Late Race Spin Pushes Max Papis Back to a 23rd-Place Finish at Nashville

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (April 22, 2011) – In 2008, Max Papis made his first career start in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, but since that day three short years ago, the Como, Italy native hasn’t competed in more than nine Truck Series events in one season. So even though Papis isn’t running for the Rookie of the Year title, the GEICO Racing driver entered Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway with a yellow stripe on the rear of his No. 9 Toyota Tundra for the fifth race of the 2011 season on Friday night.

After a brief rain shower delayed the start of the two practice sessions Friday morning, Papis took to the concrete track and quickly adjusted to the new racing surface. At the conclusion of both practices, the No. 9 GEICO Toyota was scored in the fifth position. Papis then laid down two solid laps in qualifying to place his Germain Racing entry in 11th-place to start the 150-lap race under the lights.

Once the green flag waved in Music City, Papis was ready to vie for the coveted Gibson guitar trophy. The first 40 laps of action saw Papis in the 13th position, gaining additional seat time at the unique one-of-a-kind circuit, as the driver reported to his GEICO crew that his Tundra was fighting a tight handling condition. Green flag pit stops began on lap 50 and Papis made his way to the attention of his crew for four tires, fuel, and adjustments. However through the sequence, the No. 9 GEICO Toyota fell one lap down to the leaders. On lap 59, the opening caution slowed the field for debris after the field had completed green flag pit stops. Papis placed himself in position to receive the Lucky Dog Award, which put him back on the lead lap.

The field restarted on lap 64, with Papis in the 17th position. Papis continued to battle with his competitors but remained in the same running order as the second caution was displayed 12 laps later on lap 76 for oil on the racetrack. A few leaders in front of the GEICO Toyota came to pit road for service, while Papis stayed out, allowing him to take the green flag restart on lap 80 from 14th-place.

On lap 83, Papis was on the topside of a three-wide battle and contact was made between Papis and David Starr. The GEICO Toyota received damage in the left rear and lost a handful of positions, pushing Papis back to 18th-place. The third caution was brought out on lap 103 for debris, giving Papis the opportunity to return to pit road for four tires, fuel, and additional adjustments.

Restarting on lap 107, Papis took off from the 15th position, as the GEICO crew gained three spots on pit road. Two short circuits later, the fourth caution came out on lap 109 for a spin by Austin Dillon in turn two. After track cleanup concluded, Papis took the green flag restart on lap 113 from 16th-place.

For the next 20 laps, Papis still felt uneasy handling effects from the contact that took place earlier in the event. Another caution closed in the field on lap 138 for an accident in turn four, as Papis was in the 18th position. With less than 10 laps remaining, Papis looked to make a late race push on the lap 142 restart. Unfortunately three laps later, Papis received contact from Brad Sweet, spinning the No. 9 GEICO Toyota in turn two. No damage was sustained as Papis did a great job of keeping his truck off the wall.

Papis took the green flag on lap 148 from the 24th position and over the final three laps, the Italian gained one spot to cross the finish line in the 23rd-place.

As the GEICO Racing team never gave up, Papis unofficially remains in the ninth position in the NCWTS driver championship point standings, only two points behind eighth-place Clay Rogers. The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will have a break in action before heading to Dover (Del.) International Speedway on Friday, May 13th.

 -PMI-

Contact: Samantha Jones, Player Management International

Email: sjones@pmifirm.com   Web Site:  www.pmifirm.com 

Max Papis Claims First Top-10 Finish of 2011 Season at Martinsville

MARTINSVILLE, Va. (April 3, 2011) – Every driver has certain tracks that he circles on the schedule, knowing that with his past experience, the race can be a highlight reel of good runs. For Max Papis, one of those tracks circled in red is Martinsville Speedway. The Como, Italy native has raced at the Virginia short track four times prior to Saturday’s Kroger 250 – three times in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and once in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series – recording his second career Truck Series top-10 finish the last time Papis visited Martinsville.

After two successful practice sessions on Friday afternoon, Papis took to the track for his qualifying run under sunny skies on Saturday morning. Papis clocked a lap of 20.212 seconds, placing the No. 9 GEICO Toyota Tundra in the 11th starting position. As the winds picked up, the green flag waved on the 250-lap race and the bumpin’ and bangin’ started early. Papis quickly reported to Crew Chief Randy Goss that his Toyota was tight in the center of the corners. When the first caution was displayed on lap 19, Papis came to the attention of his pit crew for a track bar adjustment and for the rear bumper bar to be cut off as it was flapping from contact in the beginning laps.

