April 3, 2005

• All-Star Racing Voting Online: Nextel announced a new program that will allow fans to vote for a driver to compete in the NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge. Voting begins Sunday at www.Nextel.com/allstar. Fans also can vote through their Nextel phones by text messaging STAR to 7827. Fans can choose one driver among the top 35 in points to compete in the all-star race May21 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Fans participating will automatically be entered for a chance to win $50,000 and a fan VIP package. (Richmond Times Dispatch)

• NASCAR's St. Dale: Southern writer Sharyn McCrumb has devised an unusual and ambitious approach to the world of NASCAR. The premise of her new novel, St. Dale, is that, following his death, Dale Earnhardt has become a secular saint who makes appearances when necessary and performs the minor miracle here or there. Similar to the fans who have Elvis sightings, McCrumb's characters have Dale encounters.  (SunSentinel)

• Martin Eyeing Young: Remember the name Joey Logano. No less an authority than Mark Martin says he is going to be a big star in NASCAR.  What makes that forecast remarkable is that Logano is 14 years old.  ''All I can tell you is that I could put him in my (Nextel Cup) car right now and he could win races,'' said Martin, the longtime Roush Racing star. ''He's got amazing talent.''  Martin first saw Logano race as a 12-year-old against his son, Matt. The elder Martin has since become the youngster's mentor, put him in a Cup car for a test earlier this year at Atlanta Motor Speedway and hooked Logano up with team owner Jack Roush.  Logano drove one of Martin's 2004 Fords around the 1 -mile Atlanta oval at speeds above 190 mph. (Jackson Sun)

• More on NASCAR and Steroids: Steroids in NASCAR? The governing body says performance-enhancing drugs are not an issue in Nextel Cup or its other series, but an expert in the field speaks to the contrary. “There’s a lot of money involved in NASCAR,” said Charles E. Yesalis, a Penn State health policy professor and sports-drug expert who has testified about steroids on Capital Hill. “Anybody that thinks people in one sport are more honest than another sport are just plane naive.”  Yesalis said NASCAR, which does not have a mandatory drug testing policy, would be smart to turn its entire testing program over to the World Anti-Doping Agency to avoid the scrutiny other sports are under. “I doubt they have a huge problem, but it would deter one if they did,” he said.  Yesalis, who will be at Bristol Motor Speedway for today’s Nextel Cup race, said steroid use in NASCAR likely would come with pit crew members that require strength, speed and agility. He said steroids would have little if no impact on a driver’s performance. (TheState)

April 2, 2005

• NASCAR Steroids not a Issue: The House Committee on Government Reform sent a letter to NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue this week asking the league to submit information on its steroid testing policies. Major League Baseball has already gone before Congress, and the panel is expected to question the NBA, NCAA, the NHL and other major sports. But NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said he thinks the stock car series is safe. "We don't think that steroids are an issue in this sport," Poston said. There is currently no drug-testing plan for drivers or crew members in NASCAR, but the sanctioning body is allowed to test if there is reasonable suspicion. (FoxSports)

• Richmond Testing: Testing, One, Two, Three: An update on drivers scheduled to test at Richmond International Raceway prior to the FUNAI 250 NASCAR Busch Series race on Friday May 13 and the Chevy American Revolution 400 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race on Saturday, May 14: April 5-6: Justin Labonte #44 NBS; Michel Jourdain #10 NBS; Kenny Wallace #22 NBS April 26: Bobby Hamilton Jr. #32 NNCS  May 2: Carl Edwards, #60 NBS May 3: Kasey Kahne #9 NNCS; Sterling Marlin #40 NNCS; Jamie McMurray #42 NNCS; Ricky Rudd #21 NNCS; Rusty Wallace #2 NNCS; Scott Riggs #10 NNCS; Jeff Green #43 NNCS; Carl Edwards #60 NBS; Reed Sorenson #41 NBS  May 4: Rusty Wallace #2 NNCS (RIR PR)

• Earnhardt, Jr. DEI at risk "Becoming Another Company":  But he does not want it to be the beginning of a decline in the team's status among the elite of NASCAR. In a way, that would be letting down his father, Dale Earnhardt, who began the team and brought it to prominence before he died in a crash at the Daytona 500 in 2001. Citing his father's values and views, Earnhardt Jr. said it is up to "all these people to maintain that vision and that direction. And if we don't and we let it fade and the importance of it and the greatness of it's gone, then it becomes just another company. ''We want people to remember the impact that he had on the sport, and we want the company to have the same impact." (NY Times/DFW.com)

• Former McClure Crew Chief Suing: Tim Brewer, former general manager and crew chief for Morgan-McClure Motorsports has retained counsel and is expected to file suit next week against his former employer. Brewer will bring suit against Morgan-McClure for breach of contract and wrongful termination and seek a "substantial sum" in compensation, according to a press release issued Friday by Conway Law Firm, P.L.L.C. The Conway Law Firm is based in Abingdon, Va., also home to Morgan-McClure Motorsports. The firm specializes in civil and criminal litigation, personal injury, medical malpractice, wrongful death, products liability, workers' compensation and collections. (ThatsRacin)

• NASCAR Greats Honored: Legends Plaza, the latest addition to the Bristol Motor Speedway complex, pays homage to some of racing’s biggest names. The permanent display, in front of the Bruton Smith office building, features large brass plaques mounted on pre-cast concrete bases. The display honors former Bristol winners like the late Dale Earnhardt and Alan Kulwicki as well as 12-time winner Darrell Waltrip, Richard Petty, the Allison family, Junior Johnson, Cale Yarborough and David Pearson.(Bristol Herald Courier)

• Childress on the #29 box at Bristol: #29 team owner, Richard Childress is reasserting himself to the team. He will be on Kevin Harvick's pit box tomorrow for the Food City 500, helping interim crew chief Scott Miller, the first time Childress has been on a pit box for a race since the 2001 season.(Richmond Times Dispatch)

