NASCAR News July 4 - July 11, 2005

The News Below

July 11, 2005

• NYC Council members say No to Ferry Shuttling Fans:  Two of the borough's three councilmen say the city should spurn overtures by NASCAR track developers to use Staten Island ferryboats as mega-shuttles to the proposed speedway here. The third is uncertain about the idea. International Speedway Corp. -- which wants to build an 85,000-seat NASCAR track on nearly 700 acres of industrial land on the West Shore -- has started talking with the city Department of Transportation to see if it can charter out-of-service Staten Island ferryboats on race weekends to handle fans. "At this point, it's an absolute insult that, after all this time, they're going to suggest borrowing the Staten Island Ferry. No way!" said Councilman Andrew Lanza (R-South Shore). (Staten Island Advance)

• Martin back in Cup in 2006? Geoff Smith, the head of Jack Roush's massive racing operation, launched another bombshell yesterday: that Mark Martin might abort his long-planned retirement at the end of this season. At Roush's urging, Martin is "considering" extending his NASCAR Cup career one more season, through 2006, Smith said. It seems a long shot that Martin, who will be 47 when next season opens, would race another year. But Smith said he and Roush were asking Martin "to take one for the team," to fill the ride until Jamie McMurray, signed away from Chip Ganassi Thursday for 2007, becomes available to drive. (Salem-Journal)

• Ford names the Fusion to NASCAR Racing: Ford Motor Co. is putting a new face on its NASCAR Nextel Cup entry next year.   The automaker is expected to announce as early as this week that the Ford Fusion will replace the venerable Taurus on North America's most popular racing circuit, said people familiar with the plan. After 20 years, Ford is pulling the plug on Taurus production early in 2006, and NASCAR rules require that race cars be based on showroom models. The Fusion arrives on dealer lots this fall. Fusion will enter the midsize car segment, where the competition dwarfs even the longtime rivalry between Ford and Chevy on the racetrack. In the midsize car market, it's Ford vs. Chevy vs. Toyota vs. Honda vs. Nissan. NASCAR fans are extremely loyal to brands that support the series, and Ford is banking on the affiliation to immediately establish Fusion in the marketplace. The 280,000 members of the Team Ford Racing club own, on average, 1.8 Ford vehicles per household, the automaker claims. Compared with other brand owners, they are nearly three times as likely to stick with Ford. (Detroit Free Press)

• Hmiel wins WYPALL Crew Chief Award: Dale Earnhardt Jr. may not have had the fastest car in the race, but the driver of the #8 Chevrolet, along with crew chief Steve Hmiel, outfoxed the competition and brought their team their first victory in twenty races. Hmiel made the gutsy call to take only two tires on the final round of pit stops, setting up Earnhardt Jr. to take over the lead on the ensuing green flag run. Hmiel's bold strategy brought the Budweiser team a win and earned him the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race award. Earnhardt Jr. was in fourth place when the caution flag waved on lap 243. After taking only two tires on his pit stop, Earnhardt Jr. was the first car to exit pit road, moving him into the second position. When the race returned to green, Earnhardt Jr. scooted past Scott Wimmer for the lead and held off the quickly ensuing #17 USG machine piloted by Matt Kenseth. Matt Kenseth held a commanding lead for the majority of the event, staying in the top spot for 176 out of 267 laps. Kenseth's run helped make Hmiel's decision on the final stop. The panel of voters; including Paul Skrbina of the Times of Northwest Indiana, a Wypall Wipers representative and Robbie Reiser; all gave the nod to Hmiel as the Crew Chief of 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 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 www.wypall.com (SMC 500)

• R. Gordon Indy Double? Robby Gordon said he will run the Indianapolis 500 next May, and since he's a Chevy man, that likely means that General Motors would provide the motors, reversing a GM decision last year to pull out of the Indy Racing League at the end of this season. Honda has been dominating the Indy-car series, and Toyota said it is withdrawing from completion - which leaves Indy star Roger Penske in a quandary.(Salem Journal)

