NASCAR Past News July 23 - 26

• NASCAR announces Fines

• Turner Sports turns highest NASCAR race in network history

• Chevy to kick off a full week of Indy activities

• Earnhardt, Jr. leads in Most Popular Voting

• Kannapolis invest 6 million in HAAS relocation

• Marlin gets Busch ride

• Talladega announcement, Trucks coming to 'Dega

• Johnson thinks NASCAR will be in Canada soon

• Calgary has half-mile up for sale?

• #2 Crew wins this week's Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge

• Wallace Family Tribute largest St. Louis Busch Crowd

• Rusty looks to put son in car

• Leffler in #32 WinFuel again at Gateway

• NASCAR announces Diversity Scholarships

• NASCAR HOF to be be narrowed to two or three by Sept.

• NASCAR Drivers and Bobsledding

• TNT, NASCAR and Val Pak team up for Promotion

• Casting Call, Will Ferrell's NASCAR movie

• Harvick Partnership with RCR? Start cup team in 07

• Earnhardt, Jr. called to NASCAR hauler

• All Childress teams will return

• Car of the Future being tested

• Gibbs, Labonte and Evernham

• NASCAR Lobbying hard for WA. Track

• Pocono Safe?

• NASCAR proposed Testing rule causes stir

• WA. track will create economic boom

• No one can stop Dominating BUSCH

• WA. Track face State hurdles

• Biffle eyes possible LeMan's Series in Oregon next year

• Fisher Eyes NASCAR, Promises no double duty

• NASCAR announces Fines: NASCAR announced today that two penalties have been issued to NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series competitors as a result of rules infractions this past weekend at Pocono Raceway. Kenneth Glen, crew chief of the #52 Dodge driven by Derrike Cope, was fined $5,000 for an unapproved rear end gear ratio, a violation of Section 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing), and Section 12-4-CC (violation of specified rear end gear ratio) of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series rule book. This infraction was discovered during pre-qualifying inspection. Shane Wilson, crew chief for the #77 Dodge driven by Travis Kvapil, was fined $1,000 for an unapproved body modification, a violation of Section 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing), and Section 12-4-Q (parts and/or equipment used in the Event do not conform to NASCAR Rules) of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series rule book. This infraction was discovered during pre-qualifying inspection. (NASCAR PR)

• Turner Sports turns highest NASCAR race in network history: Turner Network Television says its airing of Sunday's Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway was the highest rated and most watched NASCAR event in its 21-year history of televising the sport.  The race was seen in 5.137 million households and drew a 5.7 rating, a 21 percent increase over 2004, TNT says. The network says its coverage of the July 17 New England 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway was seen in 4.954 million households and earned a 4.5 rating, a 5 percent increase over 2004. (NASCAR Scene Daily)

• Chevy to kick off a full week of Indy activities: Fans attending the first day of 2005 Allstate 400 at the Brickyard activities at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Friday, Aug. 5 will be treated to much more than the first two rounds of practice for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series event. Chevy Day at the Brickyard, a Chevrolet-sponsored, family-friendly event, is taking place from 9 a.m.-noon. Admission to the event is included in the price of admission to the IMS grounds for the day’s Allstate 400 at the Brickyard activities. General admission tickets for the day are $10 per person, free for children ages 5 and younger. Highlights of Chevy Day at the Brickyard will include appearances and autographs sessions by Chevrolet-sponsored NASCAR drivers, interactive games, racing simulators, NASCAR race cars, prizes, live music and automotive merchandise available for purchase. Autograph sessions will take place in the Pagoda Plaza, behind the Bombardier Pagoda control tower. There are separate lines for each session listed below. The first 100 adults (18 and over) in each line will receive a wristband for access to that autograph session, with gates opening at 8 a.m. Two minors (17 and younger) are permitted to accompany each adult in the line. The autograph schedule (all times local): (For full Chevy drivers and activities visit www.brickyard400.com)

