NBC Cameras at
Homestead:
The "Chase for
the Nextel Cup" races to the finish line at the Ford
400, Sunday, 3:00pm/et from Homestead-Miami Speedway,
live in high definition on NBC. Coverage begins with a
special one-hour "Bank of America Countdown to Green"
pre-race show, followed by green flag racing at
4:00pm/et. NBC's production arsenal for the Ford 400
NASCAR Nextel Cup finale will include 65 cameras,
including eight cars with in-car cameras and three
isolation cameras focused on the top three drivers in
the championship "Chase." The "Tony-Cam," "Jimmie-Cam"
and "Carl-Cam" will be isolated on points leader Tony
Stewart, Jimmie Johnson (-52) and Carl Edwards (-87)
respectively. NBC also will have a "Crew-Cam" mounted on
the helmet of Stewart's rear tire carrier, Jody Forston,
that will show the speed and pressure from his point of
view during Stewart's pit stops. (NBC PR)
Texas Motor Speedway
ticket sales strong: Fewer than 10,000 individual
seats remain for the first Nextel Cup race of 2006 at
Texas Motor Speedway, the Samsung/RadioShack 500 on
April 9. "Typically, we always have a big spike in
ticket sales for the April event as soon as we release
individual tickets," TMS president Eddie Gossage said of
a sale that began Nov. 9. "This year has been no
exception." Season tickets for 2006, ranging from $289
to $514 for 11 days of track action, are available by
calling (817) 215-8500, or on the Web at
www.texasmotorspeedway.com or at participating
Ticketmaster outlets. (TMS PR)
Stremme to attempt to
start at Homestead: David Stremme will attempt to
qualify for his fourth NEXTEL Cup Series start this
weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the #39 Commit
Dodge from the Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates
stable. It will be the second race this season for
Stremme in the Commit car after its Charlotte debut.
Previously in Cup competition this season, the South
Bend, Ind. native drove the #39 Navy Dodge for CGRFS at
Chicagoland Speedway and Richmond International Raceway
(September race), and most recently piloted the #39
Commit car at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Lee McCall will
serve as Stremme's crew chief this weekend at
Homestead-Miami Speedway. McCall joined Chip Ganassi
Racing with Felix Sabates at the beginning of the 2001
season to lead the #40 team. McCall has amassed five
wins as a crew chief at CGRFS, four with Sterling Marlin
and one with Jamie McMurray. (Chip Ganassi Racing with
Felix Sabates PR)
Drivers taking part
in Fl. fishing tourney: NASCAR drivers, crew members
and team owners traded race cars for fishing boats
Wednesday in the Racers' Invitational Fishing
Tournament. The tournament is a prelude to the Ford 400,
the final race of the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series
championship. The race is scheduled for Sunday at the
Homestead-Miami Speedway. A.J. Foyt IV caught and
released the winning sailfish. Greg Biffle, who won last
year's Homestead-Miami race and is fourth in the chase
for the 2005 Nextel Cup, released a sailfish and caught
a dolphin fish. About 40 boats, each carrying a racing
celebrity, their guests and a fishing guide,
participated in the annual tournament. (AP/Tallahassee)
Nov. 16, 2005:
Roush
switches #97 to #26: Roush Racing has decided to
bring back the No. 26, replacing the No. 97, when Jamie
McMurray steps into the car next season starting at
Daytona. The sponsors of Kurt Busch's old ride -
Sharpie, IRWIN and Crown Royal - will transfer over to
the new number along with new paint schemes. Although
Busch won the championship with the No. 97 in 2004, the
move is a smart one from a marketing point of view. With
the recent troubles for Busch, the rebranding will help
build a new base for McMurray and the sponsors. (RacingOne)
Stewart
clinches One Championship; Gatorback: The race
season isn't over quite yet, but #20-Tony Stewart has
already clinched one championship. Stewart has put
enough distance between himself and the remainder of the
field to capture the Goodyear Gatorback Fastest Lap
Championship prior to this weekend's season-ending race
at Homestead, Fla. The Gatorback award, sponsored by
Goodyear Engineered Products, goes each week to a driver
posting the fastest lap while leading a Nextel Cup race.
At the end of the season, the driver compiling the most
fastest laps is declared the Gatorback champion for the
season. Stewart, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, will
receive the 2005 Gatorback Fastest Lap solid crystal
trophy, along with check for $75,000, at the
season-ending NASCAR banquet at New York in December.
Stewart has dominated the Nextel Cup field by posting
eight fastest laps this season. His closest challenge
came from rival #16-Greg Biffle, who has recorded five
fastest laps. With one race to go, Stewart is out of
reach of the competition. Gatorback Poly-V belts were
introduced at the 2002 Daytona 500 on rookie Cup driver
Jimmie Johnson's pole-sitting racecar. Today, every
Nextel Cup car uses the same straight-off-the-shelf
belts that race fans can purchase from auto parts stores
and installers. Goodyear has supplied belts to NASCAR
for 24-years and is the exclusive NASCAR Performance
licensee of automotive aftermarket belts and hose. For
more information, visit
goodyearbeltsandhose.com.
