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Monday, July 6, 2009

CNBC to air NASCAR documentary Thursday: CNBC's "Inside Track: Refueling the Business of NASCAR" hosted by Emmy-Nominated CNBC Sports Business Reporter, Darren Rovell, examines a sport that was once seemingly unstoppable. Infamous for its ties to southern bootleggers and famous for filling some of the largest venues in the world - 200,000 fans at some speedways – a decade of growth made it the fastest growing sport in America. But the rise of the 90s has given way to a new century recession. An imploding car business and shrinking sponsorship budgets are threatening the corporate dollars that are the sport's very lifeblood. NASCAR is now feeling the pressure of the economic implosion as the companies whose names are decaled on the cars are reconsidering their investments. Owned and controlled by the France family, NASCAR is looking at ways to weather the storm. "Inside Track: Refueling the Business of NASCAR" will premiere on Thursday, July 9th at 9:00pm, 10:00pm and 1:00am and re-air on Sunday, July 12th at 10:00pm and Monday, July 13th at 10:00pm. (PR)

Gilliland will start-and-park at Chicagoland: Kevin Buckler, owner of TRG Motorsports, which fields a Chevrolet for driver David Gilliland, said he is ready to run the whole distance every race, but sometimes can't afford it. Gilliland tried to run the whole race Saturday at Daytona, but next week at Chicago, they will start-and-park. "We have a limited amount of money, and we pick the races where we go the whole distance," he said. The other option, he said, "is to not race at all. Do I like it? No."(Orlando Sentinel)

Charities benefit from Infineon race: Four charitable events combined to raise more than $120,000 at the Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekend at Infineon Raceway. Most of the proceeds will benefit the Sonoma Chapter of Speedway Children's Charities, which has distributed more than $3 million to qualified youth groups in Sonoma County since 2002.(Napa Valley Register)

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Almirola being considered as Truex's replacement? Drivers and crew members were quick-stepping through an emptying garage area about an hour before the Coke Zero 400 on Saturday night, and Aric Almirola was on the hunt. He stopped to pat a shoulder at the Red Bull hauler, waved to a Penske crewman, chatted up Michael Waltrip Racing general manager Ty Norris. "Looking for a job, man," the 25-year-old Tampa native said. "At least nobody is shooing me away." This was supposed to be Almirola's first full season at NASCAR's highest level, as Mark Martin's replacement in the No. 8 Chevrolet at Dale Earnhardt Inc. But as the economy sunk, DEI merged with Chip Ganassi Racing, their five combined Cup programs withered to two, and sponsorship for the No. 8 car ran out after seven races. Earnhardt/Ganassi could have an opening in 2009 if, as expected, Martin Truex announces this week he will leave for MWR, but Almirola said he had not spoken with Ganassi about it. "That's not up to me," he said. "Those have been internal discussions that really have not involved me. Whatever happens I will be ready, race there or race somewhere else." (St. Petersburg Times)

Kellen Winslow becoming a NASCAR fan: Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Kellen Winslow served as an honorary race official for Saturday's race. A budding NASCAR fan, Winslow jumped at the opportunity to be part of a race at NASCAR's most famous track. But he stopped short of getting behind the wheel. That's right. The guy who wrecked his motorcycle attempting tricks, damaging his knee and shoulder in Cleveland a few years ago, passed on a chance to try something many would consider a little dangerous. He even refused a ride in the NASCAR simulator. "The simulator was a little too shaky for me so I didn't go through it," he said. "Looked like a bad car wreck, so I said no." (Charlotte Observer)

Mayfield hopes to have team ready by Chicagoland: Mayfield Motorsports' No. 41 Toyota hasn't been on the race track since the May 24 Coca-Cola 600. One week after that race, the Mayfields were forced to lay off their team members, including crew chief Tony Furr. Gaining sponsorship money to revive the team is their primary goal. Furr, who was at Daytona working as a consultant with owner Larry Gunselman's Sprint Cup team -- which was sent home Friday when qualifying was rained out -- said he had a meeting set with Mayfield for Monday and that he saw no problem being ready for Chicagoland or anywhere else. "I want to figure out what he wants to do, because all the stuff is still there at the shop," Furr said. "We're a day-and-a-half away from having [a car] ready to go to wherever. The full crew worked for a week after the Charlotte 600 -- everyone worked together and left together." Furr said he'd continued to speak to his former Mayfield Motorsports co-workers and that getting them back together wouldn't be difficult. "I could have a team in place in less than an hour," Furr said. "There are a lot of people out on the street right now and most of the guys that were there to start with will come back -- I've talked to every one of them and been in touch with them since this [judge's] ruling.(NASCAR.com)

