TireMonkey Racing

Gosselin to start Kansas race in 17th place

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Sun, 02 May 2010 02:32:00 +0000

Mario Gosselin’s No. 12 TireMonkey.com truck will roar to life Sunday from the 17th starting spot following his Saturday qualifying run of 32.713 seconds at 165.072 mph at the Kansas Speedway.

Ron Hornaday Jr. of the No. 33 truck captured the pole for Sunday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race by posting a time of 31.916 seconds at 169.194 mph. Filling out starting rows one, two and three will be Matt Crafton of the No. 88 truck, Johnny Sauter of the No. 13 truck, Aric Almirola of the No. 51 truck, Austin Dillon of the No. 3 truck and Todd Bodine of the No. 30 truck.

Interviewed prior to arriving at the Kansas City track, Gosselin’s wife and team spotter Michelle Gosselin said she is optimistic about the race.

“I think Kansas is going to go really well,” she said. “I’m hopeful we can get a top-15 out of it.”

So far, Gosselin’s performance on the D-shaped, 1.5-mile track is consistent with that Team TireMonkey.com goal: Gosselin finished the first practice session in 17th place with a time of 32.754 seconds at 164.865 mph and the final practice in 14th place with a time of 32.544 seconds at 165.929 mph.

The National Weather Service’s Sunday report calls for mostly sunny skies, a high near 72 degrees and a south-southwest wind between 8 and 11 mph, a promising forecast that could help fill the speedway’s 81,687 seats. NASCAR Camping World Truck Series fans at home can catch all the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 action by tuning into the SPEED channel beginning at 12:30 p.m. E.T. Sunday.

Infamous Daytona truck hood has new home

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 21:12:00 +0000

Ever wonder what happened to the TireMonkey.com truck’s hood after driver Mario Gosselin’s dramatic crash at Daytona?

Although crumpled beyond racing use, the No. 12 truck’s hood did not end up in the scrap heap. Instead, it joined a stuffed mako shark, a set of shark jaws and various football memorabilia adorning the ceiling and walls of Mulligan’s Raw Bar and Grille in Nags Head, N.C.

“It’s great,” said Aaron Zinovis, whose family owns the Outer Banks restaurant. “It looks really cool…We needed something up there because it was blank, and it fit in perfectly.”

Aware of the huge NASCAR presence in the Outer Banks, TireMonkey.com executives knew the hood would be a great fit at Mulligan’s, a popular eatery known for “The Best Burger on the Outer Banks.” On race days, Mulligan’s bar area fills up with what Zinovis calls “old-school NASCAR fans.”

Autographed with Gosselin’s signature, the hood made the long trek from his shop in Lake Wales, Fla., to Nags Head in a U-Haul. Mulligan’s employees fastened it to the slanted ceiling over the restaurant’s bar just after Gosselin finished ninth in the Martinsville Kroger 250 race.

“We all watched the race here,” Zinovis said. “Everyone was excited.”

Now everyone who walks in Mulligan’s door finds their eyes drawn to the ceiling and the hood’s picture of a smiling monkey face peering out from a tire. Now Gosselin has an entire restaurant full of new fans eager to cheer him on.

At Mulligan’s, “nobody really pulled for anyone in the truck series before, but now it gives us a reason to pull for someone in the truck series,” Zinovis said.

Cheer for Gosselin next on May 2 at the O'Reilly Auto Parts 250 race in Kansas.

NC TV station to air promotion featuring TireMonkey.com

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 18:35:00 +0000

TireMonkey.com driver Mario Gosselin won’t compete at the Darlington Raceway until August, but your one-stop tire shop is teaming up with WITN-7 News for a contest giveaway featuring tickets to two other NASCAR events at the venue.

Throughout April, viewers of the Eastern North Carolina news station will see TireMonkey.com-sponsored promotions (including the one above) advertising the “Racin’ & Reelin’” contest for tickets to the Darlington 200 Nationwide Series and Southern 500 Sprint Cup Series races. One grand-prize winner will receive four tickets to the Darlington 200 on May 7, four tickets to the Southern 500 on May 8 and a $500 fishing prize pack. Four additional winners will receive a pair of tickets to the two events.

Enter to win by visiting the WITN contest page.

Entries will be accepted until midnight on Sunday, April 25. WITN will notify winners via email and send tickets by mail. The grand prize winner must pick up their fishing prize pack at WITN.

Gosselin finishes 21st at Nashville

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 02:19:00 +0000

Starting in the 24th spot, TireMonkey.com driver Mario Gosselin pulled the No. 12 Chevrolet Silverado ahead to finish 21st in Friday’s Nashville 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race.

“We struggled,” Gosselin said after the race. “I definitely wasn’t happy with our results… We want to stick to the top-15 at worst, and we missed that a little bit this weekend, so we have work to do.”

Kyle Busch of the No. 18 truck won the pole during qualifying and then fought through lapped traffic to win the Nashville 200. Kevin Harvick of the No. 2 truck finished second, followed by Ron Hornaday in the No. 33 truck, Timothy Peters in the No. 17 truck and Todd Bodine in the No. 30 truck.

During lap 32, debris caused the race’s first caution, and Gosselin received the Aaron’s Lucky Dog designation, meaning he was the first driver a lap down at the time, and so he earned his lap back.

But once again, the race brought trouble for the No. 12 truck’s handling.

“Mario Gosselin in the TireMonkey truck – I went down there and took a picture of that truck. That’s the coolest-looking thing,” announcer Michael Waltrip said during the SPEED broadcast. “See that monkey right there behind the No. 12 carrying some tires? He got the Aaron’s Lucky Dog back on the lead lap, so Mario’s got a new lease on life – at least for this evening. He’s got it all.”

