Aug. 15 - Aug. 22 2005

The News Below

• Parson pays tribute to Father

• Gordon and Johnson featured on EA Sports NASCAR

• NASCAR meets with teams on 2006 rules

• Waltrip/Davis haven't talked

• Schrader too low

• Slugger Labbe wins Wypall Wipers Award

• More on #15 DEI car

• Jeremy Mayfield wins in Michigan

• Kenseth considering Gibbs #11 ride?

• Brown hopes to spread Urban fan base

• HOF Racing and Sterling Marlin?

• 3 to 4 weeks on Roush decision on Busch

• ST Motorsports and Wood Brothers Partnership, 2nd car

• McMurray talks about Ganassi/Roush

• Fenning to stay at Roush

• Waltrip to Bill Davis Racing?

• DEI third part time team?

• Kansas City makes HOF pitch

• Brian France on Drug Policy and Event Pricing

• Watkins Glen NASCAR Ratings

• J. Gordon doesn't like recent driver signings

• Michigan International Speedway announces 30th Consecutive Sellout

• Stewart OK after Sprint car crash

• No Changes in Chase, France says Again

• Tony Eury, Jr. signs long-term deal:

• Jerry Nadeau FutureAndretti in the #4 McClure Car

• Wheeler thinks NASCAR will make another stop by Charlotte

• NO NASCAR Rally for Kansas City HOF stop, today

• NASCAR fans by their Domino's Pizza

• NASCAR in Charlotte on HOF tour

• Wallace and Martin to be honored at Michigan

• Craven unsure about future

• Green Brothers golf tourney raise over 50k

• Lebron James/Powerade on Bobby Labonte car at Bristol

• Stewart on Unique Whips with Caddy

• Helton to be featured speaker at AARWBA

Find Updated NASCAR News 24hrs a day. at the GNEXT NASCAR Articles Section

Aug 22, 2005

• Parson pays tribute to Father: Detroit native Benny Parsons, a former racer who is an analyst on TNT, worked Sunday's race with a heavy heart. Parsons' father, Harold, died Tuesday. Parsons, who was unable to attend his induction into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America on Thursday in Detroit, flew in early Sunday to work for TNT. "I'm doing exactly what my father would have wanted me to do," Parsons said. "He always told me 'You've got a job to do, you do it to the best of your ability, if possible.' This track has added significance to me because my family moved 75 miles from here years ago for better paying jobs." (Detroit News)

• Gordon and Johnson featured on EA Sports NASCAR: Electronic Arts announced today that its EA SPORTST branded NASCAR® videogame, NASCAR 06: Total Team Control, will feature NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series teammates Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson. The two avid "gamers" personify the focus of this year's game - Team Racing. "It's amazing how EA continues to innovate and make the game more fun for gamers and the drivers year after year," said Gordon, driver of the number 24 DuPont Chevrolet. Jimmie Johnson, driver of the number 48 Lowe's Chevrolet, expanded, "The addition of the team racing really changes the game in an amazing way. It's not just about you, the driver. Now, you are challenged to manage a whole team, using your on-track relationships with other drivers and especially your teammates to bring home the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Championship and build a racing dynasty." ...NASCAR 06: Total Team Control for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and Xbox® video game system from Microsoft will be on store shelves September 1st and is rated "E" for (Everyone) by the ESRB - Electronic Arts, Inc. PR More Information at www.easports.com(EA Sports PR)

• NASCAR meets with teams on 2006 rules:  NASCAR will meet with teams at NASCAR's research and development center in Concord, N.C., to review new rules and procedures for 2006. Template changes, the tire leasing program and the car of the future will be the lead topics.  (Sporting News/Lee Spencer)

• Waltrip/Davis haven't talked: Mike Brown, general manager for Bill Davis, said his team has had "no talks at all" with Michael Waltrip about joining their operation next season. (Salem-Journal)

• Schrader too low: NASCAR officials announced after the race that a post-race inspection revealed the roof on the No. 49 Dodge driven by Ken Schrader was too low. A penalty may be forthcoming this week. (Atlanta Journal Constitution)

