NASCAR Past News July 27 -  Aug 3

The News Below

• Atlanta to reveal HOF bid plans under Open Records Act

• Current NASCAR TV Deal to look similar to next

• Ford's Fusion Step towards "Car of Tomorrow"

• Rusty and Stephen Wallace take laps at Michigan test session

• Tony Stewart Indy Interview

• Wood Brothers looking to expand

• Champ Car's Tracey to test Childress Car

• Hornish not to run NASCAR

• Brickyard 400 first High-Def Telecast

• Jarrett gives the Fusion first on track test

• Baum to head Action Performance

• NY State Attorney General favors NASCAR NYC Track

• Speedway a economic booming success

• Kurt Busch visits F1 Race

• NASCAR to start own news service

• Tracey to Race RCR Cup Car

• Chase Series show planned on Speed

• Rondeau joins Evernham Motorsports

• Richmond Sells out 28 straight Races including Sept.

• Rusty would be Interested in Consultant job

• Lisa Maria stars in the latest NASCAR commercial

• NASCAR Star shows some chivalry in test drive

• Busch Series to ESPN?

• NYC Speedway Site still contaminated

• Fans vote Harvick and Herb Thomas into Talladega Walk of Fame

• California Speedway races to finish at night

• Watkins Glen testing

• Judge dismisses Kahne suit

• Helton visits damaged Atlanta Motor Speedway

• ISC hold town hall meeting for proposed WA. track

• Roush Racing Gong Show fillers Driver Roster

• Kahne testing his USAC at IRP

• Highest rated cable race

• Brickyard helps Tsunami victims

• Hanging out with Dale Jr.

• Wallace, Baker test at Daytona

• Proposed WA. Speedway Town Meeting Tonight

• R. Gordon Utah Firm partner for bottled water

• Schrader, Earnhardt, Jr. among NASCAR stars at Shootout

Aug 3, 2005

• Atlanta to reveal HOF bid plans under Open Records Act: Georgia's attorney general declared Wednesday that the bids for two sports prizes sought by metro Atlanta — NASCAR's hall of fame and the 2009 Super Bowl — are open to the public despite claims that they were private campaigns run by the local business community. Each bid, which committed millions of dollars in public money and involved elected officials, including Gov. Sonny Perdue and Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, is subject to the state's Open Records Act and should be disclosed within the next three days, Attorney General Thurbert Baker said. The Atlanta bid proposes to build a $92 million shrine to stock car racing on land owned by Ted Turner near Centennial Olympic Park downtown. Nearly one-third of the money to build the hall of fame — $25 million — would come from the state. The city could kick in an additional $5 million in tax incentives. (Atlanta Journal Constitution)

• Current NASCAR TV Deal to look similar to next: The last time NASCAR negotiated a television deal, Richard Glover was on the other side of the table and didn't particularly like how things turned out. During talks for the sport's first comprehensive network contract for the Nextel Cup and Busch series, Glover was executive vice president for programming for ESPN. That cable network and its partner, ABC, lost out in the deal that went to Fox and NBC/TNT. This time around, however, Glover is on the NASCAR side of the talks. As vice president for broadcasting and new media, he'll play a major role in the deal that will begin with the start of the 2007 season. "Clearly, based on what Fox and NBC and Turner have said, and what we think as well, the current deal has worked well," Glover said. "That's why I have said I don't see wholesale kinds of changes this time, as there were five years ago. "That's why I like to use the word 'tweaks.' Our job is to make our product more valuable and better to serve the needs of both the industry and our broadcast partners." The current deals signed in 1999 that began with the 2001 season all included provisions that give the current rights-holders exclusive negotiating periods for new deals. The last of those, Glover said, runs out late this year. Right now, Glover said, it appears that the structure of the new deal for Nextel Cup would look a lot like the current one. (Charlotte Observer)

• Ford's Fusion Step towards "Car of Tomorrow": A couple of weeks ago, Ford Motor Company announced to the world that the Fusion would be its replacement for the venerable Taurus in NASCAR competition.  That was step one in the process toward getting the new car to be noticed by the public. Step two took place on Tuesday at Atlanta Motor Speedway. It was the first track test for the new mount, and Dale Jarrett handled the driving duties, while Wood Brothers Racing supplied the car.  Ford's test Tuesday took place in front of NASCAR officials, and it was a critical part of the approvals process for NASCAR and Ford. Following the test, which took place at around 1:15 p.m., the car was scheduled to go to the Lockheed wind tunnel in nearby Marietta, where it underwent the third and final step of the approvals process. Jarrett, who is also a car dealer of fairly major proportions (those of you in Charlotte have heard commercials for Dale Jarrett Ford, the "88th Wonder of the World") had this to say after his maiden run in the new racer: "I think what we've done with the Fusion is that we built a car that's going to be very nice on the race track, but it's going to be one that the public will go to a dealership and want to buy," he said. "That's what we want to achieve --something we can win with on Sunday and the public will buy on Monday." (More at NASCAR.com)

