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Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Newman in Haas Automation scheme: So, how does a Hoosier claim the California track as home? The answer lies in No. 39-Ryan Newman’s affiliation with newly formed Stewart-Haas Racing as the driver of the No. 39 Chevy. The team is co-owned by two time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart and Oxnard, Calif.-based Haas Automation, the largest CNC tool manufacturer in the western world. The company’s 1 million square-foot facility in Oxnard employs 1,200 people, and is the largest, most modern machine tool manufacturing operation in the United States. This weekend, Haas Automation will also adorn the hood of Newman’s black No. 39 Chevy. Newman, who has one pole and four top-10 finishes in 12 career Sprint Cup starts at Auto Club Speedway, including a 10th-place effort last February, is hoping to post a solid showing for his co-owner and sponsor in their own backyard.(Stewart-Haas Racing PR)

Daytona 500 among the most watched sports event: The rain-shortened Daytona 500 last Sunday (2/15) reaffirmed its status as one of America’s premier annual sports events. Despite losing to rain what are historically its most-watched laps, this year’s average audience of 16.0 million viewers places the Daytona 500 ahead of many of the country’s iconic sports events including the NCAA Final Four (15.4 million viewers), Beijing Olympics (15.2 million), 2008 NBA Finals (14.9 million), Kentucky Derby (14.2 million) and the final round of The Masters (13.1 million) and US Open (12.1 million). The Daytona 500 also maintained its position as the No. 1 motorsports event on television, outdistancing last year’s Indianapolis 500 by 122% (7.2 million).
The 2009 Daytona 500 on Fox on FOX averaged a 9.2/19 household rating/share according to fast national figures released by Nielsen Media Research. This year’s edition of the Great American Race is the second broadcast by FOX since 2001 negatively impacted by the weather. The last rain-shortened Daytona 500 came in 2003, and posted a 9.8/21, with an average audience of 16.8 million viewers. Last year’s full 200 lap, 500 mile race earned a 10.2/20, with 17.8 million viewers. Clearly, Sunday’s rain interruption prevented the Daytona 500 from enjoying the explosive viewership growth it typically experiences over its final laps. The 2009 Daytona 500 was called due to rain with 48 of 200 laps remaining. Last year, viewers arrived in droves to catch the conclusion of the race, lifting the rating for the last half-hour of racing +16% higher than the previous half-hour (12.1 vs. 10.4). On Sunday, the final half-hour grew by just +1% over the previous half-hour (9.8 vs. 9.7).(Fox Sports PR)

NASCAR HoF more than halfway complete: Work on the $195 million NASCAR Hall of Fame is 60% complete and on schedule for a spring 2010 opening, the city’s project manager said Tuesday during a tour of the construction site. Eric Bilsky, project manager on the hall of fame for the city of Charlotte, says contractor Turner BE&K Davis remains on budget. In September, costs increased by 20%, or $32 million, as the hall of fame’s operator, the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, requested and won City Council approval for money to upgrade planned exhibits and add architectural flourishes. Tuesday’s tour came amid scaffolding, girders and 400 construction workers scrambling to maintain the construction pace. Most of the roof has been applied and, in the months ahead, substantive interior work will begin. By fall, exhibit installation should begin, Bilsky says. In May 2010, the hall of fame opens with the inaugural induction ceremony. “We’re building this to help the economy,” Mayor Pat McCrory said moments before raising the ceremonial beam as part of a topping out ceremony at the Second Ward construction site. “That was always the goal.” McCrory expects the hall of fame to bolster the city’s ailing tourism sector while cementing the region as the hub for NASCAR teams and related businesses. More than 60,000 people in the region work in the tourism sector, an industry crippled by reduced corporate and lesiure travel during the past year. Workers broke ground on the 130,000-square-foot hall of fame in January 2007. An adjoining, 40,000-square-foot convention center ballroom is also under construction on the same site. An adjacent tract houses the 20-story, $90 million NASCAR Plaza office tower. It opens in May.(Charlotte Business Journal)

