NASCAR Past News Jan. 16 - Jan. 20 2005

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January 20, 2005:

Kasey Kahne the Car Owner: Kasey Kahne will be a full-time car owner in 2005, but not in NASCAR. Kasey Kahne Racing will field USAC Silver Crown cars for Kraig Kinser full-time, while Erin Crocker will drive Kahne's cars in five Silver Crown events.  Kahne also has a USAC Sprint Car and Midget that he will dabble in this season. "It doesn't really take much of my time," Kahne said. "It's a lot of fun to go race it or go watch."  Kahne's cousin, Willie Kahne, runs the USAC teams for Kasey. (NASCAR)

Gordon to race Indy 500? Robby Gordon has a deal put together to run the Indianapolis 500, but he hasn't decided whether to run the Brickyard this year.  "Another nice thing about being a team owner is that if I want to run the Indy 500, I can do that now," said Gordon, who will run his own car in Nextel Cup this year. "We'll do what's right for the team. We have a sponsor for the Indy 500. It's sitting on the desk, and it's been sitting there for a month.  "We're just a little hesitant to sign it because you want to be careful what you wish for. You just might get it. And then we'd have to do that program, too. His sponsors will include Jim Beam, Menards Home Improvement stores, and Harrahs Casinos.

Truex and Kahne leads day two:  Speeds picked up at Daytona International Speedway as teams began drafting in packs Thursday on the 2 1/2-mile oval.  Truex Jr. and Kasey Kahne led the way, turning in the top speeds in two weeks of testing for the season-opening Daytona 500.  Kahne, last year's top NASCAR Nextel Cup rookie, set the pace in the morning practice with a lap of 188.088 mph in an Evernham Motorsports Dodge Charger. Truex, the defending Busch series champion who will drive a limited Cup schedule in 2005 for Dale Earnhardt Inc., topped the afternoon session with a lap of 188.798 in a Chevrolet. (MLive)

Daytona  Testing Notes: Hermie Sadler, Robby Gordon skipped all of Thursday testing, and Kirk Shelmerdine left after Thursday morning's session.

Rusty hints toward Rolex 24hr race?  Rusty on running the Rolex 24hr race: "A lot of the great drivers have run it, and I'm one of the only guys who hasn't. I'd like to put that in my record that I've done that. I want to be well-rounded and do that. I've got so many opportunities to run it. People always are trying to get me to do it, and I just see it as another thing that takes more time and more effort leading into the Daytona 500 week. I know the Daytona 500 is so important, and that's why I haven't done it. I got to thinking, I'm not going to be running Daytona, so I can put 100 percent focus on that, have a great time running it. Jimmy France has been wanting me to run it. That's one reason. Dodge might get an engine for it, that's another reason. It's just something I haven't done that I want to accomplish and do. I don't know who I would even think about for a teammate. It'd be fun. I like Max Pappus a ton. It would be good to see him in there. I could see Jamie McMurray. The list goes on. I could see Ryan Newman in there. I could see Brendan Gaughan. I really love Brendan. He's a cool guy. Then again, you've got to have somebody who understands that racing to help us along. We've got to have one hotshot in there for sure." - (Motorsports.com)

Thursday Afternoon/PM testing Speeds: 1st) Martin Truex, Jr., Chevrolet - 188.798; 2nd) Jeff Green, Dodge - 188.052; 3rd) Rusty Wallace, Dodge - 187.931; 4th) Brian Vickers, Chevrolet - 187.903; 5th) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet - 187.805; 6th) Joe Nemechek, Chevrolet - 187.731; 7th) Scott Riggs, Chevrolet - 187.707; 8th) Matt Kenseth, Ford - 187.680, 9th) Scott Wimmer, Dodge - 187.645 and 10th) Sterling Marlin, Dodge - 187.641

Atlanta Expands Camping Grounds: When Atlanta Motor Speedway President Ed Clark was planning the new Mid-State RV Family Campground last fall, he decided to make it bigger than necessary for the first race, assuming the crowd would grow into the size. Imagine his surprise, then, when all 500-plus RV and tent spaces were sold for the fall Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500. “It was such a huge success during the first race that we already had a waiting list when we came back from race weekend,” Clark said. “Our fans spoke to us loud and clear, and we’re responding by accommodating them with additional camping areas.” Which Clark and his staff are currently doing, adding 72 spaces to the Mid-State RV Family Campground. But they’re not stopping there: AMS is also adding a brand new unreserved camping lot north of Speedway Boulevard, on previously unused land (Catchfence)