Because of the varying pit strategies that each team used throughout the race, Papis was forced to restart on lap 23 from the 31st position. Patience became the name of the game for the GEICO Racing driver as Papis carefully made his way back towards the front. In just six laps, the No. 9 Germain Racing entry was inside the top-25 and by lap 40, Papis had driven his way into 20th-place. The third caution slowed the pace on lap 57 as Papis radioed to Goss that his truck was free on entry and continued to be tight in the center of the corner. The Italian driver came down pit road once again for four fresh tires, Sunoco fuel, and one round down on the track bar.

Due to the changing strategies that continued up and down pit road, Papis restarted on lap 62 from the 22nd position and began his trek to the front once again. In a handful of laps, Papis had returned to the top-15 and wasn’t looking back. A wreck occurred directly in front of Papis on lap 73 and he did a phenomenal job of dodging the spinning trucks, while moving into 13th-place. With help from Spotter Jason Jarrett, Goss made the decision to stay out on the track as no damage occurred. As the majority of the leaders made their pit stop, Papis restarted on lap 78 from the fourth position.

Ten laps passed and Papis battled with defending Truck Series Champion Ron Hornaday, while continuing to run in the top-four. As the next yellow flag waved on lap 89, Papis was then stuck on the outside lane for the restart at a track where the inside lane is the preferred groove. The GEICO Toyota lost a few positions on the restart but Mad Max was on a mission and regained the spots and found himself in the sixth position by lap 137. Goss brought Papis to the attention of his pit crew for the final time of the event for four tires, fuel, and an air pressure adjustment.

Restarting on lap 144, Papis was ready to attack and move back inside the top-10, where he had run the greater part of the race. In a short 30 laps, the GEICO Toyota Tundra had moved into the top-five and was in position to pounce on an opportunity. That chance presented itself on lap 176 as another caution flew and the trucks in front of Papis came to pit road, placing the No. 9 in second-place. Papis challenged Austin Dillon for the lead over a 10-lap period before another caution flag waved, forcing the driver to restart on the outside lane once again. The final three cautions in the last 50 laps dealt Papis with restarting on the outside each time as the intensity picked up. On lap 250, Papis crossed the finish line and took the checkered flag in the 10th position. This was Papis’ second top-10 finish at Martinsville Speedway and third overall in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

“I feel today was one of my best NASCAR races since I started,” said Papis after the race. “My GEICO Racing team and I fought hard on the track and in the pits all race long and I am very proud of the effort. I got caught on the outside lane a lot of times. It killed our momentum and hurt us with the marbles up on the top of the track, but we never gave up and kept fighting. We, as a team, are getting better and it feels great to get a top-10 finish.”

After this strong performance by Papis and the entire GEICO Racing team, Papis remains in the ninth position in the point standings, only one point behind eighth-place Todd Bodine. The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will take a two-week break before returning to action at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway on Friday, April 22nd.

-PMI-

Contact: Samantha Jones, Player Management International

Email: sjones@pmifirm.com     Web Site:  www.pmifirm.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 The GEICO Racing Team Battles Back from Three Laps Down at The Lady In Black

 DARLINGTON, S.C. (March 13, 2011) – Known as the track that’s ‘Too Tough To Tame’, Darlington Raceway proves to be a challenge for most teams that take on the historic asphalt track. Max Papis and the No. 9 GEICO Toyota Tundra team relished the opportunity to face ‘The Lady In Black’ as the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series rolled into town for the third stop of the 2011 season.

 Another one day show for the Truck Series saw Papis and his Germain Racing team practice, qualify, and race all in a jam-packed schedule. After two and half hours of practice under the morning sun, Papis was confident in the set-up package in his GEICO Toyota. Without 2010 championship points to guarantee a spot in the 36-truck field, the Como, Italy native once again had to solidify his place in the Too Tough To Tame 200 with his qualifying attempt. With the temperature rising, Papis clocked a solid lap time of 28.798 seconds, placing the Gecko in the 18th starting position.

 The green flag waved on the 147-lap race and immediately ‘The Lady’ struck, as a multi-truck accident collected Papis in turns one and two on the first lap. The No. 9 GEICO Toyota was hit on both the left and right sides of the truck, causing a lack of sideforce for the remainder of the event. Crew chief Randy Goss called his driver to pit road numerous times to repair the damage, change four tires, add Sunoco fuel, and make adjustments. The field restarted on lap five, with Papis scored in the 34th position. Three quick cautions were displayed over the next 35 circuits, as Mad Max had driven his way up to 26th-place.

 On the lap 41 restart, the field checked up in front of the GEICO Tundra forcing Papis to pass trucks in front of him prior to crossing the start-finish line. Despite his attempt to avoid a wreck, a ‘pass-through’ penalty was assessed to the driver for this action. Having to drive down pit road under green flag conditions on lap 45, Papis lost three laps to the leaders and became mired back in the 33rd position. A caution for debris slowed the field on lap 59, allowing Papis to stay out and take the wave around to get one of the laps back.

