Texas Motor Speedway News

Updated: 2010

Sunday, April 18, 2010

TMS to permit fans holding either Cup or NNS race in Monday for both races: A persistent rain, coupled with an ominous forecast for the remainder of the day, has forced the postponement of Sunday’s Samsung Mobile 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race and O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 Nationwide Series event until Monday at Texas Motor Speedway. The Samsung Mobile 500 will begin at 11:00am/ct and will be followed by the O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 at 4:00pm/ct. Fans holding tickets for either race will be allowed to enjoy both events. The Samsung Mobile 500 will be broadcast live on FOX while the O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 will be shown live on ESPN2.
“It was the fan friendly thing to do in terms of allowing our fans with either ticket to stay for both races,” Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage said. “The weather has inconvenienced all of them and for those who are able to stay they may as well enjoy 801 miles (501-mile Samsung Mobile 500, 300-mile O’Reilly Auto Parts 300) of NASCAR racing. We expect to accommodate all of those ticketholders and are optimistic that they will respect each other and find a nearby seat if they have the identical one.” The only time in the 14-year history of Texas Motor Speedway that a NASCAR event had to be run on Monday occurred in 2002. The Samsung/RadioShack 500 was run on April 8, 2002 and was won by Matt Kenseth.
The gates will open at 9:00am/ct. The Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series garages, track credential office and TMS ticket office all will open at 8:00am/ct. The credential office will close at 11:00am/ct. Fans looking to purchase tickets for this unique NASCAR doubleheader can do so at the TMS ticket office, starting as low as $91. For those requiring additional ticket information, please contact the TMS ticket office at (817) 215-8500.(TMS PR)

Sunday, April 18, 2010

TMS to permit fans holding either Cup or NNS race in Monday for both races: A persistent rain, coupled with an ominous forecast for the remainder of the day, has forced the postponement of Sunday’s Samsung Mobile 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race and O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 Nationwide Series event until Monday at Texas Motor Speedway. The Samsung Mobile 500 will begin at 11:00am/ct and will be followed by the O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 at 4:00pm/ct. Fans holding tickets for either race will be allowed to enjoy both events. The Samsung Mobile 500 will be broadcast live on FOX while the O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 will be shown live on ESPN2.
“It was the fan friendly thing to do in terms of allowing our fans with either ticket to stay for both races,” Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage said. “The weather has inconvenienced all of them and for those who are able to stay they may as well enjoy 801 miles (501-mile Samsung Mobile 500, 300-mile O’Reilly Auto Parts 300) of NASCAR racing. We expect to accommodate all of those ticketholders and are optimistic that they will respect each other and find a nearby seat if they have the identical one.” The only time in the 14-year history of Texas Motor Speedway that a NASCAR event had to be run on Monday occurred in 2002. The Samsung/RadioShack 500 was run on April 8, 2002 and was won by Matt Kenseth.
The gates will open at 9:00am/ct. The Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series garages, track credential office and TMS ticket office all will open at 8:00am/ct. The credential office will close at 11:00am/ct. Fans looking to purchase tickets for this unique NASCAR doubleheader can do so at the TMS ticket office, starting as low as $91. For those requiring additional ticket information, please contact the TMS ticket office at (817) 215-8500.(TMS PR)

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Gossage not a fan of start-and-parks: Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage said the so-called start-and-park teams in each NASCAR race are "stealing money" and steps should be taken to stop them. A few teams enter Sprint Cup events each week with no intention of running the entire event. Some of them don't even have a pit crew or extra tires. They qualify for the race, run a few laps and park the car to collect the large purse money. "The start-and-parkers are simply stealing," Gossage said Saturday. "I don't blame them for finding the loophole, but they are going to steal a half a million dollars here tomorrow [in the Samsung Mobile 500] of our money. "They add nothing to the show, not one darn thing. They're stealing. I want real racers, but they're not racing." Gossage pointed specifically to the No. 66 Toyota owned by Phil Parsons. The team has competed in six Cup events this season. The car finished 41st or worse in five races, completing less than 20 percent of the laps in those events. "NASCAR has an obligation to the fans to not allow this," Gossage said. "People are stealing in broad daylight in front of 150,000 fans in the grandstands and millions of people watching at home." Gossage has two suggestions for eliminating the problem: Reduce the Cup field from 43 to 36 cars (the last seven finishers a year ago at TMS made over $580,000 total), or change the way purse money is distributed. "Last place here Sunday is going to pay about $85,000," Gossage said. "That should be $10,000 and the rest of that money should go to the top finishers."(ESPN)

Friday, April 16, 2010

Gibbs, Busch, Gordon, Yates honored at TMHoF: Joe Gibbs joined yet another hall of fame as the three-time Super Bowl-winning coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer became the newest member of the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame during Friday evening's gala at The Speedway Club at Texas Motor Speedway. Gibbs was honored along with Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, Marcos Ambrose, Robert Yates and veteran motorsports journalist John Sturbin. Gibbs joins previous inductees A.J. Foyt (2003), Johnny Rutherford (2003), Terry Labonte (2004), Lee Shepherd (2004), Kenny Bernstein (2005), Jim Hall (2005), Eddie Hill (2006), Mark Martin (2007), Jim McElreath (2007), Bobby Labonte (2008) and Bruton Smith (2008) into the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame. Gibbs, a five-time winner as car owner at Texas Motor Speedway, has carried his success from the National Football League to NASCAR. Since Joe Gibbs Racing opened its doors in 1992 he has led the organization to two three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships (2000, '02, '05) and most recently won his first Nationwide Series championship last year with Kyle Busch. Gibbs' championship driver, Busch, was honored as Texas Motor Speedway's Racer of the Year. Busch became the first Nationwide Series drivers to win four consecutive races at "The Great American Speedway!" last year after. The honor came on the strength of Busch's performance during last November's Dickies 500 weekend as he nearly became the first driver in NASCAR history to win three national series events on the same weekend. He captured his first career truck series victory at Texas Motor Speedway in the WinStar World Casino 350k and followed with a victory in the O'Reilly Challenge Nationwide Series race the following day. Busch came up two laps short in his bid for history as he ran out of fuel on Lap 332 of the 334-lap Dickies 500 Sprint Cup Series race, relinquishing his lead to older brother Kurt.
A pair of NASCAR's most respected drivers, Ambrose and Gordon, received the Texas Motor Speedway Sportsmanship Award. Ambrose has continued to climb up the NASCAR ranks since making the jump from V8 Supercars in Australia. He has proven to be the consummate professional both on and off the track. Gordon, winner of 82 career Sprint Cup Series races, was honored for his accomplishments off the track. Gordon has continued to help the lives of ill children through the Jeff Gordon Foundation which he established in 1999. Since then he has gone on to help raise more than $10 million for children facing critical illness. The award was just one of two on the evening for Gordon, as he received the 2009 Fan Choice Award presented by 1310 The Ticket. The award, award for to the top racing moment at Texas Motor Speedway, was voted on by the fans. The three moments included Gordon's first career victory at Texas Motor Speedway during last April's Samsung 500; Helio Castroneves' third career victory at Texas Motor Speedway during the Bombardier Learjet 550k; and Jimmie Johnson's early-lap wreck in the Dickies 500 that changed the complexion of the championship race. More than 10,000 fans casted their vote at www.texasmotorspeedway.com and the overwhelming winner was Gordon.
Yates was awarded this year's Bruton Smith Legend Award. The legendary engine builder and owner of Yates Racing put together a championship-caliber organization from 1989 to 2009. During that span Yates earned a Sprint Cup Series championship in 1999 to go along with 57 career Sprint Cup Series victories, including a pair at Texas Motor Speedway. Yates' son, Doug, accepted the award on his father's behalf and said his father has provided him with some valuable lessons.
Veteran motorsports journalist John Sturbin was recognized for his contributions to auto racing with the Excellence in Motorsports Journalism award. Sturbin, longtime motorsports reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, has covered racing for more than 35 years and continues to cover the sport as senior writer for racintoday.com.
The Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame ceremony benefits Speedway Children's Charities-Texas Chapter. Since the organization was established in 1997 it has raised more than $6.7 million in funding, including a record $1 million in grants the previous two years. The funds generated help non-profit organizations in the four North Texas counties it serves – Collin, Dallas, Denton and Tarrant.(TMS)

