Drivers Not Happy With Rules: So far, not too many drivers are happy with NASCAR's new aerodynamic rules.  Beginning with last Sunday's race at California Speedway, the Nextel Cup cars had a new aero package in place that included a shortened rear spoiler and softer tires. The new spoilers and tires will be used everywhere except Daytona and Talladega, the only tracks where NASCAR slows the cars with horsepower-sapping carburetor restrictor plates.  NASCAR's intention in sawing off an inch on the rear spoilers -- down to 4 1/2 inches -- and asking Goodyear to provide tires that wear quickly is to create less of a dependence on downforce while placing more of an emphasis on a driver's ability to race his car, especially through the turns.  John Darby, NASCAR's Nextel Cup director, said one race is too soon to tell if the changes will work. A lot of drivers were certain they won't. (Post Gazette)

Aussie Wants to Try NASCAR: Marcos Ambrose's V8 Supercar arch-rival Mark Skaife has given a ringing endorsement to the Ford star's bid to break into NASCAR racing in the United States next year.  Skaife said Ambrose had the ability to make it in the world's most popular saloon car racing series and that all the leading Australian V8 drivers could compete at any level worldwide if provided with the right car and backing.  Ambrose announced on Saturday he would quit V8 Supercar racing after this season to enter a development program to eventually drive in the NASCAR series.  And Holden's marquee driver said he would be cheering for his Ford rival as he attempted to break into NASCAR - saying it would be a great thing for the profile of Australian motorsport if Ambrose succeeded.  "Marcos has done a great job in the local competition, and the V8 Supercar competition is now at the highest level of touring car racing anywhere in the world," Skaife said. "If he wants to go and have a go against those guys (in NASCAR), my hand is up saying 'all the best and get into them'. (Theage.au)

Bristol Mayor Wants NASCAR Hall of Fame: Each year about this time, city leaders head to Nashville to deliver their wish lists to state lawmakers.  Better roads and a more equitable way to divvy up state money for schools are key talking points this year, and perennial favorites. The push to open a privately-funded pharmacy school at East Tennessee State University also makes the list.  But the projects that top Bristol Tennessee Mayor Jim Messimer’s unofficial list are most interesting – namely, a desire to see the NASCAR Hall of Fame built in Bristol and to develop a regional civic center near Bristol Motor Speedway. Both are long shots, sure, but intriguing ideas, nonetheless.  "I DON’T know if we’re late in the ball game or if we just felt like we didn’t have a chance to get (the Hall of Fame) here," Messimer said of the racing hall of fame, which already is the subject of fierce competition among seven cities. "But think what it would do for this region if, somewhere near BMS, you had the NASCAR Hall of Fame and a 15,000-seat arena."  (TriCities.com)

GM Heads Not Happy With Boris: Boris Said is in hot water with General Motors. After finally getting a Chevy deal to run the Cup tour this season, Said, a star road racer, has angered GM execs by jumping in James Finch's Dodge this week.  "I got in a lot of trouble," Said said. "Jay Frye, my team manager, was mad. I really tried to get a Chevrolet ride, called and called and called. But they didn't help me. For some reason they've never really wanted to help me. "I was trying to be politically correct. But I didn't have a ride. But this is a good car and a good team, and I've known Marc Reno (the crew chief)." (Winston Journal)

March 4, 2005

Final Ratings in, Records for Top NASCAR Divisions: Cup The final national rating of 7.9, the FOX broadcast of last Sunday's Auto Club 500 from California Speedway is the highest rated non-Daytona 500 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series event since the second race of the 2001 season, according to data released by FOX Sports. It was also the top rated sports television event of the weekend.  In addition, the Los Angeles market rating rose 33 percent to a 4.0 rating for last Sunday's race, from a 3.0 rating for last year's Auto Club 500, which was contested in May, according to FOX Sports information.  The Auto Club 500 on FOX has seen its rating grow from a 5.3 rating in 2003 to a 6.1 rating in 2004. This year's race was the first time the event was held as the second race of the season, coming off the Daytona 500, which garnered a 10.9 television rating on FOX. Last year's final national rating for the second NASCAR event on FOX was 6.6. Busch The Stater Bros. 300, broadcast Feb. 26 on FX, was the highest-rated NASCAR Busch Series event in FX broadcast history and had a 55% increase in households (2,212,000) over the season’s second race last year at Rockingham (1,424,000), also broadcast on FX. In addition, viewers (3,305,000) increased 83% over last year’s second event (1,803,000).