(Goodyear PR)
Evernham team swap,
Baldwin to start own team:
As the 2005
NASCAR Nextel Cup season winds down, planning for 2006
is already well underway at Evernham Motorsports. For
President and CEO Ray Evernham, it is anything but
business as usual. Evernham is developing a new
architecture for team success, one designed to foster
better collective thinking, decision making and
intellectual innovation. In 2006, Evernham will do away
with the crew chief position on all of his race teams,
instead installing a leadership team similar to many
corporate structures. Each of the Evernham Motorsports
Nextel Cup teams will have a Team Director, a Car
Director and an Engineer. Evernham designed the new team
structure with an eye toward the future and the
continued evolution of the sport. #19: For 2006, the leadership and team members of
Evernham Motorsports will shift their alignment to
better share the knowledge and thought-processes
throughout the organization. The team that comprises the
#91 Evernham Dodge Charger today will move to the #19
Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge Charger, driven by Jeremy
Mayfield. It will be led by Chris Andrews as Team
Director. Kirk Almquist will be the Car Director and Tim
Malinovsky will be the Engineer. #9: The #19 team will shift to the #9 Dodge
Dealers/UAW Dodge Charger, which Kasey Kahne will
continue to drive. Kenny Francis will be the Team
Director for the #9 team, Mike Shiplett will be the Car
Director and Keith Rodden will be the Engineer. #10: The #9 team will support the new No. 10
Valvoline/Stanley Tools Dodge Charger and driver Scott
Riggs. Rodney Childers is the acting Team Director, and
the leadership team will be announced at a later date.
The new team structure will be in effect for the final
race of the 2005 season at Homestead-Miami Speedway on
November 20, 2005. Tommy Baldwin, Team Director of the
#9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge Charger, will serve as a team
consultant at Miami before moving on to pursue his
dreams of running his own team. "Tommy will be leaving
Evernham Motorsports to hopefully start his own
operation," added Evernham. "He's very interested in
being a team owner, and I want to help him get started
just like Rick Hendrick helped me get started. I've
known Tommy since he was 10 or 11 years old, and wish
him the very best in the future."
"I appreciate the opportunity to work with Ray for
several years," said Baldwin. "I've learned an awful lot
from him. I also appreciate him letting me move on and
helping me accomplish what I want to accomplish in the
future. I came to Ray some time ago and told him this is
what I've wanted to do. He didn't have any problems with
that. He was in the same position with Rick (Hendrick)
when he wanted to move on. Ray has helped me through all
this and helped my decision making. I'm thankful for his
friendship. Kasey and I have talked about this," he
added. "He's going to win plenty of races with me or
without me. He just has a God-given talent. I'm not
worried about that. I'm glad I've become really good
friends with him, and hopefully we can carry that into
the future." The remaining positions within the new team
structure at Evernham Motorsports are expected to be
named in the next few weeks. (Clear!Blue/Evernham
Motorsports PR)
Cabela's Joins Peak
Performance As Primary Sponsor For Lepage's #66: Peak
Performance Motorsports today announced that its No. 66
entry will be sponsored by Cabela's® in the
season-ending race at Homestead this weekend. Kevin
Lepage will be backed by the nation's largest direct
marketer and leading specialty retailer of hunting,
fishing, camping and related outdoor merchandise for the
Ford 400. "We are wrapping up the season on a high note
with this announcement from Cabela's," said team owner
Jeff Stec. "It's been an exciting year and we are
pleased to welcome such a fine company on board for our
final race of the season. We are hopeful of having a
strong weekend and that we can carry our year-end
momentum into 2006." Cabela's is familiar with the
NASCAR audience and its marketing importance. "Like
Cabela's customers, racing fans are extremely loyal,"
said John Porter, Cabela's Retail Advertising Manager.
"And we know many racing fans are also love the outdoor
sports. It makes sense to continue Cabela's NASCAR
involvement by teaming with Peak Performance Motorsports
and Kevin Lepage for the season finale at Homestead. We
look forward to the race. " Cabela's® (www.Cabelas.com)
is the nation's largest direct marketer and a leading
specialty retailer of hunting, fishing, camping and
related outdoor merchandise. Since its founding in 1961,
Cabela's has become one of the most well-known outdoor
recreation brands in the United States and has long been
recognized as the World's Foremost Outfitter®. Cabela's
operates as an integrated multi-channel retailer,
offering customers a seamless shopping experience
through its catalogs, website and destination retail
stores. Cabela's also issues the Cabela's Club® VISA
credit card through which it offers a related customer
loyalty rewards program as a vehicle for strengthening
its customer relationships. (PSE-3)
Busch was below legal
alcohol limit: Nextel Cup champion driver Kurt Busch
had a 0.017 blood-alcohol level on a preliminary
sobriety test, far below the state's impairment limit,
Maricopa County sheriff's office said Tuesday. Busch was
detained Friday on suspicion of drunken driving and
cited for reckless driving after a confrontation with
Maricopa County deputies. He was suspended by Roush
Racing for the rest of the season. Maricopa County
sheriff's spokesman Lt. Paul Chagolla said the
preliminary test is not admissible in court, but is
designed to help indicate the presence of alcohol. The
legal limit in Arizona is 0.08. Chagolla said deputies
tried to administer an official alcohol breath test but
the machine malfunctioned. None of the six signs that
would indicate impairment during another test were
present either. (Yahoo!
