Saturday, March 24, 2012
Friday, March 23, 2012
Hamlin, teammate Ky. Busch on Fontana first row @ACSUPDATES @DENNYHAMLIN @KYLEBUSCH http://ping.fm/OV71j
Gordon feeling pressure to get best from his cars @JeffGordonWeb @TeamHendrick nascar http://ping.fm/Fx2ay
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Charlotte Tax Preparer Shut Down
Charlotte Tax Preparer Shut Down:
After a series of Eyewitness News reports, North Carolina investigators shut down a local tax preparer.
The North Carolina Attorney General's office ruled Instant Tax Service was deceptive and broke the law.
"Finally. Thank God," Shantay Goldston said when she learned about the injunction.
Eyewitness News first broke the story in January when hundreds of people lined up outside Instant Tax
According to court documents, the company got customers to take out instant loans, and then workers filed returns without their knowledge or permission. Often times, the returns were inaccurate. The state found workers did not disclose customers about prices
Goldston ended up paying $890 to file her taxes and she still hasn't received her state return.
"It's not right. They take away from a lot of people who think they are a legitimate business," Goldston said.
The complaint said the owner, Eden Kidane, preyed on people in poorer areas in and near Charlotte.
The state filed a permanent injunction against three locations Kidane owns, including the businesses on Freedom Drive and West Boulevard in Charlotte, and
While Goldston was relieved to hear the company was being shut down, she's dealing with another headache now.
"My federal was even wrong because I just got something from the IRS saying I'm being audited," she said.
Because of state law, the company will have to repay many customers. Instant Tax Service is liable for civil penalties in an amount equal to three times the amount of the refund anticipation loan (RAL).
If you were a victim, call the Attorney General's office at 1-877-NO-SCAM.
After a series of Eyewitness News reports, North Carolina investigators shut down a local tax preparer.
The North Carolina Attorney General's office ruled Instant Tax Service was deceptive and broke the law.
"Finally. Thank God," Shantay Goldston said when she learned about the injunction.
Eyewitness News first broke the story in January when hundreds of people lined up outside Instant Tax
According to court documents, the company got customers to take out instant loans, and then workers filed returns without their knowledge or permission. Often times, the returns were inaccurate. The state found workers did not disclose customers about prices
Goldston ended up paying $890 to file her taxes and she still hasn't received her state return.
"It's not right. They take away from a lot of people who think they are a legitimate business," Goldston said.
The complaint said the owner, Eden Kidane, preyed on people in poorer areas in and near Charlotte.
The state filed a permanent injunction against three locations Kidane owns, including the businesses on Freedom Drive and West Boulevard in Charlotte, and
While Goldston was relieved to hear the company was being shut down, she's dealing with another headache now.
"My federal was even wrong because I just got something from the IRS saying I'm being audited," she said.
Because of state law, the company will have to repay many customers. Instant Tax Service is liable for civil penalties in an amount equal to three times the amount of the refund anticipation loan (RAL).
If you were a victim, call the Attorney General's office at 1-877-NO-SCAM.
TurnerMotorspts: RT @JamesBuescher: Talking to SPEED @TurnerMotorspts shop. http://t.co/Y6ZedsOf
RT @JamesBuescher: Talking to SPEED @TurnerMotorspts shop. twitter.com/JamesBuescher/…
— Turner Motorsports (@TurnerMotorspts) March 21, 2012
via twitter.com
Former Secret Service agent hired as DNC security director
By Tim Funk
Organizers of September’s Democratic convention in Charlotte have hired a former Secret Service agent to be their security director.
Ohio native Tom Rosfelder, who logged 26 years with the U.S. Secret Service, will work with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and the Secret Service – the lead agencies responsible for developing the security plan for the 2012 Democratic National Convention.
“He is well versed in the many issues we’re going to have to deal with,” convention CEO Steve Kerrigan said Wednesday.
