Nov. 18 - Nov 28 2005

The News Below

• Earnhardt Foundation Tree planting

• Speed Channel Championship Coverage

• Earnhardt, Jr. and Schrader buys track

• Speedway Children's Charity Gives over 350K

• NASCAR near done deal on CASCAR

• Starr says 10-12 NEXTEL races in '06

• Yates to help Arnold Motorsports?

• Stewart celebration now 2 days planned

• Change at Penske

• Stewart parade cancelled

• Kahne Foundation helps project

• Newman applauds Wallace

• Watch Team USA, including Jeff Gordon compete

• NASCAR Chase ratings up, final Homestead ratings down

• Craven looking for Cup ride, owning CTS team is possible

• Kyle Petty Nominated SI Sportsman Of Year

• Daytona International Speedway “Favorite Place to Attend a Motorsports Event”

• Busy Stewart starts media tour

• ISC still looking at Denver for track

• Stewart hometown to have parade

• Homestead ratings down

• Update: Sorenson near down helicopter

• Helicopter Crash outside speedway kills one

• Former Evernham Crew Chiefs Labbe and Baldwin now crew chiefs for Yates

• Crewman OK

• Blaney to BDR's #22

• '06 Budweiser Shootout set

• Ky. Busch wins 2005 ROTY

• Biffle Wins Race, Stewart wins Championship

• Tracy wants NEXTEL Cup series ride

• France may tweak Chase

• Edwards wins the Pole

• Blaney in the #22 car?

• Kyle Busch apologies to Media

• Marlin gets Waste Management Sponsor

• Sad News

• Schrader signs with Wood Brothers & Little Debbie

• Richert and Manion Win WYPALL® Crew Chief of the Year Award

• Kodak renews with Penske Racing

• Bill Weber's call of a lifetime

• Busch regrets actions during stop

• Kt. Busch traffic stop was routine

Find Updated NASCAR News 24hrs a day. at the GNEXT NASCAR Articles Section

Nov. 28, 2005:

• Earnhardt Foundation Tree planting: The first 50 trees for the Dale Earnhardt Forest Project have been planted about 10 miles from Mooresville off N.C. 150. But don't expect a forest to take root there at Sloan Park in Rowan County. The "forest" will stretch across 15 counties in the Charlotte region, wherever trees are needed most to restore areas damaged by natural disasters and development, or to protect wildlife. You can even plant a tulip poplar or sycamore seedling cultivated from seeds on the late racing legend's farm in your back yard. "The Dale Earnhardt Forest is not one piece of land ... as most people would think of a forest," said Dick Baker, executive director of The Dale Earnhardt Foundation. "It's a large number of plantings collectively in a public area." The 77,000-tree effort is a partnership between the foundation and American Forests, a conservation group based in Washington. The foundation is a nonprofit that supports causes Earnhardt did, such as conservation and environmental education. (ThatsRacin)

• Speed Channel Championship Coverage: SPEED is adding a one-hour NASCAR Champions Week special Dec. 2 at 7 p.m. ET. Hosted by John Roberts, the special will include features from the week's activities in New York City and interviews on the yellow carpet -- everything leading up to the crowning of the new NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series champion. "As the home to NASCAR TV, we will continue to find ways of elevating the sport's biggest events," said Hunter Nickell, SPEED Channel Executive VP and General Manager. "We are going to take all the energy from last week in South Florida and carry it right through next week in New York. The fans wait all season for these events and we don't plan on letting them down." Vicki Johnson, Craig Reynolds and Shannon Spake will be reporting from New York. (Speed PR)

• Earnhardt, Jr. and Schrader buys track: NASCAR Nextel Cup racers Dale Earnhardt, Jr., and Ken Schrader along with well known Midwestern promoter Bob Sargent are now the proud owners of Paducah International Raceway. The trio recently finalized their purchase of the popular McCracken County, KY, venue that boasts a 3/8-mile high-banked clay oval, 1/5-mile race track and a Motocross/TT run with grandstands that accommodate 5,000 spectators. Exciting changes are in store for Paducah International Raceway and the management and staff of PIR look forward to combining the fan-friendly, grassroots racing excitement of dirt racing with the entertaining atmosphere of NASCAR into a unique experience that fans will only be able to obtain at Paducah International Raceway. Schedules and additional plans will be finalized during the off-season and announcements will be made after the new year. (Paducah Speedway PR)

Nov. 27, 2005:

• Speedway Children's Charity Gives over 350K: The Bristol Chapter of Speedway Children's Charities presented a record-tying $350,000 to a record-breaking 69 charitable agencies benefiting area youngsters on the eve of the public opening of Speedway in Lights, the chapter's biggest fund-raiser. Grant recipients from Kingsport included Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Greater Tri-Cities, Boys and Girls Club of Greater Kingsport, Cap the Gap for Foster Care, CASA for Kids (formerly CASA of Sullivan County), Children's Advocacy Center of Sullivan County, First Book - Greater Kingsport, Girls Inc. of Kingsport, Greater Kingsport Family YMCA, Holston Presbytery Camp and Retreat Center, HOPE for Tennessee/Frontier Health, Hope House, Kingsport Initiative for Training and Employment (K.I.T.E.), Literacy Council of Kingsport, Mountain Region Speech and Hearing Center, and Small Miracles Therapeutic Horseback Riding Center. "I am absolutely thrilled that we're able to help so many agencies that do such wonderful work," chairwoman Claudia Byrd said during the Nov. 17 ceremony at Bristol Motor Speedway. "We were able to raise $350,000 and help a record number of groups. We've raised $2.4 million since we started eight years ago because so many people in this region support and visit Speedway in Lights and because so many volunteers work so very hard to ensure the success of all of our events."The Bristol chapter's other fund-raising projects include the Speedway Children's Charities golf tournaments, held during August race week and the NHRA event in April; the Eastman Motorsports Club Speedway Children's Charities Auction; and the "Ride of a Lifetime" Speedway Children's Charities Auction, at which the highest bidders won rides with NASCAR Nextel Cup drivers during driver introductions at the Food City 500 and Sharpie 500 races at BMS. "So many people make this possible - our Speedway in Lights visitors, our auction and golf tournament participants, all of our event volunteers and sponsors. These wonderful and caring people are the reason we're able to help so many children. Together, they all support these agencies that improve the lives of children throughout our region." (Speedway Charities)

Nov. 26, 2005:

• NASCAR near done deal on CASCAR:   No big announcement tonight but NASCAR is getting closer to taking the checkered flag with its purchase of CASCAR. "I would like to be optimistic about that," CASCAR founder and president Tony Novotny said on the eve of the national Super Series and regional Sportsman Series awards banquet at the Hilton Hotel in London. The Free Press reported in early September, during the annual Labour Day weekend Super Series race at Delaware Speedway, that only the paperwork remained for CASCAR to be sold in its entirety to U.S.-based giant NASCAR. One source said yesterday there could be an official announcement in two weeks. "It's just guessing, like everyone else is, and that's including myself," said Novotny, who founded the Canadian Association for Stock Car Auto Racing in 1981. (London Free Press)

• Starr says 10-12 NEXTEL races in '06: David Starr will not return next season as the driver of the #75 Spears Manufacturing Chevy in the Truck Series, but he probably will drive for another team in 2006. Starr and team owner Wayne Spears agreed to part ways after the season finale last weekend at Homestead. Two Toyota teams and one Ford team have approached Starr about driving for them next season. Starr said those talks are ongoing, and he didn't want to name the teams. Starr also said he probably would compete in 10 to 12 Nextel Cup races in 2006 with a team that's forming a new partnership. (Dallas Morning News)

• Yates to help Arnold Motorsports? There was talk early in November that Yates might form a third satellite team, perhaps merging assets from Arnold Motorsports or Cal Wells III’s PPI Racing. Instead, Yates says he’s committed to making his existing teams better before adding to his stable. (Ford Racing)

Nov. 25, 2005:

• Stewart celebration now 2 days planned: A parade to honor NASCAR champion Tony Stewart in his hometown has been called off because a conflict with his schedule, and city leaders are now planning for a two-day celebration sometime in January. The parade was scheduled for Dec. 17. The dates for the new celebration has not yet been set.  The January celebration might include fireworks and a hog roast, said Lynn Lucas, director of the Columbus Visitors Center. "The economic impact of all this will be tremendous," she said. "This is an opportunity, and we want to take advantage of it." She said they hope to attract thousands of Stewart fans to the event, including some from out of town. (CNNSI)

• Change at Penske: Tim Cindric will leave his position of president of Penske Motorsports to assume overall management responsibility for the umbrella Penske Performance, Inc. Effective immediately, the 37-year-old Cindric will move from Reading, Pa., to Mooresville, N.C., and will have responsibility for teams competing in the NASCAR Nextel Cup series, IRL IndyCar Series and the American Le Mans Series. Cindric, an Indianapolis native, has been president of Penske Racing since 1999, with management responsibility for Marlboro Team Penske, Penske Cars, Ltd., Racing Experience, Inc., Penske Technology Group, and Penske Motorsports, Inc. Under his leadership, Marlboro Team Penske has scored two national championships and 25 victories, including three consecutive Indy 500 wins (2001-2003). Current Penske Racing South president Don Miller will remain in that position, while John Erickson, current general manager of the NASCAR team, will become general manager of Penske Motorsports' ALMS Porsche program. (FoxSports)

• Stewart parade cancelled: A parade to honor NASCAR champion Tony Stewart in his hometown of Columbus, Indiana has been postponed due to a conflict with Stewart's schedule. Instead of a parade, Columbus officials are planning a two-day celebration sometime in January. The parade was originally scheduled for December 17th. The dates for the new celebration has not yet been set. The January celebration may include fireworks and a hog roast. City officials hope people will come from around the country. (WANE-TV)

