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Special scheme for Earnhardt, Jr at Michigan: Dale Earnhardt Jr. will drive the purple-and-black #88 AMP Energy Chevy this weekend at Michigan. AMP Energy recently unveiled four new flavors: Strawberry Limeade, Passion Fruit, Blueberry White Grape ZERO and Watermelon ZERO. Fans voted on Facebook from the four new flavors to see the AMP Energy Passion Fruit paint scheme hit the track in Michigan.(Hendrick Motorsports), see an image of the car on the #88 team paint schemes page.(6-10-2015)

Michigan Goodyear Tire Notes: While teams in the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Xfinity Series will run the same right-side tire code (D-4630) at Michigan this weekend, they will run distinct left-side codes . . . in Sprint Cup, teams have run this left-side code (D-4558) at Michigan since 2013 . . . this is the first time they have run this right-side code at Michigan, though they have run it earlier this season at Las Vegas, Talladega and Kansas . . . compared to what was run at Michigan last year, this right-side features a minor increase in tread gage (thickness) . . . as on all NASCAR ovals greater than one mile in length, teams are required to run inner liners in all four tire positions at Michigan . . . air pressure in those inner liners should be 12-25 psi greater than that of the outer tire.(Goodyear), see tire codes, tire pressures, set limits and more on the Michigan Race Info page.(6-10-2015)
Racing-Rewards.com debuts on the #7 at Michigan: Tommy Baldwin Racing announced a partnership with Racing-Rewards.com that kicks off this week with the debut of Alex Bowman's #7 Racing-Rewards.com Chevrolet to be run at Michigan International Speedway. Racing Rewards is an opportunity for fans to earn prizes without any need to buy into the program. Through social media, fans earn points for liking, sharing, hashtagging and even pinning NASCAR related accounts.(Tommy Baldwin Racing), see an image of the car on the #7 team paint schemes page.(6-10-2015)
Congrats to Ray Evernham & Erin Crocker: Ray Evernham, a three-time champion crew chief with Jeff Gordon, talked Tuesday with Sirius XM NASCAR Radio about having a baby next month with his wife, Erin Crocker Evernham, who has 39 NASCAR national series starts to her credit. While discussing a taping of an upcoming episode of his show "AmeriCarna" on Velocity, Evernham said he would have to wait until after his wife's pregnancy. "We're building a special race car for Crocker," Evernham said. "She's going to be the first woman to compete in an upcoming event so pretty cool deal coming up. But right now, we have to wait until probably late August. I guess it's going to be probably October by the time we can shoot her racing this car because as you know she doesn't fit into her fire suit anymore. We haven't really said much, but they had a shower the other day," Evernham said. "And some time in late July, Miss Cate Evernham will be joining us so hopefully she will be another redhead lady driver pretty soon." It will be a second child for Evernham and a first for his bride.(NASCAR.com)
Switch Hitch sponsoring Allgaier at Michigan: The #51 Chevy's primary sponsor this weekend at MIS is Switch Hitch. This is Switch Hitch's first primary race with HScott Motorsports. Switch Hitch was a co-primary sponsor on the #51 Chevy at Martinsville Speedway earlier this season. Switch Hitch was invented by Terry Brinkley after he experienced problems with traditional hitch balls. Switch Hitch is a tri-ball hitch system designed to quickly switch from one ball to another through a patented switching and locking mechanism.(HScott Motorsports), see an image of the car on the #51 team paint schemes page.(6-11-2015)

Truex, Jr interested in contract extension; team looking at manufacturers: Martin Truex Jr. hopes that his success early this season, especially his win Sunday at Pocono Raceway, will spark discussions on a contract extension at Furniture Row Racing. Truex, in the second year of a two-year deal, and team general manager Joe Garone both said Wednesday that while they plan to get a new deal done, they have not talked about an extension because they have been so focused on racing. "We haven't really talked about it," Truex said about a possible contract extension Wednesday during a break in testing at Darlington Raceway. "You know, with the team that we're building, that we've built, I feel like this is the kind of situation that I've really looked for my whole career. ... I hope [the win sparks talks]. I'm ready to go, so we'll have to figure it all out and see what happens with it." Furniture Row appears ready to make sure he doesn't entertain any thoughts of moving and start those talks, especially now that the team has solidified a spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup. "We've been so busy focusing on what we're doing, we haven't talked about it yet ," Garone said in a phone interview Tuesday. "It's obvious things are working well, and it might be time to start talking about it."(ESPN.com)(6-11-2015)
UPDATE: After Sunday's win at Pocono Raceway, Furniture Row Racing wants to lock down its future with driver Martin Truex Jr. The team's manufacturer relationship seems hazier. In a Wednesday interview on Sirius Satellite Radio's NASCAR channel, #78 Chevy owner Barney Visser said the team would weigh its options in working on an extension with Truex, whose contract expires after this season. "We're looking for sponsorship," Visser told Sirius Speedway host Dave Moody. "We need to get some of that in place to negotiate the kind of contract (for Truex) that we'd both like to see. It may involve a change in manufacturer here. We're not sure. There just doesn't seem to be any money out of General Motors and probably never will be for us. So something's got to give. We'll see where it goes." Chevys comprise roughly half the 43-car field in every Sprint Cup race, and rival manufacturers Toyota and Ford have indicated a desire to expand their rosters. Toyota Racing Development builds engines for six cars but has the capacity to add two more. Furniture Row Racing has fielded Chevrolets exclusively since entering NASCAR's premier series part time in 2005, currently receiving chassis and engines from Richard Childress Racing since 2013. Furniture Row Racing had preliminary negotiations with Dodge three years ago before its exit from Sprint Cup.(NBC Sports)(6-11-2015)

