NASCAR News Aug. 4 - Aug. 9 2005

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Aug 9, 2005

• DEI's Gilmore likes Kenseth:  Dale Earnhardt Inc. director of motorsports Richie Gilmore would put Matt Kenseth in one of his team's Nextel Cup cars tomorrow. That isn't going to happen, tomorrow or next year, despite recent speculation. The 2003 series champion has one year left on his contract - though Roush signed Jamie McMurray away from Chip Ganassi before his deal is done next season - and Kenseth, a good friend of DEI's Dale Earnhardt Jr. , has let it be known he has unfinished business with Roush Racing. "(Kenseth's) deal is, he looked at his teammates and saw there are teams that are running good and wants to see if he can get back and win championships," Gilmore said. "He has always been on DEI's short list. He was one of Big E's favorite drivers, and if we could ever get Matt, he would probably be our first choice for a teammate for Junior."  With Kenseth unavailable, Gilmore has trolled the garage in search of a young, marketable driver to replace Michael Waltrip in the No. 15 Chevrolet next season. Gilmore holds out hope Kenseth could drive a fourth DEI entry in 2007, but for now his choices are few. Gilmore said he hoped to have a driver secured within the next few weeks, but another option was eliminated when Casey Mears said he was "99.9 percent sure" he would return to Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates next year. (St. Petersburg Times)

• Tracy test Childress Car: A new chapter of Paul Tracy’s hugely successful career began this Monday at Michigan International Speedway, where the 2003 Champ Car champion began preparing for his first-ever attempt at qualifying for a NASCAR Nextel Cup race, the GFS Marketplace 400 at MIS on August 21. Long courted by Richard Childress's organization, PT had the company of RCR’s Kevin Harvick and nine other drivers as he tried to get to grips with hustling a 3,400-pound stock car around the 2-mile, D-shaped oval, instead of the 1,500-pound Indy-style cars he’s raced 11 times at MIS. In spite of still holding Michigan’s official track record with a lap of 234.949mph that put him on the pole for the 2000 Champ Car race, Tracy reckoned the test posted a steep learning curve. "It's a lot different from what I do,” he admitted. “To go out on fresh tires and really lean on it hard, sometimes to the point where I don't know exactly how far I can push it, is still an area to learn." (SPEED)

• Foyt stung by Bee's: A.J. Foyt was able to go to his office Monday, just two days after being stung by nearly 200 bees at his ranch in Hempstead, Texas. Foyt spokeswoman Anne Fornoro told The Associated Press that the 70-year-old, four-time Indianapolis 500 winner was driving a bulldozer Saturday, clearing brush, when he apparently stirred up a nest of bees. She said Foyt jumped off the bulldozer and started to run for a nearby stream, but he tripped and the bees swarmed onto him. He was stung dozens of times on the face and upper body before finally scrambling into the water. Fornoro said a man working nearby called 911. Foyt was treated at the scene, but refused a trip to the hospital. "He says he was stung in the mouth, the ears, the throat, all over his face and that his eyes are really swollen, but he's doing OK," Fornoro said. (ESPN.com)

• Penske approaches Roush about Kenseth, Gannasi has offer: Meanwhile, car owner Chip Ganassi raised a few eyebrows when he tossed out a rumor he said he’d heard about Penske making an offer to Roush for $12 million to buy out Kenseth’s contract in order to put Kenseth in Wallace’s ride next season. “And I heard Jack was going to keep $2 million and turn around and give me $10 million to buy Jamie McMurray’s contract,” Ganassi said with a laugh. “If so, I want to make sure Jack has my phone number.” Geoff Smith, the head of Roush Racing, didn’t find Ganassi amusing. “That is Chip pulling everyone’s legs. That is 100 percent fabricated,” Smith said. “What that does tell you is his decision (to keep McMurray in 2006, despite McMurray’s new 2007 contract with Roush) might not be being made by what is right for Jamie or for the sponsor or for racing, but ‘Hey, maybe I can make a buck.’ That’s what it feels like.” Nevertheless, there were reports that Penske had indeed approached Roush with an offer of some sort for Kenseth, but that Roush had dismissed it out of hand. (Fort Wayne)

• Zipadelli Wins WYPALL® Wipers Crew Chief of the Race Award: Greg Zipadelli made Tony Stewart’s dream come true this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway – he brought the Indiana native a win at the Brickyard 400. Stewart held the lead three times for a total of 44 laps before taking the checkered flag in one of NASCAR’s most prestigious events. His victory marked his fourth win this season and his seventh consecutive top-10 finish. For arranging the appointment for his driver to “kiss the bricks,” Zipadelli was voted® the WYPALL® Wipers Crew Chief of the Race. Stewart had the car to beat this weekend. But unlike most winning cars that arrive to the track with hours of practice and test sessions already logged, Stewart’s car came fresh to the Brickyard. The original car that Zipadelli planned on using for the race didn’t test well, so he had his Home Depot crew piece together a brand new # 20 machine. “I’m just so proud of this team,” said Zipadelli. “I’d like to thank my fab shop and motor room. This is a brand new car. Everybody worked night and day to get it built. We weren’t happy with the one we tested. We went to the wind tunnel and the car looked good. And we brought it back here even without even taking it to the race track. So I couldn’t be prouder of everybody in our organization.” The panel of voters; including Steve Ballard of the Indianapolis Star, a WYPALL® Wipers representative and Robbie Reiser; all agreed that Zipadelli deserved WYPALL® Wipers Crew Chief of the Race honors. “Zipadelli had a ton of pressure on him this weekend,” said Reiser. “All of Tony’s (Stewart) hometown had their eyes on the #20 team this week. They were all expecting him to win and Greg (Zipadelli) came through. He gave Tony an awesome car and it seemed to get better and better as the race went on. By the end of it, no one could touch him.” 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 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. For more information, log onto www.wypall.com. (SMC 500)