• Earnhardt, Jr. leads in Most Popular Voting: Race fans worldwide have cast more than 2.5 million votes for their favorite drivers, chasing the record 3.8 million recorded last season in most popular driver balloting. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. continues to lead this season's balloting. Following him are Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne, Kevin Harvick, Rusty Wallace, Tony Stewart, Michael Waltrip, Dale Jarrett, Mark Martin and Jimmie Johnson, in that order. Voting for the more than 40 drivers eligible for the Chex NMPA NASCAR Most Popular Driver Award, the only fan-based award in motorsports, began Feb. 1, at www.mostpopulardriver.com and continues through Nov. 21. (Kentucky.com)

• Kannapolis invest 6 million in HAAS relocation: Haas CNC Racing Inc. is now two-for-two. Two Thursdays ago, Cabarrus County Commissioners agreed to give the company a $200,000 grant to help pay for the costs of relocating from Harrisburg to Kannapolis. And Monday night, Kannapolis City Council voted to do the same in addition to authorizing the sale of the property in the Kannapolis Gateway Business Park to the race team. Haas is a subsidiary company to the California-based Haas Automation, which is the largest machine tool builder in the United States. The racing side of the Haas team began in 1995, but the company was not formed until 2002. Hass intends to construct a $16.1-million, 140,000-square-foot facility on the 23 acres it has in the deal with Kannapolis. The new building will house the already established Busch and NASCAR series teams, but more are expected to be added. Additional teams are the main reasons Haas needed to relocated from the small 40,000-square-foot building in Harrisburg. The relocation is projected to bring 85 jobs to the city, and would add 15 new ones. City Manager Mike Legg said that over time, it should result in 70 new full-time jobs. The jobs would pay average salaries of $50,000 a year. "There is strong potential for crossover industrial jobs from the Haas CNC presence in Kannapolis," Legg wrote in a memo to council members. Kannapolis' total investment for the team is about $6 million. Over a five-year period, Haas will be eligible for a $212,243 incentive from the city. This will result in a net five-year tax payment to the city of $162,596. After five years, the city will regain its total investment. (Salisbury Post)

• Marlin gets Busch ride: Nextel Cup regular Sterling Marlin, whose future at NASCAR’s top level remains uncertain, has been announced by FitzBradshaw Racing as the new driver for the squad’s No.12 Busch Series Dodge Charger, beginning this weekend at Gateway International Raceway. Marlin will replace Tim Fedewa, who has pedaled the car for the past two years and currently sits 21st in Busch points. "The [No.12] Dodge has not had a top-10 finish all year. We can't sit idle. We've got to do something," team co-owner Armando Fitz justified. (SPEED)

• Talladega announcement, Trucks coming to 'Dega: Talladega Superspeedway Vice President and General Manager Rick Humphrey announced today that in 2006, the 2.66-mile Alabama racetrack will welcome the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for the first time in history! The event will take place on Saturday, Oct. 7 during the 2006 UAW-Ford 500 event weekend set for Oct. 5 – 8. “We cannot wait to welcome the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series next fall,” Humphrey said. “You really have to witness these trucks race to understand how exciting it is. If you didn’t think it was possible for us to top the level of competition and edge-of-your-seat racing we offer here at Talladega Superspeedway – make plans to be here for this truck race next year. Our fans are going to love it.” The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series officially began competition in 1995, and has seen attendance figures grow from 400,000 to 1.1 million annually in that time period. Now in its 11th season, the series is celebrating its decade-old status with the theme “Ten Years Tough.”  (Talladega SuperSpedeway PR)