• Kahne Foundation helps project: The Kasey Kahne Foundation teamed up with Cathy Schweinberg and The CHD Awareness Quilt Project to give 6-year-old David Mundt a day to remember. David was born with a congenital heart defect and underwent open-heart surgery at 5 months of age. CHD's are among the most common birth defects and the leading cause of birth defect-related deaths. The Congenital Heart Defect (CHD) Awareness Quilt Project, Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting public awareness of children born with chd's, provides emotional support to many heart families, donates AED's to local schools and encourages continued research in the field of congenital heart defects. The annual fundraiser for the Quilt Project, The Jason Schweinberg Memorial Classic was held on September 17, 2005. The family of 17-year-old Jason Schweinberg who lost his life to chd's organizes this golf classic and devotes their life to helping other families. More information can be found at http://chdquilt.org During the golf classic a child that is courageously battling chd's is honored and a special wish fulfilled. This year 6-year-old David Mundt was the recipient of an all expenses paid trip to Lego Land for him and his family. Since David is a huge fan of Kasey Kahne's, Cathy Schweinberg wrote Kasey Kahne asking for autographed items to present to David at the golf classic. Kasey responded by saying he wanted to do more for David. Kasey helped with the costs of the Lego Land trip and wanted to personally meet David and his family. Shannon Adams, of The Kasey Kahne Foundation, arranged for David to share center stage with Kasey during Kasey Kahne Day in Enumclaw, WA on September 6, 2005. Enumclaw happens to be the hometown of Kasey Kahne and David Mundt. David was named as a special VIP for the day, had items autographed, and walked through downtown Enumclaw with Kasey viewing the juniors sprint cars and classic cars on display. During the celebration, Shannon Adams announced the Kasey Kahne Foundation, which provides financial support to charitable organizations geared toward helping ill and underprivileged children and their families. More information can be found at Kasey Kahne Foundation website. The Schweinberg family and The CHD Awareness Quilt Project is grateful to Kasey Kahne for his help in making a courageous little boy smile." Kasey went above and beyond what was asked of him and David will never forget it. The Nascar community should be proud of Kasey's big heart", said Cathy Schweinberg. " His support helped our organization make a wish come true for David and his family.

Nov. 24, 2005:

• Newman applauds Wallace: Contrary to published reports, Ryan Newman, as well as his crew chief, Matt Borland, joined their fellow NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series competitors in a standing ovation in honor of their Penske Racing South teammate Rusty Wallace during the driver's meeting for last Sunday's Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. "I respect Rusty Wallace as a race car driver," Newman said. "And I put effort forward in recognizing that on Sunday." (Penske Racing PR)

Nov. 23, 2005:

• Watch Team USA, including Jeff Gordon compete: HDNet will give U.S. racing fans an exclusive front-row seat December 3 as NASCAR superstar Jeff Gordon and X-Games champ Travis Pastrana compete in the 2005 Race of Champions - Nations Cup, live from the famous Stade de France in Paris. The entire event will be available for the second year in a row to U.S. television viewers in the highest quality 1080i high-definition television (HDTV), only on HDNet, Saturday, December 3 at 11:00 a.m. ET, followed by a prime-time encore presentation at 9:30 p.m. ET. The 18th annual Race of Champions - Nations Cup is an end-of-season international racing showdown featuring two exciting competitions. First, in the Race of Champions, 19 the world‘s best drivers compete in a series of head-to-head heats in identical cars to determine the individual “Champion of Champions.” Then, in the Nations Cup, the same drivers compete in national teams of two in a bid to determine “The World‘s Fastest Nation.”  Team USA is sponsored by Centrix Financial, who has chosen four-time NASCAR champ Gordon and five-time X-Games Motocross champ Pastrana to compete against top drivers from all the major world class championships, including World Rally, Formula 1, Champ Car, IRL, Rally-Raid, DTM, Le Mans, and GP2. “HDNet is proud to be the exclusive broadcast home of the Race of Champions - Nations Cup once again,” said Mark Cuban of HDNet. “This is the only event of its kind where top U.S. competitors represent their country against the best drivers from around the world. You won‘t want to miss the action!”  (HDNET PR)

• NASCAR Chase ratings up, final Homestead ratings down: NASCAR on NBC & TNT averaged a 4.7 rating and 10 share for its coverage of Nextel Cup racing, its best season-to-date rating for NASCAR since beginning their partnership to broadcast the second half of the NASCAR schedule in 2001, and a 74% increase from the 2.7/8 for the 2000 season, the last season before the current network television deal. NBC & TNT's ratings for the ten races of the "Chase for the Nextel Cup" averaged a 4.7, up 2% from the inaugural "Chase" last year (4.6). NBC's coverage of the NASCAR Nextel Cup championship finale, the Ford 400 from Homestead-Miami Speedway, rated a 5.9/11, the second-highest rating in the history of the event, below only last year's 6.2/13, and drew an estimated 19 million viewers. The rating peaked at a 7.2 between 7-7:30pm/et as Greg Biffle outdueled Mark Martin to take the checkered flag and Tony Stewart clinched the NASCAR Nextel Cup Championship. The top ten rated markets for the second half of the 2005 season are: 1) Greensboro, NC: 12.4; 2) Greenville, SC: 12.0; 3) Knoxville, TN: 11.4; 4) Charlotte, NC: 11.1; 5) Indianapolis, IN: 9.4; 6) Louisville, KY: 8.4; 7) Atlanta, GA: 8.3; t8) Birmingham, AL: 8.2; t8) Jacksonville, FL: 8.2; 10) Dayton, OH: 8.0. (NBC PR)