• Rusty and Stephen Wallace take laps at Michigan test session: The August 19-21 race weekend at Michigan International Speedway will be one of emotional goodbyes, but also exciting new beginnings for Rusty Wallace and his family. Rusty, will be making his 44th and final start in the August 21, GFS Marketplace 400, while son Stephen Wallace will make his superspeedway debut during the August 19, ARCA RE/MAX Series Hantz Group 200. In preparation for the special weekend at MIS, both Wallace's visited the 2-mile oval on Wednesday, August 3 for an ARCA RE/MAX Series testing day, where Rusty took to the wheel first to shake down the car, but quickly gave the wheel to son Stephen. The now 17-year old Wallace didn't take long to get up to speed, and turned a lap time of 40.20 on just his third lap, while eventually running a time of 40.10 during the morning session. Tickets are still available for the ARCA RE/MAX Series Hantz Group 200 on Friday August 19, featuring Stephen Wallace's superspeedway debut. Seats are also still available for the Saturday, August 20 NASCAR Busch Series race featuring a post-race concert by Josh Turner and Sugarland. Tickets are available by calling the MIS ticket hotline at 1-800-354-1010 or by logging on to www.MISpeedway.com. (Michigan International Speedway PR)

• Tony Stewart Indy Interview: What would a win at Indy mean to you? "It hasn't changed. It's the same answer I've been giving since I first came to Indy. If I could give away my championship and just get one win at Indy, I would do it in a heartbeat. Two years ago we led a lot of laps and just fell off the pace there at the end. I don't care if I lead one lap at Indy – just as long as it's the right one. That's how much it means to me." (More at Indianapolis Motor Speedway Site)

• Wood Brothers looking to expand: Eddie Wood, co-owner of the Wood Brothers team, says that the team is looking to expand to a two-car team. "We're exploring that right now, but I don't see it happening for '06,'' Wood said in a statement from the team. "We're more concerned for the 21 car for '06 right now. But maybe by '07 we'll have a couple. I wouldn't want more than two. Two, I think, is enough to do what you want to do as far as having somebody to compare off of. When it gets down to it, each car goes to the race track, teammates or not. You hear a lot about teammates working together and you hear a lot about teammates not working together. It's all through the garage -- both sides of it. But, we would be looking in the next couple of years doing that.'' The Wood Brothers have primarily been a single-car team for more than 30 years. Ricky Rudd is the team's current driver. Rudd's three-year contract expires after this season and he's said he planned to decide if he wants to continue racing by late summer. (Roanoke Times)

Aug 2, 2005

• Champ Car's Tracey to test Childress Car: Open wheel star Paul Tracy will test August 8-9 at Michigan International Speedway in Richard Childress Racing's (RCR) No. 33 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Chevrolet in preparation for the Aug. 21 GFS Marketplace 400. The Ontario, Canada native is the 2003 Champ Car World Series champion and has 30 victories, ranking him first among the series' active drivers and third all-time. Tracy is currently second in the 2005 point standings with two victories (Milwaukee, June 4; Cleveland, June 26), six top-five finishes and two pole positions after eight of 14 races. He finished second in the July 31 Taylor Woodrow Grand Prix of San Jose (Calif.).Tracy is looking forward to testing his driving skills again at the MIS oval. He competed in Champ Cars there 10 times (1992-2001), earning four top-five and seven top-10 finishes and a pole position (2000). The 2000 pole speed set the track qualifying record at 234.949 mph (30.645 seconds). "I'm very excited about this opportunity especially at Michigan where I have a lot of experience," said Tracy. "Driving a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup car will be totally new to me but my focus is to develop a package that will help Kevin (Harvick), Jeff (Burton) and Dave (Blaney) and their teams for the race weekend. I want to do whatever I can to help." (Richard Childress Racing PR)

• Hornish not to run NASCAR: Ever since Rusty Wallace announced he was retiring, rumor and speculation have run rampant regarding the future of that seat. Well, scratch another open-wheel driver off the list. (The first being Champ Car's Paul Tracy). Penske Racing's IRL IndyCar driver Sam Hornish had been one of those thought to be in line for that ride. But the driver sez it isn't so. He told the Dallas Morning News that, "No, I'm not going. Well, I'm not going to run NASCAR full-time next year."

• Brickyard 400 first High-Def Telecast: NBC Sports' coverage of the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard from world famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway gets underway this Sunday with the "Bank of America Countdown to Green" pre-race show at 2 p.m. ET followed by green flag racing live from Indy. TNT kicks off NASCAR coverage on Saturday with Bud Pole Qualifying live at 6 p.m. ET, followed by NASCAR Busch Series Racing from nearby Indianapolis Raceway Park, at 8:30 p.m. ET. The Allstate 400 at the Brickyard will be the first ever high-definition broadcast from Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with 5.1 surround-sound. 74 CAMERAS: SQUASH-CAM, WALL-CAMS & FLAG-CAM, ALL IN HIGH-DEFINITION: NBC Sports will deploy 74 cameras including cameras unique to Indianapolis Motor Speedway: "Squash-Cam," "Pylon-Cam," "Wall-Cams" and "Flag-Cam," in addition to eight "In-Car-Cams." An extra bank of six monitors will be added to the NBC Sports production truck to accommodate the additional cameras for the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. For the first time ever at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the entire race will be broadcast in high-definition.  The "Flag-Cam" shoots toward Turn 4 down the frontstretch, allowing viewers at home to see cars coming directly towards them. "Squash-Cam" is a lipstick-size camera buried in the grass just inside Turn 1. The camera often shows a car moving over or extremely close to the camera lens to give the audience the feeling of being "squashed," especially on starts and restarts. "Wall-Cam" is a lipstick-size camera embedded inside the outside wall of Turn 2 and Turn 4. The cameras shoot cars in Turns 1 and 3 respectively and give the viewer the sense of speed of the cars when they drive past the cameras. The "Pylon-Cam" is a robotic camera atop the scoring pylon 92-feet in the air overlooking the infield and providing viewers a sense of the magnificent spectacle of Indianapolis Motor Speedway with its "Canyon of Fans" in the grandstands on either side of the racetrack's frontstretch. "Going to Indy is like going to no other track in the country, it's a true spectacle," says NASCAR on NBC & TNT director Mike Wells. "You can't see the whole track from anyplace in the stands, only from an aerial view-you almost have to treat the Brickyard as if it's a road course, even though it's an oval, because it's so big and there's so much in the infield. "Two out of three of the biggest races in motorsports are here at Indy, the Brickyard is just one of those great events that you want to be a part of."  (NBC/Universal PR)