 Restarting on lap 63, Papis, two laps down, continued to remain optimistic while running in 32nd-place and unable to gain positions on the track. Clocking consistent lap times, another yellow flag was brought out on lap 74. Goss brought Papis back down pit road for four fresh tires, an air pressure adjustment to help the tight handling condition, and fuel. The Italian took the green flag on lap 79 from the 30th position. A short 10 laps later, the seventh caution slowed the pace, allowing Papis to take the wave around once again to receive another lap back. Running in the 28th position, Mad Max was the only truck one lap down to the leaders and in position for the Lucky Dog Award on the next caution.

 That timely caution came just two laps later for a major wreck on the frontstretch, which caused a red flag period for clean up to take place. Once the red flag was lifted, Goss radioed for Papis to come back to the attention of his GEICO crew for four tires, fuel, and additional air pressure adjustments. The resilient nature of the Gecko was shown as the team retained their position back on the lead lap. Mad Max was on a mission to make up lost ground with 40 laps remaining in the race. By lap 107, Papis had battled his way into the 21st position.

 Another debris caution was brought out on lap 119 and Papis returned to pit road for the final time of the evening for two right side tires and a wedge bolt adjustment as the GEICO Toyota was still fighting a tight condition. On lap 123, Papis restarted from 20th-place and drove his way into the top-15 in a 10-lap period. The final yellow flag came on lap 141, setting the stage for a three-lap shootout to the checkered flag. Unfortunately on the restart, the field stacked up again and drivers passed Papis in order to avoid an accident. This caused Mad Max three spots and left the GEICO team with an 18th-place finish.

 “It was a tough night for the GEICO Racing team, but we came back to get a top-20 finish in the end,” said Papis, after the race. “Darlington is a very demanding track for the driver and we got caught up in that wreck on lap one. The guys kept working on it and we got back on the lead lap, which we wanted to do from the beginning when we got behind. We also had that penalty in the middle of the race for passing before the start-finish line. That was very frustrating because I was just dodging trucks to not cause a big pile-up. We will take another good finish though and head to Martinsville in a couple weeks. I think we will have a very strong Toyota Tundra when we hit the track.”

 The tremendous effort shown by the entire No. 9 team has allowed Papis to remain inside the top-10 in the Truck Series Driver Championship Point Standings. Papis sits in the ninth position, only five points behind eighth-place Austin Dillon. The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will take a three-week break before returning to action at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway on Saturday, April 2nd.

-PMI-

Contact: Samantha Jones

Email: sjones@pmifirm.com

AVONDALE, Ariz. (February 25, 2011) – One week after crossing the finish line in 12th-place at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, Max Papis and the No. 9 GEICO Racing team trekked cross country to compete at Phoenix (Ariz.) International Raceway, the second stop of the 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season. Numerous late race cautions plagued the field, but Papis used patience to bring home a solid 15th-place finish in the Arizona desert.

A normal schedule occurrence saw the Truck Series complete a one-day show on Friday, as practice, qualifying and the race all took place during the same day at the one-mile track. After dialing in the GEICO Toyota in the morning practice session, Papis laid down a respectable lap in qualifying to start the 150-mile race from the 18th position.

The beginning of the Lucas Oil 150 saw the 36-truck field complete laps under green-flag conditions. As Papis faced a loose handling Tundra, the Italian slipped back a few spots in the first 30 laps and was placed one lap down to the leaders. The yellow flag was displayed on lap 43, with the Gecko holding 22nd-place. Crew chief Randy Goss called his driver to pit road for four fresh tires, fuel, and adjustments to help tighten up the Toyota. Restarting on lap 49 from 23rd-place, Papis began fighting for the Lucky Dog award.

The second caution of the night was brought out on lap 59, with Papis in 22nd-place, two spots shy of receiving the Lucky Dog award to return to the lead lap. Papis reported to his GEICO crew that the adjustments made on the first pit stop helped but he was still loose. Remaining on the track, Papis restarted on lap 63 from the same position. Another 40 lap green-flag period ensued as Papis continued to run strong in the 22nd position.

On lap 101, the third caution slowed the pace, sparking a string of six cautions in 40 laps. Goss radioed for Papis to come back to pit road for the final stop of the evening, taking four fresh tires and fuel. Continuing to dodge accidents in front of his GEICO Toyota, Papis swerved and swayed to break into the top-20 by lap 119. Showing extreme patience and driving skills, the driver’s break finally came on lap 133 as he received the Lucky Dog award and regained his position on the lead lap.

The green flag waved for the final time on lap 140, setting up a 10-lap shootout in the Valley of the Sun. With six laps remaining, Papis battled his way into 15th-place. Never looking back, Papis crossed the finish line and recorded his second consecutive top-15 finish. Papis continues to hold the eighth position in the Camping World Truck Series Driver Championship Point Standings, only 10 points behind leader Matt Crafton.

