Blaney, son of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) and TBR driver Dave Blaney, made a combined three starts last season in the NKNPS East and West, winning in his third start and capturing his first NASCAR victory at Phoenix International Raceway. Blaney also won the 2011 PASS South Championship and found success in the ARCA Racing Series where he finished in the top-10 in his two starts.

“I’m really excited about the opportunity to run a mix of K&N and Nationwide races this season,” Blaney commented. “We were really competitive in the K&N Series last year, and I think we will be even more competitive this year. Hopefully, we will have an opportunity to win all six races. We will have good equipment racing with TBR. It will be great to race with and learn from the Nationwide guys. To be able to race on bigger tracks will be a good learning experience too. I’m grateful that SealWrap is supporting my progression in NASCAR and really excited to work with them throughout the season.”

This season will mark TBR’s fourth season of competition. TBR began as a part-time one-car NSCS team in 2009 and developed into a top-35 team by 2011. In 2012, TBR plans to compete with two NSCS teams. The part time NNS team will expand on TBR’s driver development program in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. The team would like to increase the number of races in both the NSCS and NNS schedules, barring more sponsorship opportunities.

“We are really looking forward to restarting our Nationwide program as we have had much success in the past in that series,” explained Tommy Baldwin. “Watching Ryan the last few years, we are excited to get to the track and see him perform. As we look to the future, this Nationwide program is a stepping-stone for the Cup program, and we are excited to start with Ryan.”

Blaney will join his dad, Dave Blaney, with TBR this season. The elder Blaney drove the No. 36 Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet last season where he locked the team in to the top-35 in NSCS points and captured a third-place finish at Talladega Superspeedway.

“I’m proud that Ryan is making the next step in his racing career,” Dave Blaney said. “I think it is a great opportunity for him to run with TBR and still run some races in the K&N Series. He has learned very quickly in every series he has driven, so I am anticipating what competing in the Nationwide series brings. Thanks to SealWrap and Heavy Duty who have stepped up their programs as Ryan has moved through the ranks. It’s really refreshing to build a relationship with companies at this level and be able to grow together.”

SealWrap Repair Tape, a self-fusing rubber tape, partnered with Blaney in 2010 in the NKNPS. SealWrap Repair Tape uses a stretch-and-wrap technology that makes repairing irregular forms and shapes easy. There are no bonding agents, adhesives or glues to make it work. SealWrap fuses to itself and creates an air and watertight seal.

“Everyone at SealWrap is extremely excited to be involved with such a professional organization as Tommy Baldwin Racing,” said Don Lux, SealWrap National Sales Manager. “We have been and will continue to support Ryan Blaney in his racing career, and this sponsorship opportunity is a perfect way for us to continue doing that. Nationwide and K&N fans are our customers. They are hard working, do-it-yourselfers who use our SealWrap product around the house and on their cars and trucks. We here are SealWrap are passionate about our product and passionate about racing!”

Kyle will drive the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway and the subsequent four races through California before splitting the balance of the season with Kurt. The team’s goal will be to capture an Owner’s Championship in its inaugural race season, similar to the Owner’s Championship accomplished by KBM in its first full season in the Camping World Truck Series in 2010.

The development of this duo as teammates fits perfectly for primary team sponsor Monster Energy, who foregoes traditional forms of advertising and instead seeks brand exposure through the use of Extreme Athletes. With Monster Energy looking for increased presence across the NASCAR fan base, the company identified the Busch brothers as the drivers that best fit its family of Monster Energy Team Athletes.

“Monster Energy has always stood for competing and winning no matter what the sport,” said Monster Energy Company President, Mark Hall. “To make this happen, we’ve always sought out the most determined, fearless and committed athletes for the Monster team. With the Busch brothers sharing the wheel of the Kyle Busch Motorsports Monster Energy Camry, we have every reason to believe we have drivers capable of running up front every weekend.”