“We couldn’t get it where it needed to be,” Gosselin said. “We were decent at times. At the start of the race, it was great, and we passed a few trucks. I mean, we went from 24th to 18th, I think, pretty quick, and then went backwards a little bit.”

Also working against Gosselin was the fact that there were only two cautions during the entire race, so it was difficult to catch up with the lead drivers. Only eight trucks completed all 150 laps.

“With us being off a little bit and Kyle Busch being so on, it just made it worse,” Gosselin said. “There weren’t many cautions to group the field back up very much to speak of. We even had to do green-flag stops.”

Team TireMonkey.com now has a month off to prepare for the May 2 O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 at the Kansas Speedway. In addition to finishing two new trucks, the team will work with engineers to change the geometry on the front end of the Nashville truck.

“We have work to do to make it better, but we have a little time here to get things turned around,” Gosselin said. “We’re working pretty hard in the shop.”

Gosselin’s stats for the Nashville 200 were as follows:

First Practice: 31.686 seconds / 151.449 mph (23rd place)
Final Practice: 31.372 seconds / 152.964 mph (22nd place)
Qualifying: 31.676 seconds / 151.496 mph (24th place)

Gosselin's goes for a third guitar

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 15:20:00 +0000

Mario Gosselin is ready to add a third victory guitar to his growing collection.

The TireMonkey.com driver and his team pull into Nashville today for the Nashville 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race Friday evening.

“It’s a fun track,” Gosselin said. “I have two wins there at that track in an ARCA car, and I’ve always enjoyed going there. I really look forward to this weekend.”

Built in 2000, the Nashville track is a 1.333-mile, D-shaped oval. It boasts 14-degree turns and seating for 50,000.

Like at Martinsville, the Nashville track is concrete, but the surface is not as abrasive on tires, so Team TireMonkey.com doesn’t anticipate as much trouble with handling.

Friday’s Nashville 200 Schedule (All in Central Time):

10 a.m. – 11 a.m. – First Practice

11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – Final Practice

4 p.m. – Qualifying (two laps)

7 p.m. – Nashville 200 race (150 laps)

Catch the race on TV on the SPEED channel and on the radio via the Motor Racing Network and Sirius XM channel 128.

PS: Here’s what NASCAR personality Ray Dunlap had to say about the TireMonkey.com team during a Race Time Radio interview following Gosselin’s ninth place finish at Martinsville:

“I think that team is just getting better and better every week, and that’s what you strive for as a team owner – to make improvements…I think he has a good handle and a good feel for the mile-and-a-half racetracks. I’m interested to see if he can start putting himself in position to be a top-five runner at those kind of racetracks.”

Race Time Radio Interviews Gosselin

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 20:37:00 +0000

Race Time Radio, an Ontario, Canada, radio station, interviewed TireMonkey.com driver Mario Gosselin on Monday following his ninth place finish at the Martinsville Kroger 250.

Play the video below to hear the interview and view photos from the Kroger 250. A transcript of the interview between Race Time Radio (RTR) and Gosselin (MG) follows.

RTR: And we’re back here on Race Time Radio, and as promised, we have our next guest. And he is Mario Gosselin, driver of the No. 12 TireMonkey.com Chevrolet Silverado. Of course he competes in the Camping World Truck Series. He finished ninth this past weekend at Martinsville. Mario, I bet you you’re excited about your finish.

MG: Pretty happy. (The) TireMonkey Chevrolet Silverado ran well. We unloaded pretty good and kept making it better and better. You know, at the beginning of the race, it was real good, and then we just got really tight as the race went on. We made several pit stops trying to get it better. We had it better at the end, but it still wasn’t perfect.

RTR: Now, Mario, throughout the course of the race, I know I was speaking with Ray Dunlap – We just had Ray on a couple of minutes ago here. And I referred to you, (that) maybe it’s your turn to break out. The team really looks good now.

MG: Well, we’re getting better each and every week – That’s for sure. And to go to a track that I’ve never raced at in a truck – It was our first time with Martinsville in the truck so limited experience there, but I have quite a bit of a short track background. We’re building a notebook, and I feel like when we go back we can be that much better.

RTR: Mario, we’re headed into Nashville next. That track wasn’t so kind to you last year. Do you think the difference this year, being as it is a spring race, as opposed to a mid-summer race, do you think that will have any difference on the outcome of the race and the race itself?

MG: It’s definitely a little different. I remember going there with the ARCA series, and we went there twice a year and the set-up did change a little bit from when it’s cool out to the summer when it’s hot out. The set-up is going to be a little different, but each and every time you go to a racetrack you have to adjust to that weekend or that day’s conditions. So, at least it is a track that I have a lot of experience on. We did manage to get our truck really good last year before we got caught up in a wreck – not of our doing – so we’re looking forward to going to Nashville, and I feel like we’re going to have a good truck. We’ve learned a lot since we were there, and like I said, we had a good truck there last year.

RTR: Mario, what’s it like this year driving at the racetrack with TireMonkey.com on the truck, having a sponsorship like you have there? It definitely makes a difference.

MG: Oh, absolutely. I mean, everything. We’re still a little bit behind (actually, we’re a lot behind where we’d like to be as far as having trucks ready. The Martinsville truck got beat up pretty bad, and that was going to be our back-up for Nashville. And we only have a couple of days to turn around, and we really need to focus on the primary truck). So there’s still a lot of hard work to be done, but after Nashville we have about a month or so off, and we’re going to have to buckle down and work really hard and get some more trucks ready to go. But definitely, it has been a relief to be able to go to the track and have sponsorship and go to a race and not having to worry about whatever you have to do to make ends meet. We’re going to the track and we’re going to the race, and it feels pretty good. That’s what we want to do.

