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Sprint Cup
CUP: 2013 NASCAR Media Tour Blog - Wednesday
The Charlotte Motor Speedway Sprint Media Tour is in its third day...
(L-R) Kasey Kahne, Jeff Gordon, team owner Rick Hendrick, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. speak to the media during the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Media Tour on January 23, 2013 in Concord, North Carolina. (Photo: Getty Images)
Editor’s note: Each day, we will bring you the latest reports from the Charlotte Motor Speedway Sprint Media Tour. Check back for frequent updates.
[Wednesday 7:45 pm ET]
NEW DEAL — Penske Corp. and Shell confirmed today a multi-year extension of their ongoing alliance in North America. As part of the agreement, Shell and Pennzoil will continue sponsoring Penske Racing entries in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the IZOD IndyCar Series as well as continue to be the preferred supplier of fuels, lubricants and related products to the Penske organization.
As part of the agreement, Pennzoil will continue to be the "Official Motor Oil" of Penske Racing. Shell and Pennzoil will continue to be the primary sponsor of the Penske Racing No. 22 car for 33 races in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Joey Logano joins the team this season racing the distinctive Shell-Pennzoil Ford Fusion beginning in 2013.
For the third-consecutive season, three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves will continue to represent the Shell and Pennzoil premium brands in 2013. Castroneves will drive the No. 3 Shell V-Power Pennzoil Ultra IndyCar at the Indianapolis 500 on May 26 as well as at the inaugural Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston series doubleheader, October 5-6. Shell and Pennzoil will also be associate sponsors on all Penske Racing cars competing throughout the season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series as well as the IZOD IndyCar Series.
[Wednesday 7:26 pm ET]
EL CAPTAIN — Roger Penske said there’s two things different at his team now: “The Blue Oval on my shirt … and we have the (NASCAR) championship trophy.”
In ceremony at team shop — a former Panasonic factory — Penske and Keselowski were given the keys to Mooresville, N.C., a/k/a “Race City U.S.A.” Keselowski also given the 2012 Driver of the Year trophy.
Penske also announced that Alliance Truck Parts has extended its sponsorship deal for two more years. Rental car giant Hertz is coming back as a sponsor for Penske’s NASCAR Nationwide Series team in 2013 as well. Hertz will be the primary sponsor of the No. 22 Penske NNS car for seven races this season.
Keselowski said his chances at repeating as NASCAR champion hinge on doing what the team did last year, but stepping up from there.
“You stick to what got you where you’re at,” said Keselowski. “It was a lot of hard work and dedication.”
From there, though, Keselowski said the team can’t stand still in 2013.
“We have to step up to a new level,” said Keselowski. “We have to get better. … I want to win multiple championships and I’m going to work hard to make that happen.”
And the ever-social-media-savvy Keselowski took a shot at Kasey Kahne’s new haircut, which caused a buzz on Twitter today. “I thought it was Will Smith,” Keselowski said of Kahne’s fabulous “fade” haircut. “I thought it was the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air at Hendrick Motorsports.”
[Wednesday 6:59 pm ET]
PENSKE POWER — We’re rolling at Penske Racing, where we’re watching a montage of race highlights from 2012, led, of course, by Brad Keselowski’s championship run, but with lots of IndyCar footage as well.
There is much new on the NASCAR side at Penske this year — the switch to Ford, the arrival of Joey Logano and the emergence of Ryan Blaney in the NASCAR Nationwide Series high on the list.
And with a new manufacturer and with the new Generation 6 race car, the team can’t rest on its laurels from 2012.
“This is a whole different year and we kind of have to forget about what we did last year,” said Penske President Tim Cindric.
[Wednesday 1:50 pm ET]
DANICA ENDORSEMENT – Dale Earnhardt Jr. is bullish on Danica Patrick's potential as she moves up to Sprint Cup: “It seems to me that she’s able to manage the Cup car a little better [than Nationwide],” Earnhardt Jr. said Wednesday. “It seems to me she’s doing whatever it takes to be productive and to speed up the process. I think it’s a matter of time before she’s competitive on a regular basis.”
