NASCAR News April 19 - April 28, 2006

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April 28, 2006:

• NYC NASCAR track meeting canceled after police break up unruly residents: public A hearing Thursday night about bringing NASCAR racing to Staten Island erupted into an all out shouting match. Some residents started shoving and yelling during the meeting. The debate surrounds whether to build an 82,000 seat racetrack near the Goethals Bridge. When supporters of the plan and critics clashed in the aisles of the auditorium at the Patrides Educational Complex. City Councilman Andrew Lanza drew the jeers of NASCAR supporters. He's concerned about the planned racetrack drawing a traffic nightmare to Staten Island. Lanza: "As soon as I voiced that concern, it got ugly in there." The meeting was shut down just about 40 minutes in and the raucous crowd of about 900 were forced police to bring in reinforcements. And members of the Department of City Planning gave up. "We've been informed by police that there is a public safety issue in the auditorium," a spokesperson said.  (WABC.com)

• Sadler looking elsewhere? SI.com reports; Does Sadler really want out at Yates? We know this for certain: Sadler wants to run better, and if he doesn't, a change of teams and equipment is the best option. But a couple of wins and a cluster of top fives could cause him to consider staying at Yates. There may be no better place for him to turn it around than at Talladega, if for no other reason than it's next on the schedule. He'll just need to avoid the Big One on Sunday.

• Front Row Motor Sports joins partnership with #61 team: Front Row Motor Sports owner Bob Jenkins, and Jeff Stec have formed a limited partnership to campaign the #61 Ford Fusion for the remainder of the 2006 NASCAR season. Greg Conner and the balance of the #61 team members will be integrated into the Front Row Motorsports organization beginning this week with the running of the Aaron’s 499 at Talladega. NASCAR NEXTEL Cup veteran Kevin Lepage will continue to pilot the #61 car. “The #61 team has gotten off to a good start this year by making 6 of the first 8 races. By combining resources and sharing knowledge, we are confident that we can improve each of our teams,” states Front Row Motorsports owner Bob Jenkins. “We are looking to upgrade both our qualifying and race day efforts. We are excited about the opportunitiesb this presents our team and the advantages we can gain by working together.” Front Row Motor Sports PR)

April 27, 2006:

• Ricky Rudd and Toyota?  Rudd confirmed Wednesday that Toyota is courting him. He's honored, but to date has politely declined. This retirement thing ain't so bad. "I've had a few conversations with different folks, and that's one group," Rudd said. "It's a two-way conversation. I'm not ready to come back right now, but there has been conversation. They've got to move on with their program, and their timeline and mine are not the same. I wanted to take a year off." That's not to say he's ruled it out completely, however. Rudd has pinpointed a September commitment time regarding his racing future. Might he come back? "I enjoy race day a lot, but not the grind of the schedule," Rudd said. "I'm liable to get bored and restless, though, but haven't yet." (NASCAR.com's Marty Smith)

• Rusty Wallace to take a few laps around Iowa Speedway: The Iowa Speedway is getting it's first test today. NASCAR driver Rusty Wallace will take the very first spin around the track, even though construction is still going on. Wallace is one of the designers of the track. The first race is scheduled for September 15th as part of the USAC Silver Crown Series. You can buy season tickets starting May 6th and individual tickets go on sale in July. (WHO-TV)

• Talladega Raceday Scanner  Free on NASCAR.com this weekend: NASCAR.COM is gearing up for the race at Talladega Superspeedway this weekend by offering its Raceday Scanner application free for the Aaron’s 499 NEXTEL Cup Series Race on Sunday, April 30. Raceday Scanner is a popular component of NEXTEL TrackPass and allows fans to listen to their favorite driver with live race-day communications of all available NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series drivers. “The ability to hear the raw emotions and thoughts of these drivers competing at 190 MPH is an intense experience. Offering Raceday Scanner free to fans is a great way for us to showcase this service,” said Scott Bailey, vice president and general manager of business operations for Turner Sports New Media. “Listening to your favorite driver’s in-car audio while watching the broadcast is the next best thing to being at the race on pit-road with the crew chief, and Talladega is a great race to listen in on.” The Raceday Scanner shares the same functionality as the “In-Car Audio” feature of NASCAR.COM’s Emmy Award-winning Nextel TrackPass, providing fans with their choice of live race-day audio from any available driver during a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race. If fans like what they hear this weekend, they will able to purchase Raceday Scanner for every 2006 NEXTEL Cup Series race throughout the NASCAR season on NASCAR.COM for a fee of $4.95 per month or $29.95 per year, with a two-week free trial period for first-time members. Current NEXTEL TrackPass members automatically have access to the Raceday Scanner at no additional cost. (Turner Sports, Inc. PR)