• Georgia's ‘Bill Elliott Day’ gets approval: The Georgia General Assembly has decided the state needs to pay tribute annually to native son and race car great Bill Elliott. Legislation won final approval Thursday for an annual “Bill Elliott Day in Georgia” on Oct. 8. Here’s what lawmakers said about Elliott: “The General Assembly finds that a Georgia family’s proud tradition of racing began in Dawsonville, Georgia, under the tutelage and guiding hand of George Elliott.( Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

April 1, 2005

• NASCAR Likely to be Called to Congress: The congressional panel that held high-profile hearings on steroids in Major League Baseball is broadening its investigation to virtually all sports, starting with the NFL.  The GOP chairman and ranking Democrat on the House Committee on Government Reform sent a letter Thursday to NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, asking that the league submit detailed information on its steroid testing policies and practices by the end of next week.  Similar letters will go out as early as Monday to the NBA, the NCAA, the National Hockey League, USA Track and Field, Major League Soccer and other leagues.  There's "a good chance" the inquiry will also include NASCAR, said Robert White, spokesman for committee chairman Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va. (The State)

• New Cup Name in 2006:  It may have taken more than a year, but most NASCAR race fans have gotten used to the name change that took place at the beginning of 2004 when Nextel took over as the NASCAR Cup Series' primary sponsor. But, don't start getting too used to the Nextel Cup logo because thanks to the impending merger of Nextel and Sprint, next season race fans will have to try to remember a brand new sponsorship name and logo. Corporate leaders from Nextel and Sprint are currently sitting behind closed doors trying to decide - among other things - what to call NASCAR's premier touring division in 2006.  Nextel Director of Corporate Communications Mike Mooney said Thursday the merger won't have anything but a positive effect on NASCAR Nextel Cup racing, except for causing fans to have to get used to a new sponsorship name for the second time in three years. ..."The Sprint folks are very supportive and enthusiastic of the NASCAR program, and in fact Sprint was a primary sponsor of Petty Enterprises for a number of years, so they understand the value of NASCAR," Mooney said. "Right now there are a lot of people doing brand studies on the name, but there hasn't been anything formally announced. There won't be any new name for the series in 2005, but I would imagine the new name in 2006 will reflect where the new company is heading. "At the end of the day, we want fans to recognize that regardless of the name, the people are still here and still committed to racing. Even if the name changes, the sport stays the same." (The Kingsport Times-News)

• TEXAS Frontstretch Sold Out: It took race fans a mere eight minutes Thursday morning to purchase the special allocation of 322 frontstretch grandstand tickets for the April 17 Samsung/RadioShack 500 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway.  Texas Motor Speedway’s corporate partners returned the 322 tickets so that race fans would have the opportunity to purchase the prime seat locations. The tickets went on sale at 9 a.m. Central Time and were spoken for by 9:08 a.m. Central Time. “Race fans just can’t wait for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup stars to come to Texas,” Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage said. “We appreciate our corporate friends that made these tickets available so that 322 of our fans would have the opportunity to watch the world’s greatest stock car drivers.”  For those fans still yearning to attend the April 14-17 race weekend, there still remain opportunities to secure a seat. A very limited amount of 2005 Texas Motor Speedway season tickets are still available. Season tickets offer fans the same frontstretch seat for the entire race season. (TMS PR)

• 10 Million Votes in Most Popular Driver: The 10 millionth vote has been cast. Since General Mills began sponsoring the Chex NMPA NASCAR Most Popular Driver Award at the beginning of the 2002 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series season, more than 10 million votes have now been made by fans throughout the world. Fans vote at www.mostpopulardriver.com for the only fan-based official award in motorsports. “Considering the most votes in a single season prior to 2002 was 400,000, reaching 10 million votes in just over three years is pretty remarkable,” said Bob Moore, president of the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA), which administer the award for NASCAR. “That might be reason enough to throw a celebration party and, of course, make Chex Party Mix.”  A record 750,000 votes have already been cast this season, well ahead of last year’s pace. Dale Earnhardt, Jr., who has won the award the past two years, leads so far. Jeff Gordon is second, followed by Kasey Kahne, Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart. Rounding out the top 10 are Michael Waltrip, Rusty Wallace, Dale Jarrett, Mark Martin and Jimmie Johnson. Voting for the more than 40 drivers eligible for the Chex NMPA NASCAR Most Popular Driver Award, the only fan-based award in motorsports, began Tuesday, Feb. 1, at www.mostpopulardriver.com and continues through 11:59 a.m. CST, Monday, Nov. 21. Fans may vote once each day at the site. (Chex NASCAR PR)

• Phoenix Takes Fans Behind the Scenes: Phoenix International Raceway, in conjunction with Nextel and FOX 10 Arizona, will host NASCAR 101, a behind the scenes look at the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. The question and answer session will feature FOX network analyst Larry McReynolds, 1989 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Champion Rusty Wallace and NASCAR Busch Series driver J.J. Yeley. Everyone at the event will have the chance to learn about NASCAR, the cars and how the sport has grown over the years from some of the men who actually live it week after week. Fans will also have the rare chance to see and have photos taken with the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Trophy, which will be displayed before, during and after the show.  (PIR PR)

• PIR Tickets Still Available and Start Time: Reserved grandstand seating is still available for the NASCAR Nextel Cup race April 23 at Phoenix International Raceway, track president Bryan R. Sperber said. "We’ve got a few left," he said. "I fully anticipate the race will be sold out by the time we get to race week."  The Subway Fresh 500, the first of two Nextel Cup races at PIR this season, will be run on a Saturday, starting late in the afternoon and finishing under the lights.  Also, the official starting time for the April 23 Subway Fresh 500 remains up in the air. Television coverage on Ch. 10 is set to start at 4:30 p.m., but Fox TV folks have yet to indicate if the race will start at 4:55 p.m., 5:20 p.m. or some time between. PIR officials favor starting the race as late as possible in order to run as much of it in the dark under the track’s new $5 million lighting system. More Information at www.phoenixraceway.com.