• All-Star Race to Richmond? Look for the Nextel All-Star Challenge to move in 2007. Although the event will remain at Lowe's Motor Speedway next year, NASCAR is looking to move the All-Star race to Richmond International Raceway, a track that is closer to Nextel's headquarters in Reston, Va (Sporting News Lee Spencer)

• Atlanta's fall date to Vegas damage related?  Speculation continues in the NASCAR garage that damage from last week's tornado might force NASCAR officials to move the Oct. 30 race from Atlanta Motor Speedway, and Las Vegas, also owned by Bruton Smith, is still the buzz. But NASCAR president Mike Helton said he has had no such talks with Smith. (Salem Journal)

• Stremme makes Good NEXTEL Cup Debut:  The future looks bright for David Stremme, who was a solid fifth with 50 laps to go in his Nextel Cup debut. But falling to 16th at the finish still left him smiling. "It was really cool," Stremme said. "I almost achieved my goal of a top-15, but I'm still real excited. We showed a lot. We raced hard, and I think we earned a lot of respect." Stremme, who will be driving the No. 40 Dodge in 2006 for Chip Ganassi Racing, had a few exciting moments early on. "Our car was a little tight at the beginning," Stremme said. "When we went to avoid (Kasey Kahne) and we hit the apron, it busted the fender brace and hurt us. (NASCAR.com)

• Atlanta's NASCAR HOF Bid Website: Want a peek under the hood or to see the race notes of Atlanta's local NASCAR bid committee? Lots of people do, so Atlanta's NASCAR Hall of Fame Bid Committee will be making information about the proposal available on the (www.halloffameatlanta.com) Web site. "We've put together a strong proposal and continue to be in constant communication with NASCAR," said Mark Lazarus, President of the Turner Entertainment Group, Co-Chair of the local bid committee and a NASCAR partner. "We're approaching the race for the Hall of Fame the same way NASCAR teams approach a race. You prepare the best you can, and adapt as the race progresses. NASCAR still needs to weigh in with their thoughts once they've reviewed the proposal, so we need to be flexible. We're still a long way from the finish line." Information about Atlanta's bid that has been released to-date is currently posted on www.halloffameatlanta.com. Additional information and updates about the status of Atlanta's bid will be posted on the site over the next several months. Fans and supporters also can sign up to become part of the committee's 'Pit Crew' and be among the first to receive newly released information about Atlanta's bid. (Atlanta NASCAR HOF PR)

• Weldon to NEXTEL Cup? Dan Weldon, this year's Indy 500 winner, was a guest here of Gordon. Weldon said he's looking at the NASCAR world for a possible career move, eventually. (Salem Journal)

• Kenseth no plans to move: With Silly Season in full swing, it figures that ever-steady Matt Kenseth, the 2003 Cup champ, has no plans to move. Expect him to get his next contract with Roush Racing locked down early. Kenseth, who finished second Sunday (his best finish of the season), reportedly is signed through the 2006 season and has no plans to change teams. "We've never had any problems," Kenseth said. "Roush has always been fair to me, and I feel like I've done the same thing. They've done great things for my career, and I can't imagine racing anywhere else." (Sporting News Lee Spencer)

• Aaron's and Waltrip Donate to VJGC:  Aaron Rents (RNT) announced its commitment to support the mission of Victory Junction Gang, a retreat for sick children founded by NASCAR's Petty family in honor of the late Adam Petty. Mike Hickey, Aaron's Vice President of Management Development said, "I know I speak for every associate at Aaron's when I say that we are honored to be connected with the Victory Junction Gang and with Michael Waltrip's amazing fund-raising efforts on behalf of the camp." Aaron's associates and stores contributed more than $100,000 in donations for the camp as part of an overall $1 million donation to the facility made by Aaron's Dream Machine driver Michael Waltrip. Waltrip's donation was comprised of funds from various sources, including monies raised when he completed the Las Vegas Marathon as part of his ambitious Operation Marathon program earlier this year. Aaron's executives recently attended the first anniversary celebration at Victory Junction during which a statue of Michael Waltrip running the marathon was unveiled in front of the newly named Michael Waltrip Operation Marathon Sports Center. In attendance were Aaron's Sales & Lease Ownership President Ken Butler, and members of Aaron's senior management team including Greg Bellof, Rich Lamprey, Mitch Paull and Mark Rudnick.  (Aaron's Lease PR)

