NASCAR News June 9 - June 17, 2006

The News Below

• SMI's Smith honored as Carolina's Entrepreneur of the Year

• Kentucky /ISC suit will not affect '07 speedway schedule

• Sprint/Nextel Announcement expected

• More Yates #88 Changes

• Sadler looking for a way out?

• Lesa France to Christen new Goodyear Blimp

• J. Gordon to Co-host Regis and Kelly

• Budweiser/Earnhardt Legacy ads

• Former NFL Wide-out Brown, buys another team

• Jack Roush honored by Ford Motor Company

• Busch's Miler Lite Crew wins Drive-Thru Challenge

• C. Mears to Hendrick Motorsports Officially

• No Fear Racing to enter 4 Cup races

• Isaak to sing Infineon National Anthem

• Gibbs not fond of Stewart racing out Cup series

• Ganassi denies ESPN Wheldon story

• Boris Said test Evernham cars

• Petty looking for race sponsor

• Truex, to race truck race at MI.

• Jones in for Wimmer at Infineon

• Pocono 500 ratings down

• Budweiser awards watch for Bud Pole award

• New Earnhardt, documentary set for theaters and television

• New Spotter for Labonte

• Special fan gets opportunity to meet NASCAR hero

• Stewart OK after 500 miles at Pocono

• UPS to Evernham?

• Hamlin wins first career points race

• Danica talks about NASCAR money

• NASCAR weekend in Cali.

• Waltrip Racing continues relationship despite report

• UPS to Roush or Evernham

• Testing loophole

• Spencer says he still has it

• Mayfield to stay with Evernham through 2007

• Martin denies Internet Rumor

• Hamlin on the pole

• Team Red Bull: No Driver Signed yet

• COT design not final yet

• Fendler on Cope Ride at Pocono

NEXT Race/RaceCast: Find NEXTEL Cup Next race information, including television, practice, qualifying times and more, also radio coverage information.. During the race find GNEXTINC.com: RaceCast with running order, notes, and more..

June 17, 2006:

• SMI's Smith honored as Carolina's Entrepreneur of the Year: Bruton Smith, founder and chairman of Speedway Motorsports, Inc. and Sonic Automotive, Inc., was honored Thursday night as the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year in the Carolinas during a black-tie gala at The Westin hotel in Charlotte. Smith was selected from among 24 finalists by an independent judging panel comprised of area business, academic and civic leaders. "This is a tremendous honor and I accept it on behalf of our more than 16,000 employees who transform the vision into reality," Smith said. "I truly enjoy what I do everyday. This is not a job, it's not work. For me, it's fun." Smith is now eligible for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2006 national awards program. Winners in several national categories, as well as the overall winner, will be announced Nov. 18 in Palm Springs, Calif. Celebrating its 20th year, the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards program recognizes the leaders and visionaries who are creating and building world-class businesses. Awards are given to entrepreneurs who have demonstrated excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. (SMI PR)

• Kentucky /ISC suit will not affect '07 speedway schedule: The lawsuit filed last year by Kentucky Speedway accusing NASCAR and International Speedway Corporation of violating federal antitrust laws by illegally restricting the awarding of Nextel Cup races will not affect the track's 2007 racing schedule. Kentucky Speedway executive vice president and general manager Mark Cassis said Friday, and a NASCAR official confirmed, that the track has received sanctioning paperwork from NASCAR to hold a Busch Series race in June 2007 and a Craftsman Truck Series race in July 2007. "We're working through a couple of the particulars," Cassis said. "We are having no problems. (Cincinnati Enquirer)

• Sprint/Nextel Announcement expected: Sprint will, within a week or so, acknowledge a change in the name of NASCAR's top series for 2007, mandating Sprint Cup or Sprint/Nextel Cup. Sprint acquired the assets of its walkie-talkie rival last year and promised an eventual name change in order to make use of Nextel's top sports marketing property. (Speedtv.com)

• More Yates #88 Changes: At Michigan International Speedway for Sunday's 3M Performance 400, Labbe and his driver, Dale Jarrett, will have a new full-time car chief; while Labbe has an official right-hand man with the promotion of former car chief and fill-in crew chief, Jason Burdett, to assistant crew chief. "Jason's really smart," Labbe said. "When I got suspended, we moved Brian Dantinne up to car chief, so we're going to leave that the same and Jason's just going to help me, you know, be the assistant crew chief and be in my back pocket -- because he deserves that. (NASCAR.com)

