NASCAR Past News July 17 - 22

• Earnhardt, Wheeler and Roush among hall finalist

• Kahne Kentucky testing

• Waltrip to Gibbs?

• Kyle Petty Charity Ride Kicks Off

• Points leader Johnson Wrecks

• Edwards getting Flyer Frequent Miles

• Martin on Roush and Retirement

• McMurray recognized for Autism Awareness

• Official: Speedway won't shut down Air traffic

• Rusty on Martin, "He should retire"

• USA Today's Pressing Q&A on Gannasi/McMurray

• It's in the Game, NASCAR '06 Total Team Control

• Gill Promoted to Crew Chief of #32

• Ford Fusion Prototype looks to hit the track at Atlanta

• Talladega Major Announcement

• Charlotte talks acceleration of road project in hope of NASCAR HOF

• Matt Kenseth helps Gatorade break ground on new Facility

• What Wins on Sundays, Sales on Monday. Stewart Ads

• Kahne lawyers ask Judge to dismiss suit, Ford argues Kahne "cashed in"

• Dale Earnhardt trail to open in Sept.

• NASCAR fines Crew Chiefs

• Burton joins NASCAR Live

• Atlanta adds suites

• More on Ferrell NASCAR Movie

• Speedway and Airport to work together in WA.

• Engine height rule in 2006?

• Newman wrecks at Bristol

• New nose in 2006

• ISC extends Daytona lease

• Hamilton's fastest at Indy day 2 testing

• New NASCAR themed game

• Kahne seeks to have Ford suit thrown out

• Pocono removes rumble strips

• NASCAR to head to Canada in 2007?

• Mears Out and Sorenson In?

• Skinner fastest at Indy testing

• California announces Sept. Sponsorship

• NHIS arrest unruly fans

• NASCAR adds and promotes in Corporate Offices

• Oakland Raider Brown to team up with Roush

• Kentucky lawyers acknowledge Speedway's series dates are at stake

• Schrader wins at New England track

• Childress adds another Engine Builder, Gibbs to add another team?

• Fennig wins Wypall Crew Chief of the Race

• Tony Stewart wins the New England 300

• Labonte denies Gibbs departure

• Updated on Bill Davis Racing and Dodge lawsuit

• Jarrett hopes to make decision in 2 weeks

• Speedway will have positive effect on property value

• Earnhardt, Jr. "Its going to be weird with Waltrip"

• Earnhardt, Wheeler and Roush among hall finalist: Seven-time Cup champion Dale Earnhardt, NASCAR car owner Jack Roush and Lowe's Motor Speedway president H.A. (Humpy) Wheeler are among 22 finalists in the voting for the 2006 class of inductees to the International Motorsports Hall of Fame. Five inductees will be selected for the hall, located in Talladega, Ala., in voting that will begin next week by a media panel. This year's inductees will be announced in November and will go into the hall in April 2006. This is the first year of eligibility for Earnhardt, who was killed in a crash at Daytona in February 2001. Wheeler also was among the finalists last year. (ThatsRacin)

• Newman Fastest in Happy Hour Practice: Final pratice top 10 speeds 1) Ryan Newman Dodge 166.012 54.213 Leader 2) Michael WaltripChevrolet 165.831 54.272 -0.059 3) Sterling Marlin Dodge 165.734 54.304 -0.091 4) Ricky Rudd Ford 165.587 54.352 -0.139 5) Kasey Kahne Dodge 165.041 54.532 -0.319 6) Mark Martin Ford 165.032 54.535 -0.322 7) Jamie McMurray Dodge  164.983 54.551 -0.338 8)Brian Vickers Chevrolet 164.950 54.562 -0.349 9) Scott Riggs Chevrolet 164.887 54.583 -0.370 10) Dale Jarrett Ford 164.717 54.639 -0.426 (Complete Run Down)

• Kahne Kentucky testing: NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series driver Kasey Kahne and his No. 9 Dodge Dealers Dodge will join 2006 NASCAR Busch Series hopeful Steve Wallace for testing next week at Kentucky Speedway. Wallace is scheduled for Tuesday, July 26 and Kahne is penciled in for Wednesday, July 27. Fans can view testing from the designated area outside Turn 3 at the track at no charge. Testing will begin around 9:00 a.m. and continue through 5:00 p.m. Times and drivers are subject to change. (Kentucky PR)

• Waltrip to Gibbs? Speculation has arisen that Michael Waltrip may vacate his seat in the No. 15 DEI Chevy prior to the end of the 2005 season. Rumors are swirling around the garage that Waltrip has been offered to drive the No. 11 Chevy at Joe Gibbs Racing for the last ten races of the season and next year. Both teams have denied the report. (Motorsports.com)

• Kyle Petty Charity Ride Kicks Off: "This is our 11th year, and obviously, it's the Chick-fil-A® Kyle Petty Charity Ride now. We're excited about this year because, in the past, when we've run the charity ride we've had to go from either San Francisco or from Southern California and we've left according to the race schedule. We just basically left after the race and would ride motorcycles back to North Carolina. That's how simple the charity ride really is. We'd stop at a few Children's Hospitals along the way, and we used to end up at our farm with a concert. But now, all of that has kind of changed. When the schedule changed this year, we really didn't have an open week after any of the California races. So, it kind of put us in a bind, since we're running from Pocono and the Charity ride is leaving from Portland, Ore. So, basically, what we're going to do is we're going to leave when the race is over with and fly out and meet everybody out in Idaho Falls. They leave on Saturday when we're in Pocono, they leave Portland and they go to Boise (Idaho), and from Boise to Idaho Falls (Idaho), Sunday night. And that's where we meet with them. Then on Monday we ride from Idaho falls to Cody (Wyo.) and then from Cody, Wyo., to Deadwood, S.D., and then from Deadwood to Sioux Falls, S.D., and then from Sioux Falls to Burlington, Iowa., and then from Iowa on into Louisville, Ky., and then from Louisville to Knoxville, (Tenn.) and from Knoxville back to the Victory Junction Gang Camp. It ends up being a nine day ride because we end up Saturday and Sunday, while we're racing they're riding, but for all of us it ends up being a seven day ride. We're pretty excited about this year because we're coming through parts of the country up in Wyoming and South Dakota and parts of Iowa and Minnesota that we've never been through before on the Charity Ride. So, we're hitting a different part of the country this year." (Williams Company PR)