Thursday Morning testing speeds: 1. Kasey Kahne, Dodge, 47.850 seconds, 188.088 mph 2. Jeff Green, Dodge, 47.966, 187.633 3. Bill Elliott, Dodge, 48.001, 187.496 4. Jeff Burton, Chevrolet, 48.021, 187.418 5. Bobby Hamilton Jr., Chevrolet, 48.056, 187.282 6. Sterling Marlin, Dodge, 48.097, 187.122 7. Derrike Cope, Chevrolet, 48.187, 186.772 8. Mike Wallace, Chevrolet, 48.192, 186.753 9. Mark Martin, Ford, 48.197, 186.734 10. Johnny Sauter, Dodge, 48.213, 186.672

NASCAR announces Daytona Qualifying Changes: NASCAR officials are set to announce new qualifying procedures for this season’s Daytona 500 which will ensure participation in the race by the top-35 teams in 2004 car owners points, ThatsRacin.com has learned. Last week, NASCAR announced new procedures for the season in which the top 35 teams in the Nextel Cup Series are guaranteed starting spots in each race provided they meet the entry deadline and make a qualifying attempt. The top 30 are guaranteed spots for Busch and Craftsman Truck Series races under the same provisions. Left unresolved was procedures for the Daytona 500, which has traditionally used qualifying races to set its field. NASCAR’s new Daytona procedures, which were relayed to car owners attending Thursday’s preseason test at Daytona International Speedway, will be similar to the policy for the remainder of the season’s races, sources said. (ThatsRacin)

Roush Looking for Driver and Sponsor after '05: Since Mark Martin's sponsorship contract with Pfizer's Viagra is up at the end of this season, Roush and team president Geoff Smith are looking for both a new driver and a new sponsor. Carl Edwards was slated for that ride, but Edwards wound up in another Roush car when Jeff Burton quit last summer to join Richard Childress. "We're hoping to get some of our associate sponsors to step up to a full car sponsorship," Smith said. (Winston Salem Journal)

Edwards at NASCAR hockey night: Roush Racing star Carl Edwards, one of the hottest up and comers on the NASCAR circuit, will make a special appearance at the Mechanics game on January 30th. Edwards, who spent the previous two seasons racking up wins in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, made his Nextel Cup debut in 2004, starting 12 races and earning one top-five finish and five top-ten finishes. Edwards will be available for autographs on the concourse beginning at 4:00 pm and will drop the ceremonial first puck prior to the game. (Team PR)

Tension in Penske Newman and Wallace: Rusty Wallace wants his 2005 retirement tour to confirm his standing as one of NASCAR's all-time greats. Ryan Newman, with 10 wins in the past two seasons, wants to make a serious run at the Nextel Cup championship. Unless something changes, the two Penske South Racing teammates aren't going to help each other much. Wallace, 48, and Newman, 27, had a falling out last fall at Martinsville Speedway. They haven't talked about it since, and the animosity between them has festered. Their strained relationship is generating a fair amount of banter and media attention during Daytona testing. During a Dodge dinner Tuesday night, Wallace was asked if he received a Christmas present from Newman. He laughed, raised an eye and gave a definite ``no.''  (Tampa Tribune)

Jasper Engines Back Limited Schedule: Jasper Engines & Transmissions will return as the primary sponsor of the No. 77 Dodge driven by Travis Kvapil for four races in 2005. The scheduled races for the Jasper car are: Texas (April), Dover (June), Chicago (July) and Atlanta (October). (Racing One)

