Stock Car Spin » Andy Lally http://stockcarspin.com A NASCAR Blog Sun, 19 May 2013 12:47:36 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 Andy Lally: 2011 NASCAR Rookie of the Year http://stockcarspin.com/2011/12/15/andy-lally-2011-nascar-rookie-of-the-year/ http://stockcarspin.com/2011/12/15/andy-lally-2011-nascar-rookie-of-the-year/#comments Thu, 15 Dec 2011 14:00:04 +0000 http://stockcarspin.com/?p=2868 Obtaining a sponsorship for a NASCAR Sprint Cup team is getting harder and harder each year, so it was no surprise when Sunoco announced only one driver would be eligible for the 2011 Rookie of the Year Award. Andy Lally, the 2011 Sunoco Rookie of the Year, refused to apologize. “It was also as horribly [...]

Andy Lally: 2011 NASCAR Rookie of the Year - Stock Car Spin - Stock Car Spin - A NASCAR Blog

]]>

Andy Lally looks to the sky as rain closes in on qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at the Kentucky Speedway (Photo by AP Photo for NASCAR)

Obtaining a sponsorship for a NASCAR Sprint Cup team is getting harder and harder each year, so it was no surprise when Sunoco announced only one driver would be eligible for the 2011 Rookie of the Year Award.

Andy Lally, the 2011 Sunoco Rookie of the Year, refused to apologize.

“It was also as horribly frustrating as I knew it would be, and I don’t think I’ve ever had to work so hard in my life to make such tiny gains on something. It made even the smallest achievements incredibly satisfying and I’m so grateful to be given the chance.”

In his acceptance speech during NASCAR Champions Week in Las Vegas, Lally said he had dreamed about coming into NASCAR since he was little. He went on to say, “ I didn’t think I would get the chance. But I’m a lucky guy. I’m fortunate to get to race in a series that’s been a childhood dream, and it was as awesome and challenging as I knew it would be.

Lally, who was only in NASCAR for one year, definitely let a lasting impression on his fans. He wasn’t like the other 42 drivers on the track. He tweeted with every fan who would talk to him on Twitter, and he always thanked you for being a fan of his.

For the 2011 Sprint Cup season, he teamed up with TRG Motorsports to drive the No. 71 Ford Fusion. His best finish in 30 starts was a 19th place finish at Talladega in the sprint, while his average finish was 30.8.

After failing to qualify for the second to last race of the season at Phoenix International Raceway, he was replaced at Homestaed by Mike Bliss. The move would led to his departure from TRG Motorsports.

Next year, Lally will return to the Grand-Am series, where he will drive for Magnus Racing. He has not pushed NASCAR aside, as he may race the road course races at Sonoma and Watkins Glen.

 

]]> http://stockcarspin.com/2011/12/15/andy-lally-2011-nascar-rookie-of-the-year/feed/ 0 Day 3: Grubb Stands Tall; Stewart Gets Call http://stockcarspin.com/2011/12/01/day-3-grubb-stands-tall-stewart-gets-call/ http://stockcarspin.com/2011/12/01/day-3-grubb-stands-tall-stewart-gets-call/#comments Fri, 02 Dec 2011 02:11:26 +0000 http://stockcarspin.com/?p=2717 DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Dec. 1, 2011) – Darian Grubb spoke for mere minutes at Thursday’s NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Awards Luncheon, but the words that tumbled from the champion crew chief’s mouth were a good two months in the making. Prior to October’s race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Grubb learned that his tenure as Tony Stewart’s [...]

Day 3: Grubb Stands Tall; Stewart Gets Call - Stock Car Spin - Stock Car Spin - A NASCAR Blog

]]>

Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet, drives down the Las Vegas Strip and does a burnout in front of the Wynn Las Vegas during the NASCAR Victory Lap on December 1, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images for NASCAR)

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Dec. 1, 2011) – Darian Grubb spoke for mere minutes at Thursday’s NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Awards Luncheon, but the words that tumbled from the champion crew chief’s mouth were a good two months in the making.