• Points leader Johnson Wrecks: NASCAR Nextel Cup point leader crashed his primary car during initial practice at Pocono Raceway on Friday. Johnson's No. 48 Hendrick Chevy suffered heavy rear end damage. The team will have to resort to a back-up car. "I got loose in turn one," said Johnson. "I spun out and tore up the race car. If there's a time to have it happen, now is the time. There's a long break before the second practice. We'll take it from there. Just trying hard and got loose. One of those deals." It's a bad start to the weekend for Johnson whose point lead has shrunk in the last several weeks. He now leads second place Greg Biffle by just 77 points.  (Motorsports.com) Complete Race Weekend Coverage Times, Entry List, News and more.

• Edwards getting Flyer Frequent Miles: For the second time this summer, Carl Edwards has weekend plans to log some significant flight time. He'll race in a NASCAR Busch Race on Saturday at Pikes Peak, Colo., before heading back to Pocono Raceway for Sunday's Nextel Cup Pennsylvania 500. It'll take some fancy footwork, plus the help of ARCA stock car champion Frank Kimmel and former Busch driver, now TV commentator, Hank Parker Jr.   Edwards, who six weeks ago became only the second driver in the 32-year history of NASCAR at Pocono to win there in his first outing, starts the weekend practicing his Ford on the 2(-mile tri-oval. Then he heads west to race in the Saturday Busch race where Parker will qualify Edwards' car in Colorado. Meanwhile back at Pocono on Saturday, Kimmel will run qualifying for the 500 in Edwards' Roush Ford. If all goes well, an about face from Pike's Peak will get Edwards to Pocono in time to start the 500. Per NASCAR driver change rules, he will have to start at the rear of both fields. "Our last trip to Pocono was awesome," said Edwards, who made up the most ground of any Pocono winner after starting 29th in the 500. (Penn Live)

• AM Practice Speeds:
  1. Ryan Newman Dodge 166.645 54.007 Leader
  2. Brian Vickers Chevrolet 165.997 54.218 -0.211
  3. Joe Nemechek Chevrolet 165.277 54.454 -0.447
  4. Kyle Busch* Chevrolet 164.929 54.569 -0.562
  5. Kurt Busch Ford 164.899 54.579 -0.572
  6. Mark Martin Ford 164.887 54.583 -0.576
  7. Elliott Sadler Ford 164.417 54.739 -0.732
  8. Matt Kenseth Ford 164.117 54.839 -0.832
  9. Casey Mears Dodge 164.075 54.853 -0.846
  10. Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 164.051 54.861-0.854

• Complete Run Down

• Martin on Roush and Retirement: Mark Martin says he doesn't want to drive another full Nextel Cup season. He'd prefer to go into semi-retirement, racing in the Craftsman Truck series and perhaps a few Cup races, so he can begin to make up for the time he has lost with family and friends during season after season of the grinding Cup series schedule. "I feel toward Jack like I did my father," says Martin, in his 18th season with Roush. "I always wanted to please my dad. I want to please Jack Roush." Martin worries that if Roush had to find an interim driver for the No. 6 car for a season, it would cause too much upheaval and hurt the team. Before this season began, Martin begged several of his crewmembers who were mulling offers from other teams to stay with him for one more attempt to win the championship. "I need to be the one to hand the car over to Jamie," Martin says. "I do have a lot invested in the car, in the number, in the team, and they've got a lot invested in me." Asked whether the team is taking advantage of Martin's loyalty, Roush Racing president Geoff Smith said, "It's not as though this is the goodwill tour. There is compensation involved." Martin says he's "a little bit embarrassed" that he could be going back on his announced decision to retire. (Detroit News)

• McMurray recognized for Autism Awareness: #42-Jamie McMurray received an achievement award from the Autism Society of America recognizing his commitment to raising autism awareness. The award was presented to him at the Autism Society of America's 36th Annual National Conference and Exposition on July 14th in Nashville, Tenn. (Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates PR)

• Official: Speedway won't shut down Air traffic: A high-level racetrack official has told local pilots that a proposed track south of Bremerton National Airport would not shut down air traffic despite federal rules that seem to indicate otherwise. Pilots are concerned that a proposed 80,000-seat NASCAR track near the airport would trigger federal flight restrictions put in place after September 11th that could close the regional airport during busy summer race days, stopping flights and hindering local businesses.   On the other hand, an airport official said, the track could be a boon to local businesses. Grant Lynch, vice president for International Speedway Corp., which has proposed building the track just south of the airport, met with a few members of the Bremerton Pilot and Tenants Association and airport officials this week in what was described as an informal fact-finding mission. Lynch said records from other airports near racetracks continue to operate during races. "What changes is the safe zone above the facility itself," he said in the interview before the meeting. "But the airport itself goes about its operations." (Kitsap Sun)

• Rusty on Martin, "He should retire":  Rusty Wallace's popularity spoke loudly yesterday afternoon through the thousands who flocked to catch a final glimpse at Hersheypark's Star Pavilion. One last chance to grab an autograph. Wallace's Last Call Tour made one of its 12 national stops as NASCAR makes its last state visit for 2005 at Pocono Raceway.   Wallace is making his last start. After 22 seasons, Wallace is hanging up his helmet in November when the checkered flag falls at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He would like his competitor and friend, Mark Martin, to do the same. Martin announced last October this would be his final season competing full-time in the Cup Series. However, recent reports indicate Martin is being swayed by Jack Roush Racing to return for one final season before handing the keys over to Jamie McMurray in 2007. "I think they would lynch me [if I would come back]," Wallace said. "But to each his own. "I think it's a bad mistake for Mark. I'm not going to all these race tracks and receiving accolades, congratulations and plaques only to turn around and say it was all a joke. I don't know if it's even legal for Mark to come back. He sold all that merchandise under the pretense that he's done." Wallace took time to consider the ramifications of returning following a farewell season. "If I did that, I'd get a lawsuit," Wallace added. "When my fans think I'm gone, then I'm out of here. Mark's my friend, and I would tell him the same thing if he was standing here." (pennLive)