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Gossage returns to Texas Motor Speedway: Eddie Gossage is back on track, so to speak, after an 18-month bout with cancer. NASCAR president Mike Helton, a longtime friend and sometime adversary of Gossage, made a speaking appearance here Monday. He began by telling the TMS president, “just how proud I am that you beat your cancer.” Gossage really does have friends in high places. “I’ve been blessed,” said Gossage, who doesn’t wear his religion on his sleeve but does start out each day seated at his desk, behind a closed door, reading from his Bible. He was diagnosed with cancer in the fall of 2008. For a long time, he kept it private. He went four months without telling anyone except for his wife, Melinda, and his boss, Bruton Smith. “The only fear is the shadow that chases you the rest of your life,” Gossage admitted Monday. “I go to the doctor quarterly for checkups. They take blood. They do tests. But you never know if you’ve won.” (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)

Texas Motor Speedway grabs seven-figure sponsorship deal with AAA TEXAS: Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage announced that AAA Texas will sponsor the track’s fall Sprint Cup race through 2014, and that Firestone has jumped on board as the title sponsor for the June IndyCar Series race through 2011. “It’s one of those deals where you realize we’re quite successful in our industry and we’re in an important market in our sport. We’re really a strong place,” Gossage said Monday at TMS’ annual media day. The seven-figure deals mean the track won’t have to search for sponsors for any of its three race weekends until at least 2012. (Dallas Morning News)

Friday, February 5, 2010

NASCAR shifts starting times for two Texas Motor Speedway races: Sprint Cup fans will have a couple of extra hours to get to Texas Motor Speedway for this year’s races than NASCAR originally planned. NASCAR has granted the track’s request to move the start times back for the track’s two Sprint Cup races, shifting the spring race and the fall race from noon to 2 p.m. TMS president Eddie Gossage petitioned NASCAR for the move after hearing from race fans. “We typically run later,” Gossage said. “We found through our research they [the fans] really liked that, as opposed to earlier starts.” (Dallas Morning News)

Thursday, January 7, 2009

Speedway Presidents make friendly BCS Championship wager: Millions of people from all over the world have at least some kind of a wager riding on Thursday’s BCS National Championship Game between the Texas Longhorns and the Alabama Crimson Tide. Add to that list Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage, and Talladega Superspeedway president Rick Humphrey. The two multi-millionaires have placed their bets. However, the wager between the two is less than impressive. The loser has to display the winning track’s flag at their speedway for the weekend, and they have to sport a golf shirt and hat of the winning team as they hang it up. The flag will be left up for the weekend. (Stock Car Spin)

Friday, October 30, 2009

ZZ Top to serve as Grand Marshalls at Texas: The group known as the “Little Ol’ Band from Texas,” the legendary rock band ZZ Top, will serve as grand marshals for the Dickies 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. The trio of Billy F Gibbons, Dusty Hill and Frank Beard will give the command to the 43 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers to start their engines prior to the start of the Dickies 500. The group, celebrating its year-long 40th anniversary, will headline the American Racing Custom Wheels Pre-Race Show with a free concert at the Nov. 8 Dickies 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. ZZ Top will be the featured act during the 2½ -hour pre-race show that also will include the RE/MAX Skydiving team, Texas Christian University Marching Band, U.S. Army Reserve Command, 11th Aviation Command and the 7-158th Aviations Regiment. The American Racing Custom Wheels Pre-Race Show, which begins at 11:45am/ct, will have ZZ Top take the stage on the speedway’s frontstretch beginning at 12:30pm for a one-hour set. ABC-TV, which will broadcast the Dickies 500, is scheduled to air ZZ Top performing one of their hits from the American Racing Custom Wheels Pre-Race Show during the network’s pre-race show leading up to the Dickies 500. The concert is free to all fans with a race ticket. Race fans can get up close and personal with the band next to the frontstretch stage by purchasing a special “Mosh Pit” ticket. For $79, fans can enjoy a front row spot as well as enjoy the rest of the prerace activities, including driver introductions, from that vantage point. To purchase a special “Mosh Pit” ticket or tickets to the Dickies 500 call (817) 215-8500 or visit www.texasmotorspeedway.com.(TMS)

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Texas Motor Speedway backstretch tickets sold out: Fans have responded once again to the popular “Backstretch Buster” tickets as the $20 seats have sold out for the Dickies 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Nov. 8 at Texas Motor Speedway. The $20 seats, located along the first two rows of the backstretch, are the most inexpensive ticket ever offered at Texas Motor Speedway for a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, and the special was implemented this year in an effort to offset the challenges of the difficult economic climate. The “Backstretch Buster” special debuted with the Samsung 500 Sprint Cup Series race in April and promptly sold out as well. Fans that missed out on the “Backstretch Buster” seats for the Dickies 500 can still take advantage of other fan friendly deals. On the backstretch, rows three and higher are priced at $40 per seat and the popular 7-Eleven Family 4-Pack offers four tickets, four hot dogs and four Coca-Cola beverages for just $159. For those looking for a deal on the frontstretch, the limited Dickies 4-Packs remain available. Starting at $133, the Dickies 4-Pack provides a ticket to all four days of action (Nov. 5-8) including the Dickies 500, O’Reilly Challenge Nationwide Series race and WinStar World Casino 350k Camping World Truck Series event. The 4-Pack also includes qualifying and practice sessions for all three series as well. For more ticket information, visit www.texasmotorspeedway.com or call the Texas Motor Speedway ticket office at (817) 215-8500.(TMS)

