David Gilliland: Welcome Back, Charter!

NASCAR fans are notorious for the zeal and dedication in following their drivers and their sport. One fan of David Gilliland, though, has combined his passion for the sport with his business. Paul Kahalley, director of Jet Charter Sales for Charter Air Transport, has networked his business and sports relationships into a viable business entity.

I first wrote about Paul last year, when Charter Air Transport agreed to fly David and Michelle Gilliland to Dover for the spring NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. Since then, the relationship continued to grow. Front Row Motorsports with Doug Yates Racing was researching travel costs for the 2010 season, having added two new cars and teams to their operation. Gilliland was able to personally vouch for the quality of Charter Air Transport. Front Row Motorsports and Charter Air Transport reached an agreement, making C.A.T the Official Air Carrier of FRM. The FRM team will use Charter Air for 23 of the NASCAR Sprint Cup races in 2010.

Kahalley states "All of us at Charter Air Transport are excited about our partnership with Front Row Motorsports with Yates Racing. We have been flying NASCAR teams for the last few years, and it is such a perfect fit for our 30 passenger aircraft. At the same time, we are moving these large groups in a safe and cost effective way. FRM recognized this, and reached out to us, and we are very appreciative of the opportunity. We had the pleasure of flying David Gilliland last season, and it is truly an honor to have our logo on the side of the #38 Charter Air Transport/Taco Bell Ford at Atlanta."

Paul reports that Charter Air Transport's fleet of EMB-120 turbo props are configured for 30 passengers and boast an environmentally friendly mode of transportation by only burning 150 gallons of fuel per hour, compared to 450 gallons per hour on other aircraft configured for 30-50 passenger lifts. Their services include charters for various sports teams, casino junkets, vacations, and managed aircraft revenue opportunities. They are very proud of their safe, reliable, outstanding service with an impeccable 'on-time' performance.

David Gilliland welcomes the return of Charter Air Transport. " It's nice to see Charter Air Transport on the car this weekend. I've flown on their planes in the past and they are a great way to travel. They have helped us out already in the early going. It's always nice not to have to worry about travel and how you are getting from one track to the next. They do a great job."

FRM will display the Charter Air Transport logo on the #38 Sprint cup car, on the rear quarter panels and front of the hood, This paint scheme will be used March 7, 2010 at the Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speeway.

Welcome back, Charter!

David and Michelle Gilliland: Making it Real for their Fans!

Over the years, many NASCAR fans have picked drivers to follow. The internet has made it even easier for fans to connect with their drivers. In earlier times, websites were created, and some drivers added message boards and forums. Those forums became a place for their fans to meet each other, and chat about their driver and the racing world.

Today, many drivers have moved on to new internet media. Facebook and Twitter are both used extensively to inform the fans and media of activities. Sadly, many of the NASCAR world moved away from message boards and towards using the social media sites. Many fans enjoy the social media fun, but also mention missing the friendliness of the forums. Driver message boards used to be the first place to go for information.

One driver who still connects well with his fans is David Gilliland. Twice last year, he and his wife Michelle held an online chat with their fans at DavidGilliland.com. Last night, the Gillilands held their first chat of 2010.

In these chats, topics range from David's driving season, opinions on racing action and rules, family activities and vacation plans. In previous chats, we learned who David idolizes, how he and Michelle met, and how their family is doing. This week, we learned of possible plans for David's 2010 ride, and what the family did over the holiday season. Each chat leaves his fans exhilarated and excited! After much research on the 'net, I am unable to find any driver who responds at such a personal level.

If you wish to join in, go to DavidGilliland.com and register for the Fan Circuit. (Registration is free!) Gilly's Gang will welcome you with open arms. Clicking here will lead you to the transcript of last night's chats! There is some interesting information there! You REALLY should check it out!

Chasing Twelve of NASCAR's NeverEnding Stories

A new year, and technically, a new decade! It is time to look at those persistent NASCAR stories that we suffered through last year, and that we will be digesting this year, too! Twelve stories, representing a Chase-full!

The Economy. Yes, it is still looming it's nasty head over the world in general, and NASCAR specifically. Off season conversation still talks about the need for teams to merge or form alliances. Team members are still losing their jobs. Start up teams are succeeding or dying. Sadly, this is a truism all through the country, in all sectors. While there are glimmers of hope, we will still have to listen to this story for several months.

Jeremy Mayfield. *Sigh* (That sigh is exactly what I did when I typed his name.) The Great Drug Testing Debate will continue, at least, until September. In the meantime, we will be subjected to dribbles of information whenever NASCAR and Mayfield attorneys go to court. One has to wonder if Mayfield's wallet will be depleted before September.

The COT. It looks as if the furor and angst over the COT will be renewed for a few months, as NASCAR is reported to be considering a return to the spoiler, replacing the despised wing. I doubt though, that it will ensure that drivers at Talladega will always drive side by side.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. This debate has been years in the making, and it is a no-win situation. If Dale Jr continues to struggle this year, we will hear that either he is not talented, or he is not getting the right equipment. If he succeeds, his detractors will claim it IS the equipment. The Jr Nation is getting tired of Jr being blamed for lack of attendance at races, and yet we will continue to see stands empty out if Jr does not complete a race. No winners predicted!

Jimmy Johnson. It is astonishing that such a mild mannered Clark Kent of a man turns into Superman on the track, much to the ire of any non-JJ fans. All 2009, we heard how horrible it would be for him to make history and win a 4th championship. Now, in 2010, we will hear the speculation of how the impending baby arrival will ensure that there will not be 5 championships in a row.

