Wrecked Newman wins
pole for Dickies 500: Ryan Newman beat the clock and
then beat up his Nextel Cup car Friday afternoon. He won
the pole for Sunday's Dickies 500 on his first
qualifying lap and then slammed the wall on his second.
Because of the damage to his car, he'll have to use his
backup car and start from the back of the field.
But it was Newman's stunning crash in Nextel Cup
qualifying that had everyone's attention. The No. 12
Alltel Dodge sped around the 1.5-mile Texas Motor
Speedway oval at 192.947 mph to claim the pole. But
rather than ease off on his second lap, Newman was
trying to better his time, and it cost him. He cut a
right front tire, causing him to hit the wall in Turn 4.
The car spun at nearly the same spot on the track in
practice, but was not damaged. "I didn't think I had
left everything out there on the first lap," said
Newman, who also won the pole in Texas in April (and
finished 16th). "I'm thinking I can go faster on the
second lap." (Dallas
Morning News -
Lineup) ( J. Gordon outside pole, Matt Kenseth, Joe
Nemechek and Jeremy Mayfield round out top 5.)
Ford inks renewal
deal with Homestead-Miami Speedway: International
Speedway Corporation announced today that
Homestead-Miami Speedway and Ford Motor Company ("Ford")
have renewed their partnership whereby Ford will
continue to sponsor the Ford Championship Weekend. The
new multi-year, multi-million dollar agreement
represents one of the largest sponsorship agreements in
ISC history. The initial phase runs through 2009, with a
renewal option that could extend the partnership to
2014. Under the terms, Ford will continue to build upon
the successful platform they have helped create at
Homestead-Miami by retaining the following designations:
* Title sponsor of the NASCAR Ford Championship Weekend,
* Entitlement rights for the season finales of all three
NASCAR national touring series including the Ford 200
Craftsman Truck, Ford 300 Busch and the Ford 400 NEXTEL
Cup races, and "Official Car and Truck" and
"Official Pace Vehicle" of Homestead- Miami's Ford
Championship Weekend. Ford will support its position
through themed advertising, promotion and/or other
mutually agreed to marketing support. In addition, Ford
will utilize at-track hospitality, significant signage
and display, and local, regional and national
promotional campaigns to highlight Ford's involvement
with Homestead-Miami. (ISC PR)
T. Labonte and Raines
named drivers for HoF racing: In a press conference
today at Texas Motor Speedway, Hall of Fame Racing
announced that Terry Labonte and Tony Raines will
co-drive the #96 DLP® HDTV Chevrolet in the NASCAR
NEXTEL Cup Series in 2006. Labonte, a two-time Cup
Series champion and 22-time Nextel Cup race winner, will
campaign the #96 DLP HDTV car in seven races, while
Raines, the 1996 champion of the American Speed
Association (ASA) and 1999 NASCAR Busch Series Rookie of
the Year, will drive the #96 DLP HDTV machine in 29
races. “This is a milestone day for Hall of Fame
Racing,” said Bill Saunders, managing partner of Hall of
Fame Racing. “Terry and Tony bring a wealth of
experience to our race team, and on behalf of the team’s
partners – Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman – we couldn’t
be happier with the selection. “As part of our
relationship with Joe Gibbs Racing, we were able to use
their expertise in selecting our drivers. Terry’s and
Tony’s names were at the top of the list, and it’s a
privilege to have both of them in our race cars
representing DLP HDTV and Hall of Fame Racing.” (TMS
PR)
Earnhardt, Jr. still
thinks about driving #3: Dale Earnhardt Jr. hasn’t
given up on the idea of one day driving the No. 3 car
that his dad made famous with Richard Childress Racing.
The son of the late Dale Earnhardt, a four-time Nextel
Cup champion, left the door open this past week during
an appearance on Dave Despain’s “Wind Tunnel”
television show. “That is something that is an
opportunity for us, and it would be fun for me and
Richard to do something like that in the future,”
Earnhardt said. “We haven’t sat down and decided that is
what we will do, but maybe the last one or two years in
my career, that’s a possibility. “I look forward to it.
That is just something we just leave laying out there
and joke about it, but it is something that we want to
do, and we will do.” (The
State)
Goodyear testing:
Goodyear
booked track time Wednesday evening at Lowe's Motor
Speedway to gather data on its tires following what took
place in the UAW-GM 500 at the track on Oct. 15. In that
race, blown tires led to numerous crashes and caution
flags. In the aftermath, track president H.A. "Humpy"
Wheeler has defended the track's surface that was
smoothed using a diamond-grinding machine. Scott Riggs
drove an Evernham Motorsports-owned Dodge in the test,
which ran from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Riggs will drive for
Evernham's team next season. Goodyear officials were
hoping to better understand what happened last month and
also to collect data that could be used in comparisons
after the track is repaved next year. It was testing
three tire compounds, including the one used in both
races at LMS this year. (ThatsRacin)
Earnhardt, Jr. wins
Wix award:
#8-Dale Earnhardt Jr.
won the WIX Filters Lap Leader Award at Atlanta Motor
Speedway for his first award of the 2005 NASCAR NEXTEL
Cup Series season. The WIX Filters Lap Leader Award is
presented to the driver who leads the most laps during
each race in NASCAR's NEXTEL Cup, Busch and Craftsman
Truck racing series. The award includes a cash prize
presented to the winning driver during a ceremony before
the next race and an end-of-year payout and trophy for
the driver who earns the most WIX Filters Lap Leader
awards over the course of the entire season. Cash awards
for the end-of-year honor are: $75,000 for the NEXTEL
Cup Series; $20,000 for the Busch Series; and, $10,000
for the Craftsman Truck Series. In order to be eligible
for the WIX Filters Lap Leader Award for a single event,
drivers and teams in each series must run the WIX
Filters decal on the front fender and use WIX oil or air
filters in their vehicles. Additionally, for any
year-end payout, teams must run the decal on the front
fender for every race they participate in, with an
allowance for one race, and they must always use WIX oil
or air filters. Fans can sign up for the WIX Filters Lap
Leader Award contest, make picks and try to beat Speed's
John Roberts by visiting
www.wixlapleader.com.