NASCAR Looking North of the Border: The popular stock car series is definitely interested in expanding north of the border, Robbie Weiss, managing director of NASCAR International, said Friday.  "It's a matter of time before we work something out," he said in a telephone interview from Mexico City, where the NASCAR Busch series is holding its first points race outside the United States this weekend.  Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver have been cited by NASCAR officials as attractive markets.  Weiss said weather in Canada left only June, July and August for racing, a period in which the 37-race schedule is already crowded. "Another challenge is that you already have a number of events, whether in motor racing or cultural activities, in each of those markets," he said."Not only do you not want to cannibalize any of those, but from a commercial standpoint, there's not a lot of openings. You need a bit of breathing room to make sure your event is successful." (TSN.ca)

Kulwicki Film, Treat for fans: Like the NASCAR champion whose life, ascension and untimely death it chronicles, "Dare to Dream: The Alan Kulwicki Story" will arrive on the scene with minimal fanfare and tremendous hope. The locally produced film, made for about a half-million dollars, is set to open on April 1, the 12th anniversary of Kulwicki's fatal plane crash, in limited release in the Milwaukee area, where Kulwicki grew up, and around Wisconsin and in Bristol, Tenn., where he died. Then plans call for the film to move across the upper Midwest while also following the NASCAR circuit from market to market. Included is a second premiere in Charlotte, N.C., coinciding with the Nextel All-Star Challenge and Coca-Cola 600 in May. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Burton on the Tube: Ward Burton will appear on several outdoor television programs during the months of March and April. Burton has been extremely busy lately. In addition to filming outdoor programs he has been spending time with different youth originations as well as raising funds for the Ward Burton Wildlife Foundation.  The Ward Burton Wildlife Foundation hosted two terminally ill boys, ages 13 and 15, from the United Special Sportsman Alliance this past December 19th-21st at the Foundation property. While spending time with Burton, the boys participated in deer and turkey hunting as well as learning about the outdoors. Burton donated his time and the foundation resources making sure the event was both enjoyable and memorable. The event was filmed by and will be aired on Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World Television. "We all had a great time. I appreciate Bass Pro Shops providing the hunting apparel for the unseasonable cold temperatures that we had," stated Burton. The program will air on the Outdoor Channel on the following dates: Tuesday, March 8, 11:30 PM; Thursday, March 10, 2:30 PM; and Sunday, March 13, 9:30 PM. (NASCAR)

Washington Indian Tribe Looking to Land Track: The Cowlitz Indian tribe has met with International Speedway Corp. and proposed a plan to build a track for NASCAR races somewhere in the southern part of the state. Tribal spokesman David Barnett has not publicly discussed possible sites, but any spot in south Cowlitz County would be near the tribe's proposed $400 million casino and resort in the La Center area.  "The goal is to help a distressed county - create some economic development that would allow people to come back to work and also complement our casino in northern Clark County," Barnett, son of Cowlitz tribal chairman John Barnett and the tribe's point man on the casino project, told The Associated Press on Thursday.  Barnett said he met Tuesday with Grant Lynch, vice president of International Speedway Corp., which is considering several potential sites in Washington and Oregon. Lynch could not immediately be reached for comment. Barnett plans to discuss the proposal with the tribal council during a retreat Saturday. He said it's not yet clear how the track would be financed. (ThatsRacin)

Racing Charity Poker: Kenny Wallace, Ryan Newman, Rusty Wallace, Helio Castroneves and other motorsport celebrities will try their hand at poker to award $100,000 to designated charities next Thursday, March 10, 6 - 9 p.m. at the Golden Nugget for the Mobil 1 High Endurance Charity Poker Challenge. (Weber Shandwick PR )