Monday, October 12, 2009

Texas Motor Speedway to have largest purse in Chase: The Dickies 500 will boast the largest purse in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup for the fifth consecutive year with a record payout of $7,359,286 for the Nov. 8 event at Texas Motor Speedway. The Dickies 500 purse is the only one among the 10 Chase speedways to surpass $7 million and easily outdistances the second largest of $6,204,988 provided by California's Auto Club Speedway. Rounding out the top five Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup purses are Kansas Speedway ($6,182,706), Talladega Superspeedway ($5,492,493) and New Hampshire Motor Speedway ($5,423,189), respectively. This year's Dickies 500 purse tops the previous mark of $7,319,807 established last year that included a winner's share of $496,300 to Carl Edwards of Roush Fenway Racing.(TMS PR)

Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009

Limited tickets still available at Texas Motor Speedway: Fans still can take advantage of the best ticket price ever offered by Texas Motor Speedway by purchasing "Backstretch Buster" seats for the Nov. 8 Dickies 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, but less than 250 remain. The "Backstretch Buster" seats, located along the first two rows of the backstretch, remain the most inexpensive seats for a Sprint Cup race in the history of Texas Motor Speedway. The "Backstretch Buster" seating was introduced for April's Samsung 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup race and promptly sold out. In addition to the "Backstretch Buster" seats, fans also can take advantage of two other backstretch ticket specials for the Dickies 500. All other seating above the first two rows is available for $40 per seat or fans can opt for the value-packed 7-Eleven Family 4-Pack. The package consists of four backstretch tickets, four hot dogs and four Coca-Cola drinks for just $159. To purchase "Backstretch Buster" seats or take advantage of the other backstretch ticket specials, visit www.texasmotorspeedway.com or call the Texas Motor Speedway ticket office at (817) 215-8500.(TMS PR)

Thursday, Aug. 27, 2009

TMS and Phoenix to swap spring dates: Texas Motor Speedway will have a slight shift in its 2010 NASCAR schedule as the Samsung 500 race week will be run April 15-18, moving the Sprint Cup Series race from the seventh to the eighth event of the season as a result of a date swap with Phoenix International Raceway.TMS officials agreed to the move to accommodate NASCAR and network television partner, FOX, because the Samsung 500 on its traditional April date would have been pitted directly against the final round of the The Masters on television. Phoenix transitions into that slot without a conflict since it will play host to a Saturday evening race.(Texas Motor Speedway PR)

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage undergoing cancer treatments: Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage has been absent from TMS because he has been undergoing treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer. Gossage, 50, was diagnosed with cancer early last fall and began treatment this spring. Gossage, who oversaw the construction of the track and was the general manager for its first race in 1997, declined to be interviewed. A statement from TMS vice president of media relations Mike Zizzo said Gossage "would like to keep his illness private and does not plan to discuss it publicly." Gossage was informed by doctors in February that treatment needed to begin, and it was done around the Samsung 500 in April and the Bombardier Learjet 550 in June. He was at the track for the IndyCar Series race in June and looked thinner than he did at the Sprint Cup event in April. He hasn't appeared at any TMS public functions since the June race as he has undergone more intense treatments over the last month. Gossage is hoping to return to work next month. "I've been talking to him almost every day either by phone or text," Zizzo said. "His brain is in overdrive. If it were up to him, he'd be back tomorrow." Zizzo said Gossage doesn't want to talk about his illness because he doesn't want that to be what people identify him with. Gossage's father, H.L., died of lung cancer in 1998. "He's trying to keep it under the radar and keep it as low-key as possible," Zizzo said.(Dallas Morning News)

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Texas Motor Speedway still the largest sports venue in TX: The Dallas Cowboys' new stadium will be one of the NFL's biggest facilities in overall size and a seating capacity of 80,000. TMS officials are quick to note, however, that Cowboys Stadium in Arlington is still a distant second to the north Fort Worth landmark, which remains the largest sports stadium of any kind in Texas. Four new Cowboys Stadiums could fit comfortably inside TMS, which has a seating capacity of 138,122 and a total estimated capacity of 191,122. (Dallas Morning News)

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Texas Motor Speedway could lose Chevrolet sponsorship: Texas Motor Speedway general manager Eddie Gossage and Chevy wouldn't disclose contract specifics, but if the deal between them is up this year, it's possible the two partners could drive off in different directions. "I will forever be loyal to Chevrolet for taking that flyer and helping legitimize us when we were just a paper racetrack," Gossage said. "I spoke to someone from Chevrolet yesterday. They don't know if they're going to have a job ... and they've been there for decades. "I feel great empathy for them. I hate to lose a sponsor, but I hate to see people lose their jobs and their programs." NASCAR Sprint Cup racing returns to TMS in November and attendance could reach 200,000. If Chevy's contract with TMS expires this year, those types of numbers will force Chevy to decide if it can afford to renew, or if it can afford not to. (Dallas Morning News)

Monday, April 6, 2009

Flood victim gets boost from TMS: Josh Hoper was about to scrap plans to attend the races at TMS because of record flooding at home in Fargo, N.D. Then TMS president Eddie Gossage found out about Hoper, who had made North Dakota the 50th state to buy a ticket to his track. Never one to miss a public relations opportunity, Gossage called Hoper. Five days later, the Jimmie Johnson fan was in front of the media, suite upgrade and autographed Johnson photo in hand. Of course, there was the Lowe's gift card as well. Lowe's is Johnson's primary sponsor, and Hoper's home has a flooded basement in need of repairs. (Dallas Morning News)

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

TMS to add "Burnout Alley" luxury motorcoach area: Texas Motor Speedway will reduce its seating capacity by 15 percent to make room for a new luxury area for motorcoaches, it was announced Monday. TMS also will lower backstretch ticket prices by at least 45 percent. The facility's permanent seating capacity will drop by about 21,022 seats on the backstretch to bring the total number of seats to 138,100. That does not include the infield area, which track president Eddie Gossage said usually draws 40,000 to 50,000 fans per NASCAR Sprint Cup race. (Dallas Morning News)