• Jarrett gives the Fusion first on track test: Dale Jarrett gave the Ford Fusion, the automaker's proposed NASCAR Nextel Cup entry for 2006, its first on-track test. "I think things went really well," said Jarrett, who drives a Ford Taurus in the Cup series for Robert Yates Racing. "It has a very nice look to it and performed well." He said he was able to achieve the speed he was looking for during a 10-lap run Tuesday at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Asked if he could tell the difference between the Taurus and the Fusion, Jarrett said the new car seemed to have better balance. "That's what we're trying to achieve with the Fusion," he explained. "I think that's what we've done." The car that Jarrett drove Tuesday was prepared and brought to the track by the Wood Brothers Racing team. (Duluth Tribune)

• Baum to head Action Performance: Action Performance Cos. Inc., which zoomed to success on Wall Street just three years ago, has hired a new driver who wants to put the now-beleaguered NASCAR merchandiser on the market. "The company has been struggling, and the board asked me to come in," said Herbert M. Baum, a board member and former chief executive of Scottsdale-based Dial Corp. "I will be there to fix the company." Tempe-based Action, which designs and sells metal replicas of NASCAR cars, hats, T-shirts and other racing memorabilia, said Monday that Baum would become executive chairman. Baum said in a phone interview from his Florida home that he would share top duties with Fred Wagenhals, who will remain chairman and CEO. (AZ Central)

• NY State Attorney General favors NASCAR NYC Track: State Attorney Gen. Eliot Spitzer, a longtime NASCAR fan, is "absolutely" open to supporting a racetrack on Staten Island's West Shore. Spitzer, a Manhattan Democrat widely seen as the favorite in next year's gubernatorial election, revealed his affinity for racing during a roundtable interview with reporters in the state Capitol yesterday. "Trying to put aside the fact that I've been a NASCAR fan for 20 years, I'm by and large predisposed to see it as an opportunity for economic growth -- not only in Staten Island but the city -- and to draw a major fan base of the sport to the city," Spitzer told reporters.  But Spitzer said the proposed 85,000-seat stadium must be approached with "regard to the environmental and economic impact on Staten Island." He has met with some Island leaders, he said, to learn "what the concerns are and what could be done to make sure the economic benefits are not just limited to the track but actually go further out into the community." Asked what turned him on to the sport, Spitzer noted that his wife, Silda Wall, hails from North Carolina, a NASCAR hotbed. It turns out that her brother works for Hedrick Motorsports, the team that provides engineering and pit-crew assistance services for NASCAR star Jeff Gordon. (SILive)

• Speedway a economic booming success: only comes to Fontana two weekends a year, but for city and county officials alike, using the California Speedway as a marketing tool has become a year-round activity. The track is one of the region's core economic assets. Tens of thousands of fans turn out on NASCAR weekends, the largest Speedway events, spending their dollars at the track, on hotel rooms, rental cars, meals and paraphernalia. A leading local economist estimates a single race weekend injects roughly $84.7 million into the region's economy. Current efforts reflect not only attempts to take advantage of the twice-annual cash infusions but also to build long-term change on the back of the Speedway. Last week, county officials approved a redevelopment plan that puts the Speedway at the heart of a new economic and marketing package for the formerly named San Sevaine Redevelopment Project Area, in unincorporated Fontana. Officials within the city see an economic advantage in more closely allying themselves with the Speedway, too. But perhaps an even larger enticement is the role the Speedway and NASCAR might play in shifting people's perceptions of Fontana. (Daily Bulletin)