Nov. 3, 2005:
Labbe begins work for
Yates: Beginning this weekend at Texas Motor
Speedway, Richard “Slugger” Labbe will serve as a
consultant for all three Robert Yates Racing Teams (#88
UPS, #38 M&M’S®, #90 CitiFinancial-Busch). Labbe, who
previously worked with the #19 Team, returns to RYR
where he served as crew chief for the #28 Ford in
1998.(Elevation Group/RYR PR)
Earnhardt among those
inducted into Hall: The late Dale Earnhardt, a
seven-time NASCAR champion, heads the latest class of
inductees to the International Motorsports Hall of Fame.
Earnhardt is joined by team owner Jack Roush, NASCAR ace
Harry Gant, female racing pioneer Janet Guthrie and
racing executive H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler in the class to be
inducted April 27. "This is one heck of a class for
2006," Jim Freeman, executive director of the Hall, said
Wednesday. (Herald-Sun)
Nov. 2, 2005:
Texas Motor Speedway
start time moved back: NASCAR and NBC has changed
the starting time for the Dickies 500 at Texas Motor
Speedway on Sunday to 2:50 ct/p.m., 30 minutes after the
pervious scheduled time. The change was made to allow
NBC to move directly from the race telecast to a unique,
live episode of The West Wing. "It is only
fitting that the Chase race with the largest purse,
largest attendance and largest market has its overall
ambience enhanced by the final, dramatic laps being run
under the lights at Texas Motor Speedway," Texas Motor
Speedway President Eddie Gossage said. " “We are
extremely pleased that NBC appreciates the magnitude of
this race and pairs it with one of their most popular
and highly acclaimed shows,” (More)
Ford sues over
device:
Ford Motor Co. sued a North Carolina equipment supplier
Tuesday, accusing the company of stealing trade secrets,
breach of contract and trademark infringement. The case
centers on the Ford Racing Kinematics Rig - a device
Ford says it developed to collect, process and display
data from the chassis systems of NASCAR race cars.
According to a complaint filed in federal court in
Detroit Tuesday, Ford's racing division contracted with
L&H Technologies of Charlotte, N.C., last year to
produce the device for Ford's exclusive use. As part of
that contract, Ford says it provided L&H with technical
details for the device and worked with the supplier to
develop the device. Ford also says it provided L&H with
components for the rigs and loaned the supplier Ford
Racing cars to test the equipment. In its lawsuit, Ford
says L&H produced the units for Ford as requested, but
then began offering the same device to other NASCAR
teams, using Ford's logo in its marketing materials. (Detroit
News)
Dickies Joins Peak
Performance as Primary Sponsor in Texas: Williamson-Dickie
Mfg. Co. and Peak Performance Motorsports today
announced a one-race primary sponsorship package for the
Dickies 500 at the Texas Motor Speedway. The Fort
Worth-based maker of the DICKIES brand of work wear is
in its first season as the title sponsor for the fall
Nextel Cup event, and has signed with the No. 66 Ford
and driver Kevin Lepage to be the primary sponsor of the
car for the weekend at “The Great American Speedway.”
“As our on-track performance continues to progress, the
interest Peak Performance is receiving from major
companies is also growing,” noted team owner Jeff Stec.
“We are delighted to work with Dickies, and are excited
about having a major American brand as our primary
sponsor for one of the most anticipated racing events of
the season.” Dickies believes the NASCAR audience is a
perfect match for the brand and that its dual race and
team sponsorship and extends the bond further with the
core customer. “We are happy to have the opportunity to
partner with Peak Fitness on the No. 66 Ford for the
Dickies 500,” said Jon Ragsdale, Vice President of
Marketing and New Business Development for WD. “It’s a
great way to add a level of excitement by having our
very own car to root for at the race.” (PSE-3)
Harvick Family Sad
News:
After a long and courageous fight, John Paul - DeLana
Harvick''s father - has lost his battle with cancer. He
passed away on Tuesday, November 1, 2005. In lieu of
flowers or gifts, they are asking that donations be made
to Victory Junction Gang Camp in memory of John Paul
Linville. Donations should be sent to: Victory Junction
Gang Camp, 4500 Adam's Way, Randleman, NC 27317.(KevinHarvick.com)
No driver signed yet
for # 22: Bill Davis Racing reiterated and confirmed
today, contrary to recent rumors, a new driver has not
been signed to pilot the #22 Caterpillar Dodge in 2006.
“We are still finalizing the details around the CAT
Racing program for next year,” said Bill Davis, team
owner and president. “Of course, we have our eye on what
the ideal fit would be and are hoping everything works
out that way.” Recent rumors have developed around
Davis’ Toyota Racing driver, Mike Skinner, as being the
next one to fill the seat of the #22, but Davis stated
that is not part of the game plan. “I don’t know how
stuff like this gets started, but none of that is true,”
Davis said. “Skinner is a great driver and is doing a
great job for us and Toyota in the NASCAR Craftsman
Truck Series. We’re all happy with that entire program
and how it is progressing. We’re hoping it will be even
more successful in 2006. I cannot stress this enough,
but we are not going to do anything to distract from
that. Skinner is the fulltime driver of the #5 Toyota
Tundra and there are no plans, nor were there ever, to
put him in the #22 car.” Davis is asking for everyone’s
patience in this matter and wants to remind everyone
that until BDR officially announces its plans,
everything else is hearsay and pure speculation. “People
don’t realize when they concoct stuff like this, how it
can truly be detrimental to the business side of this
sport,” Davis said. “I am working hard to get everything
nailed down for next year and as soon as that is done I
will be very eager to let everyone else know about it.
