Nascar News: perfect NASCAR weekend winner announced

But another special occurrence for this year’s NASCAR season was the third appearance of the Perfect NASCAR Weekend Sweepstakes in Trucker’s Connection — our own three-peat, if you will. Once again we teamed up with Barr-Nunn Transportation and their NASCAR affiliation to host a sweepstakes that would award an all-expenses-paid weekend trip to Miami, Florida for the final race weekend of the season.

Truckers Connection

12/2/2008

Well, the 2008 season is over and true to NASCAR form, this season was super exciting. Who would have thought earlier in the season that the #48 would be at the top of the leader board by the time it was said and done? A three-peat is a special occurrence, whether you’re a Johnson fan or not, you must acknowledge.

All this year, we collected entries that professional drivers could fill out and mail in from the pages of Trucker’s Connection. Or — the more popular method — drivers could go online to TheTrucker.com and register. The only requirement was that entrants be Class A CDL holders. Each month, we selected a winner to receive a prize pack. But once the sweepstakes concluded in October, we drew the one name from the hat who would head to Miami for the big prize: the weekend trip.

And that winner, we’re pleased to announce, was Rodney Speer of Camden, Ark.

When we first caught up to Rodney to let him know he was a semi-finalist in the sweepstakes and to verify he was indeed a member of the professional trucking industry, he was fairly stunned. But once he recovered, realized we were quite serious about him being a sneeze away from winning, the excitement kicked in. “I love NASCAR but I believe my wife will be even more excited to hear this than I am. I better make sure she’s sitting down when I tell her,” he laughed.

Days later, once we selected Rodney as the Grand Prize winner, he said that his wife had indeed taken the news well. “She’s never been to Florida,” Rodney told us, though he travels there with loads from time to time.

Someplace else these NASCAR fans had never been was to a race at one of the big tracks of today. Rodney reported that “back in the day” when he was still a military man, he and his buddies would head whichever direction that weekend’s race was being held as soon as they got their weekend leave. “Of course,” says Rodney, “that was back when it was a whole lot easier to see a race. The tickets weren’t expensive, the crowds not that bad. These days, I know from passing by that the races are much different, but we’d love to see one.”

And see one they did. In fact, they were sent to see one of the most anticipated races all season: the grand finale!

Rodney and his wife Karon — fans of Dale Earnhardt Jr. — were flown from Little Rock to Miami last month, in plenty of time for the races—both the Nationwide Series and the Cup Series. They were set up at the Doubletree Coconut Grove and provided with spending money. On Saturday, they hit the track with pit passes around their necks — complements of Barr-Nunn Transportation and their racing “connections.” All day was spent in and around the Nationwide Series haulers, hob-nobbing with drivers, crew members and other NASCAR affiliates. On Sunday, the duo returned to the track with tickets for great seats in the stands. The weekend concluded when they flew back home Monday.

We don’t want to share too many details just yet because we’ll have a full feature write up on the pair and their grand prize trip in next month’s Trucker’s Connection, complete with details, thoughts on the experience and plenty of photos as well. Deadlines prevent us from doing so this month, so consider this a mere teaser to the big story.

We want to say thanks to all the drivers who signed up this year for the Perfect Weekend Sweepstakes. We had some great monthly prize pack winners, and Rodney and Karon were terrific grand prize winners. And most of all, thanks to Barr-Nunn Transportation for making it all possible. This Iowa-based company has been a long time business affiliate of Trucker’s Connection’s and we ride their coattails to gain access to the NASCAR sporting events and are so proud and thankful that they allow us to. After all, our mooching off their connections allows us to bring you guys — our readers — a super cool opportunity that most folks wouldn’t otherwise get. And we were excited to do this with them this year.

Watch for more Grand Prize details next month in Trucker’s Connection!

Million+ dollars up in flames

Headed to the Texas Motor Speedway prior to the October truck race, Billy Ballew Motorsports lost the Team 51 hauler carrying Kyle Busch's primary and back up when the hauler caught fire.

The good news was that Kyle's favorite truck, also his primary truck, was saved and salvaged, along with a partially melted tool box. But everything else, the back-up truck, radios, springs, and other equipment on the hauler were melted and lost to the fire. Billy Ballew had insurance on the vehicle and equipment up to one million dollars but according to Busch, that probably won’t be enough to cover all that was lost.

The truck arrived at the speedway covered in soot, waterlogged and water damaged.

The team worked overnight Wednesday taking the engine apart and drying out the cylinders. It was thoroughly inspected to ensure it could make the race. And after a night of hardwork, Busch qualified third for the Chevy Silverado 350K, with a lap speed of 178.183 mph.

Jeff Milburn who has competed at Texas with his team at truck races assisted the team with the use of his hauler and a couple of trucks to help the team. Busch ultimately crossed the finish line in 2nd place and then — rumor has it — took the entire BBM team out for 28oz. Angus Steaks and pitchers of Miller Lite for their hard work getting the No. 51 truck ready for Friday's race.

Possible merger: Ganassi and DEI

Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates and Dale Earnhardt Inc. have entered discussions that could lead to a merger between the two organizations, foxsports.com reports..

The union would unite the Nos. 41 and 42 cars of Ganassi and the Nos. 1 and No. 8 cars of DEI, according to the report.

Juan Montoya drives the No. 42 car, but Ganassi has not named a driver for the No. 41 car. Martin Truex Jr. is the driver of the No. 1 car, and Aric Almirola drives the No. 8, which has not named a sponsor for next year.

One of Montoya's current sponsors, Texaco Havoline, will not return to the car next year, but Ganassi has a partial sponsorship locked in with Wrigley's for the No. 42.

A complication stems from the two manufacturers used by the two entities currently. DEI runs Chevrolets and enjoys an engine alliance with Earnhardt-Childress Racing Technologies (also working with Chevy). Ganassi has a contract with Dodge that runs through 2010. According to the report, the expectation would be for the newly formed team to move