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Friday, June 26, 2009

Robby Gordon to drop appeal: Driver/owner Robby Gordon says he has opted not to appeal the 50-point penalty levied against his Robby Gordon Motorsports team May 27 for having exceeded the maximum specified toe of plus or minus 1 degree during the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Spedway. Gordon was penalized 50 owner and 50 driver points, while crew chief Kirk Almquist was fined $50,000 and placed on probation until Dec. 31. The driver/owner said he was going to appeal but has changed his mind and opted not to go through the NASCAR appeals process. “I’m not going to appeal,” Gordon said Friday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway when asked whether he had had his appeal prior to getting in his car for practice.(SceneDaily.com)

New Hampshire Motorsports Speedway unveils "Milo" the mascot: New Hampshire Motor Speedway now has a fan-friendly mascot to match its 1.058-mile oval superspeedway. The Mile Oval Moose, known affectionately as "Milo," will start his new job at the speedway this weekend and is sure to be a fan favorite. A long-time resident of New Hampshire, "Milo" loves racing and entertaining. Attracted to speed and handy with tools for every job right down to changing a light bulb, "Milo" is a natural fit at the speedway. Equipped with his own special racing helmet, "Milo" is a force of nature behind the wheel as well. Whether in the pits tuning up a car or roaming the grandstands with the fans, Milo can be found anywhere and everywhere at the speedway on race weekend; just look for the antlers. A video of "Milo's" press conference introduction with NASCAR Spring Cup Series driver Jeff Burton can be seen at NHMS.com. To purchase tickets to the New Hampshire Motor Speedway LENOX Industrial Tools 301 and SYLVANIA 300 weekends, please call our Ticket Hotline at (603) 783-4931 or visit the speedway online at www.nhms.com. (PR)

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Mayfield denies taking methamphetamines: Jeremy Mayfield denied Thursday ever taking methamphetamines, doesn't know how he failed a random drug test and said his indefinite suspension from NASCAR has ruined his driving career. Mayfield's denial comes in an affidavit that was among several hundred pages of documents filed by his attorneys in U.S. District Court. He's been suspended since May 9 for failing a random drug test conducted eight days earlier at Richmond International Raceway. "I have never taken methamphetamines in my life, and when accused of taking them I immediately volunteered to give another sample,'' Mayfield said in the affidavit, which also says his offer of a second sample was denied. (AP/SI.com)

Bobby Labonte blames struggles on switching teams: Bobby Labonte thinks his struggles this year are just part of getting accustomed to working a new team.He left financially-strapped Petty Enterprises after last season and was worried that he would not have a job in 2009 before he landed with Hall of Fame/Yates in January. The struggles have resulted in just four finishes of 20th or better in the 16 races this season. "The guys that are up front have been together for a long time," Labonte said. "(Points leader) Tony Stewart is probably an exception, but they've got a lot of good people there. So whether it's the new car or old car, this year or last year, it's still an example of the team building, and the characteristics and personalities of everybody there to make it better and not try to tear anything down. Those guys make changes, but they're strong enough to make them in the right direction. Team is really important to keep yourself going in the right direction week-in and week-out, to make small steps better than trying to go one step forward and two steps back." (High Point Enterprise)

Newman to race in NE Midget Assoc. race & Whelen Modified Race: In addition to piloting the No. 39 Haas Automation/U.S. Army Chevy in the Lenox Industrial Tools 301 Sprint Cup race at New Hampshire on Sunday, Ryan Newman will compete in two other races during the course of the weekend. On Friday night, Newman will be behind the wheel of the No. 39 Helping Hands of America/Hot Pepper Promotions Winged- Midget racecar in the North East Midget Association race at Lee Speedway. Then, on Saturday, Newman will drive the #7NY Aggressive Hydraulics Modified in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Newman has driven twice previously for car owners Kevin “Bono” Manion and Gary Putnam in the Modified ranks, his only two starts in a Modified. Newman’s first-ever Modified race was at New Hampshire last September.(Stewart Haas Racing)(6-25-2009)

