April 28, 2008

By Connie Felix

A Taylor-Made Career

Taylor Hicks, winner of the fifth season American Idol competition and David Green look alike, was on hand at Talladega Superspeedway to perform the National Anthem prior to the Sunday, April 27th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Aaron's 499 race. Early fall "Soul Patrol" fans can expect 'Whomp At The Warfield' a DVD of Taylor's concert at the Warfield Theatre in San Francisco, CA. Currently he is working in Nashville, TN on a new album due out later this year. Hicks recently participated in the Asian American Idle and has an huge "Soul Patrol" following in the Philippines. Taylor made - is exactly what his career will be, he currently does not have a record label contract, but stated he could see himself with 20 different labels during his career. Fans could tell Hicks was not a follower, but he is warm and a pleasure to speak with.

Harvick Gets Rare Experience

Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet, made a unique stop in route to this weekend’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at Talladega Superspeedway. Harvick visited the Shell off-shore oil and gas production platform, Brutus, on Thursday. Brutus, the largest of five Shell signature deepwater tension lake platforms, is located 160 miles off the shore of New Orleans, Louisiana in the Gulf of Mexico. The 35,000 ton platform is home to as many as 150 Shell staff members who spend two weeks at a time at the facility. Located in over 3,000 feet of water, the platform is used for the initial processing and transportation of oil and gas to shore.

Win Unwashed Sweat Towel

Two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, Tony Stewart is allowing race fans to buy the sweat towel right off his shoulder – unwashed and autographed! Directly after winning the April 26 Aaron’s 312 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, Stewart signed his Old Spice towel in black ink and handed it over to a charity auction to benefit the Tony Stewart Foundation. Throughout the 2008 racing season, every time Stewart wins a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series or NASCAR Nationwide Series race, his Old Spice victory lane towel will be auctioned off for charity. Towels from Stewart’s two previous wins this season – February 16 in the Nationwide Series race at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and February 25 in the Nationwide Series race at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., – collectively raised $1,391.63.

The charity auction begins at 9 a.m. EDT on Monday, April 28 and will run until 9 a.m. EDT on Monday, May 5. Fans can place a bid for the autographed towel by logging on to www.OldSpice.com or www.TonyStewart.com.

NASCAR Driver Involved With NHRA

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver, Kevin Harvick and wife DeLana have teamed with NHRA drag racing veteran Bob Vandergriff Jr. to explore the option of fielding a Top Fuel dragster in NHRA competition in 2009. The proposed Harvick-Vandergriff Motorsports will specialize in offering its sponsors marketing opportunities in NHRA, NASCAR Sprint Cup, Craftsman Truck, and the Nationwide Series. Vandergriff and Harvick plan to begin assembling a race team and all of the necessary components and people within the next two months as they prepare for next season's debut.

Local Map On Rear Clip

David Ragan, driver of the No. 6 AAA Travel Ford, had a unique paint scheme for the Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway. Ragan's rear clip was covered with a street map of Pell City, Alabama, something that would have been impossible a few years back before race wraps were a standard.

Illegal Parts and Pieces

Sunday morning, NO illegal parts or pieces were on display in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series hauler located in the garage at Talladega Superspeedway. There were however, six shocks tagged "Daytona 2008".

Students Win Week With Roush Fenway Racing

Over 8,000 high schools students enrolled in automotive technology programs are competing in the 2008 Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills competition. They will race the clock to correctly diagnose and repair a deliberately "bugged" Ford car. The 50 state championship teams will meet June 24th for the national finals at Ford World Headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan. The team with the combined best scores for the hands on competition and the written exam wins the title of national champion and the opportunity to spend a week behind the scenes with Roush Fenway Racing both at the shop and the track.

Fulltime automobile technicians earned an average hourly wage of $16.24 in May 2006 according to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) with the highest 10 percent earning more than $27.22 per hour. In the next 8 years it is estimated there will be an increase of 14 percent in available jobs in this field.

Cost Is UP

The cost of a NASCAR license has gone from $35. in the 1970's at a local track to approximately $750. per year in the big leagues today.

Brent Sherman Moves To Firestone Indy Lights

Brent Sherman, 33 year old whose family owns Serta Mattress, has raced the NASCAR Nationwide Series since 2004 in a variety of racecars. Sherman, who served in the U.S. Air Force, is now a rookie in the Firestone Indy Lights, driving the No. 16 car for Panther Racing in 2008. He finished third in the season-opening race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The team recently announced expanded sponsorship from the National Guard to include Sherman’s car.

NASCAR Instructions

Sunday morning 11 A.M. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers and crew chiefs met at Talladega Superspeedway for the drivers meeting. Drivers were told by race officials that burnouts next to the track outside wall were no longer allowed.

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