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Insider Racing News * July 5, 2007



Robby Gordon Atop Final Practice
Driving a Ford this year, Robby Gordon turned in the fastest lap in the final practice at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday afternoon. His lap of 47.687 seconds around the 2.5-mile track translated to a speed of 188.731 mph. Listed below are the top ten times and speeds:

Pos Car  Driver          Make      Sponsor                   Speed   Time   Behind

 1   7 Robby Gordon      Ford      Camping World/RVs.com     188.731 47.687 
 2   5 Kyle Busch        Chevrolet CARQUEST/Kellogg's        188.663 47.704 -0.017 
 3  31 Jeff Burton       Chevrolet AT&T Mobility             187.982 47.877 -0.190 
 4  40 David Stremme     Dodge     Coors Light               187.516 47.996 -0.309 
 5  70 Johnny Sauter     Chevrolet Haas Automation           187.301 48.051 -0.364 
 6  38 David Gilliland   Ford      M&M's Red, White & Blue   187.145 48.091 -0.404 
 7  20 Tony Stewart      Chevrolet The Home Depot            187.126 48.096 -0.409 
 8  22 Dave Blaney       Toyota    Caterpillar               187.102 48.102 -0.415 
 9  26 Jamie McMurray    Ford      IRWIN Marathon Saw Blades 186.807 48.178 -0.491 
10  12 Ryan Newman       Dodge     ALLTEL                    186.610 48.229 -0.542 
For full practice results...     (Insider Racing News)

Nextel Set To Change Name
Sptint-Nextel announced a press conference scheduled for 3 p.m. Eastern time, Saturday afternoon at Daytona International Speedway. The NASCAR Cup title sponsor is expected to announce a new name for the Cup Series at that time. Sprint unveiled a new ad marketing campaign last week and Nextel was not included. Nextel has the right under the present contract with NASCAR to change the name only one time during the ten-year term of the agreement. Sprint and Nextel merged two years ago and the Nextel name remained in place during that period. The name change is expected to start in 2008.

New Kurt Busch Commercials
Kurt will be featured in a two television commercials that will be run exclusively during this weekend’s Pepsi 400 broadcast on TNT-TV. The Miller Lite branded commercials which were produced by TNT for Miller Brewing Company in Atlanta last week feature Kurt in his driver’s uniform settling a debate between two bar patrons about NASCAR caution flags for debris.

The commercials are part of a new broadcast format for NASCAR that has the specially produced branded content that will play within the broadcast along the lower portion of the screen while the race coverage remains on screen. “We had a really fun time shooting the spots and I hope the fans enjoy them while they’re also enjoying a cold Miller Lite and watching the race on Saturday night,” Kurt said.

Nemechek Honors Firefighters
The paint scheme on Joe Nemechek's No. 13 Ginn Racing Chevrolet for this weekend's Pepsi 400 Nextel Cup race at Daytona International Speedway will honor the nine Charleston, S.C. firefighters who perished in a warehouse blaze on June 18.

The names and ages of the nine fallen firefighters are listed on the decklid of Nemechek's Chevrolet while the logo of the Charleston S.C. Fire Department is showcased on each side of the car.

The deaths were the single greatest loss of American firefighters in the line of duty since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, according to statistics compiled by (firehouse.com).

"Being a South Carolina native I wanted to let the families of the fallen victims and the Charleston community know that our race team shares in the mourning of these great American heroes," said team owner Bobby Ginn."The tragedy personally moved me."

Ginn is a former resident of Charleston and the Ginn Company has several communities in development in the area along with sponsoring an LPGA tournament.

"What an honor to have these nine heroic men riding along with me at Daytona," said Nemechek. "I am deeply touched to have our car honor the tragic loss of these nine firefighters and the Charleston, South Carolina Fire Department."

The names and ages of the nine fallen firefighters are as follows:

  • Capt. William "Billy" Hutchinson, 48
  • Capt. Mike Benke, 48
  • Capt. Louis Mulkey, 34
  • Engineer Mark Kelsey, 40
  • Engineer Bradford "Brad" Baity, 37
  • Assistant engineer Michael French, 27
  • Firefighter James "Earl" Drayton, 56
  • Firefighter Brandon Thompson, 27
  • Firefighter Melvin Champaign, 46

    Race fans wishing to make a donation to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation can go the organization's website -- (www.firehero.org).

    TNT Will Provide Wide Open Coverage
    TNT goes under the lights this Saturday, July 7 when the network televises the Pepsi 400 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race from the Daytona International Speedway with the debut of a new television format- Wide Open Coverage- a unique format that will be limited to only three local commercial breaks per hour (no national commercial interruptions) and will feature an innovative on-screen video box for sponsor branded content. The night will rev up at 5:30 p.m. ET with 24X24: Wide Open with Jeff Gordon, a special on four-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series driver Jeff Gordon, followed at 6:30 p.m. ET with NASCAR on TNT Live!, hosted by Marc Fein. At 7:30 p.m. ET the Allstate Countdown to Green, hosted by Bill Weber, will lead into green flag action of TNT’s signature race, the Pepsi 400, at 8 p.m. ET.

    During the network’s extensive pre-race coverage, the Pride of NASCAR series will continue as Kyle Petty interviews his father, seven-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Champion and three-time Pepsi 400 winner, Richard ‘The King’ Petty. Richard Petty will discuss his illustrious NASCAR career that placed him firmly in the category of racing legends, as well as the family’s rich lineage of NASCAR racing. Additional Pride of NASCAR pieces featuring legends David Pearson, Benny Parsons, Junior Johnson and ‘Gentleman' Ned Jarrett are available to view on TNT Inside Angle on NASCAR.COM and include additional excerpts from the interviews that have not been televised.

    Pre-race coverage will also include Florida State graduate Matt Yocum's tour of the city of Daytona to document its importance in NASCAR’s history. In addition, TNT will air a special interview with Kevin Harvick who is the reigning champion at Daytona International Speedway, after claiming a victory at the Daytona 500 in February, Harvick’s first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series win in a restrictor plate race.

    TNT’s coverage of the Pepsi 400 will feature TNT announcers Marc Fein (host), Bill Weber (host and play-by-play announcer), Kyle Petty (analyst), Wally Dallenbach (analyst) and Larry McReynolds (analyst/reporter), along with the pit reporting crew of Marty Snider, Matt Yocum, Ralph Sheheen and Lindsay Czarniak will check in throughout both pre-race coverage and during the race.

    Camping World To Back Gordon
    Robby Gordon Motorsports is happy to announce a new partnership with Camping World for the 2007 season. Camping World, is the world's largest supplier of RV accessories and camping equipment with more than 75 retail outlets in key regional locations, will sponsor Gordon in three NASCAR Nextel Cup events and the Busch Series race in Canada, later this summer.

    “I am happy to have Camping World on board as a sponsor,” said Robby Gordon. “Camping World brings a new chapter to RGM. They have been a sponsor in all three NASCAR Series and know what it takes to be successful at this level. It’s always great to welcome a new sponsor and we are really happy about having them.” Gordon said.

    Gordon’s No. 7 Ford Fusion will debut the Camping World paint scheme this weekend at the Pepsi 400, again at the famed night race at Bristol and at the first Car Of Tomorrow race at a superspeedway, Talladega in October. Gordon’s No. 55 Busch Series Fusion will make its Camping World debut at the road course at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on August 4, 2007.(robbygordon.com)





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