During his career as an officer, special agent and supervisor with the Secret Service, Rosfelder gained extensive experience protecting dignitaries, including U.S. presidents and vice presidents, DNCC spokeswoman Joanne Peters said in a statement.
Rosfelder was recently responsible for managing the Cleveland Electronic Crimes Task Force and the Cleveland/ Northern Ohio Organized Crime Task Force. He’s also served as an instructor at the International Law Enforcement Academy in Budapest, Hungary.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Howard says he's staying with Orlando
Dwight Howard said he "got some bad advice" and apologized to Orlando fans for the "circus" he's caused with his decision to stay.Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty ImagesOrlando center Dwight Howard reversed course yet again in the early Thursday morning hours, telling RealGM.com that he would remain with the Magic next season.
The latest surprising statement came just hours before today's 3 p.m. ET trade deadline, though it means nothing unless Howard and his agent agree in writing to waive the early termination option on his contract. If that takes place, the Magic would likely opt against trading their franchise centerpiece and he would play out the final season of his deal (worth $19.5 million). According to the website, that's what Howard plans to do Thursday.
"Man, listen, you know my heart, my soul and everything I have is in Orlando," Howard told RealGM. "I just can't leave it behind.
"I have gotten some bad advice. I apologize for this circus I have caused to the fans of our city. They didn't deserve none of this. I'm sorry from the bottom of my heart. I will do whatever I can to make this right and do what I was put in Orlando to do."
A source who spoke with Howard after his interview with RealGM told SI.com that he reiterated the same message, saying he would return for next season and waive his early termination option. Yet as we learned on Wednesday, the words mean nothing unless Howard and his agent, Dan Fegan, sign the documents.
Sources close to the situation told SI.com earlier Wednesday that Howard was being pressured by his representatives to enter free agency. That influence was a point of frustration for the Magic, as Howard would routinely express a willingness to stay only to reverse course after consulting with his agency. Howard's current agent is not on the books for his current contract and would not be paid on his client unless there is a new deal.
The Dwight debacle had reached a new low late Wednesday, when Howard and Fegan informed Magic officials that he would not commit to returning next season just hours after he told them that he would.
It was a dramatic about-face that could not have been worse for Howard's already-battered image, setting the stage for a possible exit that would rival LeBron James' exodus from Cleveland when it comes to public relations disasters.
The Magic were being teased and tantalized by the indecisive Howard one final time, and it appeared the stance that they began the day with would back in play: without any assurances that he'll stay beyond this season, sources had said the team was prepared to trade him before the deadline. Yet if anything has proven true when it comes to the NBA's latest circus of the star, it's that certainties are hard to come by. Sources said Howard's refusal to commit in writing isn't necessarily an indication that he doesn't want to remain with the Magic, and the chance remains that they will, as Howard put it, "roll the dice" and keep him past Thursday.
According to sources, Howard told the Magic earlier in the day that he would be willing to waive the early termination option on his contract that allowed him to become a free agent this summer and play out the final year on his deal (worth $19.5 million). But the Magic told Howard that they would need a waiver of the early termination option in writing to be signed by both him and his agent and issued said documents to him, and then they waited as the afternoon wore on for the paperwork that never came. His change of heart came in a conference call that took place before Orlando played at San Antonio.
Before the latest development, sources made it clear the Magic were prepared to trade Howard before Thursday's deadline unless he gave a commitment beyond this season. Team officials took great exception to Howard's comments Tuesday night that the Magic needed to "roll the dice" on his future by not trading him, and -- as was first reported by ESPN.com -- the team appeared determined to do a deal unless he offered some assurances in the form of the final year of his deal.
"[The Magic] can't assume all the risk," one source said early Wednesday. "There's just no way the [Shaquille O'Neal] situation is going to happen all over again. That's the undercurrent here."
While anything could change in this debacle that has overshadowed the Magic's stellar season, sources had said owner Rich DeVos is resigned to the reality that he needs to get something in return for Howard if he won't offer a commitment. DeVos lost O'Neal to the Lakers when he was a free agent in 1996, but the frustration this time around is far greater because of the way in which the Magic have handled Howard.
