For the first time, Front Row Motorsports put a driver into the All-Star Race based on a team win, with David Ragan earning a starting spot after winning two weeks ago at Talladega. Ragan lined up 14th for the Saturday night exhibition event, which featured four 20-lap segments and a final 10-lap dash.

From the get-go, Ragan said his CSX Ford felt tight through the turns and did not grip the track as well as he’d have liked. Concerns about the car were put on hold after eight laps, though, when a rain shower moved in and forced a 41-minute red-flag period.

When the field returned to green-flag racing, Ragan was 19th. Throughout the first four segments, the team made numerous adjustments to help the car turn better in the center and get more overall grip. The efforts helped, but not enough to make a significant charge through the field.

When the green flag waved on the 10-lap final segment, Ragan was in 20th. He was able to climb one additional spot to finish the race in 19th.

Comments from CSX team driver David Ragan after the All-Star race:

“It was a good effort by our CSX team. We never really had the grip we needed all night, though. But I’m proud of this team for making the All-Star Race based on our Talladega win. The guys did a good job on pit road and we learned some things that will definitely help us out next week. And thanks to CSX. It was great having them aboard for such a big event.”

David Gilliland, No. 38 Long John Silver’s Ford
Showdown Starting Position: 14
Showdown Finishing Position: 13

David Gilliland started Saturday night’s Sprint Showdown in 14th, hoping to race his way into one of the top-two spots in order to transfer to the All-Star Race immediately afterward.

The Showdown consisted of two 20-lap segments with an optional pit stop in between. During Segment 1, Gilliland said his Long John Silver’s Ford was tight through the turns. So during the half-way caution period, the team brought their driver down to pit road to make a two-tire change, along with air pressure and chassis adjustments to try to free up the car.

As the second 20-lap segment got under way, the driver reported the two-tire change had made his car tighter. After making a charge in the top 10, Gilliland dropped back as far as 16th with 11 laps to go. A late surge in the final six laps allowed him to pick up three more spots to cross the finish line in 13th.

Comments from Long John Silver’s team driver David Gilliland after the Showdown:

“It would’ve been great to race our way into the All-Star Race, but we were just a bit too tight to be as competitive as we wanted to be. We made a two-tire stop at the half-way point to get some track position, and I think it just affected the car’s handling too much. But it was helpful to be out there tonight in similar conditions that we’ll see next week for the 600. It gives us an idea of what we’ll need to concentrate on.”

Ragan earned his spot in the All-Star starting line-up with his dramatic win at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway on May 5 – the first victory in Front Row Motorsports history. The All-Star race will feature all of the race winners from 2012 and 2013 to date.

Saturday night’s non-points event will be the second time this season that CSX will use the entire Front Row Motorsports No. 34 Ford to promote safety around railroad tracks and crossings. The car will feature a special “Play it Safe” paint scheme, including a bumper sticker on the back that says “I brake for trains,” the “Play it Safe” logo and a hood that says “Beats Goliath, Brakes for trains,” as a nod to Ragan’s status as the last driver to qualify for the prestigious All-Star Race.

“We’re very proud of David and his amazing victory at Talladega, and wanted to use the opportunity to further show our support of this great team and bring attention to a very important message that can save lives,” said Terry Ludban, CSX Director-Community Affairs and Safety. “Motorists should look both ways at crossings, and always expect a train, and pedestrians should stay well clear of railroad tracks.”

The All-Star start will be Ragan’s third appearance in the annual event, but the first earned with a Front Row win. Saturday’s race will comprise four 20-lap segments and a mandatory four-tire pit stop before a final, 10-lap dash to the finish. The winner earns a $1 million prize – plus an extra $1 million bonus if he leads all five segments.

Comments from CSX team driver David Ragan heading to the All-Star race:

“We’re thrilled that CSX is back on our No. 34 Ford for this event. We had a great week with them a couple weeks ago, going to visit the trainyard and CSX employees in Jacksonville and then promoting the ‘Play It Safe’ message throughout the race weekend in Richmond. After we won at Talladega and earned our spot in the All-Star race, they called and said they wanted to be a part of it. So we couldn’t be happier that they’re going racing with us again. There will be a lot of eyes watching Saturday night’s race and it’s a great way for CSX to get out their message of playing it safe around railroad tracks.