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Report: Truex to Michael Waltrip Racing... Announcement on Tuesday: Martin Truex Jr. will be named on Tuesday the newest addition to Michael Waltrip Racing, multiple sources confirmed on Saturday at Daytona. A press conference including sponsor NAPA is scheduled for noon at the team's Cornelius, N.C., shop. Truex is in the final year of his contract with Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. NAPA, the long-time sponsor of team owner Michael Waltrip, will be become his primary sponsor. Waltrip will move from a full-time to part-time schedule that will include the Daytona 500 in February. He could remain in his familiar No. 55 with Truex taking another number, possibly the No. 56.(ESPN.com)

Kyle Busch receives precautionary IV after Grand Am race: Kyle Busch has received intravenous fluids following a 70-minute driving stint in the Grand-Am race at Daytona International Speedway. Busch was co-driving with fellow NASCAR driver Scott Speed in the Saturday afternoon race in a car owned by Chip Ganassi. He drove the first stint and headed directly to the care center after turning the car over to Speed. Busch received an IV there as a precautionary measure, then headed back to his motorhome to rest before Saturday night's 400-mile Sprint Cup Series race. He's the defending race winner of NASCAR's Coke Zero 400. He and Speed finished 10th in the Grand-Am race.(Associated Press)

Jeremy Mayfield releases statement regarding past couple weeks:

To all my fans, friends and fellow competitors:
First and foremost, Shana and I want to thank all of you who have supported us. To say that the last two months have been two of the worst months of my entire life is an understatement. The only event I can think of that brought me even greater pain was the loss of my father in 2007.
Last Wednesday's ruling by Judge Mullen was a giant step towards clearing my name and getting the 41 car back on the track. Our hope was to bring our team to Daytona this weekend to qualify and race in the Coke Zero 400. For those who know me well, there is nothing in the world that I would rather do than race for you all on the 4th of July. Following Judge Mullen's ruling, we had less than twenty-four hours to prepare the car, assemble a team, get sponsorship and travel to Daytona. Ultimately, we were unable to get this done in time. We've received several phone calls from friends and fans as well as friends in the media wondering if we would be coming to Daytona this weekend, anyway. We've decided that our time is best spent back here in North Carolina working around the clock to try and secure the funding needed to get the 41 car to Chicago and beyond. Shana and I as well as everyone at Mayfield Motorsports will do everything in our power to race next weekend.
Finally, we've been watching on television and reading online about the "Storm Clouds Over Daytona" and the "Mayfield Media Circus." Honestly, this is the last thing Shana or I want for anybody. This weekend shouldn't be about a questionable drug test or a flawed drug testing system. It should be about celebrating our country, the greatest country in the world. So, enjoy the weekend with your friends and family, and have a very happy Independence Day. We look forward to seeing you all at the track very soon.

Thanks again for keeping us in your hearts and prayers.
Jeremy and Shana Mayfield
(Mayfield PR)

JR Motorsports unlikely to go Cup: You can't cross JR Motorsports totally off of Brad Keselowski's list for a fulltime Sprint Cup ride in 2010, but it doesn't seem likely. Dale Earnhardt Jr., who co-owns JR Motorsports with Rick Hendrick, said on Friday it would be "quite a challenge for anybody to find the kind of financial support you need" to make the move from the Nationwide Series to Cup. He also talked more of Keselowski, who drives the JR Motorsports Nationwide car, as though he would be somewhere else after this season and how he looked forward to preparing another driver for the Cup series. "The way I see it Brad has a ton of opportunities and the doors are wide open for him,'' Earnhardt said. "We have to look at what our chances are for moving into the Cup series before we can put that before Brad."(ESPN Insider