Rent-A-Center Returns To Ricky Rudd And Wood Brothers: Rent-A-Center is returning as an associate sponsor of the #21 Wood Brothers Team in 2005. Furthermore, the #21 Ford Taurus will carry a Rent-A-Center paint scheme for the April 17th race at Texas Motor Speedway and the June 19th race at Michigan International Speedway. "The entire Rent-A-Center organization is excited to be backing Ricky Rudd and the Wood Brothers Team," said Ann Davids, Rent-A-Center Vice President of Advertising. "We've enjoyed a great relationship with the team and their fans over the years. We've got some exciting initiatives planned for the 2005 season, and we're looking forward to bringing the sport of racing even closer to our customers." A promotion is currently in the works that could award up to 40,000 Rent-A-Center prizes to customers who rent from Rent-A-Center between April 11th and May 14th. Prizes will be awarded based on Ricky Rudd's finish in the June 19th race at Michigan International Speedway. Everyone who signs an agreement during this time frame will receive a scratch-off card good for up to $50 off their agreement while supplies last. "Rent-A-Center has been a great partner of ours since 2003. We're thrilled to have them back on board," said Ricky Rudd. "I've had the opportunity to meet many of their employees as well as their customers and they're great race fans. We couldn't ask for better partners." Rent-A-Center, Inc., headquartered in Plano, Texas, currently operates 2,871 company-owned stores nationwide and in Canada and Puerto Rico. (Motorcraft Racing PR / Campbell & Co.)

March 3, 2005

NASCAR Fines: NASCAR announced today that fines have been issued to three NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series crew chiefs resulting from rule violations this past weekend at California Speedway. Tim Weiss, crew chief of the No. 73 Chevrolet driven by Eric McClure, was fined $10,000 for violating Sections 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 12-4-CC (unapproved third gear transmission ratio) of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series rule book. David Hyder, crew chief of the No. 49 Dodge driven by Ken Schrader, was fined $5,000 in violation of Sections 12-4-A and 12-4-CC (unapproved final drive gear ratio). Billy Poindexter, crew chief of the No. 37 Dodge of Kevin Lepage, was fined twice. Poindexter was fined $5,000 for violating Sections 12-4-A and 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components and/or equipment used that do not conform to NASCAR rules) for an unapproved deck lid. He also was fined $1,000 for violating Sections 12-4-A and 12-4-Q for an unapproved fire suppression agent. All violations were found during opening-day inspection on Feb. 25. (NASCAR PR)

MB2 Sponsorship: Wiley X Eyewear, a major supplier of eyewear to the U.S. Armed Forces and law enforcement agencies, has joined MB2 Motorsports as an associate sponsor on the No. 01 U.S. Army Chevrolet driven by Joe Nemechek in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series.  According to the New England Journal of Medicine (Dec. 9, 2004), Wiley X ballistic eyewear is one of the main reasons for the decreasing amount of eye injuries suffered by soldiers.  Along with manufacturing high velocity eye armor for the military, Wiley X produces a line of specialty eyewear for the motorcycle, mountain/street bike, boating and fishing markets as well as a line of sophisticated sunglasses for both casual and active wear. "To be a sponsor on the U.S. Army Nextel Cup racecar is a natural fit for us," said Myles Freeman, co-owner and vice president of sales for Wiley X Eyewear. "Since we manufacture the No. 1 tactical eyewear that U.S. Armed Forces prefer, we felt that this was an excellent opportunity to join the U.S. Army NASCAR team and assist in the recruitment process of future American heroes. It is also a great feeling knowing that we're supporting our troops who fight for our freedom every day. This is a proud moment in the rich history of Wiley X Eyewear." For additional information about Wiley X Eyewear and its products, search the company's web site at: www.wiley-x.com (Team PR)