June 23, 2006:

Gossage takes note of Mavs. owner Cuban's Giveaway: Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage has latched onto a successful ticket giveaway publicity campaign waged by Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban during the NBA championship. Gossage on Thursday announced that the speedway will give away 500 tickets for the Nov. 5 Dickies 500 Nascar Nextel Cup Series to soften the blow of the Mavericks loss Tuesday. Cuban promised 500 free tickets to game 7 between the Miami Heat and his team, if the Mavericks won game 6. Though fans swamped the Mavs' Web site to register, the team lost game 6 by a score of 96-92. "I had the pleasure of attending game 6 and saw the passion, enthusiasm and ultimately the heartbreak of the fans when the Mavs lost," Gossage said in a press release. "I listened to the fans as they quietly filed out of the arena and got to thinking about those fans with the free tickets to Game 7 that were now denied. It just seemed like a remedy for the community's heartbreak." (Dallas Biz Journal)

May 11, 2006:

Gossage denies rumors: If and when a reunification between the IRL IndyCar Series and Champ Car World Series takes place, a key issue will be hiring a CEO. Indy Racing League founder Tony George and Champ Car co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven likely will retain power as members of a board of directors. Like NASCAR's Brian France, there needs to be an open-wheel "czar," but Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage said Wednesday it won't be him. "It's flattering to be included on that list," said Gossage, referring to Internet rumors. "But I haven't been approached about it in two or three years. I'm perfectly happy and expect to be doing this 20 years from now." (Star-Telegram)

April 10, 2006:

Body found mile away from Speedway:  Police believe a body found alongside Interstate 35W might be that of a Wise County man who attended the NASCAR races at Texas Motor Speedway over the weekend. The body was found early Monday near the southbound lanes about a mile south of Texas Motor Speedway. Police aren't yet sure whether he died at the scene or was dumped there. Investigators believe that the man was lying down when his head was run over by a vehicle. ``There are no injuries to his lower extremities,'' said Sgt. Rodney Bangs, supervisor of the traffic investigation unit. "There's no other evidence on his body that he was knocked, like skidding across the pavement.'' No driver's license was found on the body, Bangs said. (Star-Telegram)

April 9, 2006:

UT Coach Mack Brown waves give flag: University of Texas football coach Mack Brown, whose team won the national championship, dropped the green flag. He received a mixture of cheers and boos during introductions. (AP/ESPN.com)

The President gives the command: Texas Motor Speedway closely guarded the identity of the person for the start command. The reveal came at 1 p.m. via a videotape from the White House: President Bush, who as Texas governor threw the green flag to start the 1999 race. He praised the speedway and executives Bruton Smith and Eddie Gossage, as well as Speedway Children's Charities. "It gives hope and opportunity to children in Texas," Bush said. (Dallas Morning News)

Smallest crowd in Texas history Sunday: The race was viewed by an estimated crowd of 189,000, one of the largest in the series but the smallest to watch a Sunday Cup race at the track. (Dallas Morning News)

April 8, 2006:

FBI at Texas Motor Speedway: Bruton Smith, the Texas Motor Speedway owner, said the FBI will be here paying attention this weekend to see if NBC follows last weekend's NASCAR sting operation at Martinsville, where the network brought in Muslims for the Nextel Cup race and followed them around with hidden cameras to judge racism in the stock-car racing crowd.  (Salem-Journal)

March 30, 2006:

NFL official to attend Texas race: NFL director of officiating Mike Pereira is heading to the races. Pereira will attend next week's NASCAR Nextel Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway to examine Fox TV's coverage, specifically its high-definition cameras. Pereira is looking into the feasibility of using HDTV replays in NFL games. (Gainesville Sun)

Mar. 1, 2006:

Roush among Texas Motor Sports hall Honorees: Drag racing legend Kenny Bernstein and Indy-car designer and team owner Jim Hall are the 2006 inductees into the Texas Motor Sports Hall of Fame. Other honorees include NASCAR team owner Jack Roush, winner of the Texas Motor Speedway Racer of the Year Award, and former NHRA racer Raymond Beadle, winner of the Bruton Smith Legends Award. Dallas resident David Starr, one of the top drivers in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, is the recipient of the 2006 TMS Sportsmanship Award. (Dallas Morning News)

Dec. 1, 2005:

TMS builds new media center: Texas Motor Speedway has embarked on an innovative project designed to further attract and expand the scope of local, regional and national television and radio coverage of motorsports with the construction of an ultra-modern media broadcast center. The media broadcast center, which will encompass the speedway's Victory Lane on the frontstretch, will be a two-story multi-purpose facility for both television and radio media outlets covering events at "The Great American Speedway." The Victory Lane Broadcast Center will consist of seven media suites overlooking Victory Lane that will serve as sound-proof studios for both television and radio, two raised outdoor platforms for live stand-ups, a "deadline" work room for television and radio outlets only, an interview room/edit bay area and a conference room. Television outlets will have use of five of the studio suites, four of which measure 11'x11' and one 7'x11', and each offering a dramatic backdrop of the speedway's frontstretch, grandstands and luxury suites. The studio suites can cater to pre-race shows for the network broadcasters as well as local morning and sports shows seeking a studio environment. In addition, television outlets will have use of two 11'x11' platforms on each side of the suites for those interested in live, outside stand-ups that will feature Victory Lane and the frontstretch as a backdrop. Texas Motor Speedway also is attempting to enhance the production side for television outlets with plans to install multiple fiber lines. The fiber lines will give television outlets the ability to feed live interviews or footage directly to their studio and eliminate the need for a satellite truck. Radio outlets will have access to two 7'x11' suites on the upper level, but also will have additional accommodations on the lower level. Four radio rooms, which are 6'x7' in size, will be on the lower level of the compound, giving them six broadcast booths overall. Similar to the print media, the television and radio media will have their own "deadline" room on the lower level. The work area will be 28'x18' and include high-speed Ethernet, wireless capabilities and multiple televisions to monitor the racing action. There also will be a prep room that adjoins the deadline room and can be used as an interview room or edit bay. The lower level also will house a conference room for Texas Motor Speedway officials that can double as an interview area if needed. Stuckey Architects, of Weatherford, Texas, is handling the project and already has completed the construction blueprints. Initial construction began this week. The upper level of the Victory Lane Broadcast Center, which includes the media suites and raised platforms, is scheduled to be completed prior to the Samsung/RadioShack 500 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series/Busch Series race weekend set for April 6-9. The lower level is scheduled for completion prior to the Dickies 500 NASCAR triple-header weekend set for Nov. 2-5. (TMS PR)