• SMI and UPS Partnership: UPS announced today that it has entered into a new partnership with Speedway Motorsports, Inc., (SMI) to become an exclusive track sponsor of Bristol Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway.  This new partnership is introduced on the heels of an earlier announcement in regards to UPS's new relationships with California Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway and Richmond International Raceway. The addition of Bristol and Texas to the UPS family of race tracks that has also included Daytona International Speedway since 2001 provides UPS with a presence at a variety of geographic locations visited by the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series.  "Our new partnership with UPS is a natural fit," said Jeff Byrd, President and General Manager of Bristol Motor Speedway. "We have used UPS at BMS for sending our passes to our suite and hospitality customers for several years now. Formalizing this relationship with UPS validates to our fans what we have known all along. If you need to send something important and timely delivery is critical, send it UPS."  "We are excited about our new corporate partnership with UPS," said Eddie Gossage, President of Texas Motor Speedway. "UPS is the leader in the shipping and logistics industry and a great supporter of motorsports. We are thrilled about having The Big Brown Truck on our team at Texas Motor Speedway." (UPS PR)

March 31, 2005

• Earnhardt, Jr. Tests in Martinsville and Optimistic: During a test at Martinsville Speedway Tuesday, Earnhardt said part of the problems with his team can be traced to the rule changes mandated by NASCAR this season and the inability of his team to adapt quickly. The popularity of Dale Jr. continues to grow despite his current struggles. This week, Earnhardt’s face adorns the cover of Speedway Illustrated along with the splashy premier edition of "Racing Fan." Martin Truex, Jr., a championship-winning driver for Earnhardt’s Chance 2 Motorsports team in the Busch Series, said the attitude of Dale Earnhardt, Inc. team members remains upbeat despite the recent struggles. "Their spirits are staying high," Truex said. "They realize that it’s going to take a little bit of time to get their stuff straightened out. They just started working together.  "Junior’s actually been pretty happy the way his cars have been running. They just haven’t seemed to be good at the start of the races." (TriCities)

• Tracey to NASCAR in 2006? THE 20TH edition of the Toronto Molson Indy could be the final one for Paul Tracy -- a two-time winner of his hometown race -- in the Champ Car World Series. Tracy, 36, told The Toronto Sun yesterday that if NASCAR comes to Canada in 2006, he wants to be part of that series. Tracy's Champ Car contract with Forsythe Championship Racing ends this season and he said he wants to explore other avenues. "I haven't got any irons in the fire so to speak," Tracy said yesterday while in Toronto to help promote this year's Molson Indy race. "(But) there are a lot of things happening in Canada right now with NASCAR."  (Toronto Sun)

• No Smoking at Bristol: Bristol Motor Speedway, the state's largest sports facility (160,000 seats), has announced starting with this weekend's races it will be smoke-free. Smoking will be banned from all indoor portions of the track, including the private luxury suites that surround the giant facility. Smokers will be required to go outside the track or on the open-air concourse level.(Tennessean)

• Goodyear Tire Testing and Lowe's: Goodyear has had tire issues this season, to say the least, so give the company credit for testing different combinations with Joe Nemechek last week on Lowe’s Motor Speedway’s new surface. Nemechek, after running laps that threatened Ryan Newman’s track record of 188.877 mph, told reporters the new surface will promote “more side-by-side racing.” The grinding of the track smoothed the bumps out of Turn 4. (FortWayne)

• Texas NASCAR Testing: Eight NASCAR teams maintained the beehive of activity at "The Great American Speedway" Tuesday and Wednesday preparing for the upcoming Samsung/RadioShack 500 race week. The flurry of testing activity marks the second straight week NASCAR teams trekked to Texas in search of speed.  Drivers putting their NEXTEL Cup machinery through the paces were Bill Elliott, 16-time NASCAR Cup Series Most Popular Driver; Kasey Kahne, 2004 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Raybestos Rookie of  the Year; Boris Said and Robby Gordon.  Busch Series teams included defending champion Martin Truex Jr.; 2003 O'Reilly 300 winner Joe Nemechek; Paul Menard and Brandon Miller.  Wednesday's speeds: NEXTEL Cup: Elliott, 188.416 mph; Said, 187.500 mph; Kahne, 186.657 mph.  Busch: Nemechek, 185.886 mph; Menard, 182.432 mph, Truex and Miller, no speed reported.  Miller was uninjured after late afternoon contact with the turn four wall.  Tuesday's speeds: NEXTEL Cup: Gordon, 189.474 mph; Kahne, 186.981 mph; Said, 186.207 mph; Elliott, 185.440 mph.  Busch: Truex, 185.249 mph; Nemechek, 184.300 mph; Miller, 183.175 mph; Menard, 182.432 mph.  Kahne was not injured after making contact with the second turn wall in the morning. More Texas Samung Radio Shack Information at http://www.texasmotorspeedway.com (Texas Motor Speedway PR)

• Haas Sponsorship: Camarillo, CA- DP Technology Corp. just completed signing a two-year Motorsports Sponsorship Agreement with Haas CNC Racing, owned by Haas Automation, Inc., that will last through the end of the 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup season. This sponsorship, with the NetZero team, marks the seventh NASCAR Nextel Cup team currently using ESPRIT in their racing programs. Other teams DP sponsors include, Dale Earnhardt Incorporated, Penski Racing and PPI Motorsports.  As a part of the collaboration and sponsorship agreement, DP Technology will provide Haas CNC Racing with ESPRIT licenses for use on Haas CNC machines in their racing program.  “Haas CNC Racing is excited about entering a new partnership with ESPRIT,” said Carl Cline, Marketing Manager of Haas CNC Racing. “With the ever changing challenges of producing racing parts and trying to stay on the leading edge of technology, ESPRIT’s compatibility with major CAD programs will save us valuable programming time. ESPRIT will allow us to deal with these changes easier and faster.”  DP Technology executives also agree that the partnership is a step in the right direction.  “We believe the new relationship will provide a great platform for advancing ESPRIT’s capabilities on Haas Machines in high tech applications,” said DP Technology’s Chief Financial Officer, Bill Haas (no relation to Haas Automation, Inc.).   Look for the ESPRIT logo on the NetZero, #0 car driven by Mike Bliss, currently ranked 15th in the Nextel cup standings this season.  visit the company web site at www.dptechnology.com.(DP Tech PR)