Richard responds to Kyle Petty's comments: KYLE (PETTY) WAS VERY VOCAL DURING DAYTONA REGARDING THE 44’s PAINT SCHEME, HAVE YOU TALKED TO HIM ABOUT HIS COMMENTS?
A: "It kind of upset him because that’s where he started. He started with the 44 car at Daytona and was lucky enough to win the race. When we did our deal with Boston Ventures, we never had a place for Kyle at Petty Enterprises. He sort of got out of the loop. When he got out of the loop, he’s been doing his own thing…he run the 24 (Rolex 24) and doing some TV. I’ve not seen him since Christmas. He’s been so busy, I’ve been so busy. He got snow-bound in Pittsburgh for a few days one time; we just really never have gotten together. I’ve really not talked to him. I spoke to him a couple of times on the phone; you can’t get much done on the phone. He talked to his mother. He was really crushed that we didn’t include him in that part of it, and I can understand that. We were so busy trying to get our end of the deal done and make it work with a new team that it fell through the crack and I’m sorry that it did."(Dodge Motorsport PR)

Auto Value / Bumper to Bumper to sponsor Sorenson: Moving into their fifth season of NASCAR sponsorship, Auto Value/Bumper to Bumper has contracted with Richard Petty Motorsports as the primary sponsor for four 2009 races. The Auto Value logo will decorate the Dodge race car for two races during the season while the other two races will showcase the Bumper to Bumper logo on the renowned Petty racecars. Reed Sorenson will drive the #43 Auto Value Dodge on April 18 at the Phoenix and the #43 Bumper to Bumper Dodge at Michigan in August. Auto Value/Bumper to Bumper will be an associate sponsor of the Richard Petty Motorsports Dodges for all other Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series races in 2009 and will receive branding on Petty team uniforms, team haulers and pit equipment.(800autotalk.com)

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

No. 43 Sorenson crew captures pit road award: Reed Sorenson's No. 43 team captured the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award in Sunday's (Feb. 15) Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. The Tissot Pit Road Precision Award, which is given to the NASCAR Sprint Cup team that spends the least amount of time on pit road and finishes on the lead lap, is in its first season of rewarding pit crews, the unsung heroes of the sport. The program awards $5,000 for each Cup race to the top pit road team. In addition, the team with the most pit road event wins will be awarded a $100,000 bonus at the completion of the 36-race schedule by Tissot, the official watch and timekeeper of NASCAR. The winning performance by the No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Team team lifted Sorenson and his Dodge Charger to a ninth-place finish in the 500. "Our McDonald's pit crew was just awesome in the Daytona 500," said Sorenson. "They gave us great stops all night long and put us in position to compete in the top-five at the end of the race. It was a great first outing for us as a team and I know they are happy to be recognized by Tissot for the precision of their work." Sorenson's over-the-wall crew consists of: Bryan Jacobson (front tire changer), Brett Morrell (front-tire carrier), Ed Watkins (jackman), Tony Lunders (rear-tire changer), Joel Coronel (rear-tire carrier), Chris Moore (gas man) and Jeff Seaburg (catch can). The team's crew chief is Mike Shiplett and the pit crew coach is Brett Cumming. Tissot has been an official partner of NASCAR since 2006 and is the official timekeeper for a number of other sports, including the MotoGP World Championship, the Ice Hockey World Championship, the Cycling World Championship and the Fencing World Championship.(DMF Communications PR)

Waltrip: Earnhardt under a lot of presure: Darrell Waltrip, a retired three-time champion and Fox Sports commentator from Franklin. Waltrip criticized Earnhardt’s move on the live national telecast and again at a Monday media luncheon in Nashville to promote the upcoming season at Nashville Superspeedway. “He was driving like a wild man,” Waltrip said of Earnhardt. “He’s not that kind of driver, he’s just frustrated. He carries the weight of the sport on his shoulders. He’s a good man with a good heart, but he’s under a lot of pressure.” (Nashville City Paper)

