NASCAR News June 27 - July 8, 2006

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July 8, 2006

• Waltrip's 3rd driver? Landing UPS allows {Michael} Waltrip to go full speed ahead on a three-car team. He has NAPA for the hood of the Toyota he'll drive and a joint Burger King/Domino's sponsorship for a third car. Semi-retired Bill Elliott, 50, has been rumored as a candidate, but Waltrip, 43, said he expects to hire someone younger than himself and Jarrett, 49. Disgruntled Evernham Motorsports driver Jeremy Mayfield, 37, is another possibility. Elliott qualified a Waltrip Racing Chevrolet 24th for Sunday's race. It's the first of five races, including the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, the 1988 series champion is driving this season to launch the Burger King sponsorship. If Waltrip were to make an offer, Elliott sounds willing to listen. "Whether I will do a full-time deal next year or not, I don't know. I won't say yes and I won't say no," he said. "It has to be the right situation. It's hard for me to let go in a lot of ways." (Indy Star)

• Future Yates Sponsorship: Citi Financial, which sponsors Yates's Busch efforts, may be ready for a major role, Doug Yates said. He also noted that Tide, which has backed Cal Wells's team since 2000, will be contractually free after this season and may be available. (Speedtv.com)

• Vegas Second Date? The hottest rumor in the garage area won't go away. If the Nextel Cup series is going to add a second race to Las Vegas Motor Speedway, it's news to them. Racetrack officials called the rumor "interesting" but said they haven't heard anything official. (Augusta Chronicle)

• Possible Schedule Expansion? Daytona 500 Primetime Start? NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said he does not know whether, as rumored, the Daytona 500 start time could be moved to late afternoon or to prime time, as with the Super Bowl. FOX will carry the Daytona 500 the next eight years. Poston also said that, amid talk of a race of some kind in Canada (Montreal), perhaps as soon as next year, NASCAR is not brushing off the idea of more than the current 36 a year (38 if the two exhibitions are counted). The new network contracts, which include FOX, ABC/ESPN and TNT, last through 2014. Under the agreement, NASCAR agrees to provide 36 events per season, but Poston noted that NASCAR won't be limited by that, allowing room for possible expansion. "I don't think NASCAR would paint itself into a corner like that," Poston said. (Speedtv.com)

• Earliest possible NW & NYC race 2011: International Speedway Corp. Chief Operating Officer John Saunders said Thursday that the earliest a track could open in New York City or Seattle likely will be 2011. Talking with financial analysts to discuss the company's earnings, Saunders said the slow-moving process in trying to get the political backing necessary to earn governmental approvals have delayed the projects.  (SceneDaily)

July 7, 2006

• UPS follows Jarrett to Michael Waltrip's Racing Toyota: NASCAR driver Dale Jarrett will bring United Parcel Service Inc. along for the ride when he moves to Michael Waltrip Racing in 2007. Atlanta-based UPS has reported a two-year deal with Michael Waltrip Racing to sponsor Jarrett in a Toyota Camry for the 2007 and 2008 seasons of the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. Earlier this year, Jarrett agreed to move to the Waltrip organization and race a Toyota Camry starting with the 2007 Daytona 500. The decision to join Michael Waltrip Racing also places UPS among the first sponsors to adorn a Toyota Camry in 2007, which is the manufacturer's inaugural season in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. UPS has supported Jarrett since 2001, when it first became a NASCAR team sponsor and began its popular "Race the Truck" advertising campaign. That campaign has made Jarrett's name synonymous with UPS and its "big brown truck" and UPS said maintaining that brand connection was a factor in its decision. (Yahoo!/Biz Journal)

• Mayfield frustrated with Evernham and team: Jeremy Mayfield on Friday expressed frustration with his team's performance this season and called this year "the worst I've ever run in the Nextel Cup Series." Mayfield, who qualified for the Chase for the Nextel Cup the past two seasons in Evernham Motorsports' No. 19 Dodge, also said he has had few conversations with team owner Ray Evernham of late about his team's problems. "I don't talk to Ray much. He encourages us when he's around, but he hasn't been around much lately," Mayfield said. "At Daytona we ran terrible. We ran the worse than all three of us had ever run. "Kasey (Kahne) sucked every bad as we did. He wasn't there all weekend. ... I didn't see him at Sears Point the week before that. (That'sRacin.com)

• J. Gordon featured on ESPN SportsCenter's Make-A-Wish Series: ESPN and the Make-A-Wish Foundation will collaborate for a unique 10-part SportsCenter series titled “My Wish” beginning Sunday, July 9. As part of the initiative, 10 children across the country with life-threatening medical conditions will have sports-related wishes granted. Each story and experience will be the subject of a SportsCenter feature segment airing July 9-23, hosted by Emmy Award-winning reporter Chris Connelly. Wishes range from pitching with Roger Clemens to coaching the Philadelphia Eagles to a NASCAR experience with Jeff Gordon to basketball-themed activities with Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady to a day with Derek Jeter and much more. (ESPN PR)