• Daytona releases $105 mil. HOF Bid:  Volusia County is the first pit stop for NASCAR as the racing organization nears a final decision on where to put the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Supporters say the facility is the perfect complement to Daytona International Speedway, WESH 2 News reported. On Tuesday, business leaders and the community will get one final chance to rev up support for a multi-million-dollar NASCAR attraction in Daytona Beach. NASCAR officials will visit the Speedway, the first of five meetings before deciding which city will land the Hall of Fame. Daytona Beach is competing against Atlanta, Charlotte, Kansas City, Kan., and Richmond, Va. A Green Flag committee has released some details about the $105 million museum, including a high-tech tower of champions interactive theater, a NASCAR bridge of history and a video play station attraction called "You're In the Drivers Seat" that links visitors to a remote-controlled version of a race car. (Video and more at WESH)

Aug 8, 2005

• J. Leffler Fired by Gibbs: Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) has released driver Jason Leffler from his driving duties with the #11 car in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Terry Labonte will compete in several of the upcoming Nextel Cup races in the #11, beginning this weekend at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International. JGR will also turn to its NASCAR Busch Series drivers – J.J. Yeley and Denny Hamlin – to split driving duties in the #11 in the remaining Nextel Cup races where Terry Labonte is not scheduled to drive. “This was a difficult decision,” said J.D. Gibbs, president of JGR. “Everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing had high hopes for Jason and the #11 team, but our performance wasn’t meeting the expectations all of us set forth at the beginning of the year. “It hasn’t been for lack of effort, as Jason is a talented race car driver who worked incredibly hard and was terrific with our sponsor. “With an experienced veteran in Terry Labonte, the #11 will benefit from his 25 years of Nextel Cup racing, and ideally, climb higher in points. In looking toward next year, J.J. Yeley and Denny Hamlin will get some valuable seat time at the Nextel Cup level that will allow us to build the #11 into a race-winning contender for 2006 and beyond.” Terry Labonte’s addition to JGR is a natural, as Terry’s younger brother, Bobby, is a 10-year veteran of JGR, having piloted the #18 Interstate Batteries Chevrolet since 1995. The Labonte brothers are the only brothers in NASCAR history to win NASCAR Cup Series championships. Terry won the title in 1984 and 1996, while Bobby won in 2000. “We want to thank Hendrick Motorsports for allowing Terry to assist us with the #11 team,” said Gibbs, whose team now features three NASCAR Cup Series champions in Bobby, Terry and 2002 series champion Tony Stewart. “In planning the future of the #11 team, we looked around the Cup and Busch Series garages and decided that the two best talents were already driving for us. J.J. and Denny are exceptional race car drivers, and we felt it was important to give each of them a shot at Nextel Cup.” (JGR Racing PR)

• Roush and Brown will have team on track in 2006: Tim Brown, who starred as a wide receiver first at Notre Dame and then with the Oakland Raiders, will have a NASCAR team next year, featuring a technical alliance with Roush Racing. Still to be decided are a driver, crew chief, sponsor and even which series to run in, but Brown aims to have Tim Brown Racing on track in 2006 as the only African-American majority-owned race team in one of NASCAR’s top series. “It is our intention to run the Cup series. We have a very short time to get that done,” Brown said Sunday morning. “If that’s going to happen, it’s going to happen in the next 45 to 60 days. So we’re going to pushing very hard to get that done. If we end up in the Truck series or the Busch Series, that would be good, too.” (SPEED) Also, Brown at the Brickyard: ...ran into former NFL player Tim Brown while walking the grid before the race. Brown, who retired this year, is planning a joint team venture with Roush Racing beginning next year. When we asked the 1987 Heisman Trophy winner how standing on the grid at Indy before the race compared to standing on the 50-yard line before the start of the Super Bowl, he said, "No question. This is bigger and better!" (Yahoo! Sports)

• Johnson OK and released from hospital: As great a day as it was for Stewart, it was a disastrous race for Johnson, who started 42nd after his car failed inspection on Saturday. He was able to drive into the top 20 early in the race but spun out and wound up being sent to the rear of the lead lap cars after making two pit stops for repairs when NASCAR had pit road closed. Johnson was dazed after slamming hard into the wall late in the race. Calling it the "hardest hit I've taken," he had to be helped out of his car in the pits when the engine caught fire. Asked if he realized the car was on fire, Johnson said, "No, I don't really remember coming from turn four to the pits. I just remember kind of waking up on pit road and the guys pulling me out of the car. So, it's all good." Johnson, who fell to second place in the standings, 75 points behind Stewart, was examined at Methodist Hospital and released. (USA Today)

• ISC hires NYC contractor: Bovis Lend Lease -- which was the prime contractor for the Richmond County Bank Ballpark in St. George -- has been hired by developer International Speedway Corp. to help with environmental cleanup on the site of the proposed raceway, according to Michael Printup, ISC's project manager. But Bovis will likely end up doing more than that.  "Eventually -- and I'm going to be positive -- when we get approvals, they will most likely be the company working on the ultimate big project," Printup said. Bovis likely will assist ISC's architects when they design the proposed 80,000-seat racetrack in Bloomfield, Printup said. "What we have to do, no matter what, is we have to design the place," Printup said. "We've got to be ready." Bovis, a New York-based subsidiary of Australia real estate giant Lend Lease Corp., has worked with both ISC and its development partner, The Related Companies, on past projects. (SI Live)