Prior to October’s race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Grubb learned that his tenure as Tony Stewart’s crew chief would end after the season. Then, six races and three victories later, Grubb won an improbable NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship atop the pit box for the No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet. A few days later, the move was confirmed. Grubb was out, Steve Addington was in as Stewart’s crew chief in 2012.
That draining sequence of events framed the highlight of Thursday’s traditional NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Awards Luncheon at the Bellagio – Grubb’s acceptance speech as champion crew chief.
With emotion in his voice, Grubb thanked Stewart for the opportunity – and his friendship. During the post-event media availability, Grubb explained his feelings from the roller-coaster ride.
“It’s just tough,” Grubb said. “It’s just awkward because we want to enjoy it, but we know things are changing. So we’re trying our best to enjoy the championship and everything we’ve earned and deserved and go from there.”
Stewart, who filled his expanding trophy case with four more awards on Thursday, continued a dream week. Enjoying the spoils as guest of honor during NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion’s Week, Stewart picked up the phone on Wednesday morning to speak with President Barack Obama – calling from Air Force One.
“It is a huge honor to get a call from the President of the United States,” Stewart said. “I was more nervous that I wasn’t going to be able to hear on the phone very well, being from Air Force One, but they got great service up there. He just congratulated us on a great season. … The First Lady was giving him updates from the track, so I was really proud that he was following our sport and cared enough to call yesterday.”
A number of postseason awards were given out during the luncheon, the last of which was the event’s namesake: the NMPA Myers Brothers Award. This year, the honor was given to former CEO of Pocono Raceway Dr. Joe Mattioli and his wife Rose.
Also announced today was the Wheaties Fuel Most Popular Driver Award, Stock Car Spin’s Heather will give us a run down of that award later.
At the event’s conclusion, the top-12 drivers hit The Strip for what has evolved into one of the most hotly anticipated events of Champion’s Week: the NASCAR Victory Lap. For the third consecutive year, thousands of fans lined The Strip to watch the top 12 roar down The Strip. Starting at Planet Hollywood and ending at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, celebratory burnouts smoked the closed streets of Las Vegas.
A large crowd also enjoyed a Q&A session with the top 12 at the popular NASCAR After The Lap, held at the Hard Rock. The tell-all format has gained mass appeal, as drivers show fans a more personal side.
Day 3 events ended with the presentation of the SiriusXM NASCAR Radio “Stewie Awards,” hosted by Tony Stewart, honoring the best moments of the 2011 season.
Here is the complete list of Thursday’s award winners from the NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Awards Luncheon:
  • Myers Brothers Award: Drs. Joe and Rose Mattioli
  • NASCAR Foundation Track of the Year Award: Michigan International Speedway
  • Buddy Shuman Award: Richard Childress
  • NASCAR Marketing Achievement Award: Toyota
  • Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award: Andy Lally
  • Growth Energy American Ethanol Green Flag Restart: Matt Kenseth
  • Coors Light Pole Award: Carl Edwards
  • Mobil 1 Driver of the Year Award: Tony Stewart
  • DIRECTV Crew Chief of the Year Award: Bob Osborne
  • MOOG Chassis Part Problem Solver of the Year Award: Alan Gustafson
  • O’Reilly Auto Parts Position Improvement Award: Tony Stewart
  • Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award: Roush Fenway Racing No.99
  • Mahle Engine Builder of the Year Award: Roush Yates Engines No. 99 (Doug Yates)
  • Goodyear Gatorback Belts & Hoses Fastest Lap Award: Kyle Busch
  • Sunoco Diamond Performance Award: Tony Stewart
  • Goodyear Tires Award: Tony Stewart
  • Champion Sponsor Award: Office Depot and Mobil 1
  • Champion Crew Chief: Darian Grubb
Following is a rundown of tomorrow’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion’s Week activities.
Friday, Dec. 3
2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Ceremony: The big show starts at 6 p.m. (9 p.m. ET), crowning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart and team Stewart-Haas Racing, and honoring the other drivers who finished in the top 10 in the final series standings. The star-studded entertainment lineup for the ceremony includes country music icon Reba as host, a performance by Grammy-award winning rocker Kid Rock, as well as performances by two recent additions: up-and-coming country artist Ella Mae Bowen and Broadway sensation Jersey Boys. SPEED, SIRIUS XM NASCAR Radio and MRN Radio will broadcast the event, live at 9 p.m. ET.
]]> http://stockcarspin.com/2011/12/01/day-3-grubb-stands-tall-stewart-gets-call/feed/ 0