“We battled hard tonight to get that Top 15 finish for GEICO and Germain Racing.  We took what the day gave us and we will move forward to the next race in Darlington,” Papis said.  “I was able to stay out of trouble and we are getting better one lap at a time.  We’re 8th in the point standings and just ten points out of first place, so we are in a good place and we are going to keep fighting and getting better each race.”

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will return to Darlington Raceway on Saturday, March 12.  The Too Tough To Tame 200 will be broadcast on SPEED Channel, Sirius-XM NASCAR Radio and MRN Radio beginning at 5:00 p.m. EST. Visit www.twitter.com/GEICORacing for news and updates throughout the weekend.

-PMI-

Contact: Samantha Jones, Player Management International, Inc.

Email: sammjones1@gmail.com

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 19, 2011) – The 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season kicked off Friday night, under the lights of Daytona International Speedway. Max Papis and the No. 9 GEICO Toyota team prepared for battle as 36 competitors eyed the prestigious trophy at the track that is known for hard racing and big wrecks.

On Thursday evening under cool temperatures, Papis completed his two-lap qualifying attempt and placed his GEICO Tundra in the 36th starting position for the 100-lap race. The buzz around the 2.5-mile superspeedway on Friday night, prior to the green flag waving, was electric as the Truck Series began one of the most competitive seasons in its history of existence. Mad Max pulled the belts tight in his Germain Racing truck and was ready to draft to the front of the field.

The first lap of the race saw Papis gain 13 positions, to 23rd-place on the grid. The field settled in a single-file draft, while remaining caution-free. Crew chief Randy Goss called Papis to pit road under green flag conditions on lap 30 for right-side tires and fuel. Unfortunately, the Toyota didn’t get full of fuel, sending the No. 9 GEICO truck off sequence with the rest of their fellow competitors. A much-needed break for the team came when the first caution was brought out on lap 39. Papis returned to pit road to top off with fuel and restarted on lap 43 from the 25th position.

Papis patiently completed laps, keeping up with the draft but working to stay out of looming trouble. A second caution slowed the field on lap 55 as the Italian was scored in 24th-place. Goss once again brought Papis to the attention of his GEICO crew for Sunoco racing fuel. When the race went back to green on lap 58, Papis was inside the top-20 and the action started to heat up. By lap 65, the Gecko broke into the top-10 on the track.

The third caution came out on lap 67 and Papis returned to pit road for one additional can of fuel. A small issue on pit road with the new fueling system pushed Papis back to the 21st position for the restart on lap 70. The first “big one” happened a short six laps later and the GEICO Tundra received some damage to the right-rear quarter panel. A series of pit stops over the next few laps allowed the team to repair the damage, change four tires, and top off with fuel.

Restarting from 18th-place on lap 82, Papis only had three short laps before the yellow flag was waved for the fifth time. Remaining on the track and keeping his position, Mad Max was lined up in the draft with fellow Germain Racing teammate Todd Bodine. The two Toyotas hooked up nose to tail and worked their way back into the top-10 by lap 90. The drafting dance continued to shuffle with the laps quickly counting down.

The final caution and the second “big one” took place on lap 98, which collected Bodine and Papis. Bodine was unable to continue but Papis came to pit road for repairs and four fresh Goodyear tires. Once the debris and wrecked trucks were cleared from the track, the stage was set for a green-white-checkered finish on lap 102. In the final two laps, Papis gained four spots to bring home a 12th-place finish in the season opener.

“I’m very proud of everyone who works on this GEICO Toyota,” said Papis after the race. “All the guys never gave up and kept working on the truck when we would get some damage from the wrecks. We kept going and I’m very happy with a 12th-place finish, when you consider what type of finish we could have had. I feel very confident that we will contend for a win before this season is over.”

Papis and the No. 9 GEICO team will head to Phoenix International Raceway for the second race of the 2011 Camping World Truck Series season. The race can be seen live on SPEED, Friday, February 25, at 8 p.m. Eastern Time.

-PMI-

Contact: Samantha Jones, Player Management International

Email: sammjones1@gmail.com

- Bodine is the Reigning Truck Series Champion after earning his 2nd title in 2010

- Bodine is Third Driver in Truck Series History to Win Multiple Titles, and Clinch Early

- Bodine Owns 21 Truck Series wins with Germain Racing and 36 NASCAR career wins

- At Daytona, Bodine has finished 5th or better in each of six NCWTS races

Mooresville, N.C. (February 16, 2010) - Germain Racing has a new look for 2011. The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champions are kicking off the year with a sponsorship from Tire Kingdom on the No. 30 Tundra and this season will be the first in two years that sees the 30 Tundra have a full-time teammate again. In fact, Bodine will be flanked by three teammates—Max Papis in the No. 9 GEICO Tundra, Brendan Gaughan, No. 62 South Point Hotel & Casino Tundra and Justin Lofton, No. 77 Lofton Cattle Tundra. Germain Racing’s three full-time additions to the Truck Series have played into the recipe for what could be the most competitive season in history, according to the reigning champ who is attempting to race in all three events at Daytona International Speedway this weekend.