KBM team owner and driver Kyle Busch explained, “Since debuting in NASCAR, Kyle Busch Motorsports has had the goal to add a championship-caliber Nationwide Series team to our organization. With today’s announcement of Monster Energy as primary sponsor and my brother Kurt as the second driver, we’ve accomplished that goal. The Monster Energy team of athletes consists of champion performers united by a desire to be the best. Kurt and I share that same desire and will settle for nothing less than adding a NASCAR Championship to the long list of achievements for one of the strongest brands in the world.”

In 222 starts over nine seasons, Kyle has proven himself to be the winningest competitor in the history of the NASCAR Nationwide Series. In addition to his 51 career wins, Kyle has secured 120 top-five finishes, 149 top-10 finishes and 23 poles. In 2010, Kyle made Series history with a record 13-win race season. Past NASCAR Nationwide Series Championships for Kyle include a Driver’s Championship in 2009 and Owner’s Championships in both 2008 and 2010 — all with Kyle’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team owner Joe Gibbs Racing.

Kurt has 12 career starts, three poles and three wins in the NASCAR Nationwide Series with his last Series victory coming at Watkins Glen in 2011. Kurt will spend additional seat time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, beginning with the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway through a part-time commitment to Phoenix Racing and the No. 1 NASCAR Nationwide Series entry.

“Kyle has done an impressive job in building this race team and I’m proud to be a part of it,” Kurt said. “He won a Truck Series Owner’s Championship in his first year and his team has kept on winning ever since. Now, it’s moving into the Nationwide Series, where the bar will remain high. His expectations are the same as mine, and we know each other better than anyone. We’re driven to win, and with Monster Energy driving us, we’ll be a tough team to beat.”

To complement the driver lineup, and ensure a strong competitive advantage, KBM brings industry veteran and winning crew chief Mike Beam into the fold as the No. 54 Monster Energy Camry team leader. Beam is a long-time fixture in NASCAR who has accomplished career victories across all three major touring series. At an early age, Mike became a successful contributor towards a variety of competitive racing organizations including Petty Enterprises and Roush Fenway Racing.

Most recently Beam obtained the 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series Owner’s Championship. Through 48 career starts in the NASCAR Nationwide Series as a crew chief, Beam has accomplished 10 wins, 32 top-five finishes, 37 top-10 finishes and eight poles. Mike is also a past Late Model Sportsman (now the NASCAR Nationwide Series) National Championship winner with driver Butch Lindley so working towards an Owner’s Championship with Kyle Busch Motorsports is very familiar territory.

“I am excited to join the KBM team and to have Monster Energy as our sponsor,” stated Beam. “Kyle and Kurt are two of the best drivers in NASCAR. To contend for the 2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series Owner’s Championship with Monster Energy and to have all of the elements in place that make a great team, you can not help being excited to be a part of this.”

“I’m very excited about the opportunity to join Turner Motorsports,” said Shiplett. “This is a team that has proven that they have all of the necessary tools to go out and contend for wins each and every week and I look forward to helping to add to their success. I’m especially excited to work with Kasey again and to establishing a strong relationship with Brad. Great Clips is the longest-running sponsor in the series, so I am very proud to represent them both on and off the track.”

Shiplett, a former racer himself, has over 20 years of racing experience and has worked at several championship-caliber teams in all three of NASCAR’s top touring series. The Ohio-native will have a unique opportunity next season to work with a successful veteran (Kahne) and an up and coming rookie driver (Sweet). Kahne will be driving the No. 38 for 15 races throughout the year with Sweet stepping in to fill out the balance of the 33 races on the NNS schedule.

For his part, Kahne looks forward to teaming back up with Shiplett and feels that he could be just the person to help lead the No. 38 Great Clips team back to victory lane.

“It will be great to work with Mike again,” said Kahne. “He’s done a lot in the sport and he will be a great asset to Turner Motorsports. This 38 team has been on the verge of getting back into victory lane and I think the addition of Mike to the team is just what we need to get us there.”