The financial considerations that drove O'Neal away are a non-factor, as the Magic are prepared to give Howard a five-year, maximum contract. They have tried aggressively to surround him with talent in recent years, as well, and even given him some say in personnel moves. Yet no matter how much Howard wants to have it all -- to finish the season with his surging team while avoiding the gutting of rosters of teams he might wind up on via trade -- the Magic want the commitment that they might be close to getting.
Meanwhile, Nets general manager Billy King is well aware he could risk losing Howard this summer via free agency if he doesn't find a way to land him now. Sources also say the Lakers and even the Knicks are among the teams who have engaged with the Magic in recent days.
Howard has told close friends that he doesn't want to play for the Lakers, but deals have been discussed between the two teams with the shared hope that he would change his stance.
While Golden State's trade for Milwaukee center Andrew Bogut on Tuesday took the Warriors out of the running for Howard in what would have been a "rental" situation, Houston remains willing to trade for Howard without any assurances that he will re-sign.
Chicago has been hopeful that Howard would agree to sign with the Bulls long-term, but a deal on that front remains unlikely unless that changes. As a result, the Magic have to engage in trade talks and will do so until the paperwork is filed.
Rivers: Playing Manning-led Broncos twice a year would be 'fun'
San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers said he would welcome the competition in the AFC West if Peyton Manning joined the Denver Broncos.
"I have to admit, and maybe people think I'm crazy, but I really hope it's Denver," Rivers told during a Wednesday radio interview on XEPRS-AM.
"It would immediately make it that much tougher to win the West. Gosh, to play him twice a year, the AFC West would become a division that's not lost in the shuffle," Rivers said. "I'm kind of hoping that's the case It's always fun to play a Peyton-led football team."
Rivers also said he was sorry to lose receiver Vincent Jackson, who signed a five-year contract Tuesday with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"I'm happy for him. He earned the contract he got. He put in seven good years here. I certainly enjoyed playing with him...." Rivers said. "It's unfortunate but on the bright side, we were able to make some counter moves, bring in a receiver like (former Saints wideout Robert) Meachem that's pretty diverse and special."
In addition to praising the acquisition of the speedy Meachem, Rivers cited the retention of center Nick Hardwick and tackle Jared Gaither. "The biggest two things we've done is get Hardwick and Gaither (re-)signed. I think that was huge."
via nfl.com
Roush Fenway to run Bayne in No. 60 at Bristol @TBAYNE21 @NASCAR_NNS
-->Roush Fenway to run Bayne in No. 60 at Bristol
By Mark Aumann, NASCAR.COM
March 13, 2012 4:38 PM, EDTtype size: + -
Trevor Bayne has been entered for Saturday's Ford EcoBoost 300 Nationwide Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway. The No. 60 Ford was added to the Nationwide Series entry list on Tuesday (Bristol Entry List).
Bayne finished fourth at Las Vegas, and is currently fourth in the points. However, all of Bayne's races in 2012 have been run without sponsorship -- and the Las Vegas race was scheduled to be his last guaranteed Nationwide start this season.
However, Roush Fenway Racing officials apparently had a change of heart and have confirmed that Bayne will be going to Bristol. The entry was approved by NASCAR competition before the weekly deadline, allowing Bayne to receive any points he might earn in Saturday's event.
The 21-year-old native of Knoxville, Tenn., is currently planning to run approximately 19 races between his Cup deal with the Wood Brothers and his Nationwide schedule for Jack Roush.
However, Bayne is not alone at RFR when it comes down to needing to find sponsorship. Nationwide Series champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has just two partial-season sponsors and Daytona 500 winner Matt Kenseth has primary sponsors lined up for only about half of the 36-race Cup schedule.