NASCAR cuts support for Urban Youth Racing School: In 11 years of existence the Urban Youth Racing School has become a presence in NASCAR. With NASCAR trying to stimulate its diversity and create new fans, UYRS students have interned with NASCAR racing teams and visited racetracks. Two years ago, Rick Wagoner, then chairman of General Motors, was the keynote speaker at the school's annual dinner in Philadelphia. Mike Helton, NASCAR's president, has attended the annual dinner. According to Anthony Martin, the school's founder and executive director, NASCAR has contributed about $250,000 over the past 7 or 8 years to the school. Now, however, the school has no affiliation with NASCAR. What happened? "NASCAR has decided to work with some other youth racing organizations," Marcus Jadotte, NASCAR's managing director of public affairs, said yesterday from the organization's headquarters in Daytona Beach, Fla. "In this period of limited budgets, we're not able to continue working with the Urban Youth Racing School as we have in the past." (Philadelphia Daily News)

Jamie McMurray's No. 26 crew visits VJGC: Before the No. 26 IRWIN Industrial Tools pit crew travels to New Hampshire this weekend for Sunday's LENOX Industrial Tools 301, members of the pit crew traveled to Randleman, NC for the Victory Junction Gang Camp's weekly "NASCARnival" event. The No. 26 team visited the camp on Tuesday, June 23rd and had the opportunity dine, dance, and demonstrate pit stops to the campers. Members of the team in attendance were: Sean Meckelson (jackman), Bryan Huitt (front tire carrier), Kevin Novak (front tire changer), Chris Tompkins (rear tire changer), Ben Surface (rear tire carrier), Wesley Lape (tire specialist), Ryan Flores (tire support), Chris Brady (fuel runner), and Jim Watson (driver assist - 8th man). The team arrived at the camp Tuesday afternoon and had the opportunity to tour the facility before they were invited to dine with the campers. Following dinner, the campers entertained the Roush Fenway crew by teaching them dance moves to their favorite songs. After the entertainment, the No. 26 team demonstrated their lightening-fast pit stops with a series of demonstrations for the campers.(Roush Fenway PR)

Don't be suprised if Tony Stewarts adds a third Cup team: Tony Stewart, who leads the points standings in his first year as an owner-driver, is considering adding a third team to his operation. On Friday Stewart told SceneDaily.com: "That's not something that I think five or six weeks ago that we would have felt comfortable saying but, I mean, I think right now we're in a position where I think we would be very open to listening to potential sponsors and opportunities to possibly grow." If we were talking about any owner other than Tony Stewart, I would suggest that such an idea was the result of the owner-driver having hit his head one too many times on the roll cage. But after witnessing the impressive performance of the newly formed Stewart-Haas Racing, a performance I didn't think was possible so soon, I'm reluctant to question the move to include a third team. (Las Vegas Sun)

Kurt Busch is not smarter than a 5th grader: "Yeah, I guess they proved that I'm not. My question was something like this: 'If 6 squared equals 36, then what is negative 6 squared?' It was just one of those situations where you don't stop to think about it and just go with the flow. Without putting my mind in gear, I just blurted out, 'It's negative 36.' Of course the correct answer is just 36. So, the big lesson here, kids, is to engage your brain before your mouth." -- Sprint Cup driver Kurt Busch, who taped an episode of Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader.(Dallas Morning News)

NHMS unveils new infield: A reconfiguration of New Hampshire Motor Speedway's infield will greatly increase its usable space and functionality. Infield construction began in May of this year after the necessary permits were obtained. After just two months of other structural adjustments and improvements, New Hampshire Motor Speedway is nearing the completion of its infield transformation. The most impressive of these adjustments is the expansion of the infield, resulting in an increase of over 400% in usable land. Overall, this portion of the infield has grown from one and a half usable acres to nearly seven. Fencing installation was another big project at the speedway. Interior fencing in the infield has been replaced with new, black chain link. The winner of the LENOX Industrial Tools 301 on Sunday, June 28, will visit a redesigned Victory Lane, also part of the renovation. With more ornate plans in mind for the facility, Vice President of Operations and Development John Zudell said the update will serve as an "interim Victory Lane." Though physical construction only took two months, the project is the result of 18 months of rigorous planning and approval. When O. Bruton Smith, Chairman and CEO of Speedway Motorsports, Inc., purchased the track in early 2008, he immediately started planning the infield renovation project. Fans will get to experience Mr. Smith's vision during the LENOX Industrial Tools 301 weekend, starting Thursday, June 25, and can view the renovations firsthand with the Pre-Race Pit Pass, available online for $100. To purchase tickets to the New Hampshire Motor Speedway LENOX Industrial Tools 301 and SYLVANIA 300 weekends, please call our Ticket Hotline at (603) 783-4931 or visit the speedway online at www.nhms.com.(NHMS PR)