• NASCAR to ban testing at several tracks: NASCAR is considering banning Cup testing at Kentucky and Nashville and possibly other tracks, according to crew chiefs, who say NASCAR may also ban any testing anywhere during the season's final 10 events. (Salem Journal)

July 10, 2005

• Earnhardt, Jr. Finally Wins. A jubilant Dale Earnhardt Jr. broke through for his first NASCAR Nextel Cup victory of the season Sunday, using a two-tire strategy and holding off Matt Kenseth to win at Chicagoland Speedway. "I was worried I was going to go winless this year," the relieved Earnhardt said after smoking the tires on his No. 8 Chevrolet and celebrating with his crew in the infield grass. "Now, let's go out and do it again, win some more." Kenseth led 176 of the 267 laps but wound up second after choosing to change four tires and falling behind on his final pit stop in the USG Sheetrock 400. (MSNBC - Results - Points)

• Tracey given go ahead for NASCAR ride:  Paul Tracy was telling reporters at the Molson Indy yesterday that Forsythe Championship Racing will let him drive in NASCAR races if the opportunity arises. Tracy was miffed last season when team owner Gerry Forsythe nixed a deal Tracy had with Richard Childress Racing to run the No. 30 Chevrolet at the Nextel Cup event in Sonoma, Calif. The problem, however, is that there is only one road-course race left on the NASCAR calendar - next month at Watkins Glen - and it's unlikely there will be a car available for Tracy on such short notice. And with Tracy's contract with Forsythe about expire at the end of the season, the whole NASCAR thing is rather moot. (Edmonton Sun)

• Another Chicago date in 2007? Lights tobe Added? NASCAR chairman Brian France is expected to speak today on the possibility of Chicagoland Speedway adding a second Nextel Cup race to its schedule, perhaps as early as 2007. If that happens, the race track may also add lights, with either or both races landing on Saturday night on the schedule. If a second race at Chicagoland is added, the bigger questions would be when it would run and whether the date would be taken from another track on the circuit. The weather window for running in the area is short, and the fall collides with the college and pro football seasons. What's more, the Indy Racing League's date at Chicagoland is the second Sunday in September. The tickets for the IRL weekend are sold as part of this weekend's races as a package deal. Adding a third weekend to the package could slow sales, but splitting one of the two NASCAR weekends off separately could do the same thing. (Daily South)

July 9, 2005

• Atlanta's HOF bid plans kept under wraps: Atlanta's NASCAR hall of fame bid team pulled the cover off its new Web site Friday, complete with the hall's would-be logo and an image of Centennial Olympic Park under a fireworks display. But the site, www.halloffameatlanta.com, leaves out a number of key details, even a rendering of what the attraction might look like. The home page image is of Centennial Olympic Park during an imagined event, and not the proposed racing shrine. Atlanta is in a tight race with four other communities - Kansas City, Kan., Charlotte, Richmond and Daytona Beach, Fla. - to become NASCAR's Cooperstown. Some of those efforts have launched Web sites and all have released renderings, finances and other details of their NASCAR proposals to the public. But details of Atlanta's bid, which intends to spend as much as $25 million in state money, are still under wraps. The Atlanta bid committee has refused to show the public any part of the proposal it delivered to racing officials in May. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has sought the bid materials under the Georgia Open Records Act. But bid officials, through their attorney, have said their effort is private and not subject to the state's open records law. The Journal-Constitution on July 6 wrote a letter to state Attorney General Thurbert Baker arguing the bid team should release detailed information and asking Baker to enforce the open records act. (More at AJC)

• Wood in the 21 in 2006?   No. 21 Ford: Now that Jon Wood appears to be out of the running for Martin's ride, the Stuart native becomes a likely candidate to drive for his family-owned team if 2005 becomes Ricky Rudd's last season. The 48-year-old Chesapeake native has said he will decide on his future by the end of the summer. "There's a strong possibility that if things work out, I could be in the 21," Wood told The Tampa Tribune yesterday. "That would be a really big deal because the Wood Brothers family and the racing team have both put a tremendous amount of effort into getting me where I am right now. So that would be cool to pay them back." (Times-Dispatch)

