NASCAR Past News May 21 - 26 2005

• Biffle Signs Extension With Roush

• Marcis, Lawn Mower Accident

• RCR Crew Standby

• Martin Inducted

• Fellows Lands #32 Ride at Sonoma

• Edwards Gets Sponsorship

• NYC Lobbyist Makes the Money, Including NASCAR Lobbyist

• Childress Wins Engine Builder Showdown

• Smith Plans to keep All-Star Race at Lowes

• #88  and #99 Crew Chiefs?

• More on DEI, Earnhardt, Jr. Shakeup

• NASCAR in Canada '06 or '07

• Jury Selection Begins in Earnhardt Trial

• Smith Wants Monorail Now, Personal Funds to Pay 50 Million

• Jeff Gordon Booed at Wrigley Field:

• Edwards Testing at NSS

• Edwards Testing at NSS

• Skinner in 23 Car

• Rondeau Out as #8 Chief

• Daytona NASCAR HOF Money

• Fan Dies of Alcohol Poisoning at LMS

• HOF Bill Passes N.C. Senate'

• Kitsap County home of NW NASCAR Track?

• Penkse and Gannasi?

• Childress Sues Over Earnhardt Policy

• Truex and Gibbs?

• Charlotte Hotels Looking for Help

• Martin Not Enough Energy in 2006

• At least 35 NASCAR Official Stores, First in Orlando

• NASCAR HOF News

• All-Star Challenge on the Move?

• Ford Vs. Kahne in Court

• Mark Martin Wins the NEXTEL All-Star Challenge

• Decision on Sprint-NEXTEL Cup Name by July

• Tide and Hamilton

• Indian Burial Ground at NYC NASCAR Site

• Gordon and Andretti Driving School

• Driver Convicted in Fatal NASCAR Limo Wreck

• Biffle Signs Extension With Roush: NASCAR Nextel Cup Series driver Greg Biffle has renewed a multi-year agreement with Roush Racing to continue to drive the No. 16 Ford Taurus. In the midst of his eighth year with Roush Racing, a tenure that has included a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship and a NASCAR Busch Series Championship, Greg Biffle is considered a top contender for the Nextel Cup title.  Now, 12 races into the 2005 season, Biffle and the National Guard team have three wins, four top-five finishes and seven top-10 finishes. Needless to say, Biffle has been quite busy. However, in the last week he has made time to finalize his contract with Roush. (Roush Racing)

• Marcis, Lawn Mower Accident: Former NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series driver Dave Marcis is recovering at his home in Arden, N.C., after suffering facial injuries in a lawn-mowing accident on Wednesday. Marcis was mowing grass at his property in Rib Lake, Wisconsin when a rock flew from underneath the mower, striking him in the cheek area. Marcis incurred a laceration that required five stitches. Also, several teeth were damaged by the impact, necessitating a trip to the dentist on Thursday afternoon. “Actually, I’m pretty lucky,” Marcis said. “”The rock could’ve hit me in eye, or in the temple.” Marcis, 64, retired from NASCAR NEXTEL Cup racing after the 2002 season. He ended his 35-year NASCAR career with 883 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup starts. He was the runner-up in the 1975 championship standings. “I told my wife (Helen) that I need to go back racing,” Marcis said. “This lawn-mowing stuff is dangerous.” (NASCAR PR)(5-26-2005)

• RCR Crew Standby: Dan Blizzard, the front tire changer for Busch Series driver Clint Bowyer, will be on standby to change front tires on Harvick's Cup car. Regular front changer Jason Pulver cut his hand at home one week ago and is listed as doubtful. (USAToday)

• Martin Inducted: Roush Racing driver and 2005 NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge winner Mark Martin will be inducted into Lowe's Motor Speedway's prestigious Court of Legends prior to CTC Pole Night qualifying. Martin is also featured and honored on the ticket for CTC Pole Night. "It's a great honor," said Martin. "In my opinion Lowe's Motor Speedway is the greatest place on earth to race and I think a lot of the speedway and the people who have made it what it is. It's a great compliment to know that they think enough of me to do this and I'm honored by the recognition.  "We've had some great runs and great wins at Lowe's and hopefully we aren't done just yet." Martin will join NASCAR legends such as Richard Petty, Junior Johnson and Darrell Waltrip as his handprints and racing shoe print are cemented in the Court of Legends walkway leading to Lowe's Motor Speedway's main entrance. Speedway officials will also present Martin with a special framed edition of the CTC Pole Night collectible ticket featuring his likeness and detailing his accomplishments at the track. (Roush Racing)

