Biffle's contract is coming to an end, says an extension is coming

Greg Biffle said on NASCAR Media Day that while his contract is up soon, he hopes to have a contract extension in the near future, hopefully in the first part of the year.

“I honestly feel like our contract will be done in the first quarter of this year," Biffle said about the topic. "I suspect it’ll be done maybe as soon as the break – four races in or something like that. I think we’re close. I feel like we’re close, and I think it’s gonna surprise a lot of people.”

He also said something very interesting; that "it will set a pretty decent mark in our sport for what’s going on.”

Biffle said that sponsor 3M seems happy with the team and that they have a "great relationship." He also stated that he is confident that they will renew through his entire term of his next contract.

Biffle is a champion in the Nationwide Series and the Camping World Truck Series and has 16 wins in the Sprint Cup Series.

Bobby Allison To Make Appearance at RCCA Event

CONCORD, N.C. (February 8, 2011) – Bobby Allison, a NASCAR® Legend and 2011 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, will join selected members of the Racing Collectables Club of America (RCCA) for dinner at Our Deck Down Under in Port Orange, Fla. on Thursday, Feb. 17.

The dinner will be hosted by the staff of Lionel NASCAR® Collectables (LNC); which operates the RCCA. As part of the event, LNC will facilitate a question-and-answer segment, plus autograph and photo sessions with Allison, a three-time winner of the Daytona 500.

“Our club members are the lifeblood of our company,” said Thomas DeBoyace, RCCA manager. “Without them, we couldn’t do what we do.

“Giving them time with a bona fide legend like Bobby Allison is our way of showing our members how much they’re appreciated by all of us at LNC.”

Allison is the 1983 NASCAR® Sprint Cup Series champion and has inspired many collectible die-casts through the years.

“This is a pretty neat deal to get to spend time with the RCCA members,” Allison said. “So many times I just get a die-cast tossed in front of me in an autograph line. This will be a chance to talk with them and share some stories of their die-cast collections. Who knows, maybe we’ll even talk about some racing.”

In addition to the dinner with Allison, RCCA is hosting other events before the Daytona 500, including a private garage tour and driver meet-and-greet with Sprint Cup Series drivers Joey Logano and Clint Bowyer, as well as a go-kart race at Daytona Speedpark for selected club members.

For more information about Lionel NASCAR® Collectables and RCCA, please visit www.rccamembers.com or www.lionelnascar.com. Follow Lionel NASCAR® Collectables on Facebook at www.facebook.com/lionelnascar and Twitter @LionelNASCAR.




Thanks to Michelle Fannin - Marketing Manager of Social Media for Lionel NASCAR Collectables

This season's Budweiser Shootout is shaping up to be one to remember

As a result of the new pavement at the world center of racing, Daytona International Speedway, we have heard hundreds of media members, drivers and NASCAR fans say that the 2011 Daytona 500 will be wild, crazy and the best yet. Those folks are absolutely correct.

But wait, there might even be something better than that.

There is a race that might just top even that prediction.

The race? The Budweiser Shootout.

Despite the recent negativity regarding the Budweiser Shootout in the recent months as a result of the expanding field with less talent in it, the shootout has always proven itself to be something to watch.

It's technically the real beginning of the season, especially for the fans. All those hardcore NASCAR lovers who wait in boredom for two months, finally get their NASCAR fix with this event. It pumps them up for the big season to come.

The majority of the teams can say that this is their beginning as well. There is new combinations of team members, new sponsors, new cars, new noses and renewed hope. After months of preparation, the teams can finally put it to the test. Not to mention the event is points free. There's the emphasis on winning for you.

The race is always very short compared to usual events, less than 100 laps with multiple segments, plus the excitment increases since it's under the lights.

So on Saturday, when the sun goes down and FOX's TV coverage goes up, tune in. The weather will be cool, the surface will be smooth, the speed will be up and the racing will be one for the record books. On Saturday, it truly will be checkers or wreckers.

Michael Annett charged with DWI - UPDATE

According to a report, Michael Annett rear ended another vehicle in Mooresville North Carolina Sunday morning. The officer supposedly noticed Annett shoving breath mints into his month at the scene of the incident.

His blood alcohol concentration was .32.

