ARA) - Drowsy driving can put anyone at risk for an accident, and NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Carl Edwards wants to make sure motorists know to stay alert while driving. Edwards, who suffers from allergies, has teamed up with the makers of the non-drowsy allergy medication, CLARITIN, for the “Clear to Drive” campaign. The campaign aims to make sure people know how important it is to read medicine labels to see if there are any warnings about drowsiness before they get behind the wheel.
“As someone who races cars for a living, driver safety is an issue that’s important to me, and that’s why I’m participating in the “Clear to Drive” campaign,” says Edwards. “When I’m driving at 180 miles per hour, I can’t risk taking a medicine that makes me drowsy. I choose CLARITIN because it gives me powerful, non-drowsy relief from my worst allergy symptoms.”
As a spokesperson for the “Clear to Drive” campaign, Edwards will record a radio announcement to raise awareness about drowsy driving, which can potentially result from taking medicines that may cause drowsiness. The radio announcement will be available on cleartodrive.com – a new Web site that will provide valuable information on safe driving. The site will also feature facts about drowsy driving and tips for preventing this growing problem.
The Dangers of Drowsy Driving
Many drivers don’t realize that some common over-the-counter medicines could cause drowsiness. In fact, according to a recent survey, four in 10 Americans (38 %) report that there have been times when they were driving and realized that the medicine they had taken was making them drowsy.
“Taking a medication that may cause drowsiness can put people at risk for nodding off behind the wheel and potentially harming themselves or others,” says Marjorie Slankard, M.D., clinical professor of medicine at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. “It’s important to carefully read the labels of medications and understand the side effects.”
Tips for Preventing Drowsy Driving
* Always remember to check medicine labels, including allergy medicines, for warnings about drowsiness before getting behind the wheel
* Avoid driving if you’re feeling drowsy
* Schedule breaks during long trips or arrange for a travel companion
* Get adequate sleep
* Stop driving if you start feeling drowsy behind the wheel
For more tips on safe driving and additional information about the “Clear to Drive” campaign, visit http://www.cleartodrive.com
(ARA) – If your memories of high school shop and mechanics class involve a grizzled teacher shouting at students not to hammer their fingers while building a birdhouse, it’s time to go back to class. Todd Collins, a teacher at East Hickman High School in Lyles, Tenn., recently led a team of students from his auto mechanics class in building a drag race car to compete in a race televised on SPEED. Not your typical class assignment.
The students and their trials and tribulations in building their drag racer, were filmed from the first axle to the big race. The show, Drag Race High, airs on SPEED Wednesdays at 10 p.m. Eastern/9 p.m. Central. Collins couldn’t be more excited or more proud.
“Sometimes in education, you get to a point where you think you’re helping as many people as you can. You don’t know how much you actually accomplish. It’s been very rewarding to sit back and see what these kids accomplished,” Collins says. “The fact they put together this car like they did is overwhelming.”
Collins’ assignment to the group was to take a beat up Ford Mustang, strip it to the bones and rebuild it as a drag racer. The students were allowed to obtain advice from experts, but had to do all the work themselves.
“It was like a team coming together. I told the kids when we first started that I was going to be the manager and they were going to be the employees, and we were going to turn this into a business,” Collins says. “The kids looked at me funny because they had never really been a part of anything like this. They didn’t believe this was actually happening.”
High Five Entertainment, the production company for Drag Race High, knows viewers will be drawn in by the process of a group of young people building a drag racer from bumper to bumper; but it’s the students’ personalities that will keep viewers coming back for more.
Student Michael Brown is the team’s resident welder who worried he didn’t know enough about autos to make a difference for the team. Collins reassured Brown that what he didn’t know they could cover together over the summer to prepare for the task. “Michael really stepped up,” Collins says. “He’s been with me on this from the very beginning”.
Another fan favorite is sure to be Megan Stone, an athlete with a mechanical background who became close friends with Brown as they worked diligently to get their car ready for the big race.
Collins is excited to see Drag Race High, but is most enthusiastic about what the show will do for his students in the future. “I would hire any of these kids in the business on different levels for different things. All of them are capable after being this responsible,” Collins says. “Some of them will benefit from this for the rest of their lives. It has opened their eyes to different avenues of where and what type of career they may want to pursue. I hope it’s life changing all the way around and for the good.”
Courtesy of ARAcontent
EDITOR’S NOTE:
SPEED is the nation’s first and foremost cable television network dedicated to motor sports and the passion for everything automotive. From racing to restoration, motorcycles to movies, SPEED delivers quality programming from the track to the garage. Now available in more than 78 million homes in North America, SPEED is among the fastest-growing sports cable networks in the country and, the home to NASCAR on SPEED. For more information, visit www.SPEEDtv.com.
(ARA) – He’s the man credited with leading NASCAR driver Kevin Harvick into victory lane at this year’s Daytona 500, but how much do you know about crew chief, Todd Berrier? Turns out he has racing in his blood.
“My dad raced when I was growing up and, even from a young age, I knew it was something I really wanted to do,” says Berrier, who got his start working on Busch Grand National cars at a local track where he learned the ins and outs of what it takes to win.
Here he shares some thoughts on an incredible career:
Q: How does it feel to be the crew chief for a Daytona 500-winning car?
I have to admit it was pretty cool to win. Not many people get a chance to work on a car that runs in the Daytona 500, much less win the whole thing. But after a little while of enjoying the win, it was back to the grind. We had to focus on our upcoming projects and winning the Daytona 500 just made me want to win the next race even more. There’s no better feeling than that!
