The 2012 NASCAR season features a major change that you will probably never notice. For the first time in NASCAR’s history, car will be outfitted with fuel-injected rather than carbureted engines. This move was made to bring stock cars more inline with production vehicles. While both carburetors and fuel injectors have been around for a while, all cars produced in the USA  since 1990 have come with fuel-injected engines.

Other than a new technology for pit crews to master, what difference will this change make on racing? Pat Goss explains why the switch might make for more exciting and strategic racing.

So, even if you don’t know a socket wrench from a sock, or the difference between an oil and an air filter, you can now talk with some confidence about NASCAR’s new fuel-injected engines.

#88 Crew Chief Steve Letarte Shares His "Favorite Dale Jr. Story"

The answer to this question has long been under debate, but we say YES! Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans appreciate and admire him not just because he is an amazing athlete, but because he practices good moral behavior as well.

In this video, the crew chief of #88 Chevrolet, Steve Letarte shares with us his memories from the May 2011 Sprint All-Star Race. Steve declares what happened that day to be his “Favorite Dale Jr. Story”. This clip is evidence that small, kind gestures go a long way and that Dale’s actions off the track contribute to his large and growing fan base. We here at CARCHEX, and many others would agree with Steve that Dale is “a great guy, great-hearted guy, great racecar driver, and its fun to be around him.”

To learn more about CARCHEX and to Get Protected, visit www.CARCHEX.com.

CARCHEX Fans and Junior Nation will not be disappointed with the final results

A blogger from SB Nation, one of the largest and fastest-growing networks of fan-centric sport communities, posted a interesting ranking report about 2010 NASCAR crowd noise.

How do measure crowd noise, you ask?

Some of you might be familiar with the process but basically each week SB Nation measured the crowd noise during pre-race driver introductions with a handheld decibel meter. SB Nation compiled the results from 29 NASCAR races during the 2010 season.

Then according to SB Nation, they “gave drivers points based on their finishing order in the weekly top 10. If a driver got the most noise in a given week, he was awarded 10 points; if he finished 10th, he received one point, and so on.”

CARCHEX Fans and Junior Nation will not be surprised by the winner for crowd noise – Dale Earnhardt, Jr. consistently ranked at the top of the list each week.

See the full results below and tell CARCHEX what you think:

Dale Jr. will drive #88 this weekend in both series

JR is revving up for a fast weekend

On May 21, 2010, Dale Earnhardt Jr. fought for a 7th place finish at Bristol. Only five months later JR will be behind the wheel of  #88 in both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series at Thunder Valley. In his last 17 races at Bristol, Earnhardt has finished 11^th or better 14 times.

“In 21 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has scored one win, seven top-five finishes and 12 top-10s” said Hendrick Motorsports.
“The 35-year-old driver has an average finishing position of 11.4 and has completed 98.6 percent of all laps he’s attempted (10,365 of 10,513 total). He has led 743 laps at the .533-mile oval. His 11.4 average finish at Bristol is a personal best for the driver in the Sprint Cup Series.”

In the nationwide race, JR will be driving the Realtree Outfitters/CARCHEX paint scheme on the #88 and is racing with Pops (crew chief Tony Eury Sr.), whose son helped JR to a win at Daytona in 2004.

On the world’s fastest half-mile, anything is possible.

Protect Your Vehicle for the Long Haul

There’s no reason your car can’t drive 150,000 miles trouble free. Just as the key to long life is proper care, the key to a long-lasting vehicle is proper maintenance and driving.  Follow these tips from CARCHEX, and you’ll keep the wind in your face and steep car payments out of your wallet.

Regular Maintenance – Most automakers provide a service schedule for new vehicles, complete with listings according to mileage for when certain maintenance work should be done. These schedules are not just friendly suggestions from the manufacturer, but should be closely followed. Maintaining a schedule to check your vehicle’s oil, brake system, cooling system, and transmission can ensure a longer life.

Practice Appropriate Driving Styles – It may seem like a lot of fun to drive like Dale Earnhardt Jr. and start full throttle, whip around corners, and brake hard. But driving like you’re at Daytona not only kills gas mileage, but prematurely wears out tires, engine, brakes, and the transmission. Slow and steady does not always win the race, but it sure keeps you in the game. So, practice smooth, steady driving to extend the life of your vehicle. Such small changes in your daily driving habits will save hundreds, if not thousands of dollars in repairs and new car costs.