Great Clips, Inc. is currently the longest-running sponsor in the NNS and has used the Nationwide Series as their primary marketing platform for the last 11 years. Their sponsorship began in 2000 with Akins Motorsports as they climbed on board to sponsor the team’s No. 38 entry with driver, Christian Elder. Mark Green piloted the No. 38 for one season before general manager, Doug Stringer, hired up-and-coming talent, Kasey Kahne, thereby solidifying Great Clips commitment to their NASCAR sponsorship.

While the organization’s day-to-day competition activities will temporarily cease, key elements of RWR’s business staff will remain in place to continue development of future opportunities.

The team is currently assisting No. 66 driver, Steve Wallace, in exploring several exciting opportunities for 2012, with backing from his current RWR sponsors. RWR will continue to maintain and manage those sponsor relationships on Wallace’s behalf.

No. 62 driver, Michael Annett has been released from the team and will pursue other 2012 opportunities with his longtime family sponsor, Pilot Flying J.

Noted team owner Rusty Wallace, “This was a tough decision to make, but it was the prudent one from a number of perspectives. While we had several great partners—such as Pilot Flying J—on board for 2012, we just didn’t feel like we had enough sponsorship in place to accomplish all of our goals.

“A lot of teams would have run with the level of funding we have now, but we want to ensure that our team has the resources necessary to compete and to improve our operations. I promised myself and my family long ago that if the team wasn’t funded to a level with which we were comfortable, we just wouldn’t run it. I’ve worked way too hard to put part of my life savings into a race team.

“So, we collectively decided to take a break, regroup and focus on the future. We’ll keep working hard on sponsorship programs for Steve (Wallace) and for future seasons. This also allows us to focus on the other aspects of our companies and our brand as well, whether it’s our car dealerships, new track design projects, licensing, personal services or even something new.

“Nearly all of our current partners are staying on board with us to support Steve in 2012 and we’re really grateful for their support. We’re working hard on an exciting 2012 program for Steve and hope to have an announcement on his plans very soon. We’re all very excited about working with our great group of sponsors both this year and well into the future.

“Most of all, I really want to thank all of our employees for their hard work and dedication. One of the hardest parts of this decision was knowing the impact that it would have on our employees and their families. It’s just the unfortunate reality that our sport is facing right now. We wish all of our employees the very best in the future.”

Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats will be the primary sponsor throughout the year on the No. 3 truck during Ty Dillon’s first full season in the series. The No. 1 outdoor retailer leader will also be the primary sponsor for five races of Austin Dillon’s rookie season in the Nationwide Series and an associate sponsor throughout the season.

“We are pleased to once again partner with our good friend and hunting buddy Richard Childress for the 2012 racing season,” stated Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris. “Austin and Ty are both remarkably talented racers with a promising future ahead of them. They are also tremendous ambassadors for the outdoors and hunting and fishing. I look forward to seeing them both race and hopefully spending a little time with them and grandpa out hunting or fishing.”

The RCR/Bass Pro Shops partnership began in 1998 as an associate sponsor of RCR’s No. 3 GM Goodwrench Chevrolet Monte Carlo with legendary driver Dale Earnhardt. The relationship continued with Kevin Harvick and the No 29 Chevrolet and, in 2004, Kerry Earnhardt, Dale’s eldest son, drove RCR’s No. 33 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet Monte Carlo in six Sprint Cup Series races. Austin Dillon picked up the mantle in 2010, earning two victories and the Truck Series Rookie of the Year honors before capturing the championship in just his second season in the series. Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats also was a sponsor for Ty Dillon’s championship season in the 2011 ARCA Series presented by Menards.

“The continuation of the Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats partnership with my grandsons is rewarding, both professionally and personally,” said Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. “We are proud to fly the Bass Pro Shops and Tracker Boats banner in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and look forward to being successful with both race teams.”