“I’m excited about the truck series and for the series because we’ve got a lot of new teams coming in with really good drivers.  I feel like this is probably going to be the most competitive year in the Truck Series ever,” explained Bodine, who is racing at Daytona International Speedway for Tire Kingdom in the No. 30 Tire Kingdom Tundra on Friday night, in the No. 15 Tire Kingdom Camry on Saturday and on Sunday in the No. 60 Tire Kingdom Camry. 

Bodine says the reason 2011 should go down in history as the best season ever is that the Truck Series fields are brimming full of competitive racing teams and drivers and it’s why the fans keep coming back to watch the Trucks.

“When the series first started, they had a lot of good guys, but there was only five or six teams that really could step up anytime and win a race.  If you look at the list of teams we’ve got and drivers, I think this year there’s an honest 12 or 15 teams that could win on any given week.   To have that kind of level of competition is incredible,” said Bodine, noting that in a 36 truck field, nearly half of the competition is regularly competing for the win each week. “I believe that’s one reason that fans are drawn to the Truck Series,” said Bodine. “We’ve got a lot of good teams that are on level playing fields.  We don’t have four or five that are going to run away with the show every week.  When the fans show up to watch, they never know who is going to win.”

Bodine and Germain Racing are part of the deeper talent pool this season. They have recruited three full-time drivers to add to their Truck Series fleet this year. Bodine did his part. They are also part of another big three in Daytona as Bodine and Germain Racing attempt to race in the Truck Series season opener as well as the NNS and NSCS openers all with sponsorship from Tire Kingdom.

“It’s pretty neat.  I don’t know that it’s ever been done where one sponsor sponsored all three series at Daytona -- the same driver, same team.  Tire Kingdom has been in racing -- they do a lot of other things in NHRA and drag racing, and they partnered with Valvoline to come up with this program for Speed Weeks.  We’re really proud to be able to be with them in NASCAR. Hopefully we can grow the program and make it bigger and better down the line,” said Bodine.

Bodine is strapping into racing chassis TRD-058 for Friday’s season opener. It is the only chassis to ever be a No. 30 Tundra at Daytona or Talladega. The truck has four restrictor plate wins in a stretch that began with a pole and win in 2007 at Talladega and continued through a win at Daytona in 2009 in a then unsponsored No. 30 Tundra. No driver had collected four consecutive superspeedway wins when Bodine accomplished this.

Watch Bodine in the No. 30 Tire Kingdom Tundra on Friday, February 18th, at Daytona International Speedway on SPEED with race coverage beginning at 7:30 PM Eastern. Or, tune your radio to your local MRN affiliate.

Follow Germain Racing on Twitter @GermainRacing or on the web at Germainracing.com or become a fan on Facebook: Facebook.com/pages/Germain-Racing/198863890135.

ABOUT SERVICE CENTRAL:

Service Central® is the automotive service offering available exclusively at Tire Kingdom®, NTB-National Tire and Battery®, Merchant’s Tire and Auto®, and Big O Tires®. Available at nearly 1,300 locations nationwide, its trained and certified ASE technicians use state-of-the art equipment to provide quality service on cars or trucks. The nationwide warranty provides peace of mind while it protects consumers and their investment in over 40 states. (http://www.facebook.com/ServiceCentralRacing)

ABOUT TBC RETAIL GROUP:

Headquartered in Juno Beach, Florida, TBC Retail Group, Inc., a subsidiary of TBC Corporation, operates more than 800 tire and automotive service centers under the brands: Tire Kingdom®, NTB - National Tire and Battery®, and Merchant’s Tire and Auto Centers®, along with nearly 500 franchised Big O Tires® locations. The contingent of nearly 1300 stores has trained and certified ASE technicians who use state-of-the-art equipment to provide quality service on cars and trucks.  The nationwide warranty provides peace of mind while it protects consumers and their investment in over 40 states.  TBC Retail Group employs more than 300 associates at its Juno Beach, Fla. headquarters and approximately 10,000 associates nationally.  To locate a store near you, call 800-NEW-TIRE. TBC Corporation, headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, is one of the nation's largest marketers of automotive replacement tires through a multi-channel retail and wholesale strategy.

HOMESTEAD, FL (November 19, 2010) – Max Papis arrived in south Florida looking to capture a solid finish in the season finale for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) at Homestead-Miami Speedway. After starting from the rear of the field due to an engine change and making adjustments on his No. 9 GEICO Toyota throughout the event, Papis brought home a respectable 18th-place finish.