• Slugger Labbe wins Wypall Wipers Award: The cost of gas may be at an all-time high, but for Jeremy Mayfield and the #19 team, fuel is priceless. After running outside the top-10 for the majority of the GFS Marketplace 400, crew chief Slugger Labbe called Mayfield into the pits on lap 148 to top off his fuel cell. The move sent Mayfield to the back of the pack, but when all of the leaders ducked into the pits on the ensuing green flag for a final gas and go, Mayfield inherited the lead and never looked back. The #19 Dodge Dealers Dodge assumed the top spot on lap 195 and held on to take the checkered flag. Labbe's fuel mileage gamble not only brought him a victory, but also won him the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race award. "History says this place from lap 150 on goes green," said Labbe. "We took a chance on history and we took a chance on what we did at the test. We ran 52 laps here at the test straight and then ran out of gas coming to 53. We knew we had the car to do it and the engine that could do it and the carburetor that could do it, and Jeremy is really good on saving fuel. We were cautiously nervous. We knew we could make it. It was going to be close of course. Jeremy thought he ran out a couple of times. We did a victory lap, did some burnouts and finally ran out of gas. It's a gamble. Maybe I should go to Vegas tomorrow." The panel of voters; including Tony Eury Sr., a Wypall Wipers representative and Maureen Fulton of the Toledo Blade; collectivelyvoted for Labbe as the crew chief who did the best job. Doug Richert leads the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Year standings with five wins. Alan Gustafson, Bob Osborne, Greg Zipadelli and Robbie Loomis are tied for second place with two wins. Tommy Baldwin, Scott Miller, Fatback McSwain, Steve Hmiel, Jimmy Fennig, Greg Erwin, Slugger Labbe and Pete Rondeau are in a tie for third place, each with one win. At the end of the season, the crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000.Fans can also vote for their choice at www.wypall.com.(SMC 500)

• More on #15 DEI car: Dale Earnhardt Inc. is adamant Waltrip will not be in the No. 15 car next season. In fact, if NAPA does not return, another sponsor is waiting to support a research and development car that will offer seat time to Busch racers Paul Menard and Ryan Moore. The rest of the garage is speculating on which organization will get Waltrip. The logical answer: Bill Davis Racing, with its existing Toyota Racing Development (TRD) relationship. Waltrip is expected to have a huge presence with Toyota when it goes Cup racing in 2007. If NAPA does not accompany Waltrip to his next Cup car, other possible sponsors include Domino's and Jim Beam (Sporting News/Lee Spencer)

Aug 21, 2005

• Jeremy Mayfield wins in Michigan: Jeremy Mayfield came out on top of a chaotic race Sunday, running the last 52 laps on a single tank of fuel and winning his first NASCAR Nextel Cup race of the season. Mayfield, whose most recent win came last September in Richmond, was never close to the lead earlier in the race. But one by one, the leaders were forced to pit for fuel - and Mayfield inherited the top spot with six laps to go in the 200-lap event at Michigan International Speedway. "Man, we had a 20th-place car and we robbed the bank," said Mayfield's gleeful crew chief Slugger Labbe. Nearly every team in the 43-car field had problems with cut tires or engines that overheated when windblown garbage collected on grills, cutting off air to radiators. Mayfield's Evernham Motorsports Dodge was no exception. "Our motor was running 270 (degrees) today," Labbe said. "It was cooked, but we made it." "They took a big chance running all the way (to the end) under green, and it's pretty cool winning a race like that," said Mayfield, who earned his fifth career win and solidified his hold on a top 10 spot in the points and a position in the upcoming Chase for the Championship. (MLive.com - Results - Points)

• Kenseth considering Gibbs #11 ride? When it rains, sometimes it storms. And car owner Jack Roush has been awash the past few weeks. Now comes word that Matt Kenseth, whose contract with Roush is up at the end of 2006, may be under consideration for a ride with Joe Gibbs in Gibbs' new third team, which has struggled this season, despite hefty sponsorship from FedEx. (Salem-Journal)

