NASCAR Past News Nov. 11 -  Nov. 19 2004

• NYC NASCAR Blitz

• Johnson and team disappear

• Randy Dorton/Hendrick Engine Builder Showdown Event

• A five way tie?

• Stewart Buys Track

• IRL Star Questions NASCAR "Hollywood Finishes"

• National Guard and Roush Racing
• Enterprise and Truex
• Petty Enterprises Joins Forces With Evernham Engines In 05
• Kahne back to run the #2 Truck
• NASCAR Money, Speed and Power
• Darlington Final Ratings in
• Speed to carry Nextel Cup announcement
• California and other tracks may not shorten weekends
• Nextel and NASCAR Announce largest point fund in sports history
• NASCAR and CASCAR
• Overnight Darlington TV Ratings Match Chase's Best
• MORE TV and NASCAR
• No More Lucky Dog?
• Point System here to Stay
• Testing Out West
• Brendan to 0 car?
• Goodbye Happy Hour.. Hello New Rules
• Slugger News
• Nextel Weekends to Change
• Flagman waves final flag
• ESPN Classic's Dale Earnhardt Tribute
• GM head of racing to Hendrick?
• Mark Martin Goes Reality?
• NBC back and ABC to join Maybe? 
• Helton Sits down one-on-one with Newton
• State Troopers Suspended over Elliott flight
• Edwards sets Track Record in Darlington
• Dale Jr.'s Pit Crew wins at Phoenix

November 19, 2004:

• NYC NASCAR Blitz: NASCAR sponsor Nextel plans to have numerous signs throughout New York as part of the sanctioning body's Champions Week celebration Nov. 28-Dec. 3, Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Journal reports. The company's black and yellow colors will be on 10 airport shuttles, 25 taxi tops, 25 phone kiosks around the Waldorf-Astoria hotel, 30 street vendor carts and 250,000 coffee cups around the city. Eight team show cars are scheduled for appearances at numerous locations, including Madison Square Garden, the Plaza Hotel and Times Square, starting Nov. 29.(NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter)

• Johnson and team disappear: The car cover was wrapped tightly around the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, its driver and crew long gone for the day. All around the garage, teams worked feverishly on their cars, but Jimmie Johnson was nowhere to be found. The absence of the Hendrick Motorsports team after qualifying Friday raised eyebrows everywhere at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Did they go home in disgust after qualifying 39th for Sunday's season finale -- Johnson's worst starting position of the year? Or were they playing mind games with the competition? No one was really sure. All that was certain was that it was unusual for Johnson to qualify so poorly. His effort was the worst of his career, surpassing two 37th-place starting spots last season. But even stranger was that noted perfectionist Chad Knaus, the crew chief, wasn't tearing the car apart trying to figure out what went wrong. "I heard him on the radio -- it didn't sound like he was disappointed in the lap," Jeff Gordon, Johnson's teammate at Hendrick Motorsports, said. "It sounded like the speed wasn't there." Johnson heads into Sunday's season finale trailing series leader Kurt Busch by 18 points in the race for the Nextel Cup. Gordon is third in the standings, three points behind Johnson. Robbie Loomis, Gordon's crew chief and Knaus' partner in strategy, said it was way too early to count Johnson out. "They probably are as strong as anybody in this garage when they have their backs stacked up against the wall," Loomis said.(AP/CBS Sportsline)