Hopefully, we will be able to announce the future plans
for the #22 team in the near future.” (Bill
Davis Racing)
W. Burton to server
on Board: NASCAR driver Ward Burton was selected
Tuesday to sit on the Virginia Board of Game and Inland
Fisheries. Gov. Mark R. Warner, who announced the
selection, called Burton "a strong addition" to the
board that oversees the troubled Virginia Department of
Game and Inland Fisheries. "He is known throughout
Virginia for his commitment to the outdoors, both as a
sportsman and as a conservationist," Warner said in a
statement. The governor said Burton's experience and
background will help the board "continue to make
progress to restore the trust of the sports and
conservation enthusiasts they serve." State police are
conducting a criminal investigation of Game and Inland
Fisheries after an audit accusing officials of waste,
cronyism, misuse of state property and retaliation
against employees. The spending issues surfaced after
department officials went on an African safari last
year. Subsequent newspaper reports revealed that
officials regularly traveled to conventions, bought
expensive sporting goods and exceeded limits on their
state-issued credit cards. (USA
Today)
NFL Hall Of Famer
Tony Dorsett Joins Kurt Busch in Texas: Dallas
Cowboys Legend to Aid Crown Royal No. 97 Pit Crew for
Dickies 500: Kurt Busch is hoping to regain last year’s
championship fortunes by adding one of Texas’ favorite
sons, Dallas Cowboys legend Tony Dorsett, to his Crown
Royal No. 97 Ford team for Sunday’s Dickies 500. Dorsett
will join the Crown Royal team as an honorary pit crew
member during the race at Texas Motor Speedway. “Anytime
I can join a championship team in Texas, I’m all for
it,” said Dorsett. “I can help Kurt Busch and his Crown
Royal team because I know the difficulty of repeating a
championship year. My rookie year, I got a ring with the
Cowboys in Super Bowl XII, but we couldn’t get past
Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl the following year.” Kurt
Busch won the 2004 Nextel Cup Championship and is ninth
in the Chase for the Cup with three races remaining.
Dorsett will meet with fans earlier in the day at the
Crown Royal Experience Tent at the track. Crown Royal is
the Official Whisky of Texas Motor Speedway. (Alan
Taylor Communications)
RCR makes crew chief
changes: Moves Go Into Effect For Final Two
Races of 2005 Season: Two of Richard Childress Racing’s
(RCR) NASCAR Cup Series teams will swap crew chiefs next
week in preparation for the 2006 season. Scott Miller,
current crew chief on the No. 07 Jack Daniel’s team,
will assume the crew chief position on the No. 31
Cingular Wireless team with driver Jeff Burton for the
final two races this season and next year. Kevin Hamlin,
current crew chief on the No. 31 Cingular Wireless team,
will move to the No. 07 Jack Daniel’s team for the rest
of this season with driver Dave Blaney. He will be
assisted by Gil Martin who, it was announced in October,
will be the crew chief for the team next year with new
driver Clint Bowyer. Hamlin has been offered another
position within the RCR organization at the conclusion
of this season. “We’re making these moves next week to
get a head start on 2006,” said Richard Childress,
president and CEO of RCR. “We had already announced that
Gil was going to be the Jack Daniel’s team crew chief
for 2006 so it made sense to get him running as quickly
as possible. We have put Scott Miller and Jeff Burton
together on the Cingular Wireless team in an effort to
take the success the team has had this season to the
next level. Kevin Hamlin has been a valuable part of RCR
for many years and we look forward to him continuing to
contribute to our success in the future.” Martin will
remain as the crew chief for Bowyer and the No. 2
ACDelco team in their quest for the 2005 NASCAR Busch
Series championship. Jeremy Bullins, the team’s engineer
who will also move to the No. 07 Jack Daniel’s team next
season, will assist Hamlin and Martin for the balance of
the season. “This in no way will take away from the
effort Clint, Gil and the ACDelco team will give toward
winning the Busch championship,” said Childress.
“They’ve still got a good shot at it and Gil has great
guys working for him on both teams so we won’t let him
get overloaded from either direction (Richard
Childress Racing PR)
Nov. 1, 2005:
Darlington renovation
project: Darlington Raceway's ongoing renovation
projects continued last week with the removal of the
Brasington Grandstand from Turn 2. Brasington,
constructed in 1965, was one of the last remaining
covered grandstands in racing until the roof was removed
in 2004 to accommodate the addition of lights at the
track "Too Tough To Tame." The 3,300-seat grandstand
bore the name of Harold Brasington, the Darlington
developer whose vision of a race track designed
specifically for stock cars ultimately became NASCAR's
most historic venue. Additional seating for 6,300 fans
will be erected in Turn 1, and will be completed in time
for the Dodge Charger 500 in May 2006. (Darlington
Raceway PR)
REPORT: Busch
Released, McMurray Released: According to published
reports, ESPN's Mike
Massaro is reporting that Roush Racing has released 2004
Nextel Cup Champ #97 Kurt Busch from his 2006 contract
obligations, allowing Busch to go to the #2 Miller Lite
Dodge. Also, reported that Jamie McMurray has been
released from his 2006 Ganassi Racing contract to drive
the #42 Texaco Dodge, allowing him to go to Roush
Racing, taking over for Busch.
More on Car of
Tomorrow: NASCAR vice president of communications
Jim Hunter said the new cars were about a second per lap
slower than the current cars, a sign, he said, that the
new-spec car is working according to plan. "I think
we're moving along," Hunter said. "I think so far the
tests are showing what we hoped would happen." The
boxier car also will have room for more safety
improvements. "Safety tops the list of things that are
different about this car," said Gary Nelson, NASCAR's
vice president of research and development, in a news
release. "We have done a lot of things in the last four
years to improve safety that are car-of-tomorrow items,
but we put them on the car of today if they would fit.