• FOX Daytona ratings down:  Fox's broadcast of Saturday night's Pepsi 400 NASCAR Nextel Cup race earned an overnight Nielsen Media Research rating of 4.7 and a 10 share, Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Daily reports. The rating is 4.1 percent lower than the 4.9/12 overnight figures NBC earned when it carried the race under the rotation system used in 2005. (NASCAR Scene Daily)

• 49 Drivers scheduled to test at Indy:  Testing for the 13th Allstate 400 at the Brickyard will take place Monday, July 10, Tuesday, July 11 and Wednesday, July 12 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. A total of 49 Nextel Cup Series drivers are scheduled to test on those days. Teams can only test a maximum of two out of the three available days. The hours of testing are 9:00am - 6:00pm/et each day. This is the only test session scheduled before the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard on Sunday, Aug. 6. Fans are welcome to view the testing for free from the South Terrace grandstands, located inside the track between Turns 1 and 2. Testong Roster (Subject to Change): #01-Joe Nemechek, #07-Clint Bowyer, #1-Martin Truex Jr., #2-Kurt Busch, #4-Scott Wimmer, #5-Kyle Busch, #6-Mark Martin, #7-Robby Gordon, #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr., #9-Kasey Kahne, #10-Scott Riggs, #11-Denny Hamlin, #12-Ryan Newman, #14-Sterling Marlin, #15-Paul Menard, #16-Greg Biffle, #17-Matt Kenseth, #18-J.J. Yeley, #19-Jeremy Mayfield, #20-Tony Stewart, #21-Ken Schrader, #22-Dave Blaney, #24-Jeff Gordon, #25-Brian Vickers, #26-Jamie McMurray, #29-Kevin Harvick, #31-Jeff Burton, #32-Travis Kvapil, #37-John Andretti, #38-Elliott Sadler, #40-David Stremme, #41-Reed Sorenson, #42-Casey Mears, #43-Bobby Labonte, #45-Kyle Petty, #48-Jimmie Johnson, #49-Kevin Lepage, #55-Michael Waltrip, #61-Chad Chaffin, #66-Jeff Green, #72-Kertus Davis, #88-Dale Jarrett, #96-Tony Raines, #99-Carl Edwards, #00-Bill Elliott, #47-Jon Wood, #51--Mike Garvey, #70-Johnny Sauter, #78-Kenny Wallace.(IMS PR)

July 6, 2006

• Winston Kelly named NASCAR HOF Executive Director: A Duke Energy vice president and longtime racing broadcaster was named executive director of the NASCAR Hall of Fame today. Winston Kelley, a Concord native whose family has close ties to racing, was part of the team of city boosters that won the hall of fame over Atlanta, Kansas City and NASCAR's home city of Daytona Beach, Fla., among other hopefuls. "Everyone in the NASCAR community knows Winston has 20-plus years of experience in the sport, but he also has more than 25 years of business and management experience," said Mark Dyer, NASCAR's vice president of licensing, during an announcement at the Charlotte Convention Center. "Winston has tremendous credibility and an abundance of contacts in the Charlotte region's business community," Dyer added. "When you add all that to his love for the sport, he's the perfect choice to lead our NASCAR Hall of Fame." (Charlotte Observer)

• Wood Bros. possible field zero cars in '07? Eddie Wood's family has been in the racing business on the NASCAR circuit since 1953. Team owner Eddie Wood said he's not sure it will last beyond this season. Wood said he doesn't have sponsorship lined up yet for next season and without it, the family operation might have to close. The team hopes to have two full-time Nextel Cup Series cars next year - one for Ken Schrader and a second for Wood's son, Jon. "We can't make a lot of plans until we get all those (sponsorship) deals in place," Wood said. "Ideally, we'd like a Fusion for Jon and another for Ken. Honestly, right now I can't begin to say what we're going to do next year, but I think we'll have something out there." (Augusta Chronicle)