• Craven looking for Cup ride, owning CTS team is possible: Ricky Craven said Monday he doesn't expect to race full time next year. "I'm not going to pursue full-time Busch or Truck Series opportunities and it's late in the game for Nextel Cup," said the 39-year-old Craven, who has run 278 Nextel Cup races in his career. "I'm not saying it won't happen [in Nextel Cup], but I don't expect it this late." He reiterated he doesn't want to drive for a single-car Cup team or a team that doesn't have the resources to be competitive. "I'm not interested in just racing. I don't want to be a field-filler. That's not how I want to race," said Craven. "I've established my criteria for that. I am interested in racing in the Truck Series part time. It's a wonderful series. I may even pursue that with my own team. If I did that, I would still have an opportunity to race Nextel Cup." He indicated he would be interested in a part-time ride for a good, established Nextel Cup team, also. There are rumors circulating that Bobby Hamilton Jr., who replaced Craven in the Tide #32 Nextel Cup Chevy 16 months ago, won't return to drive for PPI Motorsports and team owner Cal Wells III next season. Would Craven return to the team with which he won two Nextel Cup races, the only single-car team to do so over the last five years, and posted 10 top-fives and 24 top-10s in their 3 1/2-year relationship? "I certainly have an interest in helping Cal. We're friends. We'll see. But it needs to be a different situation," said Craven, referring primarily to Wells' ability to land a second team and sponsor. (Bangor Daily News)

Nov. 22, 2005:

• Kyle Petty Nominated SI Sportsman Of Year: Kyle Petty has become the first stock car driver nominated for one of the most prestigious honors in athletics. The NASCAR Nextel Cup Series driver is up for Sports Illustrated’s “Sportsman Of The Year” honor, which the national magazine has awarded since miler Roger Bannister won the first in 1955. Others such as the Boston Red Sox, Tiger Woods, Arthur Ashe, Jack Nicklaus, Muhammad Ali and Pete Rozelle have won it. Others nominated this year include cyclist Lance Armstrong, NBA star Reggie Miller, and World Series star Scott Posednik, among others. Writer Lars Anderson, in making his argument in nominating Petty, noted mostly his and wife Pattie’s leadership of the Victory Junction Gang Camp. “Put simply,” Anderson wrote, “he’s got the biggest heart in American sports today. “Kyle Petty as Sportsman of the Year? Take a look at those beaming kids and tell me he’s not.” The winner will be announced next month. (Williams Co., Of America, Inc.)

•  Daytona International Speedway “Favorite Place to Attend a Motorsports Event”: Daytona International Speedway, the site of NASCAR’s most prestigious race since 1959 – the Daytona 500® – has been recognized by race fans nationwide as their “Favorite Place to Attend a Motorsports Event.” The fan poll is part of Street & Smith’s SportsBusiness Journal’s and SportsBusiness Daily’s Readers Survey which currently appear on the publication’s website: www.sportsbusinessjournal.com. “It’s no wonder thousands of race fans come to Daytona International Speedway each year…,” said Speedway President Robin Braig. “…great racing, great fan amenities and a great tradition. Thanks to the fans who voted for DIS. We look forward to having them join us again to kick off the 2006 season with NASCAR’s premier event – the Daytona 500.” The results of the survey were compiled via polling on both the SportsBusiness Journal Web site and the site of SportsBusiness Daily. Results were collected between Sept. 12 and Oct. 2, 2005. In the survey, respondents were asked, among other motorsports questions, about favorite tracks to attend a motorsports event. DIS was rated the favorite by 29.1 percent of the respondents, easily beating Indianapolis Motor Speedway (20.8 percent) and Bristol Motor Speedway (9.5 percent). Other Motorsports poll questions included: Most Effective NASCAR Team owner? Which NASCAR TV partner has the best race presentation? In 12 months, Danica Patrick will be? What do you think about the new NASCAR “Chase” system? Most-marketable driver in Motorsports? Which open-wheel circuit do you prefer, as a business platform? Why has open-wheel racing yet to achieve NASCAR-like popularity? In addition to motorsports, the poll included questions on: teams and leagues, football, baseball, basketball, media, sponsorship, hockey and colleges. (Daytona International Speedway PR)