Kenseth flys home to get extra clothes: One year Matt Kenseth showed up at the Daytona 500 with extra clothes for after the race. The Daytona 500 winner, after all, has to stay the next day for the winning car's enshrinement, and then spend a few days in New York doing talk-show interviews. Feeling good about his chances, Kenseth was prepared. Then he went out and ran one of his worst Daytona 500s. Having learned his lesson, this year Kenseth intentionally didn't come prepared. He was so unprepared that he didn't even have a change of clothes for the morning. After he won his first Daytona 500, Kenseth flew home to get some clothes, then flew back to Daytona for his championship festivities that began Monday morning. (Orlando Sentinel)

Monday, February 16, 2009

No. 17 Matt Kenseth winning car inducted into Daytona USA: The victory celebration of the 51st annual Daytona 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race continued Monday morning as Matt Kenseth’s No. 17 DeWalt Ford was inducted into the Daytona 500 Experience – the Official Attraction of NASCAR –during the annual ConAgra Champion’s Breakfast. Kenseth, owner Jack Roush and crew chief Drew Blickensderfer participated in a fan forum inside the attraction and received their winning Daytona 500 leather jackets from Daytona International Speedway President Robin Braig. The three were joined by the rest of the #17 Roush Fenway Racing crew to continue the tradition of signing the car, which will be on display inside the attraction until the 52nd annual Daytona 500 on Feb. 14, 2010. “To win the 500 is really cool,” said Kenseth, who also unveiled the logo for next year’s Daytona 500 to the media attending the event. “It’s pretty cool that the 17 group and team that Jack and Robbie (Reiser, former crew chief, current GM of Roush Fenway Racing) assembled was able to win that first championship and first Daytona 500.” “The first 14 times that I came to Daytona for road racing I always took a trophy home – every time,” said Roush, referring to his Rolex 24 success. “As we started coming with the Cup cars and it didn’t happen right away, I kind of put it out of my mind and decided that I was snake-bit – that I had already had more success than I deserved and I would be denied this one.” Not wanting to jinx his chances of a victory, Kenseth was not prepared for this week’s whirlwind media tour in New York City and California. He had to fly back home after last night’s race to pack before returning to Daytona for this morning’s celebration. “I wasn’t prepared for it kind of on purpose,” Kenseth said. “One year I was thinking, ‘They take you all these places, don’t want you to go home afterwards, you’re gone all week – so I’ll bring some extra clothes.’ That was my worst 500 I think we’ve ever had. “I told (wife) Katie if it happens and we win, I’ll worry about it then. So I had to worry about it last night. They’re not going to let us go home until after California, so I needed to go home for a few hours.” Among the media duties Kenseth will perform this week include appearances on the Late Show with David Letterman on Monday night and Live with Regis and Kelly on Tuesday morning. “As a kid, I always watched Letterman with my dad,” Kenseth said. “Of any TV show I could ever be on, I’ve always wanted to be on Letterman. The first two times I’ve been on there we’ve done the Top 10 list and I’ve never got to meet him or talk to him. This time I think I get to sit down and talk to him so I’m looking forward to that.”(DIS PR)

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Matt Kenseth wins Daytona 500: Matt Kenseth won NASCAR's season-opening Daytona 500 Sunday when heavy rain halted the race after 152 laps, 48 short of the scheduled distance. The victory was the first since November 2007 for the Ford-driving former NASCAR champion, who started from the rear of the field after switching to a back-up vehicle. "I was pretty miserable some nights because we just couldn't make our car handle," Kenseth told reporters. "This back-up car is actually way better than the 500 car. I felt pretty good going into this morning, but I didn't dream we were gonna win." (Washington Post)