• Schrader Racing DIRT in Texas: NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series veteran Ken Schrader will return to the Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track Saturday night, April 16 for the NGK Spark Plugs Shootout featuring the O'Reilly Southern United Professional Racing (SUPR) late models.  Schrader will be seeking the $10,000 winner's prize at the end of the 50-lap feature around the 4/10-mile clay oval.  The event is the richest in the 16-year history of the O'Reilly SUPR Late Model Series and is the first time the organization has competed at the Dirt Track during the Samsung/RadioShack 500 weekend.  Schrader battled 61 other late model drivers during his first 2005 visit to the Dirt Track March 4-5 for the Pro-Cuts Texas World Dirt Track Championship.  The frequent dirt track competitor and owner of Missouri's I-55 Raceway sustained front suspension damage when forced into the infield in the opening night program.  Schrader returned to finish sixth in the March 5 feature. http://www.texasmotorspeedway.com (Texas Motor Speedway PR)

• Final Atlanta Ratings: Final Nielsen Media Research figures show that Fox's broadcast of the March 20 Golden Corral 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway drew a 5.5 rating and a 13 share, today's Sports Business Daily reports. The rating is 12.2 percent higher than the 4.9 overnight rating for the race from the nation's largest television markets. The rating was down 3.5 percent from Fox's broadcast of Atlanta's 2004 spring race, which was run a week earlier and did not compete with CBS's coverage of the men's NCAA basketball tournament. The final 5.5 rating for Atlanta was down 1.8 percent from the 5.6 rating that Fox drew for the 2004 Darlington race, which was run on the comparable weekend. (Nielson TV Ratings)

• IOWA Track gets Boost: A proposed Newton race track could get a tax break.  A senate committee voted to allow the Newton Motor Speedway to keep the first twelve million, five-hundred thousand dollars in state sales tax it collects.  Construction on the track should start this spring.  Nascar driver Rusty Wallace designed the track which will cost seventy million dollars.  Officials expect racing to start next summer.  The new track will create fifty full-time jobs and five-hundred temporary jobs during racing events.  (WHOTV)

• Andretti Schedule Cut Short: Word comes tonight that John Andretti will run only a part-time Cup schedule for the remaining part of this season.  The ppc Racing team announced it didn't anticipate the shift in qualifying rules combined with the impound rules which team owner Greg Pollex says makes it difficult for a team which isn't locked into qualifying.  The team was sent home at Atlanta when the No. 14 didn't make the field. (FoxSports)

• Harvick on TODAY: Kevin Harvick's No. 21 Reese's Busch Series pit crew was featured Wednesday on NBC's Today show, and quickly proved that although anonymous, they have plenty of personality themselves. Their comic routine included "pit stops" involving spit-shining host Matt Lauer's shoes, preparing fill-in host Ann Curry's hair, using a pole to send drinks to the hosts during a break, and helping Lauer get through a restroom break in record time. He declined their offer to help him in the stall. Harvick made a cameo at the end to drive Lauer away. (MSNBC)

March 30, 2005

• RCR Response to Appeal: The following is a statement from Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing (RCR), regarding NASCAR’s decision to uphold its penalty to RCR’s No. 29 team for a rules infraction March 11 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway:  It is impossible for me to describe how disappointed I am with NASCAR’s penalty and appeal process. First of all, what Todd Berrier did was wrong and we deserve to be penalized. But I think suspending him for four weeks, in light of everything else that has happened in the past several weeks, is wrong. The infraction took place during qualifying and we were sent to the back of the field to start the race. Penalizing Kevin Harvick, who knew nothing about the infraction before the fact, is also wrong. NASCAR’s decision to deduct driver points, whether it’s Kevin Harvick or any other driver, does an injustice to the sponsors and everyone involved with the racing organization.  There is no consistency in NASCAR’s penalty and appeal process. It’s black and white. You’re either legal or you’re not. (RCR PR)

• Commission Upholds Berrier Penalty: Todd Berrier's appeal of his four-race suspension has been denied by the National Stock Car Racing Commission, ThatsRacin.com has learned.  A three-member panel of the commission met Tuesday at NASCAR's research and development center in Concord, N.C., to hear Berrier's appeal.  NASCAR fined Berrier, crew chief for Nextel Cup driver Kevin Harvick, $25,000, docked Harvick and car owner Richard Childress 25 points apiece and suspended Berrier for four races. Berrier altered the fuel cell of Harvick's No. 29 Chevy prior to qualifying at Las Vegas to make it appear full, when in fact it wasn't.  Berrier sat out the March 20 race at Atlanta in hopes his suspension would at least be reduced by the commission to two races.  However, Berrier and his team were informed the commission upheld the entire penalty, multiple sources confirmed Tuesday night. A formal announcement of the commission's decision is expected later Wednesday. Berrier is not eligible to return until the April 23 race at Phoenix. (ThatsRacin)

• Lights On in Phoenix: With a flip of a light switch, night turned into day Tuesday at Phoenix International Raceway.  A new $5 million lighting system was officially unveiled at the 1-mile oval, and five NASCAR drivers were around to witness the transformation. None, however, made it onto the track, as their testing was completed during the day.  "The lighting won't be an issue at all," Jamie McMurray said. "You can see better at night at all of these racetracks vs. the day because you don't have the (sun's) glare." Iowa-based Musco Lighting installed the permanent lighting system, and project manager Mark Flesner said company officials have given PIR the go-ahead for its April 23 NASCAR Nextel Cup race, which is tentatively scheduled to begin between 4:55 p.m. and 5:20 p.m., and end about 8:30. (AZRepublic) Includes Photo

