DPR Sports & Racing News

 

INDY CAR

Photo By Mark Rotor

CASTRONEVES CLIMBS FENCE AFTER WINNING AGAIN AT TEXAS

FORT WORTH, Texas (Saturday, June 6, 2009) - Helio Castroneves won for the third time at Texas Motor Speedway, grabbing the lead off a Lap 175 pit stop and going on to a 0.3904 of a second victory over Team Penske teammate Ryan Briscoe.

http://danspitstopracing.com/helio_castroneves

CLICK HERE for IndyCar Series Bombardier Learjet 550 Race Results

Briscoe returns to Milwaukee

Ryan Briscoe expected a breakout IndyCar Series season with the full-time move to Team Penske in 2008.

Initially, the breaks didn't go his way. No top-five finishes in the first five races despite three top-five starts, including a front-row perch for the 92nd Indianapolis 500. That might have been the most difficult to swallow -- 23rd place after a pit lane incident involving Danica Patrick's car (and her subsequent brief march toward Briscoe's pit stall that was a YouTube sensation).

A week later, though, Briscoe's fortunes changed at The Milwaukee Mile in the ABC Supply/A.J. Foyt 225. Starting 11th in the No. 6 Team Penske car, he persevered through 225 laps on the crowded oval to earn his first IndyCar Series victory and the 300th in motorsports for team owner Roger Penske.

Another Texas sellout for Helio

Thanks to Helio Castroneves and Texas Motor Speedway, 850 fans will watch the Bombardier Learjet 550k on June 6 for a greatly reduced price.

On May 28, the speedway offered 550 (race length) frontstretch tickets for $3 each (in honor of Castroneves' three Indianapolis 500 victories and his car number). The ticket promotion sold out in 23 minutes.

Earlier this month, the track offered "Helio's Blue Plate Special," in which the price of 300 tickets was to be determined by Castroneves' starting position in the Indy 500. He won the pole.

"Helio has brought some great deals to our race fans and I know he will have a huge following next Saturday during the Bombardier Learjet 550k," Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage said. "It's great to see the fans respond to this promotion as well as the previous one we did with Helio. It offers new fans the opportunity to get a taste of the exciting racing in the IndyCar Series at an unbelievable price."

Castroneves visited Fort Worth on May 27 as part of the 500 Victory Tour. During a luncheon, Gossage presented Castroneves - who's won twice at Texas Motor Speedway - a cowboy hat. The tour, which also included several media stops in New York, continued to Chicago on May 28.

The "Blue Plate" promotion was linked to his visit to the Dallas/Fort Worth area on May 18, where he received some cooking tips from world-renown chef Stephan Pyles at his restaurant.

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KENWOOD TEAMS UP WITH PENSKE RACING AGAIN IN 2009

Kenwood USA Corporation has once again partnered with Penske Racing to sponsor two NASCAR drivers for the 2009 Sprint Cup season.  The Kenwood logo appears on the #12 Dodge driven by David Stremme and the #77 Dodge driven by Sam Hornish, Jr. 

“Kenwood is pleased to be actively involved with Penske Racing’s NASCAR program for the second year in a row,” said Keith Lehmann, Senior Vice President of Kenwood’s Consumer Electronics Sector.  “The National brand exposure Kenwood has received is tremendous and has resulted in higher demand of our product among these very loyal racing fans.  Our partnership with Penske Racing has given us a great promotional tool that has benefited many of our dealers.”

Kenwood is an associate sponsor of the No. 12 and No. 77 cars for all 38 Sprint Cup Series races in 2009.  NASCAR is the #1 spectator sport in the U.S. and the #2 most televised sport (second only to the National Football League), broadcast in over 150 countries and in 30 different languages.  Penske Racing is in its 19^th consecutive season of NASCAR competition. 

“We want to thank Kenwood for their continued support of Penske Racing,” said Roger Penske. “We welcomed Kenwood to our NASCAR program last season and they have proved to be a terrific partner. We look forward to working together to grow the relationship this season.” 

