Despite two disappointing finishes in the first two events of the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, Jeff Gordon rebounded in this past Sunday’s Shelby American 400-mile race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, finishing third overall and flashing the competitive form that led him to four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series titles.

Gordon captured a Las Vegas track record for most laps led, and also posted the fastest lap time while leading (180.971 mph, Lap 236) the event securing the “Goodyear Gatorback Belts Fastest Lap” of the race award.

The award is part of the NASCAR Prize Money and Decal Program, also referred to as the contingency program, which provide teams prize money and weekly awards based on performance in several categories.

Established in 2003, the “Goodyear Gatorback Belts Fastest Lap” weekly contingency award recognizes the driver who turns the fastest lap time while leading each NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. Goodyear Gatorback belts have been used by NASCAR teams since 1981 and have been an exclusive NASCAR Performance automotive partner since 1997.

Gordon dominated the race, leading 219 of the 267 laps while searching for his first victory of the year.

“Obviously it was a great day for us, dominating performance,” said Jeff Gordon during his Sunday post race interview at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. “I’m disappointed [not getting the win], but at the same time, you know, we haven’t dominated like this in a very, very long time. Today we showed what we’re capable of. It gives us a lot of momentum to go to Atlanta.”

Gordon, 39, is in his nineteenth year as a driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. During his renowned career, Gordon has turned 167,642 laps, leading 20,970 of them, in 584 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.

Thank you to NASCAR media for this content.

Sports fans of all shapes and sizes typically have their favorite teams and individuals that they root and cheer for like crazy.  We buy their apparel, we make screen savers out of pictures we find on the internet, and we support them with endless passion.  Many fans can only dream about the opportunity to actually meet, let alone have a conversation with one of their favorite sports icons.  Yesterday, my friends from Phoenix International Raceway made this a reality for me.

The driver of the #24 Dupont Chevrolet was here in Phoenix to meet Arizona Governor Jan Brewer at the State Capitol for a very special ceremony and to preview the April 10th SUBWAY Fresh Fit 600™ at Phoenix International Raceway.

At the ceremony, Governor Brewer declared that March 1st would now be known as “Jeff Gordon Day” in the State of Arizona.

Afterwards, he attended a media reception at the Hard Rock Cafe, where I had the ultimate and surreal pleasure of speaking with my favorite driver in NASCAR.

Please enjoy the following video where I chat with Jeff about the upcoming Subway Fresh Fit 600 at PIR and other topics.

If you don’t already know it (which means you’ve been living under a rock), Danica Patrick is coming to NASCAR…whether you’re ready for her or not! Some believe that she’ll fail, some believe that she’ll succeed.

If there is one thing that is for certain, Danica is going to be incredibly popular and a huge marketing machine for the sport. Hence, the photo I chose to use for this post. How could you not market that? You got to admit, the woman is gorgeous. Furthermore, I don’t think that Greg Biffle, Kyle Busch, or even our 4-time defending champion Jimmie Johnson could pull of that look!

Danica will drive the No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet for JR Motorsports in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, and will enter at least 12 events during the 2010 season, including the Arizona 200 on Saturday, November 13 right here in Phoenix at PIR.

“I’m thrilled to announce our 2010 Nationwide Series schedule,” Patrick said in a statement released by JR Motorsports. “Like I’ve said before, we just want to be smart and calculative about this process. The tracks we’ve selected not only compliment the IndyCar schedule, but will give me quality seat time at a variety of facilities.”

Patrick’s schedule will begin with the February 20 race at Southern California’s Auto Club Speedway, followed by a February 27 appearance at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Following Las Vegas, Patrick will take a four-month hiatus to focus on her IndyCar Series responsibilities with Andretti Autosport before returning to NASCAR June 26 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

The remainder of Patrick’s NASCAR schedule includes Nationwide races at Chicagoland Speedway (July 9), Michigan International Speedway (August 14), Dover International Speedway (September 25), Auto Club Speedway (October 9), Charlotte Motor Speedway (October 15), Gateway International Raceway (October 23), Texas Motor Speedway (November 6), and Homestead-Miami Speedway (November 20).

Patrick may enter the February 13 season opener at Daytona International Speedway, though that has not been determined.

Tickets for the November 13th Arizona 200 and all other events throughout the fall NASCAR weekend at Phoenix International Raceway will be on sale starting Thursday, April 8.

Distance increases from 500k to 600k (63 laps) for first night race of 2010 season on April 10

It will be a whole new race on April 10 when NASCAR visits Phoenix International Raceway for the first evening event of the season – new distance, new pit-stop schedules, new fuel cycles, and a new name. The brand new SUBWAY Fresh Fit 600™ will be the longest Sprint Cup event in track history, featuring 63 more laps (100k) of high-octane action at the same affordable cost that NASCAR fans have come to enjoy in the Valley of the Sun.