• Johnson thinks NASCAR will be in Canada soon: Nextel Cup points leader Jimmie Johnson can see the day -- real soon he thinks -- when NASCAR's top series will have a race in Canada. But in the same breath, Johnson told The Toronto Sun that it won't come by NASCAR expanding its schedule beyond the existing 38 race weekends. In Toronto to promote his Levi jeans sponsorship on the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Johnson said that there is no masking the fact the NASCAR has designs on Canada and not just for the Craftsman Truck Series and the NASCAR Busch Series. "Everyone from NASCAR executives, to team owners, to drivers has been talking about coming to Canada ever since the Busch race in Mexico was such a success," Johnson said.  "There is just not room for any added races," Johnson said. "Right now we get just three weekends off a season." His suggestion -- and one that has been made before -- is for NASCAR to quit doubling up of races at most of its tracks. "I feel we can grow the sport by having just one race in every market," Johnson said. In its 2005 schedule, for example, Nextel Cup races at 14 of its venues twice. "If we only raced once at a lot of these tracks it would leave lots of opportunities to have a race in Canada, as well as other markets that we're not in now like New York City and the Pacific Northwest." (Toronto Sun)

• Calgary has half-mile up for sale? Calgary's Race City Motorsport Park, with its half-mile oval, is the only existing facility in Canada that could realistically handle a NASCAR oval-track event at present. Owner Art MacKenzie has the facility up for sale, and prospective new owners want to bring in a Craftsman Truck Series race as early as 2007. NASCAR officials, who've visited Race City several times since the fall, have given a hypothetical blessing to that idea -- as long as the money is spent on upgrades required to stage such a big-league event. Last month, Normand Legault, the promoter of Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, said he had talked with NASCAR officials about staging a road race there, but nothing had been finalized. (Calgary Herald)

• #2 Crew wins this week's Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge: #2 Miller Lite(R) Team with driver Rusty Wallace was awarded $10,000 for winning the Checkers(R)/Rally's(R) Double Drive-Thru Challenge at the Pennsylvania 500(R) on July 25 with a pit-road-service time of 262.195 seconds, forcing a three- way tie for the coveted $100,000 grand prize.  Twenty races into the 2005 NASCAR(R) NEXTEL(R) Cup Series season, the #2 Miller Lite Team is tied with driver Ryan Newman's #12 ALLTEL(R) Team and driver Tony Stewart's #20 Home Depot(R) Team with four wins each. The challenge has also created a race within the race between the two Penske Racing South teams, the No. 12 and the No. 2.  Wallace also captured the Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge at the Auto Club 500(R), the Advance Auto Parts 500(R), and the Coca-Cola 600(R). "The $100,000 Checkers/Rally's grand prize offers a great incentive for our teams to keep improving their pit times throughout the season, and it wouldn't surprise me to see our third team vying for it as well," said Penske Racing South President Don Miller. "To be known as the fastest NASCAR pit crew for an entire season is quite an honor."  Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge offers one of the richest weekly contingency awards in NASCAR. The Double Drive-Thru Challenge focuses on the team element of the race that is integral to successful performances each week. (Checkers/Rally's PR)

• Davis Poole's Kyle Petty Ride Across America Diary: Yahoo Sports!

• Wallace Family Tribute largest St. Louis Busch Crowd: When Nextel Cup driver and former St. Louisan Rusty Wallace announced in 2004 that this season would be his last in the series, Gateway International Raceway vice president and general manager Matt Strelo knew he had a hook for this year's NASCAR Busch Series race at his Madison facility. He would get Rusty, Mike and Kenny Wallace to race together at Gateway, and Strelo was sure the people would come. As it turns out, Strelo was correct. Strelo said he expects a crowd of about 65,000 for the "Wallace Family Tribute 250" on the 1.25-mile oval when the green flag waves at 7:15 p.m. Saturday. If a sellout does happen, it will be a first for the 9-year-old track. As of Monday, fewer than 10,000 seats remained. "I think it's the most significant motor sports event in the history of our region," Strelo said. "Clearly, it's the biggest in the history of this race track. I think it's going to be close to a sellout. I don't want to tell people don't bother coming because there's still plenty of tickets available. (St. Louis Today)

• Rusty looks to put son in car: My son Stephen will be in Kentucky this week testing, and then I'll take him to Michigan, and we'll test for his first ARCA race the 19th. "Dodge has given Stephen the opportunity to start testing, and Dodge has paid for some races for Stephen - he'll run Chicago in a Dodge development car. It's all about getting seat time for him. And once I get confident with him, I'll put him in my Busch car for some races, too. "I think I can still do this. It was a great day. Lance Armstrong, when he finished the Tour de France, said 'I'm going out on top.' And so did Michael Jordan. And so am I. But we've got a bunch of races left this year, and my goal is to make the top-10 (playoff cut in September)." (Salem-Journal)