• Randy Dorton/Hendrick Engine Builder Showdown Event: The event began with a moment of silence, but the roar of 600-horsepower engines soon filled the room as Hendrick Motorsports and Hendrick Automotive Group employees gathered this week for the third annual Randy Dorton/Hendrick Engine Builder Showdown. Sponsored by Dana Corp., the two-day contest teamed Hendrick Motorsports engine builders with Hendrick Automotive Group certified master technicians for head-to-head competition. Twelve pairs were clocked until their respective powerplant established a one-minute run after complete assembly, with the shortest elapsed time taking home first-place honors. Monday's qualifying round set the grid for Tuesday's finals, with the team of Jon Young and Mike Maiwald posting a build of 20 minutes, 52 seconds to tie the event record and earn the victory. Young is a Hendrick certified master tech from Gwinnett Place Honda in Atlanta, while Maiwald, of Hendrick Motorsports, is NASCAR's defending Engine Builder of the Year. For his efforts, Young was presented with an all-expenses-paid trip to the February 2005 events at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. Runner-up Vince Bonfiglio, who teamed with Larry Zentmeyer, was also presented with a Daytona vacation package. Bonfiglio represented Hendrick BMW of Charlotte." This is a wonderful event that recognizes the > '> best of the best> '> in our industry," said Jim Perkins, Hendrick Automotive Group CEO. "It gives us the opportunity to bring the two companies together and acknowledge the contributions of our top-level staff." The brainchild of Rick Hendrick and the late Randy Dorton, the Showdown draws from more than 800 Automotive Group technicians, taking the 12 that are deemed most qualified by a one-of-a-kind Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) exam created specifically for Hendrick employees. Those 12 are then paired with Hendrick Motorsports engine builders. Hendrick is owner of NASCAR operation Hendrick Motorsports, and chairman of the Hendrick Automotive Group, an organization comprised of 64 car dealerships across the United States, from the Carolinas to California. Dorton, recognized as one of the most gifted engine builders in NASCAR history, won nine championships during his two-decade tenure as head of Hendrick Motorsports' engine department before tragically losing his life Oct. 24. The Showdown was officially renamed in his honor shortly afterward. A silent moment of remembrance opened the competition at the Hendrick Motorsports Museum in Charlotte, and many of the participants wore red -- Dorton' s favorite color -- throughout the two-day experience.(HMS PR)

• A five way tie? #6-Mark Martin wins the race but doesn't lead the most laps. #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. finishes second and gets bonus points for leading a lap. #24-Jeff Gordon finishes 13th. #48-Jimmie Johnson finishes 14th, and #97-Kurt Busch finishes 20th. The result is that all five end the season with 6,449 points. Johnson get the championship on the tiebreaker with a season-high eight victories.(Alabama Live)

November 18, 2004:

• Stewart Buys Track: Tony Stewart has purchased Eldora Speedway from legendary owner Earl Baltes. Known as "Auto Racing's Showcase since 1954" thanks in large part to Baltes' vision and hands-on management, Eldora is a half-mile clay oval with an estimated seating capacity of nearly 20,000 that features some of the most prominent racing divisions in the country. "Eldora was a premiere racing facility long before I started racing there in 1991, and it's our goal to build on the tradition Earl and his wife Berneice started back in 1954," said Stewart, whose new role as a track owner augments his team ownership in the World of Outlaws and USAC racing series. "Eldora has been extremely successful for both its competitors and its fans. We have no intention of changing the look and feel of the race track. We want to maintain the Eldora experience fans have grown to love and appreciate over the years." Signature events pioneered by Baltes will also continue. The World 100, The Dirt Late Model Dream, the King's Royal, the Mopar Thunder, the Eldora Clash, the USAC Buckeye Nationals and the UMP National Championship will all return in 2005, as will its regular order of weekly racing action. And while not yet official, the 2005 racing schedule will be similar in scope to the 2004 calendar. Ticket information will remain available on www.eldoraspeedway.com or by calling (937) 338-3815.  With Baltes' retirement, Stewart has named Larry Kemp as promoter and general manager and Larry Boos as director of facility and race day operations. Kemp comes to Eldora after having served as an owner, promoter and general manager of several local race tracks dating back to 1980. The Vinton, Iowa, native has held management positions at many of his home state tracks including 34 Raceway in Burlington, Lee County Speedway in Donnellson, Hawkeye Downs Speedway in Cedar Rapids and Benton County Speedway in Vinton. He most recently served as the promoter and general manager of Montgomery (Ala.) Motor Speedway. Throughout his motorsports career he has received such accolades as the "Regional Promoter of the Year" in 1984, 1986, 1997 and 1998 as well as the 1998 "Auto Racing Promoter of the Year" by the RPM (Racing Promotion Monthly) Promoter's Workshop. Outside of track management, Kemp has also promoted and operated the IMCA Florida Series from 1979 to 1986, developed the NASCAR Busch All-Star Tour for dirt late models in 1983, originated the IMCA Late Model Summer Series in 1985 and operated the McLeod Gold Star Series for asphalt late models from 1997 to 1999. "With the experienced staff we've put in place we're extremely confident we can follow in Earl's successful footsteps," said Stewart. "The history of Eldora is alive and well and no one wants to see this race track flourish more than me. Everyone can rest assured that Eldora is in good hands."(True Speed Communication PR)