RTR: Top-ten finish, ninth finish, at Martinsville. That’s tremendous for you. It’s saying a lot about the race team and a lot about the sponsorship.

MG: Well, I’m definitely proud of everybody on the team. We’ve worked hard. Like I said, we didn’t have the best truck, but we’re looking forward to going back to Martinsville with some more adjustments and different things to make our truck better.

RTR: Do you even know how to play a guitar?

MG: No, but I have two of them here. I imagine one day that I’m going to have to learn.

RTR: You’ll learn how to play right after Nashville, won’t you?

MG: That’s right.

RTR: That was Mario Gosselin. Of course, Mario is Canadian. He’s one of us. He drives out of the U.S. now, living out of Florida, but he does compete in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

Gosselin grabs 9th place at Martinsville

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 21:35:00 +0000

TireMonkey.com driver Mario Gosselin’s impressive performance Saturday may have earned him ninth place in the Martinsville Kroger 250, but it also bumped his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver standing from 22nd place to 11th.

Back home Monday in Lake Wales, F.L., Gosselin said he has his team to thank.

“I’m proud of everybody,” he said. “We have to keep up the good work and keep getting those top 10’s.”

Kevin Harvick of the No. 2 truck won the Kroger 250, his second consecutive win following Atlanta’s E-Z-GO 200. Ron Hornaday Jr. of the No.33 truck came second followed by Brian Ickler of the No. 18 truck.

Starting position is important at short tracks like Martinsville’s, but rain canceled Friday’s qualification race, and NASCAR rules dictating the lineup be based on driver points meant the No. 12 TireMonkey.com truck had to start in 23rd place.

“We felt we could have probably qualified somewhere around 10th to 12th, so that was a little disappointing, but there was nothing we could do about it at that point,” Gosselin said. “We just had to hope for the best, and we worked our way up to the top 15, top 12, pretty quick, so I was pretty happy.”

Gosselin’s Chevrolet Silverado handled best on the “Pretty Paperclip’s” long runs, but the track’s concrete surface wore away at the truck’s tires and made the 12-degree turns a bit difficult.

“The concrete actually takes the rubber off the tire, and it just changes the way the truck handles,” Gosselin said. “Obviously, we knew that, and we kept adjusting. We just never went enough. It got really tight there from the middle of the race on.”

The race was a physical one with each driver desperately trying to advance before the turns. There was a considerable amount of bump drafting, and Gosselin’s truck suffered a broken bumper, a bashed-in rear corner and tire marks on each side. But luckily, the damage is merely cosmetic, and Team TireMonkey.com is busily working to repair the truck for use as a back-up at Friday’s Nashville race.

“We’re trying to fix up this Martinsville truck as best we can,” Gosselin said. “We’re hoping we don’t need it – It’s not going to be real pretty.”

Following the long haul from Virginia back to Central Florida, Gosselin and his team hit the road again Wednesday en route to Tennessee.

“Well, we’re going to go with top 15 expectations, but I’m really hoping we get ourselves another top 10,” he said.

Visit NASCAR.com for additional Kroger 250 results.

Team TireMonkey pulls into Martinsville

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 21:03:00 +0000

Led by driver Mario Gosselin, Team TireMonkey.com arrived at the Martinsville Speedway today in preparation for Saturday’s Kroger 250 truck race.

“We’re excited,” Gosselin said before embarking Wednesday on the long trek from his home in Lake Wales, F.L., to Martinsville, V.A. “We can’t wait to get there and see what kind of weekend we’re going to have.”

The race begins at 2 p.m. Saturday and will be aired live on SPEED, the Motor Racing Network and Sirius XM radio. But before Gosselin takes his official 250-lap, 131.5-mile trip around the Martinsville track, there are two practice sessions and Friday’s 4:40 p.m. qualifying session to contend with.

“We just have to work really hard on the truck handling good,” Gosselin said. “And you know, at Martinsville, track position is very important which, in turn, means qualifying is important. It’s very hard to pass.”

Known as the “Pretty Paperclip” due to its oval shape, the Martinsville track is 0.526 miles long and offers seating for 65,000 spectators. The Kroger 250 is the first of five short track races on the 2010 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule.

For a complete Kroger 250 event schedule, visit TruckSeries.com.

The industry's race team revamps NASCAR Web site

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 16:34:00 +0000

An interesting trend has emerged this 2010 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season: Spectators, officials and even members of other NASCAR teams keep asking how they can get their paws on one of those playful TireMonkey.com T-shirts worn by driver Mario Gosselin and his crew.

Now anyone can join Team TireMonkey.com by ordering an official team T-shirt on Gosselin’s newly revamped racing Web site, www.MarioGosselin.com. With a splash of warm orange, yellow and brown and a montage of photographs and eye-catching graphics, the Web site quickly draws in the Internet visitor. There’s a complete 2010 NCWTS schedule with results, a Gosselin biography, a rundown of Gosselin’s team, race photos and, of course, a merchandise page featuring those popular team T-shirts.

Michael Miceli, Webmaster and artist of choice among NASCAR teams, designed Gosselin’s new site and launched it a few weeks ago. He included personal touches like photos of Gosselin’s family and a maple leaf signifying Gosselin’s rich Canadian heritage. And while many NASCAR team merely slap sponsor logos onto their racing Web sites, Miceli strived to create a consistent theme throughout Gosselin’s.