• France expects NASCAR to keep changing in visibility: Still, France said his sport is not where it needs to be. Not close. Especially in terms of visibility. “We’re not making the kind of progress we have to make to change the media perception around,” he said. “That doesn’t mean we’re not covered better than any other motor sport. But on any given weekend, we’re the largest sporting event in the country. By any measure. Television, radio, live attendance, however you want to do it. But if you went around the horn…you would not know that. We’ve got to change that.” France talked about making changes and taking risks on the 11th anniversary of what he called one of the bigger gambles NASCAR has ever made: Staging a stock-car race at open-wheel racing’s grandest shrine, Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The decision to do that was made by France’s father, Bill France Jr. “The risk,” Brian France said as he sat in a NASCAR transporter that was in the middle of Gasoline Alley, “was if you had a half-empty stadium, it wouldn’t look good, it wouldn’t do well on TV, etc., etc., it would be a big black eye for the sport. So it was a tremendous risk at the time.” It turned out to be a risk well worth taking and not just because the Brickyard 400 grew into the second-most important event on the Nextel Cup schedule. The establishment of the Brickyard also marked the moment NASCAR broke the stereotype of being a rural, Southeastern sport. Brian on ISC/ Kentucky: France said he doesn’t have much interest in the lawsuit recently filed against NASCAR and France’s International Speedway Corporation by the owners of Kentucky Speedway. The speedway’s owners allege that NASCAR and ISC have violated federal antitrust laws by illegally restricting the awarding of Nextel Cup races. France called the suit “tired,” and promised, “we will prevail on this.” And judging from the forcefulness with which he said that, there is not much chance that opinion will change one bit. (More at Kansas City Star)

• Waltrip to Stay at DEI? Michael Waltrip may not be leaving Dale Earnhardt Inc. at the end of the season after all. (Salem-Journal)

• GM no happy with JGR to retest Thurs.: GM Racing needs to get its house in order. NASCAR didn't appreciate Joe Gibbs Racing bringing a 2006 Monte Carlo to Atlanta last week that was unprepared to get through the on-track portion of NASCAR's approval process. The car didn't make a target speed. How bad was the car? The team had to borrow springs from rival Ford, which had the Wood Brothers auditioning the new Fusion. "We dropped the ball," JGR team manager Jimmy Makar said. "There's really no excuse." NASCAR agreed to allow JGR and Bobby Labonte to return to Atlanta on Tuesday in an attempt to get the Monte Carlo up to speed. (Sporting News's Lee Spencer)

• Leffler a "Free Agent": Cary Agajanian, Leffler's attorney, would not confirm reports that car owner Joe Gibbs has offered to buy out the remaining 18 months of Leffler's contract for $5 million, but Agajanianwould not deny that such an offer could be on the table. "I can't comment on that ... but I'm not denying it either," Agajanian said. "There could be talks. We're not in the middle of everything that goes on. There could be talks. A car owner has the right to speak to his driver, and we encourage that. "Honestly there could be discussions between them. But we're not involved in them. That's a very personal thing between Jason and the Gibbs folks." If Leffler were free, Agajanian said he would be negotiating any contract with a new team. "Jason is such a good race driver ... but you need the right chemistry," Agajanian said. "It's difficult. I'm not critical of their organization, because Tony Stewart seems to be doing very good right now. (Salem-Journal)

• Kenseth to Penske? Rumors persist that Roush Racing's Matt Kenseth is the top choice to replace Rusty Wallace, who's retiring, in the No. 2 Penske Racing car. Sources say Kenseth is sponsor Miller Brewing Co.'s first choice. Plus, Kenseth and his wife, Katie, are good friends of Penske driver Ryan Newman. (Sporting News's Lee Spencer)

• LMS prices slashed again: Ticket discounts for the fall NASCAR race at Lowe's Motor Speedway have returned -- a sign that sales remain hard to come by in the wake of an economic downturn among the sport's core blue-collar audience. Dubbed Super Ticket, the $99 package offers fans a $64 discount for four events at the track between Oct. 12 and Oct. 15. Last summer, speedway executives slashed prices on 38,000 seats at the track's Diamond Tower Terrace, located in turn two. Humpy Wheeler, speedway chief operating officer, says the tickets in the latest promotion are in that same section.  "Historically, they have always said they would rather cut the price and get something out of it," says Tim Conder, an A.G. Edwards analyst who follows the track's parent company, Concord-based Speedway Motorsports Inc. "By doing that, you at least have a chance of salvaging concessions and parking." In July 2004, the company reduced the price of seats selling for $98 and $110 each for the fall race to a range of $65 to $95. The fall race, known as the UAW-GM 500, has never sold out. Two years ago, speedway officials moved the race to Saturday night from Sunday afternoon to spur interest and avoid competition with NFL football. Last year, NASCAR created a 10-race playoff format, including the fall race here as one of the championship events. (MSNBC/Charlotte Business Journal)

Aug 7, 2005

• Newman signs Extension: Ryan Newman was removed from the rumor mill with little fanfare. With a year left on his Nextel Cup contract with Penske Racing South, Newman signed a three-year extension July 29 with three subsequent mutual options that could keep him with the team through 2012. "You look at it as long-term if you want, you can look at it as a respectful, loyal commitment, a marriage of sorts," Newman, 27, said. "I'm happy to be a part of Penske racing, always have been." (St. Petersburg Times)

• Bill Lester to get Cup ride? NASCAR's top series could soon have its first African-American driver in nearly 20 years, as Bill Lester and team owner Bill Davis have discussed the possibility of putting Lester in a Nextel Cup car later this season. "We've kicked it around, definitely," Lester said Saturday. Lester, 44, has been a regular in NASCAR's Craftsman Trucks Series — stock car racing's equivalent to Class AA baseball — since 2002. If he qualified for a Cup race, he would become the first African-American driver to race in NASCAR's top series since Willy T. Ribbs, who ran three races in 1986.Lester said he has made it clear to Davis that his goal is to race in the Nextel Cup, and Davis has been receptive. "It's just a matter of all the planets lining up," Lester said. (USA Today)