• USA Today's Pressing Q&A on Gannasi/McMurray: USA Today's Chris Jenkin's pressing question. Q: Will Chip Ganassi's team let Jamie McMurray out of his contract for next season? A: No. Team co-owner Felix Sabates said Thursday that the team would pick up its option on McMurray's contract for next season and expected him to honor it. "There never was any question on our part," Sabates said. McMurray has not addressed the media since signing a contract to drive Roush Racing's No. 6 car beginning in 2007. Roush Racing President Geoff Smith has said that, while the team's executives hope McMurray will be allowed to leave Ganassi a year early, they aren't counting on it and aren't willing to pay Ganassi to let McMurray leave a year early. Smith has asked Mark Martin to consider delaying his retirement from full-time racing until 2007, something Martin said last weekend he is strongly considering. That leaves McMurray to drive a full year with Ganassi when he already has a deal to go to another team. But Sabates said he didn't think it would be a distraction and he expected a 100% effort from McMurray. "I don't think he'll be a lame duck," Sabates said. "For one thing, he's probably going to press the button even harder next year." Sabates said McMurray would remain in the No. 42 car with sponsorship from Havoline next year. Ganassi hasn't announced its full driver lineup for next season; Casey Mears' fate is still up in the air, and the team might expand to four cars in an attempt to keep up with the Roush and Hendrick superteams. "We've talked about it, but right now we don't have anything in concrete," Sabates said. (USA Today)

• It's in the Game, NASCAR '06 Total Team Control: Encompassing all of the best elements from previous games in the series, NASCAR 06 takes things a step further by introducing the first ever squad-based racing experience. Aptly named Total Team Control, this new and innovative feature offers a rich selection of interactive choices that allows you to communicate with every member of your team, both on and off the track. Fans are guaranteed to love it since it offers an ever greater, more authentic racing simulation experience. Even newcomers will be hard pressed to dismiss the game's overall level of excellence. This isn't hyperbole, folks: NASCAR 06 is just that good. In a creative move, NASCAR 06 offers players a brief taste of a common feature that you're bound to use very often, known as Dynamic Car Swapping. Introduced as an interactive tutorial set during the Daytona Pepsi 400 circuit, you'll fill the shoes of Jimmy Johnson, one of NASCAR's finest, who winds up a roadside wreck after colliding with a rival driver. Fortunately, his teammate Jeff Gordon just happens to be tailing the lead racer, giving you an opportunity to borrow his wheels and get another shot at the win. (Screen Shots and Video at GameSpy)

July 21, 2005

• Gill Promoted to Crew Chief of #32: PPI Motorsports has announced that interim chief mechanic Danny Gill has accepted the position of crew chief for the No. 32 Tide/Downy Chevrolet Monte Carlo driven in the Nextel Cup Series by Bobby Hamilton Jr. Gill, who formerly worked on Hamilton Jr.'s father, Bobby Hamilton's Craftsman Truck Series team, began the season with another Nashville area operation, Sadler Racing, which was racing part-time in the Busch and Craftsman Truck Series. Gill had served as the interim chief at owner Cal Wells' PPI Motorsports team since July 5, when Harold Holly went on sabbatical. Gill's promotion came after Holly accepted the crew chief's position for driver Justin Labonte in the Busch Series at Labonte Motorsports/Haas CNC Racing. (NASCAR.com)

• Ford Fusion Prototype looks to hit the track at Atlanta: NASCAR and Team Ford Racing will get their first on-track look at the new Fusion in two weeks in a team effort. Wood Brothers Racing will run a prototype with former Nextel Cup champion Dale Jarrett of Robert Yates Racing testing at the Atlanta Motor Speedway on Aug. 2. The 1.5-mile track south of Atlanta is available despite almost $40 million in property damage from a recent tornado. "As of right now [the Sunday morning of the recent New England 300 at Loudon, N. H.], we're still planning to test the new Ford and the new Chevrolet that day," said Robin Pemberton, a former crew chief and Ford Racing official, and now NASCAR's vice-president for competition. "They were hit pretty hard, but they're cleaning up and making progress." With small variations, it will go something like this: The Chevy and Ford haulers will arrive at AMS early in the morning. The team that tests first-that hasn't been determined-will wait for the other team to leave the premises before unloading and testing. Once its test is done, NASCAR officials will accompany the car to the Lockheed wind tunnel in Marietta. The second car won't be unloaded and tested until the other car is off the premises. Once its on-track test is completed, officials will accompany the second car to the wind tunnel at Marietta. (Ford Racing)

• Talladega Major Announcement: From published internet reports have a huge announcement, the biggest in the Super Speedways history. Announcement will be held at Talladega Superspeedway on Tuesday, July 26 at 11:00am/local.

• Charlotte talks acceleration of road project in hope of NASCAR HOF: The I-277 loop is critical to the efforts of those pushing for the NASCAR Hall of Fame.  On Thursday, Charlotte Department of Transportation officials discussed an accelerated plan for modifications to the road, including how to provide access to the proposed hall of fame. Public and business response to prior workshops this year on CDOT's transportation study has been a plus. "I'm feeling very encouraged by the progress we are making and by the community response," said Howard Landers, CDOT transportation planner. "This is more of that, again focused on this one element." If the modifications are approved by the federal government, then state and local officials can inform NASCAR of that part of the equation being guaranteed. (News 14)