‘Mad’ Max and his Germain Racing team unloaded on Thursday afternoon, preparing for two practice sessions to tune in the handling on their Tundra. The first session showed the No. 9 GEICO truck in the 13th position, but as the green flag waved on final practice, Mother Nature brought an unexpected rain shower into the area. After washing out the night session, NASCAR allowed the teams to come in on Friday morning for a final 50-minute practice. This mid-morning time allowed the team to gain valuable information as they finished 16th on the speed charts.

At the conclusion of final practice, the GEICO team decided to change engines making qualifying strictly a time for Papis to lay down a solid lap, as one truck was being sent home based on speeds. The Italy native recorded a lap of 32.183 seconds, unofficially placing the Toyota in the 13th starting position.

Papis dropped to the rear of the field based on the NASCAR rulebook and took the opening green flag from 36th-place. Within nine laps, Papis gained 11 positions, placing the No. 9 Tundra in the top-25, despite reporting of a loose condition. The first caution of the night flew on lap 31 for a spin in turn two. Crew chief Chad Kendrick brought Papis to pit road for four tires, fuel, track bar and air pressure adjustments. A great stop by the Germain Racing pit crew boosted Mad Max in the 18th position on the lap 36 restart.

Continuing to fight changing handling characteristics, Papis dropped back to 22nd-place on lap 49, which is where the Italian ran until the next caution was displayed on lap 76. Kendrick radioed for Papis to come back to the attention of his pit crew for four tires, fuel, shock and air pressure adjustments. In addition, Papis also returned to pit road to top off with fuel before returning to green flag conditions on lap 81.

Quickly Papis reported that his No. 9 GEICO Toyota was still battling a loose in, tight off condition, hindering his ability to move forward. Papis continued to run in the top-20 despite these handling issues. A Timothy Peters accident on lap 90 brought out the third caution of the 134-lap event.

Showing their resilient attitude, the GEICO team continued to work on Papis’ Toyota, as two right-side tires, fuel, and wedge adjustments were made when the opportunity presented itself. The lap 94 restart showed Papis taking off from the 18th position. A 10-lap run allowed Papis to feel out his truck, reporting that the adjustments had made a little headway.

Using the opportunity to gain valuable track position, Papis remained on the racetrack when the next caution came on lap105. This strategy call – as the leaders came to pit road for fresh tires – allowed Papis to move into the top-five. After a brief red flag for a vicious hit by a fellow competitor, Papis continued to run inside the top-10.

By lap 122, the competitors with fresher tires caught Papis, pushing the GEICO Toyota back to 19th-place with only a handful of laps remaining. The final caution flew on lap 127 and Papis once again brought his Tundra to pit road for four tires and air pressure adjustments. In the closing four laps, Mad Max was able to pick up four positions to bring home a respectable 18th-place finish.

With the 2010 Camping World Truck Series season in the books, Papis and his GEICO team switch their attention to their full-time effort in the series next year, where they will take their shot at the championship. The Truck Series will return to action on February 18, 2011 for the kickoff race at Daytona International Speedway with SPEED carrying live coverage.

-PMI-

Contact: Samantha Jones

   Player Management International

   PMIfirm.com

Mooresville, NC (November 10, 2010) – Initially scheduled to appear as the primary sponsor of the #13 Germain Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series entry for 18 races during the 2010 season, GEICO’s excitement has grown.  After Talladega, the insurance giant decided to add the Texas Sprint Cup Series race and then, after the checkered flag was displayed in Fort Worth last weekend, they began contemplating the balance of the season. 

Late yesterday, GEICO called the offices of Germain Racing and announced that they would be picking up primary sponsorship of Casey Mears and the #13 GEICO Camry for the remaining two Sprint Cup Series races, at Phoenix and Homestead.  GEICO will also appear as a major associate sponsor on the #30 Toyota Tundra of Todd Bodine, who currently has a firm grasp on the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series points lead.

When NASCAR arrives in Homestead for NASCAR’s season finale, the GEICO Gecko will boast a full schedule.  With today’s announcement, GEICO will find themselves on three entries when race activities get underway on the Germain family’s home turf in south Florida.  Aside from the entries of Mears and Bodine, the charming and exciting ‘Mad’ Max Papis will join his teammates, as he pilots the #9 GEICO Toyota Tundra in his final Truck Series race of the season before embarking on a full-time Truck Series schedule in 2011.

After GEICO announced their sponsorship of the #13 Toyota Camry for Phoenix and Homestead, Mears’ face softened and a smile emerged.

“This is great news and I think it says a lot about GEICO’s faith and belief in what we’re doing here; where we started, where we are and where we’re going,” Mears said.  “We’re deeply appreciative of GEICO’s continued support.  It’s been fun to get out there and be competitive every week.  Even in Texas where we had a really tough day, maybe the toughest day we’ve had, we were still able to work hard, stay focused and escape the place with a 26th place finish.”  He continued, “We have a great team of guys here and the Germain family has great belief in what we’re doing, so the atmosphere around the shop is very exciting.”