“It’s huge to be in the Sprint All-Star Race, and it especially means a lot to a team like Front Row Motorsports. It’s NASCAR’s showcase of the best teams in the sport, and to be included in that is a big deal. Bob Jenkins has been building this team over the last several years and making it better and more competitive every year. Qualifying for the All-Star Race as a result of a Front Row win just shows that he’s doing things right and all the hard work is paying off.

“You don’t realize how important the actual All-Star Race is until you’re in it. I didn’t make the All-Star Race until my third or fourth year in the Sprint Cup Series, and then I realized what a big deal it was to be in that line-up. Even before the green flag waves, you’re proud just to be on the starting grid, representing your team and getting a shot at racing for a million dollars.

“The All-Star Race is something we really look forward to. It’s a little less of a pressure-packed weekend because you don’t have points on the line and it’s a little shorter race. You get to sleep in your own bed for a few nights. So, the All-Star event for the Sprint Cup Series is probably one of the best all-star formats in all the major-league sports.

“Charlotte Motor Speedway was one of the early tests that we had with this Generation-6 car back in December. It’s something that we’ll definitely learn from during our first weekend there coming up and we’ll see how things changed. Really, December seems like an eternity ago with these Gen-6 cars. So we’ll definitely learn a lot that will help us for the 600-mile race the following week.”

The qualifying race comprises two 20-lap segments with an optional pit stop. The top two finishers will transfer to the All-Star race immediately following the Showdown. The winner of a fan vote will also transfer.

Gilliland has two top-10 finishes in six Showdown starts.

Comments from Long John Silver’s team driver David Gilliland about the Showdown:

“There’s definitely less pressure involved when you’re racing in the Showdown. If something happens, there are no points on the line. So, that’s a good feeling going in there, knowing that we can go try stuff that maybe we can’t try on a normal weekend. Frank Kerr, my crew chief, has a lot of great ideas, and I think it’s shown in our performance throughout the year even if we haven’t gotten the finishes we’ve wanted. This All-Star weekend is a great opportunity for us to try some new stuff under less pressure.

“It’d be super special to race our way into the All-Star line-up. I’ve watched that race many times on TV but haven’t yet been able to race in it. We’ve been close, definitely close to transferring in a couple of times. We’ve had fast race cars. We just have to finish off the deal. And I have more confidence this year going in than I’ve ever had.”

Kretschmar donated over $100,000 to Make-A-Wish in 2012 and is helping grant three wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses this year. In Illinois, Kretschmar partnered with Kirby Foods to aid in supporting Elias’ wish. Kirby Foods raised additional funds for Make-A-Wish with sales of paper stars that were sold at its stores’ registers for $1, with proceeds going to Make-A-Wish. The retailer also named a sandwich the Elias Hero Sub on its deli menu in honor of Elias with proceeds also benefitting Make-A-Wish. Kirby Foods presented several video game-related wish enhancements to Elias as part of its support.

“It has been amazing to see the impact of our Legendary Wishes campaign,” said Chuck Gitkin, VP, Marketing, Innovation and R&D, John Morrell Food Group. “It’s extremely fulfilling to know that we’re able to make a difference in the lives of some really great kids and their families. That’s the most important thing. We’re very honored to work with Make-A-Wish and Kirby’s to help fulfill these wishes and appreciate all of their support.”

Elias’ house was filled with many friends and family members on hand to see his big surprise. Kirby Foods provided sandwiches and refreshments for everyone. The retailer also gave Elias an oversized card full of well wishes that were collected over the month of April from the employees and customers at its stores.

“Kretschmar’s generous and enthusiastic support truly allows Make-A-Wish to fulfill its mission of bringing hope, strength and joy to children at a time they need it most,” said Stephanie Springs, Chief Executive Officer of Make-A-Wish Illinois.

Kretschmar is a part of the John Morrell Food Group, a subsidiary of Smithfield Foods, Inc. (NYSE: SFD). For more information about Kretschmar Deli please visit www.kretschmardeli.com.