Johnson nominated for "Best Male Athlete" and "Best Driver" at 2009 ESPYs: Jimmie Johnson and Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves are among the world-class athletes nominated for The 2009 ESPYs. The ESPYs gather top celebrities from sports and entertainment to commemorate the past year in sports by recognizing major sports achievements, reliving unforgettable moments and saluting the leading performers and performances. Fans will determine the winner in 37 categories (excluding special awards) by voting online at www.espys.tv or via mobile phone at www.espn.mobi. Voting begins today and runs through 11:59pm/et on July 11, and The 2009 ESPYs, hosted by Samuel L. Jackson and co-presented by Under Armour and Land Rover, will be televised Sunday, July 19, at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN HD. A one-hour nomination show will be televised Friday, June 26, at 8:00pm/et on ESPN2. Johnson, who tied a NASCAR record by winning his third consecutive Sprint Cup championship in 2008, is nominated in the “Best Male Athlete” category along with Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps and NBA stars Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. Johnson and Castroneves also are among five nominees in the “Best Driver” category, along with IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon, NHRA Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher and Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton. The ESPYs honor ESPN’s commitment to The V Foundation for Cancer Research, a partnership launched with the late Jim Valvano at the inaugural ESPYs in 1993. For the second time in several years, a limited amount of ESPYs tickets are available for public purchase through www.ticketmaster.com. The 2009 ESPYs will be taped Wednesday, July 15, at the Nokia Theatre at L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles. More info at www.espys.tv.(ESPN PR)

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Oddsmakers have Jimmie Johnson as their opening favorite at NHMS: Johnson has opened as a 5/1 favorite to win the 2009 Lenox Industrial Tools 301 according to oddsmakers from online sports book SBGGLOBAL. In 16 starts this season, Johnson has two wins, seven top-5 finishes and 10 top-10s. He currently has 2,207 points and ranks third on NASCAR's Spring Cup Series Standings. In 2008, Kurt Busch won a rain-shortened, 284-lap Industrial Tools 301. Despite winning last year, Busch currently has 15/1 odds to win this year's Industrial Tools 301. In 16 starts this season, he has one win, four top-5 finishes and eight top-10s. Other drivers receiving short odds this week are Kyle Busch (7/1), Mark Martin (8/1), Denny Hamlin (8/1), Jeff Gordon (8/1) and Tony Stewart (8/1).(The Spread)

Richard Petty: Nobody has knocked on our doors to sponsor our cars: Despite the financial hardship, Kahne provided RPM with its first victory of the season last Sunday at Sonoma, Calif. "I think it was really good for Kasey, it was good for us," Richard Petty said. "I think it was good for racing because you've got something different to talk about. You're talking to me as an owner, you talk to Kasey as a winner now instead of just talking to us as not being winners - OK. "So you put a little bit of a different emphasis on it, I think it was really good. Financially, nobody has knocked on our doors and said, "We are going to sponsor your car.' But when you do call them, they know who you are, and so that really helps." (The High Point Enterprise)