• Busy Stewart starts media tour: Drenched with soda and beer after claiming his second Nextel Cup championship in four seasons, Tony Stewart was asked to make a statement when he entered the media center late Sunday night at Homestead-Miami Speedway. "Let's get this thing over with as quick as possible," he said with a devilish grin. "I've got a lot of beer to drink with my crew." What, you were expecting NASCAR's bad boy-turned-choirboy to say he was headed to Disney World? Presumably, he left a wake-up call because the party was to continue yesterday with a flight to New York for television appearances, including a taping of the Late Show with David Letterman that is scheduled to air on Friday. Today, Stewart's commute will take him to Bristol, Conn., for a barrage of interviews at ESPN headquarters. He will return home to Indiana before heading for the Big Apple on Sunday to kick off Champions Week - culminating with the Nextel Cup awards banquet at the Waldorf-Astoria on Dec. 2. NASCAR's 14th multiple-title winner may be better prepared mentally to handle the onslaught of interviews and appearances than when he won his first stock-car championship in 2002. "This year vs. 2002 - we've had fun all year," Stewart said. "Even when we weren't running good, we were having fun. We got back to why we started racing in the first place, and that's because we love being a part of race teams and we love racing and we love competing. (Philadelphia Inquirer)

• ISC still looking at Denver for track: Denver still is a potential market for NASCAR despite the closing of Pikes Peak International Raceway, according to Lenny Santiago, senior investment relations analyst for International Speedway Corporation. "Denver is definitely a very important market for us," Santiago said Monday. "ISC tried to do some projects there many, many years ago, but it still remains a priority in our forward growth. Right now, we have our (Nextel Cup) projects out near Seattle and Staten Island (N.Y.). Over the long term, we believe there is a potential in the Denver market for some NASCAR racing, whether it be Cup or Busch. We would definitely explore that opportunity. "I'm just looking at something here for our TV stats for the Nextel Cup through the year, and the Denver market is up over double digits in terms of households in and ratings." And Denver has more potential than PPIR did for NASCAR events. "We purchased the Pikes Peak facility, and it had successful Busch races," Santiago said. "However, it had some challenges recently. The IRL (Indy Racing League) had pulled its date for next year. So it was facing a difficult situation in terms of other external market-related factors. "In terms of ISC, we believe we can grow the Busch much more quickly, not to say it couldn't grow at Pikes Peak, but we believe we can grow it quicker at another one of our facilities, namely Martinsville (Va.). . . . Location certainly was one component of the issues that faced the Pikes Peak facility." (In part from Rocky Mountain News)

• Stewart hometown to have parade: Tony Stewart's hometown will hold a parade next month to honor him for winning the NASCAR series championship. The parade is planned for Dec. 17, starting at 12:20 p.m. from the Hamilton Center Ice Arena and ending at Columbus North High School. It would be the second parade in Columbus for Stewart in four months. On Aug. 15, he was recognized for his win in the Allstate 400 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Judy Jackson, the city's community development director, said Monday that Dec. 17 was the earliest date Stewart was available for the parade. (Fort Wayne New Sentinel)

• Homestead ratings down: NBC's overnight ratings, consisting of the top 56 U.S. markets, were down. The average rating was 4.8 (which represents an average 66,000 households per market) compared with 5.5 last year. In the South Florida market, the average was only 2.9 compared with a 4.0 a year ago. But the ratings are still up from two years ago, before the Chase format. The national overnight rating was 4.5, and the local rating was 2.3. (Miami Herald)

Top 5 Markets

1. Greenville S.C. 14.2
2. Knoxville, Tenn. 12.8
3. Greensboro, N.C. 12.7
4. Charlotte, N.C. 11.3
5. Orlando, Fla. 9.4

Nov. 21, 2005:

• Update: Sorenson near down helicopter:  Reed Sorenson, who finished 28th in the 400, was waiting to board one of the helicopters just prior to the crash. "I was the next one in line to go," Sorenson said. "I saw them hit. One went straight down and the other tried to land in the grass nearby. It took off part of his landing gear. I took off running because I thought parts were going everywhere. After seeing that, I don't think I'll ever fly a helicopter again." Speedway officials said only that the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

• Helicopter Crash outside speedway kills one: Two helicopters collided Sunday at the Homestead-Miami Speedway after the NASCAR championship, killing one pilot, authorities said. One helicopter was taking off from the speedway's helipad shortly before 9 p.m. while another was attempting to land, said Miami-Dade Fire-Rescue Battalion Chief Richard Martin. "They had either a midair collision or a near-midair collision. One of them did a hard landing right on the helipad. No one on that craft was injured," Martin said. The other pilot died after being airlifted to a Miami hospital, a spokeswoman for the Miami-Dade Police Department said. The pilot's identification was being withheld pending family notification. (CNN.com)

• Former Evernham Crew Chiefs Labbe and Baldwin now crew chiefs for Yates: Look for some organizational changes at Robert Yates Racing. Slugger Labbe will take over as crew chief of the #88, which is driven by Dale Jarrett, and Tommy Baldwin will lead the #38 crew and Elliott Sadler. Yates ended rumors that he will start a third team; he says he first wants to make the 88 and 38 teams stronger. But there still are plans for additional buildings on Yates' property in Mooresville, N.C. (Sporting News)

