Iowa Speedway officials announced today that Fire, Law Enforcement and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) ‘First Responders’ will be honored with a special recognition during the final weekend of the track’s 2013 racing season.

‘First Responders’ will be cited for the outstanding work they do, day in and day out, in Opening Ceremonies for both the ‘Prairie Meadows 150’ ARCA Series stock car race on Saturday evening, September 7, and the ‘Fan Appreciation 200 presented by New Holland’ NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event on Sunday afternoon, September 8.  In addition, a special $10 ticket will be available to all ‘First Responders’ and their family members who attend one or the other of the weekend’s races.

“We are so proud of the critically important work these heroic ‘First Responders’ perform every day, in every city and town across the nation,” said Stan Clement, Iowa Speedway President.  “It’s the least we can do to thank them publically, and to give them an opportunity to enjoy our last weekend of racing this year for just ten bucks a ticket for either Saturday’s or Sunday’s race.”

Iowa Speedway PR

Kansas Speedway and 98.9 The Rock have partnered again to bring fans rock band Sevendust in another Low Dough show after the Kansas Lottery 98.9 on Oct. 4 with tickets just $9.89.

Sevendust has nine studio albums, including “Black Out The Sun” which was released earlier this year. “Black Out the Sun” was #1 on Billboard’s Top Hard Music Albums the week of its release, the first #1 album for the band. Seven of Sevendust’s albums have spent time in the Top 20 on the Billboard 200 chart. The band has toured with Korn, Staind, Creed, Puddle of Mudd and Shinedown, among others.

Sevendust is also planning to record an acoustic EP early next year, along with doing an acoustic tour in 2014.

The $9.89 tickets allows access all day at Kansas Speedway on Oct. 4 and activities include the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards Kansas Lottery 98.9, the series finale; and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying for the Oct. 6 Hollywood Casino 400. Click here to buy $98.9 tickets for Friday, Oct. 5.

The concert will be located inside the gates at Kansas Speedway in the Turn 1 area south of the grandstands.

Tickets for Kansas Speedway’s October races are on sale now, too, by calling 866.460.RACE (7223) or click here. The Hollywood Casino 400 (the fourth race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup) is Oct. 6 and tickets start at $64. The Kansas Lottery 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race is Oct. 5 and the Kansas Lottery 98.9 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards race is Oct. 4. Season ticket holders have access to the Kansas Army National Guard Pre-Race, which features a concert and driver introductions, with their TrackPass.

Parking is always free at Kansas Speedway and fans can bring in one 14x14x14-inch soft-sided cooler with their favorite food and beverages.

Kansas Speedway PR

ravis Kvapil and the No. 93 Burger King / Dr. Pepper Toyota Camry finished 16th at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway on Saturday, August 24.  After a loose wheel forced the team down pit road under green flag conditions just prior to the halfway point, Kvapil and the team paced themselves to stay focused, regained the ground they lost and crossed the finish line in the 16th position. 

With just two practice sessions available to prepare for the Irwin Tools Night Race, Kvapil and his No. 93 Burger King / Dr. Pepper Toyota Camry team completed just over 100 practice laps.  The highly anticipated race is known for aggressive side-by-side racing, requiring teams to be prepared for nearly every situation. 

After starting in the 39th position, Kvapil fought to break into the top 30.  The team worked diligently during early pit stops to fine-tune the handling on their Toyota Camry.  The team experienced a major setback when a loose right rear wheel forced Kvapil to pit road under green flag conditions on lap 199.  Kvapil diagnosed the problem on the right side, which allowed the team to decrease the time spent on pit road by changing two tires.  At a track nicknamed the "World's Fastest Half-Mile" because an entire lap takes less than 20 seconds, Kvapil still lost a couple laps to the leader.  Unfortunately, the caution flag came out within 10 laps of Kvapil's visit to pit road, solidifying his position a couple laps behind the leader. 

Kvapil and his BK Racing team kept their focus on the race, looking to regain track position through pit strategy.  The focus worked as Kvapil's No. 93 Burger King / Dr. Pepper Toyota Camry regained track position to be scored in the 24th position by lap 425.

With several on-track incidents during the closing laps of the Irwin Tools Night Race, Kvapil carefully navigated his way through the melee to move inside the top 20 by lap 450.  By the time the checkered flag waved, Kvapil was scored in the 16th position to mark his best finish of the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. 

