Earlier today, ESPN announced that three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion crew chief Ray Evernham was re-joining the network as a NASCAR analyst. Evernham conducted a media conference call to discuss his return to ESPN and the upcoming NASCAR season. A transcript of the call follows:

Q. - First off, is this just a one year thing and then you get to decide at the end of the year if you want to keep doing it?

RAY EVERNHAM: No, we actually signed a multiyear agreement.

Q. - And what did you miss about not working with ESPN and what are you looking forward to the most now that you're back?

RAY EVERNHAM: That's a great question. You know, ESPN provides that team effort. I really am a team based person. I love to work in groups, and I just enjoy the way they do things. ESPN does a lot of things a lot like I like to do them. They're very organized; they're very efficient; they plan. And they do a really good job putting on a good show is their number one goal. But they've managed to do that and have a lot of fun, too. So I just was really comfortable with the group of people that I've known over there, not just on camera. It goes without saying Rusty (Wallace) and I are good friends. I know that's hard to believe because we used to want to fistfight all the time, and we still almost fistfight up there in the booth, but Brad (Daugherty) gets in between us. Just about everybody I've got to know over there I really consider friends, from the pit row reporters to the people that are behind the cameras and the production trucks, the people that you don't see. I feel like I'm part of a team, and it just feels good to be getting back with that group.

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hree-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion crew chief Ray Evernham is returning to ESPN as a NASCAR analyst for the 2012 season.

Evernham will join ESPN’s team at Daytona Speedweeks and will be part of NASCAR Countdown before the NASCAR Nationwide Series race that airs on ESPN on Saturday, Feb. 25, at noon ET. He also will appear on NASCAR Now and SportsCenter from Daytona as ESPN’s multimedia platforms surround the opening of the NASCAR season.

Evernham, who won three championships and 47 races as crew chief for Jeff Gordon at Hendrick Motorsports, will be an analyst on NASCAR Countdown for many of the 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup races that will appear on ESPN networks in the second half of the season. In addition to his work on NASCAR Now and SportsCenter, he will help call several NASCAR Nationwide Series races from the booth.

Evernham was an analyst for ESPN from 2008-2010 but left prior to the 2011 season when he took a consulting position with Hendrick Companies, a management company that oversees strategic initiatives for chairman Rick Hendrick, who also owns Hendrick Motorsports.

"I chose to take a year off from ESPN out of respect for ESPN and Hendrick Motorsports,” said Evernham. “I didn't want to create any perceived conflict of interest while I got my bearings at Hendrick and didn't want to cause distraction to either company.

"Now that I'm settled at Hendrick Performance, I don't have any involvement on the racing side of the operations and it frees me from any conflict with NASCAR teams,” he said. “Mr. Hendrick and I have worked out an agreement that allows me to return to the ESPN team.”

Evernham has a history with ESPN dating back to 2000, when he appeared as an analyst on ESPN and ABC’s coverage of the IROC Series and some NASCAR races. In 2007, he was a guest analyst on NASCAR Countdown for several NASCAR Nationwide Series telecasts and was featured in Race Wizard with Ray Evernham, a program that aired on ESPN2.

"I'm glad to be coming back to ESPN,” Evernham said. “I really enjoy the team camaraderie at ESPN and I'm very much at home with this group from my previous three years,” he said. "Stock car racing is my passion and I'm looking forward to being back involved. I'm excited about the momentum NASCAR has going into the 2012 season.”

Evernham, who raced Modifieds in his native New Jersey, rose to prominence in NASCAR after hanging up his helmet and becoming a crew chief. After his championships with Gordon and Hendrick in the 1990s, he started his own team to coincide with Dodge’s return to the top level of NASCAR racing in 2001. He sold the race team in 2007.

With the return of Evernham, ESPN will again have five former NASCAR champions as analysts, including 1989 NASCAR Sprint Cup driving champion Rusty Wallace, 1999 champion Dale Jarrett and two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion crew chiefs Tim Brewer and Andy Petree.

“We welcome Ray back to the team and look forward to enhancing our coverage of NASCAR with the knowledge and expertise he brings to the table,” said Rich Feinberg, ESPN vice president, motorsports, production. “He’s a solid professional and a well-respected voice in the sport.”