• Crewman OK: Richard Boyle, the rear tire changer on Scott Riggs' #10 Chevy of MB2 Motorsports , escaped serious injury when he was struck by Ricky Rudd's #21 Ford during a pit stop on Lap 18. Boyle, who was hit when Rudd's car was bumped by the #66 Ford of Kevin Lepage, was treated and released from the track's care center. The wreck also spoiled Rudd's hope of a fine finish in his last ride in the Wood Brothers' #21 Ford. The damage to his car doomed him to a 37th place finish. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

• Blaney to BDR's #22: Dave Blaney will drive the #22 for Bill Davis Racing next season, replacing Scott Wimmer. Blaney says a decision has not been made on a crew chief, but he's content to have Derrick Finley remain in that position. (Sporting News)

• '06 Budweiser Shootout set: The 28th annual Budweiser Shootout will boost a record-tying field when the All-Star event goes green on Saturday, Feb. 11 at historic Daytona International Speedway. The starting field for the no-holds barred, non-points event that kicks off the stock car portion of Speedweeks will most likely be made up of 22 stars from the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, tying the record for most starters set back in the 2002 Budweiser Shootout. The list of competitors in the Budweiser Shootout is a who’s who in racing and includes six NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series champions and five Daytona 500 champions. Jeff Gordon; Jimmie Johnson; Tony Stewart; Dale Jarrett; Michael Waltrip; Carl Edwards; Matt Kenseth; Joe Nemechek; Jamie McMurray; Brian Vickers; Kasey Kahne; Kevin Harvick; Scott Riggs;  Elliott Sadler; Kyle Busch; Ryan Newman; Denny Hamlin; Past winners, Dale Earnhardt Jr.; Mark Martin; Ken Schrader; Bill Elliott; Terry Labonte; Rusty Wallace (Could compete but is retired) (DIS PR)

• Ky. Busch wins 2005 ROTY: Kyle Busch in the #5 Kelloggs Chevy clinched the 2005 Raybesto Rookie of Year at Homestead, beating out #77-Travis Kvapil, who was the only other full-time rookie driver. Busch racked up two wins, one pole, nine top-fives and 13 top 10 finishes this season. He claimed Raybestos Rookie of the Race 23 times in 36 races and was the only Raybestos Rookie to post a top-five finish this season. Busch joins Jeff Gordon (1993) as the only Hendrick Motorsports drivers to win Raybestos Rookie of the Year. He is the first Raybestos Rookie to post two or more wins since Jimmie Johnson won three races in 2002. Busch became the youngest pole winner in NASCAR's premier series (19 yrs., 9 mos. and 24 days) when he grabbed the No. 1 qualifying spot for the February 27 Auto Club 500 at California Speedway. He is also the most recent Raybestos Rookie to win a pole and is the only first-year driver to win a pole in 2005. Where the Raybestos Rookies finished at Homestead: T. Kvapil 32nd; K. Busch 41st. (Raybestos/Camp and Assoc PR)

Nov. 20, 2005:

• Biffle Wins Race, Stewart wins Championship: Tony Stewart was smooth and steady for an entire race. An entire season. An entire championship run. Stewart cruised to his second NASCAR championship in four years Sunday, capping an uncharacteristically calm season for the former Bad Boy. He won races, kept his temper in check and avoided every major incident long enough to cement himself as one of the greatest drivers of his time. Needing only to run a clean race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, he hovered just outside the top 10 and away from any potential danger. He ended up 15th, winning the title by 35 points over Greg Biffle, who won the race for the second straight year by besting teammate Mark Martin in a door-to-door finish.  Stewart became just the 14th driver in NASCAR history with more than one championship and joined four-time winner Jeff Gordon as the only active drivers with multiple titles. (ABC News - Results - Points)

• Tracy wants NEXTEL Cup series ride: Former Champ Car champion Paul Tracy of Toronto worked the garage area yesterday, talking to NASCAR owners about trying to secure a ride for the future. "I want to give this a try," said Tracy. "I've made no secret about that. "My ideal situation would be to run about 10 to 12 races next season, and I'm out here trying to make it happen. The biggest thing for me is to get into a good car. I can't waste my time with a bad ride." Tracy tested with Richard Childress Racing earlier this year with the possibility of racing for the team at Michigan in August. "There's just too much going on," Tracy said, explaining why it didn't work out. "There was just too much to work something out for me."  (Edmonton Sun)

Nov. 19, 2005:

• France may tweak Chase: NASCAR chairman Brian France is pleased with the second season of his Chase for the championship format, but suspects there will be tweaks to the system. "We are going to look at the Chase when the season clears, but my sense of it is that it isn't going to be anything more than a small adjustment," France said Saturday. France would not elaborate on plans, although he ruled out the possibility of a separate points system for the drivers racing for the Nextel Cup title. Television Talks Ongoing: He expects negotiations on NASCAR's new TV deal to be completed before the end of the season. Although NBC executives have said they have ended contract talks because of NASCAR's asking price, France hasn't ruled the network out of remaining involved with the sport in some capacity. He also said nothing would change next season, and Fox and NBC would continue splitting the schedule. Roush's decision: NASCAR could have attempted to keep Jack Roush from kicking Busch out of his car for the final two races, but chose not to. "But it never came to that because from the very beginning we felt that should have been a team decision, and we stand by Jack calling it," he said. (CNNSI)