• Eury, Jr. close to signing with DEI:  (Richie) Gilmore said he is close to signing Tony Eury Jr., an employee of 15 years who is currently crew chief for the No. 15. "The Eurys have never had contracts; they've always just been there," Gilmore said. "It's always been an agreement and a year-to-year deal and Tony Jr. has told me he's not going anywhere. We're working on a deal and it would be his first contract ever." (St. Petersburg Times)

• Kahne signs extension with Evernham: Ray Evernham, president and CEO of Evernham Motorsports, announced today a multi-year contract extension with Kasey Kahne as the driver of the No. 9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge Charger. Kahne is in his second season with Evernham Motorsports. He was named by Evernham in December, 2003 to replace Bill Elliott in the No. 9 Dodge when the 16-time NMPA Most Popular Driver Award winner announced he would scale back his schedule to selected events. "I'm excited to announce the contract extension with Kasey," said Evernham. It's a multi-year agreement that will have Kasey in an Evernham Motorsports car well into the future. Kasey is an extremely talented driver and we're looking forward to much success in the future. "Ray and the Evernham Motorsports organization are committed to building a championship team," said Kahne. "The personnel and resources are in place to achieve that objective. This long-term agreement reflects the confidence we have in our commitment to succeed, to win races and compete for championships."I'm really looking forward to the future with Evernham Motorsports and the No. 9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge Charger. I think great things are in store for us in the near future."  (Kasey Kahne.com) The contract is through 2010.

• Craftsman trucks to Calgary? NASCAR officials are reported to be studying the possibility of scheduling a Truck tour race at a proposed new track in Calgary, Alberta, as part of their new Canadian strategy. And NASCAR executives have stepped up public-relations operations in Toronto, bringing in top Cup drivers such as Jimmie Johnson and Bobby Labonte in recent weeks to promote NASCAR's entry into the Canadian market. One possibility is a Truck race on Toronto's temporary street course. (Salem-Journal)

• The New Monte Carlo fails to make minimum speed: Chevrolet’s first test of its new 2006 Monte Carlo proved to be something of a performance and public relations fiasco. The new Monte Carlo test car was built by Joe Gibbs Racing with input from GM Racing and taken to Atlanta Motor Speedway for its first on-track test Tuesday, two days before it was introduced to the media at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. According to GM Racing NASCAR Program Manager Pat Suhy, the new car lapped the 1.54-AMS tri-oval in “the 31.90-second range,” which failed to meet NASCAR’s minimum-speed targets. How slow was the new Chevrolet? Well, Ryan Newman’s pole-winning lap at Atlanta in March was 28.476 seconds and the slowest of the 49 cars that turned qualifying laps then was Morgan Shepherd’s Dodge, which lapped AMS in 30.222 seconds. (SPEED)

• No word from DEI on third driver: Richie Gilmore, vice president of DEI, refused to name the driver, but dropped several hints, saying he is currently in the Nextel Cup series, younger than 30, marketable, and fast in Saturday’s practice sessions. Scott Riggs was second fastest in practice, but said he had not spoken to DEI. Plus, at 34 years old, he doesn’t meet Gilmore’s criteria. Brian Vickers was fourth, but appears to be close to signing an extension at Hendrick Motorsports. Gilmore refused to give any other information, other than ruling out Matt Kenseth. Saying Kenseth would “probably be our first choice of a teammate for Junior,” Gilmore said Kenseth has expressed interest in staying at Roush Racing when his contract expires. (In part from Journal Gazette)

• So where's Jeff Gordon from Cali. or Indiana? Indiana native Ryan Newman took a jab at Gordon this weekend when asked about all the hometown drivers competing in today's race. "Gordon is not a Hoosier," Newman said. "He's just not proud of being from San Francisco." Asked about it Saturday, Gordon laughed. "Well, I'm not from San Francisco," he said. "The thing is, when I moved to Indiana, and we started putting down where my hometown was, we started putting down Pittsboro, Ind., and everyone started to pick up on that, and all of a sudden I come from Indiana. "I recognize that I'm not." (Cincinnati.com)

• Roush Racing cuts Gong Show contestants to 12: After two days of testing at Martinsville Speedway this past week, Roush Racing on Thursday narrowed the field of 25 contestants to 12 drivers who remain in the running for a spot on Jack Roush's race team and a fully sponsored ride in the 2006 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The 12 advance to the next round of competition Aug. 15-17 at Darlington Raceway. The candidates, whittled from 1,700 applicants, are testing their skills behind the wheel as well as their marketability and fan appeal. The Discovery Channel cable network is filming the competition for a 13-part series called "Driver X: Race for the Ride," to be shown starting Oct. 31. "We had a tough decision narrowing the field down to 12 drivers, but I think the 12 we have selected will be very strong candidates," Jack Roush said. "We are going to put the 12 drivers through some various marketing activities next week in Charlotte before we take them to Darlington." The 12 drivers are Tim Andrews, 22, of Concord, from the Legends Pro division and NASCAR Busch North Series; Chuck Barnes, 23, Louisville, Ky., Sunoco Super Series Late Model division; Jason Boyd, 24, Orlando, Fla., Fascar Sun Belt series; Jeffrey Choquette, 19, Loxahatchee, Fla., Late Models; Erik Darnell, 22, Beach Park, Ill., ARCA; Autozone Elite; Jason Hogan, 22, Cleveland, Ga., Autozone Elite SE series; Travis Kittleson, 26, Mooresville, Sunbelt Series; Matt McCall, 24, Denver, N.C., UARA Late Models; Danny O'Quinn, 20, Coeburn, Va., ARCA and USAR Hooter's Pro Cup; David Ragan, 20, Kannapolis, ARCA; Peter Shepherd, 19, Norval, Ontario, CASCAR; and Auggie Vidovich, 24, Lakeside, Calif., Autozone Elite Southwest. (Roush Racing PR)