• Hmiel talks about son Shane: Crew chief Steve Hmiel attempts to revive Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s championship hopes one weekend at a time. It's a welcome distraction and helps ease Hmiel's pain from the "terrific hole in my heart.'' Hmiel anguishes for his son, Shane, who has been banished from the sport until 2007. NASCAR suspended Shane Hmiel last month after the 25-year-old violated the sport's substance abuse policy for the second time within two years. "There are times I want to kill him and there are times I want to hug him,'' Steve Hmiel said of his son. "That's true of every parent and every situation. Our family is here to support him.'' So, as Steve Hmiel heads to the track each weekend, Shane remains at the family's Pleasant Garden, N.C., home. He's been there since shortly after series officials escorted him out of the garage at Dover five weeks ago. "What Shane is doing is he's sitting at home on the couch and he has good days and bad,'' Steve Hmiel said. "A good day is not sitting there with your heart broken. A bad day is thinking the world is coming to an end. There are no real good days.'' (Roanoke.com)

• Mears with Penske and #2?  No. 2 Dodge: With McMurray out of the picture, Casey Mears' name has popped up as replacing the retiring Rusty Wallace at Penske Racing South. Mears, who drives the No. 41 for Chip Ganassi Racing, said yesterday he is waiting to hear from Ganassi on next year. "I've been told they want me around next season, but that's the extent of it," he said. "I just haven't seen anything solid that says I'm going to be there. I'm happy with my team. I think we can improve and do a lot better than we're doing now, so if I stick around, I'd be happy with that. If not, I'm keeping options open to go do something else. But right now it's their option, and as soon as they let me know I can make a decision. . . . The longer they wait to tell me anything hurts me." (Times-Dispatch)

• Richmond a week earlier: Richmond International Raceway apparently will be welcoming the Nextel Cup Series a week early next spring. RIR officials have had discussions with NASCAR about the 2006 schedule, and all indications are Richmond's first Busch-Cup weekend will fall on May 5-6. The Chevy American Revolution 400 at RIR has been held the second weekend in May the past two years. Richmond will swap spots with Darlington Raceway, which will retain the Mother's Day weekend date after a 75,000-seat sellout on May 7 in its first Saturday night race the day before the holiday. (Times-Dispatch)

• More on Roush, McMurray and Gannasi: Jamie McMurray wasn't talking about his decision to sign with Roush Racing for the 2007 season yesterday, but his future car owner was. Jack Roush said McMurray was motivated to leave Chip Ganassi Racing because he didn't want to end up in a situation similar to last year when Ganassi didn't renew his contract in person. "It was important to Jamie to know where he was going," Roush said. "It's my understanding there wasn't much discussion between he and the management of that team before the option was picked up last year. A UPS driver brought him an envelope and he opened it up and found he'd been renewed. "So there's been no discussion, and he was expecting the same kind of drama in getting to September this year, and I think he was anxious to have it put it to bed. We were in position to say we wanted to build the future of our No. 6 program around him." Roush said McMurray was always on his list as a possibility to replace Mark Martin, who is retiring from the No. 6 Ford after this season. Ganassi has said McMurray will remain in the No. 42 Dodge through the end of next year, but Roush won't make a decision on a one-year stopgap in Martin's ride until September - the deadline for Ganassi to renew the last year of McMurray's contract. Garage insiders say Ganassi could change his mind and let McMurray go, but Roush said he would make no attempt to buy out the final year of the deal with Ganassi. (Times-Dispatch)