• Edwards wins the Pole: Carl Edwards keeps doing things nobody expects. Edwards, nearing the end of his first full season in NASCAR Nextel Cup with a mathematical chance to overtake veterans Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson for the championship, won the pole for Sunday's season-ending Ford 400. Edwards edged qualifying ace Ryan Newman for his second career pole with a lap of 176.051 mph. Newman, who led all drivers in poles for the fourth straight season, turned a lap of 176.039. The time differential between the two was 0.002-seconds. "It's a great way to start the weekend," said Edwards, who trails leader Stewart by 87 points and is 35 behind Johnson for the runner-up spot. (ABC News - Starting Lineup)

• Blaney in the #22 car? Bill Davis Racing is expected to announce soon it has signed Dave Blaney to replace Scott Wimmer for next season [in the #22 Caterpillar Dodge]. Mike Brown, general manager at Bill Davis Racing, said the team has made its selection and expects to make an announcement in about 10 days. Brown wouldn't confirm Blaney as the choice, but acknowledged Blaney would make a good fit for the High Point-based team. "It would be a welcome sight for the guys at the shop," Brown said of Blaney returning. Blaney drove for the team from 1999-2001. He also drove six Cup races for Davis in 2004 before joining Richard Childress Racing for this season. (Roanoke Times)

• Kyle Busch apologies to Media:  Kyle Busch acknowledged Saturday that he made a mistake last week when he stormed out of a post-race interview following his victory at Phoenix. "I made a mistake and I realize that," Busch said Saturday. "Everything that was said was said during a high-emotion time. I know I have the opportunity of a lifetime here, and I don't want to screw it up any." (CNNSI)

• Marlin gets Waste Management Sponsor: Waste Management, Inc. and MB2 Motorsports today announced the companies have formed a racing platform that will commence with the 2006 NASCAR season. The agreement calls for Waste Management to be a primary sponsor for 12 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races and a major associate sponsor for 24 other points races on MB2's No. 14 Chevrolet, which will be driven by Sterling Marlin. Waste Management’s first primary sponsorship race will be the season-opening Daytona 500, Feb. 19. Waste Management is also an associate sponsor on MB2’s No. 01 U.S. Army Chevrolet, driven by Joe Nemechek. "We are thrilled to sponsor MB2 Motorsports and have two-time Daytona 500 champion Sterling Marlin on our team," said David Steiner, Waste Management's chief executive officer. "We've had a great relationship with NASCAR since 2001 and are eagerly looking forward to enhancing our racing involvement in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series with our new MB2 Motorsports sponsorship. This new relationship will assist Waste Management in meeting our primary business objectives." Jay Frye, MB2's chief executive officer and general manager, said, "This is an exciting time for MB2. Adding a quality sponsor and an industry leader in environmental services to our racing program is a major step as we prepare for a successful 2006 campaign." Frye added that he is continuing to work out details with additional partners to join Waste Management as a primary/associate sponsor with the No. 14 team. Marlin, who recently announced that he will be joining MB2, says that he is enthusiastically awaiting the 2006 season.  (DMF Communication/MB2 PR)

• Sad News: John Reiser, father of #17 crew chief Robbie Reiser and Matt Kenseth’s long-time Busch Series car owner, has passed away. John had been battling cancer for the past few months. Sympathies are with his wife, Alice, and Robbie, and the rest of the family this weekend. More details when available at the Matt Kenseth website. (mattkenseth.com)

Nov. 18, 2005:

• Schrader signs with Wood Brothers & Little Debbie: NASCAR veteran Ken Schrader has joined the Wood Brothers/JTG Racing Team. He’ll drive the famed number 21 Ford Fusion during the 2006 Nextel Cup season. The car will be sponsored by the newest face in NASCAR ― Little Debbie®, America’s #1 snack cake. “I look forward to establishing a winning tradition with Wood Brothers/JTG Racing and Little Debbie® Snacks,” says Schrader. “Some of the most victorious drivers in NASCAR history have driven the Number 21 car. I intend to continue that winning tradition in 2006.” “Three years ago, I thought that 2005 could be my last season. However, when the opportunity to drive for the Wood Brothers and Little Debbie® presented itself, it made my decision to continue driving in the Nextel Cup Series very easy,” says Schrader. “There is always excitement when a new company realizes the marketing potential of NASCAR for increasing its business and then decides to enter the sport. This is going to be fun!”  Little Debbie® will be the primary sponsor of the Number 21 car for 19 races in 2006. Motorcraft Quality Parts and the U.S. Air Force will rotate their sponsorship of the Ford Fusion for the remaining races during the 2006 season. “We’ve been fans of NASCAR, the Wood Brothers, and Ken Schrader for many years, so sponsoring the Number 21 car is a way to show our support for a great sport, a great race team, and a great driver,” says McKee Food’s CEO Jack McKee. “From a business perspective, this is a perfect fit for our brand because NASCAR fans are Little Debbie® fans.”  (McKee Foods/Little Debbie)