“Mario’s Web site was built to really incorporate the TireMonkey.com brand and the use of monkeys in the design,” Miceli said. “The final result is a fun look, but each visitor will remember the TireMonkey.com name.”

Now in the process of gearing up for the March 27 Martinsville Speedway Kroger 250 race, Gosselin said he’s thrilled to have the new Web site up and running. Now Team TireMonkey.com can easily keep all race results updated and current.

“The Web site is a work in progress, and we’re still making adjustments, but I’m really happy with it,” Gosselin said.

Edenton, NC-based TireMonkey.com, a leading online tire retailer, is the official sponsor of Mario Gosselin, celebrated driver of the No. 12 NCWTS truck. The Martinsville Kroger 250 is the third truck race of the 2010 season.

Please visit www.MarioGosselin.com or TireMonkey.com for additional information

Liberty Tire owner to enter monkey pit

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 21:19:00 +0000

Eddie Horne knows the tire industry inside and out, but he won’t have to lift a finger March 27 as Mario Gosselin’s team members swarm around the TireMonkey.com truck changing spent tires during the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Kroger 250 race.

As a drawing winner at the North Carolina Tire Dealers & Retreaders Association’s annual convention, the Liberty Tire owner now possess two highly coveted Martinsville Speedway pit passes. Horne plans to bring his college buddy, Ronnie Garris, into the monkey pit with him.

“It’s great,” Horne said Tuesday. “I’ve never been to a truck race, and my store, Liberty Tire, runs a stockcar on Saturday nights. But I’ve never been to a truck race. I’m really excited.”

And the Kroger 250 truck race holds special significance for Horne because this NASCAR fan loves the short track race experience. The Martinsville Speedway features a .526-mile-long oval track and seating for 65,000 spectators.

“Short track races are way better than the Superspeedway races to me because you can see the (trucks or cars) up close,” Horne said.

Tracy Meinert, an Atlantic Tire Distributors sales consultant, helped run the TireMonkey.com drawing at the March 7 conference in Raleigh. She said the drawing was an evening highlight for the 40 or so people who attended the event.

“It was received quite well,” Meinert said. “For the most part, everyone put their name in the drawing.”

TireMonkey.com, a leading online tire retailer, is the official sponsor of Mario Gosselin, celebrated driver of the No. 12 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series truck. The Martinsville Kroger 250 is the third truck race of the 2010 season.

Monkeys meet Gold-winning bobsleders

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:24:00 +0000

After all the excitement of the Atlanta E-Z-GO 200, TireMonkey.com driver Mario Gosselin mingled with fans in the garage area. Two of them, it turns out, were members of the gold-winning U.S. Olympic bobsled team, Steven Holcomb and Steve Mesler.

Gosselin and TireMonkey.com CEO Tully Ryan spoke to the Olympians and had a photo taken with them.

From left to right are Gosselin, Holcomb, Ryan (borrowing a medal) and Mesler (showcasing a TireMonkey.com visor).

Gosselin finishes 22nd in Atlanta E-Z-GO

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 22:19:00 +0000

Following the Daytona crash, Mario Gosselin resolved to play it fairly safe at the Atlanta E-Z-GO 200 race Saturday. That strategy paid off and ushered the No. 12 TireMonkey.com truck into a respectable 22nd place finish.

“We needed to come home all in one piece, and we did,” Gosselin said Monday. “After Talladega, we had such a good truck there, and we crashed it really hard, so our spirits were kind of down for a few days, but we got our spirits back up.”

Kevin Harvick of the No. 2 truck took first place, followed by Kyle Busch of the No. 18 truck and Aric Almirola of the No. 51 truck.

Gosselin began the afternoon race in the 25th starting slot, but the handling on his Chevrolet Silverado prevented him from moving up in the ranks. The truck was too loose when his DGM Racing team unloaded it at the Atlanta garages, so they tightened her up pre-race to prevent any radical spinouts. Unfortunately, however, the adjustment caused the truck to become too tight, and Gosselin was forced to slow down at the turns during the race.

“We got behind and never really recovered," Gosselin said. "That’s pretty much the bottom line: It was too tight. We made adjustments, and we kept on making it better, but we never made a big enough adjustment.”

But Gosselin praised his DGM Racing team for helping boost the truck’s position through nearly seamless pit stops.

“I felt the pit stops went well,” he said. “We just couldn’t capitalize on having good pit stops because we were off a little bit on the racetrack. To run up front, you have to have it all. You have to have all the pieces to the puzzle.”

Next on the schedule is the March 27 Martinsville Speedway Kroger 250 in Virginia. Because that oval track is so small – 0.526 miles – it’s difficult to pass, and it’s important for Gosselin to perform during qualifying so as to secure a top starting spot.

Unlike Daytona or Atlanta, Martinsville provides true short-track racing, so the race will be a “whole new ballgame,” Gosselin said.

“I just wish we could have finished (Atlanta) a little bit better, but at the end of the day, we came home in one piece, and we gained some points, so we need to move on and do better at the next one,” he said.

Gosselin fired up for Atlanta E-Z-GO 200

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 18:27:00 +0000

It was a chilly day in Atlanta Friday as TireMonkey.com driver Mario Gosselin and his DGM Racing team prepared for Saturday’s E-Z-GO 200, the second race of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series 2010 season.

Friday morning’s temperature at the Atlanta Motor Speedway flirted around 30 degrees during technical inspection of the No. 12 Chevrolet Silverado monkey truck, but the sun had warmed the track to the low 50s by early afternoon when Gosselin suited up for practice.