• Matt Kenseth helps Gatorade break ground on new Facility: NASCAR driver Matt Kenseth joined Virginia Deputy Secretary of Commerce and Trade John Sternlicht, Wythe County Chairman of the Board of Supervisors Wythe Sharitz and officials from The Gatorade Company to break ground today on a new manufacturing and distribution facility in Wythe County, Virginia.  The facility, which will be the company's eighth plant, will produce both Gatorade Thirst Quencher and Propel Fitness Water, starting in September 2006. Parent company PepsiCo announced earlier this year that a new manufacturing facility was needed to help keep up with growing demand for the No. 1 sports drink and No. 1 enhanced water. Today's ceremony was given a twist by Kenseth, the 2003 Nextel Cup Champion and spokesman for Gatorade, who drove a bulldozer onto the site to kick-off the official groundbreaking. The facility, which is expected to bring 250 jobs to southwest Virginia's Wythe County, was welcomed by local and state elected officials. "Many people worked very hard together to bring this new plant to Virginia," said Virginia Deputy Secretary of Commerce and Trade John Sternlicht. "Today's groundbreaking was a great celebration for Wythe County, the surrounding region and for the entire Commonwealth of Virginia." Construction on the facility is now underway and expected to continue through approximately May 2006. Other Gatorade manufacturing facilities are located Atlanta, Ga.; Indianapolis, Ind.; Dallas, Texas; Mountain Top, Pa.; Kissimmee, Fla.; Oakland, Calif.; and Tolleson, Ariz. (Gatorade PR)

• What Wins on Sundays, Sales on Monday. Stewart Ads: The Home Depot is running a print ad in USA Today and several regional newspapers today that uses recent victory celebrations by the driver of the race car the company sponsors to promote a sale on fences and ladders. The driver, Tony Stewart, has won three of the last four Nascar races. After each win, Stewart parked his car at the finish line and climbed the fence on the retaining wall to reach the flag stand and wave the checkered flag. Nobody has ever done that before in Nascar. Spinning around in circles in a cloud of tire smoke is the customary celebration. The ad was produced by The Richards Group in Dallas and depicts Stewart climbing the fence with the tagline, "Hey, Tony, we have ladders." It includes a coupon for a 10 percent discount on fences and ladders that is valid through Sunday. In addition to USA Today, the ad is running in daily newspapers in Atlanta, Home Depot's headquarters; Charlotte, N.C., a major center of Nascar; New Hampshire, where Stewart scaled the fence after winning the race last weekend; and Pocono, Pa., the site of this weekend's Nascar race. (Ad Week)

• Kahne lawyers ask Judge to dismiss suit, Ford argues Kahne "cashed in": Lawyers for NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne asked a federal judge Wednesday to dismiss a breach-of-contract lawsuit filed by Ford Motor Co., saying Kahne never agreed to race for the automaker exclusively. Ford claims Kahne signed a contract that obligated him to drive Fords and appear in promotional activities. The lawsuit alleges Kahne left Ford to join a Dodge team owned by Ray Evernham in 2003, when he was racing in the NASCAR Busch Series. But Kahne's attorney David Baum told U.S. District Judge Robert Cleland in Detroit that the contract was merely an "agreement to agree" on a "mutually acceptable racing series with a reasonably competitive team." Baum said it was not an enforceable contract for Kahne to exclusively race for Ford. Ford Racing spokesman Kevin Kennedy said under the plan that had been laid out, Kahne would have made a run for the Busch Series title with Ford in 2004 and then raced Nextel Cup full-time in 2005. He said Kahne already had been negotiating with Evernham when he demanded that Ford put move him up to Nextel. "He wasn't negotiating in good faith on a mutually acceptable situation," Kennedy said. "He was already working to get out of the contract." Ford also made a motion Wednesday to add an unjust enrichment claim against Kahne along with the breach-of-contract claim. Jenkins argued that Kahne has "cashed in" on the value of the development deal he had with Ford, and the company should be compensated for it. "He had four years of training because of Ford," Kennedy said. "He was an unknown. At the point it appears he was going somewhere, he breaches the contract."  (Detroit Free Press)

• Dale Earnhardt trail to open in Sept.: Dale Earnhardt fans can cruise along the "Dale Trail" tour starting in mid- to late-September. That's when the self-guided tour of the late NASCAR star and Kannapolis native's old haunts will debut, said Cabarrus County tourism officials who helped create the project. They recently finalized which stops will be on the trail, including Earnhardt's childhood neighborhood and the 9-foot-tall bronze statue of him in downtown Kannapolis. Earnhardt died in a crash at the 2001 Daytona 500. Plans for the trail's official unveiling are still being worked out, said Judy Root, communications manager for the Cabarrus County Convention and Visitors Bureau. Banners on 100 utility poles marking parts of the trail will start going up in mid-August. (Charlotte Observer)

• NASCAR fines Crew Chiefs: NASCAR announced today that Danny Gill, crew chief for the No. 32 Chevrolet driven by Bobby Hamilton Jr., in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, has been fined $1,000 for an infraction discovered during opening day inspection at New Hampshire International Speedway last weekend. Gill was fined for a seat belt with an expired manufacturer's date, a violation of Section 12-4-1 (Actions detrimental to stock car racing) and Section 17-2-C (seat belts) of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series rule book. (NASCAR PR)

• Burton joins NASCAR Live: Each Saturday for the remainder of the 2005 season, Jeff Burton will join host Steve Byrnes from the track on NASCAR Live! as they conduct interviews, profile the competition and handicap the weekend. Direct from each week's Nextel Cup venue, the SPEED Channel stage truck is powered up for informative and lively pre and post-race coverage of the weekend's activities. For additional information on the program or to find the location of the SPEED stage at the track, visit www.speedtv.com. (RCR PR)

• Atlanta adds suites: Atlanta Motor Speedway officials announced today the addition of twelve 16-person suites to their frontstretch suite level. Currently, AMS offers 30-person and 64-person suites, but with the recent tornado damage the track sustained, track officials chose to reconfigure the suite level area, adding a third option for their customers. "We have had a lot of requests from companies in the Atlanta market for suites on a smaller scale," said Ed Clark, president and general manager of Atlanta Motor Speedway. "This option is perfect for an organization with fewer employees or wants to entertain their customers on a more intimate level. "With the recent tornado damage the speedway received, we are excited to take this opportunity to make positive changes to our already fantastic facility," said Clark. "Our goal is to provide our customers an awesome experience each time they visit Atlanta Motor Speedway and this only enhances what we can offer our patrons." Companies interested in leasing Atlanta Motor Speedway's newly renovated suites for the upcoming Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 race weekend may contact the Atlanta Motor Speedway sales office at 770-946-3918. (Atlanta Motor Speedway PR)

