Typically when NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stars Matt Kenseth and Kurt Busch discuss the “field” it has to do with 41 other drivers and isn’t named “Lambeau,” but on Thursday, Sept. 13 that all changes. Prior to heading to Chicagoland Speedway to kick off the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Kenseth and Busch will make a friendly wager as the Chicago Bears take on the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.

Kenseth, a native of Cambridge, Wis., is a life-long Green Bay fan who attends four to five Packers games a year. Busch, who hails from Las Vegas, Nev., but has family in Chicago’s Northwest suburbs, is a die-hard Bears fan who will head up to Wisconsin to witness one of the National Football League’s most storied rivalries.

Should the Bears win, Kenseth will have to wear a Chicago Bears jersey to Sunday’s drivers meeting. Should the Packers emerge victorious, Busch will be sporting the green and gold before the start of the GEICO 400. Unsurprisingly, Busch is not lacking confidence heading into the Week 2 matchup.

“This is a no-brainer. Cutler to Marshall to start it, Urlacher and Peppers to finish it,” said Busch, driver of the No. 51 for Phoenix Racing. “A 2-0 start to the season for the Bears will be great, but seeing Kenseth in navy and orange will definitely be an added bonus.”

For his part, Kenseth isn’t too worried about the matchup.

“Everyone in Chicago is excited right now, but Green Bay is going to bring them right back down to earth,” said Kenseth, driver of the No. 17 for Roush Fenway Racing. “I think Aaron Rodgers will do Kurt a favor and get this one over by halftime just so we can have a little extra sleep before we head to Chicagoland Speedway to go racing.”

With the Thursday night game Kenseth, Busch and race fans don’t need to worry about missing their favorite NFL teams play while racing on Sunday. Fans interested in the game are invited to attend a viewing party at Hollywood Casino hosted by Chicagoland Speedway. The party begins at 6:30 pm ahead of a 7:20 kickoff, but fans are encouraged to arrive early in order to view the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Hauler Parade which will depart from Hollywood Casino at 5:00 pm.

Chicagoland Speedway PR

During this weekend's NASCAR race in Richmond, Va., a NASA Learning Environments & Research Networks (LE&RN) education program, Rockets to Racecars (R2R), will be open to the public to help educate them about last month's Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission that successfully landed the Curiosity rover on Mars.

The event will be held Sept. 7 - 9 at Richmond International Raceway in Richmond, Va.

"This event represents a significant collaboration between VA529, the Nationwide race sponsor, the Science Museum of Virginia and Richmond International Raceway. The focus these groups have on educational offerings for children, families and STEM (science, technology, education and mathematics) education training for teachers is impressive," said education specialist Bonnie Murray.

NASA R2R will have exhibits at the event where families can touch a tire from the Curiosity rover, test their skills at landing on Mars with an Xbox Kinect video game called "Mars Rover Landing," and see a model of MSL.

Additionally, visitors will be able to build a lander similar to the rover and initiate a drop test. They will learn about the science of flight and racing at NASA's R2R exhibit and meet Robonaut, the first robotic astronaut assistant.

Families also will learn about technology benefits space exploration has made possible for automobile and racing industries and how NASA plays a key role in improving automobile brakes, engine cooling systems and more. These attractions, from the Science Museum of Virginia, will be available at the Virginia 529 Kids Zone Friday from 12 to 7 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. EDT.

Prior to the event, there will be a teacher professional development workshop at the Science Museum of Virginia where participants will hear from Murray and Digital Learning Coordinators Lyle Tavernier and Karen Ricks as they talk about how NASA programs help inspire students to study STEM. Virginia teachers will see demonstrations on how the forces that lift planes and rockets also hold racecars tight to the track at high speeds. Teachers will learn about the various attractions held at the event, and all of their training will lead to their ability to share their knowledge of NASA at the Kids Zone area during the NASCAR event. 

Also featured during this event is the launch of newly updated Next Step Mars Module. The new module gives students and teachers information about the most advanced suite of instruments ever sent to the Martian surface. Seventy-five fourth grade students from Carver Magnet School in Little Rock, Ark., will interact with NASA education specialists from Goddard Space Flight Center, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and Langley Research Center to learn about the MSL mission and its correlations to the science of racing.

NASA LE&RN is a project within the Elementary-Secondary Education Program of NASA's Office of Education. Its primary focus is on the use of educational technologies for STEM content delivery to students of all ages, online professional development courses, experiences and events, and the research and development of learning tools and methods within tomorrow's learning environments. The project serves both teachers and students through interactive virtual connections.

NASA PR

Philadelphia Eagles legend and fan favorite, Brian Dawkins, will be honored as the Grand Marshal of the AAA 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, on September 30 at the Dover (Del.) International Speedway.

The former Pro Bowl safety will say the most famous words in motorsports, “Gentlemen start your engines,” to bring 43 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series engines to life before heading to Philadelphia where the Eagles will retire Dawkins' No. 20 during the nationally televised Sunday night showdown against the New York Giants.