• Leffler in #32 WinFuel again at Gateway: The last time that Jason Leffler was behind the wheel of the #32 WINFUEL Chevrolet at New Hampshire International Raceway, he was in position to bring home a solid finish, but a late race incident on lap 195 put an end to the promising top-10 run and resulted in a disappointing 29th place finish. This weekend, Leffler and the Braun Racing team head to Gateway International Raceway with hopes of bringing home the strong finish that they are capable of producing. “This is an off weekend for the Nextel Cup Series, so this will be the first time that I will be able to spend the whole time concentrating on the Busch car. I know that Braun Racing ran well at Gateway last year with David Stremme, so hopefully we can put our experience and knowledge together to produce a win this weekend.” This weekend Jason Leffler and the Braun Racing team will be in St. Louis, Missouri trying to bring home a strong finish at Gateway International Raceway. Live coverage of the Wallace Family Tribute 250 presented by Shop ‘n Save begins this Saturday, July 30 at 8:00 p.m. ET on TNT. (Braun Racing PR)

• NASCAR announces Diversity Scholarships: The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) today announced the details for the 2005 diversity scholarship program. NASCAR will honor 12 students with the Wendell Scott Scholarship Award through the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) and Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU). This year will mark the fifth year that the scholarships have been awarded. "My father was forever explaining to all of his children, and any other youth that crossed his path, that a person needs an education, be they rich or poor," said Wendell Scott Jr. "He'd share that his greatest accomplishment was working hard enough to send all six of his children to college. He believed one's best show of competitiveness was walking across that stage to receive one's diploma. The Wendell Scott Scholarship Award is a victory for those of us from diverse backgrounds; it's better than any checkered flag. We, the Wendell Scott Family, salute you NASCAR for having the courage to want to help." Eight undergraduate and four graduate scholarships will be awarded to students based on a number of criteria. Students must attend any of the 39 UNCF-member colleges and universities or 39 HACU-member colleges and universities during the 2004-2005 school year. To qualify for the awards, students must carry a minimum grade point average, provide a nominating letter from a current faculty member of the student's university and write a one-page statement demonstrating an interest in the motorsports industry. "The diversity scholarship program is another great example of NASCAR's commitment to diversity," said Earvin "Magic" Johnson, co-chairman of NASCAR's Executive Steering Committee for Diversity. "I look forward to continue working with NASCAR on this and the many other diversity initiatives currently in place." This year's scholarship recipients are: Uralonda Prioleau (Claflin University in Orangeburg, S.C.), Michael Coaxum (Claflin University), Tia Carter (St. Augustine's College in Raleigh, N.C.), Crystal Wells (Wiley College in Marshall, Texas), Brandon Ellison (Lane College in Jackson, Tenn.), Kayla Strickland (Lane College), Vanesa Casado (University of Miami in Coral Gables, Fla.), Ricardo Contreras (Texas A&M University, Kingsville), Jose Cotto (Universidad Metropolitana in Cupey, Puerto Rico), Robert Dominguez (St. Mary's University in San Antonio, Texas), Monique Nelson (Texas A&M University, Kingsville) and Teresa Ernest (University of Central Florida in Orlando, Fla.). In addition to the Wendell Scott Scholarship Awards, NASCAR also awards scholarship funds to the DeVos Sport Business Management Program at the University of Central Florida, the Urban Youth Racing School and North Carolina A&T University Motorsports Program. Wendell Scott was the most prominent African-American driver to compete in NASCAR's premier division. Scott competed in 495 events in his 13 year career, tying him for 27th on the all-time list. He earned his only career win at Jacksonville (Fla.) Speedway Park in 1963. (NASCAR PR)

