Darlington Raceway Receives 2015 Myers Brothers Award
Industry’s Best Acknowledged At End-Of-Season Luncheon
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Dec. 3, 2014) – In recognition of its “throwback” Southern 500 weekend, Darlington Raceway was named the recipient of the 2015 Myers Brothers Award. Voted upon by the National Motorsports Press Association, it is an esteemed accolade recognizing those who have made outstanding contributions to stock car racing.
The track “Too Tough Too Tame” led an industry-wide tribute to the sport’s roots that coincided with NASCAR’s return to Darlington on its traditional Labor Day weekend date for the first time since 2003. The annual event first took place when Darlington founder Harold Brasington opened NASCAR’s original concrete oval in 1950 and 25,000 spectators flocked to the egg-shaped South Carolina track.
Teams emblazoned retro paints schemes on their cars, while drivers and crew members grew moustaches in homage to greats like Earnhardt and Petty. NBC even brought its old broadcast booth –consisting of Ned Jarrett, Dale Jarrett and Ken Squier – back together to call part of the race.
The best of the past and present were meshed together, providing long-time fans with nostalgia of their earliest NASCAR memories and giving new stock car racing enthusiasts an appreciation of the sport’s rich history.
The Myers Brothers Award – named after pioneer NASCAR competitors Billy and Bobby Myers – has been presented every year since 1958.
Twenty other awards were given out at the luncheon, acknowledging achievements ranging from marketing excellence to success on the track and skill in the garage.
Here is the complete list of Thursday’s award winners from the NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Awards
Luncheon:
· NMPA Myers Brothers Award: Darlington Raceway
· Buddy Shuman Award: Clay Campbell, President Martinsville Speedway
· NASCAR Marketing Achievement Award: Sunoco
· Chevrolet Lifetime Achievement Award: Jeff Gordon
· 3M Lap Leader Award: Kevin Harvick
· American Ethanol Green Flag Restart Award: Kevin Harvick
· Coors Light Pole Award: Joey Logano
· Duralast Brakes “Brake in the Race” Award: Kevin Harvick
· Freescale “Wide Open” Award: Kevin Harvick
· Goodyear Tires Award: Kyle Busch
· Ingersoll Rand Power Move Award: No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet team
· MAHLE Clevite Engine Builder of the Year Award: Sam Vernatter, Hendrick Engines No. 4 team
· Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award: Stewart-Haas Racing No. 41 team
· Mobil 1 Driver of the Year Award: Kyle Busch
· MOOG Steering & Suspension Problem Solver of the Year Award: Greg Ives, crew chief No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports team
· Sherwin-Williams Fastest Lap Award: Matt Kenseth
· Sunoco Diamond Performance Award: Kyle Busch
· Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award: Brett Moffitt
· Champion Sponsor Award: Mars, Inc.
· Champion Crew Chief: Adam Stevens
About NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States. NASCAR consists of three national series (the NASCAR Sprint Cup SeriesTM, NASCAR XFINITY Series™, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series™), four regional series, one local grassroots series and three international series. The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. Based in Daytona Beach, Fla., with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information visit http://www.NASCAR.com and http://www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR at www.Facebook.com/NASCAR and Twitter: @NASCAR.
Sources: Sarah Hardy/NASCAR PR