Home Depot NASCAR Work Shop: To celebrate the start of the NASCAR season, The Home Depot, the world's largest home improvement retailer and proud sponsor of Joe Gibbs Racing and the No. 20 Home Depot Race team, will offer a free NASCAR-themed Kids Workshop® on Sat. March 5.  More than 75 children, aged 5 - 12, will get the satisfaction of building their own wood model race car with expert advice from knowledgeable The Home Depot associates at the company's U.S.-based stores. The Home Depot will provide the complimentary car kits, tools and expertise to build the models, along with a kid-size The Home Depot orange apron and a pin for the children to take home. (Home Depot PR)

Smooth Track in Vegas: Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s ever improving vehicle flow for its March 11-13 NASCAR Weekend should be even better for this year’s event, according to LVMS officials. Over the past three years, the completion of the 215 beltway, new interchanges and wider roads have helped make ingress and egress from the speedway’s property a seamless experience for race fans. “The combination of better traffic planning, cooperation from all areas of transportation and law enforcement and the continued education of our race fans has dramatically improved vehicle flow over the past several years,” said LVMS general manager Chris Powell. “While the traffic plan itself is virtually the same as last year, we expect this year to be even better than the past years.” One notable difference for race fans attending the Sam’s Town 300 NASCAR Busch Series event on Saturday, March 12 will be the unimpeded flow following the event. In past years, incoming traffic for races at either the dirt track or Bullring had conflicted with traffic exiting the superspeedway. There are no racing events scheduled for Saturday night this year. (LVMS PR)

More on NASCAR Oregon Track: Dozens of NASCAR flags were planted in the sidewalks of downtown Troutdale, along the Old Columbia River Highway. This was in recognition of a tour of a potential track site. Grant Lynch is senior vice president of Great Northwest Sports. It's a subsidiary of International Speedway Corporation, created to develop a Nextel Cup-caliber speedway in the Northwest. Lynch visited the Troutdale site yesterday. And he met with Oregon Speaker of the House of Representatives Karen Minnis and a representative of Governor Kulongoski. Lynch then got an aerial view of the parcel via a helicopter ride with co-chairs of the Cascade Speedway and Sportsplex project. Lynch agreed to meet again soon. (FOX 12 Oregon)

Harvick to miss Mexico City Busch Race: Kevin Harvick, scheduled to drive in this weekend’s Busch Series race in Mexico City, is still sore from his crash during the Gatorade Duels at Daytona. Harvick has played in pain the past two weeks, but his bruised ribs could preclude him from driving on the Mexican road course. If so, Brandon Miller will replace him. “My ribs and chest are still really sore from my crash in Daytona, and I am not sure if I can shift the car through the turns in the road course,” admitted Harvick. “If I cannot run this weekend, Brandon Miller will take over.”  If Harvick is unable to drive this weekend in Mexico, it will mark the first race he has missed due to injury. This would be very disappointing for Harvick and crew chief Rick Viers, since they felt he they had a great chance in winning the inaugural Busch Series race in Mexico City. (SPEED)

NASCAR Greats Lobbying in NC: Racing greats Bobby Allison, Junior Johnson and Benny Parsons lobbied the Legislature to lend support for a resolution to honor the memory of NASCAR aces and promote a racing museum in the state.  Lawmakers in both chambers unanimously approved the resolution as part of their effort to protect a $1.5 billion racing industry that employs about 10,000 people in North Carolina. As the sport increases in popularity, so does the competition from other states to lure it away.  But lawmakers and others say North Carolina is the best place for a museum. Stock car racing started here and a few hundred race teams -- NASCAR and otherwise -- are located around Charlotte. (Newsday)

Gordon might skip the Indy 500: Robby Gordon will not enter this year's Indianapolis 500 unless he's driving somebody else's race cars. Gordon, who has competed in the 500 ten times says his commitment is to his Nextel Cup and Busch Series teams and sponsors. Gordon says "I don't have the room...we're full..we've got 40 guys full time just turning these programs around." Since he won't operate an open wheel team Gordon says his final decision could be put off until the first week of Indy 500 time trials.(PRN's Garage Pass Radio Show)