July 5, 2006

• Earnhardt's death among top auto stories of the last decade: Pain at the pump is the No. 1 automotive story of the last decade, according to a list released today by SPEED in conjunction with the motor sports and automotive lifestyle network's 10th Anniversary. U.S. gas prices soaring above $3 a gallon, and the corresponding fallout -- an influx of "hybrid" vehicles, declining sales of monster-sized SUVs and a growing interest in fuel alternatives -- was the top response from a group of automotive journalists and SPEED on-air automotive personalities, when asked about the most memorable consumer automotive stories of the last 10 years.   And with all of the recent improvements in consumer automotive safety, it took the tragic death of NASCAR icon Dale Earnhardt in 2001 to focus the world's attention on safety at the race track. The result -- more safety equipment, safer race cars and safer race tracks for fans in attendance. "Dale Earnhardt's death sent shock waves through the entire racing world, but especially NASCAR, where he was both the sport's biggest star and a man regarded as the toughest ever to strap on a helmet," said Jensen. "It was the kind of brutal wake-up call that forced NASCAR to redouble its safety efforts." (Business Wire)  1. Gasoline tops $3 a gallon 2. Fall of domestic dominance 3. Dale Earnhardt crash at Daytona

• Possible schedule change for final 10 races in 2007? For the third consecutive year, NASCAR's playoff-style Chase for the Nextel Cup likely will have only 10 drivers racing for the championship. The final 10 races, which decide the title, call for the top 10 drivers and those within 400 points of the leader to be included. As long as leader Jimmie Johnson and runner-up Matt Kenseth don't collapse in the next nine races, the 400-point rule will not come into effect. NASCAR chairman Brian France last week hinted some changes in the Chase format might be coming in 2007. The number of drivers making the Chase, the 400-point rule and scoring during the Chase are among the possible changes. There's also an outside chance France might shuffle the final 10 races, giving eligible drivers a variety of tracks to conquer. (USA Today)

• Roush's Kluever to make Cup debut: Todd Kluever will be making his NEXTEL Cup debut this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway. He will be driving the #06 Post-it Ford Fusion for Roush Racing. This is a car previously raced by Mark Martin. Kluever tested this car at Kentucky Speedway a few weeks ago and was pleased with the results. (Roush Racing PR)

July 4, 2006

• Ferrell to ride along in TNT's Wally's World: The second half of the NASCAR season revs up on TNT on Sat., July 8 with NASCAR Busch Series Racing from Chicago presented by Pennzoil Platinum at 4 p.m. ET. TNT NASCAR coverage continues on Sun., July 9 with the Bank of America Countdown to Green pre-race show at 3 p.m. ET, featuring Talladega Nights star Will Ferrell taking a spin with TNT's Wally Dallenbach in this season’s first edition of Wally’s World. Following at 3:30 p.m. ET is NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Racing from Chicago. The TNT NASCAR announcing stable will include Bill Weber (pre-race host and play-by-play), Benny Parsons (analyst), Wally Dallenbach (analyst), Allen Bestwick (pit reporter), Dave Burns (pit reporter), Marty Snider (pit reporter) and Matt Yocum (pit reporter).(Turner Sports PR)

• Dodge F1 and NASCAR programs to partner: Given Formula One's ability to develop cars and NASCAR's ability to sell them, DaimlerChrysler is counting on a union of German technology and good, old American know-how to improve both programs. DaimlerChrysler CEO Dr. Dieter Zetsche attended Saturday night's Nextel Cup race at Daytona Beach, Fla., where his likeness appeared on the hoods of the Dodges driven by Evernham Motorsports' Kasey Kahne and Jeremy Mayfield. Then Zetsche flew to Indianapolis to be with McLaren-Mercedes for what turned out to be a short day for the team in Sunday's U.S. Grand Prix. At a news conference Sunday morning at the convention center, where he was joined by McLaren team principal Ron Dennis and NASCAR team owner Ray Evernham, among others, Zetsche said a joint NASCAR/F-1 program isn't as farfetched as it might seem. "The technology is very different, but the principles are the same," he said. "There is much to share. NASCAR has something to tell as far as the show is concerned. I saw Daytona and it's quite something." Zetsche said DaimlerChrysler is committed long term to both programs. "It's our history and will be our future as well," he said. "NASCAR is as American as it can get. We are there to stay." (Indianapolis Star)

July 3, 2006

• Marco committed to Andretti racing for at least 3 years:  Indy Racing League rookie Marco Andretti will be in Kansas City, Kan., this weekend, but he's not going to NASCAR. As he prepared to head for Kansas Speedway for Sunday's Kansas Lottery Indy 300, the 19-year-old third-generation racer seemed truly puzzled when queried about driving NASCAR stock cars in his future.  Several print media reports and FOX-TV commentators, during the pre-race segment of last Sunday's telecast from Sonoma, Calif., had Marco being a candidate to join Chip Ganassi's Nextel Cup team. "Absolutely not. No way. No talk about NASCAR with anyone," the youngest Andretti said. "I don't know where that rumor started, but that's a part of our sport."   Marco is a rookie Indy car driver under contract to his father's Andretti Green Racing organization. "Man 19 years old I'm just happy to be where I am. I'm definitely loving to be where I am here at AGR for the next three years," Andretti said. (Express-Times)