Aug 6, 2005

• Earnhardt, Jr. hopes to reunite with Eury, Jr. in 06: Dale Earnhardt Jr. said Friday he would like to have Tony Eury Jr. back with his team as crew chief. Steve Hmiel has been Earnhardt's interim crew chief since May when Pete Rondeau was relieved of his duties. Hmiel is expected to return to his former job as technical director for Dale Earnhardt Inc., so Earnhardt would need a crew chief next season. Eury had been with Earnhardt's team until this season when DEI officials swapped the crews of Earnhardt's and Michael Waltrip's teams in the offseason. DEI officials hope to retain NAPA as sponsor of the No. 15 team and have a three-car team next year. If that doesn't happen and DEI remains a two-car team -- rookie Martin Truex Jr. moves to Cup next year -- it could open the way for Eury to work again with Earnhardt. "We definitely have to make some changes at the end of the season,'' said Earnhardt, who is 14th in the season standings. "It's not going to be like it is now. But I don't have the answer to what we're going to do. "Tony Jr. is awesome. I always felt like he was going to be one of the best crew chiefs in the business. I do want to work with him again, and I think we should. "I think personally we're just both immature for our age and that's due to the fact that our fathers let us raise ourselves pretty much. I think the more mature we get, the easier it is for us to work together. This year we sped that up quite a bit being away from each other.''  (News-Record)

• Riggs to Evernham and Valvoline? Riggs reportedly is under consideration to join Valvoline at Ray Evernham's new third team in'06. Evernham said yesterday the team has been meeting with available drivers but has nothing locked in yet. "This is more about building the company and growing our partnership with Valvoline and to rush out and make a decision on a driver is not in our best interests," Evernham said. "We're trying to review that. Do you want a veteran? Do you want someone who has potential to produce and hasn't yet? We're going through the same things that probably the 6 car and the 2 car are. Finding the right fit nowadays is a lot harder." (Times-Dispatch)

• Waltrip Statement on Waltrip Entertainment Center:

• Stewart on Brickyard 400 name change: "I'm not saddened, I'm furious about it, to be honest," Stewart said. "It would be like saying the McDonald's 500 instead of the Daytona 500. I don't understand what they were thinking. "There is one thing in breaking some traditions, but to commercialize everything, I think they could have done it different. I think they could have said the Brickyard 400 presented by whoever it is. But we don't make the rules, and I guess it's not our pockets we're worried about filling. "So, they're going to do what they're going to do from that standpoint. But I'm very disappointed by it." (Houston Chronicle)

• Rally Planned for Daytona HOF Bid: On Tuesday, the city where stock car racing was born will have the first shot at persuading NASCAR officials to locate the sport's hall of fame here. To do that, supporters of the bid are planning a rally at 9:15 a.m. in front of Daytona USA to show local support for the hall of fame. After the rally, the bid's creators will huddle with NASCAR executives to make their pitch. Bids for the hall of fame were due May 31. "The site visit is designed as a platform for this presentation team to tell its story in a comprehensive way," said John Saboor, executive director of the Central Florida Sports Commission and one of the bid's organizers. "We expect this site visit to be a true business meeting." (Orlando Sentinel)

• Mike Wallace Daughter Chrissy has NASCAR dreams: Chrissy Wallace plays basketball and softball, a sport in which she fielded college scholarship offers. But, she said, "I realized last year that racing was my true dream." Her dad has never pushed her toward racing. "I don't care what she decides to do — doctor, lawyer, driver, whatever," Mike Wallace said. "Just as long as she's happy." Later this year, she plans to move into a late model stock car, racking at tracks in Hickory and Concord. When she turns 18 in May, she intends to seek sponsorship for a ride in NASCAR's Craftsman Truck Series. "I'd like to race with her," Mike Wallace said. "A father-daughter race would be pretty cool." If she's successful there, that could lead to the Busch Series and perhaps eventually to the top-level Nextel Cup. Wallace said she loves softball, but "my heart is set on NASCAR and to be the first successful female driver (in the series)."  (WCNC)

• Summer Heat Buckles Dover Track: The summer heat wave that has gripped Delaware and the Mid-Atlantic region the past couple of weeks has caused a small portion of Dover International Speedway's concrete backstretch to buckle. Denis McGlynn, president and CEO of the track, said Friday he does not expect it to be a major issue and anticipates the MBNA-sponsored NASCAR weekend from Sept. 23-25 to go on as scheduled. "We've put a call in to NASCAR and let them know of the issue," McGlynn said. "It's something that we'll probably have fixed in just a few days. "This just goes to show that Mother Nature's a powerful force." Workers at the high-banked, one-mile track have installed temporary sprinklers on the frontstretch in an effort to cool the track down and avoid the buckling issue that has popped up on the backstretch. (Delaware Online)

• Kentucky Suit, puts breaks on NASCAR testing plan: NASCAR may be reconsidering its proposed testing-limit and tire-lease concepts, garage sources said. NASCAR had offered the ideas as ways of reducing cost and travel for the teams. Apparently, however, the recent suit against NASCAR/ISC by Kentucky Speedway has caused NASCAR to back away. Kentucky is a popular testing site for Cup teams. (SPEED)

• Crews blame NASCAR aero-dynamics for boring racing: Sunday's Allstate 400 at the Brickyard is expected to be another follow-the-leader race, dominated by one or two drivers, with the winner determined not by passing on the track but by work - and perhaps gambles, perhaps just luck - in the pits. "Nobody can pass here - but nobody can pass anywhere," said crew chief Michael "Fatback" McSwain. "Unfortunately, if you don't come out first, second or third on the last pit stop, I don't think you'll have a chance to win here." (More at Salem-Journal)