Aug 1, 2005

• Kurt Busch visits F1 Race: Reigning NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series champion Kurt Busch attended the Hungarian Grand Prix on the weekend before heading to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard on Aug. 7. Like the rest of the NEXTEL Cup drivers, Busch wants to win at Indianapolis. “It is a big trophy,” he said in Hungary. “Every driver wants to kiss the bricks.” Busch spent time in the F1 garages at the Hungaroring, including chatting with 2003 Indianapolis 500 winner Gil de Ferran, now sporting director of Lucky Strike BAR Honda. “I was just talking to Gil de Ferran; what a champion he is,” Busch said. “The amount of quality drivers you see come through this walk of life (F1) is amazing, and I am here to say hello.” This was Busch’s second trip to Europe to attend a F1 race. He also went to the 2003 European Grand Prix at Germany’s Nürburgring. “I’m intrigued by this sport, on how it looks and how the people operate, and just the excitement,” Busch said. “It is so different for me (compared to NASCAR). It is my only off weekend, and here I am at a racetrack halfway around the world.” “I am just beyond belief when I look at them,” Busch said of the F1 cars. “The technology, the amount of money they pour into them. It’s quite the show. I’d love to have the opportunity to try and drive one.” (Indianapolis Motor Speedway PR)

• NASCAR to start own news service: NASCAR Chairman Brian France believes racing is not being adequately covered by the nation's newspapers and wants to create the sport's own news service for newspapers, television and radio stations, Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Daily reports.  "You're going to see us get into the content business, very similar in one respect to the NFL channel," France told a cable television industry summit, writer Andy Bernstein reports. "We're going to have to create content that is customized for media outlets." No time table for a launch or other details were reported. (NASCAR Scene Plus)

• Tracey to Race RCR Cup Car: Toronto's Paul Tracy, the 2003 Champ Car World Series champion and longtime open-wheel star, is hoping to drive in his first NASCAR Nextel Cup event Aug. 21 at Michigan International Speedway. That's between Champ Car races in Denver and Montreal. Tracy said yesterday he will test in an ARCA stock car at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., tomorrow, then try out one of Richard Childress Racing's Chevrolets at the Michigan track on Aug. 8. "If everything goes okay, I'm going to drive the (No.) 33 at Michigan," Tracy said. Tracy, who races for Forsythe Championship Racing, is not yet signed for the 2006 season. (Toronto Sun)

• Chase Series show planned on Speed: Speed Channel plans to launch a weekly show devoted solely to NASCAR's Chase For The Nextel Cup, Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Journal reports.  The 10-week series, tentatively titled "The Chase Is On," is scheduled to air from 8 to 8:30 p.m. (Eastern) Thursdays from Sept. 15 through Nov. 17. Ralph Sheehen will be the host, and the network is looking for a Nextel Cup driver to work with him on a show that is expected to be similar to the NFL Network's "NFL Playbook."  (NASCAR Scene Plus)

• Rondeau joins Evernham Motorsports: Pete Rondeau has negotiated his release from Dale Earnhardt Inc. and joined Evernham Motorsports. Rondeau started the season as Earnhardt Jr.'s crew chief but was removed from that position after 11 points races. He joined Evernham on July 18 as director of research and development. (Sporting News)

• Richmond Sells out 28 straight Races including Sept.: While there is time left for hopeful NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series drivers looking to break into the top ten before the "Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup," time has run out on fans who need seats for the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway. Track President Doug Fritz announced today that all 107,097 seats will once again be filled for the Chevy Rock & Roll 400, set for Saturday, September 10 "under the lights." The race marks the final opportunity for drivers to gain a spot in the second "Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup." Last year, Jeremy Mayfield made history when he won at Richmond and earned a berth in "The Chase." The track's sellout streak of NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series events is now at 28, spanning 14 years. Nearly 2.5 million fans from all 50 states and dozens of foreign countries have attended NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series events at Richmond International Raceway during that time. In addition to hosting the final race that will set the field for the second "Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup," the entire race weekend will again have a Rock & Roll theme, with artists like legendary rockers KISS, Green Day, Three Doors Down, Nickelback, Gretchen Wilson and Big & Rich appearing on specially designed Chevy racecars. Chevrolet and track officials will also announce in the coming weeks a Rock & Roll concert that will be part of race weekend. (Richmond.com)

• Rusty would be Interested in Consultant job:  At Pocono Raceway two weekends ago, (Rusty) Wallace said that if he were asked, he would serve as a special consultant to NASCAR to solve problems and fix racetracks. "I haven't had any conversations with [NASCAR]," Wallace said. "But I would definitely be interested in doing it. I want to help this sport grow [and] I see a lot of negative things that I can help on, so we'll see what happens." Wallace acknowledged that NASCAR has a history of listening to everyone in its garage areas. The sanctioning body has taken Wallace's unofficial "proposal" under advisement. "It's important for everybody to understand that we take in all the input that's out there already, from as many sources as we can," NASCAR spokesman Herb Branham said. "We'll always consider other options to make the racing better and safer for all of the competitors." (NASCAR.com)

July 31, 2005

• Lisa Maria stars in the latest NASCAR commercial: She's the face of the latest 30-second NASCAR ad that asks, "How bad have you got it?" The commercial combines footage of Lisa Marie at the Pepsi 400, race footage and her song Thanx off the Now What album. NASCAR also is in discussions with Capitol Records for cross-promotio

• NASCAR Star shows some chivalry in test drive: An administrative assistant at the Ford product development center in Dearborn was recently pressed into action as a car valet. After parking a Corvette that Ford engineers were driving for comparison purposes, she was told the low-slung two-seater was in the wrong spot and had to be moved again. Because her skirt made for awkward entries and exits, she asked for a volunteer from a small delegation of visitors who had gathered near the front door. One of them responded graciously, parked the 'Vette and returned the keys a few moments later. His name: Ricky Rudd. The NASCAR star was visiting Ford for a test drive. (Detroit News)

