Two NASCAR-related Press Releases

As I continue to post press releases today and tonight, I give you a couple of NASCAR-centric notes. First, Fox Sports will be live from Atlanta to do the Sprint Cup Race race Sunday. Here’s the preview from Fox.

FOX SPORTS NOTES, QUOTES & ANECDOTES

NASCAR on FOX Heads East for Kobalt Tools 500 in Atlanta

DW: Expect Johnson, Gordon, Harvick, Kenseth & Edwards to Star This Sunday

Scout.com Reports Which Defensive Backs Helped Their Stock During NFL Combine

NASCAR ON FOX: KOLBALT TOOLS 500 – Another week in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, another win for the incomparable Jimmie Johnson. On Sunday, March 7 (12:00 PM ET), the Loews crew looks to make it three-in-a-row when they head to Atlanta Motor Speedway for the Kobalt Tools 500. Coverage starts with FOX NASCAR SUNDAY host Chris Myers, along with analysts Darrell Waltrip and Jeff Hammond from the Hollywood Hotel, FOX Sports’ traveling prerace set providing up-to-the-minute reports and live interviews with drivers, crewmen and officials shaping the day’s action. Once the green flag drops, race announcer Mike Joy will be alongside analysts Waltrip and Larry McReynolds to call all the twists and turns on the track while Dick Berggren, Steve Byrnes, Krista Voda and Matt Yocum patrol the pits for up-to-the-minute news and notes.

SUNDAY, MAR. 7 – KOBALT TOOLS 500, 12:00 PM ET

DW: HENDRICK AND RCR SHOULD MAKE ATL LOOK LIKE VEGAS – Following a Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick and Jeff Gordon 1-2-3 finish last week in Las Vegas, NASCAR on FOX analyst Darrell Waltrip said the front of pack will look similar in Atlanta. “It just seems, based on the first three weeks of the season, that Hendrick Motorsports, Richard Childress Racing and to a certain extent, Roush Fenway Racing are the three teams that will be in the front this season,” said Waltrip. “I think we will have a better balance this weekend, but I expect to see Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards leading the way.”

For more from Darrell Waltrip click here: http://j.mp/baJr5W

Here’s quotage from Showtime’s Inside NASCAR from Wednesday.

ON THIS WEEK’S EDITION OF INSIDE NASCAR™ TONIGHT ON SHOWTIME® — 10 p.m. ET/PT

Congratulations to former NASCAR Driver Geoff Bodine and Team USA Bobsled For an Historic Olympic Gold Medal; “Glory Road” Revisits Fantastic Photo Finishes from Atlanta Motor Speedway; #24 Team Crew Chief Steve Letarte Goes On the Hot Seat; Plus, Inside NASCAR Debuts New Segment ‘Bumper-To-Bumper’

New Episodes Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Marc
h 3, 2010) – Inside NASCAR premieres its newest segment “Bumper-To-Bumper” in the episode that premiered Wednesday, March 3, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME with host Chris Myers and analysts Brad Daugherty, Randy Pemberton and Michael Waltrip. Throughout the season this segment will break down the technical ins and outs of racing; from multi-million dollar tools to the most elementary of equipment. Subscribers can see how a can of Coke helped pit crews in Las Vegas stick to their game plan.

Additionally, this week’s episode features a special congratulations to the proficient veteran NASCAR driver Geoff Bodine and the entire Team U.S.A. Bobsled crew for its effort in earning an historic Olympic Gold in Vancouver. The Inside NASCAR panel discusses whether or not anyone can challenge Jimmie Johnson and the #48 Team in the 2010 season and why NASCAR needs the competition to step up to the four-time champs.

In our weekly trip down Glory Road, Inside NASCAR revisits the fantastic photo finishes that have shaped the history of racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway, site of this week’s races. The cast of Inside NASCAR puts guest Steve Letarte, crew chief of Jeff Gordon’s #24 car, on the hot seat regarding his crucial decision in the pits in the waning laps of last week’s race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway that arguably cost his team the race.  

Inside NASCAR is produced in conjunction with the NASCAR Media Group. New episodes will air on SHOWTIME Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT for 38 weeks corresponding with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. The co-executive producers are Ken Hershman, Executive Vice President and General Manager of SHOWTIME Sports and Jay Abraham, Chief Operating Officer, NASCAR Media Group. The executive in charge of production is Jim Jorden with Mike Wells acting as consulting director.

Episode 4 Quotes:

Discussing Jamie McMurray spinning out teammate Juan Pablo Montoya

(Waltrip) Jamie certainly didn’t mean to spin his teammate out; I will tell you in Jamie’s defense what I saw. He assumed, I bet, that Juan would go in higher and he went in the middle of the track. I think when you assume a lot of times you get in trouble.

Discussing Jeff Gordon’s crew chief, Steve Letarte’s decision to take two tires instead of four

(Pemberton) When you’ve got the most dominant car all day long, you lead all those laps, you’re leading coming on to pit road, one thing you do not want to do, is take the opportunity to play offense by your driver out of his hands. I love Steve Letarte, but it was a mistake.

Discussing Jimmie Johnson’s win at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway

(Daugherty) I am just not convinced anyone can beat this 48 crew in the closing moments…two tires, four tires, six tires, eight tires. These guys do it time and time again. No one beats these guys come crunch time.

For bonus content including additional segments and behind-the-scenes video and photos visit the SHOWTIME Sports website at http://www.sho.com/sports.

More press release action coming up.