“Racing is as much about strategy as it is about pure speed,” said PIR President Bryan Sperber. “This new distance ushers in a whole new race at PIR and will likely jumble the conventional wisdom about who can win at Phoenix.”

The addition of 63 laps ensures that PIR’s April race maintains its spot as the first official night race of the NASCAR Sprint Cup season again in 2010. For consistency, NASCAR moved to standard race start times in 2010 and PIR’s extra laps will make certain that the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 600™ – which starts at 4:30 p.m. locally – will run well into the night under the desert sky.

As mentioned, the 375-lap April 10 race under bright Saturday night lights will be the longest scheduled Sprint Cup event in track history, as each of Phoenix International Raceway’s 27 Sprint Cup races dating back to 1988 were originally slated for 500k (312 laps) from green flag to checkered flag.  PIR’s November NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race will maintain its distance of 312 laps – approximately 500 kilometers.

To help celebrate this exciting new development in Phoenix International Raceway’s rich NASCAR history, fans will have the opportunity to turn the first 600 laps of the new season at PIR on Saturday, March 27 – just five short weeks before the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 600™. How to participate? Just be one of the first 100 people to call 1-866-408-RACE (7223) and purchase a grandstand ticket to the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 600™ using the code-phrase “600 Under the Lights” and you can be one of 100 lucky fans to drive six laps on PIR’s one-mile oval. Fans that call in after the first 100, as well as those who have already purchased their tickets, will also have the opportunity to drive the track at PIR.  For more details, please visit www.phoenixraceway.com/600underthelights.

Tickets for the April 10 SUBWAY Fresh Fit 600™ – with prices as low as $25 – and all other events throughout the first NASCAR event weekend of 2010 at Phoenix International Raceway are still available at www.phoenixraceway.com or by calling 1-866-408-RACE (7223).

As the numbers have it, the spotlight of NASCAR championship glory could shine down on Phoenix International Raceway not once, not twice, but three times over the November 12-15 Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 event weekend.

With just a 73-point lead on his closest pursuer (Mark Martin) in the Sprint Cup Series, Jimmie Johnson is not as comfortable as he’d like to be heading into PIR this weekend. However, with three Phoenix wins since 2004 – Johnson seems primed to continue his quest for a record fourth consecutive Sprint Cup Series championship at the Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 Presented by Pennzoil.

To officially clinch the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship at Phoenix International Raceway, Johnson would need to exit the one-mile oval with a 196-point lead over second place. If Johnson leaves PIR with at least a 162-point lead, he would need to simply start the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway to earn the title.

In a NASCAR teleconference this week, Johnson spoke to his past successes on the remaining tracks on the Sprint Cup schedule.

“I would say that looking at the schedule, the best track remaining for us would be PIR,” he said.

Johnson mentioned that the inclusion of the new double-file restart rule on the narrow oval could easily play to the advantage of his entry from Hendrick Motorsports, which has fielded the last five Sprint Cup Series winners in Phoenix.

“I feel very strong about the performance Hendrick Motorsports will have (at Phoenix),” Johnson said. “I just hope it’s the 48 car on top of the heap.  But the double file restarts will be interesting.  The bottom will probably be the preferred line.  I think in Turns 1 and 2 the outside will do a really good job of hanging on and can maintain down the backstretch.  But in most cases, the bottom of 3 and 4 is the preferred line, and we’ll probably end up prevailing through the length of the race.”

A clinched championship for Johnson at Phoenix would be the third in the track’s 22-year Sprint Cup Series history, and the first in the Chase for the Sprint Cup era. In 1991, Dale Earnhardt left the Checker 500 with a 156-point lead – with 151 the maximum single-race gain – over Davey Allison to clinch his fifth of seven Cup Series championships. In 1998, Jeff Gordon’s 329-point advantage over Mark Martin coming out of Phoenix gave him a mathematical clinch of his third series championship with two races remaining.

Johnson will not be the only driver, however, searching for a fourth series championship at Phoenix International Raceway next weekend. Ron Hornaday currently holds a 202-point lead over Matt Crafton in Camping World Truck Series competition, and like Johnson is in search of adding to his collection of three series championships. A fourth title for Hornaday would be a Camping World Truck Series record, untying Hornaday’s current tie with Jack Sprague.

Hornaday must leave the Lucas Oil 150 at PIR with a lead of 141 points over second place. By contrast, the driver of the No. 33 Chevrolet would require a 282-point advantage following this weekend’s event in Texas – an increase of 80 points – to clinch the championship before arriving in Phoenix.