• Toyota not to hit track next week? But announcement? On-again, off-again reports of Toyota's future plans continue to pop up here and there. Toyota officials continue to leave their NASCAR plans open-ended, saying they are committed to running well in Craftsman Trucks before proceeding to stock cars, either in Busch or Cup. One report said Toyota plans to test a car at Atlanta next week, but Toyota associates said Friday that was news to them. "Next week?" scoffed car owner Bill Davis, who has supervised Toyota's NASCAR developments. "I will tell you that [Toyota] will have an announcement in the near future. Asked when and where, Davis repeated, "In the near future." (SPEED)

• NFL & California Package Offer: Here's one great offer that NASCAR and NFL fans can't miss enjoy a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race and an NFL game for under $150. California Speedway and the San Diego Chargers have partnered up to bring a "Bolt to the Races" package to sports fans. The package is $145 per person and includes one lower level grandstand ticket to the September 4th SONY HD 500 and one view level ticket to the November 20th San Diego Chargers vs. Buffalo Bills game. Other great extras that are part of the "Bolt to the Races" deal include your choice of a bus ride to the race (from Qualcomm Stadium) or to the game (from California Speedway), a Sunday NASCAR Pre-Race Pit Pass, California Speedway hat, San Diego Chargers Yearbook and San Diego Chargers hat. "This is a unique offering for sports fans in Southern California, blending two great sporting opportunities into one package," said Roger Curtis, California Speedway vice president of sales and marketing. "We are pleased to be working with the Chargers on this new promotion and hope that NFL fans and NASCAR fans take advantage of this great opportunity." This special ticket offer is only available through the California Speedway Ticket Office. For more information, or to order your "Bolt to the Races" package, call 909.429.5000. You must mention the "Bolt to the Races" package name to get this deal. For more information about California Speedway and the SONY HD 500 event, visit www.californiaspeedway.com. For more information about the San Diego Chargers, visit www.chargers.com. (California Speedway PR)

Aug 5, 2005

• Checkers-Drive In announces Riggs MB2 Sponsorship: Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc., the Official Burger and Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR®, today announced that it is accelerating its presence in the sport by signing on as the primary sponsor for five high profile, NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races this season with the No. 10 MB2 Motorsports Chevrolet driven by Scott Riggs. This weekend’s Allstate 400® at the Brickyard (NBC, 2:30 p.m. EDT) kicks off the five-race sponsorship package with Rally’s® being the primary brand on the No. 10 Chevy. “This is our first year as the Official Burger and Official Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR. Halfway through the season, Checkers®/Rally’s has already realized tremendous brand exposure on a national basis,” said Keith Sirois, President and CEO of Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc. “We have successfully activated our NASCAR and numerous track sponsorships at our restaurants throughout the country. Our NASCAR Combo is one of our best selling combos system wide.” “In addition, we have effectively integrated our sponsorships into our local, regional and national advertising messages for both consumers and franchising prospects,” said Sirois. “Now, we look forward to adding a primary sponsorship of the No. 10 car to our already strong sponsorship initiative.” The other four primary brand sponsored races will be:
  
  · Sharpie 500, Bristol Motor Speedway (Aug. 27, TNT, 7 p.m.) – Checkers
  
  · UAW-Ford 500, Talladega Superspeedway (Oct. 2, NBC, 1:30 p.m.) – Rally’s
  
  · Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500, Atlanta Motor Speedway (Oct. 30, NBC, 12 p.m.) – Checkers
  
  · Ford 400, Homestead-Miami Speedway (Nov. 20, NBC, 4 p.m.) – Checkers
  
  “While giving our brand significant exposure during these nationally televised races, the tracks featuring our MB2 sponsorship align strategically with our core Midwestern and Southeastern market footprint,” said Richard Turer, Vice President of Marketing, Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc. “We look forward to cheering on our new Checkers/Rally’s racing team.” In addition to this primary sponsorship, Checkers/Rally’s becomes an associate sponsor of MB2’s No. 01 U.S. Army Team and driver Joe Nemechek. Checkers/Rally’s also retains promotional rights with MB2 for the 2006 NASCAR season. (Checkers Drive-In/MB2 Racing PR

• Rain postpones Friday Practice: A day-long steady rain at Indianapolis Motor Speedway wiped out both of Friday's Nextel Cup practice sessions, forcing NASCAR officials to reschedule a pair of Saturday morning practices in order to give the 53 cars and teams time on the historic 2.5-mile oval before Bud Pole Qualifying at 4:10 p.m. ET.  The revamped Allstate 400 at the Brickyard schedule now includes two one-hour practice sessions, starting at 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. ET. The cars will then be impounded after qualifying. The weather for the rest of the weekend appears to be much better. Saturday's forecast is for partly sunny and 85 degrees, while Sunday is expected to be mostly sunny and 88, with a 20 percent of rain on either day. (NASCAR.com)

• NASCAR Post Race Call-in Show planned: Nascar.com says it will launch an interactive postrace show to air immediately following each Nextel Cup race, beginning with Sunday's Allstate 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.  Plans call for features news, interviews and race highlights and an interactive open forum where fans can call in, e-mail, log on to chat or send an AOL Instant Message to talk about the race or other issues. The show will be hosted by Shannon Wiseman and Chris Cotter.  (NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter)

• Busch to get Married: Mentioned on ESPN Radio, All Night with Todd Wright with Kurt Busch. Busch, defending NEXTEL Cup champion and girlfriend Eva Bryan recently took a trip to Europe.  Busch, got down on a knee for a marriage proposal to Eva and she accepted. Congrats go out to the both of them. Checkout All Night with Todd Wright,  Sun. - Thurs Late Nights. 1.00 am-6.00am on ESPN Radio.