The driver of the No. 38 Long John Silver’s Ford is in his fourth season with the Statesville, N.C.-based team, has watched it grow and progress every season and has persevered in trying to get owner Bob Jenkins his first win. He did just that on Sunday in Talladega, Ala., and now continues his efforts to achieve his own victory in the Cup series with the next stop being Darlington (S.C.) Raceway for this weekend’s historic Southern 500.

In six starts at the 1.366-mile oval, Gilliland has one top-20 finish.

Comments from Long John Silver’s team driver David Gilliland heading to Darlington:

“We’re still all smiling and in a great mood from Talladega. It was just a huge day for Front Row Motorsports. We’re a little team building. I feel like we’re getting better each and every week. I feel like this new car has really helped us a lot this year to be more competitive at every style of race track that we go to, so it’s definitely big for us. I know Frank Kerr, my new crew chief, has a big wish list of parts and pieces he wants for our race car, trying to make them lighter and faster, and I’m sure he’ll get a couple of those. Hopefully, that will help.

“I was trying to beat (Ragan) for sure, but we had to get there first. Once I pushed him out to the lead, the 99 was on my side and David had kind of got enough of a lead that I wasn’t going to pass him, and at that point I was obviously trying to finish second. I’ve had some great finishes in restrictor plate races in the past and I still obviously want to get that first win, but we’ll take second for sure and a first with our teammate.

“Darlington is an awesome racetrack. It’s unique. Richmond you can relate to Phoenix, Bristol you can kind of relate to Dover. Darlington you can’t relate it to anywhere. It’s its own place, and there’s no other racetrack in the country, at least that I’ve ever raced on, that’s even close. It’s a tough track. It definitely lives up to its nickname each and every year. It’s very challenging, but it’s a lot of fun.

“It’s difficult. The track changes as it rubbers up, obviously, and it’s hard on tires, even after they repaved it. I think it slows down a lot throughout the race and changes a lot between the practices and the race. So you have to look back on and rely on your notes to try to get as close as you can.”

The No. 35 MDS Transport Ford team heads to Darlington for Saturday night’s historic Southern 500 after notching a 19th-place finish in last week’s race at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeeday, in which teammates David Ragan and David Gilliland finished first and second. The top-20 finish was Wise’s best result of the 2013 season and his best-ever finish at the superspeedway.

Comments from MDS Transport team driver Josh Wise heading to Darlington:

“I love Darlington. It’s so cool because it’s truly different. Even just looking at it, you can see it’s different on both ends. You run right up by the wall, which is really cool. It reminds me of running a sprint car up on the dirt back in the old days when you’re right up against the fence, and it’s just like that at Darlington. It’s just a fun, fast track, and the sensation of speed there is really cool.

“It can be difficult, though. Last spring was my first time there in the Cup car. We were fortunate, and we got up to speed pretty quick. The trickiest part of the track, I think, is the entries to the corners because you’re carrying different amounts of speed into Turn 3 versus Turn 1, and the radius of each corner is different. So that was the trick for me – just learning to gauge my speed into the corner versus how good I got off the previous corner.

“I’m so happy for this team, with Front Row Motorsports getting its first win last weekend at Talladega. Our car wasn’t quite as good our teammates – we had a couple issues toward the end of the race – but we still came home with a top-20 finish with the MDS Ford, which is pretty good. There were a lot of busted up cars in that infield last week, and we brought home three clean cars, which is the first time we’ve ever done that. It was a huge day overall, and we all look forward to getting the next one.”

Woody Swink, regional director of sales and an owner of McCall Farms, said the company is excited about its presence at the Bojangles’ Southern 500 because Ragan is a stellar example of racecar driving at its finest and represents the Southern aesthetic of the Peanut Patch brand well.

“We made our debut last year at the Darlington Raceway with David Ragan, and he was an ideal fit because of his Southern roots, exuberance and strong connection to NASCAR and its fans,” Swink said. “Therefore, it was just a matter of plain common sense to reconnect with David Ragan, an impressive talent who is respected and recognized as a formidable competitor among car racing enthusiasts.”

Ragan, a 27-year-old native of Unadilla, Ga., has thus far won four NASCAR victories – two in Sprint Cup and two in the Nationwide Series.

“It’s great to have Peanut Patch back on our car this year, especially here in Darlington for their first primary race of the season,” said Ragan, who is in his second year with Front Row Motorsports. “Not only is the Southern 500 one of the most prestigious and historical races in NASCAR, but Darlington is right up the road from McCall Farms’ headquarters. So you could say that Peanut Patch is the home team at this race.”