• Todd Berrier  wins Wypall Crew Chief of the Race award: Team owner Richard Childress may have been the one on a hunting trip this weekend, but it was his driver Kevin Harvick who came home with the trophies. Harvick won both the Busch Series and Nextel Cup Series races at Phoenix International Raceway, bringing each of his crew chiefs, Shane Wilson and Todd Berrier, the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race award. Following each race, a panel of voters; including Tony Eury Sr., Robbie Reiser, a member of the local media and a Wypall Wipers representative; cast their vote for the crew chief they thought made the biggest impact on his team. Wilson and Berrier were voted the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race for their solid runs. In the Subway Fresh 500 on Saturday, it wasn't until lap 304 that Harvick cruised into the lead, putting him at the point for the final nine laps. For winning the Crew Chief of the Race award, Wypall Wipers gave Berrier $1,000. At the end of the season, the Nextel Cup crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000 and be crowned the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. This was Berrier's first Crew Chief of the Race award in 2006, which ties him with Darian Grubb and Roy McCauley for second-place in the standings. Robbie Reiser and Kenny Francis are tied for the lead, each with two wins. (Wypall PR)

• Mears being looked at by several teams, including RCR:  One year removed from dire job insecurity, Mears is one of the hottest commodities in the garage. Several organizations have inquired about signing him to a contract, including RCR. RCR team sources tell me the organization would like to add a fourth team with Mears as driver, but RCR spokesman David Hart discounted the speculation Wednesday. "No decisions have been made to add a fourth team with Casey Mears or any other driver," Hart said. (NASCAR.com's Marty Smith)

April 26, 2006:

• Battle lines drawn, meeting set for NYC Speedway Proposal:  Tomorrow's public NASCAR hearing could be the most contentious meeting on Staten Island in decades, Borough President James Molinaro said yesterday. Speaking after the Staten Island Economic Development Corp.'s annual business conference, Molinaro urged Islanders attending the hearing on the proposed racetrack to treat each other with restraint and respect.  The Department of City Planning is seeking public response to International Speedway Corp.'s bid to put an 80,000-seat complex in Bloomfield. The NASCAR plan is faulted by foes as a potential traffic nightmare and a hazard to the environment. This will be the most controversial meeting that ever took place since South Richmond, Molinaro said, referring to a failed plan in the 1960s and 1970s to create a new city of South Richmond, with 200,000 to 400,000 people living south of Bay Terrace. Conduct yourselves like Staten Islanders, Molinaro urged about the NASCAR hearing. Let's show all of New York City that we're special people on Staten Island. We respect other persons' rights to have an opinion. Tomorrow's public meeting -- which is being held at 6 p.m. in the Petrides Educational Complex in Sunnyside -- is expected to last for several hours. City officials announced yesterday that they're planning a second public hearing sometime in June. (Staten Island Advance)

• #31 jackman Yost back at Talladega: #31 Team Cingular jackman Josh Yost will return to Talladega Superspeedway this weekend for the first time since he was hit on pit road during last season’s Aaron’s 499, severely injuring his right foot and ankle. Following multiple surgeries to repair damage to the tendons in his ankle, Yost started walking in mid-July, began physical therapy in August, returned to work in the shop at RCR in November and then resumed his role as Team Cingular jackman in the 2006 season opening Daytona 500.(RCR PR)

• Bowyer’s crew wins Checkers® / Rally’s® Double Drive-Thru Challenge: Clint Bowyer’s pit crew captured the Checkers® / Rally’s® Double Drive-Thru Challenge competition in Saturday night’s race at Phoenix International Raceway, helping propel its rookie driver to a Nextel Cup career-high fifth-place finish. The program awards $10,500 per week to the pit crew of the car spending the least amount of time on pit road. In addition, the pit crew with the most wins will be awarded a $105,000 bonus at the completion of the 36-race schedule. “The guys did a good job on pit road,” said Gil Martin, crew chief of Bowyer’s No. 07 Chevrolet. “They stayed in sync pretty well and Clint did a good job getting on and off pit road. The guys were consistent and we did what we needed to do. They beat everybody off of pit road towards the end of the race, so that shows how well they kept their composure. All-in-all, it was a very good night.” Bowyer’s Jack Daniel’s machine spent 266.258 seconds on pit road during the 312-lap race. Bowyer’s over-the-wall crew consists of: Carey Wimbish (jackman), Dail Long (front-tire carrier), Shane Westerberg (front-tire changer), Dustin Stanley (rear-tire carrier), Tommy Wallace (rear-tire changer), Ron Liddell (gasman), Clint Almquist (catch can) and Troy Welty (windshield). The team’s pit stop coordinator is Corinne Mauldin. Bowyer’s crew, part of the Richard Childress Racing stable, becomes the sixth different team to win the Checkers/Rally’s weekly competition. Pit crews for Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch, Tony Stewart, Elliott Sadler, and Denny Hamlin have also scored wins. The Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge is in its second season with the Nextel Cup Series. (DMF Communications PR)

• Elledge signs extension with Ganassi: Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (CGRFS) announced today Crew Chief Jimmy Elledge has signed a multi-year contract extension with the organization. Elledge is currently the crew chief for NASCAR NEXTEL Cup rookie Reed Sorenson and the No. 41 Target team. “Jimmy has been instrumental in the development of our young drivers,” said Team Owner Chip Ganassi. “He has incredible patience and leadership skills which are an asset to any organization. I’m pleased to have him as part of the present and future at Chip Ganassi Racing.” “I’m excited about extending my relationship with Chip and Felix (Sabates),” said Elledge. “There are a lot of good people here committed to seeing this team succeed, and if we continue to keep building and working together as one team we’ll get there. I’m very pleased with the direction this organization is heading and I’m looking forward to being a part of it. “Also, the relationship between Reed and I, and everyone on this team is developing at a rapid pace. We’re right on the verge of something very special.”  (Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates PR)