• Busch Series to ESPN? The ABC/ESPN group, which lost broadcast rights to its competitors after the inaugural NASCAR television contracts were announced in 1999, wants to get back into the racing game. From 1979 through 1999, individual racetracks negotiated their own deals with the TV industry. NASCAR racing was scattered across the dial, with every major network, with the exception of Fox, televising races. NASCAR gathered up all those individual TV rights and went to the negotiating table armed with a racing package. When all was said and done, Fox/FX secured the first half of the Nextel Cup season while NBC/Turner got dibs on the second half of the schedule. Glover says there have been discussions about separating the Nextel Cup and Busch Series in the next TV package. The two series have been attached at the hip in all other previous contract negotiations. ESPN is seriously interested in the Busch Series. "It is one of the things that's being talked about and looked at," Glover said. "That is one of the things we are discussing -- maybe not all the Busch Series races being on a single network. (News-Journal)

• NYC Speedway Site still contaminated:  Petroleum cleanup work has wrapped up at the proposed NASCAR site in Bloomfield, but the track's developers now have to deal with more contaminants discovered on the property. Recent soil samples at the former GATX oil tank farm -- where International Speedway Corp. hopes to build an 80,000-seat auto race track -- have revealed lead and "volatile organic compounds" typically found in petroleum products, according to state officials. Other tests reveal potentially explosive levels of methane trapped in the soil in some locations on the property, according to an environmental consultant for ISC.   The areas contaminated with lead and BTEX will be excavated by the current property owner and removed from the site, then disposed of at a state-approved hazardous waste disposal facility, Ms. Wren said. Regarding the methane on the property, Rockaway-based EcolSciences, Inc., a consultant for ISC, identified high levels of the gas trapped in the soil in 10 separate spots on the site in a March report filed with the state. That includes four locations on the property's eastern tankfield where the levels far exceeded what's called "lower explosive limit" of the gas. (Staten Island Advance)

July 30, 2005

• Fans vote Harvick and Herb Thomas into Talladega Walk of Fame: This year's votes have been cast and tallied to determine who will be enshrined in the Talladega-Texaco Walk of Fame during the UAW-Ford 500 Event Weekend at Talladega Superspeedway. The 2005 inductees will be Kevin Harvick in the active driver category and Herb Thomas in the inactive driver category. The 2005 Talladega-Texaco Walk of Fame Induction Ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 1 at the Davey Allison Memorial Park in uptown Talladega, a block south of the town square. This year's induction ceremony begins at 7 p.m. and will be emceed by Benny Parsons. Admission to the event is free to the general public, and race fans in town for the Sunday, Oct. 2 UAW-Ford 500 are encouraged to attend. This year's nominees in the active category were Rusty Wallace, Terry Labonte, Bobby Labonte, Tony Stewart, Jeff Burton, Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Newman, Kurt Busch, Sterling Marlin, Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick, Ken Schrader, Morgan Shepherd, Michael Waltrip, Jeremy Mayfield, Joe Nemechek, Robby Gordon, Elliott Salder and Greg Biffle. In the inactive category, the nominees were Herb Thomas, Rex White, Jim Paschal, Jack Smith, Speedy Thompson and Bill Rexford. Drivers inducted through the "active" category in past years include Kyle Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Bill Elliott, Jeff Gordon, Ernie Irvan, Bobby Hamilton, Dale Jarrett, Mark Martin and Ricky Rudd. Drivers inducted through the "inactive" category include Fonty Flock, Buck Baker, Buddy Baker, Red Byron, Tim Flock, Harry Gant, Bobby Isaac, Ned Jarrett, Junior Johnson, Alan Kulwicki, Fred Lorenzen, Benny Parsons, David Pearson, Lee Petty, Richard Petty, Fireball Roberts, Joe Weatherly and Cale Yarborough. In 1994, a degree by the Talladega-Texaco Walk of Fame Board of Directors inducted Bobby Allison, Donnie Allison, Red Farmer and Davey Allison as the Walk's initial honorees. Darrell Waltrip was inducted by board decree in 2000. Fans may learn more about the Talladega-Texaco Walk of Fame by visiting www.talladegawalk.com. (Talladega Walk PR)

July 29, 2005

• California Speedway races to finish at night: Overwhelming fan reaction to night racing at California Speedway has resulted in later start times for the speedway’s NASCAR Labor Day weekend events. It was announced today that California Speedway’s three September NASCAR events – NASCAR West Series 200, NASCAR Busch Series 300 and NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series SONY HD 500 – will have night racing finishes. Following the 2004 events, fans and competitors alike embraced the excitement of night racing. The new race times are a direct result of fans desire to see more night racing at California Speedway. “We’re thrilled to be able to deliver on our fans’ desire for later start times at California Speedway’s NASCAR NEXTEL Cup and Busch Series races,” said Gillian Zucker, California Speedway president. “Guests will have the opportunity to experience daytime, dusk and racing under the lights all in one visit at California’s largest sporting event and teams will face the challenge of changing track temperatures as the sun sets, adding to the excitement of the competition.” Growing interest in the sport of NASCAR and increased television ratings nationwide over the first half of the 2005 season has resulted in additional demand for events to be televised in primetime. (California Speedway PR)