Q: How would you describe your job?
The bulk of my job used to focus on maintaining and modifying our cars while also helping to develop new strategies and ideas. But because the cost and logistics of what we do are much more complex than they were even three years ago, my job is now focused on logistics and planning for the team. We approach every decision from a business-minded angle, so it’s important that we’re fully utilizing our resources to obtain the best possible advantage over the competition.
Q: What’s the single biggest challenge to being successful in NASCAR?
The biggest challenge in NASCAR is the time commitment to the job, whether you’re a crew chief, driver, or part of the pit crew. I’m in our facilities every day except the days we are at the track. That ends up being Monday through Wednesday, with half a day on Thursday before we travel to the race. We’re also on the road every Thursday through Sunday for 38 weeks, with an additional ten test days spread out throughout the year. When things might not be going as well as you’d like, you really have to get in there and focus on what’s going right. This is a demanding job but it can also be very rewarding.
Q: What does a typical day look like for you during the race weekend?
Well, that’s not exactly an easy answer as there are no “typical” days when it comes to racing. On Thursday afternoons we leave the Richard Childress Racing (RCR) facilities and fly to the race location. We have just enough time to check into the hotel and then it’s lights out because we know we have a long couple of days ahead of us.
The team will get to the track early on Friday morning so we can settle into the garage area and get the car ready for inspection. After we go through inspection, the first practice session of the day takes place, with our qualifying runs scheduled at around 3 p.m. After we’ve qualified for the race on Friday, we have two Saturday practice sessions to test our modifications and make sure everything is running like it should be.
Then it’s on to Sunday, the most exciting (and longest) day of the weekend. It all starts at 6 a.m. when we make any last minute adjustments before our pre-race inspection. The races typically start at around noon and can last up to four hours. Cars that finish in the top five must go through a post-race inspection to make sure everyone was playing fair. Once the inspection is over, we load up the truck and race to the airport to catch the first flight home. It makes for a long weekend but it’s always a fun one.
Q: As part of the sponsor relationship, is Shell or Pennzoil providing special fuel or motor oil for the race team?
RCR not only has a new sponsor in Shell but a new technical partner as well, with Pennzoil supplying motor oil and lubricants products for all RCR vehicles. We work with Shell and Pennzoil engineers and scientists to develop and race some of the most technologically advanced motor oils. The fuel we use on the race track must be provided by NASCAR’s official fuel supplier.
But off the track, I’m always looking to get the most out of my vehicle so I use Shell. In fact, a lot of the guys on the team drive cars that recommend higher-octane fuel so we use Shell V-Power because it’s a premium fuel with added cleaning power, five times the cleaning agent required by federal government standards, in fact. We also like that it’s in part a direct result of the technical collaboration between Shell and Ferrari in Formula One.
For more information about the benefits of using Shell V-Power over any other conventional fuel, log on to www.shell.com and type “V-Power” into the search box.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
Avoid Heat-Related Illness with Preventative Measures
(ARA) - Any seasoned NASCAR fan can tell you that when your favorite driver is trailing it’s pretty easy to blow your top at the track, but getting caught up in the heat of the moment is a sure way to spoil the day. Raceway vets know that getting the most out of an afternoon in the grandstands means keeping your cool at the track in more ways than one.
Even the most avid NASCAR enthusiast can end up sidelined by prolonged exposure to hours of direct sunlight in packed seating. According to the Centers for Disease Control, nearly 318 Americans die every year of heat-related illnesses — most of which are easily preventable. Health and Safety Expert for the American Red Cross, Don Lauritzen, suggests that one of the most important things you can do to protect yourself from heat-related illness is to drink plenty of water. “Hydrate yourself continuously,” says Lauritzen. “Drink even when you’re not thirsty. If you’re already thirsty, it’s a little late.”
Take along a Thermos brand insulated cooler or travel tumbler to keep your water cool and easily accessible. You can even find Thermos tumblers and coolers at Target that feature popular drivers like Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon. The NASCAR six-can cooler is perfect for water and sports drinks, and its regulation size guarantees it will fit comfortably under your seat. Here are some other helpful tips for keeping cool at the speedway this summer so you can have a great day at the races — even if your driver doesn’t!
Dress for Success
There’s a near-endless variety of NASCAR gear to wear on race day, but opting for lightweight, light-colored and loose-fitting clothing goes a long way in battling the heat. Whenever possible, select “breathable” fabrics like cotton, or moisture-wicking materials that pull perspiration and heat away from the body. Don’t forget to top off the look with a hat.
Think Simple
Much of the body’s heat is released through the soles of the feet, the palms of the hands and the scalp. Think of simple and resourceful ways to keep these areas cool. For instance, while caffeinated drinks should be avoided, cans of soda are usually cheap and plentiful at the racetrack. Roll a cold can under bare feet for quick, refreshing relief from the heat.
Eat Smart
Eating small, frequent meals helps keep body temperature low by reducing the metabolic heat that is generated in the consumption and absorption of food. Avoid foods that are high in protein or served hot, opting instead for things like cold sandwiches and salads. Throw a few bags of frozen chopped fruits in your Thermos NASCAR cooler for an especially refreshing treat. The patented insulation technology will ensure your food is cold all the way to the final lap!
Finally, be sure to take regular breaks in the shade if your seat is in direct sunlight. Signs of heat-related illness to look out for include high body temperature, lack of sweating, difficulty breathing, flushed skin and disorientation. If you or anyone around you is showing any of these signs, move them to a cool area and seek medical attention — even if their driver’s on another team!
Courtesy of ARAcontent