You can't just fit a bigger roll-cage, a different frame
or different exhaust. The average race fan is going to
see a taller, wider car that has been designed to
enhance competition on the track." (USA
Today)
Skinner to
the #22? Forget those Ward Burton returns stories
for Bill Davis Racing next season. Mike Skinner will
drive the Caterpillar Dodge #22 in 2006, teaming with
Michael Waltrip in the NAPA #55.(RacingOne)
Texas Tickets remain:
There are still grandstand tickets available to the
Dickies 500 race Sunday, the second NASCAR race at the
Texas Motor Speedway this season. This is the first time
TMS has had two NASCAR races in the same year. TMS
President Eddie Gossage said a few more tickets were
available for the Dickies 500 than usually are available
the week before the spring NASCAR race. Despite the
thousands of tickets still left, Gossage said TMS
officials hope to sell out the 155,000-seat grandstand
for the race Sunday. Sets of two and four tickets are
available scattered around the track with some in the
backstretch, he said. For ticket information visit
www.texasmotorspeedway.com
Atlanta
Early Ratings down: NBC's broadcast of Sunday's Bass
Pro Shops MBNA 500 from Atlanta Motor Speedway earned a
3.9 overnight rating and an 8 share from Nielsen Media
Research, Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Daily reports.
The overnight rating from the nation's largest
television markets is down 7.1% from 4.2 last year. (NASCAR
Scene Daily Newsletter)
Oct. 31, 2005:
Car of
Tomorrow notes, another test planned: Based
on information from Monday's test, NASCAR will schedule
another test – likely at Lowe's Motor Speedway in
Concord, N.C. – where it will check such issues as
making sure the new splitter design doesn't collect
trash off the track. Bodine came to Atlanta with
NASCAR's car a week ago and ran several laps to develop
a baseline for Monday's test. "We had a little leg up on
everybody. But last week's test and the first laps
today, we're real pleased with the speeds we've been
getting," he said. "So far, I would say we are right on
target with what we want to accomplish." Burton said he
didn't find too many differences, other than the new
car's look. "I think the splitter idea is a good idea.
The concern is, if you lost the splitter. If you lost
the splitter, you'd be in major trouble," Burton said.
"All in all, my initial belief it's just a race car and
we can make it work." (Miami
Herald)
Businesses want
NASCAR NW track: Businesses in Bremerton are
overwhelmingly in favor of the early proposal of
International Speedway Corp. to build a NASCAR facility
in Kitsap County, according the Bremerton Area Chamber
of Commerce. The chamber's board endorsed
the proposal after conducting a Web-based survey of its
members. "The vast majority believed that ISC was a good
fit for our community and also wanted the Chamber to
support this proposal," said Diane Robinson, president
of the chamber and owner of Elandan Gardens. "It was
clearly a mandate from our members." The chamber said
the benefit of $10 million to $20 million in annual tax
revenue would be beneficial to the community. (Seattle
Biz Journal)
Osborne
Wins Crew Chief of the Race Award: Bob
Osborne, crew chief of the #99 Office Depot Ford, and
Carl Edwards notched their third victory of 2005 this
weekend at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. This was the
duo's second Nextel Cup win of the year at Atlanta,
giving them a clean sweep of the season's action at the
track. Edwards led the race eight times for 115 laps,
including the final 36, before taking the checkered flag
of the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500. For bringing Edwards the
win, Osborne was voted the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of
the Race. In the early stages of the event, Edwards
didn't appear to be as stout as the other cars in the
top-five. But as the race went on, the #99 Taurus only
got stronger and stronger. "There were a lot of good
cars in the race today," said Osborne after the event.
"We started out loose. Most of the cars running up front
were neutral at first and we couldn't get up to them,
but they started to tighten up through the race. We did
too, but that's what we needed. The car was its best at
the end. This team has worked so hard and this weekend
is a real testament to that." The panel of voters,
including a Wypall Wipers representative, Robbie Reiser
and Tony Eury Sr., all voted for Osborne as the crew
chief that did the best job. Doug Richert leads the
Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Year standings with five
wins. Alan Gustafson, Bob Osborne and Greg Zipadelli are
tied for second-place with three wins. Jimmy Fennig,
Robbie Reiser, Chad Knaus, Steve Addington and Robbie
Loomis are tied for third-place with two wins. Tommy
Baldwin, Scott Miller, Fatback McSwain, Steve Hmiel,
Greg Erwin, Slugger Labbe, Pat Tryson and Pete Rondeau
are tied for fourth place, each with one win. At the end
of the season, the crew chief with the most weekly wins
will receive $20,000. Fans can also vote for their
choice at
wypall.com.
(SMC 500)
Car of Tomorrow
testing today: NASCAR's proposed car-of-the-future
is to be tested today at Atlanta Motor Speedway, with
Ford's Carl Edward, Chevy drivers Brian Vickers, Jeff
Burton and Martin Truex Jr., and Dodge's Kyle Petty,
along with NASCAR's Brett Bodine. The bigger, boxier car
has been controversial, and some people in the NASCAR
garage are insisting that it will never make to a
starting line. NASCAR officials insist they hope to
debut it next October at Talladega, with a full rollout
in 2007. (Winston
Salem Journal)
Update on Labbe
and Baldwin to stay with Evernham? Slugger Labbe and
Evernham Motorsports parted ways after Labbe asked to be
reassigned from his job as crew chief for Jeremy
Mayfield at the end of the season. As of Sunday, Labbe
had three crew chief job offers and expected to make a
decision this week. There were rumors Tommy Baldwin,
crew chief for Mayfield's teammate Kasey Kahne, wanted
out, too. Baldwin said he's not going anywhere. (Sporting
News)
New air pressure
rule: NASCAR officials announced in the drivers
meeting a minimum air pressure rule for the right front
tire in light of tire problems at Charlotte earlier this
month. (News-Record)
So where does Labonte
go? Bobby Labonte might be the most popular driver
in the garage right now when it comes to teams that need
drivers. What team wouldn't want to tease potential
sponsors with a former champion? He has been mentioned
as a candidate to drive the Nos. 43, 42 and 22. If
Labonte drives the No. 43 for Petty Enterprises, Shell
looks good as the sponsor. If Labonte jumps into the No.
42 Chip Ganassi Racing ride, that opens the door for
Jamie McMurray to move to Roush Racing to drive the No.