• Home Depot Crew wins Challenge: Tony Stewart’s over-the-wall crew picked up the Checkers®/Rally’s® Double Drive-Thru Challenge win Saturday night at Daytona International Speedway, helping lift the team to its second consecutive victory in the summer classic at the 2.5-mile tri-oval. This is the third pit crew challenge win of the season for the No. 20 team, which now owns second place in the season-long standings. They also took the honors at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Bristol Motor Speedway in March. Jimmie Johnson’s crew is in the lead with four victories. "I've never worked with a group of guys that were more dedicated to what they do and why they do it,” said Stewart. “That's what makes nights like this that much more impressive. This is not a race where a driver can go out and just win it. You have to have a fast car -- one that's prepared well -- and you have to have a crew that gets you in and out of the pits consistently fast all night. We had it all working for us tonight. It was a total team effort." The No. 20 over-the-wall crew consists of: Jason Lee (jackman), Tom Dean (front-tire carrier), Ira-Jo Hussey (front-tire changer), Jody Fortson (rear-tire carrier), Todd Foster (rear-tire changer), Jeff Patterson (gasman), Brian Larson (catch can) and Scott Geerts (windshield). The team’s crew chief is Greg Zipadelli and the pit stop coordinator is Paul Alepa. Stewart’s Home Depot Chevrolet spent 205.081 seconds on pit road.  (DMF Communications PR)

July 2, 2006

• Petty unveils new Dodge Challenger: Seven-time Cup champion Richard Petty and series regular Kasey Kahne joined Chrysler executives to unveil the 2008 Dodge Challenger production car Saturday afternoon. The Challenger is scheduled to return after a nearly 35-year hiatus as a two-door coupe featuring the long hood, short deck and wide stance reminiscent of its Pony/Muscle Car heritage from the 1970s. "If you were a '70s Challenger fan, you can look at it and see the new Challenger in it," said Petty, who scored the majority of his record 200 Cup victories in MoPar products. (Star-Telegram)

• DEI looking to expand? Dale Earnhardt Inc. will field three Nextel Cup teams next season but could expand to a fourth car. DEI will have cars for Dale Earnhardt Jr., Martin Truex and rookie Paul Menard next season, but Richie Gilmore, vice president of motorsports, says the organization is looking to add a fourth team. Gilmore says the team wants to decide by the end of this month how many teams it will have next season. NASCAR rules limit organizations to four Cup teams, although Roush Racing has been grandfathered in with its five teams. No date has been set on when Roush must comply with the rule. Earnhardt says it makes sense for DEI to expand to four teams. "I think that every team should strive to own that many,'' he said after his Busch series victory Friday night. "You're more successful if you own more cars.'' Also, Gilmore says that the team is looking at some sort of merger with MB2 Motorsports, whether it's sharing resources or having one of MB2 Motorsports' teams move under the DEI banner. Joe Nemechek and Sterling Marlin drive for MB2 Motorsports. "We're looking at all our options,'' Gilmore said. (Roanoke Times)

• Old Ball Coach in Attendance: Steve Spurrier was at Daytona International Speedway to watch the Pepsi 400. Spurrier has traveled to selected NASCAR events over the past couple of years since Kerry Tharp, NASCAR's Director of Public Relations, moved to the sport from his job at the University of South Carolina, where Spurrier coaches. "If you're a competitor, you love watching other guys compete," Spurrier said. "I think Americans love to see guys compete and these guys really go at it." Spurrier added that he and his family follow several drivers. "I like Dale (Earnhardt) Jr.," Spurrier said. "My son, Scotty, is a Jeff Gordon fan, and I admire the way Tony Stewart drives." (The. Ledger)

• Jarrett races with broken hand: Dale Jarrett entered Saturday night's race with a broken left hand, the result of a crash last week at Infineon Raceway. Jarrett was diagnosed with the injury Thursday evening at Daytona along with a stretched ligament. He was involved in a crash late in last weekend's race. He was to have worn some additional padding during Saturday's race. (Roanoke Times)

July 1, 2006

• Stewart wins again in Daytona: Tony Stewart's slump is over, his shoulder is fine and his fence-climbing is as good as ever. His moves in a mosh pit leave something to be desired. Stewart was back to his on-track dominance and off-track hijinks, winning at Daytona International Speedway by charging to the lead with two laps to go Saturday night. He then celebrated with his trademark climbing of the fence, but made the mistake of jumping into the crowd - where he found himself overwhelmed by rowdy fans. (FoxSports.com - Results - Points)