• Daytona HOF Win, State Commits Money:  Daytona Beach's bid to attract a NASCAR hall of fame got its first legislative victory Tuesday -- but the hard part is still coming.  The House Tourism Committee approved a plan that would commit $30 million over 25 years to the city's effort to lure the hall of fame to a site near Daytona International Speedway.  The vote came after weeks of lobbying and tinkering by local officials as they tried to ease concerns about using tax dollars to pay for the project.  "I think we started out with a worm, and we now have a butterfly," said Rep. Pat Patterson, a DeLand Republican who is sponsoring the proposal. (NewsJournal)

• So why no Earnhardt Tags in NC? So why no plates for Dale Earnhardt, the Kannapolis racing legend who died in a wreck four years ago, or for his son, who is one of the sport's most popular drivers?  Essentially, the plates are too tacky.  Okay. They didn't say that. But Joe Hedrick, vice president for licensing at Dale Earnhardt Inc., said the tags don't look right.  "Those plates don't reflect the image of the North Carolina plate," Hedrick said, adding that he would want them to look more like the state's traditional "First in Flight" plates, but with Earnhardt's No. 3 or Junior's No. 8 emblem on one side.  "If you look at it, it looks like a very commercial plate," he said.  DEI licenses Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr. plates in nine other states -- including South Carolina. But according to Hedrick, the company would want plates in the state the Earnhardt's call home state to look, well, more stately. (ThatsRacin)

• Boris Adds Cup Dates: MB/Sutton Motorsports announced that Boris Said's 2005 Nextel Cup schedule has been expanded from 11 to 13 races with the addition of the Talladega race in May and the Texas race in November.  Said, who competed in the Daytona 500, will next race his No. 36 CENTRIX Financial Chevrolet at the Samsung/RadioShack 500 weekend, April 15-17 at Texas Motor Speedway.  "The expansion of Boris' schedule is a result of the interest the team generated in Daytona along with the positive fan response we're receiving from our www.centrixdirect.com portal," said Jim Hancock, executive vice president of CENTRIX Financial and president of Sutton Motorsports. "We'll continue to explore the viability of entering more races as the season progresses."  Said was predictably excited about the additional races. (MB/Sutton Motorsports PR)

March 29, 2005

• NASCAR NC Plates:  NASCAR fans across North Carolina now have 33 new ways to express their love of racing.  The N.C. Department of Transportation's Division of Motor Vehicles has given the NASCAR license plate series the green flag, in the latest addition to the DMV's specialized license plate program.  The NASCAR series features a general NASCAR plate in addition to plates highlighting 32 of the sport's most popular drivers.  "This is the first time NCDMV has issued an entire series of license plates with one common theme," said Commissioner George Tatum.Requests for specialized license plates are approved by the General Assembly. Each plate has a checkered-flag background design, which substitutes for the "First in Flight" design on standard issue plates. The left side of the plate features an image representing a NASCAR driver, and the right side has the identification letters and numbers. Motorists also have the opportunity to personalize the letter combinations on the plate. (WXII12)

• Pepsi Talk Walk in Martinsville: Pepsi will give fans who purchase $40 backstretch tickets to the Advance Auto Parts 500 on April 10 a special "inside look" at race morning with the Pepsi Track Walk.  Anyone buying a $40 backstretch ticket between now and race day will be eligible for the Pepsi Track Walk, an experimental, first-time offering at Martinsville Speedway. For $5 extra, fans who purchase a $40 backstretch ticket will be able to walk around the historic half-mile oval. Pepsi will also give participating fans a coupon good for a free 12-pack of Pepsi.  The $40 backstretch tickets and the Pepsi Track Walk may be purchased by calling 1.877.RACE.TIX. Participating fans can take the Pepsi Track Walk between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. on race day.  Good seats in other areas are also available for both the Advance Auto Parts 500 and the Kroger 250 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race.  Tickets for both the Advance Auto Parts 500 on Sunday, April 10, and the Kroger 250 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race, on Saturday, April 9, may be purchased by calling 1.877.RACE.TIX from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Tickets for both events also may be purchased online at www.martinsvillespeedway.com. (Martinsville PR)

• Council Passes Challenge Bill: In an effort to keep NASCAR's all-star race at Lowe's Motor Speedway, the Charlotte City Council voted Monday night to set aside thousands of incentive dollars.  NASCAR is considering moving the big race, which contributes more than $94 million a year to the regional economy. So last week, the president of the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority asked the City Council to approve more than $62,000 in incentives.  The state has already put up $250,000 in incentives. (News Carolina 14)

• ISC Stock Information: International Speedway Corporation (BULLETIN BOARD: ISCB) ("ISC") will host a conference call to discuss the Company's fiscal 2005 first quarter earnings on Tuesday, April 5, 2005 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time.  To participate, dial (973) 582-2710 five to ten minutes prior to the scheduled start time and request to be connected to the ISC earnings call. A live Webcast will also be available at that time on the Company's Web site, http://www.iscmotorsports.com/ , under the "Investor Relations" section. A replay will be available one hour after the end of the call through midnight Tuesday, April 12, 2005. To access, dial (973) 341-3080 and enter the code 5869645, or visit the "Investor Relations" section of the Company's Web site. (PRN Newswire)

• National Pit Crew Challenge:  Mooresville Mayor Al Jones proclaimed the week of May 2 - May 9, 2005 as the National Pit Crew Championship Powered by Tyson Week. The proclamation took place at Pit Instruction and Training (PIT) facility in Mooresville, N.C., where the National Pit Crew Championship Powered by Tyson will take place on May 9, 2005.  This competition is a bracketed event where the 40 top pit crews have been invited to compete to win $100,000, with four teams having the chance at a $500,000 prize in the final bonus round, "The Powered by Tyson Pit Stop." Mooresville town officials and event organizers outlined plans for making sure the event runs smoothly and has easy access for all fans. All proceeds from the event will go to Second Harvest and The Victory Junction Gang Camp. (FoxSports)