• IRL Star Questions NASCAR "Hollywood Finishes": Indy Car champ Tony Kanaan, appearing on an all-racing late night talk show here Tuesday, launched broadsides at a variety of targets, including NASCAR despite a new-found love of oval racing. "There's no doubt NASCAR is akin to a religion in the USA right now, but many people -- and most open-wheel fans for that matter -- question the way their races always seem to have a Hollywood ending,'' he declared. ''Not to take anything away from Dale [Earnhardt] Jr.'s victory right after his father died, or Jimmie Johnson's successes following the Hendrick plane tragedy,'' Kanaan continued,''but these sorts of 'coincidences' can make you go 'hmm' sometimes.'' - (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

• National Guard and Roush Racing: The National Guard and Roush Racing are pleased to announce an extension of their NASCAR Nextel Cup partnership into the 2005 season. The National Guard will maintain its primary role with Roush Racing’s No. 16 NASCAR Nextel Cup entry and driver Greg Biffle. ...The National Guard began their involvement in NASCAR in 2002 and joined Roush Racing last December. In a partnership with Subway, Travelodge and Jackson Hewitt, the National Guard took on a primary role with the No. 16 team and debuted their signature red, white and blue Ford shortly before the Daytona 500. - (Catchfence)

• Enterprise and Truex: After the NASCAR time trials were cancelled in New Hampshire, Dale Earnhardt Inc. (DEI) assured Enterprise that it would honor its promise to enter Martin Truex Jr. and DEI's #1 Enterprise Rent-A-Car Chevrolet in a NEXTEL race this season. The race has been selected and Enterprise will finally have its NASCAR debut at Homestead Miami Speedway.(PE)

• Petty Enterprises Joins Forces With Evernham Engines In 05: Petty Enterprises will begin using Evernham Motorsports engines beginning with testing for the 2005 NASCAR Nextel Cup season. The organization fields the #43 Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge of driver Jeff Green and the #45 Georgia-Pacific/Brawny Dodge of driver Kyle Petty. Petty Enterprises is the winningest organization in major league motorsports. “We are constantly looking for ways to improve our performance and to run better as a team,” said Petty, who is also CEO of Petty Enterprises, “We at Petty Enterprises worked very closely with Evernham Motorsports to develop the Dodge program. Ray has been very gracious in his comments about the role of Petty Enterprises in that effort. We have continued to work closely with Evernham and with Dodge on many aspects of our program since then, and we see this alliance in the engine program as a natural evolution of our relationship. “Evernham Motorsports has really moved into the forefront in regards to Dodge engine development and we’re excited to be part of that,” Petty continued. “We’ve made some big strides with our chassis and bodies, so this was obviously the next step.” In its fourth year of operation, Evernham Motorsports has moved to the elite among NASCAR teams. The organization, which has one driver in the Chase For The Championship and a second 12th in the NASCAR Nextel Cup standings while leading Rookie of the Year, has 13 poles, five race wins, 45 top fives and 81 top 10s. “We have been working with Kyle and Petty Enterprises on behalf of Dodge the past four years, and they have a solid organization. The chassis are pretty much where they want them to be,” Evernham said. “We feel we can help them on the horsepower side as well, and help them continue to build their program. We’re all very excited at working even more closely with Petty Enterprises in 2005.” - (Williams Co., Of America Inc.)

November 17, 2004:

• Kahne back to run the #2 Truck: Nextel Cup rookie Kasey Kahne will make another start in the #2 Ultra Motorsports Dodge in Friday's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Kahne won Saturday's truck race at Darlington Raceway in his first-ever start in the Truck Series. (Las Vegas Sun)

• NASCAR Money, Speed and Power:  Fans may argue which sport is America’s pastime: baseball or football. But another competitor is racing ahead of them both for the title: NASCAR. Stock car racing has become a national phenomenon in terms of fan support, advertising and marketing. In this special series, NBR  Correspondent Jeff Yastine will explore the business of stock car racing – looking at the reasons behind the sport’s popularity, why so many Fortune 500 companies are spending millions of dollars to sponsor race teams, and how NASCAR plans to expand its southeastern base without
  losing its core identity and the loyalty of its fans.

