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Sunday, April 26, 2009

Update on fan injuries: As soon as the race field cleared the finish line, a half dozen ambulances lined up on track and medical personnel went into the grandstands to treat any fans injured by the debris that came flying off Edwards' car. The Speedway's medical director said eight fans suffered minor injuries such as bumps and bruises and perhaps a couple fractures. Two fans were airlifted to a local hospital, one with facial injuries and possibly a broken jaw, the other with a medical problem unrelated to the crash. They were airlifted because of heavy traffic -- not because the injuries were serious. (Fanhouse.com)

No reports of serious injuries to fans after Talladega crash: Carl Edwards, who seemed en route to a win, went to block rookie Brad Keselowski in the trioval on the last lap. They collided and Edwards went airborne. Edwards flew into the catch-fence, reminiscent of Bobby Allison's crash in 1986, then flew into Ryan Newman. Luckily Edwards walked away -- he even jogged toward to the start-finish line -- and there were no serious injuries initially reported in the stands. (Press-Register)

Driver quotes from Talladega's lap 7 crash: KEVIN HARVICK ON WHAT HAPPENED ON LAP 7: "I'm not sure what happened. I watched the replays, but couldn't really see what started it. I saw Gordon turning sideways and a lot of smoke. It's typical Talladega, and it's kind of how the last month has gone for the Shell-Pennzoil team. We're going to get back out there, though. This team doesn't give up" - Kevin Harvick

JEFF GORDON ON... IS THERE ANY CHANCE YOU CAN GET THE CAR BACK OUT? "I think this is the same way this Pepsi Challenger ended up in '83. So it sure didn't look good. It was driving good. We were having a good time there. I was actually working well with Matt (Kenseth) getting up to the front through the middle. I am not really sure what happened. I was just kinda cruising along there in the middle. Matt got up there, I think behind, maybe the No. 11 and he went low and so I was just cruising on up the middle. "Matt went down with the No. 1 car and I guess what it was, whoever that was on the inside, I don't think, there just wasn't enough room. He got underneath Matt, Matt came up and I was already there.

MARK MARTIN WHAT HAPPENED OUT THERE? "I don't know what happened out there. They wrecked and there were just a lot of cars in one spot. We just got in a wreck."

Hornish under the weather; Kvapil standing by: Sam Hornish Jr. is feeling under the weather Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway and Penske Racing officials have a standby driver for the No. 77 Penske Dodge. Jonathan Gibson, Penske's Vice President of Marketing and Communication, said that the team is playing it by ear this afternoon. "Our intention is for Sam to start the race," Gibson said. Former Penske driver Travis Kvapil is on standby should Hornish need a relief driver this afternoon. (FOXSports.com)

NASCAR closely monitoring NFL's proposed schedule expansion: Plans to expand the NFL's regular season could very well wind up putting the Super Bowl on the weekend that's also the traditional date for NASCAR's premiere event, the Daytona 500, based on comments from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. Speaking Friday in a meeting with Associated Press Sports Editors before this weekend's draft in New York City, Goodell outlined a scenario for the extended regular season that would push the Super Bowl back to President's Day weekend. It would have two preseason games in August, down from the current four. That would be followed by an open week on Labor Day weekend, followed by the opening week of the regular season. “We have not found a saturation point for pro football, which is a good thing,” Goodell said. “I don't want to be around if we do.” NASCAR's position on an expanded NFL regular-season and a possible conflict with the Daytona 500 hasn't changed. “We're aware of the proposal and are watching to see what happens,” NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said.(Charlotte Observer)

EGR's No. 8 still looking for sponsor: Steve Lauletta, president of Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, says that efforts continue to find sponsorship for the No. 8 car that the team quit running earlier this month. "I'm hoping that something's going to come forward pretty quick,'' Lauletta said. "I think what we're looking at right now is a second half of the season into 2010 if we can get one of these deals done.'' (The Roanoke Times)

R. Gordon's & R. Sorenson qualifying times disallowed: Driving the No. 43 Dodge for Richard Petty Motorsports, Sorenson posted a top qualifying lap speed of 185.902 miles per hour, which would have placed him 35th on the starting grid for the Aaron's 499 this Sunday. Driving the No. 7 Toyota for his own race operation, Robby Gordon Motorsports, Gordon was even slower. He posted a top qualifying lap speed of 185.323 mph that would have placed him 40th on the starting grid. Both cars were ruled to have been too low in post-qualifying inspection by NASCAR officials. They will now have to start at the rear of Sunday's 43-car field. (NASCAR.com)