March 1, 2005

Michael Waltrip Poker on Speed: Beginning April 7, the Speed Channel will air a series of specials on the Michael Waltrip Celebrity Poker Tournament that was held Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 at the Palms.  Waltrip was joined in the Texas Hold'em tournament by fellow drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Casey Mears, Brian Vickers, Ryan Newman, Kyle Petty, Elliott Sadler and Hermie Sadler and TV analyst Bennie Parsons.  The series will run in 1-hour installments on Thursday evenings from April 7 to May 19, and the June 2 series finale will be a 2-hour special. SPEED Channel put up the $100,000 prize money, with half going to Petty's Victory Junction Gang Camp through Waltrip's "Operation Marathon" and the other half going to the charity of the winner's choice. (Speed PR)

Bill France, Jr. in the Music City: For the second year in a row, Bill France Jr. will help kick off the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series racing season at Nashville's Music City Motorplex. Accompanying Mr. France will be NASCAR Vice President Jim Hunter. Mr. Hunter serves as NASCAR's Vice President of Corporate Communications, Regional Touring and NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series.  Opening day, set for Saturday, March 19th, with heats and feature races for all three of the track's 5/8 mile NASCAR divisions, Late Model Stocks, Super Trucks and Grand National Sportsman. The grandstand gates will open at 4:30pm with MMRA Mini Cup Tour events at 5pm and the NASCAR races getting the green flag at 7:05pm. Saturday adult tickets are $10, with accompanied children 11 and under admitted free. On Sunday, March 20th, the track's ¼ mile divisions will begin their season with events for TN Outlaws, Thunder Stocks, Legends, Bandoleros Outlaws, and Front Runners. On Sunday, adult tickets are $5 and children 11 and under admitted free. Grandstand Gates will open at noon with the first race set for 2pm. (Speedway PR)

Councilmen Fears Traffic Congestion: After a two-hour sit-down with speedway developers in his borough office, City Councilman James Oddo says he needs still more proof that a NASCAR track on Staten Island won't be just a fast ride to traffic chaos. "I essentially have the same concerns as a few months ago," said Oddo, who has expressed skepticism about International Speedway Corp.'s plan to limit traffic to and from the races through a network of park-and-rides, buses and fast ferries. "They believe that this would work. I'm not so sure." Oddo (R-Mid-Island/Brooklyn), whose Council district would be home to the proposed 80,000-seat speedway in Bloomfield, on Friday became the third Island politician to meet individually with ISC representatives after company officials unveiled their traffic plan late last fall. So far, the meetings have garnered mixed results for the Daytona Beach-based speedway giant. Rep. Vito Fossella (R-Staten Island/Brooklyn) referred to the track plan as a "house of cards" after meeting with ISC representatives Feb. 7. (SILIVE)

NASCAR's Hott Online: One of the most popular sports in America, NASCAR (#13) also screeches onto the list this week. NASCAR remains the hottest sport online, other than the WWE (#10). (Yahoo! Lycos)

Allstate Official Insurance of NASCAR: Allstate Insurance Co. is preparing to sign a multiyear, multimillion-dollar sponsorship to become the life insurance sponsor of NASCAR, Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Journal reports. Unidentified sources told reporter Scott Warfield that Allstate will "likely pay a minimum of $2 million a year, with a contract requirement for an additional investment at the team or track level."(NASCAR Scene)

Two State Race for NASCAR Site: Talladega Superspeedway President Grant Lynch has been to Washington five times this year in search of a Northwest site for a new NASCAR speedway. Tomorrow, in a sixth Northwest trip, he will head to Oregon. The demise late last year of a plan to build a 75,000-seat NASCAR track in Snohomish County created an opportunity for other sites. Kitsap County is back in the running and now the Portland area is getting another look. Other Washington proposals in Yakima and Moses Lake have been ruled out this year because they were too far from Seattle. The developer, Florida-based International Speedway Corp., or ISC, has made it clear that tax breaks and help covering the infrastructure costs of a track will help them choose their location. Giving Oregon consideration could force the two states' legislatures to compete for the track, though corporation officials say it's not their goal to pit them against each other.  (Seattle Times)