97 (which could switch numbers and become the 28). Kurt
Busch could in turn take over the No. 2 Penske Racing
car after Rusty Wallace retires. Roger Penske admitted
in Atlanta that he had spoken to Ricky Rudd about
possibly doing a one-year deal if Busch were not
released, but the surest bet in the driver's roulette
would be on Busch in the No. 2 at Daytona. (Sporting
News)
Michelin and
Bridgestone to bid for NASCAR? When Goodyear's
exclusive contract with NASCAR runs out, apparently at
the end of 2007, both Bridgestone and Michelin are
expected to bid for the new deal. The end of the season
is 21 days away, and weary drivers and crews are looking
ahead to some time off. For Jimmie Johnson that means an
African safari.
(Winston
Salem Journal)
Hamlin to be named to
#11: Denny Hamlin will be named as the driver for
the No. 11 Chevrolet for Joe Gibbs Racing. Hamlin, who
is fifth in Busch Series points, has been auditioning
for the ride in the past four races. He has two
eighth-place finishes in that time. (Sporting
News)
Blaney to BAM? In
other driver moves, Blaney is also under consideration
for the ride with Beth Ann Morgenthau, replacing Ken
Schrader, who is headed to the Wood brothers. Blaney and
the Morgenthaus have been talking since July, according
to sources. Blaney current runs for Richard Childress. (Salem-Journal)
Oct. 30, 2005:
Edwards Sweeps at
Atlanta: Carl Edwards completed a sweep of the
NASCAR Nextel Cup races at Atlanta Motor Speedway, and
made up some ground in the Chase for the championship.
Edwards, who barely held off veteran Jimmie Johnson for
his first Cup victory on the Georgia track in March, had
a dominating car through the second half of the 325-lap
Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500. Edwards, in his first full
season in NASCAR's top stock car series, lost a lead of
more than 6 seconds when the last of nine caution flags
waved for debris on lap 283. But he was able to regain
control and pulled away to earn his third victory of the
season, beating four-time Cup champion Jeff Gordon to
the finish line by 2.713-seconds, half the front
straightaway on the 1.5-mile oval. Tony Stewart, the
hottest driver in the series since June, finished ninth
and increased his lead atop the standings from 15 points
to 43 points over Johnson, who finished 16th the last
driver on the lead lap. (ABC
News - Results
-
Points)
Hamilton to race: PPI
Motorsports (PPIM) through a partnership with car owner
Bob Jenkins will race the No. 32 Tide/Downy Chevrolet
with driver Bobby Hamilton Jr. in today’s Bass Pro Shops
MBNA 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. “Bob and I forged a
relationship at Talladega a few weeks ago,” said Wells.
“And he was gracious enough to continue the partnership
with PPIM at Atlanta. We are looking forward to fielding
our No. 32 Tide/Downy Chevrolet in today’s event as well
as accomplishing our goal for the weekend which is a
top-25 finish.” (PPI
PR)
Wood Brothers to move
shop: The Wood Brothers racing team is moving to its
third shop in the past two years. When the team decided
to move from its long-time base in Stuart, Va., closer
to the racing mecca around Concord, N.C., where most
NASCAR teams are located, it took over Ricky Rudd's old
shop in Mooresville. But those quarters proved to be too
cramped. Team co-owner Len Wood said the new shop —
which the team will share with ST Motorsports, a Busch
Series team now working with the Woods — is 129,000
square feet versus the 30,000-square-foot building that
now houses the team. It is about four miles from Lowe's
Motor Speedway. (Atlanta
Journal Constitution)
Oct. 29, 2005:
Car of tomorrow to be
tested at Atlanta: The second on-track test for
NASCAR's "Car of Tomorrow" is scheduled Monday at
Atlanta Motor Speedway, with six or seven teams expected
to take part. Among them will be Hendrick Motorsports,
with Brian Vickers driving the first of the cars it has
built in the new configuration. Alan Gustafson, crew
chief for Kyle Busch, Vickers' teammate, said his team
will not take part in the test, but have an avid
interest in what takes place on the 1.54-mile D-shaped
oval. "I don't think NASCAR's done refining it and I
don't think any of the teams are, either," Gustafson
said. "Definitely, we're nowhere close. It's going to
evolve a lot. I hope it does. "The good thing that
they're doing, and I like, is that it needs to an
evolution. You need to have a lot of tests on it. We'll
do different things and take time because our cars have
gotten to where they are (through) 50 years of
evolution." (ThatsRacin)
Labonte to Petty #43?
Bobby Labonte apparently is on the short list of
"proven winners" NASCAR legend Richard Petty plans to
consider as driver of the famed No. 43 beginning in
2006. Labonte, the 2000 Nextel Cup champion, has a
contract with Joe Gibbs Racing that runs through 2008.
But a source said Friday that Labonte had informed some
crewmen two weeks ago that he would not be returning to
the No. 18 Chevrolet in 2006. Labonte has driven for
Gibbs' organization since 1995, scoring all 21 of his
Cup victories with the team owned by the coach of the
NFL's Washington Redskins. But Labonte, 41, is winless
since November 2003 -- a span of 68 races heading into
Sunday's Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 at Atlanta Motor
Speedway. He qualified 38th in the 43-car field Friday.
Labonte is 24th in points and has failed to qualify for
the first two editions of the Chase for the Nextel Cup.
A team spokesman said Labonte has been "noncommittal"
about his plans for next season. The source added that
though Labonte respects Gibbs and his organization, he
wants a change of scenery. (Star-Telegram)
Where's the drivers?
The grand opening of Jeff Gordon Racing School on
Tuesday at Lowe's Motor Speedway included a public
relations snag for the four-time Nextel Cup champion.
Kasey Kahne, Jeremy Mayfield, Jamie McMurray, Casey
Mears, and Elliott Sadler were advertised to appear
along with Gordon for photo opportunities at an event
where ticket prices ranged from $350 to $5,000. None
showed up, and their team representatives all confirmed
Friday the function wasn't on their driver's itinerary.