Skuttle Tight renews partnership with Go Green Racing: Willmar, MN based company Skuttle Tight renews their partnership with Go Green Racing for the 2015 season starting with this weekend's 47th annual Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan International Speedway. In 2014, Skuttle Tight partnered with Go Green Racing for the August event at MIS. This weekend's event will mark the second occasion that America's premiere manufacturer of insulated attic-entry systems will appear in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.(Go Green Racing)(6-11-2015)
Jill Gregory to lead NASCAR Marketing: NASCAR announced that Senior Vice President Jill Gregory, who currently oversees the company's Industry Services department, will also assume leadership of NASCAR Marketing effective immediately. Gregory replaces Kim Brink who was named Chief Operating Officer of Global Team Ford, the WPP-owned group of agencies dedicated to Ford. In her current role, Gregory oversees a group that includes Driver, Team and Event Marketing Services, as well as Industry Operations. She has led NASCAR's Driver Star Power initiative and spearheaded industry integration on the rollout of numerous marketing initiatives, including the new NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase format in 2014. With her added responsibilities, she will now lead Brand Marketing, Marketing and Media Research, and NASCAR Creative Design. She also serves as a member of the board of directors for The NASCAR Foundation. Gregory will report to NASCAR Chief Marketing Officer, Steve Phelps on Marketing and continue to report to NASCAR Chief Racing Development Officer, Steve O'Donnell on Industry Services. Gregory joined NASCAR in 2007 after serving as Senior Vice President of Motorsports Marketing at Bank of America and prior to that served as Director of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Marketing at Sprint NEXTEL. Brink has led all marketing initiatives at NASCAR since 2011, spearheading award-winning advertising creative, the launch of NASCAR's current Hispanic outreach efforts, as well as the development of NASCAR's acclaimed youth marketing platform, Acceleration Nation.(NASCAR)(6-11-2015)
Truex, Jr fastest at Darlington test: Twelve drivers took part in an open NASCAR test Wednesday at Darlington Raceway including the most recent Sprint Cup Series winner, #78-Martin Truex Jr. He finished atop the speed chart with a lap of 175.535 mph just three days after driving to victory at Pocono Raceway. #18-Kyle Busch ran a session-high 108 laps, finishing fifth on the speed chart at 174.036 mph. #1-Jamie McMurray (174.646 mph) was second, #41-Kurt Busch (174.196 mph) third and #31-Ryan Newman fourth (174.110 mph). The hot, slick track lived up to its slogan "Too Tough to Tame" during Wednesday's test, with both Busch and Joey Logano making contact with the outside wall. #15-Clint Bowyer approved of the track conditions, saying "This is the fastest repave wear-out ever." The track was resurfaced in 2008. The temperature during the test peaked into the low 90s. Teams can expect it to be similar come race weekend in early September, when the average temperature in Darlington is 85 degrees.(Motor Racing Network)(6-11-2015)
NASCAR considering track-specific aero packages? NASCAR Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O'Donnell has revealed an interesting new angle in the ongoing discussion about the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series aerodynamic package. In an interview at the American Speedfest event at Brands Hatch, which hosted rounds five and six of the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series on June 6th & 7th, O'Donnell told Downforce Radio that NASCAR is considering track-specific aero packages for 2016, and possibly earlier. He said: "I think you'll look at a little bit more of a set race package, so instead of looking at a 2016 package, you'll look at it more in terms of putting some packages around certain tracks - not to have it be 36 individual packages, but potentially look at some lower downforce at some (tracks), look at superspeedway packages, kind of cater it to certain tracks." Fans of the Sprint Cup Series may not have to wait until 2016 for aero changes, as O'Donnell revealed: "You're going to see us probably make some moves as early as this year, so some exciting things are going on as we head into the second half of the series". O'Donnell admitted it can be difficult to take all opinions on board. "You've got a lot of stakeholders to balance; first and foremost the fans, the owners, the tracks, the OEMs, but ultimately we've got to make a decision and stand by that. We try and get as much input as we can, but we've got to make a call that we believe is going to grow the sport in its entirety, and that's our job - not always easy, but we try and make the right decisions to let us all grow in the future."(Downforce)(6-11-2015)
Teams get warnings after Pocono: NASCAR confirmed Wednesday that #48-Jimmie Johnson's team received a warning after failing to get through pre-race inspection three times last weekend at Pocono Raceway. NASCAR also stated that it gave a warning to #10-Danica Patrick's team for failing pre-qualifying inspection multiple times at Pocono. NASCAR also gave a warning to #38-David Gilliland's team for failing pre-qualifying inspection multiple times and to #9-Sam Hornish Jr.'s team for a pre-race inspection issue at Pocono. This marks the fourth warning Johnson's team has received this year.(NBC Sports)(6-11-2015)