Hendrick: Dale Jr is showing up and trying: Car owner Rick Hendrick defends the job Dale Earnhardt Jr. is doing this season even as Earnhardt struggles on the track. Earnhardt is 20th in the season standings. Last month, the team replaced Earnhardt's crew chief, Tony Eury Jr., with Lance McGrew. "He's had all his racing career doing things one way," Hendrick said of Earnhardt. "Talking to the crew chief and communicating. Now, all of a sudden we're saying with a new crew chief and working more hands-on with the engineers, this is the way they'd like for you to break it down. "If you heard him on the radio, he's doing a heck of a job. He's trying to change to give them better information so they can do a better job. "I couldn't ask him to work any harder than he's working. I don't care what anybody says. He's committed. He's dedicated. And he's showing up and he's trying."(Virginian-Pilot)

Kenseth says Ford is gaining on competition: Matt Kenseth said Ford is regaining on the competition, mostly the Chevrolet and Toyota teams, which have won a majority of races to date. He can point to two races this season where he had a good car, but suffered bad luck. "It's not like a steady uphill graph where we've been doing a little bit better every week and we keep getting better and we're almost there," Kenseth says. "We have about a four-week run where we were running pretty good and then we had a couple weeks where things didn't go right. "The Pocono race, we performed really well and our fuel mileage wasn't good enough and the way we pitted at the end, we didn't get a good finish. Then at Michigan we just ran pathetically terrible. We left a wheel loose and lost a lap, got that back, and then couldn't make it to the end on fuel without running half-throttle and ran around half-throttle to make sure we made it on fuel." (Daytona Beach News-Journal)

No. 42 Crew wins Tissot Pit Crew Precision Award at Infineon: Juan Pablo Montoya’s crew won the Tissot Pit Crew Precision Award in Sunday’s (June 21) NASCAR Sprint Cup road race at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma. Montoya’s No. 42 crew is the 12th Cup team to garner the Tissot award as the season approaches the halfway mark. The fast work by the No. 42 crew during the Toyota / Save Mart 350k helped Montoya to a solid sixth-place finish at the 1.99-mile road circuit. Montoya’s Chevrolet Impala SS spent 107.846 seconds on pit road. Montoya’s over-the-wall crew consists of: Trevor Lysne (front-tire changer), Eric Bilyeu (front-tire carrier), Chris McMullen (rear-tire changer), Chip Goode (rear-tire carrier), TJ Ford (jackman), Mike Bodick (gasman) and Heath Silver (catch can). The payout for winning the weekly Tissot Pit Road Precision Award is $5,000. The crew with the most Tissot wins at the completion of the 36-race schedule will receive a $100,000 bonus plus Tissot watches for the crew and driver. After 16 Cup races, the crews of Jeff Gordon and Greg Biffle are tied for first in the Tissot standings with three wins each. There are 10 teams tied for third with one win each.(Tissot PR)

No. 47 Crew Chief Frank Kerr wins Wypall Crew Chief of the Race at Infineon: Frank Kerr, crew chief for the No. 47 Little Debbie Toyota driven by Marcos Ambrose, has been named the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race following Sunday's Toyota Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway. A solid third-place qualifying run was overshadowed by disappointment on Saturday when the team lost an engine in practice, forcing them to start from the tail end of the field. Kerr decided to bring his driver down pit road on lap 12, off-sequence from the leaders, to get him some clean air. It didn't take long for Ambrose to race his way to the front of the field, eventually moving into third place, where he finished behind Kasey Kahne and Tony Stewart. In addition to the $1,000 check, the winning crew chief will receive signage to announce the win on their pit box the following week. The crew chief with the most weekly wins will be honored as the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Year and will be presented a $20,000 check at the season finale in Homestead.(Wypall)

NASCAR on TNT rating drop at Sonoma: TNT’s coverage of Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Infineon Raceway earned a 4.0 cable rating, Street & Smith’s SportsBusiness Daily reports. The rating is 7.0% lower than the 4.3 cable rating TNT earned for the 2008 race. This year’s race averaged 5.788 million viewers, down 3.8% from last year’s 6.015 million viewers. For its first three Sprint Cup races this season, TNT is averaging a 3.9 cable rating and 5.483 million viewers, down 9.3% and 5.1%, respectively, from the 4.3 rating and 5.780 million viewers last year, the Daily reports.(SceneDaily.com)