Prior to the race, from 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m., on Friday, May 10, Ragan will participate in a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series autograph session that will take place in the Sprint Unlimited Experience display, which is behind the front stretch grandstands in the fan display area at Darlington Raceway. Ragan, a native of Unadilla, Ga., will don his Peanut Patch trademark racecar suit dominated by the insignia “Green Boiled Peanuts,” written in white against an emerald green background bordered by a sea of canary yellow, on Friday and Saturday.

“We’ll be proud to have the Peanut Patch colors on our No. 34 Ford Fusion,” Ragan said.

Gates at Darlington Raceway will open at 2 p.m., while the race will begin at 6:45 p.m.
Tickets prices range from $17 to $99 and can be purchased at http://www.darlingtonraceway.com/?homepage=true. Darlington Raceway is located at 1301 Harry Byrd Highway. You can also call 1 (866)-459-7223 to purchase tickets and for additional information.

The ending came in the form of a green-white-checkered finish, in which Ragan and Gilliland restarted in 10th and 11th respectively. In two laps, the pair freight-trained through the traffic in their Roush Yates-powered Ford Fusions to emerge at the front of the pack – seemingly out of nowhere and to the surprise and delight of the rain-soaked crowd.

The win is the second Sprint Cup victory for Ragan, and the runner-up finish ties Gilliland’s best career result. The milestone event put partners Farm Rich (No. 34) and Love’s Travel Stops (No. 38) in the spotlight in their first season working with Front Row Motorsports.

“This is a true David vs. Goliath moment here,” Ragan said. “This is special to get Front Row Motorsports their first win. It feels like I’ve never been in Victory Lane before, I’m so excited. We’re a small team. We build our own chassis, our own bodies, and it’s such a special moment for our team and all of our partners. This is big.”

For Jenkins, whose passion for racing led him to purchase a small NASCAR team in 2004, the Victory Lane champagne was long, and patiently, awaited.

“I’ve got guys at the shop that have the heart to win races,” Jenkins said. “We just haven’t always had the resources. So the challenge for me is, as we build cars, to make them better every week and to put ourselves in a position to win a race and that’s really what happened (Sunday).

“It’s just so satisfying to see that over the last nine years, we’ve gotten a little bit better every single year, and I felt the progress and I knew it was just a matter of time before we’d win one of these things.”

The 1-2 finish almost didn’t get the chance to happen. The 500-mile race was red-flagged at Lap 126 because of rain, and many thought the race would be declared over. Ragan sat in 18th, Gilliland in 24th and teammate Josh Wise in 26th when racing was halted, and the drivers thought their workday was done.

But NASCAR saw clearing skies and the chance to finish the race under green. After a three-hour and 36-minute red-flag period, the track was dry and NASCAR called for drivers to return to their cars. The race saw one more lengthy delay after a multi-car accident on Lap 184, which led to the green-white-checkered finish. As dusk fell over the track and a light rain began falling once again, the field went green for two more laps of hard racing.

“My crew chief, Frank Kerr, said, ‘You’ve got to have the restart of your life,’ and we had a good one,” remarked Gilliland. “It’s a huge day obviously for any team to get first and second, but for Front Row Motorsports and our little team, and what we do it with, we’re really proud of that.”

Gilliland owned the team’s previous best finish, a third-place showing in the 2011 Daytona 500.

Wise earned a commendable finish Sunday in his first full Sprint Cup race at Talladega, bringing home a top-20 finish after crossing the line 19th.

The team will be back at work Monday to prepare for the series’ next event at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway on Saturday night.

The Aaron’s 499 race weekend will be the first time Farm Rich has partnered with a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team. Farm Rich makes wholesome, great-tasting frozen snack and appetizer products such as Farm Rich Mozzarella Sticks, Meatballs and Jalapeño Peppers. They are sold at grocery and club stores nationwide.

“Farm Rich is really happy to be involved with David Ragan, the No. 34 team and Front Row Motorsports,” said Shannon Gilreath, Senior Brand Manager for Farm Rich. “Farm Rich fans love NASCAR, so this is a great way to put two of their favorite things together. It’s going to be a great race and we think fans will be excited to see Farm Rich on the No. 34 car.”