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Richard Childress Racing announces 40th anniversary plans: Richard Childress Racing launched its 40th anniversary celebration today at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, the track where Richard Childress made his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut and where good fortune shined on his racing destiny. The RCR 40th Anniversary Celebration will continue through Nov. 1, 2009, the length of time between the two Sprint Cup Series races at Talladega. The cornerstone of the program will include the Pick the Greatest RCR Moment contest on RCR's website (www.rcrracing.com), where fans will vote on one of a dozen great moments in RCR history, with one lucky fan winning RCR's VIP prize package for two to the Oct. 30-Nov. 1 AMP Energy 500 weekend. "I've been very fortunate in my racing career and I look forward to giving something back to the fans and sharing with them some of the great stories from the past 40 years," explained Childress. "Talladega has always been a special place to me, from Mr. France (Bill France Sr.) allowing me to get my first Cup Series start there to some of the great runs Dale (Earnhardt) had to trying to win the race here this weekend. It just made sense to kick things off at Talladega. I'm looking forward to spending time with the winner of the Pick the Greatest RCR Moment contest in October." Additional activities during the RCR 40th Anniversary Celebration will include a monthly breakdown of RCR highlights, from Childress' driving career to the halcyon days with the legendary Dale Earnhardt and the famed black No. 3 GM Goodwrench Chevrolets to the current six-team operation with drivers Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, Clint Bowyer, Casey Mears, Stephen Leicht and Austin Dillon. (RCR PR)

Michael Waltrip undecided on future plans: Eight races into the Sprint Cup season Waltrip is lagging behind the Chase for the championship contenders. He enters Sunday's race at Talladega Superspeedway buried 25th in the Sprint Cup standings and has finished 24th or worse in five Cup races, failing to build off a seventh-place finish in the Daytona 500. Waltrip, however, isn't ready to call it quits and devote his full energy toward running Michael Waltrip Racing. "I've just got to win. That's all there is to it," Waltrip said Saturday at Talladega. "I've got to run up front. I've run as good as my teammates, within a little bit, but they just get the results and I haven't and it's disappointing. "I still want to race. I don't sign up to be a race car driver so I can wear this cool suit," Waltrip said. "I sign up because I want to win. I think I can. I think I can win tomorrow. But week in and week out, we need to step it up with the 55 a little bit."(The Canadian Press)

Engine failure a concern for Dodge teams? Five of the seven Dodge drivers in the field have switched to back-up engines for the Aaron's 499 Sunday. Those cars will have to start at the back of the field, but it doesn't change much. None of those five drivers -- Reed Sorenson, Kasey Kahne, David Stremme, Elliott Sadler and A.J. Allmendinger -- qualified better than 35th. The bigger concerns for all the Dodge drivers is whether the engines will make it through the 188-lap event. The Dodge teams have suffered three blown engines. Allmendinger and Kahne had engines failures in practice Friday. Stremme blew a motor on his qualifying run Saturday. (ESPN.com)

Martin Truex uncertain of future: Martin Truex Jr. said he'll make a decision soon on where he'll drive in 2010 and beyond. The two-time Nationwide champion signed a one-year deal last August to stay with Dale Earnhardt Inc., which merged with Chip Ganassi Racing in the offseason. Though Truex says he's "100 percent committed" to Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing and enjoys his crew, the timing and ambiguity caused by the merger — which moved Truex's No. 1 Chevrolet into Ganassi's shop in late December — left the team in disarray "We just lost our way and needed time to regroup and that's why we started out slow," he said. "We sat on our hands all winter, not because we wanted to but because we were forced into doing it, and it hurt us." Truex wouldn't put a timetable on a career decision but said he has begun "laying the groundwork" for signing a long-term deal. (USA Today)

Prelude to the Dream to be held June 3rd: On Wednesday, June 3, the Field of Dreams that is Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio will once again play host to the Prelude to the Dream. The all-star dirt Late Model race featuring 25 world renowned drivers as they battle for dirt supremacy will be presented live to the entire nation on HBO Pay-Per-View, with proceeds from the telecast going to support four military-themed charities. The fifth annual event will feature such racing icons as Tony Stewart, Ryan Newman, Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick, Kasey Kahne, Matt Kenseth, Denny Hamlin, Clint Bowyer and more. All will pilot 2,300-pound dirt Late Model stock cars capable of putting out over 800 horsepower. (PR)

