. There is no subscription fee to access the Portal but standard MEdia Net data usage charges apply. Download charges start at $1.99 for games, ringtones, and wallpapers. MEdia Net can be purchased on a pay-as-you-go basis ($.01 per KB), or included in a MEdia Net or MEdia Bundle package. These packages range in price from $4.99 for 1MB of data usage to $19.99 for unlimited data usage.
About Cingular Wireless: Cingular Wireless is the largest wireless carrier in the United States, serving 54.1 million customers. Cingular, a joint venture between AT&T Inc., formerly SBC Communications Inc. and BellSouth Corporation, has the largest digital voice and data network in the nation -- the ALLOVERTM network -- and the largest mobile-to-mobile community of any national wireless carrier. Cingular is a leader in third generation wireless technology. Its 3G network is the first widely available service in the world to use HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) technology. Cingular is the only U.S. wireless carrier to offer Rollover, the wireless plan that lets customers keep their unused monthly minutes. Details of the company are available at www.cingular.com.(PR)(2-16-2006)
State Farm teams up with Burton and Sorenson: Beginning with the Daytona 500 on February 19, 2006, State Farm will begin partnerships with NASCAR drivers #31-Jeff Burton of Richard Childress Racing (RCR) and #41-Reed Sorenson of Chip Ganassi Racing. During the Daytona 500 on February 19, State Farm will debut two commercials featuring Jeff Burton and his State Farm agent. Throughout the 2006 NASCAR season, State Farm will advertise in nearly every NASCAR race. Commercials featuring Reed Sorenson will begin later this year.State Farm logo will appear on Burton's driver uniform and uniforms of pit crew during Nextel Cup and Busch Series races, on RCR trailer/transporter and pit equipment and in "fan walk" of RCR headquarters, museum, and RCRacing.com. The State Farm logo will appear on Sorenson's driver uniform and uniforms of pit crew during Nextel Cup and Busch Series races. In both cases, State Farm is sponsoring the drivers and not the cars. The State Farm logo will not appear on either car.(State Farm PR)(2-10-2006)
RCR Personnel Moves: Mike Brown has been named director of licensing for Richard Childress Racing (RCR), replacing Chuck Spicer who has assumed the new position of director of competition business operations. Brown is responsible for all aspects of RCR's licensing programs. He has been involved in the sales, marketing and licensing end of the NASCAR industry for more than a decade, most recently in a three-year stint as director of sales and marketing with Team Caliber. Prior to that, he spent more than four years as director of licensing for International Speedway Corporation (ISC), establishing and then supervising the sales, marketing, licensing and purchasing activities of its Charlotte office. Spicer's new responsibilities include RCR's driver development and diversity programs, team travel, engine department business opportunities, and to serve as the liaison between the competition and business sides of the company. He served as RCR's licensing director since moving from Bill Davis Racing in December 2000.(RCR PR)(1-22-2006)
#31 Jackman back: #31-Jeff Burton's jackman, Josh Yost, who suffered cut tendons and ligaments and a shattered ankle when he was hit by Rusty Wallace's car on pit road in May at Talladega, returned to RCR in November and is expected to return to the roster for Daytona.(Sporting News)(1-9-2006)
2005 News
Hamlin leaves RCR for BDR? hearing that crew chief Kevin Hamlin has left Richard Childress Racing and will
be the new crew chief at Bill Davis Racing for Dave Blaney and the #22 Caterpillar Dodge with former #22 crew chief Derrick Finley moving over to the #55 NAPA Auto Parts Dodge atj Michael Waltrip will drive in 2006.(11-29-2005)
Cingular name to AT&T, RCR signed thru 2007: SBC, which closed its merger with AT&T on Friday [Nov 18th], plans to sell Cingular Wireless under the fabled AT&T name, Ed Whitacre, the chairman and CEO of the combined company, has confirmed to USA TODAY. Cingular, the USA's No. 1 wireless company, is 60% owned by the new AT&T; BellSouth controls 40%. SBC recently said it would adopt AT&T's name, putting to rest questions about what would happen to the famous name. But speculation had also swirled about what would happen to the Cingular brand name once the AT&T deal closed. In an interview with USA TODAY on Friday, Whitacre left no doubt about his plans. Asked if the company planned to drop the Cingular name in favor of the AT&T brand, Whitacre said, "Yes, we do."(See full article at USA Today), how will this effect the #31 Richard Childress Racing team and Cingular's sponsorshjip? No word if they At&T will take over BUT Cingular is signed with RCR thru 2007.(11-21-2005)
