From Jayski:  Morgan Shepherd will be celebrating his 45th season in NASCAR in 2012 with plans to compete for the full season in the Nationwide Series. Morgan enjoyed his finest season in points in 2011 by competing in all thirty-four events and finishing a hard fought 21st in driver points. With a recent burst of interest in the 70-year-old Shepherd, exciting new announcements will be forthcoming in the next few days. Sponsorship negotiations are ongoing but opportunities are still available with the inspirational owner and driver of the #89 team.

Kyle Busch Motorsports announced that it has signed a multi-year agreement with Monster Energy Company as primary sponsor of the team's #54 Monster Energy Camry in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Team owner Kyle Busch, the all-time race winning driver in the history of the NASCAR Nationwide Series, will share driving duties with his brother Kurt Busch, the 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion. Kyle will drive the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway and the subsequent four races through California before splitting the balance of the season with Kurt. The team's goal will be to capture an Owner's Championship in its inaugural race season, similar to the Owner's Championship accomplished by KBM in its first full season in the Camping World Truck Series in 2010. The development of this duo as teammates fits perfectly for primary team sponsor Monster Energy, who foregoes traditional forms of advertising and instead seeks brand exposure through the use of Extreme Athletes. With Monster Energy looking for increased presence across the NASCAR fan base, the company identified the Busch brothers as the drivers that best fit its family of Monster Energy Team Athletes. To complement the driver lineup, and ensure a strong competitive advantage, KBM brings industry veteran and winning crew chief Mike Beam into the fold as the #54 Monster Energy Camry team leader. Beam is a long-time fixture in NASCAR who has accomplished career victories across all three major touring series. At an early age, Mike became a successful contributor towards a variety of competitive racing organizations including Petty Enterprises and Roush Fenway Racing.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. said last week that he hoped to run a full Nationwide Series schedule in 2012, but indicated such plans hadn't been confirmed. That confirmation all but came on Wednesday night  courtesy of team co-owner Jack Roush. Roush, speaking on XM Satellite Radio host Claire B Lang's "Dialed In" show, hinted strongly that reigning series champion Stenhouse will be back for a full Nationwide season in the #6 car of Roush Fenway Racing. "I think that's been announced," Roush said. "If it hasn't been, I'll have somebody yelling at me, but Ricky is the reigning Nationwide champion and for him to have a chance to repeat, that would be good for his career and it would be good for Roush Fenway and good for Ford Motor Company." Roush mentioned no sponsorship for the No. 6 Nationwide car but suggested that Stenhouse's future at RFR is on solid footing.

 

by NSSN Staff

CLERMONT, Ind. — The 2012 installment of SpeedFest at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis will feature both open-wheel and stock car racing with three of the leading racing sanctioning bodies taking to the oval during two nights of action packed racing.

The traditional event in the days prior to the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis takes on a significant change this season with NASCAR having moved the Nationwide Series race to Indianapolis Motor Speedway and did not schedule at Camping World Truck Series race.

USAC will kick off the doubleheader Thursday July 26 with the Mopar National Midget Series and the Traxxas Silver Crown Series sharing the .686-mile asphalt speedway.

The following night, the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards shares the track with the CRA Super Series late models...

The first USAC event was held at Lucas Oil Raceway dates back to 1961 when A. J. Foyt won the 30-lap race that was raced on dirt, prior to the paving of the oval. Through the years Bill Vukovich, Gary Bettenhausen, Tom Bigelow, Tony Stewart, Ryan Newman and Jeff Gordon have honed their skills at the track. Last year Kody Swanson was able to defeat Tracy Hines in the Silver Crown race and 18-year-old Kyle Larson won his first pavement race in the Midget Series.

During SpeedFest last season, ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards returned to Lucas Oil Raceway for the first time in 25 years to a facility eager to see the series take to the oval. The packed house watched young up and coming driver Ty Dillon wheel his way to victory lane. Dillon found his way to victory lane seven times during the season in route to his first ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards series championship.

The CRA Super Series is a top stock car sanctioning body and features some the finest up and coming talents in all of racing. Past CRA winners at Lucas Oil Raceway have included Scott Hantz, Jeff Land and Ross Kenseth who is quickly becoming a top talent in racing.

A schedule of events for the weekend and ticket prices will be announced shortly.