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} var gPlusHover = false; function shareBarLoaded(eventObj) { gigya.services.socialize.getProviderShareCounts(gigyaConf,{URL:location.href, callback:nscrLoadCounts}); /* only duplicate the sharebar for stories */ if (typeof(cnnTextClasses) != 'undefined' || typeof(clickExpire) != 'undefined') { setTimeout('nscrDuplicateShare()',10000); } } function nscrDuplicateShare() { var shareBar = $('#nscrShareBarTop').html(); if ($(shareBar)[1]) { shareBar = $(shareBar)[0]; } $('#nscrShareBarBot').html(shareBar).show(); nscrCheckShareCounts(); //nscrCapturePlusOneClicks(); } function nscrCheckShareCounts() { if ($('.nscrShareComment span').length > 0) { $('.nscrShareComment span').each(function() { if ($(this).text().length > 1) { $(this).parent().show(); } }); } else { setTimeout('nscrCheckShareCounts()',1000); } } function nscrCapturePlusOneClicks() { } function nscrLoadCounts(response) { if (response.errorCode == 0) { if (response.shareCounts.facebook >= 10) { $('.gig-button-container-facebook .nscrShareComment').css('display','block').find('span').text(response.shareCounts.facebook); 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Knights to make pitch for stadium money #CLT #CHARLOTTE #QUEENCITY
The Charlotte Knights baseball team is expected to ask the City Council’s economic development committee today for financial help in building a planned minor-league stadium in Third Ward.
City Council member James Mitchell, the committee chairman, has previously said he thought the Knights might ask for $7-$11 million toward the $55 million stadium.
The economic development committee meeting is set for 3 p.m. today in room 280 of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center, 600 E. Fourth St. in uptown. According to an agenda for the meeting, no action is required of the committee today after the presentation that is described as an update on the Knight’s progress on the planned stadium in Center City.
The Knights, a triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, currently play in Fort Mill, S.C. But the team has been trying to return to Charlotte for about a decade. The team has not yet lined up full financing for the project, which was delayed by a number of factors including lawsuits and the economy.
The Knights have a lease with Mecklenburg County to build a 10,000-seat stadium on county land bounded by South Graham, West Fourth and South Mint streets and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. The county has previously approved up to $8 million for infrastructure work related to the stadium.
Under a lease extension approved by commissioners last year, the Knights cannot ask the county for additional money toward stadium construction. It also requires the team to make certain benchmarks, including securing at least two major corporate or “founding level” sponsors by March and submit a full financial plan for the stadium by June 30.
A recent study by UNC Charlotte professor John Connaughton suggested a new Knights stadium would be an economic boost for the community, including supporting 490 jobs in Mecklenburg County.
But some other economists are skeptical about whether an uptown stadium for the Knights would translate into a significant number of new jobs, apart from an increase in part-time ticket-takers, ushers and restaurant workers.
Q&A with Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel
Drivers always head to Australia hoping their new cars will race well on their debut, but safe in the knowledge that the unusual nature of Albert Park means it’s not a predictor of season-long form. Reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel, however, seems oblivious. Bernie Ecclestone has already tipped him for the 2012 title, and his Red Bull RB8 - which he has named ‘Abbey’ - looks to be ready for anything…
Q: What is it that you like doing when coming to Australia?
Sebastian Vettel: Usually we come here very early compared to other races, as we want to get used to the time zone and the weather conditions, as it is a bit warmer than in Europe, which is nice. We all love coming here; it is a fantastic place to be. Melbourne is a great city and there are a few things that you might do again and again, but also there are a lot of new things that you want to explore.Q: Being a two-time world champion, what does that give you? Confidence or peace of mind?