Cingular Wireless gives fan a chance at over a $1mil: Cingular Wireless is finishing the 2005 racing season with a bang by giving Race Talk Million winner Jessica Gilbert of Chamois, Mo., a chance to win $1,000,031 before the NASCAR Cup race in Homestead. Gilbert will attempt to start the #31 Cingular Wireless Chevrolet driven by Jeff Burton from one of 18 keys. If the car starts, Gilbert will take home a check for $1,000,031. In addition, Cingular is also giving local fans the chance to register to play alongside her. If Gilbert starts the No. 31 car, one registered fan on-site will win $50,000. Customers and fans can register on-site from 12 – 5 p.m., with the drawing scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Thursday, November 17 at the Cingular Wireless store located at 5043 Sheridan Ave, Hollywood, Fla. For additional information, please visit www.cingular31.com.(11-16-2005)
RCR Signs Driver for NASCAR West Ride with BMR: Richard Childress Racing (RCR) has signed 2005 NASCAR Weekly Series (NDWS) National Champion Peyton Sellers to a multi-year contract and next season will have him driving the #16 Chevrolet for Bill McAnally Racing (BMR) in the NASCAR Grand National Division, West Series. Sellers, a 22-year-old native of Danville, Va., claimed this year's NDWS Division I championship racing primarily at South Boston Speedway, where he also earned the track championship. BMR's #16 team finished second in the NASCAR Grand National Division, West Series point standings this season with driver Steve Portenga. In 12 starts, the team earned three victories, seven top-five and 11 top-10 finishes.(RCR PR), no word on plans for Sara Fisher or Allison Duncan, bit who drove the West Series for RCR in 2005.(11-12-2005)
RCR Shuffles Cup Series Crew Chief Lineup: Two of Richard Childress Racing's (RCR) NASCAR Cup Series teams will swap crew chiefs next week in preparation for the 2006 season. Scott Miller, current crew chief on the #07 Jack Daniel's team, will
assume the crew chief position on the #31 Cingular Wireless team with driver Jeff Burton for the final two races this season and next year.
Kevin Hamlin, current crew chief on the #31 Cingular Wireless team, will move to the #07 Jack Daniel's team for the rest of this season
with driver Dave Blaney. He will be assisted by Gil Martin who, it was announced in October, will be the crew chief for the team next year with new driver Clint Bowyer. Hamlin has been offered another position within the RCR organization at the conclusion of this season. "We're making these moves next week to get a head start on 2006," said Richard Childress, president and CEO of RCR. "We had already announced that Gil was going to be the Jack Daniel's team crew chief for 2006 so it made sense to get him running as quickly as possible. We have put Scott Miller and Jeff Burton together on the Cingular Wireless team in an effort to take the success the team has had this season to the next level. Kevin Hamlin has been a valuable part of RCR for many years and we look forward to him continuing to contribute to our success in the future." Martin will remain as the crew chief for Bowyer and the #2 ACDelco team in their quest for the 2005 NASCAR Busch Series championship. Jeremy Bullins, the team's engineer who will also move to the #07 Jack Daniel's team next season, will assist Hamlin and Martin for the balance of the season. "This in no way will take away from the effort Clint, Gil and the ACDelco team will give toward winning the Busch championship," said Childress. "They've still got a good shot at it and Gil has great guys working for him on both teams so we won't let him get overloaded from either direction."(RCR PR)(11-2-2005)
Truck Drivers Honored: Pilot Travel Centers awarded $50,000 to two long-haul truck drivers - one a professional driver and the other a driver of a NASCAR team transporter. Dubbed the Pilot Truck Driver Challenge, the program is in its second year of honoring the best driver in the NASCAR garage area and the best driver in its Driver Payback program. Among the qualifications for the award, the drivers must have a clean record, with no accidents and no speeding tickets. James and Sue Langley, of Jonesboro, La., were the
non-NASCAR winners. He drives for Southern Cal Transport.