• Darlington Final Ratings in:  NBC's coverage of the Mountain Dew Southern 500 Sunday earned a 5.1 national rating/11 share, the best rating ever for this race and a 50 percent increase over the 3.4/8 share for the comparable date on TNT last year (Rockingham, Nov. 9). Through nine races in NASCAR's inaugural 10-race "Chase for the Nextel Cup," the average rating on NBC and TNT is a 4.4/10, up 10 percent over last year's 4.0/9 for the same nine telecast dates. "Brian France had a clear vision of how to increase interest in NASCAR," said Ken Schanzer, President, NBC Sports. "The truly inspired idea for the 'Chase for the Nextel Cup' has had its supporters and critics along the way and we've all had to be patient to see the results of the new format. As we approach the final showdown, it is clear that the "Chase" is a resounding success. It has significantly increased the attention paid to and the audience watching NASCAR. It has elevated the exposure of drivers and teams both in the Top 10 and out. And it has produced the kind of drama and excitement Brian envisioned when he molded his plan."The record Mountain Dew Southern 500 rating raises the season-to-date NASCAR on NBC and TNT average rating to a 4.4/10 (18 telecasts), a 5 percent increase over last year's 4.2/10 (19 tc's). The Mountain Dew Southern 500 rating peaked at 5:30 p.m. with a 6.7/13 as Jimmie Johnson raced to his fourth checkered flag of the "Chase" to position himself in second-place in the Nextel Cup Championship standings, a mere 18 points behind leader Kurt Busch.(NBC PR)

• Speed to carry Nextel Cup announcement: SPEED Channel will carry a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series press conference from Homestead-Miami Speedway LIVE Friday at 9:00am/et. The event is scheduled to include drivers still in the hunt for the inaugural NASCAR NEXTEL Cup -- Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Mark Martin. SPEED Channel will be the exclusive television outlet for the press conference, which will be simulcast by NASCAR.com and XM Satellite Radio. Mike Joy will host the event. In addition, SPEED Channel will expand Sunday's post-race coverage, going LIVE to the track immediately following the Ford 400.(SPEED Channel PR)

November 16, 2004:

• California and other tracks may not shorten weekends:  NASCAR's sweeping changes aimed at a shorter weekend for its Nextel Cup Series may not include California Speedway, for the time being.   The sanctioning body announced Monday it would impound cars following qualifying until the Sunday race. Under the new procedures, Nextel Cup teams would practice two hours on Friday and qualify Saturday, placing a greater emphasis on race setups. The traditional "Happy Hour," the final practice for the premier series would be eliminated. However, some tracks -- including Texas, Charlotte and Talladega -- are resistant to the change as it would greatly affect track attendance on Friday.   "We are still in the process of getting more tracks to commit to this procedure," said John Darby, the Nextel Cup director. "We appreciate the cooperation of our track operators to assist us in delivering cost-saving measures to the team owners." (Daily Bulletin)

• Nextel and NASCAR Announce largest point fund in sports history: Nextel Communications Inc. (NASDAQ:NXTL) and NASCAR today unveiled a record NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series(TM) points fund of more than $24 million to be distributed among the top 25 drivers at the end of the 2004 season. The payout, a component of the sponsorship agreement Nextel entered into last year with NASCAR, guarantees each of the top 11 drivers at least $1 million for the first time in the sport's history. "The NEXTEL Cup Series is America's most widely attended spectator sport, and the structure of this year's points fund reflects NASCAR's popularity and Nextel's commitment to this sport," said Tim Donahue, Nextel's president and chief executive officer. "NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series teams compete on the highest level for 10 months out of the year, and we are proud to honor the drivers and teams for their hard work and achievement." The previous record points fund payout was $21,031,000 in 2003. This year's record payout significantly ups the ante for drivers. The 10 drivers in the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup are competing for the lion's share of the purse - $5.2 million - as well as the title of NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series champion. The points fund provides incentive for teams not contending for the NEXTEL Cup trophy, as the 11th place driver will win a minimum of $1 million. "We have enjoyed an outstanding inaugural season with our new title sponsor, and the enhanced points fund for the 2004 season is another example of Nextel's ongoing commitment to the sport, its drivers and teams," said NASCAR President Mike Helton. "It will represent a record points fund and that provides quite a financial incentive for our competitors to pursue." R.J. Reynolds' Winston brand began the points fund in 1971 to award end-of-season bonus money to teams. The 1971 purse totaled $100,000, including a $40,000 bonus for the series champion Richard Petty. This year's $5.2 million champion's prize sets a new benchmark. The winner's share reached $1 million for the first time in 1989 when Rusty Wallace won the series championship. It reached $2 million in 1999, $3 million in 2000 and climbed above $4 million last year. - (Nextel PR)

