11/14/2009
CHAMPIONS WEEK DRAWS TO A CLOSE WITH BIG ANNOUNCEMENTS
· Junior Johnson Serves As Special Guest Speaker At
Marketing Seminar
· 2010 Schedules For Touring Series Outlined
· 2010 Television Package Highlighted |
The final day of Champions Week got underway in North Carolina with a
marketing seminar for NASCAR drivers and teams, highlighted by a special
guest speaker, NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Junior Johnson, and the
announcement of the touring series schedules and television coverage plans.
Johnson is a member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s inaugural class
that will be inducted in May 2010, and has a special connection with
NASCAR’s short tracks. Johnson’s son, Robert, 16, won five times in the
Sportsman Division this season at Caraway Speedway in Asheboro, N.C.
Also at the session, George Silbermann, managing director for
racing operations for NASCAR, outlined the 2010 schedules for each of four
touring series – Camping World Series East, Canadian Tire Series presented
by Mobil 1, Whelen Modified Tour and Whelen Southern Modified Tour. The
complete schedules were released by NASCAR following the seminar.
The Camping World Series West schedule are still being finalized,
but Silbermann did inform the competitors the series will finish the 2010
season during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekend at Phoenix International
Raceway in November. In addition, Silbermann confirmed the return of several
traditional West dates like the April Phoenix race, Infineon Raceway in
Sonoma, Calif., Toyota Speedway at Irwindale (Calif.), and the Portland
(Ore.) International Raceway road course. The series will also take part in
the fourth annual combination race with the NASCAR Camping World Series East
at Iowa Speedway May 23. Further dates and the complete schedule will be
announced shortly.
In addition, Silbermann updated the competitors on the 2010
television packages. SPEED and TSN will once again return to broadcast the
Camping World Series and Canadian Tire Series, respectively. And NASCAR is
working on final details of coverage of a select number of Whelen Modified
races with Versus and SPEED.
Further details will be announced at a later date.
The marketing seminar was the lead-in to the NASCAR Touring Series
Awards Gala set for Saturday evening. The inaugural event, which draws the
top drivers in NASCAR’s Developmental Series, culminates a week’s worth of
activities for the drivers, car owners and track promoters in the Charlotte,
N.C., area.
Additionally, several marketing experts within the motorsports
industry made presentations to the attendees and provided their insight into
navigating today’s marketplace.
On Friday morning, several special season-end awards for all of the
touring series were presented at the Driver Briefing, a special ceremony
held for the first time to spotlight the special awards winners:
· Camping World Happy Camper Award: Jason Bowles (Camping World
Series West) and Ryan Truex (Camping World Series East)
· Coca-Cola Move of the Race Award: Eric Beers (Whelen Modified
Tour), George Brunnhoelzl III (Whelen Southern Modified Tour), Paulie
Harraka (Camping World Series West), Jesus Hernandez (Camping World Series
East)
· Coors Light Pole Award: Jason Bowles (Camping World Series West),
George Brunnhoelzl III (Whelen Southern Modified Tour), Matt DiBenedetto
(Camping World Series East)
· Canadian Tire Series Pole Award: Andrew Ranger
· Featherlite Most Improved Driver Award: Frank Fleming (Whelen
Southern Modified Tour), Brett Moffitt (Camping World Series East), Moses
Smith (Camping World Series West)
· Mahle Engine Builder of the Year Award: Jason Bowles (Camping
World Series West), George Brunnhoelzl III (Whelen Southern Modified Tour),
Donny Lia (Whelen Modified Tour), Andrew Ranger (Canadian Tire Series
presented by Mobil 1), Ryan Truex (Camping World Series East)
· Mobil 1 Command Performance of the Race Award: Jason Bowles
(Camping World Series West) and Andrew Ranger (Canadian Tire Series
presented by Mobil 1)
· Mopar Cup: DJ Kennington (Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil
1)
· Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award: Paulie Harraka (Camping World
Series West) and Ryan Truex (Camping World Series East)
· Whelen Winner of the Race Award: Donny Lia (Whelen Modified Tour)
· WIX Lap Leader Award: Jason Bowles (Camping World Series West)
and Matt DiBenedetto (Camping World Series East)
Other special and series-specific awards were presented, as well.
· Darryl Mabe Memorial Mechanic of the Year Award: George
Brunnhoelzl Jr. (Whelen Southern Modified Tour)
· Driver Achievement Award: Rowan Pennink (Whelen Modified Tour)
and Anthony Simone (Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1)
· Len Boehler Award: Robert Katon Jr. (Whelen Modified Tour)
· Spencer Clark Driven Foundation Award: Becky McBride (Camping
World Series West)
· Sportsmanship Award: Grady Jeffreys (Whelen Southern Modified
Tour) and John Salemi Racing (Camping World Series East)
The week’s worth of activities culminates with Saturday evening’s
NASCAR Touring Series Awards Gala at the Concord Convention Center . NASCAR
champions Jason Bowles (Camping World Series West), George Brunnhoelzl III
(Whelen Southern Modified Tour), Donny Lia (Whelen Modified Tour), Andrew
Ranger (Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1) and Ryan Truex (Camping
World Series East) along with several other top drivers and standout
performers from each of the series will be recognized for their achievements
throughout the 2009 season. The ceremony will be streamed live online at
www.nascarhometracks.com.
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Source: Shon Sbarra
/ NASCAR
Posted: November
14, 2009 |
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