“Kenwood’s involvement with the Penske organization has been a very rich experience due to their ability to execute at a very high level,” said Lehmann.  “From their many racing teams to their worldwide network of vehicle-related businesses, Penske is a leader in everything they set out to do.  Our relationship with Penske continues to generate promotional and business opportunities, more of which are expected to be announced this year.” 

Kenwood Corporate Information

Founded in 1961, Kenwood USA Corporation is a leading developer and manufacturer of audio and video products for home, car, and personal use. Offering more than 250 products, Kenwood is one of the three largest selling brands of audio and video entertainment products in the United States and is recognized by consumers and the consumer electronics industry for providing superior quality, reliability and value.

Kenwood Communications, based in Suwanee, GA, established in 1983, maintains a leadership position in North and South America for mobile and portable two-way radios and custom systems.  Clients include prominent federal, state and local government agencies and first responders and private industry including manufacturing, contracting, security, hospitality and education.   Kenwood USA Corporation, based in Long Beach, Calif., is the largest subsidiary of Kenwood Corporation (Japan).

About Penske Racing

Penske Racing is one of the most successful teams in the history of professional sports. Competing in a variety of disciplines, cars owned and prepared by Penske Racing have produced over 300 major race wins, more than 350 pole positions and 21 National Championships. 

 

For more information about Penske Racing, please visit www.penskeracing.com.

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Briscoe Wins a Thriller at Chicagoland..Another Close victory

Penske to buy Saturn, Return Marque to its “Original Roots

General Motors Corp. has a tentative deal to sell its Saturn brand to former race car driver and dealership group owner Roger Penske, both companies said Friday.

Penske has signed a memorandum of understanding that would give his dealership chain, Penske Automotive Group, Saturn's 350 dealerships, the companies said. Penske said that he expects to offer all the dealers new franchise agreements and will retain all 13,000 Saturn employees for the immediate term.

"I would expect that the model that we're putting together, the distribution model, will be profitable day one," Penske said in an interview with The Associated Press. "We'll have less costs. We'll not be in the manufacturing side."

Neither Penske nor GM would say how much Penske is paying for the brand. Penske said he expects the deal to close in the third quarter. Initially, GM will continue to produce on a contract basis the Saturn Aura sedan as well as the Vue and Outlook SUVs. But Penske said he is in talks with global car manufacturers about building Saturn cars in the future.

The sale marks a new chapter for Saturn, which GM had been trying to sell since earlier this year as part of its turnaround plan.

GM Chairman Roger Smith first unveiled the Saturn brand in November 1983, describing it as a revolutionary new way to build and sell small cars in America. But the project was slow to develop and the brand did not officially launch until 1990. It featured the iconic tag-line "a different kind of car company."

GM's hope was that Saturn would attract younger buyers with smaller, hipper cars to better compete with Japanese imports. It built a new plant in Spring Hill, Tenn., devoted to Saturn production. The factory had more flexible work rules than traditional GM plants for the employees who built the cars.

Despite a cult-like following that drew thousands to annual reunions in Spring Hill, the brand never made money for GM. The factory stopped making Saturns in 2007 and currently builds only the Chevrolet Traverse.

As GM focused more on high-profit pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles, Saturn began to languish in the late 1990s. Then in 2006, car buyers began to find Saturn's new models more appealing. But after a good year in 2007, sales dropped 22 percent last year as the U.S. car market withered.

"Saturn was kind of an unpolished gem at GM," said Brad Coulter, director at the Bloomfield, Hills, Mich., turnaround firm O'Keefe and Associates. "They had never really fully exploited what they developed. Saturn is known for having some of the best-run dealerships. The brand is highly rated. It's a top notch sales organization."

Today, Saturn production is scattered at plants across the U.S. The Aura is built at GM's factory at Kansas City, Kansas. The Outlook is built in Lansing, Mich., while the Vue is built in Ramos Arizpe, Mexico.