• Stewart Back on Dirt and Wins: NASCAR race car driver Tony Stewart dished out some country-style heat Saturday as he helped roast retiring Eldora Speedway race track owners Earl and Bernice Baltes.  Stewart, the new owner of the track, led the retirement roast as racing personalities and the Baltes' friends served up hot, spicy and sweet stories of the couple who have owned the track for more than 40 years.  Larry Boos, the speedway's spokesman, started the roast with a gentle sauté of Stewart, who was late for the luncheon. (Daily News)

• Motorsports Hall Honors Woody: Staff writer Larry Woody of The Tennessean is the 2005 recipient of the International Motorsports Hall of Fame's Henry T. McLemore Award, which recognizes outstanding motorsports journalism.  Woody will be honored during ceremonies April 28 at the hall in Talladega, Ala., along with 2005 inductees Darrell Waltrip, Nigel Mansell, Chip Hanauer, Joe Amato and Bob Glidden.  Woody is the 25th person to receive the McLemore Award since it was first awarded in 1969. Previous recipients include Chris Economaki, Ken Squier, Barney Hall, Eli Gold, Bob Jenkins and Ned Jarrett. (Tennessean)

• National Commercials Features Drivers: April marks National Car Care Month and to kick off the annual consumer awareness campaign, the NASCAR Automotive Licensing division is launching a nationally televised Public Service Announcement (PSA) promoting the benefits of regular vehicle care, maintenance and repair.     The PSA, which has been distributed to more than 600 television stations nationwide, will begin airing April 1st and will feature numerous NASCAR celebrities including: Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne, Kenny Wallace, Kyle Petty, Elliott Sadler, Ryan Newman, Dale Jarrett, Ray Evernham, and Larry McReynolds among others.  Fans are set for 30 seconds of fast-paced entertainment geared by their favorite NASCAR drivers and personalities reminding motorists to Be Car Care Aware and promoting the importance of preventative vehicle maintenance. The PSA can be viewed at www.NASCARmedia.com. (CCNS PR)

• Chicago NASCAR Movie Screens:  Race fans, Chicagoland Speedway, US*99.5 FM and Miller Lite invite you to come out to the Hollywood Blvd. Movie Theatre in Woodridge, Illinois to watch (4) NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races and the Indy 500 on the BIG screen for FREE! All ages are welcome to attend each of the viewing parties. Also, come out to meet radio show hosts from US*99.5 FM and win a variety of prizes.  Prizes available to win include tickets to the Friday, July 8 NASCAR Pole Day (with access to the Miller Lite Rock n... Racing concert), Chicagoland Speedway, US*99.5 and Miller Lite merchandise, as well as Richard Petty Driving Experience Ride Alongs and much more! There will also be a Grand Prize drawing at each viewing party. The Grand Prize includes two (2) Chicagoland Speedway Track Packs for the 2005 season and one (1) Richard Petty Driving Experience Rookie School. Races will include, Sunday, April 3: Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway (Doors Open at 10:30 am)  Sunday, May 1: Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway (Doors Open at 10:30 am)  Sunday, May 29: Indy 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Doors Open at 10:00 am)  Sunday, May 29: Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe...s Motor Speedway (Doors Open at 3:00 pm) seating is limited to 250.  (99.5 PR)

March 28, 2005

• Stewart Racing Busch in Indy: NASCAR Nextel Cup Champion, Tony Stewart will race in this year's Kroger 200 at Indianapolis Raceway Park. Stewart will run in a car owned by Kevin Harvick and will carry a special edition James Dean 50th anniversary paint scheme that will race only at IRP.  "I've raced at IRP so much in my career, but since I've been in NASCAR, not so much. I really like that track, and to have an opportunity to get back there in a Busch car was something I couldn't pass up,” said Stewart. “I had a lot of success there when I raced in USAC, and with the success I've already had this year in the Busch Series, I'm hoping the two kind of coincide for a really good run when I get there in August."  Stewart has had tremendous success at IRP during his years as a USAC star. He has six Midget wins, tied for second in IRP track history, three Sprint Car wins, one Silver Crown win and one Silver Crown win as a car owner. (Tony Stewart Motorsports PR)

• McDonalds and Evernham Sponsorship: McDonald's announced today the company has entered into a partnership agreement with Evernham Motorsports in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. The agreement calls for McDonald's to be an associate sponsor on the No. 9 Evernham Motorsports Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge Charger driven by 2004 Nextel Cup Rookie of the Year Kasey Kahne and the No. 91 Evernham Motorsports Dodge Charger that will be driven by NASCAR champion Bill Elliott at selected Nextel Cup events. The agreement includes a two-race McDonald's primary sponsorship on Elliott's car. The Bill Elliott Racing entry will carry the McDonald's paint scheme at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn (June 19 ) and California Speedway in Fontana (Sept. 5). "McDonald's is thrilled to partner with Evernham Motorsports, which is one of the premier teams in the popular Nextel cup Series," said John Lewicki, McDonald's senior director of alliance marketing. "Being aligned with a quality owner in Ray Evernham along with a legend in Bill Elliott and an young star in Kasey Kahne, will only enhance the McDonald's brand with NASACAR's loyal fan following. This is a great fit since McDonald's, Evernham Motorsports and Bill Elliott Racing parallel each other as leaders of their respective industries." Evernham, who carved his legendary status as one of the most successful crew chiefs in NASCAR history before becoming an owner of the high-profile Dodge team, was equally proud of the new association.  (McDonalds Racing PR)