"We’re looking forward to having a good race,” Gosselin said. “Getting there at the end is going to be key this week.”

This race’s TireMonkey.com truck is a different vehicle than the one that raced and crashed at the Feb. 13 NextEra Energy Resources 250 in Daytona. This truck’s design and brakes package are better suited for the Atlanta track conditions.

“This place wears the tires out,” Gosselin said. “You end up sliding around quite a bit, so that’s the big thing at this place: handling.”

Although Gosselin and his team won’t fully develop a race strategy until after Friday’s 1 p.m. and 4:10 p.m. practice sessions, he hinted that his disappointment over Daytona’s crash has inspired him to forge ahead and perhaps try something new.

“We had a good truck, and I feel like we could have had a top-five finish at Daytona, and it slipped away from us,” he said. “So we just have to make sure we’re smart and running there on the end this time – stay out of trouble.”

The E-Z-GO 200 begins at 2 p.m. Saturday and can be viewed on the SPEED channel. Tune in to SPEED during qualifying at 9:35 a.m. Saturday to watch an interview with Gosselin and TireMonkey.com CEO Tully Ryan.

New NASCAR partnership expands monkey market reach

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:58:00 +0000

Initially, NASCAR fans merely smiled at the funny name. But when Camping World Truck Series driver Mario Gosselin started making headlines for his masterful performance on the track, viewers began truly noticing his sponsor. Like television commentator Darrell Waltrip, they wondered “just exactly what does this TireMonkey do?”

In fact, TireMonkey.com is an Edenton, NC-based online tire retailer working to unite the entire industry so as to simplify consumers’ online tire buying experience. By making use of and supporting existing supply chains of local tire wholesalers and dealers, TireMonkey.com offers name-brand tires conveniently shipped to consumers’ preferred neighborhood installers. The company’s innovative business model has already compelled tire dealers across the 48 continental states to join its growing service network, and now respected NASCAR racing venues want a truck in the monkey race too.

TireMonkey.com and Tennessee’s Bristol Motor Speedway, long-celebrated as one of the most popular NASCAR racetracks, have launched a sponsorship agreement destined to boost both ticket and tire sales while simultaneously introducing new fans to the thrilling sport of racing. In exchange for providing Bristol Motor Speedway tickets to network dealers supporting TireMonkey.com, the speedway will benefit from inventory discounts and monkey marketing materials detailing speedway ticket offers. Both companies will also expand their market reach by exchanging various Web site and e-mail advertising.

The partnership is a great fit because like Bristol Motor Speedway, TireMonkey.com values its customers and their local communities, said Jeff Byrd, president and general manager of the speedway. Instead of cutting retail dealers out of the picture, TireMonkey.com’s technology actually supports these local businesses and offers them online marketing opportunities they never had before.

“TireMonkey.com is a company that is interested in more than just selling shoppers four tires,” Byrd said. “They truly want to bring the industry together to improve the online tire buying process.”

Known as the “World’s Fastest Half-Mile” among the NASCAR set, Bristol Motor Speedway is located in Bristol, Tenn., just south of the Virginia border. The 0.533-mile concrete oval track is unique for its enclosed, amphitheater seating and the extreme high-banked turns. Formerly on the site of a dairy farm, the speedway was completed in 1961 and bought by current owner O. Bruton Smith in 1996.

Each year, Bristol Motor Speedway welcomes Sprint Cup, Nationwide, Camping World Truck, Whelen Modified and ASA series events. TireMonkey.com driver Mario Gosselin will compete at Bristol during the O’Reilly Auto Parts 200 Camping World Truck Series race on August 18.

Mario safe after monkey truck crunch

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 06:39:00 +0000

A collective gasp escaped from Mario Gosselin’s pit crew three times during Saturday’s NextEra Energy Resources 250 race at the Daytona International Speedway.

The first two outbursts were followed by cheers as Gosselin narrowly avoided catastrophic collisions claiming clusters of his competitors.

But silence followed the third when the No. 12 TireMonkey.com truck made contact with Nelson Piquet, Jr.’s truck during lap 73 and spun out just past the finish line. In what the Orlando Sentinel described as “the most frightening crash of the night,” the monkey truck hood collided with the pit wall and folded up like an accordion.

“I got on the outside, just trying to make something happen and see if I could get to the front,” Gosselin said later. “I was really hoping that I could get up there enough where a couple of trucks on the bottom would pull out in front of me or somebody would pull up behind me and help me, but I was kind of stuck by myself there, side-drafting as much as I could.

Gosselin was thankfully uninjured, but his truck sustained enough damage to keep him from finishing the race.

Timothy Peters of the No. 24 truck ultimately won the race followed by Todd Bodine of the No. 15 truck in second and Dennis Setzer of the No. 14 truck in third.

Gosselin’s unfortunate accident marked an abrupt end to anticipation drawn out due to the race’s previous postponement. Rainy conditions throughout Friday forced NASCAR officials to bump the NextEra Energy Resources 250 to Saturday and effectively offer fans a Daytona doubleheader with the trucks following the afternoon Nationwide series car race.

An impressive performance during the qualifying competition landed Gosselin in Saturday’s eighth starting position, and he was able to edge into sixth place after a backstretch pile-up claimed nearly 10 trucks during the race’s opening lap. Gosselin dropped to 20th place by lap 22 after a pit stop, but he fought through an accident that claimed even more trucks during lap 32. By lap 33, he was in third place.

Although a faulty transmission plagued Gosselin for most of the night, he remained determined to perform at Daytona, the first race of his first complete NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season. He was on the outside, eager to make something happen, when disaster struck.