• Dodge Chairman committed to NASCAR: The chairman of DaimlerChrysler denied a widespread rumor that Dodge is pulling out of NASCAR, and pledged his commitment to America's top racing series. Dr. Dieter Zetsche, attending his first race of the season Saturday night at Daytona International Speedway, said NASCAR is a successful platform for DaimlerChrysler and he has no plans to pull Dodge out. "I don't know who is creating those rumors, we have no reason whatsoever (to leave),'' he said before the start of the Pepsi 400. "We are very happy with NASCAR, it is a great platform, and Dodge is the right brand to race NASCAR.'' (MSNBC.com)

• Sadler on EA Sports NASCAR '07: With more NASCAR NEXTEL Cup drivers at the highest level of the sport gaming than ever before, Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) announced today that its EA SPORTS™ branded NASCAR® videogame, NASCAR® 07, will feature NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series driver Elliott Sadler on the cover. The longtime gamer has been heavily involved in all aspects of EA’s NASCAR franchise since he joined the Cup ranks in 1999, including taking home the championship trophy from last years’ EA SPORTS Drivers Gaming Competition in Bristol, TN, making him the perfect driver to showcase on the cover. “I’m thrilled that EA has chosen me as their cover athlete for the game this year,” said Sadler, driver of the No. 38 M&M’s Ford Fusion for Robert Yates Racing. “I’ve been a big fan of this game for a while now and play it as often as I can whether I’m on the road or at home.”  (EA Sports PR)

June 30, 2006

• Changes in Chase coming in 2007: NASCAR's playoff format, known as the Chase for the Nextel Cup, could expand to include more drivers next season. That is one of several changes to the championship being considered by NASCAR's chairman and chief executive, Brian France, who instituted the playoff in 2004. "What I've always said about the Chase was that we needed a few years under our belt to see how it evolved," France said during a news conference at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday in advance of the Pepsi 400 on Saturday night. "We will make some adjustments going into '07." Now, France said, he is considering changing the 400-point plateau, which has not come into play in the first two years of the Chase and is unlikely to be a factor this year, either. If that plateau is changed, more drivers outside the top 10 could conceivably qualify for the Chase. "Is 10 the number?" France said. "Is 12 the number? Would we like to see the 400-point issue come into play? I think it would be interesting. It would be nice to see. Call it a wild card if you will. (New York Times)

• J. Gordon to race 24hrs at Daytona:  In a press conference at Daytona International Speedway today, SunTrust Racing car owner/driver Wayne Taylor (and his Surrey Sport LLC company) and SunTrust Racing announced that four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon will co-drive the No. 10 SunTrust Racing car with Taylor and his fellow 2005 Daytona Prototype co-champion Max Angelelli in the 45th annual Rolex 24 At Daytona, January 27-28, 2007. "Of all the NASCAR drivers, Jeff's the guy," said Taylor, a Rolex 24 At Daytona overall winner in 1996 and 2005. "He proved again last weekend his road racing skills are outstanding when he won at Sears Point. I think he's going to be an asset to the team for the Rolex 24." "This is something that I've wanted to do for a long time and I'm really looking forward to it," said Gordon, driver of the No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series. "It was important to me to do this with a quality team like Surrey Sport, and I'm looking forward to teaming up with two champions, Wayne and Max." (Grand American Road Racing)

• France says Sprint-NEXTEL is here to stay: Q) Along with the potential name change with the merger, the rumors continue to pop up about the possible change of the sponsor. Has there been any discussions at all about Nextel/Sprint getting another company to buy out the contract? BRIAN FRANCE: None whatsoever. They have got one of the great positions, the greatest position perhaps, in sports. They are obviously going through a change post their merger trying to get their company in a place that takes the most advantage with NASCAR. But they are focused on how to build around the sponsorship that Nextel brought into the merger. So none whatsoever. (NASCAR PR)

• B. France says, WA. and NYC has yet to realize impact of sport: "This is the most undercovered sport in the country," France said. "Week in and week out until the fall, we're usually the largest sporting event in the country. You just wouldn't know it by looking at a lot of media outlets. "We're really going to look at ways to get this sport the proper coverage and to change some hearts and minds."  (NASCAR)

• Stewart wins Daytona IROC road race: Tony Stewart proved he knows his way around every inch of Daytona International Speedway by winning the International Race of Champions event on the road course Thursday night. Stewart, who has seven career victories on the superspeedway, started 11th but wasted no time working his way through the 12-car field. He was third after the first full lap, and took the lead on the fourth lap. "The guys told us to watch out for the first corner because of cold brakes," he said. "So we just lifted early and everybody starting wrecking. We were fourth, and then got up to third, and just kind of worked our way forward after that." It put him out front and away from all the spins behind him from drivers not accustomed to road courses. This was the first road course race for the IROC Series since Rusty Wallace won at Watkins Glen in 1991. (Sporting News)