"Our No. 93 Burger King / Dr. Pepper Toyota Camry team did such a great job today," commented Kvapil.  "Our race easily could've been over with that loose wheel around lap 200, but everyone stayed focused on the job at hand to get us to the finish line.  With some determination and focus, we were able to bring home our best finish of the year.  I'm proud of our effort tonight, and I'm looking forward to picking up where we left off next weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway."

BK Racing PR

David Reutimann and the No. 83 Burger King / Dr. Pepper Toyota Camry team finished in the 29th position on Saturday night at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.  After starting in the 37th position, Reutimann and his BK Racing team paced themselves to race inside the top-15 competitors throughout the mid-section of the race.  With one of their best cars of the season, the No. 83 Burger King / Dr. Pepper Toyota Camry appeared poised for its best finish of the year.  However, a late-race accident left Reutimann to cross the finish line in the 29th position with a damaged racecar. 

Undeniably one of the most anticipated races of the year among NASCAR fans, competitors traveled to the track nicknamed "The Last Great Coliseum" for 500 laps of side-by-side racing under the lights on Saturday night.  With two practice sessions to prepare for the race, Reutimann ran nearly 150 laps to prepare his No. 83 Burger King / Dr. Pepper Toyota Camry for Saturday night's race. 

After rolling off in the 31st position, Reutimann showed the strength of his car by immediately picking up several positions on the track.  The caution flag waved for the first time of the evening on lap 42, to bring several competitors down pit road.  Reutimann's stop didn't go as planned when contact with the No. 2 of Keselowski while trying to enter his pit box forced Reutimann to drive past his pit stall and re-enter pit road the next lap.  Despite the setback, Reutimann's team continued to fight hard and by lap 200, Reutimann was scored securely inside the top 15. 

For the next 150 laps, Reutimann continued to battle hard for position while racing inside the top 15.  The No. 83 Burger King / Dr. Pepper Toyota Camry showed enough strength to be capable of a top 12 finish at the 0.533-mile concrete oval.  On lap 359, Reutimann engaged in a side-by-side battle with the No. 55 of Brian Vickers.  With little room for error, the two made contact driving through turns three and four, which sent Reutimann spinning into the outside retaining wall and across the track collecting the No. 48 of Jimmie Johnson.  The BK Racing team made a series of pit stops to repair the No. 83 Burger King / Dr. Pepper Toyota Camry, but the stops resulted in Reutimann losing several laps to the leaders. 

Although removed from contention for a top-15 finish, the BK Racing team repaired Reutimann's car to allow him to compete and the No. 83 Burger King / Dr. Pepper Toyota Camry returned to the track.  At the conclusion of the Irwin Tools Night Race, Reutimann was scored in the 29th position. 

"Our No. 83 Burger King / Dr. Pepper Toyota Camry was really strong today," commented Reutimann.  "The guys built a great racecar, my crew chief, Doug Reichert, made great calls on pit road all night; I really think we could have been capable of getting a top-12 finish in tonight's race.  I'm encouraged by all the progress that we've made over the last few weeks, now we just need to be able to put together the whole package and make it to the checkered flag without any on-track incidents.  I'm looking forward to getting back on the track at Atlanta Motor Speedway next weekend."

BK Racing PR

Attention race fans, M&M'S has the cure for the Monday, post-race blues: driving around a NASCAR track! As the "Official Chocolate of NASCAR" and sponsor of the popular No. 18 M&M'S® Toyota, M&M'S Brand in September is giving NASCAR fans the ultimate driving experience – and chance to race the same track as the pros – at the famous Atlanta Motor Speedway (AMS) during an exclusive event dubbed the M&M'S 500.

On Monday, September 2, M&M'S will invite fans to drive their own vehicle two full laps around the storied mile and a half track in an effort to show how M&M'S candies help make Mondays "Better With M." Following their rides, fans can have their vehicles photographed at the track.

"We're taking our fans' love of NASCAR and M&M'S to the next level with the M&M'S 500," said Roy Benin, Chief Consumer Officer at Mars Chocolate North America. "In addition to the race day plus-ups we've been rewarding our fans with this season, we're excited to give them the ultimate chance to sit behind the wheel on a track they know and love."

The event will start at 8:00 AM. Any and all car and truck types are welcome to participate, and fans can sign up at http://www.atlantamotorspeedway.com/mm500/. The event is limited to the first 500 registrations and drivers must present a valid driver's license to participate.

