The NASCAR Busch series drivers are at WDW this weekend for several events, including a banquet at that Grand Floridian tonight and media day yesterday at the Boardwalk and on the WDW Speedway. They also spent time today playing golf, fishing, and doing batting practice at the Wide World of Sports.
Their banquet tonight will be televised at midnight the night of December 19 on TNT.
I am sure that Speed Network will be covering some of this over the weekend, and perhaps ESPN. I heard about it on an MRN Radio report today.
Info and pics are at the NASCAR web site: http://www.nascar.com/2006/news/headlines/bg/12/08/kharvick.busch.banquet/index.html
Busch ready to celebrate season, crown Harvick
Press Release
December 8, 2006
05:45 PM EST (22:45 GMT)
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Friday began with fun and games but eventually will turn to pomp and circumstance when Kevin Harvick is officially crowned champion of the Busch Series.
Harvick will be joined by his No. 21 Richard Childress Racing team at Disney's Grand Floridian Hotel, where they will celebrate a dominant 2006 performance at the Busch Series Awards Banquet.
Festivities begin at 7 p.m. ET. The ceremony can be seen on TV at midnight ET on Dec. 19(TNT).
Harvick put together one of the top seasons in series history. He finished the year with nine wins, 23 top-fives and 32 top-10s. His 824-point final margin on second-place Carl Edwards was the largest in series history.
"This has just been an unbelievable season," Harvick said. "Everybody has done an outstanding job all year. Getting to celebrate with my team [Friday night] is something I'm looking forward to."
Harvick and the other Busch Series top-10 drivers arrived in Orlando on Wednesday night in advance of two days of media opportunities and other activities.
Busch Series Champion's Week kicked off Thursday with Media Day at ESPN Club at Disney's BoardWalk. The drivers then took turns spinning "hot laps" for the media with the Richard Petty Driving Experience at Walt Disney World Speedway.
The fun continued Friday morning as the group split time between three activities at Disney properties -- batting practice, a fishing trip and a golf scramble.
Johnny Sauter and championship crew chief Shane Wilson led a group for a few rounds of batting practice at The Ballpark at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex, home of the Atlanta Braves spring training camp. The group was met by Chicago Cubs catcher Michael Barrett, an avid NASCAR fan who took batting practice with the drivers and offered pointers.
After several at-bats, Wilson, who played baseball in high school and had a brief college stint, was content with his performance.
"I made some contact," Wilson said. "It's been 16 years since I've picked up a bat ... and it felt like it."
Apart from Barrett, the top slugger of the day was Sauter.
"I had a great time, and now have a blister to prove it," Sauter said. "It was fun to spend the time with Michael and hopefully we can get him to a race sometime soon since he's such a big NASCAR fan."
In the other activities, champion team owner Richard Childress joined a group that included B.A.S.S. pros for a morning fishing excursion. It came as no surprise when Childress, a noted outdoorsman, was among the first to land a fish.
Joe Gibbs Racing teammates J.J. Yeley and Denny Hamlin participated in a nine-hole golf scramble at Osprey Ridge Golf Course, one of five championship courses on the Disney properties.
On-track activities to start the 2007 season begin with Daytona testing. The preseason officially launches in January with NASCAR Jackson-Hewitt Preseason Thunder at Daytona.
The Busch Series teams will be split into two groups for their annual test session at Daytona International Speedway. Teams that were in odd positions in the car owner standings following the USG Durock 300 at Chicagoland Speedway on July 8 will test from Jan. 19-21. Teams that were in even positions in the car owner standings will test from Jan. 21-23.
Drivers will hold Q&A sessions with fans on Jan. 20-21 as part of NASCAR Jackson-Hewitt Preseason Thunder Fanfest.
Importance of the Busch Series
Out of the batting cage and into the roll cage, Sauter finished eighth in the final point standings.
"Yeah, I mean if you look at the points, like if you go online and look at the points at NASCAR.COM, I think there's like 150 different drivers who competed in the NASCAR Busch Series this year, and that's a lot," Sauter said.
"I mean there's all types of different races and all different types of backgrounds from different competitors, so it's a pretty diverse crowd. ... Anyone who has aspirations of moving up, the NASCAR Busch Series is a good place to be."
The top five drivers were also Nextel Cup regulars.
1. Kevin Harvick (5,648 points)
"It's still a breeding ground from all different aspects for the Cup Series because it always has been. When we look at our teams, our team guys for our pit crews, I'd say 75 percent of them came from the Busch Series from RCR.