• Watkins Glen testing: Watkins Glen International announced today that 45 cars are expected to test in preparation for the SIRIUS Satellite Radio at The Glen NASCAR NEXTEL Cup and Zippo 200 NASCAR BUSCH Series races, August 13 & 14. The test is scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, August 1 & 2. Several NASCAR NEXTEL Cup drivers are planning to test in a NASCAR Busch Series car perhaps to take on double duty when they come back to compete in two weeks. Among those expected to test in both cars are Greg Biffle, Kasey Kahne, Tony Stewart, Elliot Sadler, Carl Edwards, Travis Kvapil, Robby Gordon and road course specialists Boris Said and Ron Fellows. Michael Waltrip, Dale Jarrett and Joe Nemechek will be testing in NASCAR Busch Series cars as well. The 45-car line-up also includes NASCAR drivers like Jeremy Mayfield, Jamie McMurray, Matt Kenseth, Martin Truex Jr., and Kyle Busch. Fans are encouraged to attend the test session on both Monday and Tuesday to watch between 8:00 am and 4:30 pm. The first 50 fans to buy tickets to the SIRIUS Satellite Radio at The Glen and/or Zippo 200 events will get a free Thunder Road Tour ($25 value) and get a chance to "drive" the same track as these NASCAR stars. Fans that already have tickets to the SIRIUS Satellite Radio at The Glen and Zippo 200 event weekend will get FREE admission to the test session otherwise admission is $5 each day and fans can enter through Gate 4 or Gate 5. Call 866-461-RACE for details or visit www.TheGlen.com. Tickets are still available for SIRIUS Satellite Radio at The Glen, NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race and the Zippo 200 NASCAR Busch Series race. This year NASCAR Busch Series joins the NEXTEL Cup Series for the first time during the annual SIRIUS Satellite Radio at The Glen weekend, August 11-14. And the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series will also make their second stop of the season at The Glen in the newly titled CompUSA 200 on Friday, August 12th.(Watkins Glen International PR)

July 28, 2005

• Judge dismisses Kahne suit: A federal judge has dismissed a breach-of-contract lawsuit brought against NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne by Ford Motor Co. U.S. District Judge Robert Cleland ruled Thursday that a 2002 agreement between Kahne and Ford was not enforceable under Michigan law, because significant parts of it were left open for future negotiations. "No reasonable jury could conclude, based on the record of evidence presented, that the parties had reached agreement on all material or essential terms," Cleland wrote. Ford had claimed that Kahne signed a contract obligating him to drive Fords and appear in promotional activities. The lawsuit alleged Kahne left Ford in 2003 — when he was racing in the NASCAR Busch series — to join a Dodge team owned by Ray Evernham. But Kahne's attorney, David Baum, argued during a July 20 court hearing that the contract was merely an "agreement to agree" on a "mutually acceptable racing series with a reasonably competitive team." Baum said it was not an enforceable contract for Kahne to exclusively race for Ford. (CNN/SI)

• Helton visits damaged Atlanta Motor Speedway: NASCAR president Mike Helton was back at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Wednesday, surveying the damage from a July 6 tornado and reassuring fans that the track will be ready for the Oct. 30 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500. Some of the worst damage, estimated at $40 million, was to the suites overlooking the Weaver grandstand, buildings that Helton, who once worked as public relations manager and general manager at AMS, helped build or remodel more than 20 years ago. "It looks like my stuff didn't hold up too well," Helton said. "Oh well, you just have to take it in stride." But after touring the track with its current top executive, Ed Clark, the NASCAR president was confident the upcoming Nextel Cup race will go on as scheduled. He said the racing surface, as well as the catch fence and garage areas, are ready to race. "The things that NASCAR needs to race are there," he said. "In a lot of ways it will be like nothing has happened." (Atlanta Journal Constitution)

• ISC hold town hall meeting for proposed WA. track: Florida-based racetrack developer International Speedway Corp. representatives mingled with Kitsap County residents last night at a meeting designed to convince them a NASCAR track would be a boon to the Bremerton area. Several hundred residents helped themselves to refreshments and entered a raffle in the commons at South Kitsap High School. Company bigwigs were available to answer questions about the 80,000-seat track they want to build on 900 acres near the Bremerton Airport. They offered assurances International Speedway Corp. (ISC) would work to reduce noise and minimize the track's impact on the environment, but they didn't offer many details. They still have not said how much public money they are expecting for the track, which they estimate will cost more than $250 million. The meeting had been planned for months, ISC officials said, but it came at a good time for the project. The State Patrol is investigating whether a Kitsap County traffic planner may have broken state public-records laws in an effort to keep the NASCAR proposal secret. In addition, a community group recently sued the Kitsap County Commission over meetings they held before ISC chose the Kitsap County site for a racetrack. (Seattle Times)