Vickers says Earnhardt, Jr. intentionally wrecked him: Brian Vickers said Dale Earnhardt Jr. intentionally wrecked him during Sunday's Daytona 500 and questioned why NASCAR didn't penalize Earnhardt. Earnhardt and Vickers were racing to get their lap back when Earnhardt dived low on the backstretch and Vickers blocked. That sent Earnhardt below the double yellow lines that mark the out-of-bounds section. Earnhardt nearly got into the grass, came back up the track and made contact with the rear of Vickers' car, sending it spinning in front of most of the field. "I beat him to the yellow line and then he just turned us,'' said Vickers, who finished 39th. "He hit me the first time on the way down, which is fine, we all do that. Then when he came back up, he just hooked me in the left rear and typically NASCAR penalizes [that]. "To wreck somebody intentionally like that in front of the entire field is really kind of dangerous. That's my biggest problem with it, but apparently he wanted a caution pretty bad.'' Said Earnhardt: "It was accidental. I wouldn't want to wreck the field. He drove me almost down into the grass. "He shouldn't have started that. At that point in the race, that was pretty reckless.'' (Roanoke.com)

Kyle Petty not happy with RPM: Kyle Petty is displeased with the way Petty Enterprises was consumed by Gillett Evernham Motorsports — then renamed Richard Petty Motorsports — and was "crushed" the new team co-opted a bit of his personal history. Petty was perhaps most irked by RPM's move to use, without consultation, a No. 44 Dodge for A.J. Allmendinger with the paint scheme Petty bore in winning in his first start, a 1979 ARCA race at Daytona. Petty drove the No. 44 at Petty Enterprises until his son Adam was killed in 2000, then he switched to his son's No. 45. "I was crushed. I was hurt and I'm not going to get over it for a while," Petty, 48, said. "And that's a personal thing. That's me. That's not … anything to do with anything else. That was my paint job and my car and my number and my stuff from my first win. Not for Petty Enterprises or GEM or whoever that is." (St. Petersburg Times)

RWI looking to make Cup debut? The union of two families with passionate racing backgrounds has led Rusty Wallace to seriously consider a 2009 Cup Series debut with his own team, and a possible full-time venture in the near future. In the offseason Wallace did a deal with Las Vegas businessman Michael Gaughan, whose family excelled in off-road and Truck Series racing. The deal put his son Brendan Gaughan, 33 -- an eight-time Truck Series winner and Wallace's former Cup teammate at Penske Racing -- in RWR's re-numbered 62 car. That partnership, along with signing a new sponsor that secured full-season backing for Steve Wallace's car, forged an idea for the elder Wallace, he said at Daytona International Speedway before Saturday's race. "We put the deal together because of what [Brendan and I] did with Team Penske," Rusty Wallace said. "Now, [Saturday] is only the first race and I've got to get out of this box and see how it goes. I do want to run some Cup races with Stephen this year, I do. And probably my best avenue to do something with that would be with Richard Childress. I'm a Chevy team; Richard builds all our motors [Earnhardt Childress Racing Technologies] -- it just kind of makes sense." (More at NASCAR.com)

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Stewart and Newman blast Goodyear tires: Neither Tony Stewart nor Ryan Newman was happy with Goodyear after they crashed with each other in Saturday morning's final Daytona 500 practice. "Same thing everybody has been talking about all week, same stuff we talk about every year - the failures that Goodyear has," Stewart said after a right-rear tire on Newman's car blew, sending the No. 39 Chevrolet around right in front of Stewart. Both of their Stewart-Haas Racing cars were damaged badly enough that they were forced to backup cars. It's the second backup car Newman has needed this week. "I think that's part of their marketing campaign," Stewart said of NASCAR's tire supplier. "The more we talk about it the more press they get. I think they forget that it's supposed to be in a good way, not a bad way." (ThatsRacin.com)