June 29, 2006

• NASCAR on Fox tops weekend sports ratings: The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Dodge/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway was the highest rated televised sporting event last weekend nationwide. The event earned a 5.1 rating on FOX, with the next closest sporting event being the Dodge/Save Mart 350 pre-race show, also on FOX (3.1). The race rating also represented a 9-percent increase over the 2004 Dodge/Save Mart 350 (4.7 on FOX). It was the second-highest rated NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series event in the history of Infineon Raceway, trailing only the 2005 event in Sonoma (5.7, highest rated and most viewed road-course race in the history of NASCAR). The 2006 race attracted 8.2 million viewers. Locally, the race generated a 2.6 rating in San Francisco and a 6.1 rating in Sacramento on FOX. The Sacramento market was up 30-percent over last year’s rating of 4.7. The Dodge/Save Mart 350 aired directly up against the PGA, MLB, Track and Field, FIFA World Cup, College World Series, Champ Car, Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series and the Dew Action Sports Tour. One rating point equals one-percent of all U.S. households. All data used was obtained from Nielsen Media Research. (Infineon Raceway PR)

• Former Longtime NASCAR executive dies: Bill Gazaway, a longtime NASCAR executive during the sport's modern era, died Thursday in Atlanta, NASCAR officials said. He was 76. Gazaway joined NASCAR in 1960 as a team owner. His cars made seven starts, including one with him behind the wheel. He started 44th at Atlanta Motor Speedway and drove his Oldsmobile one lap before the rear end failed. Gazaway moved into NASCAR's front office three years later as a technical inspector. He maintained that position until 1967, when he was promoted to assistant technical director. He assumed the role of competition director the following year. He became director of racing operations in 1979, and was named vice president of competition in 1984, a position he held until his retirement from NASCAR in 1987. "Bill Gazaway was one of those NASCAR pioneers who did a lot of good things during his time with NASCAR," former NASCAR chairman Bill France Jr. said. (Sporting News)

• Pruett not interested in NEXTEL Cup: How far have the conversations progressed for Scott Pruett to succeed Casey Mears at Chip Ganassi Racing? "We've joked about it a couple times," said Pruett, 46, a native of nearby Sacramento who finished 30th Sunday. Pruett runs for Ganassi's Grand American Rolex Series team and has filled in at road courses Infineon Raceway and Watkins Glen International for the last four years. Still, Ganassi doesn't have Pruett on his list: "Not really. We had a talk, and Scott said if he was five years younger, he wouldn't let me get anybody else. But he just enjoyed his life pretty well as it was and wants to win the Grand Am championship." Added Pruett: "I'd like to be, but I'm a realist. ... (Teams are) looking for the next best young kid. There's a lot to be said for that. If I come in, I'd be here one or two years. When you're talking about a 19- or 20-year-old kid, you're talking (about him staying) 20 years." (USA Today)

• AFSOC paint scheme on #21: The United States Air Force is outfitting its #21 race car with a different look when it rolls onto the track at the Pepsi 400 this weekend. The car's paint scheme synchronizes with the Air Force's Special Operations Command shield imprinted on the hood of the car. "We honor all of our Airmen when we run the Air Force paint scheme, but since this race falls so close to the 4th of July holiday; we decided to honor our special operations units. They are a group of folks who fly under the radar and rarely get the spotlight," said Capt. Jonathan Ness, Chief of Event Marketing Branch, Air Force Recruiting Service Strategic Communication Division. "AFSOC has more than 12,000 extremely well-trained and deployable Airmen who are matched and equipped with some highly specialized aircraft. And to top it off, they are always prepared for worldwide deployment," Captain. Ness said. In addition to honoring the special operations forces with a new paint scheme, Maj. Gen. Donald C. Wurster, AFSOC Vice Commander, plans to conduct a formal induction ceremony for 40 young men and women enlisting into the Air Force on race day. Air Force Special Operations Command which was established May 22, 1990 is a major command and the Air Force component of U.S. Special Operations Command, a unified command located at MacDill Air Force Base, FL. (Wood Brothers)

June 28, 2006

• Brooks in Charlotte, possible NASCAR event? Claire B. Lang of XM Satellite "Dialed In" NASCAR Radio reports that Country Music Superstar Garth Brooks was at the Speedway Club at Lowe's Motor Speedway today {yesterday}. He met with executives of the speedway and representatives of Jeff Gordon's Foundation. He flew into the Concord Airport on a private jet. Lang hears that an "event" is in the works. (XM Satellite Radio)