Kyle Busch’s current lead of 215 points in the NASCAR Nationwide Series leaves him in prime position to clinch his first national championship at PIR, as he requires a 162-point advantage following the Able Body Labor 200 to clinch the title ahead of the season finale. Like Johnson, Busch would need to lead the Nationwide Series point standings by 324 points after this weekend’s event at Texas, meaning he would have to add 109 points to his current lead over the course of just a single race.

On a final note, being a HUGE Jeff Gordon fan - here’s to Jimmie finding some bad luck again, and allowing the 24 to make it a three dog race heading into Homestead.

Let’s go JG!

The thrill of NASCAR action at Phoenix International Raceway is just three weeks away, and tickets are available for each night of racing in the Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500, Able Body Labor 200, and Lucas Oil 150 Presented by Pennzoil event weekend.

Great seats remain for select grandstand areas and can be purchased online at PhoenixRaceway.com or over the phone at 1-866-408-RACE (7223).

For added convenience, the Phoenix International Raceway Ticket Office will be open seven days a week leading up to the Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 Presented by Pennzoil event weekend, giving race fans more time to buy tickets in person in the days before the green flag.

The PIR Ticket Office will open for special hours on Saturday, October 24 and Sunday, October 25, on Saturday, October 31 and Sunday, November 1, and again on Saturday, November 7 and Sunday, November 8, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. Normal weekday ticket office hours in the weeks leading up to the event are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The PIR Ticket Office is located in Avondale at 125 S. Avondale Boulevard, just south of I-10 at Exit 131.

Tickets for the November NASCAR event weekend at Phoenix International Raceway can be purchased online at PhoenixRaceway.com, or over the phone at 1-866-408-RACE (7223). Follow Phoenix International Raceway 365 days a year on the Web at PhoenixRaceway.com and on Twitter at twitter.com/PhoenixRaceway, and become a fan on Facebook at facebook.com/PhoenixRaceway. Be a part of it all at PIR!

Sgt. Slaughter, World Wrestling Entertainment legend and the former United States Marine who earned his famous ring name during service to his country, has been named an Honorary Race Official for the Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 Presented by Pennzoil at Phoenix International Raceway on Sunday, November 15.

The WWE Hall of Famer will attend the Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 as part of a promotional partnership between Phoenix International Raceway and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) for WrestleMania XXVI, which will be held in Arizona in March 2010. One of the WWE’s most beloved Superstars of the mid-1980s and current WWE Ambassador, Sgt. Slaughter will appear on the pre-race ceremonies stage with PIR President Bryan R. Sperber to welcome NASCAR fans, drivers, and teams to the Valley of the Sun for the Semi-Final Showdown in the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

“I plan to take my duties as Honorary Race Official as serious as I did service to my country,” said Sgt. Slaughter. “I can’t wait to jump in the pace car. I pledge to do my best to make sure that everyone attending the weekend of events has a great time at the beautiful Phoenix International Raceway.”

In addition to his time on the pre-race stage, Slaughter will make multiple appearances for fans in Phoenix International Raceway hospitality clubs throughout the weekend, and will act as the honorary pace car driver before Saturday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series Able Body Labor 200.

With one of the most instantly recognizable monikers of any WWE Superstar in history, Sgt. Slaughter is truly one of a kind. A former U.S. Marine, he solidified that name by intimidating adversaries and fans alike in his trademark drill sergeant attire. Following his retirement from full-time competition, Sgt. Slaughter acted as WWE Commissioner, and today serves as a WWE Ambassador.

Phoenix International Raceway is encouraging race fans to make their trip to the track a smooth one on Sunday, November 15.

Following its success for previous PIR events, the Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 Park ‘N Ride will be available for fans to make an easy trip to the feature event of the track’s November NASCAR event weekend, the November 15 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 Presented by Pennzoil.

After much success in recent years, the Park ‘N Ride program returns to Cricket Pavilion, located just two blocks north of I-10 on 83rd Avenue (Exit 135). All NASCAR fans heading to PIR are welcome to enter at the 83rd Avenue entrance and park on Pavilion grounds, from where shuttle bus service from First Student Charter of Phoenix will be provided to the Gate 7 area at the track. Parking and shuttle services to PIR will total just $7 per car.

With the green flag dropping on the Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 at 1:15 p.m., “Park ‘N Ride” services will be available for 12 hours – from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. – on Sunday, giving all NASCAR fans an easy way both to and from the track, before and after the race.