Friday, April 24, 2009

Kahne reiterates he's committed to Richard Petty Motorsports through 2010: Cross Kasey Kahne's name off the list of drivers on the move. He said Friday he doesn't want to break his contract with Richard Petty Motorsports at the end of the season. "I made a commitment to race with (the team) through 2010, so I'll do that for sure," Kahne said. "I told them from the start that if we can get our cars where they are right and competitive with the best teams out here, then I don't know why I would ever want to move from that company." Kahne's name has popped up recently as a potential free agent, based somewhat on his frustration of not being more consistent in the No. 9 Dodge. (Sioux City Journal)

Goodyear to return to Indy next Wednesday to continue tire test: Goodyear will go back to Indy on Wednesday to continue the tire test from this past week when rain kept teams off the track most of the time. Reed Sorenson, Matt Kenseth, Brian Vickers and Ryan Newman tested this past week. The plan is to try to get all four back for this week's test. (Goodyear has further tests scheduled, including a test in mid-June that could have a dozen or so teams) (The Virginian-Pilot)

Report: GM to eliminate Pontiac brand: General Motors Corp., facing the threat of a bankruptcy filing if it can’t meet a June 1 U.S. deadline, will preserve the GMC truck line and drop its 83-year- old Pontiac brand as part of a government-led recalibration of its business plan, people familiar with the decision said. The Detroit automaker, which received an additional $2 billion in federal assistance on April 22, will keep the GMC, Chevrolet, Cadillac and Buick brands, after a review that included profitability with the Obama administration’s automotive task force, said the people, who asked not to be named because the decisions have not been announced. GM may reveal next week the end of the make that produced the Grand Prix, Bonneville and Firebirds, they said. “I hate to see these brands go, they are a part of the American experience,” said John Wolkonowicz, a forecaster and auto historian at IHS Global Insight Inc. in Lexington, Massachusetts. “If you were growing up in the 1960s, Pontiac was the hottest thing going.” Pontiac spawned the “muscle car” era in 1964 when it stuffed a 389-cubic-inch V8 engine into a Tempest and called it the GTO. (More at Bloomberg.com)

Kyle Busch in Pedigree paint scheme at Talladega: Pedigree will make its first of three appearances as primary sponsor of Kyle Busch’s No. 18 Toyota at Talladega this weekend. The other events at which the Mars Pedigree brand will adorn the No. 18 this season will be at Atlanta Motor Speedway in September and Phoenix International Raceway in November. The first Pedigree paint scheme of 2009 kicks off the company’s “NASCAR’s Luckiest Dog” contest in which the winner of which will have his or her dog pictured on Busch’s No. 18 Toyota at the Checker Auto Parts 500k at Phoenix in November.(M&M's Racing PR)

J. Gordon spotted at NHL game: David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, NASCAR champ Jeff Gordon, Kevin Spacey and Tim Robbins at the Garden cheering the Rangers on to victory over the Washington Capitals. (NY Post)

Montoya mum on contract length: Juan Pablo Montoya, on his status with Earnhardt Ganassi Racing: "My contract is still a couple years, two, three, four, five, I don't know. I'm not going to tell you actually how long is my contract." (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Ryan Newman's No. 39 sporting Prelude to the Dream scheme: Ryan Newman's No. 39 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevy is scheduled to run a Prelude to the Dream/Haas Automation/U.S. Army scheme in the Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway.(SHR PR)

Sam Hornish's No. 77 sporting Penske Truck Rental scheme: Sam Hornish Jr. will run a Penske Truck Rental/AAA scheme on his No. 77 Penske Racing Dodge Charger in the Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway. Hornish earned his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series top-10 finish last weekend at Phoenix International Raceway.(PCR PR)