Richard Petty Motorsports working with Chrysler on debt: Chrysler is working on a deal to pay off some of its debt to Richard Petty Motorsports, co-owner Richard Petty said on Friday at Daytona International Speedway. Petty said last month that Chrysler's bankruptcy put cash flow from the manufacturer to the organization on hold. The subsequent layoff of nine RPM employees also was blamed on anticipated cuts from the bankruptcy. "They've stopped everything,'' he said of Chrysler's support. Petty said on Friday that RPM should expect some money soon. "Yeah, we'll get some money from them,'' he said. "Right now we're in the process of figuring out exactly what they can do to get back to us to see what we can do." Petty's initial comments increased speculation that RPM may leave Dodge for Toyota after this season. The organization is in the final year of its contract and has partnered with Toyota's Braun Racing for five Nationwide Series races in 2009.(ESPN.com)

Friday, July 3, 2009

NASCAR CEO Brian France happy with double-file restarts: NASCAR Chairman Brian France praised the success of double-file restarts and reiterated his stance that the sport remains healthy despite the headaches of a sagging economy. France, speaking to reporters Friday afternoon at Daytona International Speedway, said double-file restarts "clearly are putting a nice energy around the events," which are producing "fantastic" racing overall. He said NASCAR remains the No. 1 or No. 2 most-viewed and most popular sport on any given weekend, which means that despite the economic downturn, "lots of people would like to have our problems." France said the product on the track is the "most important thing," and to that end NASCAR continues to evaluate possible adjustments - which he termed as minor changes - to its new model car. France repeated his comments from last month at Michigan, when he noted that other manufacturers may be interested in joining the sport. But he said nothing was imminent. Regarding the Camping World Truck Series and Nationwide Series, France said both were "relatively healthy" despite reduced manufacturer support and the economy in general.(SceneDaily)

Changes made in NASCAR's drug testing procedure: Kasey Kahne says NASCAR has stepped up its drug testing procedure since the suspension of Jeremy Mayfield. Kahne said the tests he took prior to the suspension were "in and out" in five to 10 minutes. He said his most recent test two weeks ago at Infineon Raceway took nearly 40 minutes. "It's a process now," Kahne said on Thursday at Daytona. "Every little step you have to sign your name or initial, work with the person that is taking the sample. To me that's because of the whole Mayfield incident, to clarify everything and make sure the driver and also the person taking the sample is on the same page." NASCAR's procedure was under attack when attorneys were seeking a temporary injunction to get Mayfield's suspension lifted, which it was on Wednesday by a federal judge in Charlotte, N.C. Attorneys for Mayfield questioned whether Mayfield saw the seal put on his "A" and "B" samples. Kahne said he always has watched the collector put on the seal, but that the process wasn't so detailed before. Juan Pablo Montoya, who was tested at Dover in early June, said there is a lot more paperwork now. "I did it at Daytona [in February] and it was a little easier," he said. "[At Dover] it was like proof of who you are. I'm like, 'I'm a freaking racer.' " Three-time defending Cup champion Jimmie Johnson has not been tested since Mayfield's suspension, but said he's had to wait on other drivers who were and it's taken longer. He noted at Sonoma Kahne held up things because he had to go get his driver's license, something that he didn't understand to be required previously.(ESPN.com)

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Mayfield not in Baldwin's car at Daytona: Car owners Larry Gunselman and Tommy Baldwin say they will not put Jeremy Mayfield in their cars this weekend at Daytona International Speedway. Gunselman says his sponsor, Fred's, does not want Mayfield in the car. Baldwin says Mayfield has too much baggage to drive his car. Mayfield's indefinite suspension for a failed drug test was lifted by a federal judge on Wednesday, allowing him to race this weekend. His team was not at the track when the garage opened Thursday, which NASCAR initially said was the deadline for the No. 41 to enter the race. NASCAR now says Mayfield has until 3 p.m. to bring Mayfield Motorsports to the track.(Associated Press)