MRN celebrates 40th year of Daytona 500 coverage: Motor Racing Network (MRN Radio) celebrates its 40th DAYTONA 500 tomorrow by broadcasting the event over nearly 500 affiliate stations across North America, highlighted by legendary MRN personality Barney Hall calling his 50th “Great American Race.” “We are thrilled to celebrate our 40th DAYTONA 500 this year and look forward to bringing NASCAR’s most prestigious race to fans throughout North America in multiple languages and across multiple distribution networks including 490 affiliate stations, internet radio at NASCAR.com, and Sirius-XM Satellite Radio,” said David Hyatt, president of MRN. “Our outstanding team of broadcasters, including the legendary Barney Hall, will call the exciting lap by lap action tomorrow. MRN Radio has already covered DIRECTV Speedweeks at Daytona, providing complete coverage of the NASCAR Nationwide Series, Camping World Truck Series, Gatorade Duel at Daytona, and live race talk programming throughout the entire week,” added Hyatt. “In my five decades of calling races, I’ve never been this excited to start the NASCAR Sprint Cup season,” said MRN personality Barney Hall. “I think I speak for the entire MRN team when I tell you we feel privileged to bring the live action from the ‘World Center of Racing’ to the millions of fans across North America. We can’t wait to kick off the 2009 season.”(MRN PR)

Almirola to run first five Cup races: Aric Almirola will not run the full 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup season unless funding is secured, Earnhardt Ganassi Racing co-owner Chip Ganassi said Friday afternoon. Ganassi would not specify how many races Almirola, who has sponsorship from Guitar Hero for a select number of events, would run, but he said he definitely will run the first five. “I’d like to sit here and tell you we’re close,” Ganassi said. “But the fact of the matter is we’re not. We’re not unlike ... a situation we were in a year ago, but we’re going to give it our best shot. We need more funding to run Aric.” (SceneDaily.com)

Mayfield crew member suffers injury: The jack man for No. 41-Jeremy Mayfield's team was sent to a local hospital after being injured while working in the pits for another car during Thursday's first 150-mile qualifying race at Daytona International Speedway. Kyle Roland was taken to nearby Halifax Medical Center after suffering a reported shoulder injury while servicing the car of No. 27-Kirk Shelmerdine. He was awake and alert. "Our thoughts and prayers go out with him," said Mayfield, who formed his team less than a month ago, and raced his way into Sunday's Daytona 500. "Hopefully, he's OK. We'll be checking on him shortly. There again, I really don't know half the guys on our pit crew, to be honest with you. I will get to know them because they did a great job and they're going to be with us quite a while." Roland's injury forced Mayfield's team to use their own substitute jack man for the second of the two events. They borrowed , a member of Michael Waltrip's no. 55 team. Mayfield finished ninth in the race.(NASCAR.com) UPDATE: Crewman treated and released: Kyle Roland, the jackman for Mayfield Motorsports, was treated and released today from Halifax Medical Center. Roland was hospitalized for injuries sustained while pitting the car of Kirk Shelmerdine during Thursday’s first Duel race.(Co-Pilott PR)

NASCAR reevulating restart line: NASCAR is evaluating the 50-foot distance announced at the Budweiser Shootout as the new standard for the leader to restart an event. It could decrease from track to track based on driver input, officials said. Under the new rule, the leader has between the double-red line 50 feet from the start-finish line and single-red line at the start-finish line to start the race. Otherwise, the starter on the flag stand will start the field.(ESPN.com)

NASCAR to use single file restarts inside 20 laps: NASCAR will use single-file lineups for restarts with 20 laps remaining in all three national series this year, NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton said today. The previous rule called for single-file restarts with only 10 laps remaining. All other restarts had lapped cars on the inside lane. NASCAR is still allowing for the first driver one-lap down to get back on the lead lap until there are 10 laps left in the race. Pemberton said the rule was to allow the leaders more room to race following a caution in the waning laps. “We’ve been talking to the crews, teams and drivers and we felt like it was a time to make a change,” Pemberton said. “We haven’t taken away the lucky dog and haven’t hurt anybody from getting a lap back.”(SceneDaily.com)