Competent, Trained Technicians – While it may seem appealing to crawl underneath and tinker with your vehicle for a cheap Do-It-Yourself repair, the reality is today’s cars are complex and require the knowledge of skilled technicians. Make sure the person looking under your hood is a trusted source and avoid temptations to play mechanic.  

Personal car maintenance is great, but extended vehicle protection from a company who stands behind their policies is the best way to ensure your vehicle lasts. After the manufacturer’s warranty expires, your car is left unprotected in the face of expensive repairs. CARCHEX Extended Service Protection is A+ accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and assures all the labor and parts costs for your vehicle will be paid by the administrator of your personal plan, protecting your car for the long haul.

Great Finishes From Dale Jr., Coleman Pressley, and Josh Wise!

Here at CARCHEX, we want to extend a big congratulations to Dale Jr. & JR Motorsports for some great weekend performances.

Dale Jr. posted his best finish in nearly three months by placing 7th at the Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, MI on Sunday. This placing jumped him up two places in the series standing to 14th overall! You can read more about  NASCAR’s most popular driver, and CARCHEX spokesman, Dale Jr.’s thoughts on the race here.

Dale Jr. for CARCHEX

Current JR Motorsports team members,  Coleman Pressley and Josh Wise , did it up big this weekend as well, both putting up top-20 finishes at Kentucky!

Great job guys, keep it up!

JR Motorsports taps Coleman Pressley to drive flagship #88 Chevrolet

A third generation NASCAR driver, Coleman Pressley, son of former NASCAR driver Robert Pressley, has been selected by JR Motorsports to jump behind the wheel of the #88 car during the June 5th Nationwide Series race at Nashville Superspeedway.

“We like what we’ve seen in Coleman during his limited time in the Nationwide Series. We’re always looking for young talent and with Jamie [McMurray] out of the car for a few weeks, this gives us the opportunity to put a young guy in there and see how he does. So we’ll have a look at him driving the 88 at Nashville and Kentucky,” said Tony Eury Sr., Crew Chief of the #88.

Pressley has eight career Nationwide Series starts and holds 26 short-track victories. His best finish in a Nationwide event was 15th he received while racing at Darlington with R3 Motorsports.

In addition to the new driver, the #88 will also be sporting a new paint job, featuring JR favorite restaurant, Whisky River and country music star Lee Brice.

CARCHEX, a sponsor of JR Motorsports, would like to wish Pressley and the entire JR Motorsports team the best of luck this weekend at Nashville!

The only blog from CARCHEX dedicated to connecting with our customers and sharing car tips, Dale JR news, and information about the importance of extended vehicle protection, otherwise known as an extended vehicle warranty.

You’ve landed at the new blog for CARCHEX – CARCHEX Cares. Why CARCHEX Cares?

That’s an easy one. We care about you, your car and your experience working with our team. We also care A LOT about Dale Earnhardt Jr. CARCHEX sponsors the #88 car owned by JR Motorsports in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

This site will give us a chance to interact and provide tips, news and information aimed at helping consumers get the most out their car. CARCHEX Cares will feature:

· Car care tips and videos from Pat Goss from TV’s MotorWeek. Pat is the real deal. He has owned garages for decades and also has more than 30 years of experience talking about car maintenance on radio and TV.

· The latest updates from Dale Jr.’s JR Motorsports, featuring the #88 car in the Nationwide Series, of which CARCHEX is a sponsor. 

· More – customer testimonials; links to interesting articles; videos featuring our team; and the latest news from NASCAR and its most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

For those of you finding us for the first time, CARCHEX offers extended vehicle protection, which some people refer to as an extended car warranty. These are perfect for consumers who own vehicles that have outlived their original warranty and want to protect their investment for the long term. An extended vehicle warranty insures against painful visits to the mechanic that can result in huge bills.

Our brand promise at CARCHEX is “customer experience above all.” If you feel like we could be doing something differently or better, let us know what we can do to make you feel like you’re getting the best service possible. And if you’re shopping for an extended vehicle warranty, we’d love to work with you.