News & Notes

22nd NASCAR Camping World Series East
Season Set To Roll

By Paul Schaefer, NASCAR - April 16, 2008

Seven To Watch This Camping World East Season
by Penny Aicardi

NASCAR Announces Comprehensive
2008 Coverage On HDNet And SPEED

Millions tuned in for the Daytona 500 to watch drivers like Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr. and David Gilliland – all of whom used the NASCAR Camping World Series to help launch their careers. NASCAR fans will get the opportunity to see the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stars of tomorrow throughout the 2008 season thanks to a comprehensive television broadcast schedule announced today by NASCAR for its developmental series.

The 2008 schedule features television coverage of the NASCAR Camping World Series live on HDNet and enhanced replays on SPEED.

“This year all the thrills and excitement of the NASCAR Camping World Series will be available for NASCAR fans across the country,” said NASCAR Managing Director of Racing Operations George Silbermann. “They will be able to catch all the action as the NASCAR stars of tomorrow battle it out from coast to coast.”

The television schedule allows fans across the country to see some of the top future talent in NASCAR. The NASCAR Camping World Series races on a variety of top short tracks, speedways and road courses across the country, and features a championship schedule on both the East and West Coast.    FULL STORY AT NASCAR HOME TRACKS HERE

2008 NASCAR Camping World Series East
Schedule Announced

The NASCAR Camping World Series calendar will run on 23 tracks in 16 states, including a return trip to Iowa Speedway for a combination race between the East and West on the 7/8-mile tri-oval in Newton, Iowa. Last year’s event drew almost 25,000 fans that witnessed an epic battle in which 17-year-old Joey Logano, the eventual 2007 East champion, outdueled 2007 Daytona 500 winner Kevin Harvick to claim the victory.

Five NASCAR Camping World Series events will run in conjunction with NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race weekends in 2008. Additional companion events are scheduled with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and the Grand-Am Rolex Series.

“We’ve built upon the momentum of a very strong 2007 season by bolstering the calendar for 2008 with several exciting new race tracks on both sides of the Mississippi,” said NASCAR’s Managing Director of Racing Operations, George Silbermann. “With the support of Camping World, our new series sponsor, along with a great group of race promoters, some outstanding competitors, and a comprehensive national television package airing on Speed and HDNet, we are looking forward to a terrific 2008 season.”

The schedules for the NASCAR Camping World Series East and West will each include 13 races.

The East will take the green flag for the first race April 19 at Greenville-Pickens Speedway in Greenville, S.C.

The East season will conclude Sept. 28 at Stafford (Conn.) Motor Speedway.

Other key dates:

- The 2008 NASCAR Camping World Series schedule includes races on four road courses. The East will run at Lime Rock Park in Connecticut, in addition to the first trip to Watkins Glen International since 2004. The event at The Glen will run in conjunction with the Grand-Am Rolex Series.

- The East includes return trips to a number of historic southern tracks: Greenville-Pickens Speedway in South Carolina — where the series will open the season for the third year in a row — Virginia’s South Boston Speedway and the Music City Motorplex at the fairgrounds in Nashville, Tenn. The East will also maintain its northern roots by racing at Thompson International Speedway and the season finale at Stafford, both in Connecticut, as well as returning to Adirondack International Speedway in Beaver Falls, N.Y.

- Conjunction events with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series include two weekends at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (June 27 and Sept. 12) and Sept. 19 at Dover International Speedway for the East.

- The East events at Mansfield Motorsports Park Aug. 23 and Stafford Sept. 28 will be run in conjunction with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.

The broadcast schedule for the 2008 NASCAR Camping World Series aired on HD Net and Speed will be announced in the near future.