• Fedewa joins RCR as spotter for Bowyer: NASCAR Busch Series veteran driver Tim Fedewa has joined Richard Childress Racing (RCR) as the spotter for Clint Bowyer’s No. 07 Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series and the No. 2 ACDelco Chevrolet in the NASCAR Busch Series. Fedewa, a veteran of 333 Busch Series starts, lays claim to four wins, four pole positions, 25 top-five and 66 top-10 finishes on NASCAR’s junior circuit. Fedewa’s most recent NBS win came in May 2000 when the Holt, Mich., native won from the pole at New Hampshire International Speedway. “It’s pretty exciting to be part of a championship organization like RCR,” said Fedewa. “Up until just a few weeks ago, I was spotting some Busch races on Saturday’s but I knew I wanted to work on Sunday’s too. (Mike) Dillon saw me on the spotter’s stand and asked me who I was spotting for and I told him who it was, but that it was only on a temporary basis. He asked me if would consider spotting for Clint on both days. It was too good of an offer to turn down. We’ve got a couple races under our belts already and it seems to be working out pretty well.”  (RCR)

April 25, 2006:

• NASCAR fans killed at Talladega: Two NASCAR fans died in a campground outside Talladega Superspeedway when a flagpole they were erecting touched power lines, electrocuting them. Donny Lynn Wright, 42, of Remlap and Keith Alan Stell, 39, of Birmingham were killed around lunchtime Monday, said track spokeswoman Kristi King. Talladega County Coroner Jerry Castleberry pronounced both men dead at the scene. The Aaron's 499 race will be run at the track on Sunday. Fans commonly use poles to fly flags touting their favorite driver. Witnesses said Wright and Stell were attempting to anchor a flagpole when it was caught by wind and pushed into power lines running along a road outside the track. "They were trying to pull the flagpole back off the lines," said James Snider of Bessemer, who was sitting about 30 yards away from the victims' camp site. "I heard a loud pop that sounded like a fire cracker, and I went running because the power lines fell. They were both lying on the ground, and two women were trying to get to them to get them away from the wires." (FOX News)

• New York to celebrate NASCAR Day: The New York State Senate passed a resolution Tuesday, calling for May 19 to be declared "NASCAR Day" in New York State. The resolution was sponsored by Senator George H. Winner Jr. (R-C, Elmira), whose legislative district in the Southern Tier-Finger Lakes region includes Watkins Glen International "I'm proud to wave the green flag, so to speak, and start NASCAR Day 2006 in New York State," Winner said. "It's an opportunity for us to draw the attention of NASCAR fans across New York to a worthwhile cause and worthy opportunity to express their spirit and sense of community."  Winner noted that Watkins Glen International celebrates 20 years of NASCAR racing at The Glen this year. "This region is noted as the home of Watkins Glen International, which over the course of more than a decade has become a national institution -- the premiere road racing facility in America," he said. "Watkins Glen is a great source of pride to our region, an economic mainstay and a landmark that annually attracts visitors from around the world." (NASCAR PR)

• Earnhardt, Jr. to drive black #8 at 'Dega: The No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet piloted by Dale Earnhardt Jr. will have a new look for this weekend’s activities at Talladega Superspeedway. The usually red No. 8 will be predominantly black with white lettering and silver and red stripes in honor of the life and brilliant career of the late Dale Earnhardt. The paint scheme mimics the design the elder Earnhardt made famous in his career while driving for Richard Childress Racing in the Cup Series and Dale Earnhardt Inc. (DEI) in the Busch Series. Ten of Earnhardt’s 76 career wins came at Talladega – more than any other driver. His son, Dale Jr., is second in all-time Nextel Cup victories at Talladega with five, including a record four-in-a-row for DEI between October 2001 to April 2003. The elder Earnhardt will be inducted into the International Motorsports Hall-of-Fame at Talladega Thursday evening, and Saturday, April 29th would have been his 55th birthday. Among the most memorable of Earnhardt’s 10 victories at Talladega was the last of his 76 career victories, where he came from 18th place with five laps remaining to take the win in October 2000. Anheuser-Busch and the Busch family had a personal and business relationship with Dale Earnhardt for many years, promoting the Busch brand. Earnhardt won the first-ever race run under the “Busch Series” name in 1982 at Daytona. (Budweiser Racing/Fingerprint, Inc. PR)

• SPEED to carry HOF Ceremony: SPEED will air a one-hour special from the 16th Annual International Motorsports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on May 1 at 10:00pm/et from the SPEED Dome in Talladega. This year's inductees include Dale Earnhardt, Harry Gant, Janet Guthrie, Jack Roush and Humpy Wheeler. The special will re-air at May 6 at 1:00pm/et. (SpeedTV)

• Wallace to driver National Day of Prayer car: NEXTEL CUP Driver Kenny Wallace is scheduled to drive the National Day of Prayer car #78 sponsored by Furniture Row for the NASCAR NEXTEL CUP race at Talladega Superspeedway. The National Day of Prayer tradition predates the founding of the United States of America when the Continental Congress issued a proclamation setting aside a day of prayer in 1775. In 1952, Congress established an annual day of prayer and, in 1988, that law was amended, designating the National Day of Prayer as the first Thursday in May. For more information visit www.nationaldayofprayer.org. In commemoration of the day, which falls on Thursday, May 4th, the #78 Furniture Row Chevy Monte Carlo CUP car will feature a new Sam Bass designed, red, white and blue paint scheme showcasing the National Day of Prayer logo for Talladega on April 30. (The National Day of Prayer PR)