Nominees Announced For NASCAR's Inaugural Hall of Fame Class: NASCAR announced a history-rich list of 25 nominees for the inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame induction class. From that list, five inductees will be chosen via a process that includes a nationwide fan vote on NASCAR.COM; the inductees will be announced in October and honored next May at the new Hall of Fame facility in Charlotte, N.C. The nominees, which include many of the sport's legendary names, were selected by a 21-person nominating committee consisting of representatives from NASCAR, the NASCAR Hall of Fame and track owners from both major facilities and historic short tracks. The HOF's first inductees will be determined by the Voting Panel, which has 50 members -- the entire Nominating Committee, 14 media members, four manufacturer representatives and nine retired competitors (drivers, owners, crew chiefs -- three each) and two recognized industry leaders. In addition, the fan vote will result in the Voting Panel's 51st and final ballot. Following are the 25 individuals who have been nominated:

• Bobby Allison, 1983 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion and winner of 84 races
• Buck Baker, the first driver to win consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup championships
• Red Byron, first NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, in 1949
• Richard Childress, 11-time car owner champion in NASCAR's three national series
• Dale Earnhardt, won record seven NASCAR Sprint Cup championships
• Richie Evans, nine-time NASCAR Modified champion
• Tim Flock, two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion
• Bill France Jr., NASCAR president, chairman and CEO (1972-2003)
• Bill France Sr., NASCAR founder and first president (1948-1972)
• Rick Hendrick, 11-time car owner champion in NASCAR's three national series
• Ned Jarrett, two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion
• Junior Johnson, 50 wins as a driver, 132 wins and six championships as an owner
• Bud Moore, 63 wins and two NASCAR Sprint Cup titles as a car owner
• Raymond Parks, NASCAR's first champion car owner
• Benny Parsons, 1973 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion
• David Pearson, 105 victories and three NASCAR Sprint Cup championships
• Lee Petty, winner of the first Daytona 500 and first three-time series champion
• Richard Petty, 200 wins and seven NASCAR Sprint Cup titles -- both records
• Fireball Roberts, won 33 NASCAR Sprint Cup races, including the 1962 Daytona 500
• Herb Thomas, first two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, 1951 and '53
• Curtis Turner, first to win Daytona 500, Southern 500, Coca-Cola 600 in same year
• Darrell Waltrip, winner of 84 races and three NASCAR Sprint Cup championships
• Joe Weatherly, two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion
• Glen Wood, as driver, laid foundation for Wood Brothers' future team success
• Cale Yarborough, winner of three consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup titles, 1976-78

(NASCAR PR)

Mayfield misses entry deadline : Jeremy Mayfield has missed the deadline to enter his car into Saturday night's race at Daytona International Speedway. He had an afternoon deadline Thursday to bring the No. 41 Toyota to the track, and it passed with no sign of Mayfield or his race team.(Associated Press)

Earnhardt Jr in National Guard's "Serving America" paint scheme at Daytona: To honor the National Guard and celebrate Independence Day, the No. 88 Chevy of Dale Earnhardt Jr. will run a special hand-painted camouflage ACU (Army Combat Uniform) scheme this weekend. The Hendrick Motorsports body shop needed two days and 14 coats of DuPont paint to finish the job. Earnhardt will unveil the paint scheme to National Guard soldiers and fans at Daytona's Bandshell on Wednesday. The Nationnal Guard "Serving America"/AMP Energy Chevy is a special paint scheme to honor National Guard soldiers who dedicate a portion of their time to serving their nation, state and local communities. Since first muster in 1636, National Guard soldiers have brought glory and honor upon themselves and the Guard through quiet and selfless service. Approximately 363,000 soldiers strong, the Army National Guard is the oldest component of the Armed Forces of the United States and celebrated its 372nd birthday in December 2008. Earnhardt has 12 wins at Daytona International Speedway. He won the 2004 Daytona 500, the 2001 Pepsi 400, two Budweiser Shootouts (2003 and 2008) and five NASCAR Nationwide Series events. Earnhardt also won his Gatorade Duel qualifying races in 2003, 2004 and 2008. At this year's AMP Energy 500 at Talladega, thousands of members of JR Nation will see their names on Earnhardt's No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevy as part of the AMP Energy "Get on the 88" promotion. More info at www.AMPEnergy.com.(HMS)