Sports)
Expanded Speed
Coverage at Homestead: SPEED Channel will elevate
its coverage of the final event in the NASCAR Chase for
the NEXTEL Cup with a week's worth of at-track and
off-site programming from South Florida, culminating
with a four-hour live pre-race package Nov. 20 beginning
at 11:00am/et. In addition to multiple live programs
from the track, Speed Channel also will bring several of
its studio shows to Miami, embracing the city's
personality and style. (SPEED)
Sherman to #49 BAM:
Brent
Sherman, the talented rookie driver from the Chicago
metro area, will drive the #49 Dodge for BAM Racing
beginning with the 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series season.
Car owner Beth Ann Morgenthau made the announcement
today. Runnerup only to the legendary Frank Kimmel for
the 2004 ARCA championship, Sherman exhibited the
consistency necessary for success in the major leagues
of stock car racing. That came after his first full
season in ARCA, when Sherman finished fourth in the
final national standings. This past season, he has
competed in 25 NASCAR Busch Series events with a pair of
different teams. The 31-year-old Sherman is a native of
North Barrington, Ill., on the northwest side of
Chicago. Unlike many of those who will be running for
Rookie of the Year in NASCAR's Nextel Cup Series next
season, Sherman has never started a race in the series.
BAM Racing, completing just its fourth year of
operation, is owned by the Morgenthaus, investors from
Coral Gables, Fla. Ms. Morgenthau, whose initials make
up the name of the team - BAM Racing - is the only
female car owner in motorsports to become involved
without prior family connections. General manager Eddie
Jones is a veteran of the NASCAR Nextel Cup wars,
enjoying a championship career as a crew chief, mechanic
and team leader. Crew chief David Hyder has over 20
years of racing experience both driving and as a chief
mechanic. Car chief Ron Otto is a former crew chief with
years of successful experience in major league stock car
racing. (Williams
Company)
Nov. 15, 2005:
NASCAR gives Daytona and State of FL. time to
raise money for Hall bid: An unexpected move by
NASCAR has given Daytona Beach more time to line up
public money to attract the coveted stock-car-racing
hall of fame. NASCAR executives announced during the
weekend that they would hold off on selecting a site for
the hall until early next year. That gives lawmakers
time to revive a plan during a special session next
month to sell a NASCAR-themed license plate and use the
proceeds to help finance Daytona's bid for the
attraction. Daytona -- which is competing with
Charlotte, N.C.; Richmond, Va.; Kansas City, Kan.; and
Atlanta for the hall of fame -- has proposed spending at
least $70 million to overhaul Daytona USA and merge it
with a new museum. But supporters have been unable to
secure significant public money to help pay for
construction, which some observers say has undermined
Daytona's bid. Charlotte and Atlanta bids, by
comparison, include tens of millions of dollars in
taxpayer subsidies. "We are relieved to hear that we
will have the time necessary to exhaust every
opportunity available to us in Tallahassee," said John
Saboor, the executive director of the Central Florida
Sports Commission and one of the organizers of Daytona's
bid. (Sun
Sentinel)
Final Week for Chex NASCAR Most Popular Driver Award: With just
days remaining for nationwide fan voting, Dale Earnhardt
Jr. continues to lead the Chex NMPA NASCAR Most Popular
Driver Award - but fans and fan clubs for other drivers
appear to have picked up their support. Fan clubs and
web sites for several drivers have urged their fans to
vote regularly at
www.mostpopulardriver.com, as votes have tightened
to determine which drivers will finish in the top 10 of
the final tally. "The fans have really jumped on this,
wanting to make sure their driver finishes as high as
possible," said Kenny Bruce, president of the National
Motorsports Press Association. "Among the top 20
drivers, several are separated by just a few thousands
votes, so a good effort in the final week could make a
big difference in who finishes where. The right kind of
effort could make a big difference in the top five as
well." Jeff Gordon is second in the voting, followed by
Kasey Kahne, Tony Stewart, Rusty Wallace, Kevin Harvick,
Michael Waltrip, Mark Martin, Dale Jarrett and Jimmie
Johnson. The most coveted NASCAR award behind only the
national driving championship itself, the Most Popular
Driver is determined by an online vote by fans at
www.mostpopulardriver.com. The winner will be announced
during the NASCAR Nextel Cup Awards Banquet weekend,
Dec. 2, in New York City. A record 4 million votes have
been cast, and Earnhardt Jr. has led since voting began
in February. The driver standings may change this final
week, however, as fans hope to move their favorite
drivers into the top spot before the balloting ends at
11:59 p.m. (CST), Monday, Nov. 21, the day after the
final race of the season at Homestead, Fla. (Williams
Co., Of America, Inc.)