• Phoenix ratings down, but tops NBA playoffs:  Fox's broadcast of Saturday night's Subway Fresh 500 NASCAR Nextel Cup race at Phoenix International Raceway earned a 4.1 overnight rating from Nielsen Media Research and a 7 market share, Street and Smith's SportsBusiness Daily reports. The rating is 8.9 percent lower than the 4.5/8 Fox earned overnight in 2005, but the race still recorded the highest figures of any weekend sports event. ABC's broadcast of Sunday's NBA playoff game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Phoenix Suns was second with a 4.0 overnight rating. (NASCAR Scene Daily) Note: NASCAR last year did not compete against the NHL playoffs, which scored 1.3 this weekend.

• Stewart, Kahne and Sadler tire test at IMS: The three NASCAR drivers who had the most success in the 2005 Allstate 400 at the Brickyard are getting a head start on this year's race. Defending champion Tony Stewart was joined Monday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway by 2005 runner-up Kasey Kahne and pole winner Elliott Sadler for the first of a two-day Goodyear tire test. For Stewart, the test laps were his first on the track since the victory lap last August that marked the realization of a boyhood dream for the Columbus native. "I don't like testing," Stewart said. "I just like driving around this track. Period." The drivers represent each of NASCAR's three manufacturers: Chevrolet (Stewart), Ford (Sadler) and Dodge (Kahne). (Indy Star)

• NASCAR will not fine younger Busch: Kyle Busch will receive no further penalty from NASCAR for hitting Casey Mears while the red flag was displayed during Saturday night's Nextel Cup Series race at Phoenix International Raceway. Busch was assessed a five-lap penalty during the race for the incident, but that was after his car had sustained damage and he was already more than 40 laps down from the race leader. NASCAR officials said Tuesday, after meeting twice about the incident over the past two days, that the incident had been dealt with "before and after the race." (Charlotte Observer)

• Robby Gordon donates to ASU: Robby Gordon Motorsports donated $20,000 to Arizona State University to fund The Century Council's Alcohol 101 Plus program, which encourages responsible drinking. Gordon, team owner and driver of the #7 Jim Beam Chevy, presented a check to school officials prior to the NASCAR Nextel Cup race at Phoenix International Raceway this weekend. The grant is part of a larger donation given to RGM by Beam Global Spirits & Wine Inc. and its Jim Beam bourbon brand in support of the company's drink smart responsibility platform to educate consumers on how to make responsible decisions about alcohol. (Phoenix Business Journal)

April 24, 2006

• Dale Earnhardt Inc. to honor the Intimidator: Organizers at Dale Earnhardt, Inc. have confirmed that celebrations honoring the life and legacy of Dale Earnhardt will take place at Dale Earnhardt, Inc., on Saturday, April 29, 2006 from 9:00am - 4:00pm. Dale Earnhardt will be honored and inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame on April 27 in Talladega, Ala. The Busch Series race will be held on Dale's birthday, April 29th. In honor of both events, this year's theme will highlight Dale's incredible track record at Talladega International Speedway. Dale Earnhardt is the winningest driver at Talladega with 10 trips to Victory Lane during his illustrious career. His 76th, and final, victory occurred at the 2.66-mile superspeedway on October 15, 2000 when he roared from 17th to first in the final laps. Fans attending the Dale Earnhardt Day festivities at Dale Earnhardt, Inc. on Saturday, April 29 are in for a special day. Aside from all the functions and activities that surround the birthday of our co-founder and seven-time NASCAR champion, they will also get to hear from a major network news anchor. Brian Williams, lead anchor of NBC Nightly News, will be the Grand Marshall. A fan of NASCAR and friend of Dale Earnhardt, Williams will preside over the 3:00pm/et ceremony to officially mark Dale's birthday. He will share stories of his relationship with Dale and assist the Dale Earnhardt Foundation in recognizing achievements from the past year. He will join Teresa Earnhardt, President and CEO of DEI, at the 3:00pm/et. ceremony, as well. They will sign a special Dale Earnhardt Day flag which will be auctioned during the day. Later in the afternoon, Williams will be honored during a VIP guest reception. And, just like last year, there will be some autographed sheet metal and other exclusive items up for auction throughout the day. The first silent auction is from 9:00am - 12:00pm/et and the second one will run from 1:00 - 3:00pm/et. The main silent auction will begin at 9:00pm/et and end at 3:00pm/et featuring 10 items of very exclusive nature. For more information of times and events, activities, places to stay and things to do while in town for Dale Earnhardt Day, check out www.DaleEarnhardtInc.com (DEI PR)

• More on Jarrett and Toyota: It would appear Dale Jarrett is in the driver's seat when it comes to where he will drive in 2007. UPS has not renewed with car owner Robert Yates and will not until they are assured Jarrett's services have been secured. Jarrett, on the other hand, is being wooed by Toyota, with the full knowledge wherever Jarrett goes, UPS goes. (CircleTrackPlus.com)