ESPN’s NASCAR Sprint Cup coverage begins with the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 29.

Visit www.espnmediazone.com for ESPN's latest releases, schedules and other news, plus photos, video and audio clips and more.

About NASCAR on ESPN:

ESPN produces comprehensive, multi-platform coverage featuring telecasts of the final 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup races, including the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Additionally, ESPN is the television home of the NASCAR Nationwide Series. ESPN’s NASCAR coverage extends to ESPN.com, SportsCenter, ESPN the Magazine, WatchESPN, ESPN Classic, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Radio and ESPN International, among other ESPN platforms. ESPN aired 262 NASCAR Cup Races over a 20-year period starting in 1981 and returned to NASCAR coverage in 2007. The network's award-winning, live flag-to-flag coverage on ESPN has been honored with 19 Sports Emmy Awards, as well as many industry honors. It is widely credited for helping to popularize the sport nationwide.

WELCOME, N.C. (February 15, 2012) - Richard Childress Racing and K&N Engineering, Inc., the inventor and leading innovator of reusable cotton gauze filter technology for automotive applications, have reached agreement on a multi-year partnership for ECR Engines' NASCAR program.

The technical partnership provides ECR Engines with K&N Engineering air and oil filters as well as research and development support. K&N Engineering will receive marketing rights to Richard Childress Racing's drivers, cars and teams in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series. All RCR race cars will be adorned with the K&N decal through the NASCAR Contingency Sponsor program as well as having the K&N logo under the hood of every car.

"K&N is thrilled to be partnering with Richard Childress Racing and ECR Engines," said Steve Williams, vice president for K&N Engineering. "RCR has been so successful in NASCAR and has such a great group of drivers in all three major series. We are looking forward to providing K&N high flow air filters and oil filters, as well as additional engineering support to assist ECR Engines."

RCR has earned 14 major stock car racing championships, including six NASCAR Cup Series titles (1986-87, 1990-91, 1993-94) with the legendary Dale Earnhardt. In 2011, the grandsons of RCR president and CEO Richard Childress earned championships in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (Austin Dillon) and the ARCA Series presented by Menards (Ty Dillon). ECR Engines earned 101 victories in the past two racing seasons (2010-2011). Victories came in all three of NASCAR main touring series, including the Daytona 500 (2010) and Brickyard 400 (2010-2011). ECR Engines also took checkered flags in the Grand-Am Series Daytona Prototype division, SCCA Trans-Am Series, and multiple dirt track series.

"The potential of any engine relies on its air and oil filtering systems and K&N Engineering provides the performance and reliability we demand at ECR Engines," said Richie Gilmore, chief operating officer of ECR Engines. "The relationship between the RCR, ECR Engines and K&N Engineering has started off great and we look forward to only strengthening our partnership as the season continues."

For more information on today's announcement, and all that's happening at RCR, please visit rcrracing.com.

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Toronto, ON, Feb 3rd, 2012…Effective Feb15th, 2012 Go Canada Racing will become GC Motorsports International (GCMI). "The name change is a result of numerous developments in the offseason and more clearly represents our company, our partners, drivers and sponsors going forward." said team owner Steve Meehan. rd NASCAR Canadian Tire Series championship, it will be great working with Dave again, and I am really looking forward to get back behind the wheel in the Nationwide series. GCMI is developing a very strong strategy to grow the team and I think I am at the perfect point of my career to grow with them" states Andrew Ranger.

About Andrew Ranger

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MOORESVILLE, N.C. (February 6, 2012) – Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) hired Ryan Pemberton to lead the No. 36 team as crew chief for Dave Blaney. Pemberton will join the team as they attempt to make the 54^th Annual Daytona 500 February 26. The No. 36 team’s 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) schedule is still being finalized as the team seeks funding for all 36 events.

Pemberton comes from a family of racers. The Saratoga, N.Y., native started out sweeping floors at Roush Fenway Racing and worked his way up to a NSCS crew chief in 1997. Most recently, he served as crew chief for Brian Vickers at Red Bull Racing. During his career as a NSCS crew chief, he compiled two wins, 21 top-fives, 92 top-10s and 15 poles.

