Sunday, August 16, 2015

Kyle Busch & wife host Logan Fairbanks, youngster who stood up to bullying, at Michigan International Speedway

Logan Fairbanks, middle, with his father, Josh Fairbanks, and Samantha Busch


Logan Fairbanks, the Michigan resident who made national headlines with his video response to bullying, was a guest of NASCAR driver Kyle Busch and his wife, Samantha, at Michigan International Speedway this weekend.
Samantha Busch saw Fairbanks’ story on “Good Morning America” several weeks ago, tracked down an email address for Fairbanks’ father, Josh, and extended the invitation.
Logan Fairbanks, 12, also received an invitation to visit the White House after he made a video in which he read cyber bullies’ comments about him and posted the video to the Internet.
The bullying comments were left on family videos that had been posted to YouTube.
“I was so proud of him because of the way he handled it,” Samantha Busch said. “I was so proud that at such a young age he stood up for himself, and didn’t stoop to their level.”
Hartford residents Logan and Josh Fairbanks got a tour of the Sprint Cup garage area at MIS, including an inside look at Busch’s hauler. Logan, who will start the seventh grade in September, received several souvenirs, and he and his dad had a pace car ride Sunday morning.
“Logan is very humble,” Josh Fairbanks said. “He’s always been very heavy on being thankful that the message has gotten out there. We get a lot of parents who have kids who say they are making their kids watch the video.”
A woman who identified herself as a school teacher approached Logan on pit road Sunday morning and extended her hand.
“Young man,” she said, “I am very proud of you.”
Kyle Busch won the NASCAR truck race at MIS with Logan on his pit box Saturday.
“It was nice to be able to win a race and get him in victory lane and show that there are nice people in this world,” Kyle Busch said. “That was fun to do … to have him kind of laid back and enjoying things.
“Logan is not much of a NASCAR fan. We’re trying to turn him into one. We’ll see if I can become his favorite driver, or if somebody else will.”

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Sunday, June 14, 2015

Paralyzed Veterans of America takes mission to NASCAR & Michigan International Speedway

From left, Bill Lawson, Dave Randall of Great Clips and Joey Logano at MIS
Paralyzed Veterans of America doesn't limit its effort and advocacy to veterans with spinal cord injury or illness.
"We do not turn down any veteran, regardless," Oklahoman Bill Lawson, a former president of the PVA and a U.S.. Army veteran with a disability, said at Michigan International Speedway. "Anyone that has a family member who is a veteran that has a disability because of their service, or if they need care in a VA hospital, can contact us."
Go to www.pva.org or a local service office, or call 800-424-8200 and ask for the veterans benefits department, Lawson said.
Paralyzed Veterans of America was founded during World War II. It serves as a free-of-charge advocate for veterans who have had difficulty receiving medical services or benefits. PVA also has funded research and education in the search for a cure and improved care for individuals with paralysis, and it develops training and career services, works to ensure accessibility in public buildings and spaces, and provides health and rehabilitation opportunities.
PVA partnered with Great Clips as title sponsors of the NASCAR Xfinity race at MIS on Saturday.
Starting July 1, Great Clips customers in some markets, Michigan included, can get $2 off a haircut with a $4 donation to PVA, or $1 off with a $2 donation.
Joey Logano, who drives full-time in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and a part-time Xfinity schedule, has championed the cause of PVA.
Logano, who drives the No. 22 Ford in Sprint Cup and Xfinity races, donated $22,222.22 to PVA following his win in the Sprint Cup season-opening Daytona 500.

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Kyle Busch scores 'emotional' NASCAR Xfinity victory at Michigan International Speedway

Busch
Kyle Busch returned to NASCAR Xfinity racing in fine style at Michigan International Speedway.
Elliott
With his wife, Samantha, and son, Brexton, on hand, Busch and the No. 54 Toyota
won the Great Clips 250 Benefitting Paralyzed Veterans of America on Saturday.
It was Busch's first Xfinity race since he was injured in the season-opening event at Daytona in February.
"It's an emotional day, and any win is," Busch said. "You never know when it's your last, that's for sure after Daytona and what happened.
"I can't say enough my wife and my family and my friends, everybody that pushed me so hard to get me back to here and get me back in the race cars and doing what I love to do."
Defending series champion Chase Elliott finished second in the No. 9 Chevrolet, and Kyle Larson was third in the No. 42 Chevrolet.
Busch has 71 victories in the Xfinity Series.
Chris Buescher, driver of the No. 60 Ford, leads the series in points with 489.