Nov. 17, 2005:

Texas Motor Speedway ticket sales strong: Fewer than 10,000 individual seats remain for the first Nextel Cup race of 2006 at Texas Motor Speedway, the Samsung/RadioShack 500 on April 9. "Typically, we always have a big spike in ticket sales for the April event as soon as we release individual tickets," TMS president Eddie Gossage said of a sale that began Nov. 9. "This year has been no exception." Season tickets for 2006, ranging from $289 to $514 for 11 days of track action, are available by calling (817) 215-8500, or on the Web at www.texasmotorspeedway.com or at participating Ticketmaster outlets. (TMS PR)

Nov. 7, 2005:

Gossage upset at NASCAR:  TMS president Eddie Gossage is upset over NASCAR officials not allowing the speedway to count down the laps on the two infield scoring towers. Other NASCAR events have the towers count upward as each lap is completed. Gossage thought it was better this weekend to count down, so the fans would see how many laps remained in the Dickies 500. Gossage said NASCAR president Mike Helton refused to allow the change.   "He said it would be confusing to the fans and to the scoring officials," Gossage said. "But you watch. Come the Daytona 500 next year, [NASCAR] will do it and have a press conference saying it was their idea." (Dallas Morning News)

Nov. 6, 2005:

Edwards wins in TEXAS: In a flashing finish under the lights, Carl Edwards blazed to his second consecutive Nextel Cup win Sunday at the Dickies 500, edging veteran Mark Martin. The crowd roared as Martin took the lead late in the race at an illuminated Texas Motor Speedway. But Edwards, Martin's teammate who celebrates victories with back flips, drew his share of the cheers when he passed Martin with two laps left and held on to take the checkered flag. Edwards' dramatic fourth victory this season seemed to surprise the 26-year-old, who admitted he woke up in the middle of the night with nerves.  "This whole deal is a dream come true," he said. "This is not supposed to happen." The top three finishers were Roush Racing drivers. Matt Kenseth finished third. Jimmie Johnson finished fifth, with points leader Tony Stewart in sixth. The two drivers are tussling for the season lead with two races to go. For TMS fans, it was their first chance to witness a second Nextel Cup race in the same season at the mammoth track. An estimated 195,400 spectators turned out for the rare late afternoon start. (Dallas Morning News)

Nov. 2, 2005:

Texas Motor Speedway start time moved back: NASCAR and NBC has changed the starting time for the Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday to 2:50 ct/p.m., 30 minutes after the pervious scheduled time. The change was made to allow NBC to move directly from the race telecast to a unique, live episode of The West Wing. "It is only fitting that the Chase race with the largest purse, largest attendance and largest market has its overall ambience enhanced by the final, dramatic laps being run under the lights at Texas Motor Speedway," Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage said. " “We are extremely pleased that NBC appreciates the magnitude of this race and pairs it with one of their most popular and highly acclaimed shows,” (More)

Nov. 1, 2005:

Texas Tickets remain: There are still grandstand tickets available to the Dickies 500 race Sunday, the second NASCAR race at the Texas Motor Speedway this season. This is the first time TMS has had two NASCAR races in the same year. TMS President Eddie Gossage said a few more tickets were available for the Dickies 500 than usually are available the week before the spring NASCAR race. Despite the thousands of tickets still left, Gossage said TMS officials hope to sell out the 155,000-seat grandstand for the race Sunday. Sets of two and four tickets are available scattered around the track with some in the backstretch, he said. For ticket information visit www.texasmotorspeedway.com

Nov. 2, 2005:

Race time change for Texas: NASCAR has changed the starting time of Sunday's inaugural Dickies 500 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race to 2:50 p.m. local Central Time, 40 minutes later than originally announced. The move from the original start time of 2:10 p.m. CT should prove beneficial to both race fans attending the Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway as well as those watching the national telecast on NBC. The slightly later start time will ensure that the Dickies 500 marks the first time in the nine-year history of Texas Motor Speedway that a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race will run under the lights at the 1.5-mile oval. "It is only fitting that the Chase race with the largest purse, largest attendance and largest market has its overall ambience enhanced by the final, dramatic laps being run under the lights at Texas Motor Speedway," Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage said. "Our fans have always wanted to watch a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race under the lights here, so I guess the Dickies 500 will serve as a trial run for the sort of night- time spectacle you can expect at a facility such as this. Someday I'd love to start and finish a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race at 'The Great American Speedway' under the lights." Also, the later start will allow viewers to shift from one of America's most popular sports to a highly anticipated episode of one of its most popular shows. The Dickies 500 telecast will be immediately followed by a rare live episode of the highly acclaimed drama, "West Wing." "With the Dickies 500 being the eighth of 10 races in the Chase and a heck of a battle going on for the championship, this race should have a large national appeal for viewers," Gossage said. "And we are extremely pleased that our television partner NBC appreciates the magnitude of this race from such a major market and pairing it with one of their most popular and highly acclaimed shows, 'West Wing'." The new green flag time will not alter the start time of the "Coca-Cola Zero Pre-Race Extravaganza," which will begin as originally scheduled at 11 a.m. CT. The green-flag times for the other feature races of the weekend - Friday night's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Silverado 350k (8:25 p.m. CT, SPEED) and Saturday's NASCAR Busch Series O'Reilly Challenge (1:20 p.m. CT, TNT) - will remain as scheduled.  (TMS PR)

Oct. 20, 2005:

Texas '06 date to remain unchanged: Texas Motor Speedway will not move it spring NASCAR weekend next season. The Samsung/RadioShack 500 will remain on April 9, as previously announced. Fox officials asked NASCAR and TMS president Eddie Gossage about flip-flopping weekends with Martinsville Speedway so the TMS events would take place April 1-2. Fox didn’t want the TMS Cup race to go head-to-head with The Masters coverage on CBS. After careful deliberation, Gossage and NASCAR officials decided against the change. “We agreed it wasn’t in the best interest of our fans to change the date,” Gossage said. “Even though it’s six months away, we’ve already sold close to 50,000 season tickets for that weekend. People from out of town have made vacation plans and hotel reservations. It would have been inconvenient for a lot of them.” (Dallas Morning News)