“There were still a lot of laps left, but my theory was I wanted to see,” he said. “If you wait until there’s only two laps left, you don’t know if you can or you can’t, and then the race is over. In hindsight – I beat myself up – maybe I should have just rode sixth or seventh to take the finish, but I was here to win.”

Next up for Gosselin is a possible win at the Atlanta 200 on March 6.

Pirate Radio quizzes TireMonkeys on Daytona

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 17:25:00 +0000

In anticipation of Friday's big race, Pirate Radio 1250 AM of Greenville, North Carolina, today welcomed TireMonkey.com CEO Tully Ryan and TireMonkey.com NASCAR driver Mario Gosselin on the Live @ 5 program with DJs Troy D and Ellerbe.

A partial transcript of the interview appears below. To hear the entire segment, click here.

TROY D: Welcome back to the show. Troy D here alongside the Ellebere. And it will be a big weekend if you’re a race fan as the race season gets underway, live from Daytona, Florida. And speaking of which, we’ve got a couple of special guests, one joining us in studio and one on the U.S. Air live line. First, in the studio, Tully Ryan, president and CEO of TireMonkey.com. Tully, great to see you today. How are you?

TULLY: Thanks guys! I’m glad to be here.

TROY D: We’ll talk about why you’re here in the studio in just a minute, but first, let’s go out to the U.S. Air live line. Joining us from Daytona, Florida, is the driver of the No. 12 TireMonkey.com Chevy truck, Mario Gosselin. And Mario, thank you for your time. I know you’re busy down there getting ready for Daytona this weekend. We appreciate you joining us for a few minutes.

MARIO: Well, I definitely appreciate you guys having me on. I’m just proud to be on and representing TireMonkey.com this weekend.

TROY D: Well, let’s talk about what you do as a driver, Mario. You are, of course, down in Daytona. A lot of fans are familiar with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, which will be going on Sunday. But, of course, then you have right underneath that the Nationwide series. But talk about what you do, which is driving in the NASCAR Truck Series, which is presented by Camping World. Does that rank No. 3 in the world of NASCAR racing?

MARIO: That would rank No. 3, yes it would.

TROY D: And how long have you been a driver in the truck series?

MARIO: Well, on and off for a couple of years now I’ve run some truck races. I haven’t run a full season yet, but I’m looking forward to hopefully doing that this year – running a full season for points in the Camping World Truck Series with TireMonkey.com on board...

Gosselin and the monkey prep for Daytona

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 23:32:00 +0000

A gopher named Digger, the quacking Aflac duck, and, of course, the “Lucky Dog,” have all called NASCAR home. This year, however, a new mascot is stacking his claim.

On Friday, the TireMonkey.com primate kicks off his first complete NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season as the mascot for driver Mario Gosselin, competitor in the Daytona International Speedway’s NextEra Energy Resources 250.

TireMonkey.com’s sponsorship helped Gosselin’s No. 12 Chevrolet Silverado compete in three NCWTS races in 2009, but Daytona marks the start of his first complete NCWTS season.

“We’re pretty excited to be here in Daytona, especially after the run we had at Talladega,” Gosselin said Tuesday. “I’m really looking forward to getting back into the swing of things and putting this truck up front.”

Although registration for the NextEra Energy Resources 250 didn’t open until Tuesday, Gosselin’s DGM Race team arrived in Daytona early to race an ARCA car in the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 on Saturday. Competing on the same track that will be used Friday helped the team get a good idea of what they’re up against.

“At Talladega, everyone’s truck handles fairly well, but here, the track is really bumpy and the pavement is older, so you tend to not have as much grip to the track,” Gosselin said. “It’s a lot bigger challenge to get a truck handling good here for a long period of time.”

His team will use Wednesday and Thursday’s practice sessions to concentrate on making sure the No. 12 truck handles well enough to perform throughout Friday’s 100 laps.

Daytona, however, is just the start of a successful season Gosselin is eager to begin with his monkey friend.

“We’re just ready to get started,” Gosselin said. “We’re looking forward to it.”

Experience Friday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race by tuning into the SPEED Channel or Sirius XM Satellite Radio’s Motor Racing Network at 8 p.m. A detailed event schedule is available on the TruckSeries.com Web site.

New NASCAR partnership benefits local tire dealers

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 19:11:00 +0000

Dealers, start your engines!

Ecstatic about TireMonkey.com’s new sponsorship of a winning NASCAR team, company executives want to share the thrilling NASCAR experience with the entire tire industry. By partnering the online tire retailer with premier racing venues, they can now provide monkey network tire dealers with a chance to personally absorb the ear-tingling screech of spinning tires and the heady smell of race exhaust.

One of the first racetracks to partner with TireMonkey.com is the venerable Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania, known for its distinctive, triangle-shaped track. Each dealer member of the TireMonkey.com network supporting driver Mario Gosselin and the company’s No. 12 race team through the “Let’s Go Racing” program earns two free tickets to Pocono’s inaugural NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, the Pocono Mountains 125, on July 31.

Participating dealers are also eligible to win:
• Terrace Club tickets for the Pennsylvania 500 July 30 weekend
• Stockcar Racing Experience rides
• Pace car appearances at local tire dealer shops

Local tire dealers may use the tickets to personally enjoy a race or to create promotional giveaways for their store customers. The dealers will also have access to promotional codes providing customers with discounts on select NASCAR merchandise.

In exchange, the partnership provides Pocono Raceway ticket holders with access to discounts on TireMonkey.com inventory, name brand tires already marked with the Internet’s lowest prices.