Record NASCAR television Ratings: The Auto Club 500 Nextel Cup race Sunday at California Speedway received a 7.1 overnight national TV rating on Fox, the highest overnight rating in history for any NASCAR event other than the Daytona 500. It topped the 7.0 rating for the Feb. 25, 2001 race at Rockingham, N.C. That race was the week after Dale Earnhardt's death in the Daytona 500. (Dallas News)

Poll Shows Floridians Reject NASCAR HOF Hike:  If Florida voters have their way, a NASCAR hall of fame will never make it out of the garage.  A poll released Monday showed that voters -- by an 81 percent to 16 percent margin -- oppose the possibility of the state shelling out $75 million to help Daytona Beach land a NASCAR hall of fame.  To add insult to injury, even NASCAR fans don't like the idea: They opposed it by a margin of 63 percent to 35 percent.  The poll of 1,007 voters -- conducted Feb. 18-22 by Quinnipiac University, a Connecticut college that frequently surveys people in Florida and other states -- also showed overwhelming opposition to similar proposals to subsidize a new baseball stadium for the Florida Marlins and arena renovations for the Orlando Magic.  (Daytona Beach Journal)

NASCAR Driver Rings Presented: During the pre-race festivities for the Green Flag Auto Club 500 in Fontana, California, Jostens(R) and BDI Industries presented officially licensed NASCAR rings to last season's top ten contenders in the inaugural Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup. Designed by the same Jostens artists who created the Super Bowl ring for the New England Patriots last year, the customized rings feature the official Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup logo. The rings were designed by Jostens in partnership with BDI Industries to recognize the significant accomplishments of the 2004 top ten NASCAR NEXTEL Cup drivers. The 2004 champion Kurt Busch, received a specially designed "2004 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Champion" ring, followed by ring presentations to the remaining top drivers, including Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Mark Martin, Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth, Elliot Sadler, Ryan Newman, Jeremy Mayfield. "We certainly appreciate BDI and Jostens efforts in developing these special rings that allow these ten drivers to commemorate the significant accomplishment of making it into the inaugural Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup," said Blake Davidson, NASCAR's managing director of Licensed Products. (Jostens PR)

NASCAR Urged to Switch to Unleaded: NASCAR is under fire from environmentalists for using leaded gasoline more than six years after the Environmental Protection Agency asked the stock car racing industry to switch to unleaded.  "By permitting the continued use of lead, your organization may be putting millions of spectators and nearby residents at unnecessary risk of suffering serious health effects," environmental group Clean Air Watch said in a recent letter to NASCAR Chairman Brian France.  "Because of the clear public health threat, lead is being eliminated from gasoline throughout most of the world," the letter said. "If Kazakhstan can eliminate lead from gasoline, why can't NASCAR?" (Sun Herald)

Feb. 28, 2005

Daytona and NASCAR HOF set Deadline: Daytona Beach hopes to be in victory lane this fall when NASCAR awards the bid for its $75 million hall of fame project. To help, city officials put the Central Florida Sports Commission and the Chamber of Commerce of Daytona Beach and the Halifax Area in the driver's seat by tapping the two entities to spearhead efforts for Daytona's bid for a hall of fame. If successful, the project would be an economic development coup for Daytona Beach and Volusia County. Building on Daytona's history as the original home of NASCAR, many believe the hall of fame would bring two new events -- a hall of fame induction ceremony and a race -- and attract 500,000 additional visitors to the area each year. Still, with the May 31 deadline looming, it is a gargantuan task, says George Mirabel, president of the chamber of commerce. "We've had a little time to gather our thoughts, and now we have 13 weeks to have the proposal to NASCAR," he notes. (Biz Journal)

Speed Channel Outgrowing Itself: Two motorsports-related media companies are searching for new homes, with the potential for collaborating on a 125,000-square-foot hub in the region opening as soon as 2007. Speed Channel, owned by News Corp., which also owns the Fox network, and NASCAR Images, a joint venture between the stock-car sanctioning body and News Corp., have outgrown their existing facilities. Speed Channel occupies 19,000 square feet on Southern Pines Blvd.; NASCAR Images, a film archive and video production company, has 30,000 square feet on Stuart Andrew Blvd. Speed Channel works closely with NASCAR Images on much of the network's stock-car programming. "The idea that could make financial sense (for building a new headquarters) is that we're together," says Jim Liberatore, Speed Channel president. (Biz Journal)