K. Wallace back in #97 for Homestead: Kenny
Wallace again will drive the No. 97 Ford for Roush
Racing in the Nextel Cup Series' season-ending Ford 400
at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday. Wallace drove the
car at Phoenix after team owner Jack Roush suspended
defending series champion Kurt Busch following a
reckless driving citation. "Jack Roush gave me
more confidence today than I've had in a long time,"
Wallace said Monday night. "He told me, 'We put you in a
no-win situation. You had one chance to do good, and two
chances to do wrong. ... We're thankful for the job you
did.' " It's safe to assume Roush had seen better
weekends than the one he endured at Phoenix. (NASCAR.com)
NASCAR employee wins BET "New Faces Search":
NASCAR employee Terrence Jenkins has been selected as a
new host for Black Entertainment Television (BET) as
part of the network's "New Faces Search." Jenkins, a
senior account executive in NASCAR's Diversity
Department, was selected from thousands of applicants
after open auditions across the country. Jenkins
auditioned in Atlanta and was chosen as one of 10
finalists. The final announcement was made live on BET
on Saturday night. "I am extremely excited about the
opportunity to join the BET Family and the legacy of
talented faces and personalities that have elevated it
into the nation's leading television network for African
Americans," Jenkins said. "This is truly an honor and a
dream come true. I value my time spent with NASCAR and
the many friends and business relationships I have made
throughout the industry. In particular, the Diversity
Department has come a very long way and I look forward
to staying involved with the sport no matter where my
career path may lead." NASCAR Director of Diversity and
Special Projects Tish Sheets said, "We are all proud of
Terrence and this exciting new opportunity. He has been
an important part of the NASCAR family and has done a
tremendous job of further educating people of all
backgrounds about the professional opportunities
available in the industry. We will miss Terrence on both
a personal and professional level." (NASCAR PR)
Miller Lite comments on Busch:
Kurt Busch
will be with the Miller Brewing Company when he takes
over the #2 Miller Lite Dodge in 2006. Asked if Penske
Racing South was still confident that Busch was the
right pairing for that sponsorship, the team president,
Don Miller, said: "Absolutely. I see some qualities that
he has that are excellent. But I've also seen some areas
we need to work on." Although he is not yet with Penske,
Busch was contacted by officials at Miller yesterday.
"We've spoken with Kurt and we're confident he truly
understands the significance of his behavior,
particularly regarding the fact we cannot and will not
tolerate any behavior that demonstrates a lack of
responsibility in the consumption of alcohol," the
company said in a prepared statement. "We're going to
stand by Kurt, but we made it clear to him that we
expect him to also stand by us by demonstrating behavior
befitting a true champion." (New
York Times)
Kurt Busch held out of Championship weekend
activities: The unveiling of the 2004 Nextel
championship banner at 1 p.m. today has been canceled,
speedway spokesman Phil de Montmollin said. The banner
currently is on display, but Homestead had scheduled to
formally honor Busch, who last year won the first Nextel
Cup under the current chase format. Entering Sunday's
race he ranks ninth, 441 points behind leader Tony
Stewart. ''It's not a real big deal for us, because the
championship banner will be up,'' speedway president
Curtis Gray said. Greg Biffle, fourth in the chase, will
replace Busch at a question-and-answer session during
the ''All-Star Welcome to Ford Championship Week,'' with
Marlins outfielder Jeff Conine. During the event from 6
to 9 p.m. at Conine's Clubhouse Grille in Hollywood,
fans can view the Nextel Cup and win
two tickets to the Ford 400.
(Miami
Herald)
Harvick and the Kelly's on NASCAR.com:
SportsBlast, a producer of innovative animated content
for the Internet and traditional media, announced that
2001 Nextel Cup Rookie of the Year and Busch Series
Champion Kevin Harvick will appear on the 2005 series
finale of The Kellys, the first animated series
depicting the experiences of a stock car racing team.
The final episode, "Harvick Dusts Team Kelly" will be
available exclusively on www.nascar.com beginning
Friday, November 18th leading into the season finale of
the Nextel Cup Chase and the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami
Speedway. "I'm thrilled to be the first Nextel Cup
driver featured on The Kellys," Harvick said. "I am a
big fan of the show. I always wanted to be a cartoon
when I grew up." The Kellys is an animated series,
optimized for broadband viewing, about a dedicated
racing family who are the most popular underdogs on the
racing circuit. Harvick, appearing as himself, was
chosen by NASCAR fans as one of the five most popular
drivers in 2004 and a winner of the prestigious
Brickyard 400, among his career accomplishments. "Kevin
is a great addition to an already star-studded cast,"
said Peter Kjenaas, producer and director of The Kellys
"The success of The Kellys demonstrates that fans enjoy
the originality of having an animated series on a sports
league site." "Like most people my age, I grew up on
animated shows like The Simpsons and Liquid Television
on MTV," Harvick continued. "The show running on
NASCAR.com is a whole new venue for a weekly series like
this, and I'm just happy to be a part of it." (SportsBlast)
Dale Jr. on CNBC: CNBC will feature Dale Jr.