And for the second year, a driver for one of Richard Childress Racing was the NASCAR winner. Frankie Nester has been with RCR for three years and drives the Cingular Chevrolet race cars and equipment from track to track for driver Jeff Burton. He previously drove for Roush Racing and a Busch team. "Before that, I was hauling furniture up north," Nester said."I think you guys have the hardest job in this sport," Burton said to all of the NASCAR transport drivers. "You're gone more. You're always here, you're always the first ones to be here and the last ones to leave." Burton said Nester previously said if he won, he would donate 10% of his winnings to charity and the driver said he would match it. Nester, of Stoneville, N.C., said they will select a charity and announce it at a later date. Pilot Travel Centers also
donate unspecified amounts each year to NASCAR charities, including the Victory Junction Gang Camp.(AMS Pit Notes)(10-29-2005)
Burton to visit school: Jeff Burton, driver of the #31 Cingular Wireless Chevy, is scheduled to be the surprise guest speaker at a Dekalb County public high school student driver assembly on Thursday, October 27 in Doraville. While there, Burton will provide safe driving tips to students, talk racing and present Dekalb County with the Cingular Wireless Be Sensible Teen Driving Award for its eight years of commitment to teaching students about sensible driving.(Career Sports Entertainment PR)(10-26-2005)
Burton to help member of the Navy to re-enlist: #31-Jeff Burton will make one long-time fan's dream come true following the race at Martinsville Speedway. On Monday, Oct. 24 the driver of the #31 Cingular Wireless Chevrolet will participate in the reenlistment ceremony for Joe Gallagher, Chief Operations Specialist in the U.S. Navy. After giving a personal tour of the RCR Cup shop, Burton will join Chief Warrant Officer Bill Stocke in swearing in Gallagher, who has served 13 years in the U.S. Navy including deployment for Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, for another term of duty.(RCR)(10-20-2005)
Burton to test Texas: Jeff Burton and #31 Team Cingular are scheduled to test at Texas Motor Speedway on October 25-26 in preparation for the upcoming Dickies 500 on November 6.(RCR)(10-20-2005)
Fan wins to be Honorary Pit Crew Member: As the Cup Series prepares to head to Kansas for the first and only time this year, Cingular Wireless is providing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a local race fan to experience the excitement of stock car racing up close and personal. Richard Garrett of Pleasant Hill, Mo., was randomly selected as the grand prize winner during a special Cingular sweepstakes and is being rewarded with a chance to serve as an honorary pit crew member for Jeff Burton and TEAM Cingular during Sunday's big event. As an honorary pit crew member, Garrett will get the opportunity to meet Burton, driver of the Richard Childress Racing #31 Cingular Wireless Chevrolet and a 17-time Cup Series winner, and team owner Richard Childress on Sunday, October 9, before the green flag drops. Garrett will truly be a part of TEAM Cingular the entire day, from helping the team set up the pit stop and to attending pre-race team meetings. The weekend package also includes hotel accommodations for Garrett and a guest.(Career Sports & Entertainment)(10-7-2005)
#31 Crewman Update: During the Aaron's 499 at Talladega in May, Josh Yost, the jackman for Jeff Burton's #31 Cingular Wireless Chevy, was injured in the pits when hit by Rusty Wallace's car. Yost has had several surgeries to repair damage to tendons in his ankle. He started walking again in July and is working with a physical therapist at least twice a week. He hopes to receive medical clearance to return to work at the Richard Childress Racing shop next month.(Alabama Live)(10-1-2005)
RCR Joins The Motorsport Industry Association: Richard Childress Racing (RCR) has been accepted as the newest international member of the Motorsport Industry Association (MIA), and the UK association's first US-based NASCAR stock car racing team organization. The MIA works tirelessly to strengthen its network of contacts within the worldwide motorsport industry, including the NASCAR sector, and the membership for RCR will open up the world market through the MIA's membership on all continents.
Chris Aylett, CEO of the MIA, said "North Carolina, USA and Motorsport Valley in the UK are far closer than geography suggests. The culture of the motorsport businesses in both of these highly successful business communities is based on success. RCR's decision to join the MIA and become the first NASCAR team to do so cements the closeness of those relationships. The MIA will offer access to a truly global motorsport business network from which RCR will gain commercial and competitive advantage. I am delighted that this outstanding company has chosen to join our membership, and we look forward to helping them succeed in whatever way we can."
"RCR is honored to be the first NASCAR team to be accepted into the Motorsport Industry Association," said Richard Childress, president
and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. "The process began when we hired Nick Hayes (former technical director for Cosworth) earlier this year to head our engine research and development program. Gaining a competitive edge in racing is very important, whether it's NASCAR,
Formula 1 or at the local dirt track. Being an MIA member will provide RCR with the opportunity to build relationships to achieve that edge
and we hope to be able do the same for other members."
The MIA is a truly global network and has a strong presence in both the UK and the US as well as a liaison office in the Far East. The
MIA offers a wide range of motorsport-specific services including market research, conferences, networking events and exhibitions, as well as a number of trade missions to events in the US, the Gulf, and the Far East. For more info on the MIA and its international events, see the-mia.com.(RCR PR)(9-24-2005)
New Hires at RCR: Richard Childress Racing (RCR) has hired Tom Knox as its managing director of business development and promoted Jason Garrow to the director of sponsor services. Knox will be responsible for evaluating and pursuing new business
opportunities, leading the efforts to add to RCR's family of sponsors and technical partners and working with RCR's sponsor services group
to bring additional opportunities to its partners. The Wayne, N.J., native comes to RCR from Rusty Wallace, Inc., where he had been since 1999 and last held the position of vice president of business development. From 1997-99, he was a sales account manager with NASCAR's New York office. Knox earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Management from Fairfield University in 1994 and a Master of
Business Administration in Marketing from Seton Hall University in 1997.
