Furniture Row Racing's Martin Truex Jr., who is having a career year in the 78 car and racking up top 5 and top 10 finishes like nobody's business, could miss the Chase.

Armageddon. Disaster.

No, it's not likely, but hear me out.

Ram Truck and the FCA Foundation today announced the donation of $100,000 to the First Response Team of America, a disaster relief organization which is providing recovery and relief support to residents in flood-stricken central-Texas communities.

“Ram Truck and the FCA Foundation are committed to helping our friends in these Texas communities get back on their feet and on the road to recovering from the devastating floods” said Bob Hegbloom, President and CEO – Ram Truck Brand, FCA US. “In Texas and across the nation Ram truck owners are the kinds of neighbors who are ready to lend a hand when you need it most.”

When you see the driver next to you looking at their phone, it’s no longer safe to assume they’re texting. New research from AT&T shows nearly 4-in-10 smartphone users tap into social media while driving. Almost 3-in-10 surf the net. And surprisingly, 1-in-10 video chat.

7-in-10 people engage in smartphone activities while driving. Texting and emailing are still the most prevalent. But other smartphone activity use behind the wheel is now common. Among social platforms, Facebook tops the list, with more than a quarter of those polled using the app while driving. About 1-in-7 said they’re on Twitter behind the wheel.

Fans attending the Quicken Loans 400 in June and the Pure Michigan 400 in August will have the opportunity to purchase a Driver Introduction Pass.

They will have the chance to stand on the frontstretch during the pageantry and excitement of driver introductions for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
“No sport allows the access to its athletes like a NASCAR racetrack does,” MIS President Roger Curtis said. “It’s a thrill to stand on the track while NASCAR’s top drivers are introduced. Just the pre-race experience in general is unique to auto racing.”
NASCAR provides fans the closest access in all of professional sports. On any race weekend fans have the opportunity to walk pit road before the race, attend special autograph sessions or watch as drivers prepare for the race.

AT&T has boosted its mobile Internet coverage in Franklin by installing a new antenna system that will give customers stronger connections throughout the community. 

The network upgrade, called an Outdoor Distributed Antenna System (oDAS), consists of strategically placed antennas that distribute AT&T’s wireless network coverage to more than 4,500 people in a four square mile boundary of Franklin: Lone Pine Road to the north, Telegraph Road on the east, 13 Mile Road to the south and Inkster Road on the west. It can provide better, more consistent wireless coverage to customers, so they don’t have to worry about their service getting stuck in a traffic jam of other people’s calls, texts and posts.

A University of Tennessee Center of Business and Economic Research (CBER) study indicates that the expansion of Volkswagen’s Chattanooga manufacturing facility to produce a new midsize-SUV and the opening of a North American Engineering and Planning Center could create approximately 9,800 jobs and add $370 million in additional annual income, once the plant is fully operational.

“The findings in the CBER study demonstrate that the incentive package recently passed by the Tennessee legislature will result in an economic growth multiplier of several times the state’s investment,” said David Geanacopoulos, Executive Vice President for Public Affairs and General Counsel, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. “We would like to thank Gov. Bill Haslam and Economic and Community Development Commissioner Randy Boyd for their leadership in fostering a business environment within Tennessee that is mutually-beneficial for the state and local economy as well as for companies like Volkswagen that have operations in the state.”

Three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams have been penalized following last week’s event at Charlotte Motor Speedway. 

The No. 1 team has been penalized for an infraction occurring during pre-qualifying inspection May 21. The right rear quarter panel wheel opening was modified after qualifying inspection.
The infraction is a P2 level penalty and violates the following Sections in the 2015 NASCAR rule book:

Michigan International Speedway has announced a partnership with Great Clips and Paralyzed Veterans of America to sponsor the June 13 NASCAR XFINITY Series race at the track, the Great Clips 250 Benefiting Paralyzed Veterans of America.

Carl Edwards raced his Bosch-equipped No. 19 Subway Toyota to victory in Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 NASCARSprint Cup Series  Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. In recognition of the victory, Bosch Aftermarket NA is making a $1,000 contribution to Joe Gibbs’ Speedway Children’s Charities.  Thus far in the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, Bosch-supported teams have won ten races, garnering  a total of $10,000 to help their charities  carry out their missions.

Speedway Children’s Charities (SCC) works to care for children in educational, financial, social and medical need in order to help them lead productive lives. Founded in 1982 by Bruton Smith, Chairman of Speedway Motorsports and Sonic Automotive, in memory of his late son, the goal of SCC is to ensure that every child in need be given the tools to build a better, brighter and healthy future.

Speedway Children’s Charities local chapters are partners in change, working with a broad range of people and organizations to identify and resolve pressing issues dealing with children in their communities. Due to the unique conditions of every community, the issues Speedway Children's Charities address are determined locally. Challenges ranging from learning disabilities, broken homes, and childhood cancer are on the agenda for the local chapters of SCC and the numerous non-profit organizations they support.

“I can’t think of a better endorsement to the reliability and quality of Bosch parts than a 600-mile race,” said Tony Pauly, director of advertising and brand management for Bosch Automotive Aftermarket North America. “Bosch congratulates Joe Gibbs Racing on this week’s win. We’re proud that the Joe Gibbs Racing teams trust Bosch quality parts and systems to power them to the checkered flag, and we’re happy to lend support to a worthy charity like Speedway Children’s Charities.”

-- Press release courtesy of Bosch