Bass Pro Shops was founded in 1972 and is headquartered in Springfield, Mo. The outdoor retail leader has 58 stores throughout the United States and Canada, serving over 112 million sportsmen a year.

“I’m a hunter and a fisherman so it’s really cool to have the support of Bass Pro Shops and Tracker Boats,” said Austin Dillon. “It means a lot to me that Johnny Morris and everyone at Bass Pro are going to follow me to the NASCAR Nationwide Series. We were able to win some races for them and a championship in the Truck Series so I hope we can find them continued success in the Nationwide Series this year.”

“It’s an honor to be a part of the Bass Pro Shops family,” said Ty Dillon. “I’m really excited that they will be embarking on my first full season in the Truck Series with me. Johnny Morris and Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats have been a huge part of my career and my goal is to bring them as much success as my brother, Austin, did these past two seasons.”

Gaughan, 36, is the 2002 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Rookie of the Year and competed full-time in the Nationwide Series in 2009 and 2010, earning one pole and 17 top-10 finishes in 71 career starts. He finished ninth in the 2009 driver championship point standings and 11th in 2010. The two-time NASCAR Camping World Series West champion (2000-2001) has also earned eight victories and 63 top-10 finishes in 187 Truck Series starts, finishing 12th in the 2011 driver championship point standings. Gaughan was also part of the five-driver lineup that won the GT3 division of the 2011 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona sports car race at Daytona International Speedway.

“The last few years, I have been racing for teams that try to buy their engineering or equipment from organizations as great as RCR, but doing that is never the same as racing for RCR,” said Gaughan. “I have always steered away from switching to a part-time schedule in the past but I had to look at where I would have the best opportunity to win races again and the opportunity to race for Richard Childress is one I couldn’t pass up. By sharing the Nationwide Series seat with RCR’s Cup Series drivers, I know I’m going to be in the best equipment in the garage and have the best opportunity to win races to get myself back to where I want to be and that is to compete fulltime again.”

Gaughan’s Nationwide and Truck Series races will be sponsored by South Point Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, with the exception of two Nationwide Series events which will be sponsored by Menards.

The Las Vegas native’s 18-race schedule will kick-off with the Truck Series event at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and includes visits in both series to his home track of Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Gaughan’s Nationwide Series events include races at Iowa Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Dover (Del.) International Speedway and Phoenix (Ariz.) International Raceway among others. His Truck Series line-up includes events at Texas Motor Speedway, where he is a four-time winner, Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway and others, as well as the 2012 season finale at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway.

“Brendan is a proven race winner and champion so we’re excited to have him driving for RCR,” said Richard Childress, president and chief executive officer of Richard Childress Racing. “He will be a great addition to RCR’s overall driver lineup as we re-launch our NASCAR Nationwide Series program and continue the strength of our Camping World Truck Series program in 2012.”

The complete crew chief and remaining driver lineup for the No. 33 Nationwide Series team and the No. 2 Truck Series team will be announced at a later date.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., 24 and Austin Dillon, 21, officially were proclaimed champions of the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, respectively, on the Americana Ballroom stage at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel.

Both were honored with their first NASCAR national series titles. Each became champion in the season following a rookie-of-the-year performance. Dillon becomes the youngest champion in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series’ 17-year history. Both champions won twice during the 2011 season.

Roush Fenway Racing’s No. 60 Ford Mustang won the NASCAR Nationwide Series Owner Championship, as driver Carl Edwards won eight times. The title is the second in the series for Jack Roush, his previous owner championship coming in 2002. It also marked the first time that the same owner claimed both the NASCAR Nationwide Series driver and owner titles with different teams.

Kevin Harvick Inc. claimed its third NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Owner Championship. DeLana Harvick’s No. 2 Chevrolet Silverado posted seven victories with three different drivers in adding to KHI’s owner titles from 2007 and 2009.