• Sadler looking for a way out? Elliott Sadler has let it be known he isn't happy in the team's #38 car and appears to be looking for a way out, especially after teammate #88-Dale Jarrett accepted a Toyota pension for 2007, with Michael Waltrip. Where exactly Sadler would go is a question, although everyone who is anyone is churning in Toyota's rumor mill right now. (Speedtv.com)

• Lesa France to Christen new Goodyear Blimp: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company is proud to announce that Lesa France Kennedy, President of the International Speedway Corporation and a member of NASCAR's Board of Directors, will serve as the official christener for its newest blimp. France Kennedy, one of the most powerful and influential women in the automotive racing community and the sports business world, will join Lynn Keegan, wife of Goodyear Chairman and CEO Bob Keegan, to perform the traditional christening honors during a gala event held at Goodyear's Akron, Ohio airship operations base. The event will be held Wednesday morning, June 21. "I'm thrilled to be a part of this prestigious event and the storied history of Goodyear's airship program," said France Kennedy. "Like a lot of people across the country, I can't wait to see what the name of the new blimp will be." In front of what is expected to be a large audience, France Kennedy will officially christen Goodyear's newest airship by breaking a christening bottle on the craft's gondola. The christening ceremony is expected to attract more than 5,000 spectators, dignitaries, and Goodyear employees. (Goodyear Tire and Rubber PR)

• J. Gordon to Co-host Regis and Kelly: Jeff Gordon is scheduled to co-host the popular daytime talk show “Live with Regis and Kelly” on Tuesday, June 20. The four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and driver of the No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet will fill in for host Regis Philbin. “Live with Regis and Kelly” is in its 18th year of national syndication and continues to wake up millions of Americans each day. “Live with Regis and Kelly" is executive produced by Michael Gelman and has been distributed in national syndication by Buena Vista Television since 1988. Produced by WABC-TV in New York, Live with Regis and Kelly" airs in over 200 markets across the country. Check local listings for time and channel. (Performance PR Plus PR)

June 16, 2006:

• Budweiser/Earnhardt Legacy ads: Budweiser honors the Earnhardt family’s three generations of NASCAR success this Father’s Day with a “NASCAR History” ad showcasing imagery representing more than 50 years of the family’s racing legacy and Budweiser’s long-time support for auto racing. The 60-second ad will debut Friday on Budweiser.com, and will premiere on national television during Sunday’s broadcast of the 3M Performance 400 from Michigan International Speedway at 1pm/et on FOX. The spot melds black and white images of six-time NASCAR Sportsman Series champion Ralph Earnhardt racing a cream-colored 1955 Chevrolet, followed by the contrasting black #3 Goodwrench car of “The Intimidator,” Dale Earnhardt, a seven-time NASCAR series champion. Finally, the ad brings into the fold the #8 Budweiser car driven by NASCAR’s only third generation champion, Dale Earnhardt Jr., seamlessly relating how the Earnhardts, NASCAR and Budweiser have come a long way together over the past 50 years.  (Bud Racing/Fingerprint PR)

• Former NFL Wide-out Brown, buys another team: Victory Motorsports Racing, owned by former NFL All-Pro Wide Receiver, Terance Mathis, has acquired R&J Racing, car #37. This will be an addition to the #67 car that is already owned by Victory Motorsports Racing. The car will be driven by Carl Long, a veteran driver that has been in the NASCAR circuit for a number of years. The new Victory Motorsports Racing car will attempt to qualify at the 3M Performance 400 presented by Post-it Picture Paper, at the Michigan International Speedway, on the weekend of June 16, 2006. "I believe this will be an excellent opportunity for Victory Motorsports Racing to become a more competitive team. I have such a huge vision for this team, and this new acquisition doesn't do anything, but make that vision a reality. With having the skill and experience that accompanies such a veteran drive such as Carl Long, I'm ecstatic, having some like this on our team screams what we're all about - long time success," states Terance Mathis, Victory Motorsports Racing Team Owner. No sponsors for this team have yet been determined. For more information on Victory Motorsports Racing at victorymotorsportsllc.com. (Origins PR)