(Atlanta
Journal Constitution)
Labonte and Raines
drivers for Hall of Fame racing? Hall of Fame
Racing's inaugural driver introduction Thursday at Texas
Motor Speedway could be a double-feature. A source said
Terry Labonte, a two-time Cup champion, and journeyman
Tony Raines will be introduced as the first drivers of
the start-up team co-owned by former Cowboys
quarterbacks Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman. Primary
sponsor Texas Instruments has scheduled a news
conference as part of the inaugural Dickies 500 weekend
in Fort Worth. Labonte would drive the season-opening
Daytona 500 - NASCAR's Super Bowl - in February and the
next four events. Labonte's past champion's provisional
would assure the team of making the season's first five
events even if the car is not fast enough to qualify on
speed. (Star-Telegram)
Reese's to be primary
sponsor for 12 races for #29:
Richard
Childress Racing (RCR) announced that GM Goodwrench and
The Hershey Company have joined forces as co-primary
sponsors of RCR's #29 Chevy driven by Kevin Harvick in
2006. GM Goodwrench will be the primary sponsor for 24
races, including the Daytona 500. The Hershey Company,
through its Reese's brand, will be the primary sponsor
for 12 races, including the Brickyard 400 at
Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "We see this as a great
opportunity to extend our NASCAR program with a brand
like REESE'S," said Jim Moloney, General Director, GM
Service and Parts Operations Marketing. "We have had a
relationship with The Hershey Company through our
involvement with Richard Childress Racing for five years
now and it continues to grow and prosper. When we
analyzed our GM Goodwrench sponsorship program, we saw a
great opportunity to reach a much larger demographic
audience by teaming up with The Hershey Company. While
it may be strange for fans to see the #29 Chevrolet
without GM Goodwrench as the lone primary sponsor, the
opportunity for additional exposure generated by REESE'S
is too good to pass up." (RCR
PR)
Blaney
Looking: Dave Blaney, current driver of the #07 Jack
Daniel's Chevy, reported he had no change in the
prospects in picking up a ride for next season. He did
say he would consider going back to Bill Davis Racing to
take over the #22 next season as replacement for
released Scott Wimmer. (High
Point Enterprise)
Schrader to Wood
Brothers: Ken Schrader will be driving for the Wood
brothers next season, replacing Ricky Rudd, sources
close to the negotiations have confirmed. Neither the
Wood brothers nor Schrader would discuss the situation.
"It depends on what Ricky does," Schrader said. "We're
waiting for Kenny or the Woods to make a comment, and
then we'll comment," Tony Morgenthau, Schrader's current
car owner, said. Rudd could now be key to the Chip
Ganassi-Jack Roush-Roger Penske deadlock over drivers,
if Rudd were willing to move to Ganassi's
Texaco-sponsored team. Ganassi tried to hire Rudd a few
years ago. Rudd spent several years as a
Texaco-sponsored driver for Robert Yates. (Salem-Journal)
Georgia
Pacific and Hendrick: Georgia-Pacific on Friday
announced a multi-year agreement to put its Sparkle
brand of paper towels on the #24 Chevrolet of four-time
champion Jeff Gordon, beginning in 2006. Sheila Weidman,
vice president of corporate communications and marketing
for Georgia-Pacific, said the associate sponsorship deal
will not take away from its other NASCAR sponsorships,
including qualifying night at Atlanta Motor Speedway's
fall race, as well as primary sponsorship of Kyle
Petty's #45 Brawny Dodge. G-P also is a sponsor of the
Victory Junction Gang Camp. (AMS Pit Notes)
Earnhardt to be
inducted: The late Dale Earnhardt heads the list of
drivers inducted into the Crown Royal IROC Legends of
Victory Lane. The elite group, voted in by fans,
recognizes drivers from various disciplines on the 30th
anniversary of the series that allows drivers from all
forms of racing to compete in equally prepared cars.
Joining Earnhardt were Mario Andretti, Scott Pruett and
Steve Kinser. . (Atlanta
Journal Constitution)
Again... Newman wins
pole: When it comes to qualifying at Atlanta
Motor Speedway, Ryan Newman is in a class by himself.
The "Rocketman," already considered NASCAR's best
qualifier ever in only his fourth full season, showed
the way again Friday night, winning his sixth straight
Atlanta pole with a lap of 193.928 mph and posting the
34th pole of his career and seventh of the season.
Runner-up Carl Edwards, the winner here in March, was
considerably slower than Newman at 193.420 -- and very
impressed with the pole winner. With four races
remaining in the 10-race Chase for the Nextel Cup,
Newman is third, trailing leader Tony Stewart by 63
points and runner-up Jimmie Johnson by 48. Greg Biffle
is fourth, 20 points behind Newman and Edwards fifth,
another 66 back. Stewart qualified 10th, Johnson 12th
and Biffle 16th. Among the other drivers in the chase,
sixth-place Rusty Wallace qualified 35th, seventh-place
Mark Martin was fourth, eighth-place Kurt Busch was
30th, ninth-place Matt Kenseth was 23rd and 10th-place
Jeremy Mayfield was 18th. (In part from
News and Observer)
Oct. 28, 2005:
Tourism Bureau
supports speedway: Acknowledging the tourism
benefits of NASCAR, Kitsap Peninsula Visitor and
Convention Bureau became the first organization to
officially endorse a plan to build a major motor
speedway in South Kitsap. Given the information
currently available, there is no question that the
tourism industry will benefit from the track, which
International Speedway Corp. proposes to build with
public and private dollars, said Shawn Cucciardi, the
bureau's board president. The board surveyed
its 262 business members about their views on the track
and proceeded to address the concerns raised by some
members, Cucciardi said. Concerns included increased
traffic, potential crime and funding limitations. The
group contacted community leaders where other tracks
have been built for their viewpoints. "It was truly
overwhelming to me to see how easy it was for other
communities to say, 'I know you want to do due diligence
on this, but jump on this opportunity,'" he said. The
track, proposed on 950 acres south of Bremerton National
Airport, could bring in $100 million in tourist dollars
for each race, he said. Two major races a year have been
proposed. ISC intends to ask the Legislature for a
portion of the state's sales tax revenue to fund about
half of the estimated $330 million track. (Kitsap
Sun)
Homestead-Miami
Speedway Testing: NASCAR NEXTEL Cup and Busch Series
testing will take place at Homestead-Miami Speedway with
test sessions scheduled for Monday, October 31 -
Wednesday, November 2 and Monday, November 7 -
Wednesday, November 9. The teams and drivers will be
preparing for the upcoming Ford Championship Weekend,
the season-finales for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup, Busch and
Craftsman Truck Series, Nov. 18-20 at Homestead-Miami
Speedway. Several drivers currently in the Chase for the
NASCAR NEXTEL Cup are expected to participate in the
test sessions at Homestead-Miami Speedway including
points leader Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson (2nd place),
Ryan Newman (3rd), Carl Edwards (5th), Rusty Wallace
(6th) , Mark Martin (7th) Kurt Busch (8th) and Matt
Kenseth (9th). Driver participation is tentative and
subject to change. The test sessions are closed to the
general public until further notice due to repairs on
the Speedway grandstands following Hurricane Wilma. (HMS
PR)
Oct. 27, 2005:
Terry Labonte to
driver for HoF Racing? Terry Labonte cleverly
avoided the question when asked Tuesday at TMS if he
might drive a few races next season for the new Hall of
Fame Racing team of Troy Aikman and Roger Staubach. "I'm
not going to run a full schedule," Labonte said. "And I
have a 10-race deal with Hendrick Motorsports. And I'm
definitely not driving at Talladega." That still leaves
some options. Labonte could drive for Hall of Fame
Racing in the Daytona 500 and a few other events at the
start of the season, to ensure the team would qualify.