• Brown hopes to spread Urban fan base: While the youths on the streets around the area often sport the look of their favorite NBA player, a popular NFL star, or some rap impresario, NASCAR is no where to be found. Tim Brown thinks he can change that. The former Heisman Trophy winner from Notre Dame, who ended his 17-year NFL career as the No. 2 all-time leading receiver, is starting a racing team that he hopes can bring a flush of diversity to the sport and make NASCAR a player on its final domestic frontier - the inner city. That seed has already been planted with the kids from Cornerstone. Six of them visited Michigan International Speedway here on Friday, and if they were not NASCAR fans when they arrived, they were when they left. "Our children's eyes are wide open," Cornerstone president Ernestine Sanders said. "They see all that goes into this sport, and they are fascinated with the engineering, the science, and all of the people and elements it takes to make these cars perform so well. NASCAR wants to show the sport to kids in the cities, and I think the kids are going to love it." The Cornerstone children showed a fascination NASCAR hopes is highly contagious. And if Tim Brown's diversity push pans out, this megasport could saddle up alongside the NFL as top dog in the American sports market. Brown admits it is an ambitious undertaking. He has a degree in sociology and a minor in business, and he is probably going to need them both, and then some, to make this all work. "There's an opportunity for me to come in, take the NASCAR beast and in some kind of way put it together with the urban community," Brown said. "We think we'll be able to do that, to bring people in who maybe have not been in NASCAR. You know, it's not cool to wear a Dale Earnhardt jacket in the neighborhood. You just can't be cool and wear that jacket. But what we want to do is to make that cool." (Toledo Blade)

• HOF Racing and Sterling Marlin? Troy Aikman and Roger Staubach, former NFL stars, after years of trying have apparently finally got things going for a long-proposed new NASCAR team. One driver under consideration is reported to be Sterling Marlin. Gibbs is to supply the engines. (Salem-Journal)

Aug 20, 2005

• 3 to 4 weeks on Roush decision on Busch: Car owner Jack Roush says he probably won't decide Kurt Busch's 2006 plans "for three or four weeks," while Geoff Smith, the head of Roush Racing, reviews sponsorship commitments and options in assessing whether to let Busch leave to join Roger Penske. (Salem-Journal)

• ST Motorsports and Wood Brothers Partnership, 2nd car: Wood Brothers Racing, one of the last holdouts among single-car teams in the Nextel Cup Series, will eventually start a second program, the team said on Friday at Michigan. Wood Brothers will merge with ST Motorsports' two-car Busch Series program to eventually include two-car teams in the Nextel Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck levels. The entire undertaking came under the direction of Ford Racing, which provides factory support to both ST Motorsports and the Wood Brothers.  It is not yet known when the two-car Nextel Cup team will take effect because the team is looking for a sponsor for the program. That fact alone puts a 2006 start unlikely. The Wood Brothers' first priority is to find additional funding for their No. 21 Ford in 2006. Team owner Eddie Wood says he hasn't had a chance to talk with driver Ricky Rudd about his status for 2006. "We have a little bit of work to do for the 21.The 21 needs to be fully-funded," said Greg Specht, performance operations manager for Ford. "That is a partial season deal and we have had to put together additional dollars." (NASCAR.com)

• McMurray talks about Ganassi/Roush: McMurray, silent since announcing July 7 he had signed with Roush for 2007 (for a reported $3.5 million a year, considerably higher than his current salary), finally opened up: "I've been with Chip three years. I was very fortunate to win in my second start. That's when our organization was winning a lot of races. "This is my third year, and we've come close to winning, but I just don't feel we're improving enough from where we started three years ago. That has nothing to do with the people; we have a really intelligent group of people and beautiful cars, some of the nicest in the series. But sometimes things just don't work out. "If I had won a championship last year and two or three races this year, you couldn't get me to leave, because that's what it's all about, winning. I want to go where I think I can win. "Chip has been through this before. Chip understands I'm doing what I feel is best for me. When I sat down with Chip in Daytona (in early July) I told him I was going to sign a contract with another team 'and I don't want you to counter-offer, because I'm not doing it for money.' He said 'OK, as long as you're committed to me through 2006.' I said 'Definitely.' (In Part from Salem-Journal)

