RON FELLOWS TO RACE FULL WC GT SEASON

Carlisle Companies, Inc. joins as the primary sponsor for CRP Racing to run Ron Fellows in the 2010 World Challenge GT Championship Season.

RON FELLOWS AND CRP RACING

Harrisburg, NC - CRP Racing is pleased to announce that seasoned road-course racer Ron Fellows will be driving its No. "2" C6 Chevrolet Corvette in the 2010 SCCA Pro Racing World Challenge GT Season.

RON FELLOWS

A longtime sports car and road-racing veteran, Fellows is credited with three class championships in the American Le Mans Series, two class wins in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and 19 overall victories in the Sports Car Club of America's Trans-Am Series as a member of the Corvette Racing Team.

Fellows made 14 World Challenge GT starts between 2004 and 2007, earning three wins (Mosport in 2004, Mosport in 2005, and Long Beach in 2006) and seven podium finishes. Fellows also was fastest qualifier three times.

CRP Racing owner, Nicholas Short, is excited to have a driver of Ron Fellows' caliber join the team. Says Short: "I've known Ron since the Trans-Am days and when the opportunity arose to have him drive for us, it was a very easy decision. I couldn't be happier having him join CRP Racing."

Also joining the CRP Racing Team is primary sponsor Carlisle Companies, Inc. which is a diversified global manufacturing company serving industries ranging from foodservice to aerospace to specialty trailers to construction materials to specialty tires and wheels. Carlisle will use the opportunity to promote their Cragar, Black Rock™ & ITP™ wheel brands and ITP™ Off-Road and Carlisle trailer tire brands. In the past, Carlisle has been involved in off-road racing with its ITP™ and Black Rock™ brands. Cars equipped with ITP™ tires earned class wins at the 2009 Baja 500 and 1000 off-road races. David Roberts, Chairman, President and CEO of Carlisle Companies, Inc., said: "Carlisle is headquartered in the heart of racing country, Charlotte, NC. We manufacture tires, wheels and power transmission belts used in some of the toughest racing environments. Our sponsorship of cars in last year's Baja 500 and 1000 races were successful as class wins were achieved by cars using ITP™ tires and wheels. Partnering with CRP and Ron Fellows is an extension of our commitment to the performance and motorsports industry. Our Cragar wheel brand was the wheel of choice by many of the top names in motorsports in the past and we look forward to rekindling that preference. Cragar branded products continue to be a favorite with hot rod and muscle car enthusiasts. The introduction of the Black Rock™ brand for the off-road enthusiast has been extremely successful and we want to continue that success. I think the association with CRP Racing will allow us to accomplish our goals. In addition, many of our employees are racing enthusiasts and successful amateur racers. Sponsoring CRP Racing is a natural fit for us and allows our products and people to be involved in motorsports."

With the support of Carlisle Companies, Inc. and the talent and skill of driver Ron Fellows, CRP Racing looks forward to running a highly competitive race team in the World Challenge GT Series this season.

News release: competitionraceparts.com

FORMULA 1 ADOPTS NEW POINTS SYSTEM

2010 FIA Formula One World Championship

POINTS SYSTEM

In order to further encourage the 'race to win', an adjustment to the points system was agreed. Points for both titles will be awarded at each event according to the following scale:

	 
          1st : 25 points
          2nd : 18 points
          3rd : 15 points
          4th : 12 points
          5th : 10 points
          6th :  8 points
          7th :  6 points
          8th :  4 points
          9th :  2 points
         10th :  1 point
  

The number of dry weather tires sets allocated per driver has been reduced from 14 to 11.

In addition, to encourage teams to run during the Friday practice sessions, one set has to be returned before the start of the second practice session, and two sets before the start of the third practice session.

IMPROVING THE SHOW

In order to introduce a further element of strategy, cars having participated in Qualifying 3 (Q3) must start the race on the same set of tires with which their grid time was set.

ANDREW RANGER HEADS TO TOYOTA ALL-STAR SHOWDOWN

Andrew Ranger, the 2009 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 champion, will utilize his secured starting position - earned as a NASCAR Developmental Series champion - in the NASCAR Toyota All Star Showdown on Jan. 29-30 at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale (Calif.).

Andrew Ranger

The annual all star event attracts the top drivers from across North America to what has become the pinnacle of short track racing in the U.S. and is often referred to as the 'Daytona 500 of short-track racing.'

The 23 year-old Ranger, out of Roxton Pond, Que., will pilot a car out of the Steve McGowen stable. McGowen fields the Chevrolet driven by David Mayhew, who won a pair of NASCAR K&N Pro Series West events in 2009. Mayhew, too, has a secure spot in the starting lineup as a NASCAR K&N Pro Series race winner.

"I'm really excited about this opportunity to race against all these talented drivers," said Ranger.

In 2009, Ranger won his second Canadian Tire Series championship in three years on the power of a single season series record six wins and outdistanced frequent NASCAR Nationwide Series competitor DJ Kennington by 167 points for the crown. Among those six victories, three came on oval tracks while the others were a result of his tremendous prowess on road courses.

It was through his road course ability that he caught the attention of the U.S. stock car media last August in the NASCAR Nationwide Series event in Montreal. Ranger staged a race long battle with Carl Edwards and Marcos Ambrose before settling for a third place finish in the race.

His first stock-car victory on an oval track came last July 18 at SunValley Speedway in Vernon, B.C., where he dominated on the half mile trioval by lapping every car in the field but one. This win validated his skills behind the wheel of a NASCAR race car after making the switch from open wheel racing where he was a top-10 performer in the Champ Car World Series, which since has reunified with the Indy Car.

"That victory was huge for me," said Ranger. "If I was going to be racing in NASCAR, then I had to be able to win on ovals. Everything clicked that night. All of the things that Dave Jacombs (car owner) and Billy Burns (crew chief) had taught me fell into place."

This will be Ranger's second appearance in the NASCAR Toyota All Star Showdown having competed in the event following his first Canadian Tire Series championship in 2007. That outing lasted just 31 laps, leaving him with a 39th place finish.

However, this time around, a much more confident and experienced Ranger will be on display. At the time of his first NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown outing, he had a grand total of 13 stock-car races under his belt with just a single victory - on a road course. Now, he has three full Canadian Tire Series seasons with two titles and nine wins, six NASCAR Nationwide starts and a handful of other stock-car events to his credit.

"I think this time I will be a lot more comfortable with everything," he said. "Last time, I had never seen the track before and the car was totally new to me. It's still not going to be easy, but it all won't be so new."

Virtually all of the drivers in the race will have the home field advantage on Ranger as the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 competes in different equipment than the NASCAR K&N Pro Series cars used in the NASCAR Toyota All Star Showdown.

"Most of the other drivers are more familiar with the cars, but I've had a few starts in the (NASCAR Nationwide Series) cars which are pretty close. So, we'll see what happens. I'm definitely looking forward to it."

In addition to eligible 2009 race winners and series champions, the starting lineup for the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown will be determined through time trials, limited provisionals for NASCAR K&N Pro Series regulars, and the last chance "Open" race that provides drivers one final chance to make the grid.

The 2010 NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown schedule also includes 100 lap Whelen All-American Series Super Late Model and 75 lap Late Model races. Both nights of racing will be televised live on SPEED and also will be broadcast live on SIRIUS NASCAR Radio. Advance sale tickets are available at www.toyotaspeedwayatirwindale.com.