[Wednesday 1:40 pm ET]
MEDIA TOUR PHOTO GALLERY - Check out these photos from the Charlotte Motor Speedway Sprint Media Tour.
[Wednesday 12:50 pm ET]
BUMPER CAR - Dale Earnhardt Jr. said he was “the most embarrassed I’ve ever been, at least in a long time” after he caused the multi-car incident that disrupted recent Gen-Six car testing at Daytona International Speedway. The accident basically proved that the bumpers on the new cars don’t link up well.
[Wednesday 12:30 pm ET]
THESE GUYS AGAIN? – At Hendrick Motorsports, where, somewhat mysteriously, there has been no Sprint Cup championship for two straight seasons. Guessing these guys won’t be shut out much longer.
[Wednesday 11:10 am ET]
NEW FORMAT – The Sprint All-Star Race, scheduled May 18 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (and on SPEED), has been through an entire range of format changes over the years. CMS officials confirmed Wednesday that the race will have a new format this season but said details of the changes will be announced later.
[Wednesday 11:00 am ET]
Watch Hendrick Motorsports' 2013 Media Day Live! - Hear what Rick Hendrick, Kasey Kahne, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and others have to say about the upcoming NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. Click here to watch the Hendrick Motorsports LiveStream this Wednesday, Jan. 23 from 12:30-1:45 p.m. ET on our Facebook page
[Wednesday 10:05 am ET]
A FLIP FOR CHIP? – Team owner Chip Ganassi made changes to management and technical personnel last year after a winless 2011. His drivers went winless again last year. Ganassi has stayed with the same management team, and his drivers stressed Wednesday that the fact that the same group is back for another season after a year of rebuilding is a major positive.
[Wednesday 8:55 am ET]
PLANE TRUTH – Earnhardt Ganassi Racing announces the arrival of new sponsor Cessna, long-time aircraft manufacturer. Its parent company, Textron, also will be involved in the sponsorship.
[Wednesday 8:05 am ET]
DAY THREE – The third day of the Charlotte Motor Speedway Sprint Media Tour opens at Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, a team seeking to return to the Sprint Cup mainstream after some down years. Also on the schedule: Hendrick Motorsports, defending series champion Penske Racing and some announcements from Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Mike Hembree is NASCAR Editor for SPEED.com and has been covering motorsports for 31 years. He is a six-time winner of the National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year Award.
[Wednesday 7:45 pm ET]
NEW DEAL — Penske Corp. and Shell confirmed today a multi-year extension of their ongoing alliance in North America. As part of the agreement, Shell and Pennzoil will continue sponsoring Penske Racing entries in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the IZOD IndyCar Series as well as continue to be the preferred supplier of fuels, lubricants and related products to the Penske organization.
As part of the agreement, Pennzoil will continue to be the "Official Motor Oil" of Penske Racing. Shell and Pennzoil will continue to be the primary sponsor of the Penske Racing No. 22 car for 33 races in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Joey Logano joins the team this season racing the distinctive Shell-Pennzoil Ford Fusion beginning in 2013.
For the third-consecutive season, three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves will continue to represent the Shell and Pennzoil premium brands in 2013. Castroneves will drive the No. 3 Shell V-Power Pennzoil Ultra IndyCar at the Indianapolis 500 on May 26 as well as at the inaugural Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston series doubleheader, October 5-6. Shell and Pennzoil will also be associate sponsors on all Penske Racing cars competing throughout the season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series as well as the IZOD IndyCar Series.
[Wednesday 7:26 pm ET]
EL CAPTAIN — Roger Penske said there’s two things different at his team now: “The Blue Oval on my shirt … and we have the (NASCAR) championship trophy.”
In ceremony at team shop — a former Panasonic factory — Penske and Keselowski were given the keys to Mooresville, N.C., a/k/a “Race City U.S.A.” Keselowski also given the 2012 Driver of the Year trophy.
Penske also announced that Alliance Truck Parts has extended its sponsorship deal for two more years. Rental car giant Hertz is coming back as a sponsor for Penske’s NASCAR Nationwide Series team in 2013 as well. Hertz will be the primary sponsor of the No. 22 Penske NNS car for seven races this season.