Gordon to Drive Jim Beam Car: Jim Beam Brands Co. will sponsor veteran driver Robby Gordon in several NASCAR Nextel Cup Series races during the 2005 race season. According to a news release, Gordon, who owns and drives for Robby Gordon Motorsports, will drive the No. 7 Jim Beam Chevrolet during the Daytona 500 on Feb. 20 at Daytona International Speedway. Jim Beam will be the primary sponsor for Robby Gordon for "a designated number of races" and will be an associate sponsor for other races during the 2005 NASCAR season, the release said. Specific terms of the sponsorship were not disclosed.  This is the first time Jim Beam has sponsored a NASCAR team. In 2003, the company was a sponsor for the Andretti Green Racing team of the Indy Racing League. (Business First)

January 19, 2005:

Elliott Coors Car is Back: Bill Elliott will merge Dodge's "family" approach to racing with a familiar sponsor when he drives a No. 39 Coors Charger entered by Chip Ganassi Racing in the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona.  Elliott unveiled the red and white Coors paint scheme his family-operated Melling Racing team used in 1985, when he won the first of two Daytona 500s, at a news conference Wednesday evening at Daytona International Speedway.  "It's kind of a retro paint scheme from the same kind of paint scheme I had in 1985," Elliott said. "I'm looking forward to running it [because] it's an opportunity for me to get more seat time."  Elliott ran a limited schedule of races for Ray Evernham Motorsports in 2004, but never secured the sponsorship for the number of races he and Evernham had hoped. (NASCAR.com)

Evening/PM Testing Speeds: 1st) Scott Riggs, Chevrolet - 186.097 mph; 2nd) Johnny Sauter, Dodge - 185.935; 3rd) Joe Nemechek, Chevrolet - 185.924; 4th) Robby Gordon, Chevrolet - 185.300; 5th) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet - 185.193; 6th) Jeff Green, Dodge - 185.060; 7th) Mike Wallace, Chevrolet - 185.006; 8th) Martin Truex Jr., Chevrolet - 184.907; 9th) Matt Kenseth, Ford - 184.824 and 10th) Kasey Kahne, Dodge - 184.733

Morning Testing Speeds: 1. J. Nemechek 185.605 2. S. Riggs 185.601 3. J. Johnson 185.185 4. J. Green 184.904 5. M. Truex Jr. 184.843 6. M. Wallace 184.608 7. M. Martin 184.388 8. E. McClure 184.366 9. K. Kahne 184.249 10. J. Sauter 184.124 11. M. Kenseth 184.102 12. B. Labonte 184.083 13. S. Marlin 183.557 14. J. Andretti 183.187 15. B. Vickers 183.094 16. D. Cope 183.064 17. R. Wallace 183.035 18. J. Burton 183.001 19. D. Blaney 182.997 20. S. Wimmer 182.771 21. D. Stremme 182.035 22. B. Hamilton Jr. 181.995 23. K. Lepage 181.910 24. R. Gordon 181.752 25. H. Sadler 181.415 26. K. Earnhardt 181.025 27. K. Shelmerdine 178.504

NASCAR former executive takes over NBA team today officially: Former NASCAR executive Brett Yormark was hired as president and chief executive officer of the parent company of the NBA's New Jersey Nets on Wednesday.  Yormark will lead the business and marketing operations of Nets Sports & Entertainment, LLC, including corporate sponsorships, marketing partnerships and ticket sales. Yormark also will be responsible for developing the business and strategic marketing for a new arena planned for Brooklyn.  Nets President Rod Thorn will remain in charge of the team's basketball operations.  Yormark, who had two previous jobs with the Nets, had been with NASCAR since 1998. He was the managing director of corporate marketing for the stock car sport before serving as president of corporate marketing, developing partnerships with more than 50 of America's biggest companies. (AP/MyrtleBeachOnline)

Paul Andrews named Crew Chief for Petty #45: Paul Andrews has been named crew chief for Kyle Petty's No. 45 Georgia-Pacific/Brawny Dodge.  Andrews, 47, served as crew chief for the No. 38 Akins Motorsports Ford in the NASCAR Busch Series last year. He won the NASCAR Cup championship with Alan Kulwicki in 1992, and also has worked with drivers Geoff Bodine, Jeremy Mayfield, Steve Park and Jeff Burton.  "We're very excited to have a person of Paul's caliber join our team," Petty said. "His past speaks for itself. He's a proven winner and can help accelerate this team into top form. The addition of Evernham Engines was huge. Adding Paul is another big step forward as we prepare for 2005 and beyond." Andrew's successes in the sport are impressive. A champion crew chief in 1992, Andrew's has accumulated 12 wins, morethan 75 top-five finishes and 150 top-10 finishes. "I just like the way Petty Enterprise is heading," Andrews said. "Adding Evernham Engines this season was a tremendously positive move. They are striving hard and taking steps to win. I want, and am ready, to make a difference. They are going in the right direction, and I think I can help offer some good input. I'm excited to start working with Kyle and the Georgia-Pacific/Brawny team." (Petty Enterprise PR)