NASCAR's reaction to Mayfield injunction: NASCAR chairman Brian France said the organization has no immediate plans to file an appeal, but he didn't rule it out. "We are disappointed, but we respect the judge's ruling," NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said in a statement. "This is only a temporary injunction. The legal case continues beyond this point, and we will continue to make our case." (Associated Press)

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Judge issues temporary injunction to let Mayfield race: Afederal judge granted Jeremy Mayfield a temporary injunction allowing him to race this weekend. The ruling, made Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Charlotte by senior Judge Graham Mullen, lifted his suspension for failing NASCAR's substance abuse policy and allows him to return as the driver/owner of his No. 41 team in time for Saturday night's race at Daytona International Speedway. Mullen said in granting the injunction that the irreparable harm appeared to be greater for Mayfield than NASCAR.(ESPN.com)

New Hampshire television ratings up; first time in 2009: TNT's telecast Sunday of the Sprint Cup Series' Lenox Industrial Tools 301 from New Hampshire Motor Speedway earned a 4.1 cable rating and 5.555 million viewers from 1:59-5:45pm/et, the Sports Business Journal reported Tuesday. The telecast marks the first Cup Series race this season to see both year-over-year ratings and viewership gains, up 2.5% and 1.1% from last year's 4.0 cable rating and 5.495 million viewers. The race also was the ninth most-viewed telecast on all of cable for the week of June 22-28. For four Cup Series races to date, TNT is averaging a 4.0 cable rating and 5.502 million viewers, down 4.8% and 3.7% from a 4.2 rating and 5.715 million viewers last year.(NASCAR.com)

Newman to run all four races at Bristol: Ryan Newman put his name in the record books at Bristol Motor Speedway in March of 2003 when he set the track record during qualifying. During August race week, the 31-year-old NASCAR Sprint Cup star again will be making his mark at BMS, while also etching his name in the NASCAR record books as he makes history by competing in NASCAR’s top three divisions, as well as the Whelen Modified Series, at the same track in the same week. Newman will start his marathon during the wildly popular August race week at the World’s Fastest Half-Mile with the UNOH Perfect Storm 150 Whelen Modified race and the O’Reilly 200 Camping World Truck Series event Wednesday, Aug. 19. On Friday, Aug. 21 he will compete in the Food City 250 Nationwide Series event and run the final leg, the Sharpie 500 Sprint Cup Series race, Saturday, Aug. 22. When totaled, Newman stands to make an astounding 1,100 laps, traveling more than 586 miles around the .533-mile oval over three nights and could be in the seat for more than seven hours. Newman’s success at BMS during the August race week, could also mean some big money for a lucky fan. Should Newman win all four races, one lucky fan will pocket the same amount he would win in purse money – approximately $400,000. To enter, fans should visit the BMS website at www.bristolmotorspeedway.com. Newman will be piloting the No. 7NY Aggressive Hydraulics ride in the UNOH Perfect Storm 150, the No. 2 Pringles truck, owned by Kevin Harvick Inc. in the O’Reilly 200, the No. 5 Fastenal Nationwide car owned by JR Motorsports in the Food City 250 and the No. 39 U.S. Army/Haas Automation ride, owned by Stewart-Haas, in the Sharpie 500. Tickets may be purchased by calling the BMS ticket office at (423) 989-6900 or by visiting www.bristoltix.com.(BMS)

Bill Weber to miss remainder of TNT's race telecast: Bill Weber will not be part of TNT's NASCAR coverage of the Cup Series for the network’s last two races. Ralph Sheheen will handle play-by-play duties for The Coke Zero 400 in Daytona and the LifeLock.com 400 from Chicagoland. Sheheen will be calling the races alongside analysts Kyle Petty and Wally Dallenbach in the booth.(TNT)