NASCAR considering opening awards banquet to fans: NASCAR will move its Sprint Cup banquet from New York City to Las Vegas, and now it needs to decide what to do with the banquet at the Wynn Las Vegas, which was announced as the site for the 2009 awards ceremony on Thursday. Does it sell tickets to fans, as the National Hockey League is doing with its postseason awards ceremony in Las Vegas? Or does it keep it an invitation-only affair as it was during the banquet's 28 years in New York. "That decision hasn't been made yet," NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said Thursday. "That will be decided in the near future. But the Wynn hotel provides us a lot more flexibility than we had in the past. There are going to be some really good options to take a look at, including a fan element at the banquet. That hasn't been finalized yet." Poston declined to comment on whether NASCAR is getting paid to bring the banquet to Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported last month that the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority would pay NASCAR between $500,000 and $1 million for each year of the contract, which is believed to be for three years. Poston said NASCAR is talking with ABC/ESPN and Speed to determine who will televise that banquet. ESPN has the Nationwide contract, and Speed has the Truck contract. (SceneDaily.com)

New NASCAR reality series on BET: Black Entertainment Television, a network keyed to African-Americans, will air a show next season with NASCAR, a sport that has tried for years to improve diversity within its ranks. "Changing Lanes," a docu-reality series expected to launch in 2010, will spotlight drivers in NASCAR's "Drive for Diversity" program. BET has bought 10 episodes of the hour-long show.(New York Daily News)

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Report: Chrysler preparing to file Chapter 11 Bankruptcy: The Treasury Department is directing Chrysler to prepare a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing that could come as soon as next week, people with direct knowledge of the action said Thursday. The Treasury has an agreement in principle with the United Automobile Workers union, whose members’ pensions and retiree health care benefits would be protected as a condition of the bankruptcy filing, said these people, who asked for anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case. Moreover, Fiat of Italy would complete its alliance with Chrysler while the company is under bankruptcy protection. The only major question that remains unresolved is what happens to Chrysler’s lenders, who hold $6.9 billion in company debt. (New York Times)

NASCAR officially moves Sprint Cup Awards Ceremony to Las Vegas: NASCAR announced that Las Vegas formally becomes the “Official Host City of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion’s Week.” NASCAR’s annual NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Ceremony will be held at the Wynn Las Vegas on Friday, Dec. 4, 2009. The move to Las Vegas provides for greater flexibility for driver and fan events. The NASCAR Nationwide Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events will be combined and held at the Loews Miami Beach on Monday, Nov. 23. The Grand-Am Rolex Series banquet will be held at the Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood, Fla. on Monday, Oct. 12. NASCAR had held the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event in New York City every year since 1981. After exploring several options, NASCAR formed a partnership with Las Vegas Events, making the change of venue a reality. "I can’t say enough about the warm reception from Las Vegas,” said NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France. “Las Vegas really made it a priority to get the awards ceremony moved there. We were able to come to an agreement on reasonable room blocks, banquet facilities, and approvals to hold fan activities on the famous Las Vegas Strip." Activities being planned for the days leading up to the Awards Ceremony include the return of the “Victory Lap,” a procession of the top 10 NSCS drivers in their race cars, the NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Media Luncheon, the Pit Stop Tour and the NASCAR Street Tour to include stock cars and mobile marketing units placed throughout the city. The awards ceremony for the NASCAR Nationwide Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will be consolidated in south Florida. This is designed to provide another great venue for the ceremony as well as help save NNS teams from making an additional trip following the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The top-five finishers from the NNS and NCWTS will be honored at the combined banquet celebration.(NASCAR PR)

Teams interested in Regan Smith? Running a partial schedule means Regan Smith is outside the top 35 in points and has to race his way into every race. But it also means he doesn't have to worry as much about points and can go for wins. "We can take chances that some other teams probably couldn't," he said. And wins might just translate into something bigger. Like a full-time ride with a top team. His contract with Furniture Row is up after this year and some news reports say he has already attracted attention from other teams, but Smith is coy about the future. "It's early," he said, "but it's never too early to focus on the next season." (Birmingham News)

Kyle Busch tells fans keep their suitcase full of memorabilia at home: Kyle Busch was asked about the track's new "All Access" program. Fans are allowed (for a price) to get up-close and personal with drivers. They can attend the pre-race drivers' meeting, watch goings-on in the garage, and line up for autographs. Busch didn't care for the arrangement. He was peeved because too many fans brought too many items to get signed. "It's our job to sign for the fans and treat them nice, but when they've got three suitcases of stuff that's a little ridiculous �three suitcases are a little outrageous," he fumed. "And they camp outside your hauler. To me, that's wrong." With that, Busch packed up his attitude and split. End of press conference. In his wake could be heard mummers and mutterings about "jerk" and "whiner" and "brat," along with a few other choice adjectives. (Nashville City Paper)