• Fenning to stay at Roush: Roush Racing #97 crew chief, Jimmy Fennig, a man of very few words said on Friday morning that he will not follow his current driver Kurt Busch to Penske Racing -- his loyalities are to the team owner. "I'll Stay with Jack (Roush) no matter what," says Fennig. Was Fennig surprised that Busch had jumped ship and signed with Penske and was he upset at the turn of events? "It was pretty much a surprise, but that's racing," Fennig continued, "Was I upset -- No? Life goes on" (InsiderRacing.com)

• Waltrip to Bill Davis Racing? The upcoming driver swaps on the Nextel Cup circuit could find Michael Waltrip racing under the banner of Bill Davis Racing in 2006, and he might be taking his current sponsor, NAPA, with him. Waltrip has informed his current team, Dale Earnhardt Inc., that he won't be returning to the No. 15 Chevy he has driven for the past five seasons. A move to Davis' team would mesh nicely with Waltrip's expected plans to join Toyota's team when that manufacturer moves to the Cup circuit, because Davis already is running Toyotas in the Craftsman Truck Series. (Atlanta Journal Constitution)

• DEI third part time team? Crew chief Tony Eury Jr. finally has something to talk about - a new contract with Dale Earnhardt Inc. He revealed that Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s contract is up at the end of 2007. And he said that DEI would field a third team next season "part-time." (Salem-Journal)

Aug 19, 2005

• Kansas City makes HOF pitch: On Thursday, the amalgamation of politicians, businesspeople and community groups that formed to pitch Kansas City met with a delegation of NASCAR officials and made their spiel. They conducted a site tour, they extolled the benefits of building the 100,000-square-foot, $100 million project in Wyandotte Country and they listened. None among the Kansas City group expected to hear NASCAR chief operating officer George Pyne or any of the others in his delegation issue any definitive answers on their bid, so they were not disappointed when none were forthcoming. Pyne said his group, which has now toured four of the five communities in the running to land the hall, would retreat to NASCAR headquarters and begin the winnowing process. He said the NASCAR board of directors will be brought in at some point and that eventually Kansas City; Atlanta; Charlotte, N.C.; Richmond, Va.; or Daytona Beach, Fla., will be awarded the hall. "We've told everybody that we'd like to make a decision by the end of the year," Pyne said. But, he added, that deadline is tentative because NASCAR does not want to "box itself in with an unrealistic timeline." So the wait for the Kansas City backers may be longer than hoped. Pyne said very little that would make the wait any easier. With visits already conducted everywhere but Richmond, Pyne was asked whether a lead candidate has emerged. "No," he said. "Everywhere you go, you like what you see. I can say it will be a hard decision, and the proposals have been very good." (Kansas City Star)

• Brian France on Drug Policy and Event Pricing:  France also disputed reports that Scott Wimmer was not tested for drugs following a drunk driving incident. He said there were a pair of telling factors in NASCAR's policy. "The reason it's sort of vague is it gives us a wide set of reasons in our sole judgment to test somebody," he said. "We want to make sure that the language and what the drivers actually agree to. We feel like for any reason we need to test somebody, we will. "I would pay attention as much to the penalties as I would the process or how many times you test, the frequency and that all because he doesn't matter. If you look at the recent penalties that we got, a second offense, almost two years suspension. "That is substantial and is an enormous deterrent to a drug issue that our drivers may get into." France also said tracks are looking at ticket options in trying to lessen the costs. "Not just in ticket cost, but the whole cost," he said. "It's the hotel room that skyrockets around race events, it's fuel prices, it's all the kinds of things that make going to a NASCAR event more expensive than the tracks and we would like to see." Yet, according to France, "we're actually on quite a (attendance) record right now. We're having a great year." (Daily Bulletin)