• More on Ferrell NASCAR Movie: Andrew Giangola, NASCAR's director of business communications, says the driving scenes will be authentic and the portrayal of life at the track realistic. "We are very comfortable with the script," Giangola says. Here are a few other details he provided from his knowledge of the project: The story takes place at race tracks around the country.  Ferrell is a buffoonish, but talented, driver. The movie follows him through a season.  Real drivers will appear in the movie, although it's not yet clear who will have speaking parts. (Charlotte Observer)

July 20, 2005

• Speedway and Airport to work together in WA.: While International Speedway Corp. (ISC) keeps the entire county waiting in anticipation of its racetrack proposal, the issues surrounding the Bremerton National Airport could become a key part of the decision. "Since we haven't seen the proposal, we don't know whether it will be a good deal or a bad deal," said Port of Bremerton Commissioner Bill Mahan. "As for the airport, it depends on what the proposal says. If it requires a local business to shut down for a month, then we would take a serious look as to whether we would support it or not." North Kitsap County Commissioner Chris Endresen also has said that she would not support the NASCAR track if it had a negative effect on the airport's growth. According to ISC spokesman Stann Tate, it will be several months before the  company submits its proposal.  With respect to the airport, the most important issue is the proximity of the grandstands to the runways. Federal Aviation Administration regulations established after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks required airports within a certain distance of a large public assembly to close down during that event. Fred Salisbury, director of airport and industrial operations, said that two major racing days a year would not cause a great inconvenience. A NASCAR facility also usually increases airport traffic and business considerably - even with the imposition of some blackout times. The practice of establishing Temporary Flight Restrictions existed prior to Sept. 11 but has been refined since then. A TFR represents an area three miles and 3,000 feet from the event, through which no planes are permitted from one hour before to one hour after the event. TFRs are established according to the event's expected attendance. The FAA does not disclose the level at which it establishes a restriction. (In part from The Reporter)

• Engine height rule in 2006? NASCAR is also considering a maximum engine-height rule (as measured from the center of the crankshaft), to keep teams from raising engines to allow more wheel-travel. "But if they did that, we'd all be dragging bell-housings on the ground and tearing up the asphalt, and probably sending flywheels sailing into the grandstands," Andy Graves, the manager for Chip Ganassi, said. (Salem-Journal)

• Newman wrecks at Bristol: What was supposed to be a routine practice session at Bristol Motor Speedway instead nearly turned into a catastrophe for NASCAR driver Ryan Newman. Newman arrived at Bristol Tuesday hoping to get in some practice with his Busch car, but his day came to an abrupt end. Only a few laps into the session, Newman hit the wall outside of turn four. Emergency personnel and Newman's team were on hand almost immediately to assess the damage. The right front fender and the right front tire were worse for wear. Newman got out of the car under his own power, but was obviously concerned with what went wrong. 6 Sports tried to talk to Newman after the crash but he refused our questions. He did say that he was all right. (WATE)

• New nose in 2006: NASCAR officials are telling crew chiefs that there will be a new nose-lip for all Nextel Cup cars in 2007, perhaps earlier, a new nose valence that would be similar to Trans-Am noses and truck noses - with a lower aerodynamic lip, designed to force teams to limit the wheel-travel of race cars.  The new rule would come in response to the radical wheel-travel that teams are using this season to drop the nose of the car and increase speed by literally dragging the nose on the pavement. Wheel-travel is believed to be one reason for the rash of tire problems, with tires taking a fearsome beating. (Salem-Journal)

• ISC extends Daytona lease: International Speedway Corp. has rented the grounds of its premiere track here from the public since 1957 for $10,000 a year. Tuesday, the Speedway's official landlord -- the Daytona Beach Racing & Recreational Facilities District -- was presented with an offer from its tenant that may be hard to refuse. In exchange for extending its lease through 2054, ISC proposes to increase the yearly rent it pays for 447 acres of public land beneath its track, stands and buildings to $500,000. It's also requesting two 25-year extensions beyond 2054, at a rate to be determined later. (News-Journal)

• Hamilton's fastest at Indy day 2 testing: It was a family affair atop the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series testing speed charts July 19 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, as the father-son tandem of Bobby Hamilton and Bobby Hamilton Jr. posted the top laps, respectively. NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series regular Bobby Hamilton topped the NEXTEL Cup Series regulars on the final day of testing for the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard on Aug. 7 with a lap of 183.905 mph in the No. 04 Bobby Hamilton Racing Dodge. It was the fastest lap overall over six days of testing the last three weeks at the historic 2.5-mile oval. Bobby Hamilton Jr. was second fastest today at 182.576 in the No. 32 Tide Chevrolet, which he drives full time in the NEXTEL Cup Series. "We were actually up doing some chassis stuff for my truck and ended up running good," Bobby Hamilton said. "Obviously, if everything goes right we've got time to paint the car and all. It's an in-house car. We built it ourselves; we bought the chassis from PPI (Motorsports) and then put on our front and rear clips. Hamilton knows it will be tough to make the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard field despite posting the fastest lap of the month. The first two rounds of NASCAR NEXTEL Cup practice take place at 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. (local time) Aug. 5. Qualifying is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 6, followed by additional practices at 2:15 and 3:45 p.m. The 12th running of the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 7. (Brickyard PR - Brickyard Quotes)

• New NASCAR themed game: WizKids has announced a licensing agreement with NASCAR for Race Day, a "constructible racing game" featuring cars of 22 of the top drivers and cars in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, including Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, and Tony Stewart. Race Day will be sold in $3.99 game packs, each of which will include everything two people need to get into the race: two random constructible cars, one resource card, a set of rules, a die, and a track play mat. There are 30 cars to collect, each with its own special ability and rarity. Players can build their car collections out of additional game packs, which the company said will be available wherever trading cards are sold. WizKids also publishes two other constructible strategy games: Pirates (which includes two series: the Spanish Main and the Revolution), and Rocketmen: Axis of Evil. (Whiz Kids PR)