• NASCAR and CASCAR: In a joint effort to increase fan interest and visibility for stock car racing in Canada,NASCAR and CASCAR [www.cascar.com]have entered into a multi-year operational and marketing agreement. “NASCAR is looking forward to working with CASCAR in a growing market for stock car racing,” said George Pyne, Chief Operating Officer of NASCAR. “NASCAR will lend operational and marketing expertise to help grow Canada’s only national stock car series. This partnership further demonstrates NASCAR’s support of grassroots racing throughout North America and our efforts to bring sponsorship and licensing opportunities to businesses at every level of the sport.”  “In the past 23 years, CASCAR has grown from a regional racing series to a national organization,” said Tony Novotny, President of CASCAR. “NASCAR’s experience and resources will strengthen and support racing in Canada while establishing a foundation for future growth.”  Earlier this year, NASCAR formed NASCAR Canada, a partnership with TSN that established a Canadian base of operation in Toronto, as well as NASCAR Mexico, based in Mexico City. These new offices support local racing and extend the marketing of the sport to borders north and south of the U.S.  “NASCAR’s alliance with CASCAR, which complements our partnership with TSN, will help attract new fans to our sport and bring new opportunities to NASCAR sponsors and licensing partners,” Pyne said. “It will be an important vehicle for NASCAR’s continuing support of stock car racing at the grass roots in the Canadian market.”  NASCAR is the top-rated motorsport on Canadian television, and TSN is the most preferred viewing destination. The Canadian fan base is six million strong with Canadians considered among the most passionate NASCAR fans, according to the 2004 Ipsos-Insight NASCAR Canada Brand Tracker Survey. A significant number of Canadians have attended a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race. Regular travel to NASCAR events across the United States is common and growing.(NASCAR PR)

• Overnight Darlington TV Ratings Match Chase's Best: NBC's broadcast of Sunday’s Mountain Dew Southern 500 drew an overnight rating of 4.6 and a 9 share from Nielsen Media Research, today's Sports Business Daily reports. The overnight rating is up 4.5 percent from the 4.4 the Darlington event drew for NBC on its traditional Labor Day weekend in 2003. The next-to-last race in 2003, the Pop Secret 400 at North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham, was carried on cable's TNT, so direct comparisons aren't available. This year's 4.6 figure from the nation's largest markets equals the best overnight figures from any of the seven Chase For The Nextel Cup races NBC has broadcast, the 4.6 for the Oct. 3 EA Sports 500 at Talladega Superspeedway and the Oct. 16 UAW-GM Quality 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway, which was a Saturday night event. (NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter)

• MORE TV and NASCAR: In the wake of the NFL’s announcement last week of a new $8 billion, six-year deal with CBS and Fox to televise Sunday afternoon games through 2011, NASCAR is itching to get underway with its own TV rights renewals, the first of which comes up following the 2006 season. NASCAR officials privately believe their telecasts are currently undervalued, particularly the second-half of the racing season on NBC and TNT, in which ratings have grown as a result of the new Chase for the Cup driver points system that was initiated this year. Ratings for the last four races on NBC are up 15 percent cumulatively over last season, and NASCAR is expected to seek a hefty increase from NBC if it wants to renew its telecast rights. The NBC/TNT portion is up for renewal following the 2006 season, while the Fox portion of NASCAR rights runs through the 2008 season, although NASCAR has the option of terminating it after the ’06 season.  If the NFL can secure hefty rights-fee increases when the TV ratings over the course of its current contract declined, NASCAR officials believe they can do as well, or better, since its ratings have grown. Also bolstering NASCAR officials’ hopes for big rights hikes is ESPN’s open desire to televise the races. At a recent upfront event, George Bodenheimer, president of ESPN/ABC Sports, stated that the one property he would like to add to the ABC/ESPN schedule is NASCAR. While NBC has an exclusive window to negotiate, NASCAR could hold out and allow ESPN to bid. This prospect has fueled speculation that NBC may walk away from NASCAR, and concentrate its efforts on a bid for either ABC’s Monday Night Football package or the newly created NFL Thursday/Saturday package. NBC may also bid on a new Major League Baseball telecast-rights package. (Mediaweek.com)