Keselowski said his chances at repeating as NASCAR champion hinge on doing what the team did last year, but stepping up from there.
“You stick to what got you where you’re at,” said Keselowski. “It was a lot of hard work and dedication.”
From there, though, Keselowski said the team can’t stand still in 2013.
“We have to step up to a new level,” said Keselowski. “We have to get better. … I want to win multiple championships and I’m going to work hard to make that happen.”
And the ever-social-media-savvy Keselowski took a shot at Kasey Kahne’s new haircut, which caused a buzz on Twitter today. “I thought it was Will Smith,” Keselowski said of Kahne’s fabulous “fade” haircut. “I thought it was the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air at Hendrick Motorsports.”
[Wednesday 6:59 pm ET]
PENSKE POWER — We’re rolling at Penske Racing, where we’re watching a montage of race highlights from 2012, led, of course, by Brad Keselowski’s championship run, but with lots of IndyCar footage as well.
There is much new on the NASCAR side at Penske this year — the switch to Ford, the arrival of Joey Logano and the emergence of Ryan Blaney in the NASCAR Nationwide Series high on the list.
And with a new manufacturer and with the new Generation 6 race car, the team can’t rest on its laurels from 2012.
“This is a whole different year and we kind of have to forget about what we did last year,” said Penske President Tim Cindric.
[Wednesday 1:50 pm ET]
DANICA ENDORSEMENT – Dale Earnhardt Jr. is bullish on Danica Patrick's potential as she moves up to Sprint Cup: “It seems to me that she’s able to manage the Cup car a little better [than Nationwide],” Earnhardt Jr. said Wednesday. “It seems to me she’s doing whatever it takes to be productive and to speed up the process. I think it’s a matter of time before she’s competitive on a regular basis.”
[Wednesday 1:40 pm ET]
MEDIA TOUR PHOTO GALLERY - Check out these photos from the Charlotte Motor Speedway Sprint Media Tour.
[Wednesday 12:50 pm ET]
BUMPER CAR - Dale Earnhardt Jr. said he was “the most embarrassed I’ve ever been, at least in a long time” after he caused the multi-car incident that disrupted recent Gen-Six car testing at Daytona International Speedway. The accident basically proved that the bumpers on the new cars don’t link up well.
[Wednesday 12:30 pm ET]
THESE GUYS AGAIN? – At Hendrick Motorsports, where, somewhat mysteriously, there has been no Sprint Cup championship for two straight seasons. Guessing these guys won’t be shut out much longer.
[Wednesday 11:10 am ET]
NEW FORMAT – The Sprint All-Star Race, scheduled May 18 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (and on SPEED), has been through an entire range of format changes over the years. CMS officials confirmed Wednesday that the race will have a new format this season but said details of the changes will be announced later.
[Wednesday 11:00 am ET]
Watch Hendrick Motorsports' 2013 Media Day Live! - Hear what Rick Hendrick, Kasey Kahne, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and others have to say about the upcoming NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. Click here to watch the Hendrick Motorsports LiveStream this Wednesday, Jan. 23 from 12:30-1:45 p.m. ET on our Facebook page
[Wednesday 10:05 am ET]
A FLIP FOR CHIP? – Team owner Chip Ganassi made changes to management and technical personnel last year after a winless 2011. His drivers went winless again last year. Ganassi has stayed with the same management team, and his drivers stressed Wednesday that the fact that the same group is back for another season after a year of rebuilding is a major positive.
[Wednesday 8:55 am ET]
PLANE TRUTH – Earnhardt Ganassi Racing announces the arrival of new sponsor Cessna, long-time aircraft manufacturer. Its parent company, Textron, also will be involved in the sponsorship.
[Wednesday 8:05 am ET]
DAY THREE – The third day of the Charlotte Motor Speedway Sprint Media Tour opens at Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, a team seeking to return to the Sprint Cup mainstream after some down years. Also on the schedule: Hendrick Motorsports, defending series champion Penske Racing and some announcements from Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Mike Hembree is NASCAR Editor for SPEED.com and has been covering motorsports for 31 years. He is a six-time winner of the National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year Award.
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