2008 Camping World East Series Schedule

April 19, Greenville-Pickens Speedway (Greenville, S.C.)
May 18, Iowa Speedway (Newton, Iowa)
May 31, South Boston Speedway (South Boston, Va.)
June 8, Watkins Glen (Watkins Glen, N.Y.)
June 27, New Hampshire Motor Speedway (Loudon, N.H.)
July 12, Thompson International Speedway (Thompson, Conn.)
July 19, Music City Motorplex (Nashville, Tenn.)
July 26, Adirondack International Speedway (Beaver Falls, N.Y.)
Aug. 16, Lime Rock Park (Lakeville, Conn.)
Aug. 23, Mansfield Motorsports Park (Mansfield, Ohio)
Sept. 12, New Hampshire Motor Speedway (Loudon, N.H.)
Sept. 19, Dover International Speedway (Dover, Del.)
Sept. 28, Stafford Motor Speedway (Stafford Springs, Conn.)

Full Schedule Page Here

NASCAR Welcomes Camping World
As New Series Sponsor For
Its Top Developmental Series

DAYTONA, Fla. (Dec. 15, 2007) – The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) announced today that Camping World, the country’s largest RV and outdoor retailer, will become the title sponsor for NASCAR Camping World Series beginning in 2008, entitling NASCAR’s top developmental series – the long-standing Grand National Division, East and West Series.

Over the years, this series has helped launch the careers of many future NASCAR stars, including current NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standouts Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex, Jr., and David Gilliland, along with two-time championship crew chief Greg Zipadelli. As the new title sponsor, Camping World looks to continue the tradition of developing talented young drivers that aspire to go on and excel in the highest levels of NASCAR racing. Recent enhancements to the series included a schedule with an expanded geographic reach, new competition and cost-containment initiatives such as the new “spec engine” and composite body, and a lowered age-limit to 16 for drivers.

“NASCAR’s developmental series are critical to the future of the sport and Camping World’s participation and commitment is a key to the success of every short track competitor and operator,” said Brian France, NASCAR Chairman and CEO. “Camping World is the right sponsor at the right time, providing a national banner over our important developmental tours and the NASCAR stars of tomorrow.”

The NASCAR Camping World Series features cars similar in design and appearance to those cars competing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. The East Series races in key markets in the northeast, along the Atlantic seaboard, and as far west as Iowa. The West Series features events along the Pacific coast, and several western states, reaching as far east as Iowa, where the two separate series meet for a combined event in May. Both series run at a challenging combination of short tracks, intermediates, road courses, and speedways, with a number of races held in combination with NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events.

“NASCAR’s developmental series has a rich history of drivers, race tracks and fans and we are pleased with our new role as the series sponsor during its re-launch,” said Marcus Lemonis, Chairman and CEO, Camping World. “We intend to use our resources to promote and support these type of family activities in which our products are used. We were attracted to this opportunity in order to help establish an affordable venue for both the spectator family and the competitor.”

Camping World currently has extensive involvement in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. It has a primary sponsorship relationship with Kevin Harvick Inc., the race team owned by the former West Series champion and current NASCAR Sprint Cup Series star. Camping World’s sponsorship with KHI includes primary sponsorship for NASCAR Nationwide Series entries, as well as 19 races as primary sponsor for the 2007 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday Jr., a former West Series runner-up.

"Camping World has done a great job raising the level of awareness of their brand through their involvement with their NASCAR sponsorships,” Harvick said. “Fans in RVs travel hundreds of thousands of miles each year to attend races all over the country and they are certainly passionate about the sport of racing. I think it's a natural fit."

“I think it’s great that Camping World is getting more involved in the sport,” Hornaday said. “For them to partner with NASCAR to form the Camping World Series is exciting news. Since I raced in the West series earlier in my career and have sponsorship from Camping World now at KHI, I think they will do great things for our sport. This is a great series that has produced some really good drivers over the years.”

In addition, Camping World has a primary NASCAR Nationwide Series sponsorship relationship with Richard Childress Racing, and race sponsorship with three NASCAR Nationwide Series events (Daytona, New Hampshire and California).

HERE