• Jack Roush honored by Ford Motor Company: Jack Roush received the highest honor Ford Motor Company can bestow on anyone in racing when he was presented with the Spirit of Ford Award in front of approximately 450 employees at Ford World Headquarters Thursday. Edsel B. Ford II made the presentation during a pep rally involving many of Ford's NASCAR drivers who will be competing in the Nextel Cup and Craftsman Truck Series races at Michigan International Speedway this weekend. Roush was hired as an engineer at Ford in 1964, but got the racing bug when he joined a group called 'The Fastbacks' two years later. The group was made up of Ford employees who competed in drag racing on weekends. Since then, Roush has won championships in all three of NASCAR's top divisions, including back-to-back Nextel Cup titles in 2003 and 2004. In addition, he has three Pro Stock drag racing championships, 24 road racing titles and 10 consecutive victories in the prestigious Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona. The Spirit of Ford Award goes to a person who has made significant contributions on and off the track to the sport of auto racing. Other stock car recipients of the Spirit of Ford Award include: Bud Moore, the Wood Brothers, Junie Donlavey, Bill Elliott, Richard Petty, the France family, and Ned Jarrett. (Ford Racing)

June 15, 2006:

• Busch's Miler Lite Crew wins Drive-Thru Challenge: By spending the least amount of time on pit road during Sunday’s NEXTEL Cup event at Pocono Raceway, Kurt Busch’s team earned its first Checkers®/Rally’s® Double Drive-Thru Challenge win of the seasonx. The No. 2 Miller Lite crew spent 193.228 seconds on pit lane, helping to advance Busch to a runner-up finish in the Pocono 500. “There was no better over-the-wall performance out there today than what my guys put together,” said Busch in post-race interviews. “They were second to none. They had me in and out at the front all day long. That last stop – they said it was something like a 12.3 (seconds) – that was pretty spectacular. That helped us get back up to second.” Busch’s over-the-wall crew includes: Ray Gallahan (jackman), Dave Littau (front-tire carrier), Jay Hackney (front-tire changer), Andy Brown (rear-tire carrier), Kevin Hebert (rear-tire changer), Chris Williams (gasman), Steve Williams (catch can) and Dustin Coonfield (windshield).  (Checkers Drive-In PR)

• C. Mears to Hendrick Motorsports Officially: Car owner Rick Hendrick today announced the signing of driver Casey Mears to pilot Hendrick Motorsports' #25 Chevys in the Nextel Cup Series beginning in 2007. Financial terms were not disclosed. Mears, 28, inked a multi-year agreement that will keep him with the team through at least the 2009 racing season. He will replace Brian Vickers, who is slated to complete the current schedule after being granted a release from contractual obligations to Hendrick Motorsports beyond 2006. "Casey is a talented driver and a high-character person who is going to be a great fit with our organization," Hendrick said. "He has the ability to win races and ultimately contend for championships, so we're thrilled to welcome him to Hendrick Motorsports." In the midst of his fourth full season, Mears has posted two pole positions, five top-five finishes and 21 top-10s on the NEXTEL Cup circuit. The Bakersfield, Calif., native kicked off the 2006 campaign with a career-best second-place performance in the Feb. 19 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, where on Jan. 29 he became the first full-time NASCAR driver to be part of a winning Grand American Rolex 24 team. "I'm committed to winning races and going after championships with the #25 team," said Mears, the son of legendary off-road racer Roger Mears and nephew of four-time Indianapolis 500 champion Rick Mears. "This is an opportunity for me to work with close friends and start fresh with one of the top organizations in all of sports. It's an exciting situation for me, both personally and professionally." (Hendrick Motorsports PR)

• No Fear Racing to enter 4 Cup races: No Fear Inc., the Carlsbad, California-based action sports lifestyle brand, will contest a four race schedule in the 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. To be named “No Fear Racing,” the team will be owned and operated by Mark Simo, Frank Stoddard and Boris Said. No Fear Racing will be based out of the company’s new east coast corporate headquarters in Concord, N.C. Located adjacent to the Roush Racing campus, the new team will receive technical support, motors and cars from Roush Racing. Sponsorship will come in the form of No Fear’s highly successful energy drink, SoBe No Fear. Driving the No. 60 No Fear Ford Fusion throughout the four race schedule will be NASCAR Nextel Cup and Busch Grand National veteran driver Boris Said. No Fear Racing will debut at the Dodge/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway the weekend of June 24-25. Six days later, No Fear Racing will compete in the Pepsi 400 at Daytona International Speedway. On August 6, the No Fear Ford Fusion will race in the Allstate 400 at The Brickyard, and a week later, at the Sirius Satellite Radio at The Glen. (No Fear Racing)

