photo credit:  nascar

Chip Ganassi pulled no punches Tuesday, calling his team’s 2011 performance “pathetic.”

Earnhardt Ganassi Racing driver Juan Pablo Montoya finished a disappointing 21st in Sprint Cup Series point last year, with only two Top-5 finishes in 36 starts. Teammate Jamie McMurray fared even worse. After winning three of the circuit’s most prestigious races the previous season, McMurray floundered badly in 2011, recording only two Top-10 finishes en route to 27th in points.

That kind of performance is far below Ganassi’s usual standards. On the second day of the annual NASCAR Sprint Media Tour, the veteran NASCAR and IZOD IndyCar team owner called last season "pathetic for a team of our ability and our resources." The team made a number of major personnel moves during the offseason, firing longtime Competition Director Steve Hmiel and team manager Tony Glover in late November. Hmiel had spent 11 years with Dale Earnhardt, Inc. before joining EGR when the teams merged operations in late 2008. Glover had been with the team since Ganassi joined NASCAR in 2000 by purchasing the former SABCO Racing.

It remains to be seen whether EGR can regain in 2010 form, and Ganassi dismissed talk of expanding to a three-car effort yesterday, saying that even if sponsorship were available, his team is not sufficiently competitive to justify the move.

There are bright spots for EGR, however. Despite a still-lagging economy that has major organizations like Roush Fenway Racing scrambling for sponsorship. Both Montoya and McMurray are fully sponsored for 2012. The team debuted McMurray’s new Belkin, LiftMaster and Banana Boat-sponsored Chevrolets Tuesday, as that trio of new backers prepares to join Bass Pro Shops and McDonald’s as sponsors of McMurray’s No. 1 entry. Target will return as major sponsor of Montoya’s No. 42 Chevrolet. - By Dave Moody - http://www.sirius-speedway.com

PHOTO CREDIT:  FOX SPORTS

Jeff Gordon is the recipient of the National Motorsports Press Association Speedway Motorsports Spirit Award for 2011 for his work with children’s health issues.
 
Gordon was among four quarterly winners for the award and chosen by NMPA members as the overall winner for the year.
 
The NMPA Spirit Award is designed to recognize character and achievement in the face of adversity, sportsmanship and contributions to motorsports.
 
Gordon has always taken an interest in children’s health issues through his Jeff Gordon Children’s Foundation Pediatric Cancer Treatment Research, but those efforts expanded in 2011.

Gordon brought a hands-on approach to his work with children this summer.

Working with the Clinton Global Initiative, Gordon traveled to a refugee camp in the Congo in July in an effort aid with health issues. He witnessed first-hand what children in the area face and offered his personal assistance to the program.

 
Other quarterly winners in 2011 were:
 
JTG Daugherty Racing was honored in the first quarter. Driver Bobby Labonte and his team embraced a 6-year-old girl seeking a bone marrow donor and others needing a similar transplant. The team visited her in the hospital and put her photo and the"www.getswabbed.org" site on the car for the Budweiser Shootout in an effort to raise awareness for both her fight and the need for donors overall.
 
Jamie McMurray was recognized in the second quarter. Personally impacted by the tornados that devastated his hometown of Joplin, Mo., McMurray got involved with raising awareness and funds through promotion of Convoy of Hope, then visited the area and met with residents in an effort to raise spirits as well. 
 
Greg Biffle was the fourth-quarter recipient. Biffle teamed with several partners to provide Charlotte-area children the opportunity to receive free dental care during the October race weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The Give Kids A Smile program was aimed at helping more than 200 young fans. - NASCAR PR

Check out these photos of the new 2013 Ford Fusion Sprint Cup car. NASCAR is getting back to it's roots of using cars more similar to what racefans drive on the street. Thanks to NASCAR Media and Ford Racing for the pics. - Captain Thunder - www.CaptainThunderRacing.com

CONCORD, NC (January, 24, 2012) – Chip Ganassi Racing Teams (CGRT) announced today that Banana Boat® sun care will take on the sun and the speedway for a new partnership.  Banana Boat® sun care will sponsor the race cars of Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates and 2010 Daytona 500 winner Jamie McMurray and Target Chip Ganassi Racing, and two-time Indianapolis 500winner Dario Franchitti during the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup and IZOD IndyCar racing seasons, respectively.

