CRL announces Pole Award sponsors for Developmental/Dirt Divisions, cuts Modified Division schedule to 20 races in 2012

At a press briefing at the CRL headquarters in Charlotte, league president Josh McCollum announced that the league has found sponsors for the Pole Awards in the brand new Developmental and Dirt Divisions. Simple Green will sponsor the Developmental Division's Pole Award, signing a three-year contract to do so, and Tide will sponsor the Dirt Division's Pole Award, ironing out a five-year deal.

McCollum says Simple Green approached him about the Developmental Division.

"When we first announced the Developmental Division, Simple Green called and asked if we were looking for a sponsor for their Pole Award, and we said yes," McCollum stated. "That made it easier on us, and we got them for the first three years."

The Tide sponsorship is one of irony, which McCollum was looking for.

"When we announced the Dirt Division, I was thinking of Pole Award sponsors, and I wanted something ironic. I thought a detergent or a soap would be perfect, and that's how we found Tide."

McCollum also made a much-anticipated announcement regarding the Modified Division - its schedule is to be cut back to 20 races for 2012.

"A lot of our fans said there were too many races, and we agree, so we've cut our schedule down to 20 races in 2012."

Among venues being dropped are Phoenix International Raceway, Salem Speedway, Walt Disney World Speedway (which never got to hold its race), North Wilkesboro Speedway and Bristol Motor Speedway. Dover International Speedway has also been dropped, but the CRL will make up for that round by going to West Virginia Speedway, another one-mile oval.

As for the inaugural CRL Global Cup, this now means that the international races will be held every three rounds on the schedule, starting with Japan in round three, Australia in round six, Italy in round nine, England in round 12 and Brazil in round 15.

The Developmental Division will run 14 races in 2012, all of them in conjunction with the big division. The Developmental Division will not run at the international venues, or at the British Columbia Grand Prix.

McCollum says all three schedules are almost set.