Mears and the #13 GEICO Toyota Camry will hit the 1-mile tri-oval of Phoenix International Raceway for the opening practice session at 2:00 PM (ET) on Friday, November 12th. Qualifying will follow at 5:45 PM (ET).

The Kobalt Tools 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race is on Sunday, November 14th, and it will be televised live on ESPN beginning at 3:00 PM (ET).  The Motor Racing Network (MRN) will carry the live radio broadcast.

To learn more about the GEICO Racing program, please visit: www.geicogarage.com

You can also follow GEICO Racing on Twitter: www.twitter.com/geicoracing

Please visit the Casey Mears Facebook fan page: www.facebook.com/caseymearsracing

# # #

Contact: Doug Barnette, Player Management International

Email: dbarnette@pmifirm.com 

Fort Worth, TX (November 5, 2010) – A week removed from having his day ended prematurely on the count of a negligent move by a fellow driver, ‘Mad’ Max Papis arrived in the Lone Star state looking to rebound.  A week ago in Talladega, Papis piloted the #9 GEICO Toyota Tundra solidly at the front of the field and aimed to achieve the same at Texas Motor Speedway on Friday night.

Papis and the GEICO team quickly took to the 1.5-mile quad-oval and appeared comfortable through the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series’ two practice sessions on Thursday.  The opening session saw the #9 GEICO Tundra 14th on the speed charts, while the final practice session saw Papis as a respectable 19th. 

With practice in the books and only qualifying remaining, Papis solidified his position in the field when he qualified the #9 GEICO Tundra 23rd for Friday night’s WinStar World Casino 350K NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race.  He toured the facility in just 30.608 seconds, at a rate of speed of 176.424 miles per hour. 

While his teammate, Todd Bodine, is on the verge of winning his second NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship, Papis has his mind set on 2011.  His final races of the 2010 season are preparing him for his own run at the Truck Series championship in 2011.

Cool temperatures and the smell of thousands of campfires blanketed the racetrack on Friday night, as the green flag waved under clear skies. Starting 23rd, Papis quickly jumped to 20th on the opening lap before a Johanna Long spin brought out the event’s first caution flag of the night.  Just one lap into the race, there was no reason for Papis to bring the #9 GEICO Tundra down pit road. 

Papis would restart 19th on Lap 5 and ride solidly in the Top 20 before the evening’s second caution flag was displayed on Lap 41.  Just one lap later, Papis traveled down pit road where the Germain Racing pit crew outfitted the #9 GEICO Tundra with four fresh tires, a full tank of fuel and a right rear air pressure adjustment. While Papis entered pit road in the 20th position, the Germain Racing pit crew turned him around in astounding time, sending Mad Max back out onto the racing surface in the 14th position. 

The race would once again go green on Lap 49, but just three laps later the caution lights were flashing at Texas Motor Speedway for a crash involving Ron Hornaday, Tayler Malsam and Miguel Paludo.  After just three laps of racing, it was not necessary for the #9 GEICO Tundra to visit pit road.

Papis restarted the race in the 14th position on Lap 60 and by Lap 97 the Gecko was sitting 12th. The #9 GEICO Tundra entered the Top 10 on Lap 98, but the following lap would cause Papis’ demise. 

As he exited Turn 4, Papis’ truck appeared to run out of fuel. By the time he entered the front-stretch it was a certainty.  Papis managed to coast around the 1.5-mile quad-oval and make it to pit road where the GEICO Racing pit crew would provide him with the necessary fuel.  Unfortunately, the GEICO Tundra had stalled and because there was no fuel pressure it would take time to build up the pressure.  Once Papis had the truck re-fired, he returned to the race, but he would do so five laps down in the 26th position; a far cry from where he was running in 10th just a few minutes earlier.

Despite the setback, Papis continued to pick up positions and when the checkered flag was displayed, he recorded a 23rd place finish. The final result was clearly not indicative of his performance throughout the evening. 

“We had a nice run going tonight in the #9 GEICO Tundra, but the fuel problem really ended it for us,” said a dejected Papis.  “I battled a tight truck all night, but we kept fighting and this GEICO pit crew did a great job of getting me in and out. We’re building for next year, we have a new crew chief and right now everything is looking great.  The things that happened in Talladega last week and then what happened tonight is just misfortune, not mistakes. We’re doing a good job and you will continue to see us be competitive and run up front.”

Papis and the GEICO team will take a week off before traveling to south Florida for the final NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race of the 2010 season.

Papis and the #9 GEICO Toyota Tundra will hit the 1.5-mile oval of Homestead-Miami Speedway for the opening practice session at 5:00 PM (EDT) on Thursday, November 18th.  Qualifying will take place on Friday at 5:05 PM (EDT).