• Watkins Glen NASCAR Ratings:  Sunday's race at Watkins Glen drew a 4.3 overnight rating for NBC. That's down from a 5.0 rating in 2003, the last time the Watkins Glen race was broadcast on NBC. (NASCAR.com)

• J. Gordon doesn't like recent driver signings: Four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon called the future team switches recently orchestrated by drivers Kurt Busch and Jamie McMurray disrespectful, and suspects the controversy surrounding Busch's deal will prevent him from defending last year's championship. Gordon said if he were the car owner for Busch or McMurray, "I would be finding a suitable replacement for them tomorrow. They would be gone." Gordon, who spoke to reporters Thursday while in Washington, D.C., to promote an upcoming race in Richmond, Va., also said some young drivers are overpaid. Busch, who drives for Roush Racing, and McMurray, who drives for Chip Ganassi Racing, are under contract through the end of next season. (USA Today)

• Stewart OK after Sprint car crash: Tony Stewart was not hurt when he crashed while leading the Sprint Sizzler at Eldora Speedway Wednesday night in Rossburg, Ohio. Stewart lost a right-front tire on the ninth lap and hit the wall creating a melee that also eliminated fellow NASCAR driver Dave Blaney, who was running second. Kasey Kahne, the third Nextel Cup driver in the winged sprint car field, took the lead after the Stewart-Blaney crash but lost it four laps later to eventual race winner Darren Long. Stewart, Kahne and Blaney joined 36 other drivers on the half-mile Eldora Speedway dirt track Stewart purchased in December. (Indy Star)

• No Changes in Chase, France says Again: NASCAR has no plans to either change the format of its Nextel Cup Series Cup Chase for the Cup format or implement the playoff system in its Busch or Craftsman Truck Series. Brian France, NASCAR chairman and CEO, made those points clear Thursday in a conference call with West Coast media in advance of the NASCAR weekend at California Speedway on Sept. 2-3. In a far-ranging conversation, France also touched on the sanctioning body's drug policy and ticket prices. He was strongest in denying there had been any discussions to change the Chase format to allow in popular drivers not within the top 10, notably Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. "Zero discussion in my office and nowhere in NASCAR," said France about a possible change, "because this is a performance-based sport and you've got to perform to get in. Our drivers wouldn't want that anyway. I know there are theories on this, but they wouldn't want to limp in on a fan vote or something like that. (Daily Bulletin)

Aug 18, 2005

• Tony Eury, Jr. signs long-term deal: Teresa Earnhardt, President and CEO of Dale Earnhardt, Inc., and crew chief, Tony Eury, Jr., a 14-year employee of DEI, have announced that Eury Jr. will remain part of the organization for many years to come via a long-term contract that was inked today. "Having such a loyal employee and talented crew chief like Tony as part of DEI on a long-term basis was an important objective for the continuity of our program," said Ms. Earnhardt. "I couldn't be happier," Eury, Jr. said. "I've spent many years with DEI and always planned to be for a long time to come. With all the outside distractions now behind us, we can focus on winning races."  (DEI.com)

• Jerry Nadeau Future:  The biggest question is trying to determine whether racing will ever play a role in his life. He has the desire - "I wish we had a second car here so that I could race against Adrian." - but questions remain whether he is physically fit to compete. Nadeau readily admits he lives with a constant tingling feeling on the left side of his body, the direct result of the hit to the right side of the brain. "It's like when your arm or leg falls asleep," Nadeau said in trying to explain the sensation. "It's there all the time. If I really focus on something, I can barely feel it. When I work out, I feel it even more as the brain works to try and connect those nerves. "I'm getting better. I'm not a 100 percent. I would say about 70." (Daily Bulletin)