AAA Official signs with Roush Racing: The Auto Club Group (ACG), the largest AAA affiliate in the Midwest, has signed a contract with Roush Racing to sponsor the No. 99 AAA Ford Taurus, driven by Carl Edwards, at NASCAR Nextel Cup Series races in 2005.  "Sponsorship of a car and driver on the hugely popular NASCAR racing circuit will help raise AAA's profile with the many fans of this major spectator sport. The sponsorship ties very nicely into AAA's century-long commitment to supporting continued improvement in vehicle safety," said Jeff Ogden, president, AAA Minnesota/Iowa.  "Many of the safety features we take for granted on today's passenger vehicles, such as lap-and-shoulder safety belts and hydraulic brakes, were introduced and perfected in racecars," Ogden added. "NASCAR races will continue to be the proving ground for new safety equipment, and the AAA clubs that comprise The Auto Club Group are pleased and proud to help support that progress." (PRNewswire)

IROC Driver line-up: The 12-driver field for the International Race of Champions was announced today featuring Nextel Cup drivers Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch and Mark Martin as well as 2004 Indianapolis 500 winner Buddy Rice.  The series features drivers from NASCAR, IRL, CHAMP CAR, World of Outlaws and Grand American Road Racing. The drivers compete for a $1 million purse over four races, the first of which is at Daytona International Speedway on Friday, Feb. 18, two days before the Daytona 500. The other races are at Texas Motor Speedway on April 15, Richmond International Raceway on Sept. 8 and Atlanta Motor Speedway on Oct. 29.  Kenseth, the 2003 Winston Cup champion, comes in as the 2004 IROC champion. Busch is the Nextel Cup champion. Other 2004 series champions in the field include Champ Car's Sebastien Bourdais, NASCAR Busch Series' Martin Truex Jr., NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series' Bobby Hamilton, World of Outlaws' Steve Kinser and co-champions Max Papis and Scott Pruett from the Grand American Road Racing series.  Other drivers in the field include Nextel Cup's Martin, a four-time IROC champion, the IRL's Rice, 2-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves also of the IRL and 2001 World of Outlaws series champion Danny Lasoski. (IROC PR)

January 18, 2005:

Top-10 Afternoon Speeds: 1st) Joe Nemechek, Chevrolet - 184.661, 2nd) Scott Riggs, Chevrolet - 184.646, 3rd) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet - 184.260, 4th) Jeff Green, Dodge - 184.249, 5th) Kasey Kahne, Dodge - 183.718, 6th) Mark Martin, Ford - 183.587; 7th) Mike Wallace, Chevrolet - 183.557, 8th) Eric McClure, Chevrolet - 183.270; 9th) Bobby Labonte, Chevrolet - 183.154 and 10th) Dave Blaney, Chevrolet - 183.132 (See stories below for morning speeds)