July 8, 2005

• Johnson Wins Pole: Nextel Cup points leader Jimmie Johnson won his first pole in more than a year, taking the top spot Friday at Chicagoland Speedway. His speed of 188.147 mph knocked NASCAR's top qualifier, Ryan Newman, off the pole for Sunday's USG Sheetrock 400. Johnson, who drove a Chevrolet, and Newman led six drivers who surpassed Jeff Gordon's year-old track qualifying record of 186.942. (Related items: Qualifying results | Stewart scratched Newman averaged 188.055, followed by fellow Dodge driver Casey Mears at 187.676. Matt Kenseth was at 187.396 in a Ford, Brian Vickers at 187.324 in a Chevy and series runner-up Greg Biffle at 187.065 in a Ford. "I don't think the qualifying speeds will translate exactly into what you see on the track in the race," Johnson said. "With the extra practice we have (Saturday), it allows us to mess up our car, and it allows the other guys to make theirs better. (Includes lineup USA Today) Top Ten: 1st) Jimmie Johnson - 188.147, 2nd) Ryan Newman - 188.055, 3rd) Casey Mears - 187.676, 4th) Matt Kenseth - 187.396, 5th) Brian Vickers - 187.324, 6th) Greg Biffle - 187.065, 7th) Scott Riggs - 186.858, 8th) Dale Jarrett - 186.664, 9th) Kevin Harvick - 186.393, and 10th) Dave Blaney - 186.278

• Stewart goes to Backup, will practice tomorrow: NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series driver Tony Stewart crashed his primary Home Depot Chevrolet midway through this morning's practice session at Chicagoland Speedway. He cut a right front tire upon entering turn four of the 1.5-mile oval, making a hard right side impact with the turn four retaining wall. The #20 Joe Gibbs Racing Team will now race Chassis No. 100 in Sunday's USG Sheetrock 400. This is just the second time in its six-and-a-half year existence the #20 team has had to use its backup race car following a crash in practice. The only other time where its backup race car was used due to a crash in practice was last year at Chicagoland. There, in the morning practice session, Stewart hit oil in turn three, spun, and impacted the turn three wall with the left side of the race car. Stewart went on to win last year's race at Chicagoland in his backup race car. Following today's crash, Stewart was evaluated in the infield care center. While Stewart was awake, alert and able to walk on his own, medical personnel determined that further examination was needed at St. Joseph's Hospital in Joliet. There, Stewart underwent precautionary X-rays. All tests came back negative. J.J. Yeley, driver of the #18 Vigoro/Home Depot Chevrolet for Joe Gibbs Racing in the NASCAR Busch Series, qualified the #20 Home Depot Chevrolet a respectable 13th for the USG Sheetrock 400. The sophomore Busch Series driver toured the 1.5-mile oval in 29.006 seconds with an average speed of 186.168 mph. Yeley was fitted into the seat of the #20 car and was able to make two mock qualifying runs before today's practice session ended. In his first career Bush Series start last year at Chicagoland, Yeley led 25 laps before a late race pit stop dropped him to ninth. With Yeley qualifying the #20 car, Stewart will start the USG Sheetrock 400 from the 43rd and last position. The benefit of Yeley making a qualifying attempt was for the #20 team to obtain the best pit selection possible. Stewart will drive the #20 car in tomorrow's two practice sessions and in Sunday's race. (Joe Gibbs Racing PR)

• Childress reorganizes Engine Department: Richard Childress Racing (RCR) continues to make personnel moves to improve its championship-winning engine department. Engine shop manager Spenny Clendenen, an RCR employee since 1985 and head engine builder from 1995 to 1997, has been named to the position of general manager in charge of the department's business and administrative responsibilities. He will also be the focal point for RCR's customer engine program, which furnishes engines for Kevin Harvick, Inc. (Busch and Truck), PPI Motorsports (NEXTEL Cup) and Morgan-Dollar Motorsports (Truck). Rick Mann has been named chief engine builder and will oversee all competition-related responsibilities. He brings 17 years of NASCAR engine building experience and nearly 30 years of overall engine building experience to his new position. Assistant engine shop manager Danny Lawrence, an RCR employee since 1985 and head engine builder from 1998 to 2001, has been named assistant chief engine builder. He will responsible for all at-track activities involving RCR's NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series team engine tuners and will assist Mann at the shop. (RCR PR)