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Friday, June 12, 2015

Ross Kenseth wins ARCA race at Michigan International Speedway

R. Kenseth
Kimmel
Like father, like son.
Ross Kenseth won the Corrigan Oil 200, an ARCA Racing Series Presented by Menards event at Michigan International Speedway on Friday.
Kenseth is the son of NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Matt Kenseth, who has won twice in that series at MIS.
"It was a lot of fun today," Ross Kenseth said.
Frank Kimmel finished second and Austin Wayne Self was third.
It was the third career ARCA start for Kenseth, and his first this season.

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Rain holds off, Blaney keeps Wood Brothers streak alive at MIS



Rookie Ryan Blaney is in for his first, and his team’s 91st.
Ryan Blaney and the No. 21 Ford at MIS/Dave Marr photo
Blaney on Friday drove the No. 21 Woods Brothers Ford to the fifth qualifying position for the Quicken Loans 400 that will be at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday.
Blaney, whose top qualifying lap was 35.811 seconds at the 2-mile track, will make his first NASCAR Sprint Cup start at the track.
Meanwhile, Wood Brothers will have a car in an MIS Sprint Cup race for the 91st time in 92 races, including 86 events in a row.
Rain was forecast, and teams practiced in the morning in qualifying setups, because they expected qualifying to be rained out, in which case lap times from practice would have set the race field.
If qualifying had been canceled, the No. 21 would have been left out of the race because it hadn’t made enough qualifying attempts this season.
“Luckily, it cleared out for us,” Blaney, 21, said. “It would have stung a little bit, knowing how good a car we have.”
Kasey Kahne (No. 5 Chevrolet) won the pole position with a lap time of 35.645.  Kevin Harvick (No. 4 Chevrolet) was second at 35.712
“Our chances of winning Sunday are as good as anybody,” Blaney said. “The guys we have go into each weekend … thinking we can win the race. That’s the mindset you have to have.”
Trevor Bayth and 41st.
ne drove the No. 21 in both MIS races in 2014. He finished 19

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Carl Edwards feels 'a little strange' not driving for Jack Roush at Michigan International Speedway

Carl Edwards
Carl Edwards ran 21 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Michigan International Speedway for car owner Jack Roush.
But Edwards, who drove a Ford all those years with Roush, is in his first season in a Toyota with Joe Gibbs Racing.
"It is a little strange to come here to this race and not be driving for Jack Roush, because we put so much emphasis on this event for so many years," Edwards, driver of the No. 19 Arris Camry, said Friday at MIS. "There's always been a lot of pride driving for Jack here."
Roush has businesses based in Livonia.
"I can tell you this: To win this race would be really special for me now just because I know from the other side how much everyone prepares -- Jack and the other teams," Edwards said. "For the domestic car manufacturers, this is their backyard. They bring their best stuff. For me to win in a Toyota would be really special here."
Edwards won two Sprint Cup races at MIS for Roush.

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Thursday, June 11, 2015

Tony Stewart hopes Michigan International Speedway racing surface will 'widen out'

Tony Stewart/Dave Marr photo
Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 14 Chevrolet, on the racing surface at Michigan International Speedway, which was repaved following the 2012 season and hosts the Quicken Loans 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup race Sunday:
“It’s hard to say, but it should be better. That first year, once it cleaned off, it seemed like the track got to be pretty good. It was still a relatively one-groove track but it got better as the weekend went on. It was even better last year and, really, we should see more of the same, even with the higher speeds. Hopefully, the race track will continue on that path and continue to widen out. It was a lot racier than I thought it would be right off the bat, and it’s just been getting better, so I’m anticipating it’s going to be even better when we get back on it this weekend with our Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1 Chevy.
“With the repave a couple years ago, it’s just lightning fast. And the groove is getting wider and wider so it’s easier to race there. It’s definitely just a fast, fast race track. We talk about momentum. Momentum is a huge deal there. You carry so much speed to the turns, and the corners are so long and so round, you have to be very smooth there.”

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