June 14, 2006:

• Isaak to sing Infineon National Anthem: There will be more than just the roar of NASCAR NEXTEL Cup stock cars to keep race fans entertained at the Dodge/Save Mart 350 on Sunday, June 25, at Infineon Raceway. National recording artist and Northern California native Chris Isaak will not only sing the national anthem, he will also give a short performance in front of the main grandstand prior to the green flag being dropped for the Dodge/Save Mart 350. Isaak, a Stockton native, is best known for his hit single “Wicked Game,” which became a top-10 hit in 1991 and helped launch his career, which has included several albums. His latest effort, “The Best of Chris Isaak CD,” was released in May. Isaak will entertain the crowd on Sunday of race weekend with a mini-concert that is expected to span approximately 20 minutes. He will then conclude pre-event ceremonies by singing the national anthem. (Infineon Raceway PR)

• Gibbs not fond of Stewart racing out Cup series: Car owner Joe Gibbs says he won't keep Tony Stewart from running in races other than Nextel Cup events, but Gibbs is not fond of the practice as his driver recovers from a broken shoulder blade. Stewart's injury was discovered after he crashed in last month's Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. The incident happened a night after Stewart wrecked in the Busch race. A doctor cleared Stewart after the Busch incident, but Stewart favored his right shoulder before the Cup race. Gibbs is sensitive to his Cup drivers competing in other events. Bobby Labonte broke his shoulder blade in a Busch crash at Darlington in 1999. Labonte didn't return to that series the rest of the year. Gibbs says he's talked to Stewart about the driver's racing schedule. "I think for younger guys that have a chance maybe to up their careers and want laps and all that, that's one set of circumstances,'' said Gibbs, who has Cup rookies Denny Hamlin and J.J. Yeley, both driving full time in the Busch series. "For Tony, it's different. "He can drive anything. He doesn't need laps. I know he loves it. We did limit a lot of things he's done. He's worked with us on that. He's got a lot to lose. He's got contracts that pay him a lot of money.'' (Roanoke Times)

• Ganassi denies ESPN Wheldon story: Car owner Chip Ganassi, who has an unexpected hole to fill on his NASCAR team, said Tuesday that IRL driver Dan Wheldon is not a candidate to replace Casey Mears. "There is no story here," Ganassi said. "Dan has a commitment to Target right now to drive an Indy car and that's where he'll stay." Wheldon, who won both the IndyCar Series championship and the Indianapolis 500 last year, is in his first season driving for Ganassi's open wheel team. His name has been popping up as a possible replacement for Mears, who told Ganassi last week he is leaving when his contract expires at the end of the season. (ThatsRacin.com)

• Boris Said test Evernham cars: Said spent Tuesday testing with all three Evernham Cup series drivers on the road course at VIR {Virginia International Raceway} in preparation for the upcoming NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race at Infineon Raceway. (Evernham Motorsports)

• Petty looking for race sponsor: Petty Enterprises continues to look for sponsorship of Kyle Petty's car for races at Chicago, New Hampshire, Phoenix and Homestead. (Times-Dispatch)

• Truex, to race truck race at MI.: #1-Martin Truex, Jr. will be competing in both the Craftsman Truck Series event on Saturday, as well Sunday's NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway. Truex's weekend starts with Saturday's Con-way Freight 200. The two-time defending Busch Series champion will be competing in the Billy Ballew Motorsports #51 Chevy truck. (DEI PR)

• Jones in for Wimmer at Infineon: Morgan-McClure Motorsports announced Tuesday that P.J. Jones will drive for Scott Wimmer at Infineon Raceway later this month. (Roanoke Times)

June 13, 2006:

• Pocono 500 ratings down:  Fox's broadcast of Sunday's Pocono 500 at Pocono Raceway earned 4.6 overnight rating and an 11 market share from Nielsen Media Research, Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Daily reports. The rating is 9.8 percent lower than the 5.1/12 Fox drew overnight for the June Pocono race last year. (NASCAR Scene Daily)

• Budweiser awards watch for Bud Pole award: Winning the Budweiser Pole Award at a NASCAR Nextel Cup event is based upon a very simple theory: complete a lap in less time than any other driver. To emphasize the essence of time, Anheuser-Busch will award a Tissot PRS 516 Valjoux NASCAR limited-edition watch to each driver who wins a Bud Pole Award in 2006. This unique timepiece is limited to 500 pieces worldwide. The watch features a Valjoux chronograph movement, stainless steel case, carbon dial, black leather strap and an engraved NASCAR logo on the open case back. Bud Pole Award winners will continue to receive a $5,200 bonus from Anheuser-Busch and secure a spot in the season-opening 2007 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona. The driver who wins the most Bud Pole Awards during the 2006 season will also receive a check for $100,000 from Anheuser-Busch at the season-ending Nextel Cup banquet in New York. (Budweiser Racing PR)

June 12, 2006:

• New Earnhardt, documentary set for theaters and television: NASCAR Images and CMT Films are teaming up to produce "Dale," the first authorized documentary about the late racing icon Dale Earnhardt, to be released theatrically early next year. Narrated by Paul Newman, the film will enjoy a unique rollout, opening in select cities on the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series circuit beginning in February, which coincides with the start of the 2007 Nextel Cup season. "Dale" will then air on cable channel Country Music Television in the third quarter of 2007 and will be released on DVD following the CMT premiere. The film will include archival race footage, rare outtakes, never-before-seen home videos and interviews with Earnhardt's friends, family, competitors and fans.  (Reuters)

• New Spotter for Labonte: Eddie d’Hondt, recently released as general manager at Robert Yates Racing, has landed at Petty Enterprisers, where he is working as a spotter for #43-Bobby Labonte. (SpeedTV)

• Special fan gets opportunity to meet NASCAR hero: Eleven-year-old Codey Buzzard can usually talk up a storm. But when the Quick youngster met his NASCAR hero a couple of weekends ago, he had a case of the clam ups. With help from the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Codey got his wish fulfilled last weekend in Dover, Del., by meeting Dale Earnhardt Jr. at the NASCAR Neighborhood Excellence 400. Though Earnhardt came up 10th in the race, his finish didn't damper Codey's spirit. He came away from Delaware with 15 pieces of autographed memorabilia and the actual lug nuts from the winning cars, driven by Matt Kenseth and Jamie McMurray. Codey mingled with Earnhardt in the pit for about 30 minutes before the race, and the Elk Elementary Center student finally warmed up to him after the driver sparked a conversation about PlayStation2. The boy then asked Earnhardt to at least beat Jeff Gordon. Codey has a rare disease called hypomelanosis of Ito, which causes areas of the skin to lack pigment. Codey was born with the disease, which is often seen as just a symptom of other disorders because it causes other birth defects. Codey's mother, Daralene Martin, says Codey also has moderate retardation and experiences seizures. His mother had e-mailed the Make-A-Wish Foundation, who forwarded the request to NASCAR. (Charleston Daily Mail)

• Stewart OK after 500 miles at Pocono: Tony Stewart is done talking about his injured shoulder. With his gutty third-place finish in Sunday's Pocono 500, the defending NASCAR champ showed he can drive as well with one bum shoulder as he can with two good ones. Stewart felt no soreness and said he felt close to full strength after driving all 500 miles two weeks after he broke his right shoulder blade at Lowe's Motor Speedway. "I feel like I could run another 500-mile race right now and still feel the same," he said. (Star-Telegram)

• UPS to Evernham? It appears UPS is still in play as a major sponsor. In the past two years the winner in the sponsor hunt has been Evernham Motorsports. UPS may add itself to the list of Evernham conquests signing as the primary sponsor of the No. 9 Dodge driven by Kasey Kahne. Then again, it is said the Dodge Dealers aren't willing to vacate their position on Kahne's ride. The dealers might be willing to let loose of the No. 19 driven by Jeremy Mayfield. However, it’s not clear Mayfield would be the driver of choice for UPS. (CircleTrackPlus.com)

