NASCAR May 28 - June 1, 2006 News

The News Below

• Champ Car fights getting bumped by NASCAR in Montreal

• ISC proposal to WA. Legislators went favorable for Speedway

• NASCAR on FOX scores Top 20 Network television rating

• Toyota to field more than 6 teams in '07

• MAPEI on the #7 Gordon Ride

• Earnhardt, Jr. Father's Day paint scheme, honors 3 generations of Earnhardt's

• Johnson's #48 Lowe's Crew wins weekly Drive-Thru Challenge

• M. Waltrip announces the Waltrip Challenge

• LMS Car of Tomorrow testing complete

• Long to attempt Dover

• Both Mayfield and Busch docked points, Busch fined 50k

• Smith looking at buying possible speedways

• Jeff Gordon 450th start

• Mayfield and Ky. Busch penalties expected today

• COT day 1 testing complete

• Indy 500 winner Hornish doesn't rule out NASCAR

• T. Stewart will race Sunday at Dover

• COT testing today at LMS

• Nemechek honors servicemen

• Haas makes official announcement on Wind Tunnel

• New GM engine?

• M. Waltrip names new VP for MWR

• Haas: Couple more races for Sauter

• NASCAR Tops Sunday Night Ratings

• Group collects signatures for NASCAR to boycott Ky. Speedway

• Kahne to speak at NHIS Governor's breakfast

• Microsoft sponsors first NASCAR team, #66 Green

• Stewart factures scapula in accident

• Kahne wins Coca-Cola 600

• State OKs Kt. Busch wedding plans

• Haas unveils wind tunnel plans, to be NC's first

• Stewart wrecks, and taken to local hospital again

• Stewart cleared to race

• Heat a factor at the speedway for fans, drink water

• Kt. Busch incident at Speedway

• Robby triple-duty next weekend

• Fans injured in stands

NEXT Race/RaceCast: Find NEXTEL Cup Next race information, including television, practice, qualifying times and more, also radio coverage information.. During the race find GNEXTINC.com: RaceCast with running order, notes, and more..

June 1, 2006:

• Champ Car fights getting bumped by NASCAR in Montreal: Champ Car's fifth year at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve could be a race for survival. Amid reports the Aug. 25-27 Champ Car Grand Prix of Montreal may be bumped off the track by a NASCAR Busch Series event next year, organizers are hoping for a big turnout to prove it deserves to stay in Montreal. City Hall is to decide whether to grant exclusive rights to promote races at the municipally owned venue to Normand Legault, promoter of the hugely successful Canadian Grand Prix Formula One race. Legault is reported to be close to a deal with NASCAR to bring one of its second-tier events, the Busch Series, to Montreal in 2007, with an eye to hosting a top-tier Nextel Cup event in the future. Since only two race weekends per year can be held at the track near to downtown, that could leave the Champ Cars out in the cold. (TSN)

• ISC proposal to WA. Legislators went favorable for Speedway: A pair of South Sound congressmen have added their support to a Florida company’s proposal to build the Northwest’s first NASCAR speedway. Rep. Adam Smith, D-Tacoma, told a group of state lawmakers Wednesday that he and Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Belfair, would push for federal money to help pay for transportation and other improvements associated with the possible $345 million track in rural Kitsap County. Smith said the proposal from International Speedway Corp. could finally provide the region with a major sports tourism draw somewhere other than King County. And more importantly, he said, it would generate more out-of-state tourism dollars than Safeco Field, Qwest Field or any other sports venue in the state. “It could really help us grow in the South Sound region,” Smith said during a meeting with legislators at the Port of Seattle headquarters. ISC representatives and local officials, including Pierce County Executive John Ladenburg, spoke about the benefits a racetrack could bring to Washington. The legislative economic development committee didn’t indicate if it will make a recommendation to the rest of the Legislature anytime soon. As for Smith, he said ISC hasn’t approached him about any federal funding for road expansion. The company has said it could require some $10 million in improvements. ISC has proven it can be a major draw in other states, he said. “We want to see that happen here, and we think this is the way to do it,” he said. (News Tribune)

• NASCAR on FOX scores Top 20 Network television rating: FOX's Sunday coverage of Coca-Cola 600 from Lowe's Motors Speedway, edged into Nielson Media Research top 20 Network television. NASCAR coverage garnered a 8.4 million viewers tying for 17th, with CBS's The King of Queens", and ABC's Lost.. FOX's American Idol dominated the week with a 36.4 mil. viewers. (Detroit Free Press)

• Toyota to field more than 6 teams in '07:  Toyota will have more than its six full-time teams competing in at least some of the Nextel Cup races on the 2007 schedule, the manufacturer confirmed Wednesday. Jim Aust, vice president of Toyota Motorsports, said Germain Racing and Wyler Racing, two teams that field Toyotas in the Truck Series, are looking for sponsorship to run limited schedules next season. The teams would run one car each in some of the races in which the NASCAR "car of tomorrow" will be used. Todd Bodine, who drives for Germain in the Truck Series, would drive its car. Wyler has driver Jack Sprague in the Truck Series, but Aust said it has not decided who would drive the Cup car. (Charlotte Observer/David Poole)

• MAPEI on the #7 Gordon Ride: This weekend’s Neighborhood Excellence 400 presented by Bank of America will be the first race this season new sponsor MAPEI will be on the hood of the No. 7 Chevy. MAPEI, a global corporation, has been supplying residential and major commercial projects with total installation solutions for tile and stone, floor covering and decorative concrete as well as concrete restoration for more than 65 years. Visit http://www.mapei.com/ for technical information or call 1-800-42-MAPEI (1-800-426-2734) for the nearest location. (Robby Gordon PR)