• Fellows Lands #32 Ride at Sonoma: PPI Motorsports on Thursday announced that veteran road course driver Ron Fellows will climb behind the wheel of the No. 32 Chevrolet for the upcoming Nextel Cup Series race at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., on June 26.  PPI owner Cal Wells III made the decision based on NASCAR's current qualifying rules and said Bobby Hamilton Jr. remains the driver of the Tide ride. "I want to stress the fact that I have the utmost faith in my driver, Bobby Hamilton Jr.," Wells said. "Unfortunately, our team has suffered a string of bizarre circumstances that has equated to 37th place in the NASCAR Nextel Cup owner points. (NASCAR)

• Edwards Gets Sponsorship: Roush Racing announced today that Stonebridge Life Insurance Company will be the primary sponsor on the No. 99 Ford, driven by Carl Edwards, at the Pocono 500 on June 12. This will be the first time Stonebridge Life Insurance Company has sponsored a NEXTEL Cup car.  "It's really neat to have Stonebridge Life Insurance Company as the primary sponsor on the No. 99 Ford for Pocono," said Edwards. "This is their first race as a sponsor and it will be my first race at Pocono but I think we'll have a good weekend together. I've watched a lot of tape and have been talking to my teammates about the track so I'm really excited to go there and have a good run for Stonebridge. I'm proud to represent them and I'm glad they are a part of the No. 99 team."  (Roush Racing)

• NYC Lobbyist Makes the Money, Including NASCAR Lobbyist: New York City's registered lobbyists raked in $33.6 million last year, roughly a third more than what they took in the year before.  City records released yesterday further solidify the notion that both not-for-profit organizations and mega corporations are driving the cottage industry of lobbying powerbrokers in the five boroughs to new heights. (According to GNEXT Records NYC NASCAR lobbyist  Guy Molinari's an estimated $15,000 a month) (TheSun)

May 25 2005

• Childress Wins Engine Builder Showdown: Danny Lawrence and Greg Gunnell of Richard Childress Racing walked away with top honors Tuesday night after the final round of the Clevite Engine Builder Showdown.  The winners earned $20,000 and will have their names on the new Randy Dorton Memorial Trophy.  Dorton was director of engine development at Hendrick Motorsports. He was killed along with nine others in the crash of a team-owned plane that was en route to a race at Martinsville Speedway on Oct. 24.  A scholarship fund in Dorton's name has also been established, and an eBay charity to raise money for it continues through Friday. For more information about the fund or the auction, go to www.randydorton.com. (ThatsRacin)

• Smith Plans to keep All-Star Race at Lowes: Speedway Motorsports owner Bruton Smith will continue to work to keep the Nextel All-Star challenge at Lowes Motor Speedway. During a Q & A with reporters Smith was asked if he would consider moving the event if it stayed in the SMI family of facilities. Smith said "We're not going to move it to another one. We will not do that." Even Las Vegas? "We will not do that." But doesn't Vegas need another date? "Yeah, but it won't be that one." (PRN's Garage Pass Radio Show)

• #88  and #99 Crew Chiefs? This is the second significant crew chief change in a week among the tour's top teams. Mike Ford, chief for Dale Jarrett's No. 88 at Robert Yates Racing, stood down a week ago. He was replaced on a temporary basis by veteran Bill Wilburn.  One man currently on everyone's want list is Bob Osborne, crew chief for Roush Racing's No. 99, with driver Carl Edwards. Having two plum positions open should open up the market considerably. Why, Larry McReynolds might even consider coming back. (SPEED)

• More on DEI, Earnhardt, Jr. Shakeup: Still seeking his first win of the season, Dale Earnhardt Jr. on Tuesday replaced his crew chief in an attempt to turn his team around.  Steve Hmiel, the longtime technical director at Dale Earnhardt Inc., will replace Pete Rondeau on an interim basis beginning with this weekend's Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Hmiel has often stood in as Earnhardt's spotter on race day.   "I guess, it's a big gamble in a way," Earnhardt said when he announced the crew changes.  Earnhardt said at the time a change was needed because he often clashed with Eury Jr. "I really like working with Tony Jr., but, at the same time, the bad times were really, really bad," Earnhardt said. "I told him, 'I don't want to lose you as a cousin and lose the family and friendship side of it. I don't care if we ever talk about race cars again as long as you come over to the house and we visit each other all the time.'  (ESPN)