during the "On the Money" program Friday night at 7:00
pm. ET. The segment will also be seen on "Dollars and
Sport" on CNBC, Thanksgiving morning at 9:30 am and
again at 2:30 pm ET. (Budweiser Weekly PR)
Phoenix
Overnight ratings down: NBC's broadcast of Sunday's
Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Raceway
earned an overnight rating of 4.0 from Nielsen Media
Research and a 7 share in the nation's largest
television markets, Street & Smith's SportsBusiness
Daily reports. The overnight rating is 13% lower than
the 4.6 NBC drew overnight for last year's 35th Nextel
Cup race, which was the Mountain Dew Southern 500 from
Darlington Raceway. The Nov. 7, 2004, race at Phoenix,
which was last year's 34th race, drew a 4.3 overnight
rating. (NASCAR
Scene Daily Newsletter)
Evernham cars in new 2006 schemes: When the
green flag falls at the 2006 Daytona 500 next February,
the Dodge Chargers of Jeremy Mayfield and Kasey Kahne
will be sporting bold new paint schemes reflective of
the bold design of the popular Dodge Charger production
vehicle. The new 2006 Dodge Dealers paint scheme
provides Kasey Kahne and Jeremy Mayfield distinctive yet
familiar team identities. The new scheme maintains the
Dodge trademark red color and provides greater on-track
visibility for Dodge Dealers. "For the first five years
of competition in Dodge's modern era of NASCAR
competition, our two Dodges have carried similar paint
schemes," said Linda Mahoney, motorsports marketing
manager for Dodge. "Now, we want to give each driver a
unique look and identity on the track."The No. 19 Dodge
Dealers/UAW Dodge Charger of Jeremy Mayfield will still
feature the bright red hood with the signature Dodge
Ram's head and branding for the Dodge Dealers. But, the
Dodge Charger will carry black doors and fenders with
red numbers on the side and white numbers on the roof.
Mayfield drove a black car in several races in 2005, and
made a special request for a cool black Dodge Charger
for 2006. Kasey Kahne's No. 9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge
Charger also will have a new look for 2006. His Charger
will carry the same bright red hood and Dodge Ram logo
as the No. 19, but will have white doors and fenders.
The numbers on the side of the car will be black and the
top of the car will be white. (Evernham Motorsports)
Richert Wins WYPALL® Wipers Crew Chief of the
Race Award: Doug Richert and the #16 National
Guard/Post-it Ford were able to turn it around after a
dismal week at Texas Motor Speedway to finish second at
the Checker Auto Parts 500. Biffle led 189 laps, the
most in the race, which is the 4th time this season he
has done so. For his preparation getting the #16 Ford
ready for Phoenix, Doug Richert was voted the WYPALL®
Wipers Crew Chief of the Race. Biffle fought hard in the
Arizona sun, dominating most of the race. "Greg had to
battle all day so we didn't gamble as far as tires go,"
said Richert. "We had a really good car; you don't get
that too often, so we were hoping to capitalize.
Overall, we were pleased with the 2nd place finish,"
continued Richert. The #16 Ford's turnaround from a
lackluster performance could also be attributed to fast
pit stops. "The guys have been great all year long; they
know every second counts and they performed well today.
We had problems in Texas, but we bounced back and put
together some great pit stops for Greg." The panel of
voters, including local NBC Sportscasters, a WYPALL®
Wipers representative and Robbie Reiser, unanimously
voted for Richert as the crew chief that did the best
job. "These guys had a lot on their shoulders this
week," said Reiser. "It says a lot of Doug Richert to
come back after the weekend they had in Texas, bringing
such a well prepared car and crew." With his win, Doug
Richert clinches the WYPALL® Wipers Crew Chief of the
Year, racking up six wins overall. He will receive a
check for $20,000 this weekend in Homestead. Bob Osborne
is alone at second. Alan Gustafson and Greg Zipadelli
are tied for third-place with three wins. Jimmy Fennig,
Robbie Reiser, Chad Knaus, Steve Addington and Robbie
Loomis are tied for fourth-place with two wins. Tommy
Baldwin, Scott Miller, Fatback McSwain, Steve Hmiel,
Greg Erwin, Slugger Labbe, Pat Tryson and Pete Rondeau
are tied for fifth-place, each with one win. (SMC 500)
Robby gets some help this weekend:
This coming
weekend, #7-Robby Gordon will run the Baja 1000 in
Mexico, a race he's won twice. He'll have Busch Series
regular (and DEI driver) Paul Menard practice and
qualify his #7 Chevy on Saturday for Sunday's Nextel Cup
race at Homestead with Gordon racing in the race in on
Sunday. Gordon now is running DEI engines. (Yahoo
Sports)
Kyle Busch why not burnouts: "I just want to
apologize to all the fans for not doing my normal smoky
burnouts," Busch said during an interview in Victory
Lane. NASCAR officials denied they had told Busch's team
he could not perform any victory celebration. "He could
have fried the tires off," said series director John
Darby. Following his win at Atlanta in a Craftsman Truck
Series race at Atlanta last month, Busch was told to go
directly to Victory Lane. However, NASCAR officials
insist that decision was prompted by debris scattered
all along the frontstretch following a multicar wreck on
the last lap of the race. (Miami-Herald)
Nov. 14, 2005:
Kyle Busch avoids reporters questions and walks out:
In the PIR
infield media center for the traditional winner's
interview, Kyle was queried about his emotions on the
day when his brother was suspended following an
encounter with local police Friday night. "The only
thing I'm going to say is I'm behind my brother 100
percent and usually things in the media are false and
that's what it comes down to sometimes," Kyle said. Soon
after, USA Today reporter Chris Jenkins asked, "Kyle,
what specifically has the media written this weekend
that's been false about your brother?" "I'm not going
there, bud," Kyle replied. "That was a really, really
inappropriate question." He then got up and stormed out
of the media center, only to return some 15 minutes
later. (Speed
Channel)
Dale Jr. weighs in on
Busch: "It's a dangerous game, man, when you
get behind the wheel of a car," Earnhardt said. "Even if
you just had a couple of martinis. It don't matter.