The Saturn Sky roadster is built in Wilmington, Del., but that plant is scheduled to close in July and the model will be discontinued. The Saturn Astra was imported from GM's plant in Antwerp, Belgium, and was discontinued last year.

Penske Automotive will take over the separate Saturn parts factory in Spring Hill, which will continue to make Saturn components.

Penske in an interview said foreign automakers would be key to his making Saturn succeed, but they will have to match GM's quality standards before Saturn's dealer network will distribute their products.

"As people around the world look at that, they have the opportunity to tap us on the shoulder and say we have product that we'd like to bring into the U.S." he said.

Other foreign automakers who have succeeded in the U.S. began with a distribution network, then started manufacturing operations, he said.

Bloomfield Hills-based Penske Automotive owns the second-largest U.S. automobile retail chain by sales and consistently scores high in customer satisfaction surveys. The company also has race teams in the IndyCar, NASCAR and Grand-Am series. Penske received wide acclaim for heading Detroit's successful effort to host the 2006 Super Bowl.

Penske Automotive also distributes Daimler AG's Smart subcompacts in the U.S., but Smart has its own dealership network and Saturn dealers will continue to exclusively distribute Saturn vehicles, Penske said.

Carl F. Galeana, who owns two Saturn dealerships north of Detroit, said Friday he was thrilled that Penske would be the Saturn buyer.

"Roger Penske is an icon in the business world," Galeana said. "I've worked with him personally. Nobody works harder than Roger Penske."

Galeana said the fact that Penske is interested in Saturn means the brand has value.

"It allows Saturn to get back to its original roots, which is to be an independent car company," he said.

Shares of Penske Automotive rose 52 cents, or 3.6 percent, to $15.13 in midday trading on news of the sale. The stock has enjoyed a brisk rally this year, more than tripling from an annual low of $4.82 in March.

Detroit-based GM, which filed for bankruptcy court protection on Monday, has said it plans to shed its Saturn, Hummer, Pontiac and Saab brands. Earlier this week, GM said it found a buyer for Hummer in China's Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Co.

However, any such deal would require Chinese Commerce Ministry approval, and reports in state-run newspapers Friday said Sichuan Tengzhong had not yet obtained such an approval.

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NASCAR

David Stremme

http://davidstremm.web702.discountasp.net/

 

No. 12 Penske Dodge Charger

No. 12 Star Trek Dodge Charger

 

David Stremme

No. 12 Penske Dodge Charger

                                   

Dover International Speedway

May 31, 2009

 

 

• This Week’s Charger… The No. 12 Penske Dodge team will use chassis PRS-613 during Sunday’s 400-mile event at Dover International Speedway. PRS-613 is a brand new chassis to the No.12 Penske Dodge fleet.
• Flying High... The driver of the No.12 Penske Dodge, David Stremme, will be at the Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Del. on Friday, May 29^th from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET.  He will be visiting with the troops and their families as well as signing autographs.
• Past Winners... The No.12 Penske Dodge Charger team has been to victory lane at the “Monster Mile.”  The team swept both NASCAR Cup Series events at the one-mile speedway in 2003, and then captured its third victory in the fall of 2004. The team also has secured three pole positions at Dover International Speedway.
• Moving On Up... After Monday’s 22^nd-place performance at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, the No.12 team moved up one spot in the point standings. Stremme now sits in the 26^th position less than 100 points out of the top-20. 
• Watch and Listen… The Autism Speaks 400 can be seen live Sunday, May 31 on the FOX Network. Race coverage is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. ET. The event can also be heard live on MRN Radio as well as Sirius Satellite Radio, channel 128.