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Truex not to MWR till 2010: The company line at Michael Waltrip Racing is that despite the expected announcement on July 7 that Martin Truex Jr. will join the fold, he will not drive the car until next season. And Waltrip will likely continue to run a limited 10 to 12 race schedule in the No. 55 car in 2010. But the consensus in the garage is that Truex could be in a MWR car as early as the Chicagoland Cup race in two weeks. A press release from NAPA announcing Waltrip's brother Darrell (also a NASCAR on FOX analyst) as an honorary pit crew member for this weekend Coke Zero 400 has only fueled the speculation that it will be Michael's last race. For now, MWR Vice President and GM Ty Norris and COO Cal Wells' say that the teams will remain status quo for 2009. Earnhardt Ganassi Racing president Steve Lauletta says he expects to have Aric Almirola back in the No. 8 Chevy by mid-August if sponsorship can be secured. Lauletta echoed MWR's sentiments that Truex will not be departing from the No. 1 Chevy before season's end.(FOXSports)

Independent lab confirms Mayfield's postive drug test: Testing performed by an independent laboratory supported the results that left Sprint Cup driver Jeremy Mayfield indefinitely suspended for failing NASCAR's substance abuse policy, court documents said. Results of the test and the name of the individual tested were blacked out, but a NASCAR spokesman confirmed they were identical. The documents, part of NASCAR's response to Mayfield's lawsuit to have his indefinite suspension lifted, show that Medtox Laboratories in Minnesota tested both his "A" and backup "B" samples last week and "confirmed the presence" of a substance that is blacked out in the filing. NASCAR claims Mayfield tested positive for a "dangerous, illegal, banned substance" and should not be allowed back on the track. It was revealed in open court two weeks ago that the drug was amphetamines. ESPN the Magazine's Ryan McGee, citing multiple sources, said it was methamphetamines. Mayfield's attorneys claim that NASCAR's drug testing program does not meet federal workplace guidelines. They argue that Mayfield did not give permission for the "B" sample to be tested after the "A" sample came back positive and that the "B" sample should have been tested at an independent laboratory. They said since proper procedure was not used and because the "B" sample was compromised when opened, thus not giving Mayfield the opportunity to send it to a second lab, that the entire test should be invalid. Both samples originally were tested by Aegis Laboratory, the Nashville Tenn.-based facility NASCAR employs to run its testing program. The most recent test was conducted at MedTox Laboratories in St. Paul, Minn. All the evidence will be dealt with at a Wednesday [July 1st] hearing in U.S. District Court, where Mayfield is seeking a temporary restraining order that would allow him back in the car, possibly as early as Saturday night's race at Daytona International Speedway.(see more at tESPN.com)

Monday, June 29, 2009

NASCAR seeking $1.8 mil. from Milwaukee Mile: The Milwaukee Mile's financial mess has NASCAR's attention. In documents obtained by the Journal Sentinel, NASCAR states that Wisconsin Motorsports, the race promoter at the Mile, owes it $1,878,228 for the two races NASCAR sanctioned earlier this month. Wisconsin Motorsports recently hosted two major NASCAR events: a Camping World Truck Series race and a Nationwide Series race. Exact attendance numbers have not been made public but it was estimated that the truck race drew about 7,000 fans, and Claude Napier, the head of Wisconsin Motorsports, said the Nationwide Series race drew in excess of 35,000 fans. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Earnhardt's famous No. 3 on display at festival: The Richard Childress Racing No. 3 GM Goodwrench Chevy that seven-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt earned his 76th and final victory in will participate in this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed in England on July 3-5, 2009. Taylor Earnhardt, 20, Earnhardt’s youngest child, will drive the car in demonstration runs during the three-day festival. It is her inaugural turn behind the wheel of a stock car. She will be accompanied by her mother, Teresa Earnhardt, president and CEO of Dale Earnhardt, Inc., founded in 1980 with her legendary husband. The Goodwood Festival of Speed is an annual event held since 1993 at the Goodwood House in West Sussex, a place of great British motorsports history. Race cars old and new will participate in both demonstration and competition runs up the nine-turn 1.16-mile hillclimb circuit. This year’s gathering will include a number of NASCAR stock cars in honor of the 50th anniversary of Daytona International Speedway. The car was prepared by and will be cared for at the Goodwood Festival of Speed by former No. 3 team crew members Danny Lawrence and Rich Burgess. Lawrence is currently the assistant head engine builder/trackside manager for Earnhardt-Childress Racing Engines and Burgess is the shop manager for RCR’s No. 31 Caterpillar team in the NSCS.(RCR PR)