SV: The situation is a little bit like last year. Of course it means a lot to us, winning the championship. If you have done it once, it means that no one can take it away from you anymore, but that doesn’t mean that we wouldn’t want to do it again. The only reason for us being here is because we want to win. Besides the nice atmosphere and the nice people, we are here to race and ultimately to win. This year it is not so easy to tell what could happen, as it seems to be very close and hard to pinpoint which team looks strong. Personally I think that we have a good car. Although first we need to find out where we stand compared to the other teams, which is the same I guess for everyone else. During testing it was a little bit of up and down for everyone, if you look at the timesheets, which makes it a bit hard to predict.Q: If it is harder to predict this year, would you say that it makes it more interesting for you then?
SV: I have to say that even last year, it was much closer than the results in the end may have shown. If you are ahead of Jenson (Button) by only nine-thousandths of a second, this is not a big gap. Still, this is only the beginning of the season. It is March now and we finish in November, so there are a lot of races to finish.Q: There are now six world champions in the starting field. Do you rate your own chances as the best, or someone else’s?
SV: Unpredictable. It might be all of them, or none, or even someone completely different. Mercedes is definitely closer this year, so Nico (Rosberg) and Michael (Schumacher). Michael has enough titles for both of them (laughs). It could be very interesting or it could be very boring. We don’t know yet, luckily. As they say, when the flag drops the bullsh*t stops.Q: What have you done off-season to be able to maintain the gap and stay ahead of the other drivers?
SV: If you rest and stop moving forward, you will end up going backwards. But this is not any different in other fields, as it is in Formula One. The winter break was good to get away from Formula One a little bit and recharge the batteries.Q: Is there anything that you particularly like about the new car that you have experienced while testing?
SV: There are a lot of hidden features that you cannot see at first glance. The nose is something, though none of the teams is very happy about that, and probably we’ll get used to it by the end of the season and then get rid of it for next year.For tickets and travel to 2012 Formula One races, click here.
For Formula One and F1 team merchandise, click here.
via formula1.com
Q&A with McLaren's Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton’s 2011 Australian Grand Prix started badly - a prelude to the bad (by his standards) season that followed. But 2012 is another year, and even though having arguably the best-looking car on the grid does not guarantee success, it must boost one’s spirits. Hamilton certainly seems on good form in Melbourne, as he prepares to start his bid for a second drivers’ title…
Q: Lewis, how are you feeling after the winter break at the beginning of the season?
Lewis Hamilton: I feel great and I am really happy to be here. For me it is a new and fresh start. The team has worked massively hard to prepare a great car for this season. I myself feel in great shape, so we can start competing against the others.Q: Compared to the last test in Barcelona, is the car any different to back then?
LH: It is basically the same car, although we have analysed a lot of data, and we have a rough direction where we want to go to with the new updates that are coming. We have a good understanding of how we want to set the car up. So it was just about making sure that we set the car up the best way we possibly could do for the first race. For us drivers it was about making sure that we keep our heads straight and our feet on the ground.Q: There are now six world champions on the grid. How do you feel about that?
LH: I feel massively proud to be amongst those great names and great human beings. I think it will be a massive competition amongst the other five and me, and not to forget the other strong racers in the field. I hope to stay much longer in this pack of racers.Q: The McLaren seems to be the most beautiful car on the grid. Do you think it is amongst the fastest as well?
LH: This we will find out only in the next couple of days, when we run in similar conditions and on similar fuel levels as well. Of course our aim is very high, as we always want to be the best and the fastest. I am very happy that we have a normal looking car, and everyone else has an odd looking car. Hopefully we do not have a single dominant car in the field, so that no team is dominating the series, which makes it harder for us drivers to show our skills and talents.Q: What is it that you particularly like about Melbourne?
LH: I love the circuit, as it is more a street circuit. Also the people and the country itself are massively welcoming. Since I have been watching Formula One it has always started its season in Australia, so also for me this is the place to start.Q: You said yourself that you had a very difficult year last year. How do you leave all of that behind?
LH: You always have to keep your head up and never stop pushing. You have to work really closely with the people that can help you bring the results that you need to be competitive in this environment.For tickets and travel to 2012 Formula One races, click here.