June 11, 2006:

• Hamlin wins first career points race: No one can say Denny Hamlin didn't earn his first Nextel Cup Series victory. His victory in Sunday's Pocono 500 at Pocono Raceway was accomplished as much by how he performed on the track as off of it. Hamlin, the pole-winner, led 49 of the first 50 laps and his No. 11 Chevrolet by far the fastest on the track when he cut a right-rear tire on Lap 52, which sent him spinning into the infield grass. He managed to stay off the wall, rolled over some dips in the grass before finally straightening out on the pit road access road. After extensive repairs, Hamlin still remained on the lead lap and worked his way back to the front, the final time taking the lead with 23 of 200 laps remaining. He then held off Kurt Busch by 1.328 seconds for the win. (Charlotte Observer - Results - Points)

• Danica talks about NASCAR money: Danica Patrick doesn't want to go to NASCAR. Too many races, too much to learn, too many demands, etc. But in the end, it's all about the money. And Patrick knows all too well that NASCAR has most of it.   "Obviously, one of the big draws with NASCAR is money," Patrick said. "You can make a lot of money. It's a much bigger schedule, but again, they make that much more money. At some point in time, you have to think about that." (Dallas Morning News) Previously in May on ESPN SportsCenter's Budweiser Hot Seat, Patrick noted she has to be offered before she can think about it a NEXTEL Cup ride.

• NASCAR weekend in Cali.: Politics will be replaced by the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series on the floor of the California State Legislature in Sacramento on Thursday, June 22. Assemblyman Doug LaMalfa, who represents the 2nd District in California and is an avid NASCAR fan, will be joined by popular NASCAR FOX television analyst Larry McReynolds and Infineon Raceway President and General Manager Steve Page in an official proclamation of “NASCAR Weekend at Infineon Raceway.” This marks the first-ever statewide NASCAR weekend proclamation in California, and comes in advance of the Dodge/Save Mart 350 in the Sonoma Valley, June 23-25. It will be NASCAR’s 18th consecutive visit to Infineon Raceway. Assemblyman LaMalfa (R-Richvale) has attended NASCAR events at Infineon Raceway in past years and believes the proclamation is long overdue as the popularity of NASCAR surges in the Golden State. (Infineon Raceway PR)

• Waltrip Racing continues relationship despite report: "I think a lot of people got confused when we took the opportunity to move our NEXTEL Cup operation down the road to Jimmy Spencer's old shop," said Waltrip. "We saw an opportunity to give Larry Carter and his team working on the Burger King Chevrolets, a location that allows them to stay totally focused on preparing for our upcoming five Cup races with Bill Elliott in 2006. Our Busch Series program, along with our Marketing, Licensing and Business Affairs departments remain at Fitz-Bradshaw in Mooresville, NC. Last Fall we partnered with Armando Fitz for the entire 2006 season and that won't change." While everything is status-quo with Waltrip's 2006 programs, there is eager anticipation for 2007. In just a few weeks, the first phase of Waltrip Racing World will open for Toyota's entry into the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series. Waltrip Racing World, scheduled to open to the public mid 2007, is a fan destination complete with entertainment and interactive experiences. It will also house all of Michael Waltrip Racing's Toyota backed teams. "Phase One of Waltrip Racing World is essentially our fabrication and manufacturing facility," Waltrip said. "In some ways it could be viewed as the heart and soul of our entire campus. Our first Toyota Camry was completed last week and we will build many more at the new location. This building is exclusively dedicated to the preparation, testing, development and eventually racing of our 2007 Camry's." (MWR PR)

June 10, 2006:

• UPS to Roush or Evernham: On the sponsor front, sources in the garage indicate that UPS will be moving from Robert Yates Racing to one of two teams in 2007, either the No. 9 Evernham Motorsports Dodge Charger driven by Kasey Kahne or the No. 16 Roush Racing Ford Fusion driven by Greg Biffle. RYR will replace UPS with CitiFinancial, its current Busch Series sponsor, sources said.  (Speedtv)

• Testing loophole: NASCAR this season limited Nextel Cup testing to six tracks on which the series competes. So how did four Cup drivers test at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., last week? Well, Carl Edwards and Reed Sorenson tested Busch Series cars on the track. But Infineon has no Busch Series race. NASCAR officials said Friday that they don't condone using Busch cars to test on Cup tracks, but they have no penalty for it. Kyle Busch also tested at the track. The type of car he used could not be confirmed Friday. (Charlotte Oberserver)