There is no word on what NASCAR or Rusty Wallace Racing, which Annett drives for in the Nationwide Series, will do about the situation. Very little is known about the enitre incident at this point in time.


UPDATE: “I am deeply remorseful for my actions and my extreme lack of judgment,” Annett said in a statement. “I let down my team, my sponsors, my fans and my family; I sincerely apologize to everyone that I hurt.

“This was truly a life-changing moment for me. Despite all of the negativity that will undoubtedly arise from it, I’m going to strive to use this incident as the impetus to make a lot of positive changes in my life.”

And Rusty Wallace Racing will impose “internal sanctions” on Annett, according to a statement from the team.

There was an estimated $6,000 damage to the Toyota Tundra that Annett was driving, while $3,000 to the car he hit, according to the report. Annett’s vehicle was not drivable after the accident.




Thanks to scenedaily.com's Bob Pockrass for the updated information.

Michigan moves June weekend qualifying to Saturday, adds to the list of tracks making the switch

Michigan's qualifying session for the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 event has been moved to Saturday, June 18. This move follows many other tracks in making the switch from Friday qualifying events to Saturday events. The move is an attempt to get more fans in the stands for qaulifying, as many fans do not show up to the track until Saturday anyway.

Other events that have made the switch are both Phoenix events, both Martinsville events, both Tallladega races, both Dovers, both Poconos along with California, the June Kansas event, Indianapolis, Watkins Glen, Atlanta, Chicago and Homestead.

Michigan's switch only includes the June event.

Hunt Brothers Pizza Teams up with Kevin Harvick and Elliott Sadler

Hunt Brothers Pizza, which has been teamed with Elliott Sadler in the past in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, will continue its relationship with Elliott Sadler in the 2011 season.

Hunt Brothers will sponsor both the number 2 car and the number 4 car in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, with Kevin Harvick and Sadler as drivers. The company will also be a primary sponsor of the number 2 truck in the Camping World Truck Series as well as an associate sponsor for Kevin Harvick in the Sprint Cup series.

NASCAR Social Media Spotlight: Round 4

Overview: For the year of 2011, NASCAR News And Notes will focus the spotlight on multiple social media pages of a group or person that is connected with NASCAR. Whether it be because of recent news, being in the spotlight, or just because they are connected with social media, many will be posted on this blog to promote their page, add social media stats, or just discuss their on or off track stories.

The recent years of NASCAR has seen more focus being put on the way NASCAR is viewed on Television than ever before. With TV ratings down and track excitement up, many people point to the TV as the main reason for NASCAR's decline.

One man who has revolutionized how we view NASCAR TV is John Daly. Daly, who started The Daly Planet not too many years ago, has been able to create a following of fans through his venture of analyzing NASCAR on Television.

Daly worked for ESPN for quite some time early in his career, but now focuses on the TV business in a different way: as a fan who is not afraid to point out problems with how NASCAR is portrayed each day.

John Daly has been pushing for a plethora of changes with NASCAR TV contracts and agreements such as online streaming, side by side commercial breaks, Sirius Satellite NASCAR streaming, simple techniques that can enhance race coverage, and more. Some of his ideas have been transferred over into TV, some obviously have not. However, he is not afraid to keep pushing.

One of the biggest revolutions that Daly has pushed for is with social media. He continues to argue that social media has been lacking in NASCAR and needs to become more relevant very quickly. He has never been afraid to push on air TV talent to get social media pages, and has even kept asking for more social media interaction between them and fans during telecasts. As a result of his pro social media views, it is right to include him in this social media spotlight blog series.

The Daly Planet has both a Twitter and a Facebook account. Daly's Twitter account has over 4,700 followers as of February 2nd, and the Facebook account has over 1,200 likes as well. This is quite an impressive following.

NASCAR's social media presence is improving, but as John Daly points out, it is far from where it needs to be. As NASCAR's TV contract runs down in the next few years, it is certain that Daly will be watching and no doubt giving his feedback to represent the fans.


Editor's Note: If you may have more information regarding this topic or have future suggestions regarding future topics of this blog series, you can email us at nascarnewsandnotes@gmail.com

Previous Social Media Spotlight blogs:
Round 1: NASCAR The Game 2011
Round 2: Kelley Earnhardt
Round 3: NASCAR On SPEED team