Garrow will oversee day-to-day business activities and client activation with current sponsors, manage sponsors' event and at-track
activities, work with RCR partners to leverage their sponsorship assets and help develop new marketing activities and services for RCR. The Marshall, Minn., native had been RCR's senior sponsorship manager since February 2003. A 1992 graduate of Augustana College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration/Economics, he earned a Master of Science degree in Sports Management in 1996 from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.(RCR)(9-15-2005)
Childress and Diversity: Car owner Richard Childress is stepping up his diversity efforts with drivers Allison Duncan and Sarah Fisher, who will be testing head-to-head this week with hopes of getting the OK to step up to Busch racing, too. Duncan has been racing a weekly quarter-mile in Stockton, Calif., this season for Childress, and Fisher has been racing NASCAR West for Childress, although rather sporadically. Fisher's car lost its engine early in last week's race at California Speedway.(Winston Salem Journal)(9-10-2005)
NASCAR Fan to be presented #31 Cingular Monte Carlo before race: Cingular Wireless, primary sponsor of the Richard Childress Racing #31 Cingular Wireless Chevy driven by Jeff Burton, is awarding Paul Carignan a one-of-a-kind #31 Cingular-branded Chevy Monte Carlo as part of its Virtual Crew Chief sweepstakes. Carignan will be presented with the specially-designed car Saturday, September 10, at the Libbie Place Cingular Store in Richmond [5601 W. Broad St. (804) 426-7130] before the Cup race later that evening. The Cingular Virtual Crew Chief sweepstakes ran on the FOX network during race broadcasts between February and June. The interactive, consumer-focused promotion graphically prompted viewers three times during each race to text message a response to a particular race-related question. Carignan, who hails from Alexandria, Va., was randomly selected among the tens of thousands of viewers who sent more than 7 million total text messages during the five-month program. He will be presented with the bright orange 2005 Chevrolet Monte Carlo at a special ceremony at the Libbie Place Cingular store location in Richmond at 2:00pm/et Saturday. This is the third consecutive year that Cingular has implemented the Virtual Crew Chief platform on race telecasts on FOX. On the track, Cingular is in its fourth year as a primary sponsor of the Richard Childress Racing #31 Cingular Wireless Chevy driven by Burton. This season, Burton is 21st in the Cup point standings with two Top 5 finishes, three Top 10 finishes and nine Top 15s.(Career Sports & Entertainment PR)(9-9-2005)
DEI and RCR...merge? a merger between RCR and Dale Earnhardt Inc. is rumored to be in the works. Although DEI vice president Richie Gilmore says the partnership will involve nothing more than promotional plans, the two organizations enjoyed a beneficial aerodynamic alliance several years ago. Considering the strength of powerhouses Roush and Hendrick Motorsports, a marriage between RCR and DEI would move their programs up a level. Another benefit? Dale Earnhardt Jr. could follow in his late father's footsteps in an RCR car.(Sporting News)(9-5-2005)
Blaney and Burton testing at Milwaukee: Dave Blaney and the #07 Jack Daniel’s Racing Team and Jeff Burton and #31 Team Cingular are scheduled to test at The Milwaukee Mile on Wednesday, August 31 in preparation for the upcoming Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway.(RCR PR)(8-31-2005)
Burton Announcement UPDATE: Jeff Burton, driver of the #31 Cingular Wireless Chvey for RCR will hold a press conference Friday, August 26 at 4:00pm/et at Bristol Motor Speedway to announce a new partnership.(RCR)(8-25-2005)
UPDATE - Burton Announces Campaign to Improve Teen Driver Safety: Jeff Burton announced his campaign to improve teenage driver training during a press conference at Bristol Motor Speedway. Burton joins the board of directors of Advanced Car Control Techniques, parent company of the New Driver Car Control Clinic, the nation's leading provider of behind-the-wheel accident avoidance and defensive driving for teens and their parents. The New Driver Car Control Clinic is a six-hour program for teens and their parents (the Clinic does not accept a teen without a parent) where students perform a series of exercises learning how to use their eyes, hands and feet to identify obstructions and steer the vehicle away from them under heavy breaking. Clinics are currently conducted in Florida, Georgia, Ohio, Tennessee, Alabama, Maryland and the Washington, DC area. The training has proven results. In a study conducted by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, graduates of the New Driver Car Control Clinic had 77% fewer crashes than their peers. For additional information on the New Driver Car Control Clinic please visit www.carcontrol.com.(RCR PR)
AND The Dale Earnhardt Foundation has partnered with four-time road racing champion Andy Pilgrim in the release of "The Driving Zone" DVD for new drivers. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. assists Pilgrim in the instructional portions. More info at the DEI site.(8-27-2005)
Burton testing at NHIS: Following the race weekend at Bristol, #31-Jeff Burton and Team Cingular will head to New Hampshire International Speedway for a test session Tuesday, August 30 in preparation for the upcoming Sylvania 300 September 18.(RCR)(8-25-2005)