• Richert and Manion Win WYPALL® Crew Chief of the Year Award: After a season of fierce competition, the 2005 WYPALL® Wipers Crew Chief Challenge has crowned its champions. Doug Richert, of the No.16 National Guard Ford, and Kevin “Bono” Manion, of the No. 8 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet, were each awarded WYPALL® Wipers Crew Chief of the Year honors. At the conclusion of each Nextel Cup event this season, a panel of judges including a member of the local media, a WYPALL® Wipers representative, as well as Tony Eury Sr. and Robbie Reiser, selected the Crew Chief of the Race. The decision was based on who did the most outstanding job. It wasn’t necessarily the winner of each race, but was certainly the leader who made the biggest difference for his team. Each Crew Chief of the Race was presented with a check for $1,000. Richert won the award five times throughout the 2005 season to clinch WYPALL® Wipers Crew Chief of the Year honors among the Nextel Cup garage. “Its an awesome feeling, but I’m not in this position without everyone on this race team,” Richert said, “The team has definitely come full circle, we have all the ingredients; we got the driver, we got the crew, we got the parts and pieces to work with, and the Roush/Yates engine program is second to none.” He managed to hold off Bob Osborne of the No. 99 Ford, who finished the year strong, amounting four Crew Chief of the Race wins. Richert took home a grand prize of $20,000, courtesy of WYPALL® Wipers, for his efforts. Beginning at Daytona in July, WYPALL® extended the Crew Chief Challenge to the Busch Series garage. At each companion event, Reiser and Eury Sr. selected the most impressive crew chief of the day’s race. Kevin Manion, Newt Moore, and Brad Parrott were each selected twice by the expert panel. A tie breaker was determined based on the point standings, which earned Manion the WYPALL® Wipers Crew Chief of the Year award for the NASCAR Busch Series. Manion was given a $5,000 grand prize. WYPALL® will return next year to continue the award, running both a full time Nextel Cup and Busch Series schedule. For more information about WYPALL® or the Crew Chief of the Year award go to www.wypall.com (SMC 500)

• Kodak renews with Penske Racing: Kodak has reached an agreement to extend its sponsorship of the Penske-Jasper Racing Nextel Cup team, and Travis Kvapil, a Janesville native, will return as the driver, a team representative said Thursday. A rumor had surfaced one day earlier speculating that the team could be disbanded. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

• Bill Weber's call of a lifetime: Amid all the football this weekend will be a NASCAR race of considerable significance, as the Chase for the Championship concludes with Sunday's Nextel Cup Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. For Bill Weber, who will call the race for NBC, the best part of this setup is that it lets him focus on the leaders. "For me as a broadcaster, this is the first time in my lifetime that I've been able to do this," Weber said on a conference call. "I look at it as a career moment, and I'll have my eyes basically glued to three or four cars at one time." Weber, addressing commentator Benny Parsons, who was also on the call, added, "BP, you watch the other 39 cars, OK?" (L.A. Times)

• Busch regrets actions during stop: A repentant Kurt Busch said he regrets becoming "argumentative" with an officer during a traffic stop last week in Phoenix, but insists that alcohol played no part in his behavior. "When I was asked by the officer if I had been drinking, I explained to them I had one drink during dinner, but I was certainly not intoxicated," Busch said in an exclusive telephone interview with The Associated Press from his Charlotte, N.C., office Thursday night. The reigning NASCAR Nextel Cup champion was pulled over for driving 60 mph in a 45 mph zone, swerving to avoid a car and running a stop sign last Friday night on his way back to Phoenix International Raceway. He said he was returning from dinner with his fiancee. The police report said the deputy smelled alcohol on Busch, and the driver became belligerent. "You're only doing this because you're a Jeff Gordon fan," Busch was quoted as saying to the officer in the police report, released earlier Thursday in Phoenix. He was eventually issued a misdemeanor citation for reckless driving. "I admit I became a bit argumentative with the officer when he continuously insisted that I submit to a field sobriety test and a breath test, which I ultimately did," Busch said. "I later learned my (preliminary breathalyzer) test was .017. That's consistent with an individual my size having one drink. That's brought us to this point. (More at Orlando Sentinel)

• Kt. Busch traffic stop was routine: NASCAR driver Kurt Busch was clearly "not under the influence of alcohol" when pulled over last week for driving recklessly, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio said. Busch told sheriff's deputies he had one margarita over dinner at a Mexican restaurant, and a preliminary breath test showed a blood-alcohol content of only .017 percent, significantly below the legal limit of .08, according to a report of the incident released Thursday. Arpaio said the report showed Busch did not receive preferential treatment. "We were following the normal procedure for any DUI investigation or arrest," Arpaio said. "His driving behavior was reckless and he was cited for that." (AZ Central)

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