April 23, 2006:

• Gordon not happy about drivers selected for test: Jeff Gordon expressed his dismay regarding Goodyear's selection of drivers for tire tests this season. His concern is understandable considering NASCAR severely limited testing this season. It is curious why Gordon, a four-time champion, has been excluded from testing this season, especially from this week's session at the Brickyard, where he leads all drivers in victories. (Yahoo! Sports/Sporting News)

• Harvick sweeps in Phoenix: Kevin Harvick dominated in the desert again Saturday night, winning the Nextel Cup race for a weekend sweep at Phoenix International Raceway. Harvick, who won the Busch Series race Friday night, passed Greg Biffle with 10 laps to go to win for the first time in more than a year. Once Harvick got by Biffle, it was clear sailing because the top challengers had late fuel problems. Biffle ran out of gas, then Mark Martin's tank went dry. It left only Tony Stewart to chase Harvick down and he never got close. Harvick coasted to the finish line, then celebrated his sixth career Nextel Cup victory with a smoky celebratory spin on the frontstretch. He, too, had feared he might run out of gas, but didn't have to push it because the competition was so far back. (ABC News - Results - Points)

April 22, 2006:

• Harvick hopes to have decision in 2 weeks:  In the next two weeks Kevin Harvick hopes to have what could easily be the biggest decision of his racing career behind him. Whatever that outcome, he hopes to remain on course for what could be his best season as a driver. "I think it's only fair to the parties involved to make a decision sooner, rather than later and string everything along," said Harvick, whose contract is up at the end of this season with Richard Childress Racing as driver of the No. 29 Chevrolets. "My team thought I was leaving since the middle of last year and they haven't crumbled, contrary to what some may think. It's all about staying focused on driving and performance, and we have tried not to pay attention to the situation that we are kind of in." That "situation" is complicated. (Charlotte Observer)

• All 3 Manufactures respond to internet rumor: Ford Public Affairs Manger: "We've seen that story, and I can assure you Ford does not plan on getting out of NASCAR. Our racing program has support at the highest levels of the company, and our research and data has shown conclusively that there's a viable business case for us being involved in the sport in terms of our market share and purchase consideration among race fans. Racing is part of the Ford DNA and has been since Henry Ford raced back in 1901." GM's NASCAR Director: General Motors' Pat Suhy, the company's NASCAR director, said that GM isn't leaving, either: "We're here in NASCAR and we're here to stay. It makes good business sense for us to be here. We get a great return on our investment. We have a lot of activation around this around the country with our dealers and our regional dealer groups. And we have great sponsorship partners with our teams. So if there is any truth to that, I don't know about it, and it certainly isn't us." (Salem-Journal) John Fernandez, Director of Dodge Motorsports Operations: "I've heard the rumor, but obviously we're not involved in it. I haven't heard anything from General Motors or Ford that indicates they're in any jeopardy. Obviously their total companies right now are having a tough time in the marketplace, but that's happened before and it'll happen again I'm sure. As far as I know, GM and Ford are still committed to NASCAR and committed to racing in the Cup Series. As far as I know right now it's only a rumor." (Dodge PR)

• Toyota looking at Robby Gordon, Harvick still, Jarrett and sponsor UPS: Elsewhere on the Toyota front, Robby Gordon declined to comment on the latest reports that Toyota and sponsor Red Bull are making an offer to buy him and his entire team. General Motors executives are still hopeful of keeping Gordon in their fold and point to the extensive work they've done to help Gordon become more competitive as an independent owner-driver. Kevin Harvick, also said to be on Toyota's wish list, is still negotiating with GM and owner Richard Childress for a contract renewal, and the yes or no could come in the next few days. Harvick has set a package and price, and the ball is in Childress' court. But team sources indicate that Childress isn't willing to meet Harvick's demands. Childress has been unavailable for comment, and Harvick has declined to comment. According to sources, Dodge owner Ray Evernham may be interested in hiring Harvick. And Toyota apparently wants not only Dale Jarrett but also his sponsor, UPS. That situation is unclear, but it appears to mean that if car owner Robert Yates wants to keep UPS on his quarterpanels, he would also have to re-sign Jarrett for two more years. (Salem-Journal)

• NASCAR ask teams to test COT at Lowes: NASCAR hopes to have at least eight Nextel Cup teams participate in its "Car of Tomorrow" test following the May 28 Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. The two-day test, scheduled for the Tuesday and Wednesday after the 600, will be the first this season for the newly designed car on a track of 1 mile in length or longer. The short-track version of the car was tested at Bristol, Tenn., and Martinsville, Va., earlier this season. "There is the possibility of a high of a dozen cars," said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president for competition. "Basically so far the tests have been just about the guys getting used to running the cars. The big gains are to be made when we get to the higher speed tracks like Charlotte and Michigan and like that." (ThatsRacin/Charlotte Observer)

• New Inspection tool: NASCAR has a new inspection contraption to inspect engine intake manifolds, in response to a manifold confiscated at Texas. (Salem-Journal)

• Fennig surprised by shake-up: Jimmy Fennig admitted he was "a little surprised" at the Roush Racing shake-up that removed him as Jamie McMurray's crew chief. With McMurray, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards stuck outside the top 20 in the standings, Roush made some bold personnel moves and sent Fennig down to oversee the organization's Busch Series program. Fennig, who became a crew chief 20 years ago with Mark Martin and won the 2004 Cup championship with Kurt Busch, said he was fine with the swap. "Whatever will help our teams is fine with me," he said. (News-Record)