AAA teamed up with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2007 and Brian Dawkins was selected to personify AAA’s reputation of reliable protection. In April 2012, Dawkins announced his retirement, as a Philadelphia Eagle, after 16 NFL seasons, 13 of which were with the Eagles. The planned activities for September 30 will serve as the re-launch of the brand ambassador and endorsement relationship between Dawkins and AAA.

“Brian is a beloved Eagles legend and is also a long-time AAA member,” says Marke Dickinson, Executive Vice President, AAA Mid-Atlantic. “We are thrilled that we were able to reconnect with Brian and help him celebrate this very special day. His tremendous work ethic and leadership both on and off the football field made him a fan favorite and the perfect person to represent the AAA brand.”

Dawkins will tackle a full day of festivities as he attends his first ever NASCAR race.  His day will start at Dover International Speedway as a guest of AAA Mid-Atlantic, the track and Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR).  AAA Mid-Atlantic is the Official Travel, Roadside Assistance and Insurance Partner of MWR and Dover International Speedway.  Additionally, AAA sponsors Martin Truex, Jr.’s No. 56 and the entire Michael Waltrip Racing team. During the AAA 400, Truex will be wearing a specially designed helmet to honor Dawkins 16-year NFL career.  Before the race, Dawkins will tour the garage area, meet with Truex, Jr. and his crew, be introduced at the drivers’ meeting, have an opportunity to interact with fans and take a lap around the Monster Mile prior to the green flag.

Martin Truex, Jr. grew up in South Jersey as a big Philadelphia Eagles fan and is excited to take part in the special day’s activities.  “As a sports fan and especially an Eagles fan, I cannot wait to introduce Brian Dawkins to NASCAR Nation and honor him on the 56 during the AAA 400.  I am also thrilled to attend the game, as a guest of AAA, on Sunday evening and watch Brian have his number retired.”

AAA and their sports marketing agency of record, Aquarius Sports & Entertainment, began planning the events for September 30 upon the release of the 2012 NFL schedule and the decision by the Eagles organization to retire Dawkins’ jersey on the same day as the AAA 400.  The close proximity of Dover International Speedway and Lincoln Financial Field provides the opportunity to leverage AAA’s assets as part of the AAA 400 entitlement, Michael Waltrip Racing and Philadelphia Eagles sponsorships and endorsement relationship with Dawkins.

“I’m excited to be honored by the Philadelphia Eagles organization and have the opportunity to partner, once again, with AAA,” Dawkins said  “The ability to have this all done in such a unique way by tying in AAA’s racing partnerships to begin the day is really something special.  I have never been a Grand Marshal at a NASCAR race and I am looking forward to giving the ‘start your engines’ command at the AAA 400.”

Dover Motorsports PR

Pocono Raceway today announced 2013 Grandstand tickets to the June 7-9 Pocono 400 and August 2-4 Pennsylvania 400 race weekends are now available for purchase. Grandstand ticket prices for the 2013 season at “The Tricky Triangle” remain the same as they were in 2012.

Sunday Grandstand tickets start at $45, all Concourse Grandstand tickets remain at half-price for kids ages 12 and under. Friday and Saturday General Admission tickets cost $10 and $20 ($25 at the gate), respectively. Children, ages 12 and under, accompanied by an adult holding a General Admission ticket will be admitted free on Friday and Saturday.

This marks the initial release of select Grandstand tickets for the 2013 NASCAR race weekends at Pocono Raceway. Additional tickets will be released following the Raceway’s customer renewal process.

Available tickets can be purchased by contacting Pocono Raceway’s ticket office at 1-800-RACEWAY (1-800-722-3929) or by ordering them online at www.poconoraceway.com.

Pocono Raceway PR

After back-to-back Sprint Cup Championships in 2003 and 2004, Roush Fenway Racing followed up its back-to-back accomplishment with one of the finest encores in the sports history; placing all five of its Sprint Cup entries inside the 2005 10-team Chase field.

RFR drivers Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch and Mark Martin each placed their respective Fords in the field, giving Roush Fenway a 50 percent share of the entries in the 2005 Chase and further cementing the team’s legacy of success within the modern NASCAR era. Roush Fenway’s ‘drive for five’ into the 2005 Chase kicked off in striking fashion, with a dominant performance in the ‘regular season’ finale at Richmond International Raceway that saw Kurt Busch lead a one-two-three Roush Fenway finish with Kenseth and Biffle, that culminated with all five of the RFR drivers celebrating late into the night on NASCAR’s biggest stage.

"I'm sure Jack is pretty happy right now," said Kenseth after the race. "He gives us everything we need to run up front."

Despite the favorable odds, RFR would come up just short of a third consecutive Sprint Cup title, but would dominate the series’ top five with Biffle, Edwards and Martin finishing second, third and fourth in the final standings.

Roush Fenway will once again place multiple teams in this season’s 2012 Chase for the Sprint Cup, with Biffle and Kenseth having already clinched a berth in the 12-race field. Edwards will need plenty of help, but remains mathematically eligible for his seventh Chase spot as the series moves into tomorrow night’s cut-off event at Richmond. Saturday night’s Sprint Cup event from Richmond is set for 7:30 p.m. EDT and will be televised live on ABC.