• NASCAR in Canada '06 or '07: Toronto officials jumped into the mix with a proposal that Mosport, a venerable road course an hour east of the city of some five million, be the site for a NASCAR race. In fact, one of Toronto's largest newspapers insists that "it's a given," that NASCAR will, indeed, run a race in Canada in 2006. Given the Canadian weather, speculation has been that June or August are the two best months, with August given the better shot.NASCAR officials are heading to Canada this month to check things out at various ventures with various businessmen. One corporate hangup is that Molson, the Canadian brewer, has long been dominant in every major form of Canadian racing, but NASCAR would like to bill its first Canadian venture under its Busch logo. It is unclear how Molson's merger with Coors, a longtime NASCAR sponsor, might affect any NASCAR options there. (Salem-Journal)

• Jury Selection Begins in Earnhardt Trial: Potential jurors were packed like sardines inside a Davidson County courtroom Tuesday, and Nic Matthews whisked quickly by them on his way out of the building.  “Thank God,” said Matthews, pleased that he was rejected as a juror in a high profile civil case expected to last between one and two weeks. Matthews was relieved not to serve, even though the case he was summoned to hear involved names he knew well and admired.  In Davidson County, few names are more recognizable or carry more cachet than those of Earnhardt and Childress.  So about 125 potential jurors, three times the normal number, were called to court Monday and asked to fill out a nine-page questionnaire designed to give attorneys on both sides assistance in screening out undesirable jurors. On Tuesday, attorneys began questioning the jurors. Matthews, who was approved by attorneys representing Childress, was eventually rejected by representatives of United of Omaha. His answers to the questionnaire may have been a reason. Question 24: Do you have a favorite driver? Yes, Dale Earnhardt and Richard Childress Racing is my favorite team, Matthews said he answered. Question 27: What do you think of insurance companies? Thieves, Matthews answered. (News-Record)

• Smith Wants Monorail Now, Personal Funds to Pay 50 Million: Race track mogul Bruton Smith suggested on Tuesday that a monorail be built to connect a proposed NASCAR Hall of Fame to Lowe's Motor Speedway, and pledged $50 million of his personal funds to jump-start the effort.  Smith, owner of several NASCAR tracks, envisions the monorail running along current state-owned roads beginning at the downtown Charlotte site that's been proposed for the Hall of Fame. The train would travel into Concord with stops near UNC-Charlotte, University Hospital, the Speedway and Concord Mills shopping center. In pledging his own money, Smith said he was proving his commitment.  "I am not interested in looking down the road to 2010 or something stupid like that," said Smith, chairman of Speedway Motorsports Inc. "I want to get this done now." (USAToday)

• Gordon Booed at Wrigley Field: NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon was booed by the crowd of 38,805 for strangling "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" during the seventh-inning stretch yesterday at Wrigley Field. (Chicago Sports)

• Edwards Testing at NSS: NASCAR’s latest sensation, Carl Edwards, was in town Tuesday to take in a few practice laps at Nashville Superspeedway. Edwards, ranked 13th in the Nextel Cup point standings, has been pulling double duty in the Busch Series as well, and will compete in the Federated Auto Parts 300 here on Sat., June 11. (Nashville City Paper)

• North Wilkesboro out of HOF Race: An effort to start up the NASCAR Hall of Fame at the North Wilkesboro Speedway is drawing lots of fan interest, but not gaining much traction in official circles. Rep. Tracy Walker, R-Wilkes, said that the only official response he has received so far is a call from a member of Gov. Mike Easley's staff.  "The talk among the (governor's) staff was it was too late in the game," Walker said. (Salem-Journal)

• Skinner in 23 Car: Mike Skinner will run the #23 Bill Davis Racing Dodge this weekend at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in the Coca-Cola 600. Skinner most recently raced the #23 Bill Davis Racing Dodge last month at Talladega Superspeedway, where he was taken out of contention in the 25-car pileup on lap 132 of the 194-lap event (started 34th, finished 42nd). He also raced the #23 at Daytona International Speedway in February .(Bill Davis Racing)