Timmy Hill, an 18-year-old Maryland competitor, won NASCAR Nationwide Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors by a single point, tying the series’ closest decision for that award. Dillon’s Richard Childress Racing teammate Joey Coulter, 21, won the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award, the second time the same organization claimed both championship and rookie laurels.

Elliott Sadler, Justin Allgaier, Aric Almirola and Reed Sorenson finished second through fifth in the championship standings and were honored along with Stenhouse in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

Johnny Sauter, James Buescher, Ron Hornaday Jr. and Timothy Peters were second through fifth in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series final points and joined Dillon on stage.

After a fan vote on NASCAR.com, in which more than 215,000 combined votes were cast, each series’ Most Popular Driver was revealed. Sadler and Dillon were chosen by the fans in the NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, respectively. Each was honored for the first time.

SPEED’s Rick Allen and Krista Voda hosted the event, which will air on Dec. 2 from 7-9 p.m. ET on SPEED, prior to the live telecast of the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Ceremony from Las Vegas.

HOMESTEAD, Fla.—Polesitter Brad Keselowski may have won Saturday’s Ford 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, but Roush Fenway Racing had a better night, winning two Nationwide Series championships in one race.

Keselowski held off a furious charge from series champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr. on the final lap to secure his fifth victory of the season and the 17th of his career.

Third-place finisher Carl Edwards clinched the owners’ championship for Roush Fenway, leading the most laps and finishing two positions ahead of Denny Hamlin’s No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, which entered the race with a one-point lead.

“What an effort, champion,” spotter Mike Calinoff radioed to Stenhouse after Keselowski blocked a last-ditch attempt at a pass.

Keselowski, the 2010 Nationwide champion and current Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup qualifier, wasn’t allowed to defend his title under a NASCAR rule—new this year—that prevents a driver from competing for a championship in more than one series.

“You couldn’t ask for a better way to end the season,” Keselowski said. “Not being able to win the championship, it’s good to be able to finish on a high note, winning the pole and the race at Homestead. It’s a great exclamation point to the season for the whole team.”

Long before Keselowski crossed the finish line, however, Stenhouse, 24, clinched the Nationwide Series championship. When the number of cars retired from the race reached six on Lap 28 of 200, Stenhouse was guaranteed the 37th-place finish he needed to lock up the title.

As it turned out, he ran much better than that.

“That was all I had,” Stenhouse said of the final lap. “I was really hoping for one more lap there, but Brad did a good job. I got a little loose there coming off (Turn) 4, or I thought we could have got him. But the (No. 6) Mustang did its job at Ford championship weekend.

“This is a dream come true.”

The title in hand, Stenhouse stepped up his effort as the race unfolded. After the sixth caution, for Steve Wallace’s spin in Turn 1, Stenhouse passed fourth-place finisher Clint Bowyer for the lead on Lap 155 and began to pull away. But teammate Trevor Bayne scraped the wall and cut his right rear tire to put the field under yellow again on Lap 174.

Pit stops under caution shuffled the field, and a problem with lug nuts on the right rear tire dropped Edwards back to sixth. Moments after a restart on Lap 180, however, Edwards rocketed into second place and went on to secure the owners’ championship for the No. 60 Ford.

Keselowski grabbed the lead on that same restart and stayed out front until Reed Sorenson’s spin in Turn 2 slowed the field for the eighth time.

Edwards passed Keselowski for the top spot on a Lap 187 restart, but the race didn’t stay green for long. Separate incidents on Lap 188 involving Danica Patrick and Kenny Wallace brought out the ninth caution, and Edwards led the field back to green on Lap 194, before Keselowski made the winning pass shortly after the restart.

“Ricky Stenhouse a year ago, was just a possibility,” said Roush Fenway co-owner Jack Roush. “He was not a reality for sure. Ricky has matured over the winter. His Dad, Ricky Sr., has certainly counseled him and Ricky Jr., has taken his advice.”