• NASCAR HOF to be be narrowed to two or three by Sept.: Like your mother said, first impressions count, whether you're on a date, at a job interview or trying to become NASCAR's Cooperstown. After visiting the five competing cities next month, NASCAR officials will winnow the list of possible locations to two or three in September, a spokesman said Monday. The five competing cities -- Daytona Beach, Atlanta, Charlotte, Richmond and Kansas City, Kan. -- get one last chance to make the case they should host the temple of stock car racing. NASCAR will send a group of about 10 executives to conduct one-day tours in each community next month. The first city will be Daytona Beach on Aug. 9. Atlanta will be Aug. 16, followed by Charlotte on Aug. 17, Kansas City, Kan. on Aug. 18 and Richmond, Va. on Aug. 23. (News Journal)

• NASCAR Drivers and Bobsledding: John Morgan has lived and breathed bobsledding as a driver, broadcaster and coach. He says he has never seen anything like this. "I've been promoting the sport all my life, and during a pre-Olympic year you always get some stuff," Morgan said. "But this is amazing. Our phones have been ringing off the hook." Apparently, the prospect of watching Tony Stewart or Jeff Gordon or Jimmie Johnson race a bobsled down the Lake Placid-area track on Mount Van Hoevenberg has piqued the interest of auto racing fans who have heard about Geoffrey Bodine's latest effort to help the U.S. bobsled program. As part of a fund-raiser, Bodine wants to lure 10 NASCAR drivers to pay $50,000 apiece to drive the track. Each will race a two-man training sled painted in his team's colors and with his sponsor's logos emblazoned on the cowling, and a race-day crew member will serve as brakeman. "It's to raise awareness and hopefully get more people to watch and support the Olympics," Bodine said. "It's to race so we can keep the project going." The event is scheduled to take place Jan. 5-9 at the Verizon Sports Complex. After the competition, Bodine's Bobsled Fantasy Camp will give NASCAR fans a chance to drive the same sleds. So far, road race ace Boris Said is the only driver committed, probably because he has a real connection to the sport. His father was an Olympic bobsled driver at the 1972 Games in Sapporo, Japan. (AZ Central)

• TNT, NASCAR and Val Pak team up for Promotion: NASCAR is the theme for a TNT and Office Depot direct marketing promotion using a Valpak mailer to reach 43 million households. The mailings will drop from July 27 to Aug. 26.  The outer envelope carries the NASCAR and TNT logos as well as images of the No. 99 car sponsored by Office Depot. Two calls to action ask consumers to watch NASCAR Nextel Cup races on TNT and to enter Office Depot's Coolest Ride To School sweepstakes. TNT will plug both Valpak and the sweeps during its NASCAR broadcasts. Posters in Office Depot FSIs and in-store materials at 1,000 Office Depot locations will also promote the partners. Mailings in regions with Office Depot locations encourage consumers to enter either online or in-store to help build back-to-school store traffic. Sweepstakes details are included in the envelope. (Promo Magazine)

• 99's Osborne wins WYPALL Crew Chief of the Race

July 25, 2005

• Casting Call, Will Ferrell's NASCAR movie: Will Ferrell's unnamed NASCAR movie is looking for thousands of extras to play country music fans, line dancers, racing fans, hospital workers and ordinary people on the street. Beyond the extras, casting director Shirley Crumley is looking for two boys, ages 6 and 10, to play Ferrell's sons. The boys will give up school for three months while the shooting is taking place. A private tutor will be hired for the boys. The movie will begin filming Sept. 6 and run Tuesdays through Saturdays until November. Extras could work as little as one day to the full three months, depending on the part. Casting for extras will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Casting for the roles of Ferrell's two sons will be from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Both sessions will be at Charlotte's E.E. Waddell High School, 7030 Nations Ford Road. (Myrtle Beach Online)

• Harvick Partnership with RCR? Start cup team in 07? Even though Harvick has strongly expressed the desire to someday run his own Nextel Cup team, it appears he's happy remaining under the RCR banner for the foreseeable future. Plus, Harvick already is a team owner with a strong Busch Series effort. Being just 29, Harvick can afford to put his Cup ownership dreams on hold for a few more years. But don't be surprised to see Harvick announce – possibly before the end of the season – a partnership with Childress that will bring their two organizations closer together over the years, much the same way Jeff Gordon and Rick Hendrick have structured their relationship. (Yahoo! Sports) Harvick's contract with Childress Racing expires after the 2006 season.