Friday, February 13, 2009

Drivers praise Goodyear: Goodyear tires were being heavily discussed again this week. But, for once, they weren’t being cussed. Several drivers, including Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart, said Thursday that they were expecting a great 500. One of the reasons? Tires. Goodyear got it right for Daytona, they said. (Kansas City Star)

The Harford to sponsor RCR: With its iconic stag logo ready to stand firm on the hood at top speeds of 200 miles per hour, The Hartford Financial Services Group announced that it will sponsor Richard Childress Racing's No. 33 Chevy and driver Clint Bowyer at the following three Sprint Cup Series races this year - Dover International Speedway on May 31, New Hampshire Motor Speedway on June 28, and Pocono Raceway on August 2. The Hartford will also be an associate sponsor of RCR's No. 31 Caterpillar Chevy and driver Jeff Burton in the Sprint Cup Series. Both Bowyer and Burton will be spokesmen for the program, which will focus primarily on automobile and home insurance. For more information about The Hartford's commitment to racing, see thehartfordracing.com.(RCR PR)

Earnhardt remembered with candlelight tribute: Fans of Dale Earnhardt are being asked to pay tribute on Wednesday February 18th in honor and memory of the legendary driver. A guest book will be available throughout the day at Dale Earnhardt Inc. for those wishing to document their memories of Dale, while a candlelight tribute will be held outside the headquarters on Hwy #3 in Mooresville from 6:00-8:30pm/et The facility will be illuminated with candles while commemorative decals, prayer cards and hand held candles will be distributed to everyone in attendance. The facility’s gates will remain open through 10pm for those that cannot attend the candlelight portion but still want to pay tribute to the legendary Dale Earnhardt. Those unable to attend are encouraged to light a candle in remembrance of Dale Earnhardt at home that evening.(EGR PR)

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Newman to back of the field for Daytona Duel: Ryan Newman's No. 39 U.S. Army Chevy suffered an engine malfunction in Wednesday's first practice session at Daytona International Speedway. The team was forced to change engines for the afternoon practice session, and under NASCAR rules, an engine change will require Newman to start Thursday's Gatorade Duel 150-mile qualifying race from the rear of the field. He was scheduled to start the second 150-miler from the outside pole. The engine change will not affect the Daytona 500 starting order. "Something broke in the engine," said Newman, the defending Daytona 500 champion. "I'm not really sure what. Obviously the horsepower has been great in qualifying and it felt strong out there. I was just coming up through the gears and getting up to speed and something let go. It's unfortunate. But these guys have another bullet they can bolt in and we'll be good to go."(Stewart Haas Racing PR)

NASCAR sponsorship renewals down: According to Andrew Giangola, head of Nascar business communications, sponsorship renewals are running at about 90%. Granted, a 10% decline over a few months is sharp, but I'm sure Madoff and Dow index fund investors would give their right arm to be down just 10%. Some big-name companies that have dropped out include Texaco, Wrigley's, Bass Pro Shops and Napa. But other sponsors are either holding firm or even expanding their Nascar sponsorships. (Wall Street Journal)

Petty: Slow down in corporate sponsorship bigger threat than lagging attendance: Kyle Petty, whose father won more Nascar races than anyone, said the slowdown of corporate investment is a bigger risk for the motor sport than the recession’s effect on attendance. The 48-year-old from Randleman, North Carolina, who won’t be in the driver’s seat as Nascar kicks off the 2009 season with the Daytona 500 race on Feb. 15, said the racing league has done a good job of keeping venues filled. “As long as we can keep entertaining, I don’t think it’s going to be a major impact,” Petty said in a telephone interview from Nashville, Tennessee. “The major impact will come from sponsorship dollars that are out there and how people choose to advertise in the future.” (Bloomberg.com)

