Dale Earnhardt Jr. and JR Motorsports to be featured in Nationwide Insurance 2009 marketing campaign

NASCAR Nationwide Series sponsor introduces 'Nationwide Insurance Dash 4 Cash' and NASCAR Nationwide Series ESPN 'Driver Pick 'Em' game at media day

Charlotte, NC — Nationwide Insurance announced today at NASCAR Nationwide Series media day that NASCAR racing superstar, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his company JR Motorsports will be featured in a new marketing campaign that will begin in February.
The company also introduced other activities related to the sponsorship, including the Nationwide Insurance Dash 4 Cash, which involves an increased winner's purse at four NASCAR Nationwide Series races, and the NASCAR Nationwide Series ESPN 'Driver Pick Em' game presented by Nationwide Insurance, a weekly interactive competition for cash prizes that will be available on ESPN.com
The campaign is a departure from previous Nationwide ads featuring celebrities. Despite the obvious opportunity for a racing pun, the ad does not include the company's famous Life Comes at You Fast line and is not intended to be humorous. It's framed as a customer testimonial, and true story from a family with one of the richest traditions in NASCAR.
An interactive site with more information on this can be found here

As a marketer, I love Nationwide campaigns! Geico freaks me out and tries too hard. Allstate really had this NASCAR area covered with their funny Kasey Kahne commercials . Initially, I thought that Nationwide really has their work cut out for them but this can be easily achieved with Dale Jr. You haters can say what you want but there really isnt a better face for sponsorship than him. Fame, talent and hot as haiti-ness aside, Dale has the persona that is a sponsors dream. His likeability and trustworthy manner dominates not only the strong obvious support of the Junior nation but will more than likely brand Nationwide to um Nationwide numbers. Must make mention of this silent battle of advertising swop a roo with Kasey and Junebug....first Budweiser now competing insurance agencies? hmmm....

Back in the good ole days......

Scott Speed is engaged

Scott Speed and his PR girl Amanda Mathis are getting married. Scene Daily reported that he proposed to her after the Homestead race in November. We met both Scott and Amanda at Talladega and they both seemed like nice people. Scott is a great addition to Nascar and I love the fact that he is so unique. I cant wait to see what he brings this season. My only question is what color is he going to paint his toenails for the big day?
Congrats to you both!!

2009 NASCAR Entertainment & Fanzone schedule for Daytona

Daytona International Speedway released their entertainment & Fanzone schedule and we thought it would be helpful to post on our little website. We are huge fans of the Budweiser Bistro and as normal, we will be spending a lot of time there during Speed Weeks. If you are going to be here for the races, you must check out the Trans Ams Friday in the Fanzone. Ally and Darlynn are good friends w/ them and they are a riot.

It's hard to believe that we are 1 week away from the start of it all!!

Thursday , February 5, 2009:
12pm Sprint FANZONE Opens to Public
12pm Inspection for Bud Shootout Cars Sprint - FANZONE
7pm Budweiser Draw Party Speed Stage Outside Turn 4 Tunnel

Friday, February 6, 2009:
10am Sprint FANZONE Opens to Public
10am Inspection for DAYTONA 500 Cars Sprint - FANZONE

Saturday, February 7, 2009:
10am Sprint FANZONE Opens to Public
10am Inspection Station Activity Sprint - FANZONE
10am-7pm Rock Wall & Power Jump Sprint - FANZONE
10am-8:10pm Live Mural Experience: David Arrigo Sprint - FANZONE
12pm-5pm DJ RERUN Main Stage
12:30pm-1:30pm ARCA Series Autograph Session Blue Garage
1pm Daytona 500 Pace Car Unveiling Sprint - FANZONE
(4:15pm ARCA Green Flag Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200)
(8:10pm Sprint Cup Green Flag Budweiser Shootout)
Post-Race Concert: Dierks Bentley Main Stage

Sunday, February 8, 2009:
12pm Sprint FANZONE Opens to Public
12pm Inspection Station Activity Sprint - FANZONE
12pm-4pm Rock Wall & Power Jump Sprint - FANZONE
12-4pm Live Mural Experience: David Arrigo Goodyear Legends
12pm-4pm DJ RERUN Main Stage

Wednesday, February 11, 2009:
10am Sprint FANZONE Opens to Public
10am-5:30pm Rock Wall & Power Jump Sprint - FANZONE
10am-6pm Live Mural Experience: David Arrigo Sprint - FANZONE

Thursday, February 12, 2009:
9am Sprint FANZONE Opens to Public
9am Inspection Station Activity Sprint - FANZONE
9am-11am DJ RERUN Main Stage
9am-1pm Rock Wall & Power Jump Sprint - FANZONE
9am-2pm Live Mural Experience: David Arrigo Goodyear Legends
9:30am &10:30am Show Car Tech Talks Sprint Display
11:15am – 1pm Live Band: Dueling Pianos Main Stage
(2:00pm Sprint Cup Green Flag Gatorade Duel)