Crew Chief Barry Dotson injured in automobile accident: Former NASCAR Cup crew chief Barry Dodson suffered multiple injuries in an automobile accident on April 10 in Pawley’s Island, S.C. Dodson was taking a test drive at a dealership when he says the car’s accelerator hung. He crashed into two cars on the lot, totaling both, before he struck a steel pole. Dodson suffered neck, shoulder and closed-head injuries and remains under a physician’s care. “The only escape route I had was a busy four-lane highway,” Dodson said. “So I chose to crash into the cars on the lot rather than taking a chance on injuring someone else.” He declined to identify the dealership.(SceneDaily.com)

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Report: Hendrick denies any Crew Chief swap: Will rumors of a Hendrick Motorsports separation of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Eury Jr. ever end? Ever? Ever? Never, as long as there are upstart, cottage-industry Web-sites churning this stuff out, and others linking to it. "There's absolutely nothing to this," came an e-mail reply from high-up inside Hendrick, when the latest one was checked. The wackiness warranted a double-check high-up at Hendrick, which brought the firm reply, "Not a shred of truth to any of it."(ESPN Insider)

Childress statement on No. 29 & No. 07 swap: Kevin Harvick and Casey Mears, who will maintain their race spotters, are currently 16th and 22nd, respectively, in the Sprint Cup Series point standings after eight races. “The decision to interchange the 29 and 07 teams was made to make both programs stronger and more successful,” said Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. “Our main objective has always been to have all four of RCR’s teams qualify for the Chase for the Sprint Cup. Neither team has had the success this season that we know they’re capable of, so we decided it was time to make a change to improve the two teams and the overall strength of RCR. We feel this change positions us to achieve that goal. Todd and Gil are proven winners who have strong and successful teams behind them. Chemistry is an important part of any successful organization and I felt it was time to change the makeup of these two teams. We’ve done this before with positive results.”(RCR PR)

No. 64 entry withdraws at Talladega: After much thought, team owner Larry Gunselman has decided to withdraw the No. 64 Gunselman Motorsports Toyota from this weekend’s Sprint Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway. Because of the financial demands required to get a competitive restrictor-plate motor for Talladega, Gunselman decided to focus the team’s limited finances and instead put forth their fiscal and physical energy towards the next three races. After this weekend, the Sprint Cup Series visits Richmond, Darlington and Lowe’s Motor Speedway. The unsponsored team already has two engines for those tracks ensuring they will enter those races; but couldn’t afford to rent a plate motor for Talladega. “I hate, and I mean HATE, that we will not be in Talladega this weekend,” Gunselman said. “This wasn’t an easy decision by no means as we were hoping to have some kind of partnership on the car by now through our earlier efforts. I’m disappointed for myself, the team and Geoff Bodine because now he won’t get a chance to compete. Of all the go or go-homers, we are the final one in the standings that would make a race if qualifying rains out. While that’s good, it’s not good enough to take a chance on taking the team to Talladega without the proper motor. This team wants to race and put forth a full-race effort each week. This team is made of racers who want to compete. But, right now, we have to race smart with what we have and that means we can’t race this weekend.” While the team has found limited one-race sponsorships for some races, their goal is to have a multi-race deal in place to ensure they can be competitive. “We were hoping to attract a partner for $25,000 a race so we could be run races from start-to-finish. And, we are still looking to achieve that partnership with the right company right now. That’s what we need to be more competitive. Gunselman Motorsports offers a value that many other teams can’t and our goal right now is to find those companies who want to be part of racing on affordable terms. Here we are trying to save money by not going to Talladega and the hotel is still going to charge us for the three rooms for three nights down there. When we called the Budget Inn to tell them our situation, they basically said we couldn’t get out of them. So, if anyone wants some rooms for this weekend, I know where three are available less than two miles from the track.”(Gunselman Motorsports PR)