• Children’s Charities raises over 134K over weekend: It was a banner weekend for Sonoma County youth groups as two events held during the Dodge/Save Mart 350 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup weekend combined to raise $134,000 for Speedway Children’s Charities. The Raceway Builder’s NASCAR Grand Marshal’s Banquet generated $94,000, while the 4th annual Race-n-Rock Charity Auction raised $40,000. All proceeds will benefit qualified youth groups in Sonoma County through Speedway Children’s Charities. The Grand Marshal’s Banquet was held on Friday night of race weekend at beautiful Cline Cellars in Sonoma and featured actor/comedian Cheech Marin, grand marshal of the race weekend. The sit-down dinner attracted more than 500 people, including NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series drivers Kasey Kahne, Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman. The top-selling item in the charity auction, which took place on Sunday in the Wine Country Winner’s Circle, was a Budweiser racing helmet signed by Dale Earnhardt Jr. for $3,250. (Infineon Raceway PR)

• NASCAR Season Finale Sold-Out!  NASCAR's Nextel Cup Series season finale continues to be a hot ticket. Homestead-Miami Speedway officials say the Ford 400 has sold out, nearly five months before the Nov. 19 race. Last year the race sold out in August.  "I think fans are realizing how big an event this is becoming," Homestead-Miami Speedway President Curtis Gray said. "It's kind of a must-see, must-attend type of event ... We're developing a true championship in the truest sense of those kinds of events." The speedway seats 65,000 in the grandstands, has 30 garage suites, 16 grandstand suites and 850 club seats in the Turn One Tower. Although no seats were added this year, Gray said, expansion is planned. (Sun Sentinel)

• WI. local driver holds off Stewart, and Kenseth: On a night when 10,000 fans crammed around Madison International Speedway to see two of NASCAR's biggest names, not only did the stars put on a show but so did a comparative unknown who walked away with the victory Tuesday night at the All-Star Challenge. Kelly Bires, a 21-year-old from Mauston, won the 100-lap feature, fighting off a charge by Cambridge native Matt Kenseth during the final 11 laps. Bires' fastest lap around the half-mile oval was 18.252 seconds. Kenseth finished second. Bobby Wilberg was third. Tony Stewart, defending Nextel Cup champion, finished eighth but made perhaps the biggest jump in the field. He started 19th.(Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

• Crossfade's Sloan to sing Anthem at DIS: Ed Sloan, lead singer for Crossfade, one of the most powerful and inventive new hard rock bands around, will sing the National Anthem at the Pepsi 400 Nextel Cup Series race at historic Daytona International Speedway on July 1. Tickets for the Pepsi 400 Weekend are available by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.(DIS PR)

• Milwaukee Mile testing: If you're into numbers and know your NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series teams, car numbers 2, 5, 24, 25, 48, 40, 41, 42 and 19 were testing Tuesday at The Milwaukee Mile, on the heels of The Mile's big AT&T 250 Busch Series - Toyota Tundra Milwaukee 200 Truck Series race weekend. In appreciation of our NASCAR supporters, the grandstands are open to this private team test to any Milwaukee Mile NASCAR fan who presents a ticket stub from The Milwaukee Mile's June 23 or 24 NASCAR events, Wednesday June 28 from 9:00am - 5:00pm. "The reason we test here at Milwaukee is that this track is 'rubbered-in' the best it can be. We are limited on tires and race tracks we can test at, and with all the rubber laid down on the track from the weekend, it really saves our tire wear," said 2004 Nextel Cup Series champion Kurt Busch. So what can point leader Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch and Brian Vickers learn with their Hendrick Motorsports teams, in addition to Ganassi Racing and their drives David Stremme, Reed Sorenson and Casey Mears, or for that matter, Jeremy Mayfield? "This track is very similar to New Hampshire, Phoenix, some small ideas apply to Indy," Kurt Busch said. "But The Mile is a sentimental track for me, as I tested here the last three years with my old team just trying to get ready for some of the flat tracks and what it can help you do when you get down to the 'Chase' and how you have to gain points. Hendrick Motorsports also practiced with their Car of Tomorrow at America's Legendary Oval. Most of the teams are expected to return Wednesday. No official times were recorded. (Milwaukee Mile PR)

• #48 Lowe's Crew wins Drive-Thru Challenge: Jimmie Johnson's team extended its lead in the season-long Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge by winning the award in Sunday's Dodge/ Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA. The victory was the fourth of the season for the #48 Lowe's pit crew. They also picked up wins at Daytona, California, and Charlotte. Tony Stewart's, Elliott Sadler's and Kyle Busch's crews are tied for second place with two wins each. Johnson's team will be awarded the weekly $10,500 prize. An additional $105,000 will be presented to the pit crew with the most wins at the completion of the 36-race schedule. Johnson's over-the-wall crew, which spent only 109.657 seconds on pit road during the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup event, includes: Chris Anderson (jackman), Art Simmons (front-tire carrier), Mike Trower (front-tire changer), Ron Malec (rear-tire carrier), Tim Ladyga (rear-tire changer), Rich Gutierrez (gasman), Mike Knauer (catch can) and Sean Kerlin (eighth-man). The Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge is in its second season with the Nextel Cup Series. Checkers/Rally's is the Official Burger and Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR, more info at checkers.com.(DMF Communications PR)