• Office Depot signs with Roush's Edwards as Exclusive Sponsor: In the midst of its inaugural season in NASCAR, Office Depot (NYSE:ODP), the "Official Office Products Partner of NASCAR" and Roush Racing announced today that Office Depot has signed a new multi-year deal to be the primary sponsor of the No. 99 Roush Racing Ford, driven by Carl Edwards beginning in the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season. "I'm really excited to have Office Depot on board as the primary sponsor of the No. 99 Ford in 2006 and beyond," said Edwards. "I'm proud to represent Office Depot and all of their employees and customers across the country. There is an obvious cross-over between the NASCAR fan base and Office Depot's customers and I'm excited that they've chosen me, Roush Racing and the No. 99 team as their vehicle to communicate their messaging. I know I speak for my entire team when I say we look forward to having Office Depot as a part of our team in the future." The new sponsorship deal catapults Office Depot to the forefront of the promising career of Edwards, whose early success in NASCAR's NEXTEL Cup Series has earned him recognition as one of NASCAR's hottest young drivers and the sport's newest rising star. Office Depot's foray into NASCAR began this February when the Company announced its sponsorship of Roush Racing's No. 99 Ford that ultimately extended to a total of 17 races for the 2005 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season. "We've only been in the sport a few months but we have already seen our relationships with Carl Edwards, Roush Racing and NASCAR drive sales for Office Depot and raise our brand awareness in markets where we have conducted promotional activities and events," said Chuck Rubin, Executive Vice President and Chief Merchandising/Marketing Officer for Office Depot." (Roush Racing PR)

• Stewart taken to Hospital for X-rays: Tony Stewart was taken to a hospital for precautionary X-rays Friday after bouncing off the wall during practice for the USG Sheetrock 400 at Chicagoland Speedway. Stewart, the winner of the last two NASCAR Nextel Cup events and the defending race champion, was complaining of pain in one of his shoulders after hitting the wall with the right side of his No. 20 Chevrolet and sliding into the infield grass. He was helped from the car by speedway safety personnel and walked to the waiting ambulance for the mandatory ride to the infield care center. The Joe Gibbs Racing team was rolling his backup Chevrolet to the gas pumps when Stewart was taken to the hospital. (USA Today)

• Nemechek gets extension: In conjunction with the U.S. Army partnership renewal with MB2 Motorsports in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, Joe Nemechek has received a multiyear contract extension from MB2 to drive the 01 Army Chevrolet. Nemechek took over the driving duties of the U.S. Army/MB2 entry with four races remaining in the 2003 season. "It's been a privilege to drive the U.S. Army car and represent the men and women in uniform," said Nemechek. "This Army team continues to make progress and as time goes on we're only going to get better and better. The future is bright because we have talented people associated with this team. I am grateful to be part of MB2 Motorsports -- it's a first-class organization that is 100 percent committed to fielding quality teams in the most competitive form of racing." Jay Frye, MB2's general manager and chief executive officer, was equally thrilled in Nemechek's contract extension and the Army partnership renewal. "We are honored with the continued support the U.S. Army has placed with our team," said Frye. "We have a special partner in the Army and are very proud of the association. Our Army of One team has been competitive week in and week out and we are excited about Joe's extension. Everyone at MB2 Motorsports feels that we are on the cusp of something great." Nemechek, a native of Lakeland, Fla., has 375 career NASCAR Cup starts. His first Cup race was in 1993, the year after he won the Busch Series championship. (MB2 Motorsports PR)

• ISC post record revenue: International Speedway Corp. continued its fast pace for the year, posting record revenue and earnings for the quarter and the six months ending May 31. Specifically, total second-quarter revenue increased to $157.4 million, compared with revenue of $131.1 million in the prior-year period. Net income was $26.5 million, or 50 cents per diluted share, compared with net income of $6.1 million, or 11 cents per diluted share, in the prior year. "We have completed an outstanding first half of 2005, culminating with 20 percent revenue growth and record earnings for the second quarter," says Lesa France Kennedy, president of ISC, in a prepared statement. "The company generated double-digit revenue and earnings growth driven primarily by increased domestic broadcast revenues, and higher corporate sponsorship and hospitality at our major events. In addition, we continued to see solid consumer spending trends, highlighted by sold-out attendance at four of our five NASCAR Nextel Cup races during this year's second quarter." (Orlando Biz Journal)