• Fennig on the move to Toyota or maybe Ganassi? Speculation immediately heated up about Fennig's next move. Fennig, a highly respected, no-nonsense guy who gained his credentials with Bobby Allison and Mark Martin, is suddenly the hottest item in the stock-car racing garage, with Toyota officials and Dodge's Chip Ganassi expected to make calls. Ganassi is looking for a new team manager for his three-car operation after Andy Graves' resignation. And Fennig could be just the guy to fill the void, with instant credibility. Toyota could be an option. Toyota executives are wide open in building their Nextel Cup tour operations, and now they're raiding teams right and left, according to car owners. Don Miller, of the Roger Penske team, said that Toyota has picked up five Penske men already: "They just offer them $20,000 more than they're currently making, and get them." Ganassi has been so upset at losing crewmen to Toyota that he has sent the company a "cease-and-desist" letter. That move has many here writing off Ganassi for any Toyota-NASCAR deal. (Salem-Journal)

April 21, 2006:

NASCAR Texas ratings up compared to last years vs. Masters:  Final Nielsen Media Research numbers show that Fox's broadcast of the April 9 Samsung/RadioShack 500 NASCAR Nextel Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway earned a 5.4 rating and a 13 share. The rating is 5.3 percent lower than the 5.7/15 Fox earned for the Texas race in 2005, but that race was on a different weekend from the Masters, one of golf's four major events. The Masters traditionally draws strong television ratings. The 5.4 rating is 5.9 percent higher than Fox's 5.1/13 for its coverage of the 2005 Martinsville race, which aired opposite the Masters.  (NASCAR Scene Daily) Note: Compare CBS Master ratings from last year, CBS saw a 14% decline, dropping 1.4 to 8.3. Compare this years NASCAR's race vs. Master, NASCAR ratings were up .3 and 5.9%  vs. Masters and in addition, 200,000 plus fans at Texas Motor Speedway would slightly bump it up .2 or .3.

• NASCAR hires help for California track: Long-time NASCAR consultant, short-track owner and France family friend Ken Clapp will help California Speedway in its efforts to boost slumping ticket sales at the facility. In an exclusive interview with SPEEDTV.com Thursday at Phoenix International Raceway, Clapp, 67, said he has made a commitment to assist in the revitalization of the Southern California speedway. Clapp said he was asked by NASCAR Vice Chairman Bill France, Jr. last month at Las Vegas to take on the project. “I told him it will take five years,” said Clapp, who will serve as a consultant to track President Gillian Zucker. First up on Clapp’s list is a barnstorming tour with Zucker of the Southern California media, where he has deep roots and many friends. Clapp, who for many years was co-owner and operator of the fabled Stockton 99 Speedway, said some dramatic changes could be in the works at California Speedway. Among them are a possible date change for the spring race, to move it further away from the nearby Las Vegas race, and a track redesign similar to the one done at Homestead-Miami Speedway a couple of years back. The goals are to create better racing and draw more fans. (SpeedTV)

• McGylnn Racing to appeal fine: McGlynn Racing announced today that the have formally requested a hearing with the National Stock Car Racing Commission for the penalties issued to owner, Raynard McGlynn, driver Derrike Cope as well as the $50,000 fine issued to crew chief, Domenic Turse. (McGlynn Racing PR)

• Kurt Busch completes community service: Kurt Busch began his return to Phoenix International Raceway by completing 50 hours of community service for his reckless driving charge before last November's race. Busch donated more than $10,000 worth of baseball equipment to the Westside Recreational program and spent Wednesday signing autographs for more than 300 kids at Friendship Field.  He also taped a public service announcement on safe driving. "To have my 50 hours complete, that definitely is a breath of fresh air,'' Busch said before Thursday's qualifying for the race he won a year ago. "We did 100 percent of the effort in the Phoenix community to make a large impact with children in the community.'' (NASCAR.com)

April 20, 2006:

• Kyle Busch makes a pole run: Kyle Busch picked up where he left off at Phoenix International Raceway, winning the pole Thursday to put himself in prime position to win a second straight race in the desert. Busch, who won at Phoenix last November, ran a lap at 133.745 mph to take the top qualifying spot for Saturday night's Subway Fresh 500. His lap bested Greg Biffle, who qualified second with a lap at 133.383, and Tony Stewart, who was third at 133.299. After crossing the line, Busch barked into his radio. "I was just chomping at the bit," said Busch, who was cited for reckless driving in Richmond, Va., last week and was booed by the Phoenix fans most of the day. He then celebrated his first pole since February of last year by climbing onto the pit road wall and waving his arms in the air.  (USA Today - Starting Grid)