DJ and Celebs: Tomorrow, Dale Jarrett Racing Adventure will entertain top PGA players whoare in Miami for the Ford Doral Golf Tournament.  After successfully driving the racecars themselves past and present Ford NASCAR Champions will then give them each the ride of their life as they drive them around the track.  "We are very proud to be associated with this event for the third year in a row.  To bring this level of adventure to 50 of the most talented athletes in the world is sincerely an honor," said Tim Shannon, President. (DJ PR)

UPS Delivers NASCAR to Mexico: UPS today announced coordination and logistics support for the first-ever NASCAR Busch Series race south of the border at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City on March 6.   With special document requirements, advance coordination between U.S. and Mexican officials, security and staging for expedited border crossings early this week, UPS has facilitated a complex planning and communications process.   UPS will manifest and seal all NASCAR and team equipment, coordinate international logistics and synchronize more than 80 team haulers, official trailers of technical scoring and template equipment, tires, emergency and safety vehicles and media trucks across the border in multiple convoys. This project leverages the rapid customs clearance, information management and consulting capabilities offered by UPS Supply Chain Solutions, the logistics and distribution arm of UPS, expanding UPS's sponsorship role as the official delivery company of NASCAR. "Equipment will be arriving at our UPS Logistics Center in Laredo, Texas, from multiple points around the country, and our specialized teams have the complex task of streamlining the massive cross-border activities," said Tom Page, director of solutions and marketing for Latin America, UPS Supply Chain Solutions. "Most of the Busch series teams will compete the weeks before and after the Mexico race, and NASCAR needs comprehensive knowledge of every detail on each of the shipments from coast to coast, as well as plans for exchanges of equipment in staging." Following the rapid clearance, convoy groups will cross the World Trade Bridge to begin the approximate 20 hour non-stop trip to Mexico City. Each convoy will have federal and private security escorts, as well as coordinated communications en route. Then, UPS will complete all procedures in reverse after the checkered flag at the Sunday race for reentry into the United States for the race the following weekend. At the track, UPS Trackside Services also will operate its unique service counter for urgent UPS Worldwide Express(SM) package delivery services to and from the controlled-access garage areas used by the race teams. (UPS PR) 

Helton Remarks on Sawyer: Former Richmond International Raceway owner/promoter Paul Sawyer, who died at 88 Saturday evening, received high praise in Sunday's drivers' meeting from NASCAR president Mike Helton.  "A lot of you in this room don't know much about Paul Sawyer," Helton said. "But I think if you see stories about him this week you ought to make a point of reading them.  "Paul Sawyer was a legend of our sport, in the mold of men like Enoch Staley (North Wilkesboro Speedway) and Clay Earles (Martinsville Speedway) -- who are responsible for making the sport what it is today." Earles' grandson, Clay Campbell, cited Sawyer as a "pioneer" in a statement the track released Sunday afternoon. (NASCAR)

California Extension: The Automobile Club of Southern California has signed a three-year agreement to continue as title sponsor of the Auto Club 500....  Sunday's Auto Club 500 drew an estimated 95,000.  Short of the past two sellouts of 110,000.