“I’m thrilled to join Tommy Baldwin Racing,” explained Pemberton. “TBR has shown a lot of growth in a short time, and I’m looking forward to the challenge of stepping up the program this year. Tommy, Dave and I all come from families of racing and have similar backgrounds, so I think it will be a good fit.”

This season will mark TBR’s fourth season of competition. TBR began as a part-time, one-car NSCS team in 2009 and developed into a top-35 team by 2011. In 2012, TBR plans to compete with two NSCS teams and a part-time NASCAR Nationwide Series team. The team would like to increase the number of races in both the NSCS and NNS schedules, provided more sponsorship can be found.

“Hiring Ryan is another stepping stone for TBR,” Tommy Baldwin commented. “Ryan brings experience and a wealth of knowledge from all the years he has been in the sport. He has been successful with every team he has worked for, and we are excited to have him be a part of our program.”

About Tommy Baldwin Racing:

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) Crew Chief Tommy Baldwin formed Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) in 2009. Baldwin utilized a declining economy to open a NSCS team with a stringent budget. The team worked to build to full-time competition, and by the 2011 season, the team’s third season, TBR competed in every race and locked the No. 36 Chevrolet in the top-35 in NSCS Owner Points. Dave Blaney drove the No. 36 Chevrolet to TBR’s highest finish of third in the October 2011 event at Talladega Superspeedway. TBR also fielded a second car for select races in the past two seasons with multiple drivers.

Based in Mooresville, N.C., TBR will compete in the NSCS in 2012 with NASCAR veterans David Reutimann and Dave Blaney. The team will also compete in the NASCAR Nationwide Series with Ryan Blaney, Bobby Santos and Ryan Truex.

For more information on Tommy Baldwin Racing, visit tommybaldwinracing.com or follow us on Facebook, facebook.com/TBR.HBR, and Twitter, twitter.com/TBR_Racing.

WELCOME, N.C. (February 6, 2012) - Entering their ninth season with Richard Childress Racing driver Paul Menard, PEAK® Performance announced today the No. 27 Chevrolet will sport an exciting and electric look during 2012 Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway.

Expanding on their hood sponsorship of the Menards Chevrolet, PEAK has redesigned the No. 27 Impala to be completely adorned with the signature "PEAK blue" and "Menards yellow" as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series kicks off the season with the 54th running of the "Great American Race" on February 26. The special paint scheme will also be showcased in the Budweiser Shootout on February 18 and the Duel 150 qualifying race on February 23.

"PEAK has been a great partner to work with over the years," commented Menard. "This year, to kick off the season at Daytona with a little extra punch, PEAK decided to run a vastly different paint scheme on the No. 27 Chevrolet. There is always a special energy going into Daytona and I know the team and I are all excited to get there and do everything we can to put the No. 27 PEAK car into Victory Lane."

PEAK first partnered with the 2011 Brickyard 400 champion in 2004, but their relationship with Menards dates back to the home improvement chain's IndyCar days. To celebrate the occasion and generate excitement with fans, PEAK will feature exclusive online Menard content in the days leading into the Daytona 500. The blog can be followed at www.peakauto.com/blog. Fans can also follow the march to Daytona at @peakauto on Twitter and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/peakauto.

Menard had an outstanding 2011 season, capturing his first-career Sprint Cup Series win with an emotional trip to Victory Lane at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and finishing 17th in the driver championship standings, his highest career finish. Menard enters his sixth year of NSCS competition in 2012 and will make his second career appearance in the annual Budweiser Shootout at Daytona.

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About PEAK

PEAK products are manufactured, marketed and distributed by Old World Industries, which is among the largest privately-held companies competing in the automotive aftermarket. The Northbrook, Illinois-based company enjoys a presence in various consumer product markets, energy exploration, and chemical manufacturing in more than 50 countries worldwide. Old World's brands include a full line of PEAK® Performance Products; Mr. Clean® Windshield Wash, Wiper Blades, and Auto Care Products; SIERRA®, the safer antifreeze; Fleet Charge® Fully Formulated Coolant; Final Charge® Heavy Duty Global Extended Life Antifreeze/Coolant; SmartBLADE™ Premium Wiper Blades; HERCULINER® Truck Bed Liner Kits; SplitFire® Spark Plugs. For more information, please visit www.oldworldind.com or www.peakauto.com.