Driver Helps Crew Chief Out: NASCAR Driver, Jerrod Sessler, has set up a fund for his crew chief, John King. King is undergoing treatment for Stage 4 breast cancer and is without a paycheck and health insurance. Sessler has agreed to match gifts to the fund up to $1,000. Breast cancer in men is rare. According to the American Cancer Society in 2003, approximately only 1,300 men were diagnosed in the United States while 212,000 women received the same diagnosis that year. NASCAR driver, Jerrod Sessler, understands the struggles his crew chief is facing. "It has been just over five years since I was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer and told I was going to die. Fortunately, I made some radical changes in my life, learned a lot, avoided conventional medical advice and trusted God." King and Sessler saw immediate success on the track this year as King turned a rough set-up into a car that "just smoothed out once it was up to speed," With that, they had no troubles qualifying and competing within the top five. "John is amazing with regard to knowing what to do to the racecar. Communication is sometimes intense as we try to understand each other. John uses old-school experience while I prefer a more technical approach." Sessler, a degreed engineer, views chassis set up from a different perspective but the results of the combination of experience and education work. "John is a fierce competitor. He climbed all over me after a race for spinning out and I, of course, was upset. When we talked, he just said, with his big John King smile, 'I want to win just as bad as you do man.' I really respect his drive and passion for what he does. He doesn't do this because he makes lots of money. He is like most of us in racing, he just loves it." Sessler is now seeking sponsorship for competition at the national level. He hopes this platform will enable him to further share the lessons he has learned about diet and lifestyle and the impact these day-to-day choices had on saving his life from Stage 4 cancer. Those interested in making a donation can do so through Key Bank’s “John King Survivor Fund” or http://www.jerrodsessler.com/kingfund.htm.(Sessler Racing PR)

Elliott To Run for Dodge Rival Ganassi: Team owner Ray Evernham has given semi-retired veteran driver Bill Elliott permission to run the Feb. 12 Budweiser Shootout all-star race for a rival NASCAR Nextel Cup team, Chip Ganassi Racing. The Ganassi team had no official comment but has scheduled a news conference for today at Daytona International Speedway, where NASCAR teams are testing in preparation for the Feb. 20 Daytona 500. Evernham said Elliott's decision to drive for another team doesn't signal any sort of rift between the veteran driver and Evernham Motorsports. Evernham hired Elliott after leaving his job as Jeff Gordon's crew chief to field his own team and prepare for Dodge's return to NASCAR during the 2001 season. Elliott is scheduled to run between 10 and 12 races in a third Evernham car this season, with sponsorship from Stanley Tools. (USA Today)

Nemechek has Surgery: MB2 Motorsports driver Joe Nemechek is looking a little gimpy getting around the Daytona garage, but it isn't putting a crimp in his driving style, as the No. 01 Chevrolet was second on the morning time sheet and at the top of the afternoon's list. Nemechek had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee late last month to repair a torn cartilage. Nemechek said the knee was injured when he crashed in the early stages of August's Sharpie 500 at Bristol. "When I hit the wall at Bristol the knee was a little sore," Nemechek said. "It gradually got worse and started to lock up. "When we had the team's Christmas party (Dec. 17) our trainer, Lance Munksgard, advised me to have it checked out. I had an MRI the same day and had surgery the following week. "There's still a little swelling, but it's getting better. It doesn't affect my driving." (NASCAR PR)

Jeff Gordon to Co-Host Regis and Kelly: Jeff Gordon, driver of the No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet, is scheduled to co-host with Kelly Ripa on the popular daytime talk show "Live with Regis and Kelly" on January 26 - 27. Although the four-time NASCAR Cup champion has co-hosted the show five times, this will mark the first time he has co-hosted on consecutive days. Following the show on January 27, Gordon will fly to Concord, N.C., to participate in the annual media tour stop at Hendrick Motorsports. (Jeff Gordon PR)

Riggs Tops Daytona Morning Speeds: It marked the start of the second three-day testing date for this year's Nextel Cup drivers in preparation for the 2005 Daytona 500 on February 20th. "All the guys at the shop did a great job - we brought two new Valvoline Chevrolets here and both cars are pretty close in speed," Riggs said to NASCAR.com. "This is good for us because we're getting a pretty good feel to where we need to be." Joe Nemechek (48.697), Jeff Green (48.801), Mark Martin (48.923) and Jimmie Johnson (48.930) completed the top-five. A total of 23 drivers and teams were on the track. Other big names testing this week include: Bobby Labonte, Matt Kenseth, Kasey Kahne and John Andretti. Robby Gordon, just back from a 12th-place finish in the Dakar Rally, was 19th fastest. In last week's test, Jeff Gordon led the first-day times with a lap of 48.531 185.448 m.p.h.). Overall, Dale Jarrett has posted the fastest single-car lap this month with a time of 48.269 seconds (186.455 m.p.h.).(SportsNetwork)