• Wheeler thinks NASCAR will make another stop by Charlotte: NASCAR leaders who toured Charlotte Wednesday may be back for a second look at the proposed site for a Hall of Fame. That's what the president of Lowe's Motor Speedway predicted Wednesday night. The NASCAR committee was scheduled to tour Kansas City on Thursday. Humpy Wheeler said he expects NASCAR to narrow the list of contenders and revisit the sites before making a final decision. Wheeler also said he hopes to use the October race at the speedway as another opportunity to sell Charlotte to NASCAR. A spokeswoman for Charlotte Center City Partners said Wednesday night that the NASCAR committee members commented over and over again how impressed they were at the number of fans decked out in yellow who lined the streets uptown during a bus tour for NASCAR. (WSCOTV.com)

• NO NASCAR Rally for Kansas City HOF stop, today:  Unlike Atlanta, Daytona Beach and Charlotte, there will be no booster rallies, no pleas for fans to line sidewalks and no chamber of commerce-issued checkered flags being waved Thursday in Kansas City, Kan. Instead, there will be facts, figures and tours as people hoping to lure the NASCAR hall of fame to Kansas City highlight the specifics of their bid. "Ours," Kansas Speedway president Jeff Boerger said, "will be a very businesslike presentation." The object of the presentation is a delegation of NASCAR officials arriving Thursday morning in Kansas City. The delegation, charged with visiting the five communities that have submitted bids to be host to the hall, already has been to three of the potential host cities and will visit the fifth next week. It has the job of further scrutinizing bids submitted to NASCAR in May. The NASCAR officials will also hear from political, business and civic leaders Thursday and visit the proposed site of the hall in the Village West development near Kansas Speedway. (Star-Telegram)

• NASCAR fans by their Domino's Pizza:  In three year's time, Domino's Pizza has gone from being the third most preferred pizza by NASCAR fans to the pizza they like most. If you're looking for reasons why Domino's would spend millions of dollars to sponsor a NASCAR race, a driver, a team and to be the "official'' pizza of NASCAR, that's a good place to start. This Saturday, Michael Waltrip, a 20-year veteran NASCAR racer, will drive the Domino's Pizza No. 99 car in the first ever Domino's 250 Busch Series race at the Michigan International Speedway in Jackson. Last year, the race was sponsored by the sporting goods giant Cabela's.  Domino's executives say the firm's NASCAR sponsorships, which have increased each of the past three years, have paid off and more are in the works. And Waltrip, who has appeared in Domino's commercials and promoted Domino's on the radio and in public appearances, knows that the company isn't sponsoring him out of charity. "I understand if we don't sell more pizzas - and me and (CEO) Dave Brandon are buddies - he'll take the Domino's (logo) right off my car,'' Waltrip said Wednesday in a ceremony at the firm's Ann Arbor Township headquarters before the Domino's 99 Chevrolet Monte Carlo was unveiled. (Mlive.com)

Aug 17, 2005

• Andretti in the #4 McClure Car: A season of frustration has led to another change at Morgan-McClure Motorsports. Team president and general manager Larry McClure announced Tuesday that NASCAR veteran John Andretti will drive the No. 4 car this weekend at Michigan. "We have built new cars and improved on the performance of our engines, and we still seem to be lacking somewhere," McClure said. "We need answers on how to get better so we decided to put someone else in the car to get feedback from his perspective and go from there." Regular MMM driver Mike Wallace has qualified for all but three of the 22 Nextel Cup races this season, but ranks 36th in points without a top-10 finish. McClure has asked Wallace to return for the Aug. 27 Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway. (TriCities.com)

• NASCAR in Charlotte on HOF tour: The yellow billboards throughout the region say the NASCAR Hall of Fame "belongs here." The message inside the Charlotte Convention Center today will be slightly different: "The NASCAR Hall of Fame will thrive here." The message is aimed at a team of NASCAR's leaders who will spend six hours hearing Charlotte's pitch for a $137.5 million shrine to stock-car racing. Charlotte's built-in fan base, financial plans and proximity to race teams would give the hall of fame staying power here, said Tim Newman, chief executive of the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority. "It will be just as successful 10 years and 20 years down the road as it is on opening day," he said. (Charlotte Observer)