Raceway officials said they struck the deal because they were inspired by the Edenton, NC-based Internet company’s innovative approach to improving the tire buying experience by supporting local tire dealers.

“There are various different companies that sell tires online but only one that is actually invested in the local dealers that complete the tire buying process,” said Brandon Igdalsky, Pocono Raceway president. “This new dealer-incentive program is a perfect example of how TireMonkey.com strives to give back to the loyal members of its network.”

TireMonkey.com President and CEO Tully Ryan said he’s pleased to be associated with “The Tricky Triangle,” long recognized as one of NASCAR’s most competitive raceways.

“As a new sponsor to a new NASCAR team, we’re fired up about being a part of Pocono’s first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, and as a new partner of the track, we’re committed to helping spread the word about this historic event,” Ryan said. “We’re also confident this partnership will build some real excitement for NASCAR’s existing fans while simultaneously attracting a new audience made up of our extensive network of customers and dealers.”

About Pocono Raceway:

“The Tricky Triangle” is host to two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and ARCA Racing Series races each year and has added a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race in 2010. Pocono Raceway’s 2.5-mile triangular design makes it truly unique. Pocono is the only track on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Circuit with three turns, three different radii and three variant degrees of banking. All that ensures our fans will enjoy some serious action, meanwhile presenting a competitive challenge to the world’s best drivers and their crew chiefs. Pocono strives to create a family atmosphere with increased focus on the Fan Experience. We are Pocono Raceway and this is “The Tricky Triangle.”

In business for over 50 years, Pocono Raceway is family-owned and situated in the beautiful Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. We are located within 300 miles of one-third of the US population and within 90 miles of New York City and Philadelphia. Pocono Raceway is and always will be an attractive option for NASCAR and race fans alike.

MyTireMonkey.com debuts new name, look

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 17:49:00 +0000

Once in awhile, every online shopper’s keyboard-thumping fingers deserve a break. Recognizing that, MyTireMonkey.com executives are doing their part to preserve diligent digits everywhere by ditching two letters and shortening the discount online tire retailer’s name to TireMonkey.com.

All kidding aside, this is a calculated change, said Tully Ryan, president and CEO of the Edenton, N.C.-based company.

“Based on our research and analytics, it’s easier for consumers to recognize ‘TireMonkey.com’ than ‘MyTireMonkey.com,’” Ryan said. “We’re devoted to streamlining shoppers’ online tire buying experience, so switching to something simple just makes sense.”

The official name change will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 10, when the company’s Web site domain becomes www.TireMonkey.com. Afterward, all visits to www.MyTireMonkey.com will automatically redirect to the new site. The switch coincides with a new tagline – “Navigating the Tire Jungle”-- and various Web site functionality improvements making the Internet’s best tire buying experience even better.

Two days later, on Friday, Feb. 12, the TireMonkey.com NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team will compete in the first race of the 2010 season, the NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona International Speedway. Driver Mario Gosselin’s No. 12 Chevrolet Silverado will showcase the new TireMonkey.com logo and tagline as he navigates his way toward the finish line and NASCAR glory.

Household viewers won't miss a second of NCWTS action

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:03:00 +0000

Don’t fret about missing any footage of TireMonkey.com driver Mario Gosselin’s racetrack adventures this year.

The SPEED channel has committed to broadcasting every 2010 NCWTS race, NASCAR officials announced Thursday.

“We have found that when races were not broadcast on SPEED, there was confusion among the fan base on where to find our Camping World Truck Series events,” NASCAR Senior Vice President Paul Brooks wrote in a press release.

The change will eliminate a six-week hiatus for SPEED truck series coverage that would have taken place between the Feb. 12 Daytona race and the April 2 Nashville race, according to NASCAR.

Gosselin and the TireMonkey.com team will kick off the 2010 season at the Daytona International Speedway.

NCWTS household viewership has increased 76 percent since 2003, the first year it was featured on SPEED. Last year marked the most viewed NCWTS season in SPEED history.

Visit NASCAR or SPEED online for the full 2010 NCWTS schedule.

HardCoreRaceFans.com profiles Gosselin

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 17:12:00 +0000

The NASCAR Internet community is still abuzz about Mario Gosselin and his new MyTireMonkey.com sponsorship.

On Wednesday, popular NASCAR news Web site HardcoreRaceFans.com published a profile article on Gosselin describing his impressive climb from a 1990 Pure Stock championship win to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

“He ran in 15 of the 25 races for the Truck Series with a career best finishing position of 6th in the Mountain Dew 250 fueled by Fred’s at Talladega on Halloween,” wrote Lindsey Marks, HardcoreRaceFans.com Truck Series correspondent. “That day was a great one for Gosselin and his No. 12 MyTireMonkey.com Chevy Silverado. The Talladega race was a debut event for the MyTireMonkey.com sponsorship which hopes to keep Gosselin in the Truck Series full time in 2010.”

The article features a headshot of Gosselin and a photo of his daughters dressed as monkeys during the MyTireMonkey.com sponsorship unveiling ceremony at Talladega.

“It has been a long journey for the now 38-year-old Gosselin,” Marks wrote, “but 2010 may finally be the year that he has been waiting for, a chance to run a full NASCAR schedule.”

New Nielsen data proves added monkey TV exposure

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:59:00 +0000

It appears MyTireMonkey.com chose an opportune time to come on board as NASCAR veteran Mario Gosselin’s new sponsor.

According to Nielsen ratings data released by SPEED on Tuesday, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series marked its highest-rated television season ever in 2009 by averaging a Nielsen Household Rating of .81. That means as many as 597,000 households were tuned in to each of the Talladega, Texas and Homestead-Miami races as Gosselin's No. 12 Chevrolet Silverado zipped around with the MyTireMonkey.com monkey on the hood.