Harvick, Mears to swap Crew Chiefs and Crews: In a move to upgrade performance, Richard Childress Racing will swap crews and crew chiefs between Kevin Harvick's No. 29 team and Casey Mears' No. 07 team, multiple team sources told ESPN.com Wednesday. Sources said the swap will take effect prior to next weekend's event at Richmond International Raceway. The crews will remain as-is for this weekend's race at Talladega Superspeedway, sources said. (ESPN.com)

Rick Hendrick considered swapping Eury and Gustafson? Sources within Hendrick Motorsports confirmed to Captain Thunder that discussions were held over the Easter break regarding the possible switching of crew chiefs between the #5 and #88 teams. Mark Martin's crew chief Alan Gustafson was said to be on the block and was willing to move to the #88 team and Martin was willing to support the move. The discussions over Easter ended with an agreement between the two teams and Mr. Hendrick to keep their current teams in tact for at least three more weeks to see if both teams could improve on the slow start they have endured through the first part of the 2009 Sprint Cup season. Sources said Eury Jr., Dale Earnhardt Jr., Martin, and Gustafson all agreed that if Mr. Hendrick wanted a change, they would be willing to swap Gustafson for Eury Jr. However, with Martin's win Saturday night in the Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix, any switch is now out of the question for the foreseeable future. (CaptainThunderRacing.com)

Ben Leslie named Crew Chief for No. 96 Bobby Labonte: Yates Racing announced Ben Leslie, former crew chief for the No. 28 Yates Racing Ford, will serve as crew chief for Bobby Labonte and the No. 96 Hall of Fame entry for the remainder of the 2009 season. Previous crew chief Todd Parrot will assist the Yates organization as a whole. "Ben's experience with Ford Racing is really an asset to our organization," said Max Jones, co-owner of Yates Racing. "The No. 96 team is fortunate enough to have a champion driver and a group of experts in the sport. I believe Ben will bring the right changes to this team to help it accomplish some solid finishes this season and climb a few positions in the points." Prior to joining Yates Racing, Leslie served as a liaison between Ford Racing and NASCAR managing Ford's development in all three series. Earlier in his career, Leslie worked with several notable drivers including Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch and Ricky Rudd. In 2001 Leslie led Martin to a second-place finish in the Cup Series point standings, recorded 15 top-10 finishes and a win in the Coca-Cola 600. "I'm looking forward to working with Ben," Labonte said. "He's done a lot with Ford Racing specifically and I like that he has experience with many champion drivers. I'm excited to see what we will do together on the track in the next few weeks." Todd Parrot, who aided in Labonte's fifth-place finish in Las Vegas, will remain with Yates Racing and assist with both the No. 96 Hall of Fame Racing entry as well as the No. 98 Menards Ford Fusion. (RYR PR)

Roush Fenway Racing pledges to be more green: It’s been 40 years since Senator Gaylord Nelson founded Earth Day and on this day of ecological awareness, Roush Fenway Racing is upping their pledge to promote more sustainable operations and better environmental management.  Always a leader in the sport of NASCAR on and off track, Roush Fenway has been working with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) to reinforce its position as a leader in environmental stewardship in the industry. "I look at enacting more sustainable environmental practices as a means towards lowering our financial and operational risks as well as reducing our ecological footprint,” said Ian Prince, CFM, LEED AP and manager of real estate and sustainability for Roush Fenway Racing.  “If you do not add environmental thinking to your business strategy you run the risk of missing the upside opportunities in your market. Managing a NASCAR team more sustainably is most successful when you have a defined focus, and Roush Fenway has always been focused on being efficient in our operations." Through the team’s current efforts, they recycle almost 96 percent of every race car.  In 2008, the team recycled over 66 tons of waste (plastic, paper and metal); reduced the overall amount of waste produced by more than 11 tons; reduced storm water run off by 1.51M gallons; and saved 2.10M gallons of water by not using potable water for irrigation. As a next step, Roush Fenway Racing pledges to meet or exceed its corporate environmental target of an overall 10% improvement in indoor air quality; reduction of water consumption; increase in waste reduction and recycling; and improvement in energy usage over the next 18 months. (Roush Fenway PR)