For Formula One and F1 team merchandise, click here.
via formula1.com
Finance firm exits Ballantyne for University City
A financial services firm that was an original tenant of Ballantyne Corporate Park said Wednesday it is relocating its Charlotte operations to Innovation Park, the upstart office campus in University City.
AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company, a New York-based company with its Charlotte operations in Ballantyne since 1998, signed a lease to move next year to Innovation Park, which sits on the sprawling campus built by IBM in the 1970s. Terms of the lease weren’t disclosed.
The move comes amid intense competition in the Charlotte real estate market for office tenants.
The 535-acre Ballantyne Corporate Park is nearing completion on two new, 10-story office buildings, which together make up the largest speculative office project in the nation.
Innovation Park, which comprises 200 acres within University Research Campus, had IBM’s high-tech infrastructure, and is undergoing $30 million in renovations.
Innovation Park first approached AXA Equitable in January, but the company wasn’t interested at the time, according to Mercedes Merritt, director of leasing for the company that owns Innovation Park.
Following multiple visits to Innovation Park – which has outdoor nature lounges, a gym, and services such as a day-care partnership and dry-cleaning deliveries – the finance firm signed on earlier this week, Merritt said. She and others from the northeast campus spent Wednesday at AXA Equitable, speaking to 750 employees.
Innovation Park will be more than 60 percent leased once AXA Equitable moves in May 2013.
“We chose the Innovation Park location for a number of reasons, including its state-of-the-art work environment featuring a full range of attractive amenities for our employees,” AXA Equitable said in a statement.
Ned Curran, president and CEO of The Bissell Cos., developer of Ballantyne Corporate Park, said in a statement that Bissell is delighted AXA Equitable remains “committed to Charlotte.”
Innovation Park’s quoted rates are far lower than Ballantyne’s – between $16 and $18 per square foot, compared to Ballantyne Corporate Park’s rates in the $22.50 to $27 per square foot range, according to real estate analyst Andrew Jenkins with Karnes Research in Charlotte.
“Just assuming that they pay the lower rates, respectively, they would be saving approximately $1.1 million annually at Innovation Park,” Jenkins said.
The relocation is being touted as a coup by Innovation Park. Purchased two years ago by a Rockville, Md. firm specializing in buying distressed properties, the once-bustling 200-acre IBM campus had passed through two owners before being bought by BECO Management. Its spinoff company, BECO South, runs the business park.
Existing tenants at Innovation Park include IBM, Siemens Energy, Aon Hewitt insurance services, and Areva, a nuclear power company.
“When my partners and I purchased the property in early 2010, it was a sad, tired skeleton of what had once been the vibrant, bustling IBM campus,” said Chris Epstein, president of BECO South, in a statement.
“We set out to bring the site back to life, and…transform Innovation Park into an energizing ‘must see, must be’ destination.”
Firefighters kick in door of burning northwest Charlotte home
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Mt. Holly\u002DHuntersville Rd.Firefighters kick in door of burning northwest Charlotte homeSponsored Links
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CHARLOTTE, N.C. —
Firefighters broke down the door of a burning home in northwest Charlotte.
Flames could be seen shooting from the roof of a vacant home on Mt. Holly-Huntersville Road around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Firefighters have not said what caused the fire.
They said although nobody lived there, power was connected to the home.
via wsoctv.com
Texas baby missing for 8 years found, will go home
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Sunday, March 11, 2012
Dillon, Whitt forge friendship amidst competition
-->Dillon, Whitt forge friendship amidst competition
ROY contenders come from different backgrounds but find common ground
By Jill Erwin, NASCAR.COM
March 09, 2012 6:41 PM, ESTtype size: + -
LAS VEGAS -- In terms of NASCAR experience and history with the sport, you'd be hard pressed to find two more opposite drivers than Austin Dillon and Cole Whitt.
One is a legacy driver driving for his legendary grandfather's team in a car bearing the iconic No. 3. The other is a driver with 33 national-series starts in NASCAR who found his ride for this year in late December and is still largely figuring out his way around the garage.