Workers Awarded:  Two Hickory sanitation workers who returned $5,100 they found in a bag of discarded clothing are getting a reward from the heart of NASCAR country.Humpy Wheeler, president and general manager of Lowe's Motor Speedway, decided to reward Edwin Workman and Todd Little with VIP tickets to the NEXTEL All-Star Challenge on May 21. The two also will receive reserved parking and a pre-race pit tour.  Wheeler says he'll also introduce the two during pre-race ceremonies. After finding the money, Workman and Little drove back to the house, but the owner wasn't there. At the end of their work day, they drove their own cars back to the lake house. (WRAL)

Robby Gordon and Fruit of the Loom: Fruit of the Loom and Robby Gordon Motorsports are carrying their NASCAR partnership to the next level in 2005 by announcing today that the world-renowned apparel company will sponsor Gordon in nine NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series events and one NASCAR Busch Series race. The Fruit of the Loom Racing Team debuted in the Busch Series last season; during which Gordon drove the #55 Chevrolet to a victory at Richmond, four other top-five finishes and ten top-10s. Robby Gordon Motorsports (RGM) hopes to match that success during Speedweeks 2005 at Daytona, where Gordon is entered in the Feb. 19 Hershey's 300 Busch Series event. For that race only, the team will again run car #55. It will campaign car #7 in NEXTEL Cup competition, with Fruit of the Loom's first race in that series slated for April 3 in the Food City 500. Gordon has three wins, including a sweep of both road-course events in 2003, won the Gatorade 125 Daytona 500 qualifying race in 2003 and has banked more than $15 million in NASCAR winnings. Bob Temple will return as crew chief. The team will utilize Hopkins Chassis with engines supplied by Menard Engineering. The Indianapolis and Oxfordshire, England-based company has supplied engines for cars that have won the pole for the famed Indianapolis 500 three times, powering Team Menard to a pair of Indy Racing League championships in 1997 and 1999. RGM ran Menard engines in three Busch Series races last season. For more information, visit www.fruit.com (Camp and Assoc PR)

NASCAR Preseason Testing Today Tuesday: Former NASCAR Cup series champions Matt Kenseth, Bobby Labonte and Rusty Wallace, along with two-time series runner-up Jimmie Johnson, hit the track Tuesday in the second Nextel Cup session of Preseason Thunder scheduled at Daytona International Speedway.  Odd-numbered finishers in the points standings tested last week. Even-numbered finishers are testing this week. Johnson, who won eight races last year — including four in the first Chase for the Nextel Cup, NASCAR's playoff-style championship run — finished eight points behind 2004 champion Kurt Busch. (USA Today)

NASCAR Viewership Increased: NASCAR said Monday that all three of its national series drew more television viewers in 2004 than in 2003. Nielsen Media Research figures show that 196 million households tuned in to watch Nextel Cup events in 2004, a 2 percent increase over 2003. The Busch Series drew 52 million households, up 8 percent from 2003, while the Craftsman Truck Series drew 10.5 million households, a 22 percent increase over 2003. NASCAR also said today that an unprecedented 38 races from all three series will be aired during television's prime-time evening hours this year.(NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter)

Casino Near Pocono: Casino slots made Dover Downs an even hotter destination stock-car track, and now the Mattiolis, who own the Pocono NASCAR track, are planning a similar venture.  A slots casino, with 80,000 square feet of playing area, and 40,000 square feet of restaurants and shops, is on the drawing board for a piece of land six miles from the Pocono Speedway. Construction costs are estimated at $300 million. (Winston Salem Journal)

Victory Lane Express Bus Returns to TEXAS: Back by popular demand, the Victory Lane Express bus service from Fort Worth to Texas Motor Speedway will provide race fans with economical roundtrip service for the 2005 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup and Busch Series races again in 2005. This is the second year the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (the “T”) has provided the service. The Victory Lane Express will offer fans roundtrip transportation from the Tarrant County Community College Northwest Campus to the speedway for just $10 per person. Drop off and pickup at the speedway will be in the facility’s bus lot located adjacent to Highway 114 that allows for expedited service. Departures from the college will begin at 9 a.m. on race days with the first return trip scheduled 30 minutes after each race. The Victory Lane Express will be offered for the O’Reilly 300 NASCAR Busch Series race on Saturday, April 16; the Samsung/RadioShack 500 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series event on Sunday, April 17; the O’Reilly Challenge Busch Series race on Saturday, November 5 and the November 6 Dickies 500 Nextel Cup event. - (Catchfence)