Kyle Busch apologizes for wreck at New Hampshire: Kyle Busch finished 7th in the rain shortened Lenox Industrial Tools 301 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series on Suday. Busch’s Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, rookie No. 20 Joey Logano, won the race by gambling on fuel as the rain approached. Busch survived 11 cautions for 47 laps in the rain-shortened event, including a multi-car accident on a lap 174 restart that began when No. 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr., spun his tires and Busch, No. 42 Juan Pablo Montoya and No. 1 Martin Truex Jr., made contact at the end of the frontstretch. “I have to apologize to all those guys,” Busch said. “We got bottled up there in turn one – especially Martin and Jeff Burton and those guys. I meant nothing of that. The 88 (Earnhardt) spun his tires on the restart, I went to choose a lane, went to the middle, and the 42 (Montoya) and I got together a little bit. That pinched me with the 1 (Truex, Jr.) and I spun the 1 out and it was just mayhem from there. I hate it for all those guys because I know they’ve got ‘Chase’ contentions too. We were just battling for every spot out there today. Restarts are hectic, man. Everybody is fighting for every inch that’s out there because it’s so hard to pass with these cars. If you can get it done right now, then you can kind of single-file out for a while and then you don’t have to worry about much. The sooner you can get everything done – the quicker, the better, the more you’re by yourself.”(JGR PR)

NASCAR to make announcement on Inaugural Nominees for NASCAR Hall Of Fame: The NASCAR Hall of Fame’sinaugural class will take a significant step towards realization Thursday night when the first 25 nominees will be revealed. The announcement will take place during an hour-long special on SPEED at 8:00pm/et that will be hosted by long-time NASCAR broadcaster Ken Squier. The Hall of Fame Voting Panel, which includes a fan-vote element, will then choose the first class of inductees – five NASCAR greats who will be honored next May at the new NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C. The elite 25 names were determined by a 21-person Nominating Committee that consists of officials from both NASCAR and the NASCAR Hall of Fame, plus owners/operators of major speedways and historic short tracks. The list represents many who helped build the sport, including drivers, owners and promoters.(NASCAR)

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Danica Patrick to Hendrick Motorsports... With Dale JR to JR Motorsports? If Danica Patrick does jump from the Indy Racing League to NASCAR, as increasingly appears likely, the battle for her, according to sources close to the negotiations, is down to car owners Rick Hendrick, of Chevrolet, and Jack Roush, of Ford. According to these sources, Hendrick and General Motors' Chevrolet division are now suddenly the heavy favorites to sign Patrick. And the key would apparently be Hendrick's willingness to put her in a Sprint Cup ride for the full 2010 season. Roush has said he would like to see her run some NASCAR Nationwide and/or Truck events, along with six or seven Cup events, to get her accustomed to stock car racing. Hendrick reportedly is willing to go further. Patrick might take Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s spot on Hendrick's official four-team Cup roster, with Earnhardt moving to an expanded JR Motorsports operation. JR Motorsports, Earnhardt's own operation, run in partnership with Hendrick, would thus be stepping up to a full Cup program; Hendrick has already been talking with Talladega winner Brad Keselowski about Keselowski's future in NASCAR, with indications he could get a Cup ride with an expanded JR Motorsports venture, with Hendrick engines and Hendrick engineering. It is not clear how far along any Patrick-IMG-Hendrick negotiations have gone, but sources tell mikemulhern.net that the Patrick-Hendrick deal is very close to being a 'done deal.'(Mikemulhern.net)