• Spencer says he still has it: Jimmy Spencer doesn’t know what his future holds. He does know his next full-time ride with a NASCAR Nextel Cup team is going to have to be with a team that wants to win and for an owner that still believes he can be a contender. “I’m 49 years old, man,” the Berwick native and 20-plus year NASCAR veteran said Friday after his first-round practice session for tomorrow’s Pocono 500 at Pocono International Raceway. “I think I can still run in the top 10 and contend for wins. I really, really do. But is there a car owner out there that thinks I can do that? Is there an owner out there that can say, ‘He’s done it in the past but can he keep it up?’ I think you just have to put a sales pitch on it.” (Timesleader)

• Mayfield to stay with Evernham through 2007: Jeremy Mayfield clarified his contract status, pointing out that he has no plans to move on since he is signed with Evernham Motorsports through 2007. Mayfield, dogged by rumors that he's in the mix for several open NASCAR Nextel Cup rides, has repeatedly stated that he's planning to continue building his team this season. But it wasn't until Friday that he outlined the contract that he plans to honor.  "Right now I've got a contract with Ray through this year and next year and hopefully two more years after that. That's what my intentions are, to finish this deal out and do the best we can. "I know a lot of stuff is going on right now in the rumors about different drivers, but hopefully we're not one of them." Mayfield said. (SceneDaily.com)

• Martin denies Internet Rumor: Mark Martin said Friday he has no interest in buying Robert Yates Racing, as was reported on an Internet web site earlier this week. “I don’t know where that came from,” Martin said. “There haven’t been any discussions about it. I learned last year to never say ‘never.’ And I have said never would I own one of these teams. At the same time, would I think about it? I don’t know. I can tell you this much: There has been no discussion or no thought from me at all … that’s not on my radar screen.” (Speedtv)

June 9, 2006:

• Hamlin on the pole: Rookie Denny Hamlin hadn't driven a lap at Pocono prior to Friday's practice, but that didn't stop him from grabbing the pole for the Pocono 500 with a lap of 169.638 mph. "I had not seen the race track until about 16 hours ago," said Hamlin, who won his first pole last year at Phoenix. "I have a racing game that simulates all the tracks and I got on that pretty much all week." Hamlin said he also tucked in behind veteran driver Mark Martin in practice, looking to get a feel for the 2½-mile triangular track. Kurt Busch was second-fastest, running 169.485. (USA Today)

• Team Red Bull: No Driver Signed yet: There's been speculation that Vickers might drive a Toyota for Team Red Bull next season. Team Red Bull general manager Marty Gaunt indicated in an e-mail that there's no deal yet with any driver. "Frankly, it is flattering to have this much interest in our new program, but the reality is that the driver search is still very open right now," Gaunt said. (AJC)

• COT design not final yet: NASCAR’s “Car of Tomorrow” is still not finished, according to multiple sources in the NASCAR Nextel Cup garage. Within the next two weeks, General Motors will be wind-tunnel testing a new version of the COT, with different sides and new tail section. Some manufacturers had complained that the radical design does not look enough like existing production cars, which may be responsible for the change. Sources said the COT’S chassis specs will not be changed, just the body. But that likely will mean substantial additional testing is needed prior to the design being finalized. The ongoing development work on the car means that NASCAR will push back its submission date for the car, sources told SPEEDTV.com. Typically, the final design date for any new car is July 1, so teams ordinarily would have to submit their 2007 Nextel Cup cars by July 1, 2006.  (Speedtv.com)

• Fendler on Cope Ride at Pocono: McGlynn Racing and Derrike Cope are pleased to welcome Fendler and Associates, a personal injury law firm, as an associate sponsor of the team at Pocono. Fendler and Associates has sponsored the McGlynn team in past Pocono efforts and will be on the #74 for both Pocono races this year. "I have known Steve for years and consider him a good friend. Like any team, we are always looking for new sponsors and we are thrilled when we are able to help a Pennsylvania-based company receive some great exposure," said Ray McGlynn, owner of McGlynn Racing.  (McGlynn Racing PR)

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