"I think it's very important just for the fact that, you know, you learn how to race, you learn how to be acceptable in the garage or around the different types of people and all the different things that we do. So it teaches you the basic ropes of Nextel Cup racing and you still get to be on the track and get that experience."
2. Carl Edwards (4,824)
"It's about competition and going out there and racing. I don't get into the Busch car on Saturday thinking about Sunday's race. I get into that car thinking about how I'm gonna win on Saturday, and I guess that's the simplest way to put it."
3. Clint Bowyer (4,683)
"Oh, it's been huge. I've learned so much in the Busch Series getting to race, back in 2004 when I got to race against these Cup guys. They made me a lot better racecar driver.
"Granted, back then I was it was frustrating to know when you finished second, a Cup guy won a race and he went away with my iron from this place. [I felt like] that was my iron to take home, but I feel like I'm a lot better racecar driver because of that and it enabled me to showcase my talent against those guys, to show Richard Childress I was ready for the Cup Series."
4. Denny Hamlin (4,667)
"The Busch Series has been a great learning experience for us. It's been a steady progression up through and for me I've taken a lot of things I've learned in Busch Series and brought them to the Cup Series on Sunday.
"It's a lot of fun. That's the good thing about the Busch Series, that it's got such a wide range of experience levels. You got a lot of Cup guys and you got a lot of newcomers coming in there, so it actually makes for great racing. To me, I'd definitely like to see more up-and-coming drivers get that chance to make it."
Edit: Woo-hoo! Denny Hamlin is from Richmond!! Rookie of the Year!!
Sorry, had to do that! - Paul (prberk)
Now back to the article....
5. J.J. Yeley (4,487)
"It's a lot of fun. It's just like anything else. If you've made it to the NASCAR Busch Series, you've won a lot of races, you've earned your way to be there. And those guys race just as hard, sometimes harder, than the Nextel Cup guys, and I think that's where you learn the way you're supposed to race.
"It's not a 30-lap race or a 100-lap race and you have to show a little bit of patience. But those guys have definitely shown that they've earned to be here, and it's a fun series to be in. And that's why I want to come back to it next year.
"You learn so much about the racetracks without the pressures of the Nextel Cup Series, and it's just as competitive; but it's something you need to do before you make that next step."
Find this article at:
http://www.nascar.com/2006/news/headlines/bg/12/08/kharvick.busch.banquet/index.html
Their banquet tonight will be televised at midnight the night of December 19 on TNT.
I am sure that Speed Network will be covering some of this over the weekend, and perhaps ESPN. I heard about it on an MRN Radio report today.
Info and pics are at the NASCAR web site: http://www.nascar.com/2006/news/headlines/bg/12/08/kharvick.busch.banquet/index.html
Busch ready to celebrate season, crown Harvick
Press Release
December 8, 2006
05:45 PM EST (22:45 GMT)
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Friday began with fun and games but eventually will turn to pomp and circumstance when Kevin Harvick is officially crowned champion of the Busch Series.
Harvick will be joined by his No. 21 Richard Childress Racing team at Disney's Grand Floridian Hotel, where they will celebrate a dominant 2006 performance at the Busch Series Awards Banquet.
Festivities begin at 7 p.m. ET. The ceremony can be seen on TV at midnight ET on Dec. 19(TNT).
Harvick put together one of the top seasons in series history. He finished the year with nine wins, 23 top-fives and 32 top-10s. His 824-point final margin on second-place Carl Edwards was the largest in series history.
"This has just been an unbelievable season," Harvick said. "Everybody has done an outstanding job all year. Getting to celebrate with my team [Friday night] is something I'm looking forward to."
Harvick and the other Busch Series top-10 drivers arrived in Orlando on Wednesday night in advance of two days of media opportunities and other activities.
Busch Series Champion's Week kicked off Thursday with Media Day at ESPN Club at Disney's BoardWalk. The drivers then took turns spinning "hot laps" for the media with the Richard Petty Driving Experience at Walt Disney World Speedway.
The fun continued Friday morning as the group split time between three activities at Disney properties -- batting practice, a fishing trip and a golf scramble.
Johnny Sauter and championship crew chief Shane Wilson led a group for a few rounds of batting practice at The Ballpark at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex, home of the Atlanta Braves spring training camp. The group was met by Chicago Cubs catcher Michael Barrett, an avid NASCAR fan who took batting practice with the drivers and offered pointers.
After several at-bats, Wilson, who played baseball in high school and had a brief college stint, was content with his performance.