• Roush Racing Gong Show fillers Driver Roster: Twenty-five men and women are one step closer to realizing their dream of becoming a NASCAR superstar as Roush Racing and Discovery Channel today announce the list of drivers who will compete in this year's Roush Racing gong show. Jack Roush and his team of judges poured over 1,700 applications and narrowed it down to a list of 25 drivers from across the United States, Canada and New Zealand in search of the best drivers to take part in this exclusive competition. The winner will be awarded a fully sponsored ride in the 2006 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Roush Racing is teaming up with Discovery Channel to capture all of the excitement and drama of the competition on film with unprecedented access to the gong show. Candidates will compete on and off the track, testing their skills behind the wheel as well as their marketability and fan appeal. This high-energy 13-part series will debut on Discovery Channel this fall. Following is a list of the drivers selected to compete in the first round at Martinsville Speedway, August 2-4 (Roush Racing PR)

• Kahne testing his USAC at IRP: Kasey Kahne will be testing his USAC Silver Crown team owned car at IRP on Thursday for a possible run in the J. D. Byrider 100 Silver Crown race on August 4th, during Kroger SpeedFest. The test will run from 8:00 A. M. until Noon. The team has requested interviews be held following the session. Media outlets will be allowed to gather b-roll and photographs during the session. This test is not open to the public. Kroger SpeedFest is three nights of pulse pounding racing under the lights at IRP. On Thursday August 4th the stars of the USAC Silver Crown Series will take to the track in the J. D. Byrider 100. On Friday, the Power Stroke Diesel 200, featuring the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will bump and bang all the way to victory lane. The weekend concludes with the 24th annual Kroger 200, NASCAR Busch Series race. (IRP PR)

July 27, 2005

• Highest rated cable race: Turner Network Television (TNT) NASCAR ratings have zoomed to the top, with the Pennsylvania 500 (Sunday, July 24th) and the New England 300 (Saturday, July 17th) driving home record-setting ratings for the network for the past two consecutive Sundays. The Pennsylvania 500 earned a 5.7 US rating (5,137,000 households) - a 21 percent increase over the year prior - making it the highest-rated and most watched NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series event in TNT’s 21-year history of airing NASCAR on TNT and TBS. It also stakes claim to the title as the second highest-rated NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series event ever on cable television (trailing only behind the 6.2 rating on TNN for a 1999 race at the North Carolina Speedway). The 2005 New England 300 delivered a 4.5 US rating (4,954,000 households), a 5 percent increase over the 2004 race, earning it the #2 spot on TNT’s highest rated and most watched races. (TNT PR)

• Brickyard helps Tsunami victims: One NASCAR fan can use his online bidding skills to help benefit the Tsunami Aid relief fund as well as get VIP treatment during the upcoming Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. The winning bidder of an auction live on popular Internet auction site eBay will win four suite tickets and accommodations for the August 7th Nextel Cup race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with proceeds benefiting the Samaritan Children's Home in Sri Lanka. The Samaritan Children's Home was destroyed in the Southeast Asian tsunami in December 2004. The winner of the auction, presented by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, will receive a VIP prize package to the annual Nextel Cup Series event. In addition to four tickets in a luxury suite at the track, the winner also will receive: Two rooms at the Comfort Inn West for three nights on race weekend. Credentials that provide access to restricted areas of the track and garage area. A police-escorted caravan from the hotel to the racetrack on race morning, helping beat the traffic flowing to the Speedway for one of the world's largest single-day sporting events. Click here to see the auction listing. The auction ends July 30. For more information on the Samaritan Children’s Home, visit www.samaritanchildrenshome.org. Samaritan Home Relief, Inc. is a non-profit organization incorporated in the state of Maryland. Application for recognition of federal tax exempt status is currently in process. (www.brickyard400.com)

• Hanging out with Dale Jr.:  Oh-so-lucky fans of Budweiser’s No. 8 man Dale Earnhardt Jr. could win the chance to get up close and personal with the NASCAR star at a super-secretive event Sept. 8 in Richmond. As many as 3,000 people are expected to attend what’s being billed as “Hangin’ with Dale Jr.,” featuring the young Earnhardt himself in a question-and-answer session following a performance by the band Foreplay. But here’s pause for fans and speed-dialers: You won’t know where the event’s taking place until three weeks before the gig. Even then, you won’t be able to buy tickets. Beer giant Anheuser-Busch has awarded the “Hangin’ with Dale Jr.” event — held in Daytona, Charlotte and, now, Richmond — to local beverage firm Brown Distributing. “This is huge for Richmond because Dale Jr. doesn’t go out in public,” Sorokowski says, explaining that’s why area event planners consider Earnhardt’s appearance here more of a coup than that of Cher or Bruce Springsteen. Those angling to go can try their chances at winning a spot on area Cox radio stations such as B103.7-FM, Y101-FM or K95-FM. Brown’s loyal customers will be well-represented, too, Sorokowski says. Only those 21 and older may attend. Naturally, the event will feature “day-fresh draft beer from Williamsburg,” Sorokowski adds. “Hangin’ with Dale Jr.” takes place just two days before the 26th race of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series season — the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway, set for Saturday, Sept. 10. Despite the absence of tangible passes to Dale’s party, Sorokowski says, “It’ll be quite the hot ticket.”  (Style Weekly) (No Word on where the event is to be held)