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Kasey Kahne to stay with Dodge: As Sirius Speedway first reported yesterday, sources inside the walls at RPM say plans have been made to field Toyota Camrys for Kasey Kahne beginning in mid-August, as soon as team officials finalize a financial settlement package with Dodge. Those negotiations have reportedly taken a sudden turn in recent days, though, with the possibility now existing for Kahne and his RPM teammates to remain in the Dodge camp, after all. Nobody seems to know exactly what turned the tide back in Dodge’s favor. Speculation ranges from a juicy incentive package offered by Dodge, to a bit of hardball by the automaker holding RPM to its existing contracts. (Sirius Speedway)

Long looking for Bristol sponsorship: Carl Long is still considerably upset at NASCAR for his suspension and $200,000 fine for an oversized engine, but he's talking with various sponsors about paying his penalty and resuming his part-time driving career. "I'm looking for one corporate sponsor to sponsor my car at Bristol," Long said Monday in a telephone interview. "I know I can make the race. I have a ton of experience there." Long said he won an All Pro Series race at the high-banked, .533-mile oval and has qualified for the last six Sprint Cup Series races that he has attempted. "That's a real good track for me," he said. (Daytona Beach News-Journal)

With sale of Gillett's NHL franchise -- Are things looking up for RPM? Kasey Kahne was outspoken in May about communication and engines at Richard Petty Motorsports. Don't know if owner George Gillett was preoccupied early this season with money matters related to his hockey and soccer franchises, but those houses are in better order now. And things are looking up for Gillett's race teams, Kahne and frontman Richard Petty.(Charlotte Observer)

EGR to Toyota? Possible JGR alliance? Once Martin Truex Jr. announces that he's driving for Michael Waltrip Racing next month, where does that leave Earnhardt Ganassi Racing? With Juan Pablo Montoya. But after GM dramatically reduced its assistance to EGR last week, is now the time that Chip Ganassi bolts to Toyota? One hot rumor swirling around the garage was a partnership with Joe Gibbs Racing to run Montoya in a fourth car similar to the situation that Marcos Ambrose has with MWR. On Sunday, JGR president J.D. Gibbs said, "No, no, no...," but the guess is his bottom line could say "yes".(FOXSports.com)

Earnhardt Jr. needs the greatest comeback to make Chase: As for Dale Earnhardt Jr., who's 20th in the standings, he would need the greatest comeback since the Chase was created just to make it. He's 277 points out of the last Chase spot. Matt Kenseth came back from 271 points down at this time in the season in 2005. He's the only driver who was more than 190 points behind after 16 races to make it. (Virginian-Pilot)

NHMS announces record purse for Lenox Tools 301: Featuring one of the most lucrative payouts-per-mile in NASCAR racing, record purses totaling more than seven million dollars are up for grabs for NASCAR drivers competing in next weekend's Lenox Industrial Tools 301 events at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Drivers racing in any of the week's four NASCAR series races will be chasing their share of $7,005,549 in prize money, the highest in New Hampshire Motor Speedway history. The NASCAR Sprint Cup purse is $5,423,189, up from last year's track record. The Lenox Industrial Tools 301 features the sixth-highest purse per-mile on the series schedule to date]. The NASCAR Nationwide Series will be racing for the $1,197,559. The NASCAR Camping World Series East at $217,884 and the remaining $166,917 is on the line in the New England 100 for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. To purchase tickets to the New Hampshire Motor Speedway Lenox Industrial Tools 301 and Sylvania 300 weekends, stop by the ticket office in Loudon, call the ticket hotline at (603) 783-4931, or visit the speedway online at www.nhms.com. (PR)

RCR denies report of lawsuit against GM: The following is a statement from Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing regarding allegations that RCR has filed a lawsuit against General Motors: “I would like to set the record straight that RCR has NOT filed a lawsuit against General Motors and I do not appreciate anyone suggesting otherwise. As is standard practice in bankruptcy proceedings, RCR has made a filing which is common among creditors in these situations. As previously stated as recently as this past weekend in Sonoma, RCR is proud to be associated with General Motors and we are working closely with them during these difficult economic times.” (RCR PR)