MyTireMonkey.com president and CEO Tully Ryan applauded the truck series’ recent success.

“The series’ growing viewership is a testament to the dedication of SPEED broadcasters and NASCAR officials, the competitiveness of the drivers and the loyalty of the fan base,” Ryan said. “We here at MyTireMonkey.com are just excited to be a part of it all.”

The company’s sponsorship, combined with Gosselin’s sixth-place finish at Talladega and his expert maneuvering during spin-outs is garnering added attention from SPEED announcers.

“That team has really come around,” Michael Waltrip said during qualifying for the Homestead-Miami race. “I love what I’m seeing here."

The truck series' 2009 Nielsen rating is up one percent from last year’s .80 rating and 35 percent from the .60 averaged in 2003 during its first year on the network, according to SPEED.

Everyone loves the monkey

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:43:00 +0000

It could be the strange name. Or maybe it’s the adorably goofy mascot. But whatever it is, NASCAR officials, fans and racing aficionados are paying rapt attention to MyTireMonkey.com’s new sponsorship of team Mario Gosselin.

On Friday, during the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Ford 200 at the Homestead-Miami Speedway, traffic to the MyTireMonkey.com Web site skyrocketed, marking an 83 percent increase in activity compared to the same time in October.

That traffic boost is likely related in part to unsolicited endorsements from SPEED TV anchors Rick Allen, Phil Parsons, Michael Waltrip and Darrell Waltrip.

“And now we’ve got MyTireMonkey.com, No. 12, with Mario Gosselin on the racetrack,” Allen announced as Gosselin’s Chevrolet Silverado made its first lap during qualifying Friday.

“They debuted with this new sponsor, Darrell, at Talladega, and finished sixth,” Michael Waltrip said.

“Just exactly what does MyTireMonkey.com do?” Darrell Waltrip asked.

“I got this,” Michael Waltrip said. “I thought yesterday that you got a monkey riding around in your trunk in case your tire gets flat, and he gets out and fixes it. But, actually, you go to MyTireMonkey.com and they get you tires for better prices.”

As the anchors watched, Gosselin managed to qualify 17th with a time of 33.007 seconds and a speed of 163.602 mph.

“That team has really come around,” Michael Waltrip said. “I love what I’m seeing here. This is another story, Phil, that we could follow next year and watch him as he races.”

“Absolutely,” Parsons said. “And MyTireMonkey.com is going to be on board Mario’s truck for next year.”

“So you should go to MyTireMonkey.com to see if you can buy your tires cheaper,” Michael Waltrip said.

Gosselin takes 20th at Homestead

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:13:00 +0000

Giving it all he had on the last lap, Mario Gosselin picked off two trucks to finish 20th in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Ford 200 race at the Homestead-Miami Speedway on Friday.

“I was having a ball,” said the No. 12 MyTireMonkey.com driver after the race. “I hated to see that caution come out. I was ready to go get me a couple more.”

Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 truck, won the race.

Earlier Friday, a qualifying lap speed of 163.602 mph earned Gosselin the 17th starting spot. Gosselin finished that lap in 33.007 seconds, 0.912 seconds slower than the fastest truck, Colin Braun’s No. 6 Ford.

Gosselin spent most of the first part of the Ford 200 race edging around 20th place. His team expertly changed all four tires during a lap 32 pit stop and then refueled the Chevrolet Silverado during lap 33.

Initially, it seemed Gosselin’s big break arrived during lap 60 when most of the leading drivers chose to pull in for a pit stop and replace tires. Gosselin’s tires were still in good shape, however, and deciding to hold off boosted his truck from 18th place to 5th place.

“Buckle in tight,” Gosselin said. “I guess we’ll see what we’ve got. I’m going to try to make the most of it.”

But then Gosselin’s tires began to deteriorate, and he inched behind until settling back to 22nd place by lap 80. His team replaced all four tires during a lap 117 pit stop and then – because there were still tires to spare – again on lap 130.

Gosselin decided to make picking off the No. 39 and No. 60 trucks his final goal. And he accomplished it.

“We’re coming down the front stretch and the No. 4 truck blew a radiator hose or something,” Gosselin said later. “I see water, I see a trail about this wide. I thought, ‘Well, if I straddle it and go to the outside of the trail, I’ll be OK.’ No. 60 turned into the trail and got loose. I just went right through it and turned – no problem.”

The Ford 200 race marked the end of the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season. Stay pumped until February when the 2010 season kicks off at the Daytona Superspeedway.

Fans salute Gosselin

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 02:01:00 +0000

Whether in the garage or on the track, Mario Gosselin’s No. 12 MyTireMonkey.com racing team is turning fans’ heads and capturing their hearts.

One fan, Guntersville, AL resident Cody Higginbotham, made a tribute video of Gosselin’s Talladega race. The video features photos from the race set in a slideshow to the Brooks and Dunn tune “Brand New Man.”

Higginbotham is also the creator of a Mario Gosselin fan message board.

"I've been a huge Mario Gosselin fan since 2003 when I watched him in the ARCA Re/Max Series," said Higginbotham, 18. "Mario is an awesome guy, and I got to hang out with the team on race day at Talladega which was really really cool. It was my first time meeting Mario as well, so that was a dream come true. Hopefully in 2010 I can make it to a lot more races."

Fans: Send your Mario Gosselin / MyTireMonkey.com photos, videos and comments to info@mytiremonkey.com for posting on this blog. Include your name and city and state, and we’ll give you credit!