• Charlotte Council Meeting: The Charlotte City Council will meet Monday night to discuss plans to improve a west Charlotte street and vote on NASCAR incentives to keep a big race at Lowe's Motor Speedway.  A proposal is in the works to change Clanton Road from a four-lane undivided highway to a two-lane divided highway. A planted median and crosswalk breaks would also be added between West Boulevard and Sergeant Drive.   The council will also vote on whether to set aside thousands of dollars to keep the NASCAR's Nextel All-Star Challenge in Charlotte.  NASCAR is considering moving the big race to another city. Last week, the president of the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority asked city council to approve more than $62,000 in incentives to keep the race in town. (News14)

• Subway Spokesman Named Grand Marshall: Jared Fogle, Subway Restaurants national spokesman, has been named as the Grand Marshal for the Subway Fresh 500 at Phoenix International Raceway Saturday, April 23, 2005. Fogle lost 245 pounds by eating Subway sandwiches and soon after became the center of Subway advertisements.   Ahwatukee resident Mark Roden, who owns 53 Subway locations throughout Arizona, was named the Honorary Starter for the race.   The Subway Fresh 500 will be the eighth race of the 2005 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series season and the first night race at PIR. PIR officials will test the lights for the first time March 29. PIR officials have said the night race could help push the total economic impact of the racetrack to the state to $400 million annually. (PIR PR)

• New Cingular Racing Site: Cingular Wireless has dropped the green flag in cyberspace for fans of No. 31 Cingular Wireless Chevrolet and NASCAR driver Jeff Burton. With the launch of http://www.cingular31.com/ , the official Web site of TEAM Cingular, fans will now have an opportunity to stay up to speed on everything happening around the team, including the latest news and notes, driver appearances and customer promotions.  The new, interactive web site will serve as a comprehensive portal devoted to everything around TEAM Cingular. Exclusive content will include pre- and post-race reports, Jeff Burton pre- and post-race perspectives, up-to-date driver and show car appearance schedules, Cingular-themed promotions and contests and links to the latest media coverage around TEAM Cingular.  "This is a great way to keep fans of TEAM Cingular in touch with the No. 31 Cingular Wireless Chevrolet and Jeff Burton," said John Burbank, VP High Growth Markets at Cingular. "Most race fans rely on the Internet for the latest information about their favorite drivers. We are very committed to giving our race fans and customers a way to become involved with the team." http://www.cingular31.com (Cingular Racing)

March 27, 2005

• Bristol Dates Not Going Anywhere: While exponential growth has led NASCAR far from its roots, Bristol Motor Speedway remains a solid part of the Nextel Cup schedule, the track’s president said.  With 450,000 people, the Tri-Cities ranks among the smaller markets in which NASCAR’s top division competes. But the Bristol track annually sells out all 160,000 tickets to both of its Nextel Cup races months in advance. And late last year, nearly 100 percent of the track’s season ticket-holders renewed their seats for both races.  Those fans come here each year from all 50 states and about a dozen countries.  In a series of national polls, Bristol’s August night race ranked ahead of the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 in Indianapolis as the overwhelming fan favorite. (TriCities)

• Daytona Speedway Pepsi 400 Schedule Change: Daytona International Speedway has changed some of its starting times for this summer's Pepsi 400 racing weekend.  The starting times for Winn-Dixie 250 Busch Series time trials and Pepsi 400 pole qualifying will be early afternoon on Friday, July 1. The Busch cars will take to the 2.5-mile tri-oval first at 1:45 p.m., followed by Nextel Cup Series competitors at 4:40 p.m.  It will be a busy day of racing with the fourth annual Winn-Dixie 250 rounding out the action. The 100-lap race will start at 8 p.m. on July 1. (News-Journal)

• Brian France on the way out? Despite the denials, sources continue to indicate that Brian France’s tenure as leader of NASCAR could be shorter than expected, NFL or not. There is credible word that Jim France, brother of Bill France and vice chairman/exec vp of NASCAR, and Bill France’s daughter, Lesa France Kennedy, are seeking to acquire Brian’s shares in the company. Why this would be done is not clear, and it may have nothing to do with the NFL.  Brian France has denied this as well. “I have a huge economic interest in this industry today, and I plan to have for a long time,” he told USA Today in February. (SPEEDTV)

March 26, 2005

• Hendrick Driver Development:  Hendrick Motorsports has extended its developmental alliance with Bobby Gerhart Racing, which will enter 19-year-old Kyle Krisiloff in 12 ARCA stock car races this season.  Hendrick will continue to provide engines to the team.  Krisiloff, the grandson of Indianapolis Motor Speedway chairman Mari Hulman George, began his professional racing career in open-wheel cars but moved to stock cars last year as part of Hendrick's driver development initiative.  He ran four ARCA events last year and came up with three top 10 finishes, including a win at Chicagoland Speedway and a runner-up performance at Nashville. (Jacksonville Sun)

• March 25, 2005

• France and Johnson Talk NFL Franchise to LA: Former Los Angeles Lakers great Magic Johnson says he and NASCAR chairman/CEO Brian France have held discussions concerning the purchase of an NFL team for Los Angeles. Johnson, a co-chairman of NASCAR's diversity committee, said he has met three or four times with France in Los Angeles, where France has a home, and he said the two will meet again in two weeks.  "I'm working on trying to bring the NFL back to L.A.," Johnson said in a telephone interview Tuesday night. "I've met with the league three, four, five times, hopefully to be a minority owner." Johnson has established several businesses since retiring from the NBA, bringing movie theaters and Starbucks franchises to inner-city locations — including Los Angeles. He has an ownership stake in the Lakers and is a club vice president. In his capacity with NASCAR, he is trying to help get more minority-owned businesses involved in the sport.  Los Angeles, the nation's No. 2 media market, hasn't had an NFL team since 1995. NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue said during his annual state of the game address before the Super Bowl that the league intends to return a team to the Los Angeles area sometime this decade. (USAToday)