• Jamie McMurray Statement on signing with Roush: "I have signed a multi-year agreement with Roush Racing to drive the #6 car beginning with the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series season. However, my focus and commitment remains with the #42 Texaco/Havoline/Home123 team as we continue our bid for the Chase for the Championship." --- Jamie McMurray.(Jamie McMurray Enterprises PR)

• Haas CNC to relocate:  A $16 million proposal to relocate Haas CNC Racing Inc. from Harrisburg could bring Kannapolis Gateway Business Park its second tenant. Haas would bring 130 jobs and a 140,000-square-foot building to the park if all goes as planned. Under the proposal, the company would move from a 40,000-square-foot building in Harrisburg. Haas, a NASCAR team operation that includes drivers Mike Bliss and Justin Labonte, is buying 23 acres in the park, where the operation will likely grow, says Mike Legg, Kannapolis city manager. "They will expand at some future date," he says. The 85-acre park is on N.C. Highway 73 at Kannapolis Parkway, one mile from Interstate 85. (Charlotte Biz Journal)

July 7, 2005

• McMurray to join Roush in '07: Jamie McMurray has signed a multi-year contract to drive Roush Racing's No. 6 Fords starting in 2007, sources close to the driver confirmed Thursday morning. Roush Racing is expected to release a statement on the matter Thursday afternoon. Chip Ganassi Racing released a statement Thursday morning saying that the team and McMurray would part ways following the 2006 season. "Jamie's made a decision to go in another direction after we've both fulfilled the commitment that we made to each other in 2002," team owner Chip Ganassi said in the statement. "We didn't do a good job of conveying to Jamie where this team is headed, but we expect a lot of success with Jamie the rest of this year and next year, and we wish him the best in his future endeavors beyond that." Sources said McMurray signed the contract with Roush Racing late last week, and speculation began almost immediately that he was on his way out at Ganassi. No word has been given regarding an interim driver for 2006, but many feel Roush Racing Truck Series driver Ricky Craven is the team's first choice. (NASCAR.com)

• Gannasi Statement: Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates announced today that it will part ways with driver Jamie McMurray following the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season. "Jamie's made a decision to go in another direction after we've both fulfilled the commitment that we made to each other in 2002," said team owner Chip Ganassi. "We didn't do a good job of conveying to Jamie where this team is headed, but we expect a lot of success with Jamie the rest of this year and next year, and we wish him the best in his future endeavors beyond that." Team owner Felix Sabates added, "This is a total team sport and the Texaco/Havoline team will continue to stay focused on making the Chase and running for the Championship this season, next season and well into the future." (Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates PR)

• Tornado hits Atlanta Motor Speedway, Damage Severe: Torrential rains from Tropical Storm Cindy pounded most of west and north Georgia Wednesday and Wednesday night - with major wind damage reported south and west of Atlanta. The storm knocked down trees, damaged buildings and dumped more than 5 inches of rain in some places as it moved through the area, the National Weather Service said. The Hampton area in Henry County was hit hard. Four planes were overturned and two hangars were damaged at Tara Field, fire officials said. A building at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, which houses several condominiums on the top floors and administrative offices on the bottom floor, suffered severe damage, speedway President Ed Clark said. ``The condo building and the whole track area got hit pretty hard. It's pretty extreme.'' No one was injured, but windows were blown out and vehicles were blown around by strong winds, Clark said. Two people in GA. have died associated with T.S. Cindy. (Access GA) More coverage: The worst property damage from Wednesday night's storms appeared to be in Henry County where several homes were hit by what officials say was at least one tornado.  Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Ga., suffered significant damage. The track was covered in debris. Roofs and facades were torn off buildings. Several units at the speedway condominiums were damaged. Five of the 48 units are regularly occupied. Everyone got out safely. The building is currently unoccupied while it is checked for safety. Officials estimate it suffured $50 million in damage. (11Alive)