Guests with PIR-issued parking passes can “Park ‘N Ride” at no charge. Shuttle buses will escort guests to PIR via preferential traffic routes, offering guests an earlier arrival to the facility.

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) announced the inaugural class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame today that includes: Dale Earnhardt, Bill France Sr., Bill France Jr., Junior Johnson and Richard Petty.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel, consisting of members of the Nominating Committee along with 29 others representing NASCAR, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, major race track ownership groups, retired drivers, owners and crew chiefs along with motorsports media representatives, met in a closed session in Charlotte, N.C. to vote on the induction class of 2010.

The class was determined by the 51 votes cast by the panel and the nationwide fan vote conducted through NASCAR.COM. The accounting firm of Ernst & Young presided over the tabulation of the votes.

The Class of 2010 will be officially inducted in a ceremony on May 23, 2010 at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte.

The results of the voting for the final five chosen in this inaugural class proved competitive. Also receiving votes were David Pearson, Cale Yarborough and Bobby Allison.

As part of the inclusive voting process, more than 670,000 NASCAR fans submitted votes online at NASCAR.COM as part of the fan voting process. This remarkable fan feedback once again demonstrates fans’ passion and knowledge of the sport and its heritage. The fans voted Petty, Earnhardt, Bill France Sr., Cale Yarborough and Bobby Allison as their top five.

The nominees included many of the sport’s legendary names:

Bobby Allison, Buck Baker, Red Byron, Richard Childress, Dale Earnhardt, Richie Evans, Tim Flock, Bill France Jr., Bill France Sr., Rick Hendrick, Ned Jarrett, Junior Johnson, Bud Moore, Raymond Parks, Benny Parsons, David Pearson, Lee Petty, Richard Petty, Fireball Roberts, Herb Thomas, Curtis Turner, Darrell Waltrip, Joe Weatherly, Glen Wood and Cale Yarborough.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame broke ground in Charlotte on Jan. 25, 2007 and will open May 11, 2010. The facility honors the history and heritage of NASCAR and the many who have contributed to the success of NASCAR.

Highlighting the Class of 2010:

-Dale Earnhardt-

Earnhardt co-holds the record for most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships (seven) with Richard Petty. In only his second full season, 1980, Earnhardt nabbed his first championship. He won consecutive titles on three separate occasions (1986-87, ’90-91 and ’93-94). Earnhardt’s 76 victories rank seventh all-time.

He is the all-time leader in race victories at Daytona International Speedway with 34, though the most prominent of them was a while in the making.

In 1998, Earnhardt won his most coveted race – the Daytona 500. The scene was a memorable one, forever etched in the minds of race fans. As Earnhardt’s black No. 3 rolled down pit road, a Daytona 500 winner at last, every crew member from every team lined up to congratulate one of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history.

-Bill France Sr.-

Called “Big Bill,” only partly because of his 6-foot-5 stature, France spearheaded NASCAR from its beginning and directed it to its present status as the world’s largest stock-car racing organization. In 1936, he helped lay out the first beach/road course in Daytona Beach; in the first race on the course he finished fifth. Starting in 1938, he helped promote races on the sands of Daytona Beach. In 1947, France became the driving force behind the establishment of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. NASCAR, it was called, resulting from a famous meeting at the Streamline Hotel on State Road A1A in Daytona Beach – a structure that stands to this day, as a racing landmark. “Big Bill” France passed away in June 1992. He left behind a lasting legacy.

-Bill France Jr.-

William Clifton France is remembered – and revered – as the man who followed his visionary father at NASCAR’s helm, in the process becoming a visionary himself, as he guided NASCAR to unprecedented levels of popularity.

France became NASCAR’s president in January 1972, replacing his father and becoming only the second president of the world’s largest auto racing sanctioning body. His emergence coincided with the sport’s emergence, and its eventual ascent to become America’s No. 1 form of motorsports and the nation’s second-most popular sport overall.

France, often referred to as “Bill Jr.,” remained president until November 2000. At that time, France announced the formation of a NASCAR Board of Directors on which he served as chairman and CEO until October 2003 when he was replaced by his son, Brian Z. France. After that, he continued to serve the sport for the remainder of his life as NASCAR Vice Chairman.

-Junior Johnson-

Robert Glenn “Junior” Johnson is unique in NASCAR history, with tremendous success both as a driver and a car owner.

Johnson won the second annual Daytona 500 in 1960 and in the process, became credited with the discovery of “drafting” on the massive superspeedways. He won 50 races in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series then surprised many people by retiring from driving to become an owner. As an owner, Johnson never missed a beat; through the years, his drivers won 132 races. There also were six series championships produced with Cale Yarborough (1976-78) and Darrell Waltrip (1981-82, ’85).