• No More Lucky Dog? NASCAR is contemplating dropping the so-called "lucky dog" rule implemented last season after racing back to the start-finish line under caution was outlawed. The rule allows the first driver a lap down when a caution comes out to get back onto the lead lap. NASCAR vice president Jim Hunter said the rule has created confusion among fans and, at times, the competitors. (USA Today)

November 15, 2004:

• Point System here to Stay: NASCAR's going to stick with its new points system.  NASCAR chairman Brian France tells The Associated Press the new system being used on the Nextel Cup circuit has been wonderful, has created interest, and has spawned a scenario that was unthinkable under the old system.  NASCAR fans are enjoying the closest championship race in the tour's history. Five drivers head into Sunday's finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway separated by 82 points, creating a one-race shootout to the Nextel Cup championship. (Lex 18)

• Testing Out West:  In another cost-saving measure with competition benefits, NASCAR also will give its NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series teams the opportunity to conduct a combination preseason test at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and California Speedway. The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup teams will be permitted to test a maximum of two days at each track. Las Vegas Motor Speedway will be available to NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series teams Jan. 31 through Feb. 2, and California Speedway will be available Feb. 1-3, eliminating the expense of making two separate trips for tests at those respective tracks. (NASCAR PR)

• Brendan to 0 car?:  Brendan Gaughan was told his contract would not be renewed with Penske-Jasper Racing, and apparently Gene Haas has offered Gaughan, 29, the No. 0 Chevy seat for 2005. Haas-CNC G.M. Joe Custer added that Richard "Bootie" Barker would remain as crew chief on the No. 0 and has a three-year contract. Putting Travis Kvapil in the No. 77 next season is coming with a price. Alex Meshkin wanted compensation for letting Kvapil out of his Bang Racing contract, so Kvapil is expected to run 20 Busch events next season in a Dodge - (FOXSports)

• Goodbye Happy Hour.. Hello New Rules:  NASCAR will implement a post-qualifying impound procedure for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series at the majority of the 36 championship-point races in 2005, NASCAR officials announced today. More than half of the events on the 2005 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series schedule will utilize the new procedure that will provide cost-containment benefits to the teams. Following qualifying and the post-qualifying inspection process, the starting field of 43 cars will be impounded by NASCAR officials until race day. During this period, the teams will not be permitted to work on their cars unless for special circumstances and authorized by NASCAR officials. “We are still in the process of getting more tracks to commit to this procedure,” NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Director John Darby said. “We appreciate the cooperation of our track operators to assist us in delivering cost-saving measures to the team owners.” Some of the benefits of the new procedure will include reducing the amount of labor by crew members on the cars throughout a race weekend; reducing practice tire consumption and, most importantly, eliminating special qualifying parts, components, oils and set-ups. “Ultimately, all the teams will arrive at the track with a focus on one goal,” Darby said. “That goal will be to have the best possible race set-up, and hopefully that will enhance the overall competitive element throughout the field.” The new procedure will alter the traditional race weekend schedule. The two 45-minute final practices the day following qualifying – commonly known as “Happy Hour” – will be eliminated. In many cases for a traditional race weekend (Friday-Sunday), two hours of practice would take place Friday, Bud Pole qualifying on Saturday and then the cars would be impounded immediately following post-qualifying inspection. On doubleheader weekends, Bud Pole qualifying could be followed by a NASCAR Busch Series event, creating a strong single-day package for race fans. (NASCAR PR)