July 19, 2005

• Kahne seeks to have Ford suit thrown out: Attorneys for Kasey Kahne asked a federal judge to throw out Ford's breach-of-contract lawsuit against the NASCAR driver, one of his lawyers said Tuesday. U.S. District Judge Robert Cleland in Detroit was to hear arguments on the request Wednesday, attorney David Baum said from New York. Ford sued Kahne in Wayne County Circuit Court in July 2004, the county where the Michigan automaker is headquartered. The company claimed he signed a contract that obligated him to drive Fords for Robert Yates Racing and appear in promotional activities. But in October 2003, the suit alleged, Kahne bolted Ford and joined a Dodge team owned by Ray Evernham. The lawsuit was transferred to federal court shortly after it was filed because the parties are from different states, Baum said. Kahne lives in Huntersville, N.C. Ford has called the suit "unfortunate," and said it believes in honoring contracts. NASCAR views its teams as independents and drivers as contracted workers hired by each team. Disputes are worked out among each other, with NASCAR having no influence in the results.(MLive.com)

• Pocono removes rumble strips: During the Cup race at Pocono in June, several drivers suffered tire failures when they ran over the rumble strips placed on the inside of the turns. Because of the extra stress being placed on tires due to aggressive front suspension setups, driving those rumble strips can be extremely dangerous. For the upcoming race at Pocono Raceway, those strips have been removed. But the Indianapolis Motor Speedway also has uncompromising rumble strips, most noticeably in Turn 1. Hitting them will definitely pose a problem. "Just don't hit them and you'll be all right," Baldwin said. "But I've seen some guys with their valances and their fenders pushed in, so obviously they're running over them." Gustafson admitted that Busch told him he had to try out the rumble strips "just once" to see what they would do." (Yahoo! Sports)

• NASCAR to head to Canada in 2007? The window for staging Canada's first ever NASCAR race is quickly closing, according to series officials. It's now looking more and more like the premier stock car series will make its way north of the border in 2007. "We're open-minded; we've been approached by a number of groups (in Canada). But certainly Montreal has a lot to offer," NASCAR CEO George Pyne tells the Winston Salem Journal. "Normand Legault (Chairman and CEO of Grand Prix F1 of Canada) has expressed a real interest in a race in Montreal. That's a great facility. That's something we'll take a good hard look at, but I think that's more of an '07 option than '06." "We're pretty far along with the schedules for 2006. And we'd have to move some things around on the schedule for '06 (to fit in a Montreal race)." (TSN)

• Mears Out and Sorenson In? He has had a less than stellar two-plus seasons at Chip Ganassi Racing, despite the support of veteran crew chief Jimmy Elledge. Car sponsor Target isn't pleased, but given that Mears has been the third-string driver, his results are not surprising. Word is that Busch rookie sensation Reed Sorenson will get the nod for the No. 41 Dodge in 2006. Possibilities mentioned for Mears include the No. 2 at Penske Racing and the No. 10 at Evernham. There also has been the suggestion that he'll drive Sorenson's Busch car. (Sporting News/Lee Spencer)

• Skinner fastest at Indy testing:  Mike Skinner put his No. 23 Dodge atop the speed charts in private Nextel Cup Series testing Monday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with a lap of 180.692 mph.  Bobby Hamilton Jr. was second fastest in the No. 32 Chevrolet at 179.565, and Martin Truex Jr. was third in the No. 1 Chevrolet at 179.460. This is the third consecutive week of testing at Indianapolis in preparation for the 12th annual Allstate 400 at the Brickyard on Aug. 7. Skinner had the two fastest cars of the session, as his No. 23B backup car was fastest, and he drove his primary No. 23 car to a slightly faster lap than Hamilton's speed, at 179.653.  Truex's teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. did not practice in the morning but turned 27 laps in the afternoon, turning a fast lap of 176.470 in the No. 8 Chevrolet. Earnhardt said the team plans to complete a full day of testing on July 19, the final day of pre-Allstate 400 at the Brickyard private testing. (NASCAR.com)

• California announces Sept. Sponsorship: California Speedway announced Monday that a Letter of Intent has been entered into by Sony Electronics, Inc., to be the title sponsor of the Nextel Cup Series 500 mile event at the speedway on Sunday, September 4. The multi-year sponsorship agreement for the Labor Day weekend event -- the Sony HD 500 -- is currently being finalized. "We are proud to welcome Sony to our family of corporate sponsors at California Speedway," said speedway President Gillian Zucker. "We're delighted to bring Sony's breakthrough technology and entertainment enhancements to the fans at the track as we strive to make the Sony HD 500, Southern California's 'can't miss' Labor Day event." The Sony HD 500, which will be televised nationally in high definition on NBC, will start at 5:10 p.m. PT, allowing for a finish under the lights. This will be the eleventh Nextel Cup Series race at California Speedway's two-mile, D-shaped oval. Tickets for the SONY HD 500 Labor Day weekend are on sale now. For ticket and event information, call 1-800-944-RACE [7223] or log onto www.californiaspeedway.com. (California Speedway PR)

• NHIS arrest unruly fans: Police Chief Bob Fiske said a concerted effort by local and state police to crack down on partying in New Hampshire International Speedway's parking lots over the weekend resulted in 78 people being arrested by noon yesterday. Fiske said the arrests were up sharply from last summer's race, when about 20 people were arrested, and were the result of a "zero tolerance policy for out-of-control behavior." "We can't let the partying get out of hand. You give them an inch and they take a mile. That's what happened during the motorcycle races here years ago and it took a long time to clean it up," said Fiske. He said most of the arrests were for disorderly conduct, although there were some arrests for drug possession. He said the bulk of the arrests took place on Speedway property, where as many as 30,000 race fans were staying in campers over the Nextel Cup race weekend. Police increased their presence inside the Speedway property after partying got out of control in July 2003, when portable toilets were tossed into a bonfire and several of the track's private security personnel were injured in scuffles with race fans inside the track's parking areas. (Union Leader)