Rewarding Race Fans
The M&M'S 500 is the latest amazing offering in the brand's year-long effort to make occasions of all kinds – from birthdays to holidays to even ordinary Mondays – 'Better with M' by showcasing how irresistible M&M'S chocolate candies make moments more fun and delicious.

In addition to the M&M'S 500, the brand will continue its popular at-track "Race Day is Better With M" spotter program by visiting three remaining race events during the 2013 NASCAR^® Sprint Cup Series season including the fall races in Atlanta, New Hampshire and Charlotte.  The brand goes in search of race fans and chocolate-lovers alike who put their affinity for M&M'S on display, and rewards such fans with race day plus-ups like branded race gear, free product and the chance to be upgraded to the "Best Seats in the House" on race day.

In addition to the brand's at-track spotter program, M&M'S is actively encouraging race fans to showcase how they use M&M'S during their race day ritual at home this race season via the hashtag, #BetterWithMMS, on Twitter for additional chances to win upgrades.

For more information on the M&M'S 500 and to learn how M&M'S® is making Mondays 'Better With M', visit www.facebook.com/mmsracing.

Mars North America PR

Fans attending the Federated Auto Parts 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway on Saturday, September 7, will once again be able to take advantage of the “Park and Ride” shuttle program from downtown Richmond at the Richmond Coliseum parking lot. The shuttle service allows fans to park their vehicles and take a free shuttle to the main gate of America’s Premier Short Track.

The Richmond Coliseum parking area at North 7^th Street in downtown Richmond opens and begins offering free shuttle rides to fans at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 7. The shuttle runs continuously back and forth throughout the afternoon and evening, with pick-up/drop-off at the track’s main entrance. The shuttle is free, but a $6 parking fee applies at the Coliseum lot.

The Richmond Coliseum parking area is conveniently located less than five minutes from the intersections of I-95 and I-64. To see a detailed map of the Richmond Coliseum area visit: http://www.rir.com/About-The-Track/Seating-Chart-and-Maps/Shuttle-and-Traffic-Maps/Shuttle-Map.aspx.

Shuttle service is no longer available at The Showplace on Mechanicsville Turnpike.

RIR PR

Sunday's Chevrolet Silverado 250 will be a unique road-racing experience for Max Gresham and everyone else on the No. 8 Made in USA Brand (MIUSA) race team. Along with most of the field in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS), very few teams can claim significant experience on road courses.

Gresham will be able to put a new notch on his belt this weekend, which will mark his first race appearance on a road course in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Gresham has prepared for this weekend recently by holding a test session at Carolina Motorsports Park in Kershaw, S.C.

The trip to Canadian Tire Motorsports Park will mark the first time since 2000 the truck series has been on a road course. None of the drivers in that race at Watkins Glen International are entered in Sunday's event, though series regular and veteran Ron Hornaday, Jr. has 14 starts on road courses with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

"Making both left and right turns is something most of us have little real experience on," Gresham said. "You definitely need to develop a rhythm on the course. Eventually, you fall back on your experiences driving on the freeway, but at really fast speeds. It's a different way to race, but none of us are doing anything that's unnatural."

With the series headed to Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada, for the Chevrolet Silverado 250, Gresham, who has previous road-course experience from his time in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East could use this Sunday as an opportunity to capitalize on that resume. In one start at Lime Rock Park, Gresham started 11th and finished third in the 2010 edition of the 66-lap event. He has also turned laps around the infield road course at the Atlanta Motor Speedway in an INEX U.S. Legends International car.

This summer has been milestone after milestone for the 20-year-old driver and Sharp-Gallaher Racing. First, the truck series raced on Tony Stewart's half-mile dirt track on July 24. Now the series moves north of the border to face the challenges of track promoter Ron Fellows' 2.459-mile, 10-turn course located 50 miles from Toronto.

"We learned a lot during our test at Kershaw and when I attended the Ron Fellows Performance Driving School is Las Vegas," the Milner, Georgia native said. "But everyone else is in the same boat. We faced challenges at the dirt track and we came home with a top-10 finish. I know we can do the same with this challenge and I'm confident for a good run."

Sunday's race, which starts at 2 p.m. Eastern Time on Fox Sports 1, continues a NASCAR tradition in Canada.

To help everyone get up to speed for the Sunday event, NASCAR scheduled four practice sessions - two each on Friday and Saturday - before pole qualifying on Saturday afternoon.