• Slugger News: Richard "Slugger" Labbe, the crew chief who took #15-Michael Waltrip to two Daytona 500 wins during the past four years, is being wooed by car owner Joe Gibbs to join the Tony Stewart-Bobby Labonte-Jason Leffler operation next season, according to team sources. Labbe is also being courted by other car owners too, possibly including Roger Penske. Labbe, who quit Waltrip's Cup team last month "because the team wasn't making progress," has been floating among the various Dale Earnhardt Inc. teams since, waiting to see what options that team owner Teresa Earnhardt and manager Richie Gilmore might have for him for 2005. "I want to stay at DEI, and I'm just waiting to see what happens," Labbe said. "It's up to Richie. I told him I'm going on vacation the end of the month for a couple of weeks and I'd like to know something before then." (Winston Salem Journal)

• Nextel Weekends to Change: A new post-qualifying procedure designed the save money and significantly alter racing weekends will begin next season in NASCAR. Car owner Jack Roush said he and his crew chiefs were briefed on the measures Saturday at Darlington Raceway. NASCAR is expected to announce the plans this week. Under the plan, qualifying would be moved from Friday to Saturday, then the cars would be impounded. They would then line up Sundays with no tire, gear or shock absorber changes. (SF Gate)

November 14, 2004:

• Flagman waves final flag: Jimmy Howell, who has served as one of the two Nextel Cup Series flagmen for the past seven years, made Sunday's final Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway his final race in that as well. Howell will attend next weekend's season finale at Homestead, Fla., but will not be on teh flag stand. He has accepted a job as director of motorsports for Bass Pro Shops, which will sponsor the 2004 Busch Series champion, Martin Truex Jr., next season. During Sunday's race, the Motor Racing Network radio crew announced Howell's retirement from the position and fans responded with a standing ovation. "It's been a lot of races and a lot of years, a lot of great memories. NASCAR has been great to me and I have nothing but admiration for them," he said. "I'll always be a NASCAR guy," said Howell, who hails from Winston-Salem, NC. "It’s a real good opportunity in my life that at this point I didn't feel like I could pass up. I'll still be involved in NASCAR in many ways. I'll have the best of both worlds."(ThatsRacin.com)

• ESPN Classic's Dale Earnhardt Tribute: ESPN Classic celebrates the career of NASCAR great Dale Earnhardt, as they build up to the debut of the EOE movie "3", beginning on Wednesday, December 1, at 9:00pm/et. Every night for six nights ESPN Classic will air a fantastic Dale Earnhardt race at 9:00pm/et. Then Thursday, December 9, to Saturday, December 11, ESPN Classic will televise the "3 Days of Dale" which will feature around-the-clock airings of his greatest NASCAR and IROC races, as well as shows/documentaries that pay tribute to the career of the immortal "Intimidator".(ESPN.com)

November 13, 2004:

• Interesting Note not NASCAR: Six-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong said he would love to drive a Formula One racecar following a cycling training session with Mark Webber, an Australian auto racer, according to a published report.  Webber is supposedly a keen fan of Armstrong's and he recently flew to Texas for a cycling training camp of sorts with the famous cyclist after the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix last month. "He said he wanted to drive the car himself rather than be a passenger," Webber reportedly said. What are the chances of Armstrong actually pulling it off? (The Sporting News)

• GM head of racing to Hendrick? General Motors' Doug Duchardt, head of the company's world-wide racing operations, is apparently being wooed by car owner Rick Hendrick to move to North Carolina to take a key position at Hendrick Motorsports. Hendrick's racing operations were hard-hit by the plane crash three weeks ago that killed 10. Among those killed were John Hendrick, the company's president; Randy Dorton, the legendary engine builder and head of the company's engine department; and general manager Jeff Turner. (Winston Salem Journal)
   

• Mark Martin Goes Reality? Garage sources told TFR today that Mark Martin is in final negotiations to participate in the racing reality show, NASCAR 360. The show, which will come during the final year of his fulltime commitment to securing a Cup championship, will follow Martin around as he works his daily routine. The details are still very fluid at this stage of the discussions, but Martin apparently is rev’ed up about the proposition to share with his fans some of the behind the scenes stuff he’ll be doing as he winds down what many call a driver’s driver career. (Team Ford Racing)

November 12, 2004:

• NBC back and ABC to join Maybe?  It had been widely speculated that NBC would get back into bidding for the NFL when the league's current television contract came up. The Peacock Network dropped out of the NFL picture during the last round of negotiating and subsequently became a NASCAR partner, with a budget to bid on Nextel Cup racing and a Sunday afternoon programming slot to fill. ABC/ESPN has been lurking to return to the NASCAR world and would have leapt at the chance if NBC got back into the NFL business. The logical move would have been for ABC to pick-up NBC's portion if the NFL came back into the fold.  But the possibility exists that NASCAR may create a third tier network television package which would allow both NBC and ABC into the party. Obviously ala the NFL, the more television partners NASCAR can bring into the fold, the more money to be had. And with ratings still second to only the NFL, NASCAR offers TV solid programming to attract the necessary advertising dollars needed to turn a profit. A prime time group of races, combining some Saturday night events with a couple Monday and Thursday night races, has been discussed. This six or eight race package, along with some ancillary programming like Busch races, may be attractive enough for a third network to bite.  (SBN)

• Helton Sits down one-on-one with Newton:  Mike Helton has been the president of NASCAR since 2000, when he took over the job Bill France held for 28 years. In charge of the sport’s day-to-day operations, he has overseen some of the biggest changes in the sport’s recent history, from the new television contract with NBC and Fox to realignment of the schedule to the new playoff system that was implemented for this season.  (The State)

• Troopers Suspended over Elliott flight:  Two Georgia State Patrol troopers were suspended without pay for letting NASCAR driver Bill Elliott hop a ride in their helicopter when they were supposed to be reporting about marijuana fields. The troopers spent two hours shuttling Elliott from his home in Dawsonville, where he had dropped off an airplane, back to Blairsville, where Elliott's car was parked. Cpl. Kevin Coalson, the pilot, was suspended for three days last week, and Lt. Eddie Williams began a six-day suspension Monday, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.  (CNN)

November 11, 2004:

• Edwards sets Track Record in Darlington:  Carl Edwards took an important step in his bid for the NASCAR truck series championship with a record-setting qualifying run Thursday at Darlington Raceway.  Edwards, who fell 133 points behind leader Bobby Hamilton with a 10th-place finish last week in Phoenix, led 25 drivers who shattered Jason Leffler's 2-year-old record on the 1.366-mile oval. Edwards had a fast lap of 167.487 mph in a Ford. Shane Hmiel was second in a Chevrolet at 166.947. Leffler, whose previous record was 163.702, was sixth-fastest in his Chevy at 166.152. (ESPN)

• Dale Jr.'s Pit Crew wins at Phoenix: The pit crew for Dale Earnhardt Jr. captured the Phoenix competition of the McDonald's Drive-Thru Pit Championship fueled by POWERade. The victory lifted the No. 8 team into first place in the pit crew standings with two races remaining in the 2004 NASCAR Nextel Cup schedule. It was the fourth McDonald's/POWERade win for the #8 crew and in three of those victories Earnhardt also won the race - Richmond (May 15), Talladega (Oct. 3) and Phoenix (Nov. 7). The McDonald's/POWERade point standings got shuffled following the Phoenix race. Earnhardt's team moved from third to first while Elliott Sadler's team dropped from first to third. Tony Stewart's team remained in second, three points out of the lead. The top four crews heading into Darlington (Nov. 14) are: Earnhardt's (1194 points), Stewart's (1191), Sadler's (1181) and Kurt Busch's (1179). Earnhardt's crew is the reigning McDonald's/POWERade champion. Earnhardt's Budweiser Chevrolet spent the least amount of time on Phoenix International Raceway's pit road with a time of 285.50 seconds. Biffle's National Guard Ford was second at 325.98 and Jeff Burton's AOL Chevy was third at 329.87. "Great team, great car, great pit stops," said Earnhardt following his Phoenix victory. "What else can you say? I'm really proud of these guys for not giving up this year. We had awesome pit stops all day, and Tony (Eury) Sr. did a great job making the calls from the pits. Whether it was the decision to take four (tires), or the decision to stay out when I was hollerin' on the radio to pit, Tony Sr. and Tony Jr. and the whole team earned their stripes." The #8 over-the-wall crew consists of: Jeff Clarke (gasman), Kevin Pennell (jackman), Phil Drye (front tire changer), Danny Earnhardt (front tire carrier), Greg Burkhart (rear tire changer), Troy Prince (rear tire carrier), Craig Lund (catch can). Tony Eury Sr. is the crew chief and the car chief is Tony Eury Jr. The pit crew coach is Walt Smith.(DMF Comminications PR)
   

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