March 24, 2005

• NASCAR favors Canada's Mosport: The Sunreported that a group of NASCAR executives met Tuesday in Daytona Beach, Florida., to map out an expansion strategy. Part of that strategy will include a meeting with Myles Brandt, president and general manager of Mosport.  Brandt said Wednesday he already has had meetings with NASCAR officials about Mosport. He told the newspaper that NASCAR bosses are serious about a race at his four-kilometre road course. "They have actually already been to Mosport," Brandt told the Sun. "And within the next 30 to 90 days they are going to be back to take another look at the track."  The Sun report says Mosport has moved ahead of Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve because of its ability to host races from the Nextel Cup, Busch Grand National or Craftsman Truck series. (TSN)

• Texas Testing Speeds: NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series teams are taking advantage of the off week in the schedule and heading to Texas. This week, five Cup Series teams and two Busch Series team are testing at Texas Motor Speedway. It is the start of three weeks of testing by various teams in preparation for the Samsung/RadioShack 500 weekend April 14-17, including a Nextel Cup event April 17 on FOX.  Three drivers were on the track Tuesday, including Terry Labonte, Michael Waltrip, and Mark Martin (Busch car). On Wednesday, the testing included Sterling Marlin, Dave Blaney, Kyle Petty, Labonte, Waltrip, and Reed Sorenson (Busch) on the track. Blaney and Marlin continue their testing Thursday.   Labonte was the fastest of the day Wednesday with a speed of 189.474 mph. Next quickest was Petty (189.208), followed by Waltrip (188.811), Marlin (188.153), and Blaney (187.240). Sorenson toured his Busch car around the track at 184.932 mph. (FoxSports)

• Cali. Speedway President Announces Resignation: William G. Miller, President of California Speedway since Sept. 2000, announced his resignation from the speedway effective March 31, 2005. No permanent replacement for Miller has been named at this time. Phoenix International Raceway President Bryan Sperber will oversee operations of the speedway until a replacement is named. "There is never a perfect time to leave an organization, but I thought now would be best for me and my family," Miller said. "It also gives the team here time to work toward its two upcoming events in April and prepare for the Labor Day NASCAR NEXTEL Cup event. It's been an honor and a pleasure to work with this team and our family of sponsors and partners." (California Speedway)

• Alabama Drops HOF bid: An Alabama group has dropped its campaign to be the home of a proposed NASCAR Hall of Fame, reducing Charlotte's competition for the project to five rival bidders.  On Wednesday, The Associated Press reported that Neal Wade, director of the Alabama Development Office, called a halt to the campaign to locate the hall of fame between Birmingham and Talladega.  Bids are due May 31 for the facility, which will likely cost $75 million to $100 million. At the same time, plans for a bid by Daytona, Fla., are also shifting. Early talks centered on the state providing as much as $75 million in funding. Now, according to reports in The Orlando Sentinel, Daytona museum backers are aiming for $30 million to be raised by selling NASCAR license plates. (Biz Journal)

• KF to sponsor RCR Blaney: SKF, the world's leading manufacturer of bearings, seals and related products dedicated to improving today's automobiles, trucks and machinery, will sponsor driver Dave Blaney and Richard Childress Racing's (RCR) No. 07 Chevrolet in the April 10 Advance Auto Parts 500 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.  Jack Daniel's, the team's primary sponsor, will be prominently displayed on the car's rear quarter-panels and deck lid in the one-race program highlighting RCR and SKF's technical partnership. "It's extremely exciting to ride with the No. 07 Team as its primary sponsor at Martinsville Speedway," said Per Jacobsson, director of marketing communications, SKF. "We are proud to be a team sponsor and a technical partner with the Richard Childress Racing organization, and we look forward to our continued contributions to the No. 07, No. 29 and No. 31 teams throughout 2005 and beyond." Together, SKF and RCR engineers research and develop products designed to perform under the harsh conditions of NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series in an effort to improve the quality and reliability of every day vehicles. (RCR PR)

• Travel Lodge reups Biffle and NASCAR: Travelodge Hotels today announced the renewal of its associate sponsorship of the No. 16 National Guard Ford Taurus, driven by Greg Biffle, in the 2005 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. The agreement continues the Travelodge(R) brand's two-year relationship with Roush Racing of Concord, N.C.  As part of the agreement, Travelodge Hotels will appear as the team's primary sponsor at Darlington Raceway's Carolina Dodge Dealers 500 on May 7.  "The Travelodge brand is proud to continue its relationship with the National Guard team and is excited to sponsor the No. 16 National Guard Ford Taurus and Greg Biffle," said Travelodge President Ken Greene.  "Our relationship with the National Guard team continues to provide excellent exposure for the Travelodge brand among a wide audience.  Roush Racing President Geoff Smith said the Travelodge brand has been a "tremendous sponsor," adding "we are proud of the success we have achieved together, both on and off the track."  Driver Greg Biffle earned two Nextel Cup wins in 2004.  Biffle was first to the checkered flag at Michigan International Speedway's GFS Marketplace 400 on August 22, and capped his year with another win on November 21 at the Ford 400 Nextel Cup season-finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. (Travel Lodge PR)

• NO NEXTEL Cup Ever likely in Nashville:  Bill France Jr. refuses to sugarcoat it, but that’s the way it is and it doesn’t look like NASCAR will change its mind anytime soon. Those words are awfully hard to swallow for those dyed in the wool gear-heads who keep hoping the big tour will return to the Nashville area after a two-plus decade absence.  The former Czar of stock car racing, in our town over the weekend for the opening night of the Music City Motorplex, spoke bluntly but honestly about exactly where Nashville stands in NASCAR’s grand plan. And it’s not in the sport’s fast lane.   France should know. While he was building NASCAR from primarily a southern-based operation into one of the big four pro sports from the 1970s to the late 1990s, Nashville was at one time a part of that landscape. But since losing its Winston Cup date in the early 1980s, NASCAR has moved on and left Music City in its dust. (Nashville City Paper)