"Believe me, if I can handle traffic in Atlanta during rush hour, I can adjust to road-course racing," Gresham joked.

Max Gresham PR

In dominating fashion, Dylan Kwasniewski was able to secure his fourth NASCAR K&N Pro Series East (NKNPSE) victory of the season at the Biscuitville 125 at Virginia International Raceway (VIR) on Saturday afternoon, after being the quickest in practice and taking the top spot in qualifying. Both of Kwasniewski's teammates, Kenzie Ruston and Austin Dyne, were able to bring their Turner Scott Motorsports entries home with top-15 finishes.

Grabbing the pole for the second time this season, Kwasniewski jumped out to an early lead at VIR and held it until lap 10 when he decided to let the second-place car by so that he could conserve his tires for later in the race. Around lap 25, Kwasniewski ducked down pit road to fill his Rockstar Energy Drink/Royal Purple Chevy up with Sunoco fuel. The team opted to not take any tires and regained the lead. Kwasniewski went on to lead a race-high 39 laps en route to his fourth NKNPSE victory of the season.

Ruston, who started the race in the ninth position, remained around the top 10 for the first half of the race. When the field came down to pit, Ruston brought her AccuDoc Solutions Chevy in to the attention of her crew for fuel only. Ruston crept back into the top 10, running as high as eighth place, before being involved in an incident late in the Biscuitville 125. Ruston brought the No. 34 AccuDoc Solutions team home in the 12th spot.

After a solid practice session, Austin Dyne qualified his No. 99 KMC Wheels Chevy in the eighth spot. After missing a shift on the initial start of the race, Dyne decided to settle in to the running order. On lap 15, Dyne came to pit road for fuel only. After the pit stops cycled through, Dyne was shown in the sixth position. A late-race incident forced Dyne back in the finishing order, and he eventually brought the No. 99 KMC Wheels Chevy home with a 13th-place finish.

"It was awesome," said Dylan Kwasniewski. "We had a fantastic car. This track is a blast to run. I thought they were going to get me there for a little bit, but we just had to keep calm and make sure I didn't burn off my tires because that was the biggest thing. We had to keep the tires under us and make sure we had rubber left at the end, and we did. I have to say thanks to Rockstar, Royal Purple and of course, my awesome Turner Scott Motorsports team."

TSM PR

15-year-old Kyle Benjamin became the youngest race winner in ARCA Series history after leading the final 131 laps (out of 200) in Sunday's race at Madison International Speedway in Oregon, Wisconsin.

Benjamin, making his first start at the half-mile track, started third behind local racer Ross Kenseth and series regular Justin Boston, but grabbed the lead when the second and final caution flag flew on lap 70. From there, he checked out to earn his eighth overall victory of the 2013 racing season.

"It's definitely the biggest thing that has ever happened to me," said Benjamin, who became the youngest pole winner in ARCA history earlier this season at Toledo. "I'm ecstatic right now. I'm not going to sleep tonight. I'm not going to sleep tomorrow night.

"It was a top-five car at the beginning. We came and made our stop and got those two those tires and the car came to life. From there it was smooth sailing. Kevin Reed is such a good crew chief. I got the best team behind me. I had a great spotter. Everything just came together today. I'm really happy for all of the guys."

Reed, who has crew chiefed for Benjamin in six events this year with Venturini Motorsports, shared the young driver's sentiment.

"Kyle's been awesome all year," Reed said. "He was just flawless today."

Benjamin's next ARCA Series race will be at Iowa Speedway on September 7.

Rising Star PR

Michael Waltrip Racing announced today Scott Miller, its vice-president of competition, will oversee the crew chief duties on No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota for the remainder of the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup season.

Miller will take the lead role on the No. 55 Toyota team working with driver Brian Vickers. Miller replaces Rodney Childers who remains under contract with MWR through December 31.

Billy Scott, a race engineer with MWR since 2008 and exclusive to the No. 55 the past two seasons, will take an elevated role in car set up and race weekend preparations.

Vickers will drive the No. 55 in the remaining 2013 races except at Talladega when two-time Daytona 500 champion Michael Waltrip climbs behind the wheel. Vickers won the July 14 race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the No. 55. The team is 19th in the car owner standings.

Miller is a 20-year motorsports veteran who joined MWR before the 2012 season and played a major role in bringing the team its first two Chase berths last year. He has served as crew chief for several teams during his career.

MWR PR