Burton back in the #21 at Watkins Glen Busch race: Jeff Burton, driver of the #31 Cingular Wireless Chevy in the Cup series, will be pulling double duty this weekend, piloting the #21 Reese's Chevrolet in the Zippo 200 Busch Series race at Watkins Glen International Saturday, August 13. In his two previous starts in the #21 Chevy earlier this season (Darlington and Bristol), Burton has two second-place finishes.(RCR PR)(8-9-2005)
Childress says all 3 teams will remain intact for 2006: [Team owner Richard] Childress said his three teams will return intact next season: "We're pretty much set on everything right now." All three drivers, #31-Jeff Burton, #29-Kevin Harvick and #07-Dave Blaney, will be back with their current crew chiefs, Kevin Hamlin, Todd Berrier and Philippe Lopez? "Yes, as far as I know," Childress said.(Winston Salem Journal)(7-25-2005)
Update on the injured #31 Jackman: It's been difficult for Josh Yost to find his place at the racetrack following a pit road accident May 1 at Talladega Superspeedway. A man who's comfortable being inches away from speeding cars and teammates working at a frantic, yet precise, pace now feels awkward as he inches along with a bulky cast following reconstructive surgery on his ankle. Yost was struck by Rusty Wallace's #2 car during the race at what most drivers feel is the widest, safest pit road in all of NASCAR. It will take a year of rehabilitation before Yost can return to his work as #31-Jeff Burton's jackman, but for now, all he can do is sit around and offer moral support to his teammates - sometimes by simply being in the way. "It's a matter of inches every time you're out there," Yost said. "It's amazing it doesn't happen more often." Yost said fans don't know about most of the problems for the over-the-wall crewmen because they often continue their work after being knocked down. Despite a serious injury that will take a year to heal, Yost said he plans to be back on the jack next year. "It broke my fibia, kind of crushed it. The side skirt cut through the back of my heel, through all the tendons and ligaments and joint capsule and came out through the front of my foot," he said. "It basically looked like you de-boned a ham." During his rehabilitation, Yost only comes to the racetrack when NASCAR is close to his home near Welcome, N.C. "I'll be back," he said. "I'm not worried, I'm not scared. I like being close to the action."(Augusta Chronicle)(7-21-2005)
New TV Gig for Burton: Each Saturday for the remainder of the 2005 season, #31-Jeff Burton will join host Steve Byrnes from the track on NASCAR Live! as they conduct interviews, profile the competition and handicap the weekend. Direct from each week's Nextel Cup venue, the SPEED Channel stage truck is powered up for informative and lively pre and post-race coverage of the weekend's activities. For additional information on the program or to find the location of the SPEED stage at the track, visit www.speedtv.com.(RCR PR)(7-21-2005)
RC Wine...the good stuff: A bottle of 2004 Childress Vineyards' Barrel Select Pinot Gris was chosen as one of the top wines produced by celebrity wine proprietors in today's USA TODAY. Legendary NASCAR championship team owner Richard Childress is also the proprietor of Childress Vineyards, located at the gateway of the Yadkin Valley in Lexington, N.C. In a "Food & wine" column ("Heard about stars through the grapevine", July 8, 2005), columnist Jerry Shriver wrote about celebrities involved in winemaking and the taste test USA TODAY entertainment reporter Donna Freydkin conducted with 11 wines having celebrity connections. Freydkin mentioned the Childress Vineyard selection first, commenting that she "preferred the smooth, easy-to-drink-while-sitting-on-your-porch character" of the North Carolina wine crafted by award-winning winemaker Mark Friszolowksi.
The list of celebrities, other than Richard Childress, proprietor of Childress Vineyards president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing,
included: movie director Sofia Coppola; her father, director Francis Ford Coppola; the rock band Doobie Brothers, music legend Bob Dylan; golfers Ernie Els, Greg Norman and Arnold Palmer; Vince Neil, lead singer for Motley Crue; and acting legends Fess Parker and Fred MacMurray.(RCR PR)(7-10-2005)
RCR makes changes in the engine dept: Richard Childress Racing (RCR) continues to make personnel moves to improve its championship-winning engine department. Engine shop manager Spenny Clendenen, an RCR employee since 1985 and head engine builder from 1995 to 1997, has been named to the position of general manager in charge of the department’s business and administrative responsibilities. He will also be the focal point for RCR’s customer engine program, which furnishes engines for Kevin Harvick, Inc. (Busch and Truck), PPI Motorsports (NEXTEL Cup) and Morgan-Dollar Motorsports (Truck). Rick Mann has been named chief engine builder and will oversee all competition-related responsibilities. He brings 17 years of NASCAR engine building experience and nearly 30 years of overall engine building experience to his new position. Assistant engine shop manager Danny Lawrence, an RCR employee since 1985 and head engine builder from 1998 to 2001, has been named assistant chief engine builder. He will responsible for all at-track activities involving RCR’s NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series team engine tuners and will assist Mann at the shop. "I think the reorganization we’ve made is a positive new start to our entire engine department,” said Richard Childress, president and CEO of RCR. ”We’ve had tremendous growth at RCR over the past couple of years and the workload we’ve asked our management group to be responsible for was keeping us from achieving the success I know we’re capable of. These moves, in addition to bringing on Nick Hayes to head up our engine research and development department, have put RCR in a much better position to reach the goals we’ve set for ourselves.” A new engine shop manager will be named at a later date.(RCR Site)(7-8-2005)
