ADDINGTON DEPARTS PENSKE RACING … Steve Addington has officially left Penske Racing after serving the last two seasons as crew chief for Kurt Busch in the Sprint Cup Series. It’s now speculated that Addington may be on his way to Stewart-Haas Racing to replace Darian Grubb as crew chief for 2011 champion Tony Stewart. Penske Racing confirmed Addington’s departure on Tuesday but provided no indication of a replacement … Timmy Hill of Rick Ware Racing has been named Sunoco Rookie of the Year in the Nationwide Series. Hill, just 18 years old, led the rookie standings for much of the season and finished seventeenth in overall points. His best finish in thirty-four starts was eleventh at Road America in June … Nationwide Series championship runner-up Elliott Sadler and Camping World Truck Series champ Austin Dillon have been voted Most Popular Driver in their respective series in nationwide fan balloting. (John Singler, MRN Radio)
DRIVER SPOTLIGHT 2011 CHAMPIONS
► TONY STEWART (NASCAR Sprint Cup Series) … secured his third title in ten years but first as an owner-driver … closed the season with a victory at Homestead-Miami Speedway … tied Carl Edwards in the final point standings but owned the tie-breaker five wins to one … Stewart was winless during the regular season, entering the Chase as only the Number-9 seed … set a record with five post-season wins in ten starts. ► RICKY STENHOUSE JUNIOR (NASCAR Nationwide Series) … led the standings since the end of July, finishing the season with a forty-five-point margin over runner-up Elliott Sadler … had twenty-six top tens in thirty-four starts including victories in both races at Iowa Speedway … closed the year with a run of nine straight top-ten finishes including second place in the season finale at Homestead. ► AUSTIN DILLON (NASCAR Camping World Truck Series) … followed his 2010 Rookie of the Year campaign with a championship – outdistancing runner-up Johnny Sauter by six points … Dillon took the points lead from James Buescher with six races remaining and didn’t let go, closing the year with four straight top-ten finishes driving for team owner Richard Childress, who also happens to be Dillon’s grandfather. (John Singler, MRN Radio)
TRACK FACT The 2012 NASCAR season is three months away … with Speed Weeks opening in mid-February at Daytona International Speedway. The season-opening Daytona 500 will be run Sunday, February 26th (John Singler, MRN Radio)
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
1290 WHKY 2012 broadcast schedule: (schedule subject to change)
February 18 Shootout February 26 Daytona March 4 Phoenix March 11 Las Vegas March 18 Bristol March 25 Fontana April 1 Martinsville April 14 Texas April 22 Kansas April 28 Richmond May 6 Talladega May 12 Darlington May 19 Showdown May 19 All-Star May 27 Charlotte June 3 Dover June 10 Pocono June 17 Michigan June 24 Sonoma June 30 Kentucky July 7 Daytona July 15 Loudon July 29 Indianapolis August 5 Pocono August 12 Watkins Glen August 19 Michigan August 25 Bristol September 2 Atlanta September 8 Richmond September 16 Chicago September 23 Loudon September 30 Dover October 7 Talladega October 13 Charlotte October 21 Kansas October 28 Martinsville November 4 Texas November 11 Phoenix November 18 Homestead
NASCAR Nationwide Series
1290 WHKY 2012 broadcast schedule: (schedule subject to change)
February 25 Daytona March 3 Phoenix March 10 Las Vegas March 17 Bristol March 24 Fontana April 13 Texas April 27 Richmond May 5 Talladega May 11 Darlington May 20 Iowa May 26 Charlotte June 2 Dover June 16 Michigan June 23 Road America June 29 Kentucky July 6 Daytona July 14 Loudon July 22 Chicago July 28 Indianapolis August 4 Iowa August 11 Watkins Glen August 18 Montreal September 1 Atlanta September 15 Chicago September 22 Kentucky September 29 Dover October 20 Kansas November 3 Texas November 10 Phoenix November 17 Homestead
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
1290 WHKY 2012 broadcast schedule: (schedule subject to change)
February 24 Daytona March 31 Martinsville April 15 Rockingham April 21 Kansas May 18 Charlotte June 1 Dover June 8 Texas July 14 Iowa July 21 Chicago August 4 Pocono August 18 Michigan August 22 Bristol September 15 Iowa October 6 Talladega October 13 Las Vegas October 27 Martinsville November 16 Homestead
Indy Car Series
1290 WHKY 2012 broadcast schedule: (schedule to be released)