Monday, June 22, 2009

Kahne to Toyota by mid-August; No. 19 and No. 44 unclear; No. 43 to remain with Dodge: Sirius Speedway has learned that Richard Petty Motorsports will begin fielding Toyotas for driver Kasey Kahne in mid-August, with at least part of the team remaining in Dodge livery for the time being. Published reports this week claimed the team will begin fielding Toyotas for Kahne at Chicagoland Speedway on July 11, but an RPM source speaking on the condition of anonymity tells Sirius Speedway that the change will not happen until team officials are able to hammer out a financial settlement with their current manufacturer. “Dodge owes the team a ton of money, and they’re trying to negotiate some kind of settlement right now,” said one source. “Until that’s done, the team cannot make a move. Once the settlement is signed, you’ll see Kasey Kahne in a Toyota.” RPM’s familiar No. 43 – driven by Reed Sorenson – will remain in Dodge livery for the foreseeable future. A decision on future manufacturer affiliations for the No. 19 and No. 44 cars -- driven by Elliott Sadler and AJ Allmendinger – is pending.(Sirius Speedway)

RCR looking for sponsorship money: There is speculation that Chevy team owner Richard Childress may have to cut back to a two-car operation next season, if the Shell and Jack Daniels sponsorships are not renewed. Childress says he intends to have four Cup teams again next year, but conceded sponsorship issues remain to be resolved. Childress, through the Winston-Salem law firm Womble, Carlyle, has filed legal papers over what he says is GM's non-payment of a bill of $2,538,750. Childress insists he's not suing GM over its failure to make that payment due June 15th. That bill would apparently be a scheduled quarterly payment, part of a $10 million a year Chevrolet sponsorship for Childress' four-team operation.(mikemulhern.net)

Roush Fenway President on McMurray: We’d like him to stay: Roush Fenway Racing President Geoff Smith on the team cutting from five teams to four after this season (as mandated by NASCAR to meet its four-car limit): “We’re still messing with the sponsorship pieces,’’ Smith said. “We’re still not sure how it’s going to lay out. We thought we’d be done by now but we’re not.’’ One of the teams will move to Yates next year, Smith said. Smith also was asked about the status of signing Jamie McMurray to a contract extension: “Jamie wants to stay. We’d like him to stay. We’re hoping we can have sponsorship around Jamie before he has to decide how much longer he can wait. We’ve been working together. Hopefully we’ll have that worked out pretty quickly before he has to turn his attention to the marketplace.’’(The Virginian-Pilot)

Tom Cruise attended Sunday's Cup race: Actor Tom Cruise, walking around the cars just before the race with wife Katie Holmes and 3-year-old daughter Suri, declined to give his pick for the race. Cruise, who played a racecar driver in the 1990 film "Days of Thunder," told The Chronicle, "I predict I'm going to enjoy the race. Have a happy Father's Day." (Houston Chronicle)

Ford to debut new Cup engine this year: Ford executive Doug Hervey says the company will debut its new engine this season. The engine is expected to first be used by Ford teams not in Chase contention, said Hervey, who oversees Ford's North American Racing Operations. (The Virginian-Pilot)

Kahne in a Toyota this year? Speculation is increasing that Dodge driver Kasey Kahne, who runs for Richard Petty, could switch to a Toyota by the July 11th Sprint Cup race at Chicago. Petty has said that Chrysler has cut its payments to his four-car operation, and apparently Petty has only enough engine parts for one of the new Dodge NASCAR engines. Petty's business partner, George Gillett, tried last season to make a deal with Toyota. There is no immediate comment from Toyota officials.(mikemulhern.net)

Jr Motorsports to move to Cup series; Red Bull Racing to Chevrolet? Car owner Rick Hendrick said before the race that such a move is being examined by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his sister Kelley. Hendrick mentioned that as he discussed possible teams be working with next year through engine programs, chassis programs or technical support. One report has stated that Red Bull could leave Toyota and join Chevrolet and be aligned with Hendrick like Stewart-Haas Racing is. Hendrick also said his organization could handle it if Stewart-Haas expanded to three teams as Tony Stewart said could happen this year.(The Virginian-Pilot)