• Wallace, Baker test at Daytona: Despite having a week off from NEXTEL Cup competition, where he currently sits 4th in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup standings, Rusty Wallace was as busy as ever Monday, as his RWI Racing Busch Series operation completed tests at both Daytona International Speedway and Kentucky Speedway on the same day. In Daytona, racing legend Buddy Baker was behind the wheel of the #64 Miller High Life Dodge Charger, completing testing in conjunction with Racing Radios. Similar to the radio test Wallace completed at Talladega last year, in which he hit nearly 230 MPH, Baker wheeled the RWI Racing machine to an average lap speed of an even 200 MPH around Daytona's high banks. The ever-jubilant Baker was nothing short of thrilled at the opportunity stating, "That was a lot of fun, I have to tell you. Going that fast around here really brought back some memories, that's for sure. Blake Bainbridge and his guys really put together some first-class equipment and I'm really excited to have had the opportunity to do this." On the other front, Wallace was present for his son Stephen's first speedway test, conducted at Kentucky Speedway. Stephen Wallace, the 2005 Snowball Derby Champion, wheeled a Penske Racing-prepared Dodge around the 1.5 mile oval in preparation for his first speedway start, the August 19th ARCA RE-MAX Series event at Michigan Speedway. The test was manned by members of the RWI Racing Busch Series team, as well as representatives from Penske-Jasper Engines. To begin the test, the elder Wallace jumped behind the wheel of the #77 Kodak Dodge from Travis Kvapil's stable and completed a baseline lap of 32.65 seconds. After some tweaking on the car's chassis set-up, it was Stephen's turn at the controls. By the end of his second outing, the younger Wallace had logged a best lap of 32.83 seconds, barely missing the time set by his father. The next event for RWI Racing is this weekend's Wallace Family Tribute 250 at Gateway International Raceway near St. Louis Missouri. In the event bearing his name, legendary driver Rusty Wallace will make his first and last appearance in a major auto race in his hometown of St. Louis. He will be piloting the #64 Miller High Life Dodge, co-sponsored by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.For more information on RWI Racing, Rusty Wallace or Stephen Wallace, please visit www.rwiracing.com, www.rustywallace.com and www.stevewallaceonline.com, respectively. (RWI PR)

• Proposed WA. Speedway Town Meeting Tonight: Ardent supporters of NASCAR and those opposed to a proposed racetrack locating in south Kitsap County can find out more specific information on the project this evening.  Representatives from the International Speedway Corp. will host an open house in the commons area at South Kitsap High, from 5 to 8 p.m. tonight. The high school is located in Port Orchard, 425 Mitchell Ave. ISC officials will have several different stations set up at the high school outlining different aspects of the project. The meeting also will be the public's first opportunity to comment to the speedway officials about the proposal. (Kitsap Sun)

• R. Gordon Utah Firm partner for bottled water:  NASCAR race team Robby Gordon Motorsports has entered into a partnership with Electric Aquagenics Unlimited Inc. Under the agreement, Electric Aquagenics Unlimited Inc. (OTCBB:EAQU) will be the exclusive provider of bottled water for the Robby Gordon Motorsports team during the 2005 NASCAR Nextel Cup Season. Utah-based Electric Aquagenics, which markets Perfect Empowered Drinking Water, also manufactures purification equipment using technologies that sanitize and clean surfaces using water electrolysis. Financial terms weren't disclosed. (Charlotte Business Journal)

• Schrader, Earnhardt, Jr. among NASCAR stars at Shootout: M&M’S Chocolate Candies announced today it will return as the title sponsor for NASCAR NEXTEL Cup driver Ken Schrader’s charity event, “M&M’S Night of Stars.” After a year hiatus, the All-Star event is scheduled for Wednesday, August 3 at I-55 Raceway in Pevely, Missouri in benefit of the Victory Junction Gang Camp. “We’re proud that our association at M&M’S has continued with Kenny Schrader through our participation in his ‘Night of Stars,’” said William Clements, Director of Sponsorships and Sports Marketing for Masterfoods USA. “Kenny hosts an amazing event where the focus is on fun, not only for the fans who come out to see a great dirt race but for the drivers as well. Again this year, Kenny has an outstanding lineup of racers joining him. We’re glad to be back supporting him as well as the Victory Junction Gang Camp.” Joining Schrader for the event are several NASCAR Series competitors including fan-favorite Dale Earnhardt, Jr, who will serve as the flag man for the celebrity shootout. Kyle Petty, the co-founder of the Victory Junction Gang Camp will be on-hand along with NEXTEL Cup regulars Carl Edwards, Casey Mears and Dave Blaney. Additionally reigning Busch Series champion Martin Truex, Jr., will be in attendance joined by Kenny Wallace, reigning Craftsman Truck Series champion Bobby Hamilton, Sr., and Jimmy Spencer. All drivers are scheduled to participate in an autograph session at the track on Wednesday afternoon from 5 – 7 p.m. before the green flag falls at 7:30 p.m. on the celebrity filled 10 lap dirt Modified shootout. The shootout race is the opening act to the night’s feature races, winged Sprint cars and UMP Late Models. Schrader and Wallace will again suit up for the UMP Late Model event. Reserved tickets for the ‘Night of Stars’ event on Aug. 3 are $30, and are on sale now. Fans can purchase the tickets by calling 636-479-3219. For more information on the ‘Night of Stars’ night, visit www.i55raceway.com.

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