Sunday’s Aaron’s 499 will be Ragan’s 13th Sprint Cup start at the 2.66-mile tri-oval, and Victory Lane could certainly be in Farm Rich and Ragan’s sights. The 27-year-old driver has collected three top-five and five top-10 finishes at Talladega, including seventh- and fourth-place finishes in his last two trips to the superspeedway. His top career finish was a third-place result in 2008.

Comments from Farm Rich team driver David Ragan heading to Talladega:

“It’s great to bring a new partner like Farm Rich into the sport. And what better place to do it than Talladega. Ask any NASCAR fan and they’ll tell you that it’s always one of the most exciting racetracks of the circuit. We were fast the first time we went speedway racing at Daytona in February and I expect we’ll be fast again this weekend. We’ll get the Farm Rich Ford running up front.

“Talladega’s got a lot of grip. It’s newly repaved a few years ago, so handling doesn’t come into play as much, but it always provides for a good race. There’s always a lot of strategy, from the leader to the guy running 20th to the guy running 30th that’s saving his equipment ‘til the end of the race. Everyone’s on a little different strategy and that makes it interesting. It’s fun to watch. The cars are going to be fast, they’re going to be fun to drive, but there’s a lot of things that can go wrong if you don’t make the right decisions behind the wheel and on top of the pit box.

“Our Talladega cars are looking good. Our guys at the shop have worked hard getting those things fixed from Daytona. We just need to be there at the end. Speedway racing is a lot of fun for me. But at the same time it can be pretty frustrating if you’re listening to the finish on the radio while you’re going back to the airport. We just need to be cool and play it safe for the whole race and be there for the last fuel run.

“I think these new Gen-6 cars have got a little more mechanical grip with the rear-end housing, camber rule and a little bit more downforce, and it’s a little lighter. So that’s going to mean a little bit more speed. Obviously at the superspeedway, you’ve got to pay a lot of attention to your temperatures. Your engine performance is based upon how warm your water and oil temperatures stay all race long. And when you’re running in those real tight packs, NASCAR regulates you with the air intake that you have going to the radiator. So you’ve got to be cognizant of what’s going on around you the whole day so you’ve got an engine on eight cylinders to finish the race.”

Gilliland had posted the second-fastest speed in Daytona 500 final practice that weekend, and then got knocked out of the big race in a Lap 138 chain-reaction pile-up. The team heads to the series’ second restrictor-plate race with just as much confidence as they showed in the season-opening weekend.

The black, red and yellow paint scheme of Love’s Travel Stops will be back for its third race with Front Row Motorsports, promoting the MyLoveRewards loyalty program. The travel center company is family-owned and operated with more than 290 locations in 39 states and is currently ranked No. 9 on Forbes’ list of America’s Largest Private Companies.

Gilliland has earned one top-five and two top-10 finishes and one pole position in his 11 Sprint Cup starts at the 2.66-mile Talladega Superspeedway. His best finish was fourth in 2007.

Comments from Love’s Travel Stops team driver David Gilliland heading to Talladega:

“We’re really ready to go speedway racing again. We kind of got cheated in Daytona when all three of our Front Row Motorsports cars were wiped out in the same accident. That was a tough one to swallow. We all had good speed there. We were all happy with our speed and the way they drove and everything else. I think Talladega’s going to be no different. Hopefully the biggest difference coming out of there is the finish.

“I have a lot of confidence going there. Speedway racing as a whole has been a strong point for Front Row Motorsports across the board and I feel Talladega is going to be no different. We’ve got Love’s Travel Stops coming back on board and we’re exciting to have them back on our No. 38 Ford Fusion. We had a great SpeedWeeks down in Daytona but we didn’t get Love’s the finish we were capable of, but hopefully we can finish it off down in Talladega.

“Front Row Motorsports is definitely capable of big things at these plate races. With the restrictor plates, the style of racing, the box that NASCAR has all the teams in as far as shock and spring rules, it definitely levels out the playing field for us and gets us a little bit closer. We finished third in the Daytona 500 a couple years ago so there’s no reason why we couldn’t be in Victory Lane this weekend.”