No. 39 team wins Tissot Pit Road Precision Award: Ryan Newman’s team claimed the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award in Saturday night’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Phoenix International Raceway. The No. 39 team out of the Stewart-Haas Racing stable became the season’s sixth winner of the pit road competition. The Tissot pit road win was awarded to Newman’s crew as a result of the team’s No. 39 Chevrolet Impala SS spending the least amount of time on pit road – 234.393 seconds – during the 312-lap event at the one-mile oval. Newman’s pit crew consists of: Adam Davis (front-tire changer), Josh Mick (front-tire carrier), Brandon Blake (rear-tire changer), James Houk (rear-tire carrier), Andrew Turner (jackman), Michael Moore (gasman), Andy Rueger (catch can) and Jay Guarneri (eighth man). For winning the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award, the No. 39 team will receive $5,000. The team with the most pit road wins at the completion of the 36-race schedule will earn a $100,000 bonus plus Tissot watches for the driver and over-the-wall crew members.(Tissot PR)

Hendrick plane crash trial began Tuesday: A trial to determine who was responsible for the Hendrick Motorsports plane crash that killed 10 people Oct. 24, 2004, on the way to a NASCAR Cup race at Martinsville Speedway is scheduled to begin Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Winston-Salem, N.C. At issue is who is responsible for the accident – HMS Holdings (parent company of Hendrick Motorsports), the pilots themselves or the government, which is responsible for the air-traffic controllers.The trial covers five cases involving widows Dianne Dorton (wife of HMS engine builder Randy Dorton), Linda Turner (wife of HMS general manager Jeff Turner), and Tracy Lathram (wife of Tony Stewart pilot Scott Lathram, a passenger on the plane); HMS Holdings; the pilots’ estates; and the United States. According to court documents, the crash resulted when the pilots overshot the airport by five miles and failed to follow the missed-approach procedure for the Martinsville/Blue Ridge Airport, which requires a climbing right turn to avoid Bull Mountain. The plane, in heavy cloud cover, climbed without turning and crashed into the mountain, killing all 10 aboard. According to court documents, the government blames Hendrick pilots Richard Tracy and Elizabeth Morrison for failing to follow procedure. Hendrick and the widows believe the government shares some of the responsibility for the actions of the air-traffic controllers. (SceneDaily.com)

No. 5's Alan Gustafson Named Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race: Alan Gustafson, crew chief for the No. 5 CARQUEST/Kelloggs Chevy driven by Mark Martin, has been named the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race in Saturday's Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. Martin led 104 laps of the 312-lap event and went on to win his first race in more than three years. The Gustafson-led team had consistent and precise pit stops throughout the race, after starting from the pole position. "We had a great race car, great pit stops, and great strategy [by crew chief, Gustafson]" said Martin. In addition to the $1,000 check, the winning crew chief will receive signage to announce the win on their pit box the following week. The crew chief with the most weekly wins will be honored as the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Year and will be presented a $20,000 check at the season finale in Homestead.(Wypall PR)

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Richard Childress Racing 40th Anniversary Announcement: RCR has scheduled a press conference for Saturday, April 25, at 9:30 a.m. in the infield media center at Talladega Superspeedway. The press conference will kick off RCR’s 40th anniversary celebration that will conclude at the fall races in Talladega, where Childress made his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut in 1969 in the track’s inaugural event. (RCR PR)

NASCAR places Earnhardt, Mears on probation: NASCAR announced today that it has placed Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Casey Mears on probation for the next six races in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, as a result of their on-track incident last Saturday at the conclusion of the race at Phoenix International Raceway. Earnhardt, driver of the No. 88 team and Mears, driver of the No. 07 team, both violated Section 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing; hitting another competitor’s car after the race had concluded) of the 2009 NASCAR rule book. The probation takes effect beginning with this weekend’s event at Talladega Superspeedway. (NASCAR PR)

Rain forces Goodyear tire testing into Wednesday: Richard Petty Motorsports driver Reed Sorenson says that Goodyear officials will extend their Indianapolis Motor Speedway tire test into Wednesday for four drivers because of rain that has continually interrupted their efforts. Sorenson, Roush Fenway Racing's Matt Kenseth, Stewart-Haas Racing's Ryan Newman and Red Bull Racing's Brian Vickers began testing tires at the track Monday as Goodyear officials work to find a better tire for this season's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at the track after a 2008 event in which drivers had to pit regularly because of issues with tire wear. "It has been wet,” Sorenson said Tuesday during a national teleconference with reporters. “It seems like every time we get out on the track and get running a little bit it seems to rain." (SceneDaily.com)