Roush Fenway Racing PR

JR Motorsports and its competition director of five years, Tony Eury Sr., announced today the decision to amicably part ways, effective today.

MacDonald Motorsports will highlight Random Acts again this week in Richmond.  This time however it will be with the help of ITEX, a national membership trade exchange!  When Don Swartz, a broker with ITEX of the Triad heard about the "pay it forward idea", he wanted to get on board and help.  Don and ITEX are also using this opportunity to help draw attention to one of their other members, a NC based non-profit - Energize Ministries.

“I love representing such a great group of people!" explained Bowles.  “It’s great to have companies such as ITEX to help raise awareness for groups such as Random Acts and Energize Ministries.   As far as the race, Richmond is one of my favorite tracks and I’ve been looking forward to getting back here since the spring race.  We’ve have a couple good finishes in a row here so hopefully we can keep that going Friday night.”

Instead of buying the things you need and want with cash, ITEX Members make purchases with ITEX dollars - earned by selling their products and services, excess inventory or capacity to other ITEX Members.  Do you run ads?  Do you send brochures or other marketing material?  Need to hire a consultant, accountant or an attorney?  Do you need office equipment serviced?  With ITEX, you can acquire all of these services with ITEX dollars.  That's just the beginning. Want to take your customers or staff to lunch or dinner? Do you need a hotel room, a vacation or just a massage? Thousands of items can be purchased with ITEX dollars.

International Trade Exchange has a national reach.  Don Swartz, owner of the Wilmington franchise with an office in the Triad as well, has coordinated an effort with "Energize Ministries" to use trade to promote ITEX corporate as well as the NC reach, being from Charlotte to the Triad to the Triangle to Wilmington.  Please call 704-562-9111 for more information.

Random Acts is back on the MacDonald Motorsports No. 81 Dodge again this Friday night at Richmond.  Random Acts works to motivate people to demonstrate more kindness on a daily basis.  A stranger needs help carrying their groceries; a homebound neighbor could use some cheering up. These opportunities crop up every day and most of us are so busy that we miss them.  All you have to do is pay attention and offer kindness whenever, wherever you can.  To learn more about Random Acts and how to get involved, please visit www.therandomact.org.

Energize Ministries will be prominently displayed on the No. 81 Dodge Challenger of Jason Bowles Friday night as well. Energize Ministries is passionate about loving, supporting and blessing those who lead ministry. With rising percentages of pastors facing burnout, we know it is essential to continually provide support, encouragement, and refreshment to pastors and other ministry leaders.  To learn more about Energize, please visit their website at www.energizeministries.com.

Energize ministries is constantly seeking opportunities to encourage pro active care and support for our pastors, ministers, and other spiritual leaders.  We are excited and thankful for the support of ITEX, MacDonald Motorsports, and driver Jason Bowles!

MMPR

Frank Stoddard and FAS Lane Racing is proud to announce that Two-Time NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Champion Mike Olsen will pilot the team’s No. 32 Ford entry in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 23rd.  The running of the Sylvania 300 will be a reunion of lifelong friends, Frank Stoddard and Olsen, who grew up together about 75 miles from the New Hampshire track in North Haverhill, NH.

“Mike and I have been best friends since we were 3 or 4 years old,” stated FAS Lane Racing team owner Frank Stoddard. “While growing up in North Haverhill my goal in our high school yearbook was to be a Winston Cup crew chief and Mike’s was to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps - his grandfather was legendary racer Stub Fadden who won numerous track championships and over 200 race wins.  For us to both have fulfilled those dreams and now be able to work together at the highest level of racing is pretty special. I know our mentor, Stub, will be watching down quite proudly of the two kids that he dragged around New England and Canada - now together again on the biggest stage in racing.”

Stoddard and Olsen spent years working, traveling and racing side by side.  They first worked together for Fadden, until Olsen split and started competing at the same level as his legendary grandfather.  Stoddard and Olsen were still together, however, driving tandem up and down the East Coast and turning wrenches side by side for their own respective teams. 

Although the two have chosen different career paths, the two friends’ path will intersect again when they team up in New Hampshire later this month.  The Stoddard/Olsen combination will be the first New Hampshire born driver and car owner/crew chief to ever compete together at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

While Stoddard has gone on to be a successful crew chief at the highest level of NASCAR with 14 Sprint Cup Series wins to his credit (including four of those at NHMS), Olsen has fulfilled his dream as well in becoming the 2001 and 2006 Champion in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Series.  He has over 50 starts at the one-mile oval of in Loudon including winning the 2006 K&N race at his home state track.

“Obviously, I am very honored and excited that Frank has given me this opportunity,” added Olsen.  “Racing has always been my passion and to race at the Sprint Cup level is a dream come true.  What makes this even more special is to share the experience with my lifelong friend.  Frank and I have such a long history of racing together, starting with the early days touring on the old NASCAR North Tour where budgets were so tight we drove all night to get home after the races.  I am proud of Frank's career and accomplishments and to race with him as my car owner /crew chief in a Sprint Cup race is an honor and brings our racing story together full circle.”

FAS Lane Racing PR