• Earnhardt, Jr. called to NASCAR hauler: Dale Earnhardt Jr. was called into the NASCAR trailer after the race to be reprimanded for exceeding the pit road speed on lap 53 when he raced out of the pits in an attempt to stay on the lead lap. He was penalized with a drive-through. His pit road exit speed was clocked at 143 mph. The pit road speed limit was 55 mph. Junior was told by NASCAR officials that they understood his desire to remain on the lead lap, but that they wouldn't tolerate his methods. (Yahoo! Sports)

• All Childress teams will return: Childress said his three teams will return intact next season: "We're pretty much set on everything right now." All three drivers, Jeff Burton, Kevin Harvick and Dave Blaney, will be back with their current crew chiefs, Kevin Hamlin, Todd Berrier and Philippe Lopez? "Yes, as far as I know," Childress said. But he wants all three teams to step it up: "We've made huge changes in our engine shop, and in our bodies and chassis, and our number one goal is to get our three teams back winning. "And we've got a lot of angles we've been working on. We've been testing somewhere every week." Yates third team not likely till '07? Yates' proposed third team may be postponed until 2007, according to team sources. (Salem-Journal)

• Car of the Future being tested: NASCAR tested the prototype of the car of the future in the wind tunnel last week. The most dramatic change is a larger cockpit. The bodies will be completely different, according to series director John Darby. (Sporting News/ Lee Spencer)

• Gibbs, Labonte and Evernham: And what might happen next at Gibbs' is uncertain. While Bobby Labonte insists he has no plans to leave Gibbs, that has not quieted the NASCAR garage, with the talk continuing, focused on the possibility car owner Ray Evernham would like to hire Labonte for his new third team next season. Gibbs may be moving his FedEx sponsorship from his new third team, with Jason Leffler, to the team for which Labonte currently drives, which has been sponsored for years by Interstate Batteries, according to sources close to the team. And there could be more to the change, though it's not at all clear just what. And it's not clear just how Gibbs' Interstate Batteries sponsorship might be aligned next season. Interstate boss Norm Miller is a close friend of Gibbs and is the man whose sponsorship helped launch Gibbs in NASCAR more than a decade ago. But over the years, the Texas battery maker has watched bigger and bigger companies join NASCAR as sponsors.  (Salem-Journal)

• NASCAR Lobbying hard for WA. Track:  International Speedway Corp. has intensified its courting of Washington state lawmakers as it gears up for a second attempt to build a NASCAR racetrack in the state.  Between December 2004 and April, three Olympia lobbyists met at least 81 times with lawmakers on behalf of the racetrack company, according to a review of lobbyist expense reports filed with the Public Disclosure Commission. That was more than five times the number of meetings between February and November 2004 during the period when a Northwest location or the Marysville site were being discussed, the reports show. For all its efforts in the state so far, ISC has spent a total of $151,000 on lobbying in Washington, including lobbyist compensation and entertainment expenses. The more recent meetings took place mostly over meals in and around Olympia, at restaurants ranging from Outback Steakhouse to the more highbrow Jean-Pierre's Restaurant in Tumwater, where the dinner menu includes such entrees as New Zealand spring lamb chops and fresh king salmon topped with melted French brie. The lobbyists met with lawmakers individually and in groups, and submitted meal expenses ranging from $6 to $400. The lobbyist expense reports also shed new light on the speedway company's wooing of state officials and legislators last year, when ISC first began looking to build a racetrack in Washington. State lawmakers took trips around the country to some of auto racing's premier events. Lt. Gov. Brad Owen, for instance, had the good fortune of sitting in the owner's box the day President George W. Bush visited the Daytona International Speedway in Florida. (Much More Seattle Business Times/MSNBC.com)