Greg Biffle Foundation makes donation: The Greg Biffle Foundation announced the recent grant donations to more than 100 humane societies and animal shelters across the United States, doubling the number of grants awarded last year. The Foundation received more than 200 applications throughout the year and was able to assist 112 animal welfare agencies located in 37 different states across the United States. Grant awards will be used to assist these animal welfare agencies with spay/neuter programs, vet care, pet supplies and much more. The Greg Biffle Foundation was founded in 2005 by Greg and Nicole Biffle to create awareness and serve as an advocate to improve the well-being of animals by engaging the power and passion of the motor sports industry.(Roush Fenway Racing PR)

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Robby Gordon has no plans to merge: The odds are long, and the challenge is overwhelming for Robby Gordon. And he wouldn't have it any other way. In a sport of multi-car operations and technical alliances, Gordon still prefers to go it alone in the Sprint Cup Series. While teammates compare notes and share information, Gordon prefers to rely on his own experience and guile to make his way around the track. "I have no interest [in merging with another team]," Gordon said. "We're trudging forward and building our race team. I think stubborn is the wrong thing. We're good business people. We're able to operate our team without going in debt and without doing it over the top without controlling it. "We know every dollar, every cent and where it goes and what we have budgeted for. That's different than a lot of other race teams that go get whatever they want, then wonder how they're going to pay for it." (Florida Times-Union)

Johnson plans to wear no brace: Three-time defending Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson didn't wear a brace in Saturday night's Budweiser Shootout and doesn't plan to wear one in Thursday's 150-mile qualifying races, Sunday's Daytona 500 or any practice sessions. Johnson cut tendons in the middle finger on his left hand last month at the Rolex 24 trying to cut a hole in his fire suit. He has gradually worked down the size of the plastic brace for off-track activities, but none is small enough to wear with a safety glove. "I wear a brace at night so when I'm sleeping I don't roll over and bend my finger back and hurt the tendon," Johnson said before Wednesday's first practice at Daytona International Speedway. (ESPN.com)

Said & New team announcment: A 10 a.m. press conference is scheduled for Thursday where it will be announced that Rick Clark of New River, Va., has become majority owner of Cup team that plans to field Boris Said in 12-18 races this season. Adding to the announcement is that Clark is African-American and he would join Brad Daugherty as an African-American car owner in the Cup series with Daugherty a co-owner in the car Marcos Ambrose drives. (The Virginian Pilot)

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Dale Jr to reduce souvenir prices during struggling economy: Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage said he and Dale Earnhardt Jr. have buried the hatchet. The two men had a two-week disagreement and exchanged barbs over who needs to do more for the fans in tough economic times -- speedway executives or drivers. "Dale Jr. is doing all he can and we're doing all we can," Gossage said. "I talked to Junior's representatives [Saturday] and learned some things they were doing that most people don't know about." One of those things is lowering prices on some of Junior's merchandise items. Gossage said Friday that Earnhardt should be willing to reduce prices on his souvenir products after insisting speedways reduce tickets prices, which most have done. "I want to commend Dale Jr. for taking that step," Gossage said. "That shows a real commitment on his part, and I respect him for it. I learned they already had reduced prices on merchandise, just as we have reduced ticket prices and concession prices." (ESPN.com)

Woods Brothers plan only 12 races; no outside investors: "Our plan is, unless something substantial comes, here's our 12 and that's what we're going to do," team co-owner Len Wood said. The team would rather run just 12 races with Bill Elliott than try to piece together a season by scrounging sponsorships on a race-by-race basis, he said. "If someone comes in and says `I'll give you $100,000 to run this race,' that's not going to make money," Wood said. The team has also rejected the idea of looking for outside investors with deep pockets. That just brings interference, Wood said. "When it comes to making a decision - do we need to buy this - we don't have to go through a board of directors or anything like that," he said. "It's us. We don't have to answer to anybody." (The Birmingham News)