May 24, 2005

• Rondeau Out as #8 Chief: Effective immediately, Steve Hmiel will serve as interim crew chief on the No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet driven by Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, replacing Pete Rondeau. Richie Gilmore, Vice President of Motorsports at Dale Earnhardt Inc. stated, “We are capable of consistently winning and are focused on that as a company. We are going to concentrate our efforts on improved results with the number 8 car.” Steve Hmiel, Technical Director at Dale Earnhardt Inc., will replace Rondeau commencing with this weekend’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte. (DEI)

• Daytona NASCAR HOF Money: upporters of the NASCAR hall of fame got a $20,000 shot in the arm Monday from the Volusia Council of Governments.  The council, made up of elected officials from across the county, gave nearly unanimous approval to help The Chamber, Daytona Beach/Halifax Area and other supporters win the hall of fame over contenders in Atlanta; Charlotte, N.C.; Kansas City, Kan.; and Richmond, Va.  Deltona Mayor John Masiarczyk issued the only dissenting vote, saying he didn't want the group to set a precedent of giving money for countywide fund-raisers.  Chamber President George Mirabal told VCOG members the money would help pay for consultants and other costs, such as the formal proposal package that has been estimated to cost $250,000. (News-Journal)

• Fan Dies of Alcohol Poisoning at LMS: A Charlotte man died after a race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway this weekend. Friends said Chris Keistler, 46, passed out after Saturday's All-Star race and never woke up. Jeremy Karle believes his buddy died from alcohol poisoning. David Hampton heads Cabarrus County's paramedic teams and said rescue crews rarely see cases of alcohol poisoning among race fans. “I can't remember the last one that we actually dealt with,” he said. The most common alcohol-related call comes when the weather is warm and fans drink too much beer and not enough water. But Hampton said race fans having fun do not always see trouble before it's too late. The Medical Examiner is waiting for a toxicology report to determine Keistler's exact cause of death. (NBC 6/WCNC)

• HOF Bill Passes N.C. Senate:  The state senate gave final approval Monday to a temporary two percent increase to the hotel occupancy tax in Charlotte to help pay for the NASCAR hall of fame.  The city wants to put the building on a block beside the Charlotte Convention Center in uptown Charlotte.  The bill must also be approved by the state house before going to Governor Mike Easley for his signature. (WSOCTV)

May 23, 2005

• Kitsap County home of NW NASCAR Track? With Kitsap County back in the headlines as a leading contender for a NASCAR track in the Northwest, new documents are shedding light on how the county proposes to accommodate the thousands of racing fans who might flood the region if a track is built there. A 62-page proposal prepared last spring by the Kitsap Regional Economic Development Council, obtained by Puget Sound Business Journal, details various scenarios about how the area could absorb the huge traffic inflows that a NASCAR race would generate.  The document, which until now has been kept under wraps, also reveals the extent to which local government officials were actively campaigning for the project a year ago. The NASCAR track site is on a wooded, 2,100-acre tract near Bremerton National Airport, about eight miles southwest of Bremerton.  The Kitsap proposal estimates that for a race attended by 90,000 people, the area around the track site could be cleared of fans in approximately three hours. (Sound Business/MSNBC)

• Penkse and Gannasi? Insiders wonder whether the move will relieve the tension that exists between Wallace and Ryan Newman's No. 12 team. "The money I got from Team Penske was just not that much money," Wallace says. "It was an OK sellout, and I'm happy with it. . . .There were way too many partners at Team Penske. They're all good guys, but with my Busch team I can do whatever I want." There has been talk in the motorsports world that Penske's IRL effort will become a one-car team in 2006. Speculation is that Sam Hornish either could take over Wallace's No. 2 car or be sent to Ganassi Racing, in exchange for Jamie McMurray, who would drive the No. 2. (SportingNews)

• Childress Sues Over Earnhardt Policy: The owner of the late Dale Earnhardt's racing team is suing over a $3.7 million life insurance policy the company tried to place on the legendary driver before his 2001 death at the Daytona 500.  The case is scheduled to go to trial starting today in Davidson County Superior Court.  Pretrial motions are expected to be heard this afternoon, with jury selection taking place afterward.  Richard Childress Racing, which owned Earnhardt's No. 3 car, says it applied for a life insurance policy on Earnhardt in December 2000 and began payments in January 2001.  But Earnhardt never took the physical needed for the policy to take effect. Childress Racing says in its suit that the insurance company's doctors called to schedule the physical in early February -- when Earnhardt was already in Daytona Beach, Fla., preparing for the NASCAR season.  Earnhardt's assistant was told the physical could wait until after the Daytona 500, Childress' suit states.  That never happened. Earnhardt died by crashing into the wall on the last lap of the Daytona 500.  The insurance company, United of Omaha, denied any claim the next day, saying the policy had never been in effect. (CharlotteObserver)