JTG Daugherty Racing hopes to keep MWR partnership: JTG Daugherty Racing doesn’t have enough sponsorship to continue running Michael McDowell beyond next week’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Daytona International Speedway, team co-owner Tad Geschickter said Saturday. The team has sponsorship for Marcos Ambrose for the two Nationwide road-course events later this season but beyond that, Geschickter is not sure how many races the No. 47 car will run over the second half of the season. Tom’s snack company has sponsored the car for much of the first half of the season. Geschickter said the organization is concentrating on its Sprint Cup effort with driver Ambrose. The team is imbedded with Michael Waltrip Racing as part of a technical alliance. Whether that MWR relationship continues remains to be seen. “As far as what we’re doing next year, we haven’t started discussions with them yet,” Geschickter said. “We’ll have to renegotiate for the next year. … They’ve done a really good job. The secret’s been that we have integrated our people into their shop.”(SceneDaily.com)

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Ambrose honors the Aussie Armed Forces: This week No. 37 Marcos Ambrose received a letter and a camouflage Army bucket that he is wearing at New Hampshire Motor Speedway that came from the Australian Embeds Task Force 633 International Security Assistance Force in Kabul, Afghanistan. Since arriving in Afghanistan, the Task Force has been following the success of the JTG-Daugherty Racing team and Ambrose. The letter expressed thanks to JTG-Daugherty Racing for their support of the Australian troops and of an Australian driver. They also thanked the team for reminding them of the ‘enjoyable things in life’ and ‘making a difference in their lives.’ “Some Aussie troops from Afghanistan sent the bucket hat to me as a good luck charm for this weekend at New Hampshire,” said Ambrose, who wore the hat yesterday on his flight to Manchester and today in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series garage. “I’m wearing it to support them and they’ve been wearing my Little Debbie hat to support us. They wished us the best of luck this season and told us that they have our backs.”(MWR

Latest on FR9.. Wood Brothers likely to be first to use new engine: Ford team owner/engine-builder Doug Yates expects Ford’s new FR9 engine to be ready by August, just in time for the season-ending, 10-race Chase for the Championship playoff. Yates, David Simon and Mose Nowland have been working on it all year, and Yates sees light at the end of the tunnel. Once it’s ready, though, which members of Team Ford Racing will get it? It likely won’t go to Roush Fenway stars Carl Edwards (fifth in points), Greg Biffle (eighth) and Matt Kenseth (10th) because they’ll almost certainly make the 12-driver championship playoff. With so much on the line, there’s some reluctance to run an engine that hasn’t been tested in competition. Edwards has already said he’d rather wait. “I told them I don’t want it right off the bat,” he said recently. “We’ll see who’s not in the Chase and maybe start testing it that way.” Kenseth takes a “whatever” approach. “I’m under the understanding we probably won’t have it full-time this year,” he said. “I’m not sure, but it doesn’t matter to me. I have a ton of confidence in Doug Yates and the engine guys, and whatever they think is best, I’m good with that.” The Wood Brothers with Bill Elliott are running a limited schedule, so they might get it first. (Logic dictates that an engine-related DNF for Elliott won’t be as costly as one for a Chase-eligible team). Paul Menard and Bobby Labonte of Yates Racing will focus on making the Chase, as will Roush Fenway drivers David Ragan and Jamie McMurray [vert slim chances for any of those four to make the Chase]. The new piece is the first purpose-built NASCAR engine to come from Ford Motor Company. The three key differences between FR9 and the current engine: the cooling system has been improved to allow teams to use more tape on the grille, thus improving downforce; the valve train has been improved; and the production and assembly of FR9 will be easier than the current model.(Ford Racing)

Geoff Bodine is still racing: Geoff Bodine made a name for himself by winning 18 NASCAR Sprint Cup races and rubbing fenders with the likes of Dale Earnhardt. These days, Bodine finds himself trading paint with Father Time. It’s a race the 60-year- old knows nobody can win, but he wakes up every day determined to keep plugging away. “I don’t want to get old. I don’t want to act old,” Bodine said. “When I die, I want some quality in my life.” Bodine looked anything but old as he perched on a guardrail near his #99 Pontiac GTO in the infield of Lonesome Pine Raceway on Saturday afternoon. The veteran was in Coeburn to run a pair of 75-lap ISCAR Dash Series feature races. Bodine said ISCAR, which is the resurrection of the old Goody’s Dash Series, is a great steppingstone for young racers because it gives them a division where they can make the transition from Legend cars to Late Models.(Kingsport Times News)