Named one of NASCAR’s “50 Greatest Drivers” in 1998, Johnson resides in Wilkesboro, N.C., and remains one of the sport’s most enduring – and endearing – personalities, at the age of 78.

-Richard Petty-

Known as “the King”, Richard Petty’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series records are staggering: Most wins (200), most poles (123), tied for most championships (seven), most wins in a season (27), most Daytona 500 wins (seven), most consecutive wins (10) and most starts (1,185).

Petty’s success continued even after his retirement from driving in 1992. He would still hold the top spot in the family business – Petty Enterprises, and now, Richard Petty Motorsports. In all, Petty Enterprises totaled 268 victories before merging with Gillett Evernham Motorsports for the 2009 season to become Richard Petty Motorsports.

Arizona Senator John McCain will act as the Grand Marshal for the Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 Presented by Pennzoil NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Phoenix International Raceway on Sunday, November 15.

The role will mark a return to Phoenix International Raceway for the Grand Canyon State’s senior senator, who also appeared as Grand Marshal before the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at the track in April 2006.

“I’m thrilled to serve as the Grand Marshal for the NASCAR race on Sunday,” said McCain.

A retired Navy captain, McCain entered the United States Senate in 1987 following four years as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Arizona’s 1st Congressional District.

As Grand Marshal, McCain will appear on the pre-race ceremonies stage with Phoenix International Raceway president Bryan R. Sperber to welcome NASCAR fans, drivers, and teams to the Valley of the Sun for the Semi-Final Showdown in the Chase for the Sprint Cup. Following driver introductions, McCain will deliver the familiar “Gentlemen, Start Your Engines!” command to the 43 starters in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series field.

E1 Music recording artist and 16-time Grammy nominee Brian McKnight will sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” prior to the Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 Presented by Pennzoil NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Phoenix International Raceway on Sunday, November 15.

In a career spanning nearly two decades, McKnight has earned a spot in contemporary music history, with seven platinum and multi-platinum album releases and the sale of over 20 million records worldwide. In 1999, McKnight’s single “Back at One” from the album of the same name reached No. 2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts, maintaining that position for eight weeks.

With a mass appeal for soul and R&B listeners everywhere, McKnight is diversely talented in nine musical instruments, and currently delights television viewers with the new one-hour entertainment showcase, “The Brian McKnight Show.”

McKnight is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including Billboard’s Songwriter of the Year, Favorite Male R&B/Soul Artist at the American Music Awards, Outstanding Male Artist at the NAACP Image Awards, and Soul Train’s Best Album of the Year.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series star and Budweiser driver Kasey Kahne will appear at Phoenix International Raceway’s Budweiser ROLL-BAR for a question-and-answer session with NASCAR fans before the Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 Presented by Pennzoil on Sunday, November 15.

Kahne, driver of the No. 9 Budweiser Dodge for Richard Petty Motorsports, is one of 12 drivers to have qualified this season for the Chase for the Sprint Cup – his second such distinction. Kahne is currently 12th in Sprint Cup Series points with two wins and 11 top-10 finishes in 28 starts this season.

Fellow Sprint Cup competitors Casey Mears and A.J. Allmendinger will also appear at Phoenix International Raceway’s hospitality clubs over the weekend. Each driver will be scheduled to participate for 15 minutes, and appearance times will be confirmed in the coming weeks and announced on PhoenixRaceway.com.

More driver appearances will be announced soon.

Budweiser ROLL-BAR is located just behind the Bobby Allison Grandstands on the west side of the track, and features the best in live entertainment with drink specials each day and night throughout the Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 NASCAR weekend and appearances by some of NASCAR’s top personalities.

The innovative hospitality environment at Budweiser ROLL-BAR includes a special VIP section for guests, featuring high-end furniture on a raised platform. A number of unique custom structures – including a bar to house a replica of the No. 9 Budweiser Dodge driven by Kasey Kahne – adorn the beer garden area and highlight the Budweiser branding seen throughout the club.

Single-day tickets to Budweiser ROLL-BAR are available for $89 on Saturday, November 14 and for $139 on Sunday, November 15. Additional purchase of a grandstand ticket is still required for track admission.

Tickets for the November NASCAR event weekend at Phoenix International Raceway can be purchased online at PhoenixRaceway.com, or over the phone at 1-866-408-RACE (7223). Follow Phoenix International Raceway 365 days a year on the Web at PhoenixRaceway.com and on Twitter at Twitter.com/PhoenixRaceway, and become a fan on Facebook at Facebook.com/PhoenixRaceway. Be a part of it all at PIR!