"Alcoholic beverages can be enjoyed and you can have a
good time. But you have to know where to draw the line.
You can't make poor decisions. That's what drinking
responsibly is all about." Busch was charged with
reckless driving but was held under suspicion of drunk
driving before a Breathalyzer test machine
malfunctioned. "Unfortunately, Kurt made a mistake,"
Earnhardt said. "Lots of people make mistakes.
Hopefully, he'll learn from it. If he gets back to full
form as a race car driver and takes care of business, he
can tell everybody just how close he was to screwing it
up." (Dallas
Morning News)
Kenny got the call:
Kenny Wallace didn't learn he would be replacing
Kurt Busch in yesterday's race until his cell phone
began vibrating four hours before the green flag.
Wallace was on live TV as an analyst for Speed Channel's
"NASCAR This Morning" when the call came. "The producer
was panic-stricken," he said. "He was like, 'You've got
to call [Nextel Cup Director] John Darby.' I thought I
was in trouble for saying something because we usually
tell the truth and it gets us in trouble a little bit,
so I said, 'Man, what did I do?' So I called him and
John Darby said, 'I've got Jack Roush right here,' and
Jack Roush said, 'Hey, can you drive the 97 car today?'
I was like, 'Whoa, yes.'" (Times-Dispatch)
Nov. 13, 2005:
Kyle Busch drives to
Victory: Rookie Kyle Busch outdrove NASCAR's top
contenders to win Sunday. All but one, that is. "I just
want to say I'm behind my brother 100 percent," the
20-year-old winner said of Kurt Busch, who was suspended
earlier in the day for a Friday night run-in with
police. Standing on top of his No. 5 Chevrolet and
waving to the cheering crowd at Phoenix International
Raceway, Busch called his older brother, who won last
year's Nextel Cup, "a true champion." Kurt Busch was
suspended by Roush Racing earlier in the day for the
last two races of the season after police accused him of
reckless driving. Officers said he smelled of alcohol
and was belligerent during a traffic stop near the
speedway. Kenny Wallace drove the Roush car and finished
16th. Title contender Greg Biffle dominated the race,
leading 189 of the 312 laps in the Checker Auto Parts
500. But the younger Busch, who drives for Hendrick
Motorsports, used a pit stop strategy to get track
position, taking the lead for the first time lap 230 by
staying on track when the leaders pitted. (ABC
News -
Results -
Points)
NASCAR Statement on
Busch: NASCAR fully supports Jack Roush's decision
to replace Kurt Busch as the driver of the #97 Ford for
the remainder of the season. Based on the facts that are
known today, no actions by NASCAR are necessary. (NASCAR
PR)
Roush Racing suspends
NEXTEL Cup Champion Busch:
Roush Racing
announced that effective immediately it has suspended
Kurt Busch for the remainder of the season. "This
suspension is made after full review of all the
circumstances surrounding Kurt's Friday night
altercation with the Arizona police, and after
consultation with our primary sponsors, Newell
Rubbermaid and Diageo," said Jack Roush, team owner.
"All parties are in complete support that the action
being taken today is necessary and appropriate under the
circumstances. "We give our profound apology and support
to the arresting officer and the entire Maricopa County
Sheriff's Office and thank all of the officers for the
great job they do with helping the Phoenix International
Raceway bring our event to so many wonderful Arizona
race fans," Jack Roush continued. (Roush
Racing)
Kt. Busch releases
statement on citation: "I regret the incident that
occurred near the Phoenix International Raceway Friday
evening where I received a traffic citation. It is
important to understand that this citation is not
alcohol related. I want to apologize to the Maricopa
County Sheriff's department for my actions." (Kurt Busch
Inc)
Nov. 12, 2005
NEXTEL Cup Champion
Busch cited for Reckless driving: Reigning Nextel
Cup champion Kurt Busch is scheduled to appear Dec. 22
at Tolleson Justice Court to answer a criminal traffic
citation for reckless driving he received Friday night.