Labonte has a past champion's provisional. (Dallas
Morning News)
AAA to sponsor Martin
in 2006: AAA will become the primary sponsor
of Roush Racing’s flagship No. 6 Nextel Cup Ford
starting in 2006. In addition, veteran driver Mark
Martin will extend his ‘Salute To You’ Tour and return
to pilot the car for one more year in 2006, with Todd
Kluever set to take over the reigns from Martin in 2007,
Roush Racing announced today. In 2006, Martin will
drive the No. 6 AAA Ford Fusion and then give way to
Kluever in 2007. During the 2005 Nextel Cup Series, the
AAA Auto Club Group was a primary sponsor of Carl
Edwards’ No. 99 car. This experience gave AAA valuable
first-hand knowledge of the benefits of participating in
NASCAR with the Roush Racing team “I’m very excited to
work with AAA,” said Kluever. “It’s great to see them
move into a full-time sponsorship with Mark and the No.
6 car next year and then with me in 2007. It’s a dream
come true for me and it’s great to have people here at
Roush Racing and AAA that believe in me and I’m very
excited about the opportunity. “I consider the No. 6 car
to be one of the top-five most legendary cars in NASCAR
history. I don’t think that anybody will be able to
replace Mark Martin. He has big shoes to fill, but I’ll
do my best to try. It’s just very exciting to be in that
No. 6 car and to be partnered with a great organization
like AAA.” Kluever won Roush Racing’s famed ‘Gong Show’
in 2004. He is currently amongst his first year of
racing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, where he is
14th in the points. Kluever has posted six top-five and
nine top-10 finishes in 20 races during his rookie
season. (Roush
Racing PR)
Martin to be Crew
Chief: ACDelco Chevrolet crew chief Gil Martin will
spend his Busch Series bye week calling the shots on the
GM Goodwrench Monte Carlo. Martin was the team’s crew
chief last Sunday at Martinsville Speedway. (RCR PR)
Wimmer released from
BDR after 2005: Bill Davis Racing announced today
Scott Wimmer will finish the 2005 season as the driver
of the No. 22 Caterpillar Dodge in the NASCAR Nextel Cup
Series, but will not be returning behind the wheel of
the No. 22 car in 2006. This will mark the conclusion of
a four-year relationship in which car owner Bill Davis
and Wimmer started in 2001, when Davis signed the young
driver to a multi-year deal to drive for him in the
NASCAR Busch Series. “Scott is a good driver and person.
I know I speak on behalf of everyone at Bill Davis
Racing and our sponsors when I say we wish him well,”
said Bill Davis, team owner and president. “This is the
part of this business I don’t like. Change isn’t always
the easiest thing to do, but it is usually the best
thing for everyone. I know it is what has made this
sport grow and everyone grow who works in it. Scott is
going to be successful and he most definitely still has
a promising career ahead of him as a race car driver.”
BDR is still working to confirm its final plans for the
No. 22 Caterpillar team’s 2006 season. “We are still
working to find a replacement, which has not been
designated at this time,” Davis said. “There are some
very talented drivers out there right now without
full-time rides for next year. Hopefully, we can get
someone locked in very soon.” (Bill Davis Racing PR)
Change in Crew Chief
for Mayfield: Statement from Ray Evernham on the
Leadership for the #19 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge Charger:
"We have decided to make a change on the leadership team
for the #19 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge Charger driven by
Jeremy Mayfield. The team, led by Team Director Kenny
Francis for the past three years, has shown great
promise and potential. We've qualified for the Chase for
the Championship for the second year in a row. But, we
have high expectations for this team, both for the
remainder of the 2005 season and for next year. We still
have four races to run this season, all of which are on
tracks where we've been successful. We're confident that
we can re-energize this team to bring home solid
finishes in these last four races and move up in the
Chase for the Championship. We are already planning for
next year, and we recognize that we need to make several
changes to regain the momentum this team had earlier in
the year and to ensure we have the right people in the
right places to win races and a championship. As part of
this change, Richard "Slugger" Labbe will no longer
serve as crew chief for the team. Kenny Francis will
continue to lead the team as he has the last three
years, and Mike Shiplett, currently the car chief for
the team, will share Labbe's duties with Francis.
Slugger Labbe made good contributions to this team this
year, and we wish him well as he pursues other
opportunities." (Evernham Motorsports PR)
Oct. 26, 2005:
Marlin joins MB2
Motorsports: MB2 Motorsports announced that two-time
Daytona 500 champion Sterling Marlin has agreed to a
multiyear contract to drive the team's No. 14 Chevrolet,
beginning in the 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup season. The No.
