NASCAR Names Sports Industry Veteran Kenny Mitchell Managing Director Of Brand And Consumer Marketing
Mitchell To Lead NASCAR’s Youth, Next Gen, Multicultural Marketing Efforts
NASCAR announced today that Kenny Mitchell is their new Managing Director of Brand and Consumer Marketing, responsible for leading and implementing the company’s overall brand direction and overseeing the strategic growth plans for several critical segments, including youth, millennial and multicultural. Mitchell will start on Monday, Dec. 2, and be based out of NASCAR’s headquarters in Daytona Beach. Continue reading →
Join host Sharon Burton and co-host Sal Sigala, on Monday, November 18th, 8:30 to 10pm ET as we bring fans the smartest racing talk around on Fan4Racing Fan2Fan NASCAR-NHRA Talk!
NOTE: We did experience some technical difficulties during the live broadcast, but recovered quickly. So please stay tuned in to hear the entire broadcast.
Listen to our round table panel discussion with drivers, crew, and other racing personalities. Call 347-996-5176 during the LIVE Broadcast to join the conversation about the hottest topics leading up to the next race.
This episode begins with our Fan4Racing panel discussion about NASCAR’s Championship Weekend and the races determining the reigning champions crowned at Homestead-Miami Speedway!
Next isBuddy Shepherd, a Legends Champion from the west coast talks about his career and future in the sport.
Then, Adam Arana, NHRA’s Pro Stock racer joins the conversation about his rookie season and plans for the future.
Introductions – Inspiring stories
Q&As with Fan4Racing Panel – Buddy Shepherd – Adam Arana
Six-Time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson to become first athlete to guest host ESPN’s Sports Center
With a competing network analyst, proclaiming Jimmie Johnson is “absolutely not an athlete,” apparently ESPN along with the NASCAR world disagrees with that assessment. ESPN is putting together a winning recipe that is making history within the sports world.
Johnson is joining regular anchors, John Anderson and Lindsay Czarniak for the 6pm ET show, SportsCenter on Tuesday, Nov 19 on ESPN.
Tuesday night’s recipe is simple, yet untested. Take one part Stuart Scott, one part Billy Crystal. Add a handful of Chris Berman, and a pinch of Ken Jeong. The result: Television history, as six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson becomes the first athlete to guest host ESPN’s flagship news and information program, SportsCenter. Continue reading →
Restarts were everything in Saturday’s Ford EcoBoost 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
And it was the restarts later in the race, leading to hard charges from Brad Keselowski for the win and Austin Dillon‘s Nationwide Series championship. With just five laps left, Keselowski rocketed to the lead from tenth place by passing Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson for the top spot.
“That late-race restart was key,” said Keselowski from victory lane. “We came in and put tires on with 20 to go, and that yellow – for a four-car crash on lap 183 – was out for (12 laps), and I didn’t think we were going to have a shot at it.
“But we got the right restart and made our way through. I’m going to have to watch the in-car camera, because that was one hell of a ride. Be glad there wasn’t a passenger with me, because they would have been screaming the whole way. I know I was.”
Austin Dillon, driver of the #3 AdvoCare Chevrolet, after winning the series championship after the NASCAR Nationwide Series Ford EcoBoost 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 16, 2013 Photo – Getty Images
There was another driver screaming as Austin Dillon, expressed his excitement after holding off Sam Hornish Jr for the 2013 series’ championship. Despite Dillon’s No 3 car being sluggish for most of the race, he finished 12th, keeping his main competitor Sam Hornish Jr in his sights for the last two restarts of the night.
Hornish finished eighth, with 37 laps led and lost the title to Dillon by a mere three points. Dillon is the first driver to win the series championship without winning a race throughout the year. Season-long consistency paved the way to Dillon’s title.
“I was just glad to see the 12’s back bumper (after the final restart),” said Dillon. “I knew if I could see him and know where he was, that I wasn’t going to give up till the end. I had a great start and tried to get the jump on him. It worked out.
“That’s all I can say. He was a great competitor, and he brought his stuff tonight, and we were able to capitalize at the end. Man, it was a hell of a race.”
Keselowski’s Penske teammate, Joey Logano, gained six spots after the last restart to bring home the owner’s championship for the No. 22 Penske team. They edged out the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing team, driven by Kyle Busch by a single point.
2013 Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year Kyle Larson, driver of the #51 Target Chevrolet, walks in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 16, 2013 Photo – Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
With his fourth second-place finish of the season, Larson claims the Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors. His No. 32 car, however, failed post-race inspection for being too low – the team’s second offense. Keselowski’s victory also brings Ford the Nationwide Series manufacturers’ championship.
“It means a lot to me to win rookie of the year in the Nationwide Series,” said Larson. “A lot of veterans in the past and in the current Sprint Cup Series have won the rookie of the year. To add my name to that list hopefully means I’m doing something good.”
Larson is moving to the Sprint Cup Series next season to race the No. 42 car for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing.
Keselowski caps a remarkable Nationwide Series campaign in 2013. The win was his seventh for the season, but his first in the No. 48. Keselowski won his first six races in the No. 22 Logano drove on Saturday. The 2010 Nationwide Series champion, Keselowski marked his 27th victory in the series.
Mitchell To Lead NASCAR’s Youth, Next Gen, Multicultural Marketing Efforts