Race broadcasts. NASCAR has a huge problem. None of the three (four, counting Speed, even though it is technically FOX) broadcast partners are popular with the fans. Each have good and bad issues, but none are universally popular. And yet, the NASCAR franchise appears to be strong enough for Showtime to want an exclusive show.

Danica Patrick. Can she? Will she? And the marketing machine that is part of her image will still raise the hackles of many fans. Many are tired of Danica Mania, yet few dispute that she will bring some much needed attention on the stock car side of the motorsports industry.

Nationwide series: Is it a driver development series? Is it fair of Cup drivers to usurp the money and the fame from the lower tier? It depends on if you are a sponsor of one of those big names who bring fame to their brand, or if you are a struggling team trying to cover your tire bill.

Start and Parks. See #1, blame the economy. Yet some of those teams will be back in 2010, with a few of them expanding and having sponsors. Perhaps the Start and Parks have a few good ideas on basic survival.

Social media. Facebook and Twitter are being used extensively by NASCAR, journalists, bloggers, teams, and drivers. Sadly, some of the best journalists in the industry lost their jobs when NASCAR Scene planned huge cutbacks. Curiously, they may be victims of their social media skills, as the printed media is going away since the internet provides instant gratification to the fans.

Credibility. Many fans of NASCAR are loudly protesting that NASCAR is not credible, and is indeed turning the sport into a clone of professional wrestling. Debris cautions, inspection penalties, driver penalties and drug testing are among the most discussed and contested subjects. NASCAR has a huge job to do, but it appears that fixing their reputation may be at the top of the list.

The Chase. The debate continues on the 'fairness' of the Chase, with particular emphasis on the resetting of points at the beginning of the Chase for the Cup. Listeners to SiriusXM128 know that it brings a constant stream of commentary. Will it end? The complaints will be around as long as there is a Chase.

As I review the list, I am convinced that the vast majority of these stories will survive well into next year. Good, bad or ugly, these topics will continue to be at the forefront of our sport.

Petty Blue and the Blue Oval to team up!

It has been a quiet Thursday, with little to no NASCAR news, except for the non-news of anything pertaining to Jeremy Mayfield.

Watching Twitter, I noticed Marty Smith of ESPN comment he was working on a big story. Less than an hour later, the news broke on Twitter, Facebook and SiriusXM radio 128. The press releases states:

Today at 11:54am

STATESVILLE, N.C. – Richard Petty Motorsports and Yates Racing announced today they have signed a letter of intent to merge operations in time for the 2010 season. The four-car team will race Fords under the Richard Petty Motorsports banner.

Richard Petty: “This is a pretty big deal for us. We’re thrilled to partner with Ford. We’ve talked with a lot of folks, but in the end it came down to the success the Gilletts and I think we can achieve with Ford Racing. Right now this deal is real new. There are lots of details still left to be ironed out so we don’t have a lot of answers for anyone right now. We’ll be working on all that in the coming days, weeks and months, but we do intend to have everything in place before the start of next season. I’ve won races with Ford and plan to again.”

Team Managing Partner Foster Gillett: “Richard and Kasey (Kahne) showed us Sunday night in Atlanta that they like winning quite a bit and Ford is going to provide the support that we need to go to victory lane more often. If you are going to compete with the other teams in this sport you need a lot of support. We bring a lot to this relationship as well. We’ve won twice this season and the power of Richard Petty is hard to beat, plus we have the support of some of the biggest names in corporate America.”

Yates Racing Co-owner Max Jones: “This is certainly a great opportunity for both Yates Racing as well as Ford Racing. I have had a long-term relationship with Ford and look forward to continuing that relationship at Richard Petty Motorsports. Over the coming weeks we will continue to work with Ford and Richard Petty to lay out the best plan for Paul Menard and all of the employees at Yates Racing. We will continue to field both the No. 98 and No. 96 Ford Fusions for the remainder of the season and look forward to continued success on the track with Paul, Bobby Labonte and Erik Darnell.”

Yates Racing Co-owner Doug Yates: “This plan is clearly in the best interest of the Ford Racing community. On a personal level, I am excited about the opportunity to focus my full energy on building Ford horsepower. We look forward to working with Richard Petty Motorsports to produce power second to none. There are many details to be worked out with Richard Petty Motorsports and as we finalize those details we will keep everyone informed.”

Director of Ford North America Motorsports Brian Wolfe: "I am very pleased that Richard Petty Motorsports has made the decision to switch to Ford for the 2010 season. They had choices to consider other than Ford and it's gratifying to us that they have enough faith in the Ford Motor Company and what we're doing to make the switch. We believe we can provide them with superior analytical tools and powertrain, and we will work with them closely on the technical front to help them become even more competitive than they are. What's also really cool to me is the chance to have someone with the class and the legacy of Richard Petty involved with Ford. Combine that with the chance to work with the Gillett family, who we have great respect for, and add some great drivers to the Ford camp, well, it's hard not to be excited about this opportunity."

Notes:

• Paul Menard will be one of the drivers in the Petty team joining Kasey Kahne, Elliott Sadler and AJ Allmendinger.

This is a huge shock, mainly because no one was expecting this. Some questions remain. What happens to the 26 from Roush-Fenway Racing. What happens to the relationship with RFR. And what happens to Reed Sorenson?

According to Reed on Sirius today, at 3:37 PM, he declared that he has known for a few weeks that he would be looking for another job. He won't be the only one to experience job loss, as a merger will certainly mean that others in the two organizations will be drawing unemployment.

This news is still shaking up the internet and the NASCAR world. More to come!