Chip Ganassi Racing Teams and Banana Boat® sun care are collaborating to help racing fans stay cool and protected from the extreme sun and heat commonly found at races with its innovative, new product – Banana Boat® Sport Performance® CoolZone™ continuous spray sunscreen.
 
As part of the partnership, Banana Boat® sun care will host fan experiences trackside at key races including the Daytona 500, races at Talladega Superspeedway and the Indianapolis 500, among others.  The sunscreen brand will provide fans with a break from the sun, offering quick relief and sun protection in its CoolZone™ Pit Stop.  Here, fans will have the opportunity to receive a “cool-over” with the new sunscreen, play games and receive fun giveaway items.
 
Notes of Interest:
• Banana Boat® CoolZone™ Sunscreen Pit Stop:  Banana Boat® invites race fans to take a break from the sun, offering quick relief and sun protection in its CoolZone™ Sunscreen Pit Stop.  Here, fans can receive “cool-overs” with the new Sport Performance® CoolZone™ continuous spray sunscreen, receive a racing card of either Dario or Jamie with important sun care tips and take a Sun Care Challenge to snag fun prizes. 

• Banana Boat® CoolZone™ Brand Facebook Tab:  For those fans not at the racetrack this summer, they can visit the Banana Boat® CoolZone™ brand Facebook tab for exclusive access to content and tips from Jamie, Dario and their pit crews on what’s cool for the summer – from the hottest play lists to the coolest outdoor gear – including a chance to win a CoolZone™ Pit Crew Experience with Jamie at an upcoming race.  

• Banana Boat® Sport Performance® CoolZone™ Continuous Spray Sunscreen:  For the active outdoor enthusiast, new Banana Boat® Sport Performance® CoolZone™ continuous spray sunscreen provides active UVA and UVB protection that instantly cools skin on contact, for a clean, refreshed feeling.  With a crisp, clean scent, Banana Boat® Sport Performance® CoolZone™ sunscreen is invisible and rub-free for easy application, as well as water resistant for durable sun protection.  It is available in SPF 30 and SPF 50+ and the Banana Boat® CoolZone™ product line up also includes an After Sun Aloe Gel with Lidocaine, for cooling burn relief to refresh skin after a day in the sun.

• About Banana Boat®:  The Banana Boat® brand offers a wide range of product options that provide today's busy family with reliable sun protection without worry, so the fun can go on and on.  The advanced technology in Banana Boat® sunscreen products provides effective broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection that won't break down in the sun.  Banana Boat® products have carried The Skin Cancer Foundation's Seal of Recommendation for almost two decades.

Quote Board:
• Minna Raffin, Sun Care Group Marketing Director, Energizer Personal Care:  We are thrilled to partner with Chip Ganassi Racing Teams and its amazing caliber of drivers.  The unique relationship marries the outstanding skill and coolness of its drivers with the protection and reliability of our products.

• Jamie McMurray, Driver:  I’m excited to represent Banana Boat® and its new product – CoolZone™.  Its products provide protection from the sun – something our fans and my pit crew could benefit from since they are exposed to intense sun for hours on end at each race.

• Steve Lauletta, President,Chip Ganassi Racing Teams:  We are proud to announce our partnership with Banana Boat® Sun Care.  It is great to see a brand like Banana Boat® join our roster of partners.  With more and more families attending our races, we know Banana Boat® Sun Care will provide our fans with the protection they need outdoors.  We think this is the perfect partnership for racing. - egr pr

photo credit - kbm

Buckle-Up NASCAR Nation! Kyle Busch and Kurt Busch will team up to drive all 33 races in this season's NASCAR Nationwide Series.

Monster Energy will replace NOS Energy as the primary sponsor for Kyle Busch Motorsports #54 Nationwide team.

The brothers will split races throughout the season.

Kyle said Ricky Carmichael was among eight potential drivers vying for the seat, but he felt the smartest move for KBM was to team with his elder brother Kurt. - Captain Thunder - www.CaptainThunderRacing.com