AND Nick Hayes has been named by Richard Childress Racing (RCR) as its engine research and development director
and will lead all RCR engine research and development activities from a newly-created R&D facility at the RCR complex. Hayes comes to RCR after a well-documented yet unique career at Cosworth, which is based in England, including spells in Formula One
engine design, development and track support before rising through the ranks to lead its F1 program through the late 1990s. Recent years saw him leading all technical activities at Cosworth as Technical Director. The move to RCR marks the start of a new chapter in Hayes' illustrious and successful race engine career that has covered a wide variety of series but, until now, has not touched NASCAR significantly.(RCR PR)(7-10-2005)
Different look for the #31 at Chicago: The familiar bright orange Cingular paint scheme on Jeff Burton's #31 Chevrolet will be replaced with a camouflage and orange design for the race weekend at Chicagoland Speedway to highlight associate sponsor Bass Pro Shops.(RCR)(7-6-2005)
Sad News: Richard Childress Racing's (RCR) fabrication shop manager Paul Wise passed away this morning after a
brief illness. He was 58. Wise was employed by RCR since January 2003 after spending two-and-a-half years in a similar position with Dale Earnhardt, Inc. All six RCR cars competing this weekend at Daytona International Speedway, in both the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series and NASCAR Busch Series, will carry "In Memory of Paul Wise" decals. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Thursday, June 30, at Charity Baptist Church, 2420 Brantley Road in Kannapolis, N.C. The Rev. R.J. Hammond and the Rev. Gene Beaver will officiate. The body will be placed in the church one hour prior to the service. Internment will follow at Carolina Memorial Park in Kannapolis. The family will receive friends from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Wednesday, June 29, at Charity Baptist Church.
Born Jan. 6, 1947, in Cabarrus (N.C.) County, Wise was the son of C. Winfred Wise and Ethel Howell Wise of Kannapolis. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran of the Vietnam War and was a recipient of the Air Force Commendation Medal. He worked with many NASCAR teams during his career. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Paula Jean Wise, Feb. 14, 1975.
In addition to his parents, he is survived by his wife, Barbara Austin Wise; son, Jason Paul Wise and wife, Brittany Cromer Wise, and
granddaughter, Jayleigh Austin Wise of Kannapolis; sister, Anne W. Watts and husband, Charles, of Raleigh; brothers, Phil Wise and wife, Lynda, of Kannapolis and Mark Wise and wife, Derlene, of Raleigh; along with 13 nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be sent to the American Cancer Society, Dancers for Cancer, c/o Carolina Dance, 2353 Concord Lake Road, Suite 110, Concord, N.C. 28025.(RCR)(6-28-2005)
Different look for Burton at MIS: This Week's Race Car at Michigan International Speedway. Jeff Burton will have Beneficial being the primary sponsor on Jeff Burton's #No. 31 Chevrolet for Batman Begins 400 at MIS. The consumer lending company joined Richard Childress Racing's family of sponsors this season as an associate sponsor of the #29 GM Goodwrench and #31 Cingular Wireless teams driven in the NASCAR Cup Series by Kevin Harvick and Jeff Burton, respectively, and is the official consumer lending company of RCR.(RCR), see an iage of the scheme on my #31 Team Schemes page.(6-17-2005)
Sad News: Robert Ray "Bud" Hutchens, 63, father of Richard Childress Racing's Bobby Hutchen's, passed away Saturday, June 11, 2005, at his home. He was retired from Leaseway Motor Cars. Mr. Hutchens was an avid NASCAR fan and had cars that raced at Bowman Gray Stadium for over 40 years. Surviving are his wife of 46 years, Mrs. Carol Long Hutchens; two sons, Bobby Hutchens and wife Sharon, Kenny Hutchens and wife Robin, all of Winston-Salem. NC; a daughter, Lisa Thomas and husband Chris of Greenville, NC; seven grandchildren; and two sisters, Margaret Edwards and Nancy Tulbert, both of Winston-Salem. A graveside service will be conducted at 11:00am/et Monday, June 13, at Waughtown Cemetery with the Rev. Norwood Green officiating. The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 this evening, June 12, at Hayworth-Miller Silas Creek Chapel. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to American Cancer Society, 4A Oak Branch Drive, Greensboro, NC 27407 or to the Bowman Gray Neurosurgery Dept., Medical Center Blvd. Winston-Salem, NC 27157.(Winston Salem Journal)(6-12-2005)
Burton to test at VIR: Following the race in Pocono, Burton and Team Cingular will head to Virginia International Raceway for a test session Monday, June 13th [with Tuesday, June 14 as a rain date] in preparation for the upcoming Dodge/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway.(RCR)(6-8-2005)