 

David Stremme on driving in the Autism Speaks 400

“Dover is a really cool place to race. It is like Bristol on steroids. It is considered a short track but has speeds like a superspeedway. You have to be on your toes all day. Things happen so quickly and there is no place to go. We just need to continue to have solid finishes. Each week we get better as a group. [Crew chief] Roy [McCauley] and I are now comfortable with each other. I really like Roy [McCauley]. He is a racer just like me. I know that racing is all he thinks about.  At 10:30 at night I can call him with an idea and we will talk about it for an hour. We are both dedicated to this No.12 Penske Dodge and want the same results.”

Crew chief Roy McCauley on racing at Dover International Speedway

“Dover International Speedway is a great track. It is demanding on the driver. It is only 400-laps but is one of the longest races of the year. We need to make sure and keep our nose clean and be there at the end of the race. Track position is so important at Dover. We have to keep ourselves in position all day and take advantage of every opportunity.  I am looking forward to Dover… It is a great track and one of the most exciting events of the year.”

 

 

 

 

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NATIONWIDE Series

 

Justin Allgaier

http://www.justinallgaier.com/

No. 12 Verizon Wireless Dodge Charger

 

No. 12 Penske Racing Verizon Wireless Dodge Charger News and Notes

• This Week’s Charger… The No. 12 Verizon Wireless Dodge team and driver Justin Allgaier will race chassis PRS-007 during Saturday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series event at Dover International Speedway.  PRS-007 last saw action in late March at the concrete 1.33-mile Nashville Superspeedway, where Allgaier finished in the 29^th spot.
• First Time Here… Saturday will mark Allgaier’s first race at the “Monster Mile.” The 22-year-old driver has never even seen the one-mile high banked track before this weekend.
• Rookie Watch… Allgaier is currently second the Nationwide Series Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings. He is currently just three points behind leader Brendan Gaughan. 
• Stop By… Allgaier will visit the Verizon Wireless store in Dover, Del. on Friday, May 29 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET. The Illinois native will meet with store employees and sign autographs for fans. The Verizon Wireless store is located at 1045 North DuPont Highway, Dover, Del. 19901.
• Autographs Anyone?... Allgaier will appear at the Penske Racing souvenir trailer on Friday, May 29 from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. ET. The trailer is located on souvenir row at Dover International Speedway
• Getting Hitched… Memorial Day was special for Chris “Yoshi” Jones as he was married on Monday, May 25.  Jones, who serves as the tire specialist on the No.12 Verizon Wireless Dodge team, married Kayla Herring in Monroe, North Carolina. The two will reside in Concord, N.C.
• Watch and Listen… The Heluva Good! 200 will be broadcast live on Saturday, May 30on ABC TV, with coverage beginning at 2 p.m. ET. The event can also be heard live on MRN Radio as well as Sirius Satellite Radio, channel 128.

 

Justin Allgaier on driving at Dover International Speedway

“I am excited to go to Dover. I have seen the last couple race tapes and it looks like a blast. You carry a lot of speed into the corners, and have to really get your car to rotate through the corners to be fast. I know [crew chief] Chad [Walter] will bring a package that will be good. We have had a good couple of weeks and need to continue to finish races in the top-15.  We are getting into the part of the schedule where we are racing every week. I really like that. It is hard to keep up the momentum you build when there is an off week. This Verizon Wireless Dodge team is so strong. Penske Racing has put a great group of guys together and I am so lucky to be a part of it.”

 

Crew Chief Chad Walter on racing at Dover International Speedway

“Dover is a great place to race. It is close racing for 200 laps. As a crew chief, you have to get the car comfortable for the driver to be aggressive every once in a while. The car has to be predictable so when the driver sees an opening he can take it. Justin has done a great job getting adjusted to the tracks. He has really done his homework, looking at race tapes and talking to the other Penske Racing drivers about what he needs to do on the track. As a team, we can’t ask any more out of him. 

 

“We know we need to get a good starting spot in order to have a strong race. Track position is paramount. You have to keep your car in the lead pack all day to have a shot for the win. I am confident if we stay out of trouble all day we will have another strong run with our Verizon Wireless Dodge Charger.”