• Tracy talks NASCAR Racing in Montreal: Paul Tracy's flirtation with NASCAR isn't over quite yet. But the two-time Toronto Molson Indy winner isn't about to give up his day job as the primary driver for the Forsythe Racing No. 3 car to chase a career in stock-car racing. Yesterday, Tracy talked about the possibility that a NASCAR Busch Series race could be run as a companion event to the Champ Car Molson Indy Montreal in 2007. If that was the case, Tracy might well have a go at doing a double - racing in both series on the same weekend. There also is talk about the Busch Series teaming up with Champ Car at Fudidora Park in Monterrey, Mexico, also in 2007. "I don't know," Tracy said. "The pit lane there is pretty short. I don't know if it could accommodate 43 NASCAR stock cars in its Champ Car configuration." (Edmonton-Sun)

• Busch and Rudd test Indy: At least Kurt Busch and Ricky Rudd didn't have to worry about traffic. The two Nextel Cup drivers were at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Wednesday for the second of six days of testing, and they had the whole track to themselves. "There's pros and cons to both sides," Busch said of the uncluttered testing. "You don't have to worry about people blowing up motors or getting into accidents. It gives us plenty of track time, really. "Normally when you come to Indy you've got a big group of cars, but this feels like we rented the place out for a private test all by ourselves." Carl Edwards, Busch's teammate with Roush Racing, had the quickest lap Tuesday but did not take part in Wednesday's session. Jimmy Spencer couldn't drive because he crashed his only car on Tuesday. More tests are scheduled for Monday and Tuesday and July 18-19. NASCAR's Brickyard 400 is Aug. 7. The newly resurfaced track allows greater traction and higher speeds, but it still hasn't had enough traffic to provide a true test under race conditions, Busch said. (SF Gate)

• Kitsap County may of violated laws: Kitsap County officials may have ducked state public-records laws to try to keep negotiations about a proposed NASCAR track secret, county prosecutor Russell Hauge said yesterday. Hauge is asking the state Attorney General's Office to inquire about why some studies and other documents created by county staff were handed over to the private Kitsap Regional Economic Development Council and the International Speedway Corporation (ISC). Taking them out of the county record meant they didn't turn up when a local resident filed a request under the state Public Disclosure Act to see all documents pertaining to the proposed racetrack. "Representatives of the county may have given away work product," Hauge said. "That is a potential law violation." (Seattle Times)

• Pepsi 400 Ratings draw 5.5, up 6%: NBC's first NASCAR telecast of the second half of the Nextel Cup race season, the Pepsi 400 from Daytona International Speedway on Saturday night, July 2, drew a 5.5 national rating and 13 share, up 6 percent over last year's race on Fox, despite a two-and-a-half hour rain delay that resulted in the telecast ending on Sunday at 2 a.m. NBC's live rain-delay coverage, from 7:45 p.m. to 9:55 p.m. drew a 3.6 household rating, and was the highest-rated program from 8-9 p.m. on Saturday. The rain-delay coverage consisted of interviews with NASCAR drivers during the delay. The race telecast averaged a solid 3.2/13 in the 18-49 demo from 9:55 to 2 a.m., making it the week's seventh highest rated program among the 18-49 demo in prime time. (Media Week)

• Stewart, Martin, Biffle and more to test the Glen: Tony Stewart, Mark Martin and Greg Biffle will highlight what could be the largest test session ever at Watkins Glen International on Aug. 1-2. The test is open to fans for a $5 fee. Overall, 13 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series and 22 Busch Series teams will arrive in Schuyler County after the Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway and prior to that week's Brickyard 400. Chemung's Geoffrey Bodine leads a cast of Busch Series racers that also included Reed Sorenson, Wally Dallenbach, Martin Truex Jr. and Kerry Earnhardt. Tony Stewart, who has won two of the last three race at The Glen and two straight road races in Nextel Cup, will also test Kevin Harvick's Busch car, in addition to his familiar No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet. Ryan Newman, Carl Edwards, Travis Kvapil and Boris Said will also test Nextel Cup and Busch cars. Other Nextel Cup drivers include Scott Pruett, Jamie McMurray, Casey Mears, Jeff Green, Chris Cook, Ron Fellows and Harvick. Despite their positions in the Chase for the Championship standings, neither Dale Earnhardt Jr. nor Jeff Gordon are scheduled to test. In fact, Hendrick Motorsports isn't scheduled to be represented at all on those days. (The-Leader)