Burton to run GoPhone again on the #31: #31-Jeff Burton’s Cingular Wireless Chevrolet will again carry the special paint scheme to promote Cingular Wireless’ new GoPhone, a prepaid or pay-as-you-go wireless service providing consumers with the ultimate level of freedom, control and choice of their wireless products and plans. With no annual contract or credit check, GoPhone is the perfect plan for the quick and painless wireless pit stop while still providing consumers with all of the latest products and services that have helped Cingular become the largest wireless carrier in the country.(RCR), see image of the car on my #31 Team Schemes page.(6-3-2005)
GoPhone for Burton at LMS: Jeff Burton’s bright orange #31 Cingular Wireless Chevrolet will have a new look at the Coca-Cola 600 with a special paint scheme to promote Cingular Wireless’ new GoPhone, a prepaid or pay-as-you-go wireless service providing consumers with the ultimate level of freedom, control and choice of their wireless products and plans. With no annual contract or credit check, GoPhone is perfect plan for the quick and painless wireless pit stop while still providing consumers with all of the latest products and services that have helped Cingular become the largest wireless carrier in the country.(RCR)(5-25-2005)
Update on #31 Jackman Josh Yost: Josh Yost, jackman for the #31 Cingular Wireless Chevrolet driven by Jeff Burton, who was injured on pit road after being struck by another car [#2-Wallace], will not return to competition this season following two surgeries to repair his heavily injured right ankle. After being released from a Birmingham, Ala., hospital following the May 1 NASCAR Cup event at Talladega Superspeedway, Yost was flown back to North Carolina to begin treatment at Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem. During the exploratory surgery performed May 3, it was discovered Yost's injuries included two ruptured tendons, damaged ligaments, a severe laceration and a crushed fibula tip. Yost then underwent reconstructive surgery May 5 to repair the ankle and was released from the hospital the following day. He has been instructed by his doctors to remain off of the ankle for six to eight weeks and can then begin the lengthy rehabilitation process.(RCR)(5-10-2005)
Bass Pro Shops to sponsor #07 at Richmond; #31 at Chicago: Bass Pro Shops will be the primary sponsor of Richard Childress Racing's (RCR) #07 Chevrolet in this weekend's Chevy American Revolution 400 at Richmond International Raceway (RIR) and its #31 Chevrolet in the July 10 Chicagoland 400 at Chicagoland Speedway. Driver Dave Blaney's full-time sponsor, Jack Daniel's, will
be prominently featured on the #07 car's lower quarter panels and deck lid this weekend. In turn, Cingular Wireless, Jeff Burton's primary sponsor, will receive prominent placement on the #31 car highlighting Bass Pro Shops ongoing involvement with RCR. The outdoor
retail giant is also the primary sponsor of RCR's #33 Chevrolet four-race superspeedway program with driver Kerry Earnhardt. For
more information go to www.basspro.com.(RCR)(5-10-2005)
Rusty does call injured crewman Contrary to a recent report, Rusty Wallace said Thursday that he had, in fact, attempted to contact Richard Childress Racing crewman Josh Yost throughout the past week. Wallace and Yost finally spoke via cell phone Thursday morning. "I just spoke with him and he's fine," Wallace said. Yost, the jack man for Jeff Burton's #31 Cingular Chevrolet, was struck by Wallace's Dodge during a pit stop in the Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway. An RCR team spokesman who had spoken directly with Yost on Wednesday told NASCAR.COM's Marty Smith that Wallace had not yet spoken with Yost. The spokesman said Yost had his cell phone with him throughout his hospital stay and had not received a call from the 1989 Cup Series champion. Smith then reported that information on SPEED Channel's NASCAR Nation Wednesday, greatly upsetting Wallace, who explained he had tried to contact Yost at home and had left messages on his home answering machine. "I'm glad I've spoken with him and that he's OK," Wallace said. Yost's right ankle suffered two ruptured ligaments, torn ligaments and a severe laceration in the incident, which the team confirmed would sideline him for the remainder of the 2005 season. Exploratory surgery Tuesday also revealed that the tip of Yost's right fibula was crushed. Yost had reconstructive surgery Thursday, and may be able to go home Friday, the team said.(NASCAR.com)(5-6-2005)
Update 2 on RCR Crewman: Josh Yost, the jackman for #31 Jeff Burton's Cingular Wireless team, suffered torn ligaments and a severe laceration on his right ankle after a pit stop mishap. He was taken to a Birmingham hospital, but flew home with his team Sunday night.(Alabama Live)(5-2-2005)
UPDATE: Injured Jeff Burton jackman Josh Yost was released from a Birmingham, AL hospital Sunday night and flown back to Winston-Salem, NC on one of Richard Childress' planes. He was admitted to the Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center and will be operated on Tuesday by Dr. David Martin. After getting hit by Rusty Wallace on pit road at Talladega, Yost was thought to have broken his right ankle, but after tests in turned out to be badly torn ligaments. Yost also suffered a severe, deep laceration to his lower right leg.(PRN's Garage Pass Radio Show)(5-2-2005)