But under the intense spotlight that comes with battling for the Nationwide Series rookie title, the two have formed an unlikely but fruitful friendship based on age, background and current standing in the sport. The two are also quickly staking claim to being the leaders of the next generation of Nationwide stars.
"He's obviously made a name in this sport," Whitt said of Dillon. "He's pretty cool and he's been really nice to me. I'm fairly new to this sport and he's been in the sport his whole life, so it's two different perspectives. At the same time, we both come from a little bit of a background, so I think that's pat of why we get along so good.
"Hopefully me and him are the only two who battle this out, because I feel like if I don't deserve it, he does. Hopefully we'll have some fun with it."
Dillon doesn't disagree. He knew from the get-go it was going to be him and Whitt as the top contenders among those with full-time rides.
And so it has been. True, it's only two weeks into the 34-race season -- and neither will hesitate to mention how early it is to be making grand proclamations -- but the two are both in the top four in the Nationwide points standings. Dillon finished in the top five at both Daytona and Phoenix, joining points leader Elliott Sadler as the only two competing for the series championship to accomplish that feat. Two spots and eight points back is Whitt, who rallied after a 13th-place finish at Daytona to come home fourth at Phoenix.
"I think we'll have to race Cole all year long, both in the points and in the rookie of the year battle," Dillon said. "It will be interesting to see how we separate ourselves throughout the season. Hopefully we keep a good battle to the end of the season, but I think the No. 3 can come out on top."
Dillon is coming off a Camping World Truck Series championship, and Whitt is moving up to Nationwide after finishing third in the Truck rookie battle in 2011. Within the battle brewing between them is one bit that levels the playing field: They're both learning the Nationwide Series.
Prior to this season, Dillon made 11 series starts; Whitt had three. Whitt had never cracked the top 10, while Dillon finished at least that high four times.
So while one has grown up in the sport and the other is something of a Johnny-come-lately, the learning curve is similar for both.
"We're used to taking big swings in the race car with the truck, and the Nationwide car takes very minute changes," Dillon said of his crew chief, Danny Stockman, who moved up with him. "I think we learned that in Phoenix. We're still learning and we still have a lot to learn and that's why I feel like we're going to have a good season.
"We're rookies and we're learning so it can really only go up from here. It's been a good start; we just need to keep it going."
Dillon credits Stockman for knowing exactly the feel the driver wants in the car. Whitt doesn't have that luxury. His deal with JR Motorsports came together just before the end of the year and so he and crew chief Tony Eury Sr. are still in the beginning stage of relationship-building.
"We struggled a little bit [at Phoenix] with the car; just me and Pops [Eury] need to get more on the same page," Whitt said. "We just need to keep working with each other. This is a new team and our deal came together pretty late, so me and Pops are just trying to get on the same page."
The two reached a certain level of comfort in the Truck Series but are somewhat starting over while their rivalry continues within the new series. Both have noticed the diversity of the Nationwide Series as well as their places within it.
"You've got young guns and then guys who are also kind of hanging on in the sport," Whitt said. "That's what it's been known for. Being a young driver, you're running against a lot of veterans but you have to deal with a lot of ... I don't know what you'd call it, but it's kind of like ... egos, I guess.
"You've got the old guys trying to push the young guys around, and then you've got the guys who were here for one year and now they feel like they're kind of on the edge of the rookies coming in and they've got to outrun you.
"So you've got a lot of guys that for some reason when you get around them, they seem to run harder. They let someone go by, and then you're there and you show them your nose and they're chopping you or whatever it may be. You've got to earn that respect and just kind of race hard."
For Dillon, he's not as concerned with those in the other cars as he is the driver in his car and the man on his pit box.
"Communication-wise, Stockman and I are still working together trying to figure out stuff," Dillon said. "If we can get it down to a science like we did in the Truck Series, then we should be able to go out there and run like we did in the Truck Series."
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