• NASCAR adds and promotes in Corporate Offices: Amid one of its most successful years ever, NASCAR Monday announced that former NFL marketing executive Steve Phelps has joined NASCAR as Vice President of Corporate Marketing. Phelps is a 15-year marketing veteran of the NFL and most recently the top sales executive for Wasserman Media Group. He will lead NASCAR's corporate marketing team based in New York to develop relationships with corporate America and bring further sponsorship to NASCAR and its drivers, teams and tracks. NASCAR also announced the promotion of Roger VanDerSnick to Vice President, Marketing. VanDerSnick, who joined NASCAR in 2000 from Procter & Gamble as Director of Brand and Consumer Marketing, has developed and executed NASCAR's nationwide marketing initiatives to further grow NASCAR's fan and sponsorship base. He will continue to focus on collaborative marketing with NASCAR's three national series sponsors - Nextel, Anheuser-Busch and Craftsman. His team will also support sales and marketing initiatives across all NASCAR offices, including NASCAR Digital Entertainment in Los Angeles, NASCAR Licensing in Charlotte and corporate marketing in New York. (NASCAR PR)

• Oakland Raider Brown to team up with Roush: Tim Brown signed a one-day contract and retired with the Oakland Raiders on Monday, gracefully ending his 17-year career as one of the NFL's most prolific receivers. Brown, the Heisman Trophy winner at Notre Dame in 1987, spent his first 16 seasons with the Raiders in Los Angeles and Oakland. He spent last season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after refusing to accept a smaller role with Oakland. Brown, a Dallas native with no background in auto racing, used his retirement to announce plans to partner with Roush Racing on a NASCAR team based in Charlotte, N.C., and to begin competition next year. If the venture gets off the ground, Brown would become the first black majority owner of a NASCAR team. "It's going to be a big deal to try and get accomplished, but I think it's going to be great to try," said Brown, who said he was approached by Roush Racing for the job. (Indy Star)

July 18, 2005

• Kentucky lawyers acknowledge Speedway's series dates are at stake: If the case were to go to trial and Kentucky Speedway were to win, the power structure in NASCAR undoubtedly would be altered. NASCAR no longer would be able to funnel Nextel Cup races to ISC-owned tracks, which essentially are owned by the same family that runs NASCAR. By filing the lawsuit, Kentucky Speedway has placed itself in a tenuous position with NASCAR, causing a strained relationship that could last the length of the case, which might take years to resolve. NASCAR has not commented on the case nor said if Kentucky's two other NASCAR-affiliated races (Craftsman Trucks and Busch) are in jeopardy, but Kentucky Speedway's lawyer, Stan Chesley, acknowledged that is a possible ramification of filing the lawsuit. (The Enquirer)

• Schrader wins at New England track: The big winners on the track were Ken Schrader and Mike Moody, but the fans were winners as well as they packed the house in nearly perfect weather for a wonderful night of racing and a visit from a NASCAR Nextel Cup star.Schrader, a veteran racer from Fenton, Mo. took time from his busy NASCAR schedule at New Hampshire International Speedway to drive up the coast to the track for a night of fun. The program at Wiscasset, sponsored by Shelly's Flowers of Waldoboro, included a twin main event with Schrader joining the Late Models for their regular heats and a 30-lap feature. The track also had a special 75-lap Strictly Street feature. The show also included the first appearance of the year of the Quirk Chevrolet Super Mini Cup Tour. (Village Soup)

• Childress adds another Engine Builder, Gibbs to add another team? Richard Childress has added another key player to his engine program, hiring Tony Corrente from the Joe Gibbs camp to help run his rapidly expanding R&D program. Chip Ganassi may not be the only Nextel Cup team owner contemplating an expansion to a four-car effort next season. So is Joe Gibbs, according to team sources. However, J. D. Gibbs, who runs the team for his NFL coaching father, insists the company isn't looking at hiring Busch hotshot Reed Sorensen, despite reports. (Salem-Journal)

• Fennig wins Wypall Crew Chief of the Race: After Kurt Busch made an early spin in Sunday's New England 300, nearly everyone considered the defending race champ out of contention. Despite the setback, Busch, with guidance from crew chief Jimmy Fennig, stormed back to finish the race in second place. Busch's clutch performance marked his fifth top-10 finish in nine races at New Hampshire International Speedway, including four top-fives. For engineering his driver's comeback, Fennig was voted the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race. Busch qualified his #97 Irwin Industrial Tools Taurus in 5th place, but his track position took a turn for the worse after he spun out in the first forty laps of the event. The incident dropped Busch to the tail-end of the field. To make things worse, Busch overshot his pit stall on the following yellow flag. Once again Busch fell back in the pack, but good pit stops and a strong handling car gave Busch the ammunition he needed to charge through the field. The panel of voters; including Chuck Givler of the Easton Express-Times, a Wypall Wipers representative and Robbie Reiser; all agreed that Fennig was the crew chief who made the biggest difference in the race. Doug Richert leads the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Year standings with five wins. Alan Gustafson and Robbie Loomis are tied for second place with two wins. Tommy Baldwin, Scott Miller, Bob Osborne, Fatback McSwain, Greg Zipadelli, Steve Hmiel, Jimmy Fennig and Pete Rondeau are in a tie for third 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)

July 17, 2005

• Tony Stewart wins the New England 300: Tony Stewart won for the third time in four races, passing at will inside and outside in a dominant performance Sunday at New Hampshire International Speedway. The win in the New England 300 was his third this season, second on this track and 22nd of Stewart's career. He also won in Sonoma, Calif., and Daytona Beach, Fla., and has posted finishes of second and fifth in his last five starts. Stewart began a run of dominance after passing Ryan Newman on the 51st lap. Kurt Busch, trying to become the only driver to win three times on the track after sweeping the races last year, got by with 60 laps to go. But Stewart reclaimed the lead after they banged twice five laps later. The most defining moment of the race came when Stewart moved from fourth to second on lap 68 by passing Rusty Wallace on the outside and cutting inside rookie Kyle Busch just a few hundred feet later. Race leader Scott Wimmer nearly became Stewart's third conquest of the lap. Wimmer barely kept the lead at the line, then Stewart went by less than a half-lap later.  (USA Today - Results - Points)