• Drivers promote Pet Calendar in Indy: Tony Stewart has his pet monkey (Mojo) for the month of August. Ryan and Krissie Newman are with their dogs (Digger, Harley and Mopar) in March. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is with his boxer (Killer) in January. Nextel Cup drivers are teaming up to benefit animals in today's sale of the 2006 NASCAR Pets Calendar at 11:30 a.m. at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Newman and Greg Biffle will be there to sign the calendars. Biffle's foundation and Love of Labs, an Indiana Labrador Retriever rescue and adoption organization, created the calendars, with proceeds going to the Hamilton County Humane Society. Fans can purchase them online through www.NASCAR.com and www.thegregbifflefoundation.com or by donating $13.99 to Love of Labs at www.lolin.org. Other NASCAR stars featured with their pets include Matt Kenseth, Jason Leffler, Casey Mears, Jimmie Johnson, Kerry Earnhardt, Kurt Busch, Elliott Sadler, Jeff Green and Biffle. (Indy Star)

• DEI third team if NAPA stays? DEI Director of Motorsports Richie Gilmore said yesterday the team is negotiating with the auto-parts supplier about staying with the No. 15 being vacated by Michael Waltrip after 2005. Gilmore said DEI already has lined up a driver to team with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Martin Truex Jr. for the 2006 Nextel Cup season. Gilmore wouldn't disclose a name but said it was someone prominent on another race team "that's been on our wish list for some time." "[NAPA] has some options with us, Michael and some other race teams," Gilmore said. "We've put about a two-week window on it where they've got to make the decision and we've got to make a decision and go forward. But we have a driver kind of laid out, and everything laid out." (Times-Dispatch)

• Busch giving rides in Indy: Busch, who turns 27 today, could end up driving home someone who lives within 20 miles of Downtown in a replica of his No. 97 Ford. "I'm definitely going to have fun with this," Busch said, "but I will be relaying the message of responsible drinking and hopefully I'll make an impression." Most of Crown Royal's 10 purple and gold cars will give rides home to customers age 21 and up from several designated Downtown Indianapolis areas -- just look for signs with the No. 97 -- from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. There's a four-passenger limit per car. (Indy Star)

• Waltrip Entertainment Center Zoning Approved: Board of Commissioners approved zoning Monday night for a race shop/ entertainment center headed by NASCAR Nextel Cup driver Michael Waltrip. Waltrip appeared at Monday's meeting to push his vision for "Waltrip Racing World" at the former Movies at the Lake off Interstate 77 Exit 28. After about three hours of public hearing and debate, the board granted the conditional-use. (ThatsRacin)

• Tracey takes laps in stock car:  (Paul) Tracy said team owner Jerry Forsythe would like him to stay with the team. But Tracy has an opportunity that could lead him away from open-wheel racing after this season. Tracy drove a stock car for the first time Tuesday on a half-mile oval in Concord, N.C. -- an experience he called "a completely, completely different deal." It was Tracy's first spin in a heavy stocker after logging 231 Indy car races and 30 victories. Tracy used a rented former NASCAR Cup car to acclimate himself to driving a stock car. Next, he faces a key test Monday and Tuesday at Michigan International Speedway in a Cup car owned by Richard Childress Racing. (Review Journal)

• NASCAR says its up to cities on proposal privacy: NASCAR gave tacit approval Thursday for Atlanta officials to make public their bid to win stock car racing's hall of fame, saying the local bid committee should abide by state laws. But comments by NASCAR officials also suggest the racing circuit has sent mixed signals to Atlanta and four other cities about how much they should disclose publicly about their bids to snare the sport's version of Cooperstown. NASCAR said it left it up to each city to determine whether to keep its bid records secret. "Certainly our advice has always been to comply with local and state laws," said Mark Dyer, NASCAR's vice president of licensing. "We haven't seen any release, but we would certainly expect them to stay in compliance with the ruling." Central Atlanta Progress officials have contended for months that their decision to keep bid details under wraps was, in part, at the request of NASCAR. The group also said it didn't want its competitors for the hall — Charlotte, Daytona Beach, Fla., Richmond and Kansas City, Kan. — to gain an advantage by learning details of Atlanta's bid. (More at Atlanta Journal Constitution)

• Riggs Announcement today? It looks as though Scott Riggs will stay put with MB2 Motorsports. He's scheduled to be part of a sponsor announcement by the team today. (JS Online)

• GM unveils to Monte Carlo SS:  Chevrolet will debut an all-new Monte Carlo SS race car for NASCAR NEXTEL Cup and Busch Series competition in 2006. The new car will carry the legendary name and heritage of the "SS" line, relating to a powerful, new V-8-powered production Monte Carlo SS that is making its debut on the 50th Anniversary of the introduction of the Chevrolet Small Block V-8 engine. "We've won races in Monte Carlos for years, and it's exciting that we'll have a brand new one to race next year," said Jeff Gordon, four-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Champion and driver of the #24 DuPont Chevrolet Monte Carlo. "The new car looks to be even faster than the one we have this year and I can't wait to get a chance to race it. These cars are so fun and fast to race, and it's great that fans will now be able to come even closer to that experience with the new small block V-8 in the Monte Carlo SS." The new race car was developed over a 14-month period using the full complement of engineering and design tools available to the people at GM Racing and Chevrolet. The company's engineers worked in concert with their key partners on pit lane, the real "customers" for the new Monte Carlo SS race car. (More at Chevy Racing Page)