• Truex and Gibbs? But (Truex) when asked to comment on whether an announcement was expected this week on his re-signing with DEI to drive the No. 1 Chevrolet in Cup, Truex declined. Truex, who is fourth in Busch points, has also been mentioned as a possibility for Leffler's No. 11 Gibbs Racing seat. (SportingNews)

• Charlotte Hotels Looking for Help: Hospitality leaders and city officials navigated a compromise on increasing hotel taxes this week for a NASCAR Hall of Fame, but now must resolve concerns over finding more money to lure conventions to town. Opposition by lobbyists in Raleigh forced the city and local hoteliers to drop plans calling for a 1% business-development tourism fund as part of an overall 2% hike in the taxes paid by hotel guests. Instead, plans now call for the proposed 2% hike to be contingent upon Charlotte being awarded the hall of fame, with all proceeds -- an anticipated $6 million annually -- dedicated to the NASCAR project. The N.C. General Assembly must approve the measure, which would raise hotel taxes to 8%, highest in the state. (MSNBC)

• Martin Not Enough Energy in 2006: Sure, he'll use this year to take one last shot at winning the series championship that has painfully eluded him during his 22 seasons. And if he should fail yet again, Martin is certain he doesn't have the energy to try again. "I've already said I can't sign up for another one of these (full seasons)," Martin said. "This business is not easy, and I have had to reach. Last year I had to reach deeper than I've ever reached in my life to contend for that championship.  "I thought there was no way to find any more, and I've had to reach even deeper this year to find some more. And that's the real reason why I can't do it again next year. There's no possible way I could step it up another notch from 2005." (News-Journal)

• At least 35 NASCAR Official Stores, First in Orlando:  The Orlando Harley-Davidson power couple and their business partner, Mike Bozic, have chosen Orlando as the headquarters for American Road Retail LLC, the exclusive national licensee, owner and operator of the new NASCAR Official Stores retail concept.  Moreover, the trio will open their first NASCAR store this July in a 1,100-square-foot storefront next to their Harley-Davidson store near International Drive and Sand Lake Road.  "We decided we were familiar with the available market and talent in the area because of Harley," says Anne Deli, also co-founder and president of HD American Road LLC, which owns the Harley-Davidson Orlando dealership. "Plus, we like Florida's business friendly environment. It made a lot of strategic sense to us."  The decision comes just weeks after the Delis and Bozic officially announced their partnership with NASCAR to develop a retail chain of stores in the nation's top 20 tourism markets and top 35 U.S. airports. (BizJournal)

May 22, 2005

• NASCAR HOF News: The buzz in the Nextel Cup garage says the search for a NASCAR Hall of Fame has boiled down to two scenarios. The first would have the hall located in Kansas City, where Lesa France Kennedy spearheaded construction of Kansas Speedway.  Kennedy is president of International Speedway Corp., which is majority owned by her father, Bill France, Jr., and other family members, including her brother, NASCAR Chairman Brian France.  Kennedy is seen as her brother’s ultimate successor at NASCAR at some as-yet-undefined point in the future. (SPEED)

• All-Star Challenge on the Move? Many NASCAR track operators desire to see the event (All-Star Challenge), which is held at Lowe’s Motor Speedway outside Charlotte, move throughout the country. To places such as Kansas Speedway.  “I think (the event) will continue to grow,” Kansas Speedway president Jeff Boerger said. “It’s a unique event, and the fans love it. Why not take it around the country so other fans can enjoy it?“If NASCAR wants to sit down and talk, we think we can throw a heck of an event.”  The All-Star Challenge was born in 1985. It has been held at Lowe’s every year except 1986, when it was moved to Atlanta. (TheState)