• Dale Jr. shoots SportsCenter commercial: “Maybe the most fun I’ve ever had shooting a commercial. It was hilarious. I’ve watched those SportsCenter commercials for years, and they’re always really good, really funny. I was honored when I heard they wanted me for one of their new ones. We left the Richmond test session Wednesday night and flew straight to Bristol, Connecticut to shoot it. It was a long day with the test, but the scripts were really good, which made it fun. John Anderson was the SportsCenter anchor I worked with, and he was a real pro. As soon as we finished, he took off like a bat out of hell to go shoot the next morning’s SportsCenter. Man, I thought that was impressive. After shooting a commercial, I’m looking for a couch and a cold beer. He had to go tape the next morning’s SportsCenter, watched by millions of people. It was an all-around great experience, and I can’t wait to see it. We actually shot two commercials that night. Not sure which one they’re going to use… We’ll have to wait and see.” (DEI/Dale Jr. Weekly Release)

• Red Bull hires another from Ford: Red Bull Racing has hired John Probst from Ford Racing Technology, a team spokesman confirmed Tuesday night. Probst will serve as the new team's technical director. A mechanical engineer with a degree from Penn State, Probst was the vehicle systems supervisor for Ford. The Red Bull operation, owned by the energy drink company, will field two Toyota teams in Nextel Cup in 2007.  (NASCAR Scene Daily)

• Kurt Busch without McCauley at Phoenix: [Kurt] Busch will be without crew chief Roy McCauley this week. McCauley, 36, underwent minor surgery Tuesday for a blockage after experiencing mild chest pains. Matt Gimbel, the crew chief for the Busch-Penske Busch team, will fill in for McCauley. (Salem-Journal)

• 68,000 NASCAR Day Pins sold: With exactly one month left until the third annual NASCAR Day, The NASCAR Foundation is gearing up for its most successful event ever, having sold twice as many NASCAR Day pins online compared to this point last year. NASCAR Day, an annual celebration of the power and passion of NASCAR's fans, will be held on May 19. NASCAR fans, tracks, corporations, schools and organizations across the country are encouraged to donate $5 and all participants receive a collectible 2006 NASCAR Day lapel pin for their donation. Of the 68,000 plus pins that have been sold so far this year, 61,000 of them were sold online at www.nascar.com/nascarday, the site that allows fans to order an individual pin, sign up a company and even purchase NASCAR Day apparel. The NASCAR Foundation, created in January to help NASCAR support driver and industry charities, signed Will Ferrell, the star of Columbia Pictures' upcoming NASCAR comedy Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, to serve as the official spokesperson for NASCAR Day 2006. (NASCAR PR)

• Best Western Reups with NASCAR as Official Hotel: Best Western International announced today that it has renewed its sponsorship agreement with NASCAR for another three years, extending its role as the sport's Official Hotel through the 2009 season. The company will continue to leverage the partnership through a combination of new and existing customized consumer programs and promotions, targeting NASCAR's 75 million loyal fans. Best Western will also build upon its recent business-to-business successes by developing additional opportunities with other major sponsors. On January 1, 2004, Best Western entered into a three-year agreement with NASCAR, becoming the sport's first-ever Official Hotel. Since then, the partnership has generated more attention for the lodging company than any other brand-wide initiative. In 2005, Best Western was honored by the Association of Travel Marketing Executives (ATME) with an Atlas Award, which recognizes innovation in travel marketing. The hotel chain was selected in the "Best Strategic Partnership" category for its sponsorship of NASCAR. "Two years ago, Best Western assumed a high-profile position within the fastest growing sport in North America," said Dorothy Dowling, Best Western senior vice president of marketing. "As part of an elite group of NASCAR sponsor companies, we were given access to a large, loyal -- and most importantly, mobile -- audience. Today, with 2,400 properties and more than 200,000 hotel rooms throughout the U.S. and Canada, we remain committed to making Best Western the home-away-from-home for NASCAR fans, as well as for its partners and racing teams." (Best Western PR)

April 19, 2006:

We will never forget April 19, 1995. Oklahoma City 168 lives.

• Earnhardt Privacy law survives challenge:  Florida law created to seal NASCAR racer Dale Earnhardt's autopsy photos stood up to challenge today by lawmakers who now have second thoughts. The reason? The recent beating-related death of Martin Lee Anderson at a Bay County boot camp. It's only through such records that some important public issues can come to light, argued House Democrats in debate today. "We don't need to keep the shades drawn on these important events that affect so many of us," said Rep. Arthenia Joyner, D-Tampa. "This bill has nothing to do with what happened to Martin Lee Anderson in custody," said Rep. David Rivera, R-Miami, sponsor of a bill continuing the autopsy confidentiality law. (Pensacola News-Journal)

• Martin denies part-time Cup rumors: Mark Martin, who was at Lowe’s Motor Speedway to help promote the upcoming NASCAR All-Star race at the 1.5-mile track, said Tuesday that he has no plans to run a partial Nextel Cup schedule in 2007 and that he’d likely only drive a Cup car if a Roush Racing teammate is injured and unable to drive. “I’ve got to be careful about saying ‘never,’ but there may be a situation where I fill-in or whatever,” said Martin. “I’m just not going to say it couldn’t happen. … There is some wiggle room and I just can’t say ‘never,’ but there’s no plans.” (SPEEDTV.com)