• Checkers Drive-In gives away car to single mom: Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc., the nation's largest double drive-thru chain and Official Burger of the Allstate 400® at the Brickyard, gave away a brand new Chevy® Cobalt to Elizabeth Williams, a hardworking single mother from Indianapolis, in partnership with the Christamore House charity in Indianapolis. "Ms. Williams is an extraordinary woman who has overcome many obstacles to get where she is today, making life better for herself and for her son," said Keith Sirois, President and CEO of Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc., on Thursday at the Christamore House. "We are thrilled to help this local charity, Christamore House, fulfill its mission of helping people help themselves." Through a recommendation from Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Checkers®/Rally's® partnered with local Indianapolis United Way charity, Christamore House, to select Elizabeth Williams as the recipient of a brand new car as part of a charitable initiative with NASCAR®. Through the Christamore House Families in Transition program, Williams has come back from homelessness and joblessness to now support her family by working as a cable service representative. The people at Christamore House have provided her with the resources needed to give back as an active member of her community. "I am so grateful to Checkers/Rally's for their generosity," said Elizabeth Williams, Checkers/Rally's new car recipient and Christamore House client. "This new car means the world to me and my son. We have come so far with the help of Christamore House, and, now, this car from Checkers/Rally's will ensure that our success continues as I will have the adequate transportation I need to travel to my service destinations." "We are proud of companies like Checkers/Rally's that support deserving individuals and charitable programs through their involvement in the community and their NASCAR programs. Checkers/Rally's is taking a leadership role and setting an example for how we can all make a difference in our communities. We are proud to have Checkers/Rally's as our sponsor," said Justin Johnson, Managing Director of Partnership Marketing for NASCAR. (Checker Rallys PR)

Aug 4, 2005

• Said to race at Indy:  Boris Said has raced at most of the world's most famous racetracks, including Daytona International Speedway and the road circuit in Le Mans, France. One major omission from his resume is the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Said, trying to make the big jump from road racing specialist to NASCAR Nextel Cup regular, will try to change that Saturday when he'll attempt to qualify for the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. But Said, who has a total of five Cup starts since 1999, including five this year, may need a little luck to go along with his skill in driving the No. 36 MB/Sutton Chevrolet. The Cup part-timer doesn't have the car owner points required to receive one of the 35 automatic qualifying berths for Sunday's race. He, along with approximately 20 other drivers, will be vying for the eight remaining spots in the 43-car starting field. (FoxSports.com)

• Kahne to race Sprint Car in Front Row Challenge: Popular NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne is expected to race Monday in the Front Row Challenge at Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa less than 24 hours after competing in the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "He is going to race (in Oskaloosa) on Monday," said Terry McCarl, the co-promoter of the Front Row Challenge and Tuesday's Ultimate Challenge. "If he does well, he will probably race Tuesday." McCarl added that Kahne indicated if he runs fast, he may consider racing in Wednesday's qualifying at the 45th Knoxville Nationals. (DesMoines Register)

• Waltrip drugs aren't a problem in NASCAR:  When Hall of Fame driver Darrell Waltrip surged into NASCAR, the drug of choice in those days wasn't steroids or cocaine or marijuana. It didn't go much deeper than alcohol and, on occasion, some bootleg moonshine. Not to say there weren't any drivers back in those days who didn't race with a monster hangover, their heads throbbing and stomachs queasy. Waltrip says the nature of the sport leaves no room for a driver who wants to participate in drug use. ''In any other sport, it's just you. You have teammates in a team sport, but physically you are not going to hurt anyone else,'' Waltrip said.  ''You can not only hurt yourself, you can kill someone,'' Waltrip said. NASCAR has a drug policy in place, but Waltrip notes that with all the teams working and living in close proximity, there is a lot of self-policing. (Jackson Sun)

• Richard Childress Pork: Richard Childress, best known as a nine-time NASCAR championship team owner and the proprietor of Childress Vineyards, has branched out into the food industry. Richard Childress Signature Series Foods debuts with three types of premium sausage products: Premium Pork & Beef Smoked Sausage; Premium Pork Smoked Sausage; and Premium Hot and Spicy Pork & Beef Smoked Sausage. The packaging of the sausage rings will feature a photo of Childress on the front with the familiar "RC" logo currently used on the labels of Childress Vineyards' wine bottles. "The Richard Childress Signature Series started out by me just wanting to have some sausage produced for Childress Vineyards," says Richard Childress, president and chief executive officer of Richard Childress Racing and head of Childress Vineyards. J Bar B Foods will manufacture Richard Childress Signature Series Foods products in a USDA inspected plant. J Bar B Foods will produce the sausage on its new co-extrusion system, which cooks sausage in the package with no possibility of post-cook contamination. This process also increases the shelf life of the sausage. (Pork Magazine)

• Stoneacre Partners announces RacePoints Partners: More Information

• Crown Royal Offers rides home in Race Car: Crown Royal is partnering with NASCAR driver Kurt Busch this month to remind young people of drinking age that getting home safely should be a top priority. A fleet of purple and gold Crown Royal No. 97 Ford Taurus' (replicas of the official race car) will offer bar patrons around downtown Indianapolis rides home. Some will be surprised to find the NASCAR champion Kurt Busch himself behind the wheel. Crown Royal-branded taxi stands will be placed outside participating bars on Meridian Street today from 9 pm to 1 am with 10 cars rotating to drive patrons home (within a 20-mile radius of Indianapolis). Riders must be 21 or older. The promotion is part of the brand's Be a Champion. Drink Responsibly campaign to remind partiers to use a designated driver. Crown Royal's motorsports marketing plan includes primary sponsorship of the No. 97 car at six races during the 2005 season, including the Allstate 400 at Brickyard, taking place this weekend in Indianapolis. When acting as an associate sponsor of the No. 97 car, the brand supports Busch. The brand has held consumer promotions at retail events and run print and TV ads for its responsible drinking campaign. (Promo Magazine)

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