• Pocono Safe? Speaking of Pocono and its fans, there was another packed house of more than 100,000 for this race, just six weeks after the June date. For the foreseeable future, forget all that talk about only one Nextel Cup race per year here.  (Yahoo! Sports)

• NASCAR proposed Testing rule causes stir: NASCAR's planned testing rules and tire-leasing program for next season is already creating waves among Nextel Cup crew chiefs, who are not all pleased. But car owners should like the monetary savings. And small-team owners should be especially pleased, since the tire-leasing program, coupled with NASCAR's planned testing limits, should take away some of the immense testing advantage large teams have had. "Next year there will be less testing, that's firm, but how much less we don't know, and how we will organize it we don't know," NASCAR's John Darby, the Nextel Cup director, said. "So we're bouncing ideas off the teams. "The biggest reason is the expense. An average two-day Cup test is six-figures. And to do it every week, we just feel there is too much of that going on." (Salem-Journal)

• WA. track will create economic boom: If Kitsap County and Washington state decide to invest public funds in a proposed 80,000-seat racetrack, it will be because officials and the public perceive a corresponding benefit to having the track locate here. Both local officials and the public will demand more benefit than simply easy access to watching a NASCAR race live. Stock car racing may be the nation's second-most popular spectator sport, but if the only benefit of the track is to NASCAR fans, local and state taxpayers would never agree to invest millions in public dollars toward the project.  Only if the track offers clear economic benefits will the county be willing to compromise its relatively tranquil lifestyle to welcome such a project. But how much economic impact the track could have has still not been clearly defined. A $25,000 study completed in May 2004 by track proponents suggested that fans would spend between $66 to $98 million in Washington state during two major race weekends, and one weekend with a smaller regional race. ALL Interested WASHINGTON residents a Open House International Speedway Corp. will host an open house to let the public learn more about the proposed South Kitsap speedway project from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday at South Kitsap High School. (Much More at Kitsap Sun)

July 24, 2005

• No one can stop Dominating BUSCH: Kurt Busch kept his poise with NASCAR's two grizzled veterans pushing hard down the stretch. Rusty Wallace and Mark Martin were both determined to leave Pocono for good as winners. Instead, Busch spoiled the going away party and kept moving toward another Nextel Cup title. Busch dominated at the beginning, surged back to the lead late and raced to his second win of the season Sunday in the Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway. "To see the (No.) 2 and the 6 back there is reminiscent of old times," said Busch, who earned his 13th career victory. Wallace, who will retire at the end of the season, finished second in the No. 2 Dodge and fell just short of matching Bill Elliott's record of five career wins at Pocono. Perhaps driving his last race at Pocono, Mark Martin finished third in the No. 6 Ford and Carl Edwards followed his win here in June with a fourth-place finish. While Wallace is firm in his commitment to retire, Martin may have his farewell tour extended another year because Jack Roush is without a driver for the Ford next year. "I still have my decision," Martin said. "I don't even like talking about it because I want to go truck racing next year. We are working on trucks." Busch, the defending NASCAR Nextel Cup champion led 110 of the first 150 laps on the 2.5-mile triangle and kept his fifth place spot in the points standings with six races left to decide the 10 drivers who will race for the title. All drivers within 400 points of the lead also are eligible, though no driver outside the top 10 meets that requirement. (State College)

Complete Results

• WA. Track face State hurdles: International Speedway Corp. wants state money to help build a proposed $250 million racetrack in Kitsap County. State Treasurer Mike Murphy is opposed. "If one were to list the various priorities that the state should be funding, that one would not make the first page for me," Murphy said. "They are wanting a handout," he told the Kitsap Sun newspaper for Sunday editions. "We have more important things to be spending money on. The budgetary drain on the state for that type of facility basically says we won't be doing something else, because there are a limited amount of dollars." The state had a $1.6 billion budget deficit this year, a shortfall that was covered through about $500 million in new taxes on alcohol, cigarettes and inheritances. The Legislature will likely face another shortfall when it addresses the budget for 2007. Florida-based ISC has hired a veteran team of attorneys and lobbyists to help win over legislators. Among the team are Jay Reich, a bond attorney involved in the Seattle Mariners and Seahawks stadium deals, and Gogerty Stark Marriott, a political strategy firm that helped win support for those projects. (Seattle-Post)