• Top-10 Finishers: 1st) Tony Stewart, 2nd) Kurt Busch, 3rd) Bobby Labonte, 4th) Kyle Busch, 5th) Greg Biffle, 6th) Kasey Kahne, 7th) Ryan Newman, 8th) Rusty Wallace, 9th) Dale Earnhardt Jr., and 10th) Matt Kenseth Results
  
  Unofficial Top-10 Points Standings: 1st) Gained/Lost 0 Positions, Jimmie Johnson - 2672 (Leader), 2nd) 0 Positions, Greg Biffle - 2595 (-77 Points Behind The Leader), 3rd) 0 Positions, Tony Stewart - 2587 (-85), 4th) 0 Positions, Rusty Wallace - 2442 (-230), 5th) +5 Positions, Kurt Busch - 2347 (-325), 6th) +1 Position, Ryan Newman - 2347 (-325), 7th) -1 Position, Mark Martin - 2320 (-352), 8th) +1 Position, Jeremy Mayfield - 2285 (-387), 9th) -4 Positions, Elliott Sadler - 2276 (-396), and 10th) +1 Position, Dale Jarrett - 2254 (-418) Points

• Labonte denies Gibbs departure: Bobby Labonte said Saturday that it bothers him when people put his name in the rumor mill without even asking him whether anything's going on. So, Bobby, is there anything going on? "The real deal is there is no real deal," Labonte said at New Hampshire International Speedway, where he'll start 10th in Sunday's New England 300. "I have got a contract and I am driving the snot out of our car." Labonte's name first appeared in the NASCAR rumor mill during the Nextel Cup weekend at Infineon Raceway, with Labonte supposedly looking to leave the No. 18 Chevrolets despite having a contract with Joe Gibbs Racing that goes through 2008. (Miami Herald)

• W. Burton's Foundation Preserves Forest: NASCAR driver Ward Burton's voice started to break last week as he talked about his love of the land. Nearly a year and a half ago, when the Southside native announced his conservation plans for using a 1,100-acre tract in Halifax County where he played as a child to promote environmental awareness and stewardship, Burton also became choked up. Friday's news conference announced the completion of the land purchase by the Ward Burton Wildlife Foundation and a corresponding conservation easement by the Virginia Department of Forestry to save 1,143 acres of forestland along 5.5 miles of the Staunton River. But Burton's emotion came more from his wish that C.R. Sanders Jr. could have been present. Sanders, who died two years ago, helped mold Burton's interest in conservation, and he owned much of the land purchased by Burton's foundation for protection. (Times-Dispatch)

• Updated on Bill Davis Racing and Dodge lawsuit: A U.S. District Court judge granted summary judgment in favor of Bill Davis Racing after determining BDR did not violate terms of an agreement with Daimler-Chrysler by working with Toyota Racing Development USA in 2002 and early 2003. Daimler-Chrysler terminated its Dodge support of BDR in 2003 after learning of its involvement with TRD, which the court said was permitted under the contract. The case now goes to trial on Daimler-Chrysler's contention that BDR conveyed confidential tech information to TRD and BDR's suit for substantial damages because of wrongful termination. No trial date has been set. "We are confident the remaining issues in the case will ultimately be resolved favorably to the interests of BDR," owner Bill Davis said in a statement. (Times-Dispatch)

• And now Labonte to switch series? Rumors flying! Even though Bobby Labonte has a contract with Joe Gibbs Racing through the 2008 Nextel Cup season, CBS Sportsline reports Labonte might not be back in the No. 18 car he's driven since the beginning of the 1995 season and in which he won the 2000 Cup Championship. What didn't get reported by CBS is a persistent rumor that Labonte, tired of the Nextel Cup grind but enamored with his Rolex Series Daytona Prototype ride, will swap to that series with Gibbs in 2006. (Daytona News-Journal)

• Jarrett hopes to make decision in 2 weeks: Forget about the brown truck. The big question: Will Dale Jarrett race the No. 88 UPS Ford in 2007? Or will he call it one heck of a career? The 48-year-old already is the second-oldest, full-time driver in the NASCAR Nextel Cup series. He'll be 50 at the 2007 Daytona 500. That's downright ancient in most sports. But racing is not most sports, with equipment a huge part, and Jarrett said Wednesday in a phone interview that he honestly believes he still has got the driving skills to find Victory Lane. ''If anything, I'm a better race car driver now than I've ever been. I'm more experienced. I'm smarter,'' said the three-time Daytona 500 winner and 1999 Winston Cup champion. ``The race car has no idea how old I am.'' Jarrett is under contract with Robert Yates Racing and UPS through the 2006 season. Jarrett said the offer is there by both for as long as he races. But he needs to give UPS a decision about the 2007 season in two weeks. He'll either continue to battle the next generation of drivers, some of whom are younger than his son Jason, or ride into the sunset and perhaps into a broadcast booth. (Miami Herald)

• Speedway will have positive effect on property value: The developers of a proposed NASCAR track on Staten Island yesterday challenged claims made last week by New Jersey real estate agent Tom Adkins that a speedway would tank borough property values. "He's absolutely incorrect," said Michael Printup, Staten Island project manager for International Speedway Corp. Houses across from the California Speedway in the Los Angeles area doubled in value after that speedway was built in 1997, Printup said, while in Kansas, retail and residential development have thrived around ISC's track. "You've got this great appreciation of these housing tracts, and then the housing that was built up around California Speedway after it was built was just amazing," Printup said. (Staten Island Advance)

• Earnhardt, Jr. "Its going to be weird with Waltrip": Dale Earnhardt Jr., who will start 24th in Sunday's race, said he will miss having Michael Waltrip as his teammate at Dale Earnhardt Inc. next year. "He's taught me a lot and he's just a fun guy to be around," Earnhardt Jr. said. "It's going to be weird, I guess." Earnhardt Jr. was a Nextel Cup rookie in 2000, and the following year Waltrip joined DEI. Waltrip and the team announced Friday that he'd leave at the end of this season. (More at Charlotte Observer/David Poole)

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