• Wallace and Martin to be honored at Michigan: When the green flag drops for the GFS Marketplace 400 on Sunday at Michigan International Speedway, two drivers who have accomplished so much on the 2-mile oval, Rusty Wallace and Mark Martin, will be saying their final good-byes and racing in their final NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races at MIS. Wallace and Martin are no strangers to success at MIS with a combined 15 victories between the two of them. Wallace has seven wins (5 Cup, 1 IROC, 1 ASA) and Martin eight (4 Cup, 2 Busch, 1 IROC, 1 ASA) at MIS, making them two of the most successful drivers in track history. Both drivers will be looking for one last victory at MIS in Wallace's 'Rusty's Last Call' and Martin's 'Salute To You' campaigns. Fans will want to be in their seats prior to driver introductions at approximately 2 p.m. as MIS will honor Wallace and Martin during pre-race ceremonies prior to the GFS Marketplace 400. Both drivers will be presented a framed photo collage of memorable wins at MIS by track President Brett Shelton and have a chance to address the MIS crowd and thank them for all of their support during their two annual stops in the Irish Hills. Both drivers will then ride separate trucks to give an opportunity for one last salute to the great MIS fans. "I've always enjoyed racing at MIS and would like to win here again," said Wallace. "This track has always treated me real well and the fans here have always been some of the best on the circuit. It's been a great run and I've enjoyed my last season in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series." In addition, fans will also get a chance to see Wallace appear in MIS' all-inclusive Victory Lane Club prior to the GFS Marketplace 400 on August 21. Wallace will perform question and answer sessions for fans who have purchased the Fan Hospitality package. (MIS PR)

• Craven unsure about future: Ricky Craven looks like the forgotten man on Roush's deep roster. Craven, driving on the Craftsman Truck Series for Roush this season and still looking for a first win, is at a crucial point in his career. Earlier this season, Craven was one of the names on Roush's list as a possible replacement for Mark Martin in 2006, after Martin's retirement. However, Craven, ninth in the Truck standings, has apparently faded from the picture. Craven, in fact, seems reluctant to get his hopes up for a possible return to the Nextel Cup tour, where his smoky, fender-banging Darlington win over Busch is still talked about. "I have allegiance to Jack Roush," Craven said. "He called me, and he offered me a job (racing trucks). I accepted the job, and Jack's been 100 percent with me. "He's been good to me, and he's been good for me, and I've enjoyed building that relationship. "It would be difficult for me to entertain thoughts of substituting for a year (on the Cup tour)," Craven said. "I'm 39, and I have expectations, and I'm just not sure that's what I would want. That probably wouldn't interest me, not for a year. "I'm not closing the door on Cup, but I think the Truck series has satisfied a lot of things for me." (Salem-Journal)

• Green Brothers golf tourney raise over 50k: Long drives, long putts, but more importantly money that will go a really long way all made the Sixth Annual Green Brothers Golf Tournament sponsored by General Mills another huge success. Hosted by Green Foundation co-founders Jeff and Mark Green, the annual event raised $55,000 for The Green Foundation. The event was held on Wednesday, Aug. 3, at the Summit Country Club in Owensboro, Ken. "I'm just proud to be a part of something that has become so successful," said Jeff Green. "We are really grateful for the support from all the drivers, the sponsors, and the fans that keep making this day so special. It's the opportunity to raise money and give back to the community and charities that really matters most. We had a great time on the course, but knowing that we helped out a lot of people is what really makes this day special." Jeff and Mark Green were joined by other celebrities and stars including Kyle Petty, Jason Keller, Randy LaJoie, Stacy Compton, Larry McReynolds and more. The day included golf and then a meet-and-greet with celebrities. Money raised will go towards the Victory Junction Gang Camp, the Owensboro Boys and Girls Club, MDA, and other national and local charities the Green Foundation supports. "We are really blessed with the opportunity to give back to this community," commented Mark Green. "The people of Owensboro, and all the people that have been a part of this tournament, have made it a marquee event for this city each year. This year was another great tournament, but it's really awesome to know that we raised a lot of money for so many great charities. We're already looking forward to next year's tournament." Fans can log onto www.thegreenfoundation.org to find out more information on upcoming events or how to make a donation. The Green Foundation was founded in 2002 by NASCAR stars and brothers Jeff and Mark Green. (Green Foundation PR)