Boris Said suffers minor burns: During an ALMS race on Saturday in Long Beach, Calif., Boris Said's Corvette burst into flames. He got out, but not before sustaining several second degree burns to his arms and eyes. (Portland Press Herald)

M. Waltrip donates to TN tornado victims: NASCAR driver and race team owner Michael Waltrip watched TV storm coverage in his Nashville hotel room as Good Friday tornadoes hit the Murfreesboro area. He was in the area to race April 11 in the NASCAR Nationwide Series 300 at Nashville Superspeedway. Growing up in Owensboro, Ky., Waltrip knew the dangers of tornadoes and after seeing the devastation wanted to reach out to storm victims here. Waltrip, through his race team and sponsor, Best Western, donated $7,500 to the United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties to help tornado relief efforts. "I know what those storms can produce," Waltrip said. "As a kid I know how scared I was of tornadoes. My heart genuinely goes out to those of you that were affected by the storm. (The Tennessean)

TV ratings down nearly 18% for Phoenix Sprint Cup race: Fox’s broadcast of Saturday night’s Subway Fresh Fit 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup race earned a 3.3 overnight rating from Nielsen Media Research and a 6 market share, Street & Smith’s SportsBusiness Daily reports. The rating was 17.5 percent lower than the 4.0 the race earned overnight last year for Fox. (SceneDaily.com)

Hornish feeling comfortable in NASCAR: Among the wave of open-wheel interlopers who invaded Cup last season (Patrick Carpentier and Jacques Villeneuve also tried to make the jump), Sam Hornish is the only survivor, and his top-10 finish at Phoenix provided evidence the three-time IndyCar champion and 2006 Indianapolis 500 winner is feeling as comfortable in NASCAR as in the Mooresville, N.C., home he nearly has finished renovating. "Last year it didn't feel like home," said Hornish, who also keeps a house in Defiance, Ohio, in which he and his family (wife Crystal and baby daughter Addison) reside a few days each month when not in Mooresville or on the road in their motor home. "As we get closer to completion, it feels more and more like home." (USA Today)

Earnhardt and Mears won't be penalized: NASCAR will NOT penalize Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Casey Mears for their post-race incident at Phoenix (The Virginian-Pilot)

Monday, April 20, 2009

Mark Martin: It's probably my third chance: Change the metaphor to baseball. Martin still has a third strike. "Technically, it's probably my third chance," he said. "I got a second chance when I got with Jack Roush. Most people don't get a second chance. "You don't really get a chance to resurrect. I'm not as smart as I look. I'm lucky I've stumbled and tripped and fell into ... things that have worked out for me. ... I didn't plan all this out. It's been an incredible ride ... having a chance to re-energize myself and realize how much I love it. ... I feel really lucky." (Gaston Gazette)

Teens featured in motorsports documentary: The race has begun to sell Fast Dreams, a feature-length documentary from Belvedere Entertainment profiling teen race-car drivers in their quest to make it to NASCAR and Formula One. Local director Nick Briscoe's film, screened for a group of movie-industry types Thursday at film outfit Shooters Post & Transfer, was shot over nine months and primarily focuses on two phenoms: Gabriel Chaves, 15, of Florida, and Jeff Oleen, 19, of Maryland. (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Carpentier would like to return Cup racing: Former IndyCar driver Patrick Carpentier, who ran 24 Cup races last season with Gillett Evernham Motorsports, was on hand for Saturday’s race and said he would like to return to NASCAR competition. “I’ve been talking to a few teams and I’d love to come back,” he said. “I was around signing autographs and the fans remember and they know and follow NASCAR and stick with it. "I’d love to come back, but with the economy, it’s very difficult.” Carpentier won the pole at the first New Hampshire race last season and had a career-best finish of 14th at the July race at Daytona. (ThatsRacin.com)

Earnhardt, Jr. and Mears likely to be fined? NASCAR officials will likely lower the boom on Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Casey Mears for late-race and post-race antics here Saturday night at Phoenix. The two tangled several times late, bringing out the final caution that almost cost Mark Martin the win. Mears: "I didn't mean to get together with Dale Jr. I think he was trying to save fuel and make it to the end without stopping, and I wheel-hopped the car getting into the corner and ended up making contact with him. I guess he was a little bent out of shape about it because he spun me out after the checkered flag."(mikemulhern.net)