Champions Week Draws To A Close With Big Announcements
2010 Schedules For Touring Series Outlined;Television Package Highlighted
Concord, NC — 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.
CAMPING WORLD SERIES EAST SCHEDULE ANNOUNCEMENT | SCHEDULE
CANADIAN TIRE SERIES SCHEDULE ANNOUNCEMENT | SCHEDULE
WHELEN MODIFIED TOUR SCHEDULE ANNOUNCEMENT | SCHEDULE
WHELEN SOUTHERN MODIFIED TOUR SCHEDULE ANNOUNCEMENT | SCHEDULE
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.
Sources: NASCAR PR