Friday, February 13, 2009:
1pm Sprint FANZONE Opens to Public
1pm Inspection Station Activity Sprint - FANZONE
1pm-7pm Rock Wall & Power Jump Sprint - FANZONE
1pm-8pm Live Mural Experience: David Arrigo Goodyear Legends
1pm-3:30pm DJ RERUN Main Stage
3pm Show Car Tech Talk Sprint Display
3:30pm-3:45pm Appearance: Jamie McMurray Crown Royal Display
4pm-7pm Live Band: The Trans Ams Main Stage
5pm-5:30pm Joe Gibbs Main Stage
5pm-5:45pm NCWTS Autograph Session Sprint - FANZONE
5:30pm-7:00pm DJ RERUN Main Stage
6:15pm Show Car Tech Talk Sprint Display
(8:00pm Truck Series Green Flag Nextera Energey Resources 250)

Saturday, February 14, 2009:
9am Sprint FANZONE Opens to Public
9am Inspection Station Activity Sprint - FANZONE
9am-1pm Live Mural Experience: David Arrigo Goodyear Legends
9am-1pm Rock Wall & Power Jump Spring - FANZONE
9:30am Show Car Tech Talk Sprint Display
9:45am-10:15am Hellman’s Fan of the Year Announcement: Main Stage Dale Jr., Mark Martin, Brad Keslowski
10am-10:20am Driver Appearance: Tony Stewart Main Stage
10:30am Show Car Tech Talk Sprint Display
11:30-1pm Live Band Main Stage
(2pm Nationwide Series Green Flag Camping World 300)

Sunday, February 15, 2009:
8am Sprint FANZONE Opens to Public
8am Inspection Station Activity Sprint - FANZONE
8am-10:00am DJ RERUN Main Stage
8am-2:30pm Rock Wall & Power Jump Sprint - FANZONE
8am-3:30pm Live Mural Experience: David Arrigo Goodyear Legends
9am Show Car Tech Talk Sprint Display
10am-1pm Live Band: Orange Avenue Main Stage
1pm-2pm DJ RERUN Main Stage
1pm Show Car Tech Talk Sprint Display
1:00pm Harley J. Earl Daytona 500 Trophy Procession Sprint - FANZONE
2pm Show Car Tech Talk Sprint Display
(3:30pm Sprint Cup Green Flag Daytona 500)
7:30pm-11:30pm Daytona 500 After Party – Mister DJ DAYTONA 500 EXPERIENCE

Speedweeks 2009

In only 10 days, the 2009 Speedweeks of Daytona will kick off with one of our favorite events, The Budweiser Shootout Drawing Party. Hopefully this year, the guys won’t find it amusing to throw the selection flags at Darlynn for “target practice”. We are blessed this year by having 2 of the hottest men in Country Music to bless the stage with their presence. Dierks Bentley is performing for the Shootout and as Darlynn previously posted, Keith Urban is performing at the Daytona 500. I for one will be stalking Dierks!

With so much going on both on and off the track during Speedweeks, I thought it would be helpful for all to post the 2009 Daytona schedule, that I graciously pulled from the DIS website. We will post an off track event schedule as soon as we can put one together!

Thursday February 5th
12:00 pm-5:00 pm ARCA Practice
7:00pm Budweiser Shootout Draw Party

Friday February 6th
12:00pm ARCA Qualifying
4:15pm-5:00pm Budweiser Shootout Practice
5:10pm-6:15pm ARCA final practice
6:30pm-7:30pm Final Budweiser Shootout Practice

Saturday February 7th
10:30am-12:30pm NASCAR Sprint Cup Practice
1:30pm-3:00pm NASCAR Sprint Cup Practice
3:30 ARCA Driver Introductions
4:15pm: ARCA Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 (80 laps, 175 miles)
7:50pm NASCAR Sprint Cup Driver Introductions for Budweiser Shootout
8:10pm: Budweiser Shootout (70 laps, 175 miles)

Sunday February 8th
1:10pm Daytona 500 Qualifying

Wednesday February 11th
11:00am-11:55am: NASCAR Sprint Cup Practice
12:00pm-1:50pm Camping World Truck Series Practice
2:00pm-2:50pm Final NASCAR Sprint Cup Practice for Gatorade Duals
3:00pm-4:50pm Nationwide Series Practice
5:00pm-5:50pm Camping World Truck Series Practice

Thursday February 12th
9:30am-10:50am Final Nationwide Series Practice
11:15am-1:20pm Camping World Truck Series Practice
1:40pm NASCAR Sprint Cup Driver Introductions for Gatorade Duals
2:00pm Gatorade Duals race #1 (60 laps, 150 miles)
3:30pm Gatorade Duals race #2 (60 laps, 150 miles)
6:10pm Camping World Truck Series Qualifying

Friday February 13th
1:40pm-2:40pm NASCAR Sprint Cup Practice
3:10pm Nationwide Series Qualifying
7:30pm Camping World Truck Series Driver Introductions
8:00pm Camping World Truck Series NextEra Energy Resources 250 (100 laps, 250 miles)

Saturday February 14th (Happy Valentines Day!)
11:00am-12:30pm Final NASCAR Sprint Cup Practice for Daytona 500
12:45pm Driver Introductions for Nationwide Camping World 300
1:15pm Nationwide Camping World 300 (120 laps, 300 miles)

Sunday February 15th
2:30pm NASCAR Sprint Cup Driver Introductions for the Daytona 500
3:30pm Daytona 500 (200 laps, 500 miles)