"I made some contact," Wilson said. "It's been 16 years since I've picked up a bat ... and it felt like it."
Apart from Barrett, the top slugger of the day was Sauter.
"I had a great time, and now have a blister to prove it," Sauter said. "It was fun to spend the time with Michael and hopefully we can get him to a race sometime soon since he's such a big NASCAR fan."
In the other activities, champion team owner Richard Childress joined a group that included B.A.S.S. pros for a morning fishing excursion. It came as no surprise when Childress, a noted outdoorsman, was among the first to land a fish.
Joe Gibbs Racing teammates J.J. Yeley and Denny Hamlin participated in a nine-hole golf scramble at Osprey Ridge Golf Course, one of five championship courses on the Disney properties.
On-track activities to start the 2007 season begin with Daytona testing. The preseason officially launches in January with NASCAR Jackson-Hewitt Preseason Thunder at Daytona.
The Busch Series teams will be split into two groups for their annual test session at Daytona International Speedway. Teams that were in odd positions in the car owner standings following the USG Durock 300 at Chicagoland Speedway on July 8 will test from Jan. 19-21. Teams that were in even positions in the car owner standings will test from Jan. 21-23.
Drivers will hold Q&A sessions with fans on Jan. 20-21 as part of NASCAR Jackson-Hewitt Preseason Thunder Fanfest.
Importance of the Busch Series
Out of the batting cage and into the roll cage, Sauter finished eighth in the final point standings.
"Yeah, I mean if you look at the points, like if you go online and look at the points at NASCAR.COM, I think there's like 150 different drivers who competed in the NASCAR Busch Series this year, and that's a lot," Sauter said.
"I mean there's all types of different races and all different types of backgrounds from different competitors, so it's a pretty diverse crowd. ... Anyone who has aspirations of moving up, the NASCAR Busch Series is a good place to be."
The top five drivers were also Nextel Cup regulars.
1. Kevin Harvick (5,648 points)
"It's still a breeding ground from all different aspects for the Cup Series because it always has been. When we look at our teams, our team guys for our pit crews, I'd say 75 percent of them came from the Busch Series from RCR.
"I think it's very important just for the fact that, you know, you learn how to race, you learn how to be acceptable in the garage or around the different types of people and all the different things that we do. So it teaches you the basic ropes of Nextel Cup racing and you still get to be on the track and get that experience."
2. Carl Edwards (4,824)
"It's about competition and going out there and racing. I don't get into the Busch car on Saturday thinking about Sunday's race. I get into that car thinking about how I'm gonna win on Saturday, and I guess that's the simplest way to put it."
3. Clint Bowyer (4,683)
"Oh, it's been huge. I've learned so much in the Busch Series getting to race, back in 2004 when I got to race against these Cup guys. They made me a lot better racecar driver.
"Granted, back then I was it was frustrating to know when you finished second, a Cup guy won a race and he went away with my iron from this place. [I felt like] that was my iron to take home, but I feel like I'm a lot better racecar driver because of that and it enabled me to showcase my talent against those guys, to show Richard Childress I was ready for the Cup Series."
4. Denny Hamlin (4,667)
"The Busch Series has been a great learning experience for us. It's been a steady progression up through and for me I've taken a lot of things I've learned in Busch Series and brought them to the Cup Series on Sunday.
"It's a lot of fun. That's the good thing about the Busch Series, that it's got such a wide range of experience levels. You got a lot of Cup guys and you got a lot of newcomers coming in there, so it actually makes for great racing. To me, I'd definitely like to see more up-and-coming drivers get that chance to make it."
Edit: Woo-hoo! Denny Hamlin is from Richmond!! Rookie of the Year!!
Sorry, had to do that! - Paul (prberk)
Now back to the article....
5. J.J. Yeley (4,487)
"It's a lot of fun. It's just like anything else. If you've made it to the NASCAR Busch Series, you've won a lot of races, you've earned your way to be there. And those guys race just as hard, sometimes harder, than the Nextel Cup guys, and I think that's where you learn the way you're supposed to race.
"It's not a 30-lap race or a 100-lap race and you have to show a little bit of patience. But those guys have definitely shown that they've earned to be here, and it's a fun series to be in. And that's why I want to come back to it next year.
"You learn so much about the racetracks without the pressures of the Nextel Cup Series, and it's just as competitive; but it's something you need to do before you make that next step."
Find this article at:
http://www.nascar.com/2006/news/headlines/bg/12/08/kharvick.busch.banquet/index.html
