Harvick breaks 115-race winless streak to take the checkered flag in dramatic finish at Talladega
Shell-Pennzoil Driver Scored First Points Win Since 2007 Daytona 500
Kevin Harvick and the Shell-Pennzoil team visited victory lane for the first time since 2007 in a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points-scoring race. The Shell-Pennzoil team devised the perfect plan for Sunday’s running of the Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway where Harvick made a last-lap slingshot move past the leader to steal the victory with just 0.011 seconds to spare. The finish was the eighth closest recorded in NSCS history and broke a 115-race winless streak for Harvick and the No. 29 team.
Fans at Talladega Superspeedway endured torrential downpours and tornado warnings at the track on Saturday afternoon, but a double-header on Sunday afternoon made it all worthwhile for the estimated 123,500 in attendance. The exciting race featured a NSCS record of 29 competitors swapping the lead an unprecedented 88 times.
Strategy was a major factor at Talladega Superspeedway, but the plan devised by the Shell-Pennzoil team was simple: try to get out front early to lead a lap, ride around in the back of the pack until 50 laps to go, and then march forward to be there at the end. Read more
Ellis wins the first Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup race of the 2010 Season
Pole sitter wins first race of the season in home state
The Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Series began its 2010 season in exciting fashion at the VIRginia International Raceway (VIR). The weather was picture-perfect and the young drivers provided a thrilling and competitive race. While the rookie drivers put on a strong showing, it was veteran Ryan Ellis, who took the checkered flag in the #6 Washington Capitals car.
The Ashburn, Virginia native held off fellow driver, Juan Pablo Sierra Lendle of Puebla, Mexico, for the coveted first win of the Jetta TDI Cup season. Lendle finished second, but was neck and neck with Ellis throughout the race. Series veteran A.J. Nealey rounded out the podium with his third-place finish.
“This is the best day of my racing career. The weather was ideal for racing and my car ran perfectly today,” said Ellis. “Juan and I were jockeying for position throughout the race. He ran an amazing race and his driving was very clean and error free. This was a great way to start the 2010 season. However, I know there is still a lot of racing to go this season, so I need to stay focused.” Read more
Brian Austin Green wins the Celebrity Category of the 2010 Toyota Pro Celebrity Race
Jimmy Vasser Takes Checkered Flag As Overall and Professional Winner
It was auto racing at its most exhilarating as actor Brian Austin Green prevailed over a highly competitive group of America’s favorite celebrities from film, television, music and sports to win the Celebrity category of the 2010 Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race. Former CART Champion Jimmy Vasser finished first overall and in doing so also won the Pro category, followed closely by Formula Drift Champion Tanner Foust.
Green, the actor who achieved fame as a teen idol for his role as David Silver in the original “Beverly Hills, 90210,” first fought off comedian Adam Carolla, then battled much of the race with actor Adrien Brody, taking the lead in the eighth lap and holding it to cross the finish line in his race-ready Scion tC just fractions of a second before Brody and actor Zachary Levi.
Green was ecstatic after the race. “We all pushed each other and really battled,” said the new celebrity champ. “This is such a great group of people. We’ve all become really close friends under very cool circumstances. I’d be just as happy had Zach or Adrien won.”
“This was an exciting and entertaining race,” said Les Unger, national motorsports manager with Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. “These drivers battled the entire race, and the crowd responded. Every participant was hungry to take home the trophy and brought their A game to the competition. The drivers remained intensely focused throughout their training, and yesterday’s practice and qualifying sessions. Their commitment and enthusiasm exemplify the spirit of the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race.” Read more
Evander Holyfield makes History again!
Evander Holyfield Becomes First Five-Time World Heavyweight Champion in History
Rocky Balboa couldn’t have told a better story than Evander Holyfield. Saturday night, the 47-year-old Holyfield became the oldest man to capture the World Heavyweight Championship, the fifth time in his storied career that the “Real Deal” has captured world title honors. With the crowd at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas chanting, “Holyfield! Holyfield!,” the boxing legend stopped Francois Botha with a right hook at 2:05 remaining in the eighth round to become the new WBF World Heavyweight Champion. The knockout win improves Holyfield’s career record to 43-10-2, with 28 KOs.
“For me, this win represents the power of faith,” Holyfield said. “I wanted to show people that you can win and achieve your goals no matter what because through God all things are possible.”
Holyfield also said that he looks forward to bringing renewed attention and excitement to the Heavyweight Division. Read more
The 2009 New York Yankees World Series victory immortalized
Celebrated Sports Artist to Debut Seventh World Series Celebration Piece
After nearly a decade of waiting for the championship to return home, the 2009 Yankees clinched their 27th World Series. It is only fitting that a legendary victory such as this one be immortalized by famed seven-time World Series Celebration artist Opie Otterstad. On Saturday, April 17, 2010, Otterstad will unveil his Official World Series Victory Piece at Pop International Galleries, in SoHo.
In what has become a tradition of its own, the World Series victory art piece transports fans back to the glorious moment when a historic team clinches its destiny. For the past seven years, Major League Baseball fans have looked to legendary sports artist Opie Otterstad to create spectacular panoramic paintings capturing these wins. Known for narrating each winning team’s history on canvas, Otterstad celebrates not only the winning moment but often the path that led the team there. With Otterstad painting in Pinstripes, this piece will preserve the 2009 World Series story for all-time. Read more