July 23, 2005

• Biffle eyes possible LeMan's Series in Oregon next year: The American Le Mans Series comes to Portland International Raceway on July 29-31, and at one time promoter Mike Nealy of Global Events Group had visions of a Nextel Cup star joining the party and helping sell more tickets. "There was a discussion," Nealy said. "At one time, we thought there might be a possibility of (getting a Nextel Cup driver)." Imagine the added hype if the ALMS brought in a Jimmie Johnson, a Tony Stewart or local star Greg Biffle, who trails only Johnson in this year's Nextel Cup standings. Mark Martin and Dale Jarrett have made guest appearances at PIR during Champ Car events, and Biffle, who grew up in Vancouver, has raced trucks at PIR. But Biffle has not raced in his own backyard since he made it big in the Nextel Cup series. If he had come to Portland for the ALMS, it might have added another 5,000 fans to the gate, but it isn't that easy to jump from the No. 16 Roush Racing Ford Taurus and drive an LMP1 car or a GT-1 car. For one thing, Ford does not race in the ALMS. "Different drivers have different arrangements with car owners and sponsors," NASCAR's Hunter said. "But the contract between driver and owner is probably the biggest factor. . . . The (owners) don't want their drivers getting hurt." Biffle, who ran practice laps Friday for Sunday's Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway, said his contract with Roush Racing calls for him to drive Fords exclusively. "And even if there was a Ford car in the field, I'd have to get permission to go drive the vehicle," Biffle said. "It's up to them."  "That was a (Daytona) prototype, and it was a lot of fun," Biffle said. Biffle said he was not contacted about the Portland ALMS race. "If it had been possible, I would have considered it," he said. "It would have been fun to go and do it -- it's exciting to know the kind of fan support and interest in NASCAR there is in that area -- but I've already made plans to go out of the country (next week). I've never been to the Bahamas. I'm going to go down there and check it out." (In part from Oregon Live)

• Fisher Eyes NASCAR, Promises no double duty: A trip to the Smithsonian has helped Sarah Fisher negotiate a potentially life-changing deal with one of the biggest names in NASCAR. It all began two years ago when she was invited to the grand opening of the Chevrolet wing at the museum in Washington, D.C., because she had one of the automaker's engines in her Indy car. Fisher, the IRL's representative at the event, bumped into Richard Childress, who won six Cup series championships with the late Dale Earnhardt. Just before he was about to say goodbye, Childress asked Fisher if she had ever thought about a career in NASCAR. "I was like 'Heck yeah,'" said Fisher, 24. "He is like a god in the sport. For him to even suggest that he would want me to drive for him . . . How can you hold back on that one? And after that we began talking and working on things. A lot." She had offers from a couple of teams to drive in this year's Indy 500, but she turned them down. She said she made a promise to Childress and NASCAR president Mike Helton she wouldn't do double duty. Fisher, voted the IRL's most popular driver three times by the fans, averaged 229.675 mph on her fourth and final qualifying lap in 2002. "Indy cars will always hold a special place in my heart. But right now, I am 100 percent focused on NASCAR," Fisher said. "I have run the Indy 500 five times. Now I am looking at running the Brickyard 400 (a Nextel Cup race) five times . . . or more. Hopefully, I can be in that position in the near future." (In part from Orange County Register)

Featured Pages
NEXT Race Checkout the next upcoming NASCAR Nextel races.  Including race, stats, track information and much more! NASCAR Stats Who won?  Who has the most top 5's?  Checkout the NASCAR stats. Includes results, points and more!   for past NASCAR news...[click here]