• Lebron James/Powerade on Bobby Labonte car at Bristol: Coca-Cola will test LeBron James' crossover appeal when the company puts the Cleveland Cavaliers guard on Bobby Labonte's hood next Saturday night. A comic book character resembling the 20-year-old NBA marketing icon will be plastered on the hood of the No. 18 car for the Sharpie 500 at the Bristol Motor Speedway to promote POWERade's new James-inspired flavor, SourMelon. Coca-Cola officials say that recent data shows that 74 percent of all NBA fans are also NASCAR watchers. "We're about doing things differently and changing the way sports and entertainment are combined to better connect with our consumers," said Michael La Kier, Coca-Cola's senior brand manager of sports drinks. Coca-Cola will be flying in James to see his first live NASCAR race. "I really like the look of the race car," James said in a statement. "But I'm thinking we need to add some new rims." Coca-Cola will hand out commemorative comic books, with James and Labonte as characters, to fans at the track. The flavor, which is scheduled to hit shelves in 32-ounce bottles on Oct. 1, is the second in the line called FLAVA23. Sourberry, which matched the colors of his Cleveland Cavaliers jersey, hit supermarket and convenience store shelves last September. James helped chose the flavor, which is colored an emerald green, the color of his jersey at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School. (ESPN.com)

• Stewart on Unique Whips with Caddy: Red-hot NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series driver Tony Stewart quietly turned over a pair of cars from his collection to celebrity customizer Will Castro a few weeks ago at the 16th Street Speedway in Indianapolis. The first car, a Lamborghini, didn't raise many eyebrows, as A-list athletes and cool cars go together like peanut butter and jelly. In fact, Castro has worked on more Lamborghinis then he can remember. But the second ride was a little different -- a baby blue 1984 Cadillac Brougham hearse. Yes, that kind of hearse. Intrigued by the challenge, however, Castro and his crew from Unique Autosports in New York believe they are up to the task of customizing the unusual car for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup points leader. "This will be, at the very least, a five-month project," said Castro, whose show Unique Whips airs Wednesday nights on SPEED Channel at 9 p.m. ET and PT. "We will do a complete job inside and out -- new wheels, new tires and custom paint. We'll add a custom top, an all new interior with a home entertainment system, plasma screens and a wet bar. It will be crazy." Stewart, who purchased the car in Cincinnati "just to mess with people," trusts Castro and his team to have some fun with the car. (TonyStewart.com)

• Helton to be featured speaker at AARWBA: NASCAR President Mike Helton will be the featured speaker at the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association's 36th annual All-America Team dinner, Saturday, Dec. 3, at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Indianapolis. AARWBA is the country's oldest and largest organization of motorsports media professionals. The dinner, honoring the champion drivers from stock car, open-wheel, short track, drag and road racing and touring series, will mark the official conclusion of AARWBA's 50th Anniversary Celebration. Helton will share his important insights with AARWBA members and guests in Indianapolis one day after the annual NASCAR NEXTEL Cup awards ceremony in New York City. AARWBA members voted NASCAR's founding France Family as Newsmaker of the Half-Century, the headline event of the 50th Anniversary Celebration. The All-America Team of drivers is elected by AARWBA members. The top vote-getter from the various classes will be announced at the dinner as winner of AARWBA's No. 1 honor, the Jerry Titus Memorial Award. IRL champion Tony Kanaan was the 2004 Titus winner and attended last January's Team dinner to accept. Tickets, for the general public as well as media and sponsors, are available more info at the aarwba.org web site, click on the 'banquet' link. (AARWBA)

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