NASCAR Pioneer Passes Away: Paul Sawyer, a maverick who was part of stock car racing's development from a regional sport to an international phenomenon as the owner of Richmond International Raceway, has died. He was 88. Sawyer, who had been battling lung cancer since August and also had diabetes, died at a hospital late Saturday night from complications of pneumonia, his son Billy said. "The entire family was with him, and we had been with him all week," Billy Sawyer said Sunday.  Starting with a small dirt track he bought with partner Joe Weatherly in 1955, Sawyer gradually turned the small "Atlantic Rural Fairground" short track in Richmond into a three-quarter-mile oval with more than 100,000 seats. Twice he tore up the surface, once in 1968 to pave it with asphalt, and then again 20 years later to create the unique oval that is among the most popular among Nextel Cup racers today. (ABC News)

5mph Tolerance on Pit Road: In enforcing its pit road speeds under the new electronic scoring system, NASCAR has built in a five mph tolerance, Nextel Cup Series director John Darby said.  "What that tolerance is for is the difference in cold air pressure and high air pressure, whether you're the car behind the caution car or 15 cars back, tachometers are a little off," he said. "I strongly urge everybody to use this five miles an hour as an insurance, not as something to go up trying to gain an advantage."  Darby said the new system monitors every car on pit road from the beginning of pit road to the end, so drivers should not be concerned about what other drivers are doing on pit road. (Mercury News)

Arnold Trackside Today: California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will participate in prerace festivities for today's Auto Club 500 (GNEXT Notes)

NASCAR drivers on Larry King Live: Jeff Gordon, Darrell Waltrip and Richard and Kyle Petty, will appear on CNN's "Larry King Live" at 9 p.m. Monday.  (Larry King Page)

Bill Davis Not at Track: Bill Davis is absent from California Speedway this weekend due to the death of his father, Jake Davis 79, on February 24th.

Feb. 26, 2005

Kyle Busch Wins Pole in For Auto Club 500: Busch becomes the youngest pole winner in NASCAR's premier series. Starting Grid

Illegal Parts Seized in CA: NASCAR inspectors found their first violator of the Nextel Cup Series' near gear ratio rule on non restrictor-plate tracks.  Officials confiscated the rear gear of Ken Schrader's No. 49 Dodge during inspection at California Speedway on Friday. Also taken Friday was the entire rear deck lid of Kevin Lepage's No. 37 Dodge. Both are likely to face penalties, which will be announced early next week. (ThatsRacin)

Wallace and Iowa Track: Developers for a $70 million speedway in Newton completed the deal Friday.  One year ago this week, NASCAR superstar Rusty Wallace promised NewsChannel 8 that the racetrack would come to Iowa.  "It's going to be a reality, and it's going to happen, and it's going to be beautiful," Wallace said.  The racetrack will be located next to Newton's airport, with an asphalt track that will be 7/8 of a mile long. The grandstand will hold 25,000 fans. Temporary seating should boost capacity to 80,000. "This is the biggest thing we've had in a long, long time," said Jim Greve, of the Newton City Council.  Developers are ready to begin building, and racing could begin as early as next summer, if weather permits, according to Dennis Chalupa, the developer's attorney. (IowaChannel)

Las Vegas Not Adding 50,000 Seats: As reported on Jayski Atlanta Motor Speedway's two NASCAR Nextel Cup races would be moved to Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2006 or 2007. The report also said that LVMS "supposedly has plans to add ... possibly 50,000 more seats."  The rumor prompted amusement from LVMS general manager Chris Powell and an angry response from his counterpart in Atlanta, Ed Clark. Both tracks are owned by Bruton Smith's Speedway Motorsports Inc.  "I'm just trying to figure out where we're going to put 50,000 seats," Powell said, dismissing the rumor with a chuckle.  Powell, who has been lobbying NASCAR for several years to get a second annual Nextel Cup Series race at his track, also said he has heard no talk about Smith moving a race to Las Vegas from any of his tracks -- or adding 50,000 additional seats.  (Las Vegas Sun)

Ford Confirms new Entry: Ford Motor Co. officials confirmed Friday the manufacturer is planning on a new entry in NASCAR competition and expects to meet the July 1 submission date. Chevrolet has already announced plans to submit a new version of its Monte Carlo for 2006 and Dodge introduced its new Charger model this season.  Ford, however, will not return with the Taurus, which has been its NASCAR race car of choice since 1998.  "We expect to have a new car in 2006. The decision on branding is being decided," said Ford spokesman Kevin Kennedy.  The most often mentioned entries for Ford are its Ford 500 or the Ford Fusion. (Mercury News)