Texas Tickets remains still: As of Wednesday afternoon, the inaugural Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway is not a sellout. The idea that it is, TMS president Eddie Gossage said, is a misperception. "It's a misperception we've battled from Day 1 -- that [whatever] race is sold out," said Gossage, 19 days removed from the start of Race No. 8 of the 10-race Chase. "We have about 12,000 seats left, which we don't have any history to compare to for this race. So the only thing we can do is compare 19 days out in the spring. It's right on target, but we were ahead -- substantially ahead -- back in August. And then the storms hit and things like that." For sure, some of the rows of empty seats on display at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway and to a lesser extent at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., can be traced to the devastation dealt by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. It's difficult to get excited about stock-car racing when your life is in shambles. "Those are all things I'm thinking about," said Gossage, who coincidentally said he has broached those subjects with Brian France, NASCAR chairman//CEO and son of Bill Jr. "It's just a different economy. The whole industry is aware of this issue, and there's clearly a concern. I'm paid to be concerned about it and paid to try and stay ahead of that. On the other hand, we've always done extremely well. If we stop selling tickets today, it's still the biggest crowd in the Chase. If we didn't sell one more ticket, right now, we're in great shape." (Ft. Worth Star-Telegram)

Don't make your TMS Samsung/Radio Shack reservations just yet: NASCAR officials have approached Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage about a possible date swap for the 2006 Samsung/RadioShack 500 Nextel Cup weekend. The race in Fort Worth currently is scheduled for April 9, one week after the series visits Martinsville Speedway. Gossage said Fox Network officials would like TMS and Martinsville to swap dates, taking TMS out of a battle for viewers against the Masters -- one of golf's biggest tournaments. "They want to maximize TV ratings [for TMS], and that's a compliment," Gossage said. "But I do want to caution people -- do not move any reservations. It's an ongoing discussion." Gossage said a decision should be announced in "a week or two." (Ft. Worth Star-Telegram)

Oct. 18, 2005:

Texas Motor Speedway to swap dates in '06? NASCAR executives are reported to be interested in persuading Texas Motor Speedway to swap its April 9, 2006, Cup weekend with Martinsville's April 2 date, in order to keep the Texas race from going head-to-head against the Masters. However, Texas has already started selling tickets for the April 9 race. (Salem-Journal)

Oct. 17, 2005:

Chevy Stampede rolls into Dallas: Chevrolet, Texas Stampede and JHE Production Group announced this week Chevy Speed Stampede - benefiting Children's Medical Center Dallas, November 4 and 5 on Main Street in Downtown Dallas. The NASCAR® festival planned in conjunction with the activities at Texas Motor Speedway closes each day of the event with a free concert featuring country music stars from yesterday and today along with classic Rock 'n Roll both Friday and Saturday night. Music is only part of this family event for this first year festival as the thrill of NASCAR® rolls into Downtown Dallas during Chevy Speed Stampede. This free family fan event brings spectators the experience of racing up close and personal with interactive tours, show cars, simulators, driver appearances and entertainment with proceeds from the event benefiting Children's Medical Center. Festival hours are Friday and Saturday 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m. For concert times, driver appearance schedules and more information about the event visit www.speedstampede.org. (JHE Group PR)

Oct. 10, 2005:

Texas Motor Speedway Frontstretch tickets available: Texas Motor Speedway has purchased back 620 frontstretch tickets from corporations for the Nov. 6 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Dickies 500 and will make them available to fans. Companies regularly purchase blocks of tickets in advance but do not always use the full allotment. Texas Motor Speedway has purchased back the unused tickets to sell to the general public. The available tickets will go on sale Wednesday, Oct. 12, at 9 a.m. at the speedway ticket office, online at www.texasmotorspeedway.com, by calling the ticket hotline at (817) 215-8500, or at participating Ticketmaster locations. The green flag drops for the Dickies 500 at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 6. Tickets are still available for the NASCAR Busch Series O’Reilly Challenge (Nov. 5) and the Craftsman Truck Series Silverado 350k (Nov. 4) as well as Albertsons Qualifying Days (Nov. 3-4). - (Texas Motor Speedway PR)

Sep. 16, 2005:

Texas Motor Speedway names bridge after Stewart: A pedestrian bridge built to relieve traffic jams at Texas Motor Speedway will be named in honor of NASCAR driver Tony Stewart, who friends say has a reputation for being crabby about congestion. "Tony for years complained about gridlock at the south tunnel," speedway General Manager Eddie Gossage joked Thursday during a media preview of the Nov. 6 NASCAR Nextel Cup race, the Dickies 500. The walkway, paid for by the speedway, opened this year. "We spent $1.7 million to shut him up," Gossage quipped, "and now he keeps demanding a plaque." During an interview by satellite link from New York, Stewart playfully returned fire: "It's still going to take a lot more than that to keep me quiet." (Star-Telegram)

Aug 26, 2005

Gossage to write TMS Book:  Because 2006 will be Texas Motor Speedway's 10th season, president Eddie Gossage said TMS plans to publish a coffee table book celebrating the track's most memorable moments. "We want the people who made history here to write it," he said. "I think that would make it more meaningful to fans." For example, Gossage wants Dale Earnhardt Jr. to write about his first Busch and Cup wins coming at Texas. He wants Arie Luyendyk to write about that infamous moment in Victory Lane when A.J. Foyt slapped him to the ground. And Gossage hopes Kenny Brack will want to write about his terrifying crash. The book's probable release is Christmas 2006, after the completion of TMS' 10th season. (Dallas Morning News)

Aug 24, 2005

Great American Speedway Texas Motor Speedway releases '06 schedule:  The 2006 Samsung/RadioShack 500 at Texas Motor Speedway will take place April 9, one week earlier than it ran this year. Moving the spring NASCAR weekend back a week is the only change to the 2006 TMS schedule, which was announced Wednesday. The first of the two 2006 NASCAR weekends at TMS was moved because the third Sunday in April next year is Easter. NASCAR does not run Nextel Cup races on Easter. Next year marks the 10th season of racing at TMS. The schedule includes two Nextel Cup events, two Busch races, two Craftsman Trucks series events, the annual June IRL race and the IROC event in April. Season-ticket packages are on sale now. Individual tickets for the Samsung/RadioShack 500 go on sale Nov. 9. For ticket information, call 817-215-8500 or visit texasmotorspeedway.com. (Texas Motor Speedway)

Have lunch with the King and Weber:  Fans will have a rare opportunity to have lunch with seven-time NASCAR champion Richard Petty Thursday, November 3 from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. at Billy Bob’s Texas in the Fort Worth Stockyards during “BBQ With ‘The King.’” NBC Sports’ Bill Weber will emcee the lunch in which Petty will talk about his career and answer the fan’s questions. “BBQ With ‘The King’” tickets are $25 and benefit Speedway Children’s Charities. Tickets are available by calling Billy Bob’s Texas at (817) 624-7117, online at www.billybobstexas.com or www.ticketmaster.com. (TMS PR)