McClure Gets Sponsorship: Morgan-McClure Motorsports has secured sponsorship for the 2005 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series with Lucas Oil Products. Mike Wallace, who won the Winn-Dixie 250 Busch Series race last July at Daytona International Speedway, is owner Larry McClure's choice to drive the car this season and he will test the #4 Chevrolet in Tuesday's second round of Preseason Thunder. Wallace said his conversations with McClure have been ongoing, but they haven't had a chance to sit down since the deal with Lucas was done. "First and foremost my goal is to drive Larry's car this season," Wallace said. "We hope to get that deal done this week, and once we are able to do that, we'll see if it's possible to do anything in the Truck Series." McClure said that Chris Carrier would once again be the team's crew chief.(NASCAR.com)

January 17, 2005:

Kennon Joins Michael Waltrip Racing: Longtime NASCAR crew chief Gere Kennon, who recently was general manager at Innovative Motorsports in the Craftsman Truck Series, has joined Michael Waltrip Racing. Kennon's primary focus is MWR's Busch Series effort, but he was at Daytona last week overseeing Waltrip's Nextel Cup program with driver Kenny Wallace. (FoxSports)

Honda in NASCAR? With the debut of the Honda Ridgeline truck at the Los Angeles Auto Show earlier this month, speculation heated up that the Japanese automaker soon will follow Toyota's lead into the Craftsman Truck Series. Au contraire, says T.E. McHale, manager of motorsports public relations for Honda. "In the three years I've been here, I have heard no discussions in these hallways about getting into the NASCAR series," McHale says. "Honda is in racing to further its technology, and I'm not sure that NASCAR provides the right platform for us." McHale says Honda's emphasis is on winning its second Indy Racing League title. (FoxSports)

January 16, 2005:

Kanaan Wins Award; Earnhardt, Gordon and France's up for Half Century Award: Indy Racing League champion Tony Kanaan is the winner of the 2004 Jerry Titus award, the top driving award by the American Automobile Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association.  Longtime NHRA star Kenny Bernstein, a six-time season champion, was given the AARWBA's Pioneer in Racing award and was among the 11 nominees announced for the Newsmaker of the Half-Century Award.  The other nominees included Mario Andretti, Dale Earnhardt, John Force, Jeff Gordon, Dan Gurney and Richard Petty, NASCAR's founding France family, the Hulman-George family of Indianapolis fame, NHRA founder Wally Parks and racing entrepreneur Roger Penske. The Newsmaker of the Half-Century will be announced May 29 at the Indianapolis 500. (Kentucky.com)

Dakar Rally Complete: Mitsubishi's performance in the Dakar Rally over recent years has made that of Ferrari in Formula 1 look like a fruitless struggle.  Stéphane Peterhansel's victory this year at the wheel of a Pajero Evolution was the Japanese company's tenth since the event began, and far more astonishingly the fifth in consecutive years. It didn't work out quite so well for Robby Gordon/Dirk von Zitzewitz. Gordon - a renowned NASCAR star but one with a great deal of off-road experience - was sensational in the early part of the event, scoring two stage wins, but fell to 101st after rolling his Touareg. The crew recovered from that and worked their way up to 12th at the finish. (Robby Gordon Finishes 101st)

Weather Extends Truck Testing: Foul weather appeared to be moving out of the Daytona Beach, Fla., area late Sunday morning, which should allow Craftsman Truck Series teams to get some work in at Daytona International Speedway. Saturday's first day of preseason tesiong was a washout. And ThatsRacin.com's Jim Utter said strong winds and rain lasted through the night and into early Sunday.  Saturday's rainout and the early morning rain prompted NASCAR to extend Sunday's test session to 9 p.m. They also added a Monday session as team prepare for their season opener next month. (ThatsRacin)

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