FYI WIRZ: NASCAR Cool Cuts
Compiled by Dwight Drum Web work by Larsen & Drum Images by Drum
Cool Cuts Report One
FYI WIRZ features Cool Cuts, pertinent motorsports press releases and/or articles, presented in brief form throughout the year. Often condensed by Dwight Drum @ Racetake.com. Cool Cuts are for busy clickers. No fluff allowed.
[Synopsis: A few days after Dale Earnhardt Jr. races a No. 3 car at Daytona pavement crews will begin tearing up the old decaying asphalt. A fast new Daytona track is on the way for the next Daytona 500.]
Earnhardt Jr. To Drive No. 3 Car At Daytona In July
The legendary No. 3 car with Dale Earnhardt Jr. behind the wheel will be returning to the historic high banks of Daytona International Speedway in the Subway Jalapeno 250 Powered By Coca-Cola NASCAR Nationwide Series race on Friday, July 2.
On Thursday afternoon, Dale Earnhardt Jr. made the official announcement that he will drive a blue and yellow No. 3 Wrangler Chevrolet that his father, the late seven-time NASCAR champion Dale Earnhardt Sr., made famous.
The entry of the No. 3 car in the 100-lap, 250-mile race is a joint effort between Richard Childress Racing, JR Motorsports, Dale Earnhardt Inc. and Wrangler and pays tribute to Earnhardt Sr.’s upcoming induction into the NASCAR Hall Of Fame.
The Subway Jalapeno 250 Powered By Coca-Cola is part of the Coke Zero 400 Weekend Powered By Coca-Cola and is scheduled to go green at 8 p.m.
“The No. 3 car has always been a favorite among our race fans here at Daytona,” Daytona International Speedway President Robin Braig. “Having Dale Earnhardt Jr. competing at the ‘World Center of Racing’ with the storied No. 3 will be an exciting moment that all race fans will want to witness in person.”
Earnhardt Jr., the 2004 Daytona 500 champion and the 2010 Daytona 500 runner-up, last wheeled a No. 3 car at Daytona back in 2002 when he captured the 120-lap, 300-mile Nationwide Series season opener.
Earnhardt Sr. is Daytona International Speedway’s all-time winning driver with 34 victories and captured the 1998 Daytona 500 on his 20th attempt.
In addition to Earnhardt Jr.’s participation in a No. 3 car, the Subway Jalapeno 250 Powered By Coca-Cola will also mark the first race with the new car for the Nationwide Series.
Daytona International Speedway Set To Repave Following Coke Zero 400
Historic Project To Be Completed In Time For Speedweeks 2011
For only the second time in its history, Daytona International Speedway will be repaved following the Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola in July, track President Robin Braig announced.
“This is a historic moment for NASCAR’s most storied race track -- Daytona International Speedway,” Braig said. “Daytona was originally repaved in 1978 and the time has come again to put new asphalt on this legendary race track.”
Since the conclusion of the 52nd annual Daytona 500 in February, International Speedway Corporation’s team of engineers and asphalt specialists have conducted a thorough evaluation of the entire track, and upon completion of that analysis, the results were delivered to the ISC Board of Directors where the decision was made to repave the race track following the 2010 Coke Zero 400.
Daytona International Speedway’s entire 2.5-mile tri-oval will be repaved as well as the skid pads, apron and pit road. Concrete will be used for the pit stalls. All of the existing asphalt will be removed down to the original 52-year-old lime rock base, which will be leveled and then paving will begin.
The repaving of Daytona International Speedway will remain true to Bill France Sr.’s original vision, layout and geometry of the track that was constructed in the late 1950s.
The repaving project will begin immediately after the Coke Zero 400 Weekend Powered By Coca-Cola on Sunday, July 4 with a target completion date of Jan. 1, 2011.
Lane Construction, which repaved other ISC race tracks including Talladega Superspeedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Richmond International Raceway and Darlington Raceway, has been contracted to repave Daytona International Speedway.
Due to the repaving project, the October motorcycles races, Richard Petty Driving Experience dates, testing sessions and other track rental events will be cancelled for the rest of the year.
Daytona KartWeek presented by Cometic Gasket World Karting Association races on Dec. 28-30 will continue as scheduled with the sprint and dirt track events only as those two series do not utilize the 2.5-mile tri-oval.
If race fans want to claim a piece of history, they can renew their 2011 Daytona 500 tickets and each account holder will receive a portion of Daytona’s track surface representing over 50 years of memories. The Daytona 500 ticket renewal process begins today.
Race fans will be able to view all the progressions of the historic repaving project from a section of the Oldfield Grandstands, which will open free to the public. Track tours will also be available through attraction admission to Daytona 500 Experience.
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