14 will replace MB2’s No. 10, and the 2005 owner points
earned from the No. 10 will transfer to the No. 14. The
new number is in honor of Marlin's father, Clifton "Coo
Coo" Marlin, who drove the No. 14 while competing in
NASCAR in the 1960s and 1970s. Mr. Marlin passed away in
August. "Sterling's experience, success and popularity
bring a new dimension to our growing organization,” said
Jay Frye, MB2’s CEO and general manager. “He continues
to have the desire to win. It's a great fit and we look
for the No. 14 team to have a lot of success in 2006."
Regarding sponsorship for Marlin's No. 14 Nextel Cup
entry, Frye said that details are still being worked out
with potential partners. "We're offering a unique
sponsorship package," said Frye. "The package consists
of three 12-race primary partnerships that come with a
large 24-race associate sponsorship." (MB2
Motorsports PR)
Reed Sorenson to make
Cup Debut: NASCAR Busch Series sensation Reed
Sorenson (No. 39 Discount Tire Dodge) will attempt to
make his NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series debut this weekend at
Atlanta. The 19-year-old, from nearby Peachtree City,
Ga., is currently in fourth place in the NASCAR Busch
Series, 429 points behind series leader Martin Truex Jr.
Sorenson also will attempt to qualify for the Nov. 6
race at Texas Motor Speedway. “I am excited about
running two Cup races this season,” Sorenson said. “I am
glad that my debut will be at my hometown track, Atlanta
Motor Speedway. I always want to do well in front of the
hometown crowd. I have a lot of friends and family
members that come out to the track, and it is a track
that has been instrumental in my career since I was a
kid.” (Ganassi Racing PR)
Jimmie Johnson joins
XM Radio: NASCAR star Jimmie Johnson is getting
behind the wheel of his own talk show on XM Satellite
Radio. His weekly show debuts in February 2006 on XM's
NASCAR Radio (channal 144). Johnson will discuss the
latest happenings on the NASCAR circuit and talk about
music and other personal interests. He will also play a
key role in various XM promotions as part of a
multi-year agreement with XM. “I'm extremely excited to
be part of the XM family," Johnson said in a release.
"For a few years I've been searching for the right
outlet to give people an opportunity to get to know a
side of me away from the racetrack. XM approached me
with the idea of having a national weekly radio show and
it was the perfect fit. I'm really looking forward to
the partnership and getting started next season." (Billboard
Radio)
This week on Wally's
World: This week on "Wally's World," Chris Meloni,
star of NBC's "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"
replaces his detective badge for a seat belt when he
takes a ride with NASCAR on NBC & TNT analyst Wally
Dallenbach on the "Bank of America Countdown to Green"
pre-race show. (NBC Universal PR)
Man arrested for
defrauding NASCAR team: Franklin Ray, who opened
Marlin Transport Inc. and MNR Productions, was named in
a six-count felony indictment Friday. He's accused of
defrauding Florida businessman Anthony Morgenthau and
several charter companies of at least $285,000.
Morgenthau co-owns BAM Racing, sponsor of a Nextel Cup
team. Ray faces charges of bank fraud and interstate
transportation of stolen property and four counts of
wire fraud. Among accusations is that Ray posed as an
agent for NASCAR and several country music performers in
2002, agreeing to co-sponsor NASCAR races and to
schedule music concerts for race weekends. The grand
jury indictment alleges that Ray entered agreements with
various companies to charter flights, helicopter and
limousine services for purported clients and received
money and free travel from the companies. Among other
accusations is that Ray defrauded Morgenthau by offering
to co-sponsor six races in exchange for $750,000 and
that he paid for charter flights with invalid credit
card numbers. (Detroit
Free Press)
Chevy
Clinches Manufacturers Championship: As a result of
Jeff Gordon's win at Martinsville this past weekend,
Chevrolet collected its 29th manufacturers crown and the
25th of NASCAR's Modern Era, which began in 1972. Since
that year, GM Racing has earned 27 of the 34
manufacturers titles, with Chevrolet collecting 25 of
those for an impressive 0.79 winning percentage (Buick
has won the title twice). To date, Chevrolet leads all
manufacturers with 572 race wins, 448 occurring in the
Modern Era. "To clinch the 2005 NASCAR Nextel Cup
Manufacturers Championship with four races remaining in
the season is an impressive accomplishment," said Mark
Kent, director of GM Racing. "It has truly been a group
effort with six different drivers, along with their
respective teams and our team at GM Racing, contributing
to this win for Chevrolet." (GM Racing PR)
B. Labonte on rumors:
Native Texan Bobby Labonte laughed off a rumor that
he is being considered for the driver's job with Hall of
Fame Racing, the start-up Cup team co-owned by former
Dallas Cowboys quarterbacks Troy Aikman and Roger
Staubach. Labonte, the 2000 Cup champion, has driven for
Joe Gibbs Racing since 1995. Interestingly, Hall of Fame
Racing's 2006 Chevrolets will be supplied by Gibbs,
making the team a satellite operation of Joe Gibbs
Racing. Labonte declined to divulge the duration of his
current contract with Gibbs. "That's my business, not
yours," Labonte said. "As far as I know, I'm driving
their car." (Star-Telegeam)
Dale Jr. driving a
Petty car: Is Dale Earnhardt Jr. driving cars owned
by Richard Petty?Yes, and it will happen today at Lowe's
Motor Speedway. But no, the driver of the No. 8
Chevrolets in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series is not
joining the Petty Enterprises team. Today's activities
involve Earnhardt Jr. driving cars owned by the Richard
Petty Driving Experience. He will be giving rides to 10
winners in a "Test Drive" sweepstakes conducted by
Wrangler, one of his team's associate sponsors.
Earnhardt Jr. will give another spin around the track to
Debbie Crawford, from Ocala, Fla. Crawford's husband,
Don, bid $42,100 to win the ride-along through an eBay
auction to raise money for the American Red Cross and
its hurricane relief efforts. (Charlotte
Observer)
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