June 3 2005

Texas Motor Speedway new beer/wine law: Governor Rick Perry has signed into law the "Fan Choice" legislation that will allow fans, for the first time in the nine-year history of Texas Motor Speedway, to purchase beer and wine in the grandstand concourse during major race weekends. As a result of this landmark legislation, Texas Motor Speedway becomes the first sports facility in the state to serve beer and wine as well as continue its "fan friendly" policy of permitting fans to bring their own coolers with alcoholic beverages into the facility. Texas Motor Speedway had the option to sell beer and wine or allow the fans to bring their own after passage of a local option election in 2000, and speedway president Eddie Gossage favored the option that most benefited the fan. Passage of SB 1331, authored by State Senator Jane Nelson of Lewisville and carried in the House by State Representative Mary Denny of Flower Mound, now allows the fans a choice, which is in line with every other major motorsports facility in the United States. The bill authorizes the granting of temporary beer and wine permits to be issued during major event weekends such as NASCAR or Indy Racing League races, and would also apply during practice and qualifying days of those specific weekends. The change only affects sales in the grandstand area, and will not apply to the infield, luxury suites or the Speedway Club. (Texas Motor Speedway)

April 15, 2005

Texas T-Shirt Mistake: Citizens and officials in Fort Worth, Texas, have accepted apologies after T-shirts for NASCAR's Texas Motor Speedway claimed the race was in Dallas.  Hundreds of complaints, some through a complaint campaign coordinated by Fort Worth City Councilman Jim Lane, led to a recall of the T-shirts.  O'Reilly Auto Parts said the T-shirts placed Saturday's O'Reilly 300 Busch Series race in Dallas instead of Fort Worth due to "a stupid mistake," and that the company was committed to making it right, KXAS-TV, Fort Worth, reported Thursday. Lane accepted the apology on behalf of the good citizens of Fort Worth.  The complaint campaign also was supported by Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief, who said he was offended by the oversight. (KXAS-TV)

April 14, 2005

No Schedule Conflicts in TEXAS in Nov.: Texas Motor Speedway won't have to battle the Cowboys for fans this fall. The Cowboys have an open date Nov. 6, the date of TMS' long-awaited second Nextel Cup race, the Dickies 500. Cowboys officials said the scheduling is a coincidence. Regardless of the reason, TMS officials were overjoyed after the NFL schedule was released Wednesday. The absence of a Cowboys game probably ensures at least a near-capacity crowd.(Dallas Morning News) Note: Arizona Cardinals travel to Detroit for November 13, while NASCAR is in Phoenix. Also, NASCAR will not have to compete against Miami Dolphins November 20.  Dolphins travel to Cleveland, while NASCAR season finale is held in Homestead.

April 13, 2005

Very Limited TEXAS Frontstretch Tickets on Sale: Texas Motor Speedway corporate sponsors have gone to bat for the fans one more time, making 218 more prime frontstretch tickets available for Sunday's Samsung/RadioShack 500 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race.  The tickets go on sale at 9 a.m. (CDT).  More Information at texasmotorspeedway.com (TMS PR)

April 9, 2005

NEXTEL Night at the Movies in TEXAS: Fans will receive a special treat from Nextel following Friday evening’s IROC race. “Friday Night Lights,” the hit movie about Texas high school football, will be shown on a giant NextelVision screen at Lil’ Texas Motor Speedway. Fans can bring lawn chairs or sit in the bleachers for the movie, and concession stands featuring movie theater items will be operational. Approximate start time will 8:30 p.m. Admission is free. (TMS PR)

April 1, 2005

TEXAS Frontstretch Sold Out: It took race fans a mere eight minutes Thursday morning to purchase the special allocation of 322 frontstretch grandstand tickets for the April 17 Samsung/RadioShack 500 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway.  Texas Motor Speedway’s corporate partners returned the 322 tickets so that race fans would have the opportunity to purchase the prime seat locations. The tickets went on sale at 9 a.m. Central Time and were spoken for by 9:08 a.m. Central Time. “Race fans just can’t wait for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup stars to come to Texas,” Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage said. “We appreciate our corporate friends that made these tickets available so that 322 of our fans would have the opportunity to watch the world’s greatest stock car drivers.”  For those fans still yearning to attend the April 14-17 race weekend, there still remain opportunities to secure a seat. A very limited amount of 2005 Texas Motor Speedway season tickets are still available. Season tickets offer fans the same frontstretch seat for the entire race season. (TMS PR)

March 31, 2005

Texas NASCAR Testing

Schrader Racing DIRT in Texas: NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series veteran Ken Schrader will return to the Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track Saturday night, April 16 for the NGK Spark Plugs Shootout featuring the O'Reilly Southern United Professional Racing (SUPR) late models.  Schrader will be seeking the $10,000 winner's prize at the end of the 50-lap feature around the 4/10-mile clay oval.  The event is the richest in the 16-year history of the O'Reilly SUPR Late Model Series and is the first time the organization has competed at the Dirt Track during the Samsung/RadioShack 500 weekend.  Schrader battled 61 other late model drivers during his first 2005 visit to the Dirt Track March 4-5 for the Pro-Cuts Texas World Dirt Track Championship.  The frequent dirt track competitor and owner of Missouri's I-55 Raceway sustained front suspension damage when forced into the infield in the opening night program.  Schrader returned to finish sixth in the March 5 feature. http://www.texasmotorspeedway.com (Texas Motor Speedway PR)

March 23, 2005

Texas withdraws tax proposal: Texas Motor Speedway abandons a proposed promotional deal.  Texas Motor Speedway on Tuesday withdrew a marketing proposal for the city to spend about $500,000 to promote races and other local events.   The proposal, publicly discussed at City Hall last month, would have teamed the speedway with the Fort Worth Convention & Visitors Bureau to market races -- and Fort Worth -- over the next 20 years. "We took the opportunity off the table," TMS President Eddie Gossage said. "As we continued to talk to the city, they wanted more and more and more.  "We simply couldn't provide them with what they wanted," he said. "It wasn't a good business deal."  He declined to elaborate specifically on the city's demands but estimated the value of the publicity to the city at $5 million. (StarTelegram)