• Ford Vs. Kahne in Court: A case in U.S. District Court in Michigan provides an inside look at NASCAR contracts between teams and drivers.  Ford has sued Kasey Kahne for breach of contract for leaving a Ford-backed team to drive Dodges for Evernham Motorsports in 2004. Kahne had a five-year contract with car owner Robert Yates and a supplemental contract with Ford before joining Evernham. Kahne's lawyers argue that Ford could not provide a suitable ride for him, allowing him to seek a ride elsewhere.  Kahne's contract with Yates was submitted May 12 by Kahne's attorneys, who seek a summary judgment. The case is scheduled to go to trial in August.  Kahne's contract with Yates shows it was signed Feb. 4, 2002, and was for the 2002-04 seasons. Yates' team had the option to extend the contract through 2006. More at (News-Rocord)

May 21, 2005

• Mark Martin Wins the NEXTEL All-Star Challenge: In a throwback paint scheme that honored his glory years, Mark Martin raced as if he was in the prime of his career.  Martin won the Nextel All-Star Challenge and its $1 million paycheck on Saturday night by piloting a car painted like the one he drove to four consecutive victories in 1993. This win didn't convince Martin to call off plans to retire at the end of the season, but it was enough for him to agree to defend his title in 2006.  "This is how I want to do it,'' Martin said. "And we did this by racing smart with a great race car. I am excited about what is coming up ahead of us.''  This was supposed to be the final All-Star race for the 46-year-old Martin, who has not wavered in his decision to walk away. (ABC News)

• Decision on Sprint-NEXTEL Cup Name by July: Nextel officials have accelerated their timetable to formalize name changes for the new merged Sprint-Nextel company and the Nextel Cup Series, but a name change of NASCAR's top series is unlikely until at least the 2007 season.  Officials hoped to have a decision by September, but now expect a decision on the direction of the new company's master brand by July.  "We have committed to NASCAR that by the middle of July at the latest we will make the decision on the direction of the Cup brand," said Mark Schweitzer, senior vice president of marketing for Nextel. (TheState)

• Tide and Hamilton: #32-Bobby Hamilton Jr. will be sporting a new paint scheme for his sponsor Tide for both the Nextel All-Star Challenge festivities and the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Tide to Go, a new instant stain remover that helps eliminate many fresh food and drink stains on the spot will be featured on the #32 PPI Motorsports Chevy. (PPI Motorsports)

• Indian Burial Ground at NYC NASCAR Site: A group of anthropologists have discovered artifacts possibly dating back to 10,000 B.C. at the site of a planned NASCAR track on Staten Island. The International Speedway Corporation was hoping to build an 80,000-seat race track on land in Bloomfield that has been used as an above-ground oil tank farm for more than 70 years. The City Council has yet to vote on the proposal. The president of the New York Institute of Anthropology says the site was once a village and home to Lenape Indian burial grounds. "What we are opposed to is the destruction of the evidence," said Edward J. Platt of the New York Institute of Anthropology. "We want the evidence retrieved and preserved -- not for us, but for future generations -- to learn from and appreciate." The ISC has reportedly told anthropologists that they are concerned about preserving the site and that they are willing to cooperate. The two groups are expected to meet in the next couple of weeks.(NY1)

• Gordon and Andretti Driving School:  Jeff Gordon isn't close to retirement, but he already has plans for his future.  The four-time Cup champ announced plans for a racing school Thursday that will team with a similar one for open-wheel cars started by Mario Andretti last year. The Jeff Gordon Racing School debuts in August at Lowe's Motor Speedway with several cars that Gordon and others drove in the past.  Next year, people who attend the schools will be able to drive IndyCars at Andretti's school and stock cars at Gordon's in the same day. Retired driver Darrell Waltrip, now a television analyst for Fox Sports' NASCAR coverage, served as host at the news conference. "Two totally different race cars on the same track, in the same day,'' Waltrip said. "I can't think of anything that would be more fun.''(ESPN)

• Driver Convicted in Fatal NASCAR Limo Wreck: A man whose truck rammed a limousine, sparking a fire that killed the wife of a former NASCAR crew chief and two others, was convicted Friday of three counts of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to five to six years in prison. Jeffrey Niles McFayden also was convicted in Guilford County Superior Court of one count of driving while impaired.  Evidence showed the limousine, bringing the women back from a concert, was stopped in traffic on Interstate 40 Greensboro on Sept. 10, 2003 when it was struck from behind by McFayden. The limousine exploded almost immediately and trapped the victims. (Yahoo!)

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