The Ford 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race is on Friday, November 19th.  The race will be televised live on SPEED beginning at 7:30 PM (EDT), while the Motor Racing Network (MRN) will carry the live radio broadcast.

To learn more about the GEICO Racing program, please visit: www.geicogarage.com

You can also follow GEICO Racing on Twitter: www.twitter.com/geicoracing

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Contact: Doug Barnette, Player Management International

Email: dbarnette@pmifirm.com

Talladega, AL (October 30, 2010) – After announcing in August that he would be embarking on a full-time schedule in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2011, Papis arrived in Talladega poised to pick up where he left off in Daytona in February. 

Daytona found ‘Mad’ Max leading his first ever NASCAR laps before Nelson Piquet, Jr., ended the hopes of the #9 GEICO Toyota Tundra in a late race crash.  Undaunted, Papis emerged from the truck with a smile on his face almost as if he was announcing that he had arrived.

The last time Papis saw racing action was August 18th in Bristol when he piloted the #9 GEICO Tundra in the O’Reilly 200. 

A well-rested Papis took to Talladega Superspeedway for the opening practice on Friday appearing as though he had not missed a beat.  He immediately shot to the top of the charts, finding the #9 GEICO Tundra first fastest for a large portion of the two-hour session.  He ultimately ended up 10th on the chart and headed into qualifying with great hopes.

While practice had proved fruitful for Papis and the GEICO team, qualifying provided a slight setback, as Papis’ lap time of 54.030 seconds was only good enough for the 20th starting position.  When he climbed from the #9 GEICO Tundra after his qualifying run, Papis showed little emotion and instead immediately shifted his attention to Saturday’s race. 

Saturday found the feisty Italian approaching the Mountain Dew 250 fueled by Fred’s with a businessman’s demeanor.  Prior to climbing into the GEICO Tundra during pre-race, Papis said to the Germain Racing team members, “We are here for just one reason.”  He must have believed his own words because after starting 20th, Papis had jumped to 10th in just the opening lap.  By Lap 8, he was running 7th and settling comfortably into the front pack of cars. 

The event’s first caution flag of the day was displayed on Lap 23 when Justin Lofton and Jeffery Earnhardt found themselves tangled up in a crash.  Papis brought the #9 GEICO Tundra to the attention of the Germain Racing pit crew on Lap 26 and they provided him with four fresh Goodyear tires and a full tank of Sunoco racing fuel.  Although Papis came down pit road in the 11th position, the Germain Racing pit crew sent the GEICO Tundra back out onto the racing surface in the 8th position, gaining three spots during the yellow flag visit. 

After restarting 8th on Lap 33, Papis quickly jumped to 7th and looked to make calculated moves to reach the front of the field. Lap 37 found Papis getting a bit sideways thanks to the efforts of a fellow competitor.  He did a masterful job of keeping the truck straight and continued his Top 10 run.

Few things are spookier than racing at Talladega on Halloween weekend, but what would happen next could very well raise the bar.

On Lap 59, Papis was ordered to prepare for a scheduled green flag pit stop, as there had not been a caution flag since Lap 23.  Little did anyone know that a lap later Papis would be the reason for the event’s next caution.  On Lap 60, Craig Goess, Jr., the driver of the #46 truck, made a left hand turn into Papis’ #9 GEICO Toyota Tundra, sending him into the inside retaining wall.  Goess failed to look to his left prior to diving onto pit road, which ultimately caused significant damage to Papis’ truck and relegated him to a 27th place finish. 

A frustrated Papis emerged unscathed from his GEICO Tundra, but he measured his words before speaking to anyone within earshot.

“It’s so frustrating and I just don’t understand it because I was looking right at him, he was right next to me,” Papis said while visibly guarding his tongue.  “We had a shot at winning this thing, we had the #9 GEICO Tundra running up front all day, so to have something like this happen is certainly disappointing.  But, we had a great day and everyone knew the GEICO team was here and they know that Max is back.”

Papis and the GEICO team will next travel to the Lone Star state for next week’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race. 

Papis and the #9 GEICO Toyota Tundra will hit the 1.5-mile quad-oval of Texas Motor Speedway for the opening practice session at 1:30 PM (EDT) on Thursday, November 4th.  Qualifying will follow at 8:10 PM (EDT).

The WinStar World Casino 350K NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race is on Friday, November 5th.  The race will be televised live on SPEED beginning at 8:30 PM (EDT), while the Motor Racing Network (MRN) will carry the live radio broadcast.

To learn more about the GEICO Racing program, please visit: www.geicogarage.com

You can also follow GEICO Racing on Twitter: www.twitter.com/geicoracing

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Contact: Doug Barnette, Player Management International

Email: dbarnette@pmifirm.com