According to a Maricopa County Sheriff's Office
spokesman, Busch was stopped at about 8:20 p.m. local
time Friday near Phoenix International Raceway for
"erratic driving." After the officer detected the smell
of alcohol on his breath, Busch refused a field sobriety
test and was taken into custody and transported to the
sheriff's office's temporary facility at the raceway,
the spokesman said. At the facility, a blood-alcohol
test was attempted on Busch but the machine
"malfunctioned," the spokesman said. Busch was then
released with the criminal citation for reckless
driving. When asked about the incident, NASCAR spokesman
Jim Hunter said, "He got a traffic ticket." Hunter said
any other questions regarding the incident should be
addressed to Busch. (Herald
Today)
Rookie Hamlin grabs
pole: In just his sixth race Denny Hamlin
grabbed the first Bud Pole of his career in qualifying
for the Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International
Raceway. Driving the No. 11 FedEx Express Chevrolet
Monte Carlo around the 1-mile track, Hamlin posted a
time of 26.831 seconds which put him ahead of Jimmie
Johnson, Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle. Teammate Bobby
Labonte qualified 5th with a fast lap of 27.020. "It's
happened so fast for me that it's really been tough to
sink it all in," said Hamlin. "I've been given great
cars every week by Mike (Ford, Crew Chief). You know, I
feel like any driver could do what I'm doing right now
with the equipment I'm being put in. It's just been
really good and hopefully we'll ride this wave into next
year and hopefully have a shot to get into the Chase." (Joe
Gibbs Racing -
Starting Grid)
Official Yeley to
driver the #18: J.J. Yeley will drive the No. 18
Interstate Batteries Chevrolet during the 2006 NASCAR
NEXTEL Cup season, Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) officials
announced Saturday at Phoenix International Raceway.
"I'm very excited for this opportunity," Yeley said.
"Obviously, the No. 18 Interstate Batteries car has a
lot of history to it and, hopefully, I can add to that.
I'm looking forward to representing Interstate Batteries
and Joe Gibbs Racing in 2006." Yeley, a Phoenix native,
drove the No. 18 Vigoro/Home Depot Chevrolet for JGR in
a partial Busch Series schedule in 2004 before moving to
full-time in 2005. He has four top-five and 15 top-10
finishes in his Busch Series career. Yeley also has six
career NEXTEL Cup starts, all with JGR, and will compete
for the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Raybestos Rookie of the
Year title against one of the deepest lineups in ROY
history; a lineup that also includes JGR teammate Denny
Hamlin. Yeley, 29, is one of only two drivers to win the
United States Auto Club "Triple Crown," in the same
season. In 2003, Yeley scored more than 20 feature wins
en route to titles in the USAC Midget, Sprint and Silver
Crown divisions. His JGR teammate, Tony Stewart,
accomplished the "Triple Crown" in 1995. (Joe
Gibbs Racing)
All 5 cities still in
it for HOF: NASCAR Chairman Brian France scuttled
rumors yesterday that the Hall of Fame search had
entered a cutdown period and said a decision probably
won't be made this year. Richmond is bidding for the
$100-million stock-car shrine against Atlanta,
Charlotte, N.C., Daytona Beach, Fla., and Kansas City,
Kan. "The process the rest of the year is to try to get
it down to a couple of the best options, and we'd be
negotiating with them and hopefully announcing something
early next year," France said. "We're still on that
timetable. No one's been eliminated." (Times-Dispatch)
Roush compares NASCAR
to WWF: Roush Racing owner Jack Roush issued a
statement expressing frustration with the four-team
ownership limit the Nextel Cup Series will impose next
season. "The WWF (World Wrestling Federation) has their
ways of determining who is going to win and what the
ranking is, and maybe NASCAR behind the scenes is trying
to do the same thing," Roush said. Roush is the only
owner currently fielding five teams, and they are
grandfathered into the series through 2009. (AZCentral)
McMurray talks about
move finally: Jamie McMurray, who gained his release
from Chip Ganassi Racing this week to join Roush Racing
a year early, said the decision to leave was strictly
business. McMurray won in his second Nextel Cup start in
2002, substituting for teammate Sterling Marlin, but
never won in the No. 42 Dodge he drove full time since
2003. He is winless in his past 110 Cup races. "If you
did this based on personal feelings, I would still be at
Chip Ganassi Racing," he said. "You move on because in
this sport you want to win. When you go two or three
years and you don't win, you look at that and you have
to figure out what's best for you and where you need to
try to win." (St.
Petersburg Times)
Rare Dale Sr. & Dale
Jr. car up for bid on Ebay, proceeds go to Hurricane
Katrina: A rare opportunity to acquire the
race cars driven by Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Jr. at
Watkins Glenn is available on eBay starting November
9th, at 6 P.M. Pacific Time (PST) and running for 10
days. The cars are viewable at
www.ebay.com/dubshop. With bidding beginning at $1
million, interested parties need to prequalify with
Auction Cause, a premier online auction management
agency specializing in high profile eBay events.