Roush goes on to point out that the rejuvenation of Roush Fenway’s Ford Mustangs has played a role in Stenhouse’s continued development but the veteran owner adds that he feels Stenhouse is going to grow into one of the sports’ elite drivers.

The title would be Roush Fenway’s third Nationwide Series driver title and its sixth overall NASCAR Championship.

“We’ve managed to put him in better cars this year than he had last year, which could account for some of the missed wrecks that we’ve benefited from,” added Roush. “But he’s just matured. He’s arrived on the scene and he’s going to be as good in this business as anybody has been.”

Stenhouse rebounded in 2010, scoring top-10 finishes in five of the last 10 races and finishing the year by earning Rookie of the Year honors in the Nationwide Series; the 12th Rookie of the Year Award for Roush Fenway Racing.

Entering the 2011 season the team was poised to compete for the championship.

“Our goal coming into the season was to compete for the Nationwide Championship,” said Stenhouse. “We’ve led the points for the majority of the season, we’ve led quite a few laps and we’ve contended for and been able to win races. That has been the key this season for this No. 6 team.”

Stenhouse earned his first career NASCAR win earlier this year at Iowa in May and followed it up with another win at Iowa in August.

In a year to remember for the Mississippi native, Stenhouse also made his Sprint Cup debut in 2011, an 11th-place finish driving the famed No. 21 Wood Brothers’ Ford in the Coca-Cola 600 in May.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. said he’d be more aggressive in this weekend’s Ford 300 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, having taken a fairly comfortable 41-point lead in the NASCAR Nationwide Series points standings.

But if you read that as a young driver being unnecessarily risky, you haven’t been paying attention. Maybe there was a time when the aggressive Stenhouse would take too many chances, but that was before he nearly lost his ride last year.

“Ricky Stenhouse, a year ago, was just a possibility,” Roush Fenway Racing co-owner Jack Roush said. “He was not a reality for sure. Ricky has matured over the winter. His Dad, Ricky Sr., has certainly counseled him, and Ricky Jr., has taken his advice.”

And now, the 24-year-old Stenhouse Jr. is on the verge of a Nationwide Series championship, as he needs only to finish 37th or better at Homestead to eliminate Elliott Sadler.

Stenhouse has talked openly about nearly losing his job a year ago after a difficult beginning of the 2010 season. But Roush stuck with him, though Stenhouse said the turnaround actually began at Daytona last July—the first race with the new Nationwide Series car.

“I don’t think a light switch went off between last year and this year,” Stenhouse said. “I think it started about Daytona, July, of last year. Everything started clicking. I think our racecars got better, our engines got better. I feel like our team was strong. I feel like I probably let them down a lot of times. I think I learned more patience and to stay focused through the races better and better at every race.

“That carried over to this year. Up and down in this sport is how it has always been, and it doesn’t matter if it is growing up racing Sprint Cars at the dirt track or up here in this league. The up and down is part of it, but I think that it really makes me appreciate this year a lot more. I think if we were to be in this situation last year, I wouldn’t have appreciated it as much as I do now.”

Stenhouse has won twice this year, both times at Iowa Speedway, and has 15 top-five and 25 top-10 finishes. None of those totals leads the series, as Sprint Cup drivers Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch have eight wins apiece, while Edwards—Stenhouse’s Roush Fenway teammate—has 22 top-five and 26 top-10 finishes.

But Edwards and Busch and other Cup drivers aren’t eligible for the Nationwide title this year after NASCAR demanded that drivers pick one series in which to earn points.

That doesn’t diminish the championship in the least, Stenhouse said.

“I don’t think so,” Stenhouse said. “We are sitting third in owners points and we are up there with the other guys. We are running with those other guys every week. At Iowa we beat Brad (Keselowski) and Carl so I don’t think it takes anything away from it. We are working really hard to win this deal. It is not easy. I don’t think it takes away from it at all.”