• France offers comments about All-Star race location:  NASCAR Chairman Brian France offered his strongest endorsement yet for keeping the all-star race at Lowe's Motor Speedway during a speech Tuesday at the Charlotte Business Journal's annual Power Breakfast. France, who has flirted with the notion of relocating the Nextel All-Star Challenge in recent years, said reinvigorated corporate and community support for the race has put it on more solid ground. The all-star race has attracted crowds of 120,000 to 140,000 in recent years. This year's race is May 20.   "I think the all-star race has done very, very well here," France said during the speech in front of more than 1,000 civic and business leaders gathered at the Charlotte Convention Center. "Historically, big events tend not to move around much unless they're not working well. (Charlotte civic leaders) have started to rally around the (motorsports) industry and the all-star race. Community leaders have sorted (an earlier lack of attention) out." The NASCAR chairman also said the uncertainty of moving events around on the schedule is a "bad business model" because it discourages track operators from investing in their events and venues. A recent higher profile for the all-star race and related events has made France more bullish on having it in Charlotte: "I hope we'll be able to keep it here."  (Charlotte Biz Journal)

• Graves steps down and resigns from Ganassi/Sabates Racing: Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates announced Tuesday that Andy Graves has resigned his position as team manager and will be reassigned to a different position within the company. “Andy Graves has been a passionate and valued member of Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates for the past seven years,” said Team Owner Chip Ganassi. “I have an extremely high regard for him both professionally and personally and look forward to his continued contributions here at Chip Ganassi Racing." "It has been a privilege to work with Chip, Felix and the whole team over the last seven seasons," said Graves. "These years with the team have been a part of my life that I will never forget and for that I am truly grateful. I am now just looking forward to the next chapter of my career here at Chip Ganassi Racing." Graves was in his sixth season as team manager for CGRFS. He joined CGRFS in 2000 as one of its first employees and was promptly named team manager for the Indianapolis 500 team that would go on to capture the 2000 Indianapolis 500 crown. Graves was also instrumental in the transition from SABCO to CGRFS. On an interim basis the duties of team manager will be absorbed by the current management staff that is in place. (Chip Ganassi Racing With Felix Sabates, PR)

• Richmond Sold-Out 29th consecutive time: Reinforcing its position as one of the most popular NASCAR destinations and having one of the most coveted tickets in racing, Richmond International Raceway officials announced today its 29th straight NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race sellout. Track President Doug Fritz announced all 107,097 seats for the newly named Crown Royal 400 set for Saturday, May 6 “under the lights” have been sold. During the sellout streak, more than 2.2 million fans from all 50 states and dozens of foreign countries have attended NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series events at Richmond International Raceway. “Richmond International Raceway is known as a fan favorite and selling out our 29th straight NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race is a testament to the exciting experience fans have when they come for a race,” said Fritz. “We had great test sessions for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup and Busch Series’ and should see some of the best racing yet ‘under the lights’ at Richmond International Raceway when the drivers return for the Crown Royal 400 and Circuit City 250 Presented by FUNAI.” (RIR PR)

• McGlynn Racing with Derrike Cop withdraws entries: McGlynn Racing announced today that Derrike Cope and the #74 Dodge will withdraw from this weekend's Subway Fresh 500 at Phoenix International Speedway. The team will also skip the Aaron's 499 at Talladega. During this period, Derrike and the team will be conducting testing for upcoming race events that are important to team sponsors. Having 35 spots guaranteed to the larger teams presents a significant challenge to the smaller, less funded teams. Since the team is not in a position to challenge for the top 35 points position at this time the team feels the best course of action is to skip select races to concentrate more effort on those they do enter. McGlynn Racing and Derrike continue to receive great support from of each of our current sponsors and are always searching for additional sponsors to improve upon equipment and hire personnel to make us even better," said Ryan McGlynn, General Manager for the team. (McGlynn Racing PR)

• NASCAR/ESPN agree to global distribution rights: In a significant move to continue to expand international television distribution of NASCAR, officials from ESPN International and NASCAR announced that beginning in 2007, ESPN International will become the exclusive worldwide syndication agent for NASCAR outside of North America. ESPN International will handle the worldwide television syndication rights for NASCAR and help identify broadcast partnerships on a country-by-country basis. Through the partnership, NASCAR and ESPN will leverage their combined resources to expand the scope and reach of NASCAR coverage. ESPN International is one of the leading syndicators of sports programming throughout the world and this relationship will help maximize coverage of NASCAR’s three major national series - the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, the NASCAR Busch Series and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series - and provide a solid base of distribution."It is tremendously exciting for ESPN International to be selling such a high quality, dynamic sports product as NASCAR,” said Murray Barnett, Senior Director of Sales for ESPN International. “We believe that ESPN International and NASCAR are a perfect match for the development of NASCAR's already impressive international TV distribution." With a 10-month racing season, the longest of any major North American sport, NASCAR provides broadcasters with the most competitive series in all of motorsports and dedicated viewers from February to November. The power of the NASCAR brand, the sport’s unique side-by-side racing among athletes viewed by fans as genuine and accessible, combined with a strong global interest in motorsports, positions NASCAR as one of the leading sports entertainment properties in the world. “This agreement is an important step in the continued growth of NASCAR beyond the U.S.,” said Robbie Weiss, International Managing Director for NASCAR. “We are excited to partner with ESPN International and their worldwide syndication team to help strengthen NASCAR’s reach and bring NASCAR to audiences all over the world. We believe this new partnership will provide great value to our fans as well as the entire NASCAR industry -- drivers, teams, media partners, licensees and sponsors.” (ESPN/NASCAR PR)

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