Partnering in the effort is DUB Magazine, the leading,
authoritative voice in urban automotive lifestyle that
recently launched its store on eBay Motors. Owners of
the cars, Jay Hansen and Wade Whitaker, are donating 50%
of the final sales price to charity to aid Hurricane
Katrina victims, meaning a minimum $500,000 windfall for
The Northwest Louisiana Food Bank, based in Shreveport,
LA. This story starts from the vision of a 5 year old
girl named Hanna. After learning in her kindergarten
class about the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, Hanna
decided to empty out her piggy bank to help her class
raise money for the flood victims. She told her mom and
dad about donating to the flood victims and wanted to
know what else she could do to help. Moved by
this, Hanna's father, Jay Hansen, realized he did have
something to contribute to the efforts. He was the owner
of the #3 GM Goodwrench race car driven by the late Dale
Earnhardt Sr. This car had been one of Earnhardt's road
course cars that had raced at Sears Point, CA, and also
at Watkins Glenn, NY. Jay's friend, Wade Whitaker, had
recently purchased a #8 Budweiser race car driven by
Dale Earnhardt Jr., which raced at the same track,
Watkins Glenn. They agreed packaging them together to
benefit Katrina victims would set into motion Hanna's
idea. Jay contacted Eric Gazin of Auction Cause, the
agency which sold the Robby Gordon helmet for charity on
eBay. Using the eBay Giving Works and MissionFish
charity auction platforms that highlight 501(c)(3)
nonprofits, Eric found a worthy cause, "The Northwest
Louisiana Food Bank," which was on the front lines
providing basic necessities to the thousands of victims
of Hurricane Katrina. Jim Presson, Executive Director of
the food bank had thought his prayers had been answered,
as the strain on the food bank had almost become too
much to bear. The auction is poised to set a new
automotive vehicle record for eBay Motors, as well as
challenging other well off individuals to step up and
conduct their own charity drives to benefit victims of
one of the worst natural disasters ever to hit the
United States. (Dub Magazine PR)
NASCAR Preseason
Thunder Fan Fests set: Throughout the month of
January, the historic infield of Daytona International
Speedway will serve as the exciting backdrop to the
high-energy NASCAR Preseason Thunder Fan Fest. Fans will
be able to get a sneak peek on NASCAR teams as they
prepare for Speedweeks 2006 with inquisitive fan forums
with many of their favorite drivers as well as enjoying
all the state-of-the-art amenities in the popular NEXTEL
FANZONE. Also included in NASCAR Preseason Thunder Fan
Fests will be bands, show cars, pit stop demonstrations,
displays and a silent auction. "Once again we're proud
to host NASCAR Preseason Thunder Fan Fests and give our
anxious race fans a sneak peek on the new season,"
Daytona International Speedway President Robin Braig
said. "From the on-track testing to the enlightening fan
forums in the popular NEXTEL FANZONE, the NASCAR
Preseason Thunder Fan Fests will be a must-see event for
any NASCAR fan." NASCAR Preseason Thunder Fan Fest
dates, which will coincide with January's NASCAR Nextel
Cup Series, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and NASCAR
Busch Series testing sessions at the "World Center of
Racing," will be held on the following days:
- Jan. 10: NASCAR Nextel Cup Fan Fest
- Jan. 13: NASCAR Craftsman Truck Fan Fest
- Jan. 17: NASCAR Nextel Cup Fan Fest
- Jan. 21: NASCAR Busch Fan Fest
The Fan Fest events
start at 5 p.m. but fans will be able to enter the
NEXTEL FANZONE beginning at 9 a.m. to watch all of the
exciting testing action. Admissions for the NEXTEL Cup
Fan Fest dates are $15 while Busch and Craftsman Truck
Series admissions are $10. To purchase NASCAR Preseason
Thunder Fan Fests or for more information, call
1-800-PITSHOP.
Ellen takes a ride in
Petty driving experience: Talk Show Host Ellen
DeGeneres took to the speedway in southern California to
quell her need for speed and to see what NASCAR is all
about. DeGeneres, host of the popular daytime TV talk
show, "The Ellen DeGeneres Show", was a recent guest of
Richard Petty Driving Experience at California Speedway
and had the opportunity to ride in and drive an actual
NASCAR style stock car. "It was thrilling! I haven't
been on a roller-coaster or anything like this for
years," said DeGeneres. "So with this kind of
excitement, I was like a kid in there. I think we have
the traffic problem in Los Angeles solved, though. I had
clear sailing all day and only saw one other car out
there the whole time." Her visit to the speedway came as
a surprise to the other guests there on Friday. Other
participants were told of an impending guest but voted
to have it kept a secret until the last second. "We were
really excited to see her come through the door," said
Brent Swain, a first-timer from Coronado, CA. "She had
us cracking up the whole time and made the day truly
memorable. It's not everyday you get to live out your
own dream and do it alongside a celebrity like Ellen."
"The Ellen DeGeneres Show" is nationally syndicated
throughout the country and the episode featuring Ellen
at Richard Petty Driving Experience will air on Monday,
November 14, 2006. Check local listings for exact times
or visit
www.ellentv.com for additional tune-in information.
(Williams Company PR)
Newman happy with new
teammate Busch: Ryan Newman is thrilled he's getting
a new teammate next year in Kurt Busch. Much of that has
to do with the fact he doesn't get along with his
current teammate, Rusty Wallace. "I think any change is
definitely a good change, and I think Kurt is a better
change than that," Newman said. "I've always heard good
things about him as far as being a teammate." Newman and
Wallace have barely spoken since they argued last year
at Martinsville, and throughout the year they've taken
subtle shots at each other through the media. Wallace
has been the most outspoken on the subject. (Tampa
Tribune)
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