June 27, 2006

• Haas pleads not guilty:  NASCAR team owner Gene Haas pleaded not guilty to charges of tax fraud and witness intimidation Monday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. Haas, who owns the Haas CNC Racing team with Nextel Cup driver Jeff Green and Busch Series driver Johnny Sauter, is accused of orchestrating a scheme, through the Haas Automation business he operates, that created approximately $50 million in bogus expenses to avoid paying more than $20 million in income taxes.  "We know this is going to be a long fight, but we feel that the government has been overzealous in pursuing this case," said Haas attorney Kenneth Barish in a statement last Friday when Haas was released on bail. "Mr. Haas looks forward to going home and going back to work running Haas Automation and his other businesses. (NASCAR Scene)

• VP Cheney to attend Pepsi 400: Vice President Dick Cheney will attend the 48th annual Pepsi 400 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race scheduled for Saturday, July 1, at historic Daytona International Speedway, Daytona International Speedway President Robin Braig announced. Vice President Cheney will speak to race fans during pre-race ceremonies for the mid-summer classic as well as meet NASCAR drivers, teams and executives during his visit to "The World Center of Racing." "We're honored that Vice President Cheney will visit Daytona International Speedway and participate in Pepsi 400 pre-race festivities," Braig said. "Vice President Cheney continues the tradition of high-profile elected officials that have visited the 'World Center of Racing'." In the 1984 Pepsi 400, the late President Ronald Reagan gave the starting command from Air Force One. Reagan, who became the first sitting President to attend a NASCAR race, witnessed Richard Petty earn his 200th NASCAR win. President George H.W. Bush attended the 1992 Pepsi 400 at Daytona International Speedway, and current President George W. Bush served as the Grand Marshal for the Pepsi 400 during his 2000 presidential campaign. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld attended last year's 2005 Pepsi 400. (Daytona International Speedway PR)

• NASCAR FOX Sonoma ratings match 2005: Fox's broadcast of Sunday's Dodge/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Nextel Cup race at Infineon Raceway earned a 4.6 overnight Nielsen Media Research rating and a 10 market share, matching 2005's numbers, Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Daily reports. (NASCAR Scene)

• Ward looking for '07 return: Ward Burton will be at Daytona International Speedway on Friday as a part of a ceremony honoring the past 10 winners of the Daytona 500. He hopes his next trip to NASCAR's crown jewel will be as a driver.  The 2002 Daytona 500 winner said Monday he is negotiating with two "established teams'' a return to the Nextel Cup Series that he hasn't been a part of since being fired by owner Gene Haas in 2004. One possibility is the No. 88 car of Robert Yates Racing that is open in 2007 because of Dale Jarrett's departure to the new Toyota team of Michael Waltrip Racing. "That would certainly be an opportunity if it came to fruition,'' Burton said. "It would pump me up. I'd be just excited as when I first made Cup in '94, maybe more so.'' Burton would not confirm discussions with RYR, but indicated his talks have been with owners of multi-car organizations which have struggled recently. (NASCAR.com)

• Lopez wins Wypall Race Award: Prior to this weekend’s Dodge/Save Mart 350, the No. 96 DLP HDTV team’s best finish was a 16th place run at Pocono Raceway, but thanks to a crafty pit strategy from crew chief Philippe Lopez, Terry Labonte left Infineon Raceway with a 3rd place finish to boot. Lopez’s day earned him the WYPALL® Wipers Crew Chief of the Race award. After starting 37th, Labonte worked his way into the top-25, but had trouble making up any additional ground on the leaders. Realizing that the opportunities to pass at the winding road course were few and far between, Lopez made the gutsy call to leave Labonte on the track following his pit stop on lap 60, which allowed him to inherit the lead. Lopez’s decision went against the grain, as all other competitors elected to come in for fuel at least one more time. Although few thought the No. 96 had enough fuel to go the distance, Labonte cruised his way to a top-five finish.  A panel of voters; including a member of the local media, Robbie Reiser and a WYPALL® Wipers representative; all cast their vote for Lopez as the crew chief that made the biggest impact to his team. “I didn’t think Terry (Labonte) had a chance of making it to the end,” said Reiser. “I thought for sure he was going to run out of fuel with two laps to go, but Philippe (Lopez) knew what his car was capable of, and coached his driver to go easy on the gas. It was a great strategy – they had a great car today, but might not have been able to get it into the top-five unless Philippe decided not to pit on the last round of stops.” For winning the Crew Chief of the Race award, WYPALL® Wipers presented Lopez $1,000. At the end of the season, the Nextel Cup crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000 and be crowned the WYPALL® Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. (SMC 500 PR)

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