Feb. 25, 2005

TMS everything is Bigger in Texas Including Big Screens: Everything is bigger and better in Texas, including the view for fans at Texas Motor Speedway's races in 2005.  Fans watching this season's two NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races from the grandstands will catch all of the racing action live on four big screens. And, what a view it will be from the backstretch!  Fans sitting in those seats will now have an up close view of all the action with a huge state-of-the-art big screen measuring 16 x 24 feet, allowing fans to see pit stop action along with racing coverage around the entire speedway.   Instant replays of critical portions of the races will be shown on the screens. In addition, Texas Motor Speedway will place screens measuring 13 ½ x 18 feet in Turn One and Turn Four as well as one on the front stretch at the start/finish line near Victory Lane measuring 20 x 27 feet. (TMS PR)

Feb. 21, 2005

France Jr. to visit Texas: NASCAR vice chairman Bill France Jr. is planning a visit to Texas Motor Speedway in 2005, the track's first season to play host to two Nextel Cup Series races. "I haven't been there for a while, and I want to check on the traffic," France joked outside the NASCAR hauler Sunday morning. France said he was more likely to make the trip to Fort Worth for the Samsung/RadioShack 500 in April than for the inaugural Dickies 500 in November. NASCAR granted TMS its long-sought second Cup date in May, when a federal lawsuit filed by Speedway Motorsports Inc. shareholder Francis Ferko of Plano was settled out of court. "Texas makes things happen," said France, son of NASCAR founder Bill France and father of NASCAR chairman/CEO Brian France. "For us not to be there doesn't make a lot of sense. How many times we've got to be there is a little different. But comparing it to the Rockingham [N.C.] market area and every other way of measuring a facility, there's no issue there. No comparison." SMI chairman O. Bruton Smith purchased the North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham as part of the lawsuit settlement. (Fort Worth Star Telegram)

Feb. 19, 2005

Texas Not Likely to Lose Second Date: Texas Motor Speedway is likely to fill its seats and keep its coveted second Nextel Cup race, even without the requested $500,000 in marketing help from the city. Demand is already high for the Nov. 6 Dickies 500 NASCAR race, in part because it is one of the last 10 races in the run for the Nextel Cup championship, race and track officials said.  "I certainly expect a sellout," TMS President Eddie Gossage said. "That's what we're working to do 24 hours a day."  "It's an inaugural event with some novelty to it because it's new," he said. "And it comes in a critical junction in the Nextel Cup championship points race."The marketing campaign would target NASCAR fans outside the Metroplex and in other states and would include billboards, radio ads and direct mail campaigns. (StarTelegram)

Feb. 10, 2005

Zizzo Joins Texas Motor Speedway: Mike Zizzo has been named Director of Public Relations for Texas Motor Speedway.  Zizzo is leaving the position of senior manager of communications for NASCAR.  "Mike Zizzo is considered by many to be the best public relations man in American auto racing today," said Eddie Gossage, president of Texas Motor Speedway. "He has not only managed NASCAR's public relations program, but prior to that he was vice president of competition public relations for CART. He is highly respected in stock car racing and Indy Car racing, which will serve us well since we host both NASCAR and Indy Racing League IndyCar Series events.  Prior to Zizzo’s NASCAR and CART experience, he worked for 12 years as a sportswriter for The Orlando Sentinel, covering a variety of major beats, including motorsports, the NFL and NHL. (Mercury News)

Feb. 9, 2005

Texas Motor Speedway Looks to City:  Officials at the Texas Motor Speedway, which is getting its second Nextel Cup race this year, want the city of Fort Worth to contribute about $500,000 to help with marketing. "The Cup race is good for one year," said Tom Krampitz, the speedway's director of government relations and general counsel. "Another race in 2006 depends on us selling out the speedway in 2005." He said local fans typically pack the stadium for the first big Nextel Cup Series race, which this year is the Samsung/RadioShack 500 on April 17. They won't necessarily return for the Nov. 6 Dickie's 500 race, he said. Krampitz presented the proposal Tuesday to a City Council committee, which endorsed and forwarded the proposal to the full council for consideration. The 20-year promotional proposal would team up the speedway and the Fort Worth Convention and Visitors Bureau to promote both races - and Fort Worth - with financial help from the city. Krampitz said the speedway has committed to spending $2.8 million on marketing efforts this year. Speedway officials want the city to contribute additional funds by kicking back most of the sales and hotel taxes generated by the second race each year. (Fort Worth Star Telegram)

January 18, 2005

Victory Lane Express Bus Returns to TEXAS: Back by popular demand, the Victory Lane Express bus service from Fort Worth to Texas Motor Speedway will provide race fans with economical roundtrip service for the 2005 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup and Busch Series races again in 2005. This is the second year the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (the “T”) has provided the service. The Victory Lane Express will offer fans roundtrip transportation from the Tarrant County Community College Northwest Campus to the speedway for just $10 per person. Drop off and pickup at the speedway will be in the facility’s bus lot located adjacent to Highway 114 that allows for expedited service. Departures from the college will begin at 9 a.m. on race days with the first return trip scheduled 30 minutes after each race. The Victory Lane Express will be offered for the O’Reilly 300 NASCAR Busch Series race on Saturday, April 16; the Samsung/RadioShack 500 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series event on Sunday, April 17; the O’Reilly Challenge Busch Series race on Saturday, November 5 and the November 6 Dickies 500 Nextel Cup event. - (Catchfence)

January 13, 2005

Texas Fall Race to end under the lights: Texas Motor Speedway track officials said Thursday that the November race will begin at 2:20 p.m. CST, ensuring that it will finish under the lights. There will be just two races left in the NASCAR season after that. Texas also will continue extended race weekends, with qualifying the Friday before each Sunday race and practice sessions the day between. Some tracks this season will have qualifying the day before the race with cars impounded immediately afterward. (CNNSI)

Texas Motor Speedway Cup Pole Winners gets Unique Award: Texas Motor Speedway today announced an official partnership agreement with Beretta naming the company as the “Official Firearm” of the speedway. Beretta, known worldwide for producing premium firearms, will present Texas Cup race pole winners with one of its Giubileo (pronounced jubi-lay-o) 12-gauge over/under shotguns. Although the stock Gubileo can be purchased by consumers for $14,000, the ones being done for Texas Motor Speedway will be crafted by Beretta’s master engravers, bringing the value of each gun to more than $65,000. Each Giubileo will be customized with the driver’s likeness and number on one of the sideplates making it a one-of-a-kind piece. (WhoWon)

January 7, 2005

2nd Texas Cup Race end under the lights? NASCAR and Texas Motor Speedway officials are talking to NBC about a late-afternoon start for the Nov. 6 Dickies 500 Nextel Cup race so the event would end under the lights. The race probably would start between 3 and 4 p.m. The last third of the event would be run in darkness and lead into NBC's prime-time Sunday night lineup. The 334-lap Cup races at TMS take about 3 ½ hours.(Dallas Morning News)