Burton to appear on TV show: The fast-paced world of auto racing will be front and center on The WB's hit series One
Tree Hill from Warner Bros. Television Tuesday, May 3 (9-10 p.m.) as Lucas (Chad Michael Murray) and Nathan (James Lafferty) meet up with real-life NASCAR standout Jeff Burton, who drives the #31 Cingular Wireless Chevrolet in the Cup Series. Lucas and Nathan meet Burton in the garage before they take a couple of laps around the track. In the episode, which combines America's most popular spectator sport with a dramatic ending, Lucas and Nathan go to the track with their uncle, a professional stock car racer. While there, Nathan and Lucas learn to drive a car in excess of 100 miles per hour as Nathan tries to leave his past in the dust. The pair also gets the chance to rub elbows with Burton, a career 17-time winner on the NASCAR Cup Series.(RCR PR)(4-29-2005)
Cingular rolls out the COWs at Phoenix: As the stock car Series heads West again for the first of two races in Phoenix, Cingular Wireless has again taken the lead in meeting the enhanced communications needs of customers attending this weekend's big race and spreading the excitement of stock car racing to its fans at Cingular stores. Cingular Wireless announced the activation of two "Cell sites On Wheels," known as "COWs", in the Phoenix market. Cingular is raising the bar in network quality by anticipating the sheer volume of calls from fans at the race. COWs are self-contained portable cell sites that can quickly and easily be brought to a specific location to boost network capacity or restore communications following an emergency situation. Cingular has several COWs available for use at special events where large crowds can put unusual strain on existing wireless facilities or for use in emergency service situations. Leading up to the race on April 23, the Richard Childress Racing #31 Cingular Wireless Chevrolet driven by NASCAR driver Jeff Burton is embarking upon a six-store tour between April 20 and 22 at Cingular retail locations in the greater Phoenix area. The show car tour is highlighted by a gift-with-purchase promotion offering service activation incentives, such as a free DVD player or MP3 player (two-year service agreement required).(Career Sports & Entertainment)(4-21-2005)
Burton talks about TV Responsibility: Jeff Burton told "Sirius Speedway" (MRN/Sirius Satelite Radio) Wednesday that while TV networks bear some share of responsibility for televising incidents like the one that caused NASCAR to fine driver Shane Hmiel last week, the ultimate responsibility still lies with the drivers themselves. "This stuff happens on the spot, without you knowing you're on TV," he said. I have an in-car camera every week, and if some driver rolls by and gives me the finger n national TV, is that his fault? Is he going to get penalized? We have to hold ourselves to a high standard, and I support NASCAR in its efforts to clean things up. But where does it stop? The networks are the backup, backup, backup plan. They need to help keep things off TV that they don't want their viewers to see. But it's our responsibility as drivers not to put them in that position. We'd like them to help us out, but it's still our responsibility."(MRN/Sirius Satelite Radio)(4-14-2005)
Cingular Jacks: Taking a cue from college football, a round white decal with the Cingular Jack will be applied to the #31 Team Cingular Pit Crew helmets for each pit stop under 12.99 seconds throughout the season. Heading to Texas the pit crew has already earned nine “Jacks.”(RCR)(4-14-2005)
Burton tests at Phoenix: Jeff Burton and the #31 Team Cingular tested at Phoenix International Raceway on Tuesday, April 12th and will again on Wednesday, April 13 in preparation for the Subway Fresh 500 April 23.(RCR)(4-13-2005)
Dickerson may have a new gig UPDATE RCR? DEI?: Chassis and body guru Eddie Dickerson, who was released by Hendrick Motorsports after being arrested in the early-morning hours at Daytona in February (disorderly intoxication), could land at Richard Childress Racing, sources in the garage said.(Speed Channel)(4-11-2005)
UPDATE: Former Hendrick Motorsports chassis director Eddie Dickerson will interview with Dale Earnhardt Inc. this week. DEI is starting an in-house chassis program, and Dickerson could use his magic to develop better-handling cars for Dale Earnhardt Jr., who complains about the drivability of his cars.(FoxSports/Sporting News)(4-13-2005)
Beneficial to Sponsor Two RCR Teams: Richard Childress Racing (RCR) has teamed up with Beneficial in a multi-year associate sponsorship agreement for two of its NASCAR Cup Series teams. Beneficial will sponsor and have decal space on the "B" posts of the #29 GM Goodwrench Chevrolet of driver Kevin Harvick and the lower rear quarter panels of the #31 Cingular Wireless Chevrolet of driver Jeff Burton. It will also be the primary sponsor of the #31 Chevrolet for the June event at Michigan International Speedway. Finally, Beneficial will have status with the racing organization as the "Official Consumer Lending Company of RCR." More info on Beneficial at beneficial.com.(RCR PR)(2-24-2005)
IMAGE: see an image of the scheme on my #31 Team Schemes page.(4-12-2005)
New Sponsor Site - Cingular Racing: Cingular Wireless has dropped the green flag in cyberspace for fans of #31 Cingular Wireless Chevrolet and NASCAR driver Jeff Burton. With the launch of www.cingular31.com, the official Web site of TEAM Cingular, fans will now have a