About Richard Childress Racing

Richard Childress Racing (www.rcrracing.com) has earned more than 200 victories and 14 championships, including six in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with the legendary Dale Earnhardt. RCR was the first organization to win championships in the Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series. Its current Sprint Cup Series lineup includes Paul Menard (No. 27 Menards Chevrolet), Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Budweiser/Rheem/Jimmy John's Chevrolet) and Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar/Wheaties/BB&T Chevrolet). Its Nationwide Series program includes Elliott Sadler (No. 2 One Main Financial Chevrolet), 2011 Camping World Truck Series champion Austin Dillon (No. 3 Advocare/Bass Pro Shops/American Ethanol Chevrolet) and Kevin Harvick/Brendan Gaughan/Paul Menard (No. 33 South Point Hotel & Casino/Menards/Hunt Brothers Pizza/Armour/Fast Fixin'/ Chevrolet). Tim George Jr. and Brendan Gaughan (No. 2 Potomac Family Dining Group/South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet), Joey Coulter (No. 22 RCR/Armour Chevrolet) and 2011 ARCA Racing Series champion Ty Dillon (No.3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) compete in the 2012 Camping World Truck Series season.

New 2013 Ford Fusion NASCAR Sprint Cup Car Brings the "Stock Car" Back to NASCAR

CONCORD, n.c, Jan. 24, 2012 - Manufacturer brand identity is back in NASCAR.

The 2013 Ford Fusion NASCAR Sprint Cup car, unveiled today as part of the Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour, was worked on by Ford designers in an effort to bring brand identity back to the sport. The result is undeniable with the 2013 Sprint Cup car mirroring the recently unveiled 2013 Ford Fusion production car.

Featuring a completely redesigned sleek new silhouette and fresh face, the 2013 Fusion Sprint Cup car was designed to be the face of a new era of stock car racing.

"We wanted Fusion to be the car that helped return ‘stock car' to NASCAR." stated Jamie Allison, director, Ford Racing. "I think fans, when they see the car, are just going to smile and cheer. It is going to reengage them with the sport and make the sport better because there is just something natural about seeing race cars that look like cars in their driveways."

This marks the third time Ford simultaneously launched production and NASCAR versions of a new model. The first dual launch came in 1968, with the sleek fastback Ford Torino. Legendary NASCAR driver David Pearson drove the Torino to back-to-back NASCAR championships in 1968 and 1969. The second time came in 2006, when the then newly introduced Ford Fusion appeared in showrooms and on the track.

Ford took a different approach with the development of the 2013 Fusion racer. Ford Design Center staff, led by Garen Nicoghosian, and Ford aerodynamicist Bernie Marcus, spent the past year doing the early design development, freeing up the Ford race teams to concentrate on weekly NASCAR competition.

"This is a seminal moment in the sport where we had a chance to get it right once again and make sure the race cars are race versions of street cars. And I am proud because I believe we have accomplished just that," continued Allison. "The 2013 Fusion is a stunning car and the 2013 NASCAR Fusion is even more stunning and I can't wait to see it perform on the track and connect with race fans."

Ford designers, led by Nicoghosian, addressed three main issues to mirror the 2013 Sprint Cup Fusion to the 2013 production Fusion found on showroom floors.

Design Features of the 2013 Fusion Sprint Cup Car

· Designers addressed the overall proportion of the race car to reflect proportions found in the production Fusion.

· Brand and design cues in the side of the vehicle.

· An identifiable front end grill with the distinctive look of a Ford.

"It looks fun to drive and very much eager to go and tear up the track. It has a very aggressive stance from the outside and the inside. From all angles the vehicle exudes performance and I think it reflects our general attitude of how we go about setting up our cars very, very nicely," said Nicoghosian. "It brings a certain level of nimbleness and lightness and agility to the NASCAR platform, much like we do in our production cars, because all of our production cars have that nimbleness and agility and eagerness about them."

The new NASCAR Fusion entries will be tested throughout the 2012 campaign in preparation for their racing debut at the 2013 Daytona 500 in February.

Kyle Busch poses with NASCAR fans and Richard Petty Driving Experience participants at Atlanta Motor Speedway.  Credit: Atlanta Motor Speedway via nascar-assets.americaneagle.com