• Earnhardt, Jr. Father's Day paint scheme, honors 3 generations of Earnhardt's: Dale Earnhardt Inc. and Budweiser will honor three generations of racing success with a commemorative Father’s Day paint scheme for the No. 8 Budweiser car that Dale Earnhardt Jr. will race at Michigan International Raceway on Father’s Day, June 18. The paint scheme is based upon the No. 8 cars driven by Ralph Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt during their NASCAR careers. The predominantly cream-colored car will feature vintage Budweiser bow-tie logos which were introduced in 1956 – the same year Ralph Earnhardt won the NASCAR National Sportsman title, a series that eventually became the modern-day NASCAR Busch Series.  Fans can see the paint scheme at www.Budweiser.com or at www.DaleEarnhardtInc.com. The car is the second DEI paint scheme this season to honor the legacy of a member of the Earnhardt family. Previously, Dale Jr. raced a black and silver #8 Budweiser car at Talladega on April 30 to celebrate his father’s induction into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame. (Fingerprint/Bud Racing PR)

• Johnson's #48 Lowe's Crew wins weekly Drive-Thru Challenge: Jimmie Johnson's over-the-wall crew took the lead in the season-long Checkers / Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge by tallying its third win of the season in Sunday's Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Johnson's crew spent 558.658 seconds on pit road during the NASCAR® NEXTEL Cup event, helping boost its driver to a second-place finish in the circuit's longest race of the season. Johnson's over-the-wall crew, part of the Hendrick Motorsports family, consists of: Chris Anderson (jackman), Art Simmons (front-tire carrier), Mike Trower (front-tire changer), Ron Malec (rear-tire carrier), Tim Ladyga (rear-tire changer), Rich Gutierrez (gasman), Mike Knauer (catch can) and Sean Kerlin (eighth-man). The #48 team, guided by crew chief Chad Knaus, also picked up pit crew challenge wins at Daytona International Speedway and California Speedway in February. Johnson's crew, which will be awarded the weekly $10,500 prize, is vying for the $105,000 bonus that will be presented by Checkers/Rally's to the team with the most wins at the completion of the 36-race schedule. Checkers/Rally's is the Official Burger and Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR, more info at checkers.com. (DMFCommunications PR)

• M. Waltrip announces the Waltrip Challenge: Michael Waltrip has partnered with The Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation to announce the ‘Preserving Your Memory’ campaign in efforts to help fund Alzheimer’s disease (AD) research. The campaign’s objective is to raise $100 million dollars over the next five years for continued studies.  “There is no cure for Alzheimer’s,” said Waltrip. “Millions of people suffer from the disease and most families have been touched by it in some way or another. I know, through personal experience, the devastation and destruction this disease causes to our loved ones. It is a disease that strikes fear in my heart for those who are directly and indirectly affected by the disease.” Waltrip is challenging people to make a donation to help find a cure for Alzheimer's disease. “‘The Waltrip Challenge’ is a personal fundraising tactic we will be promoting in the upcoming months in conjunction with the Foundation's new campaign launch,” said Waltrip. “Its purpose is to raise money for Alzheimer’s research and increase awareness throughout the country and the NASCAR community.” Through visiting www.waltripchallenge.com or www.alzinfo.org websites, people can purchase a ‘Preserving Your Memory’ Forget-Me-Not pin, or a Get-Etched Memories product, which will generate much needed funds to aid Alzheimer’s disease research. To bring in additional donations, ‘The Waltrip Challenge’ initiative will also include a ‘Race Day Experience’ sweepstakes with Waltrip himself. (MWR)

• LMS Car of Tomorrow testing complete: For the second straight day, drivers participating in NASCAR's Car of Tomorrow test at Lowe's Motor Speedway were impressed with how the new car handled and maneuvered on the race track. Teams from Hendrick Motorsports (Brian Vickers), Richard Childress Racing (Jeff Burton), DEI (Dale Earnhardt, Jr.), Evernham Motorsports (Scott Riggs), Joe Gibbs Racing (Denny Hamlin), Chip Ganassi (Casey Mears), and MB2 Motorsports (Joe Nemechek) participated in Wednesday's test. "This car drives and handles pretty well," Riggs said. "The rear wing is going to be a big help. It gives you a lot of adjustability. We made some adjustments with the wing today that allowed us to run a lot better than yesterday. "This was the first time I had driven this car but now we have some good, solid fundamentals to take away from this test and take to the next one later this summer at Michigan." Despite having the morning session pushed back due to a thunderstorm that passed through the area, the drivers spent more than three hours on the track in the afternoon, running solo and then also running three 10-lap group runs. Jeff Burton said he wasn't that surprised that the new car handled so well at this test. "We've put a lot of time and effort into this new car, so we kind of expected it to run well," Burton said. "For the first time running the wing at a big track like this, I'd say it was a successful test." Nextel Cup Series Director John Darby says that this two-day session at Lowe's should provide NASCAR with some valuable information to prepare for the next scheduled test Aug. 21 at Michigan International Speedway. (NASCAR PR)

• Long to attempt Dover race: Carl Long will be driving the #34 Oak Gloves Chevrolet for Front Row Motorsports this weekend at Dover International Speedway for the running of the Neighborhood Excellence 400 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race.  (Carl-Long.com)

May 31, 2006:

• Both Mayfield and Busch docked points, Busch fined 50k: Kyle Busch, driver of the #5 Kellogg's Chevy for Hendrick Motorsports, has been fined, penalized points and placed on probation because of a rule infraction this past Sunday during the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Busch was in violation of Section 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing) of the NASCAR Rule Book. He disobeyed a directive from a NASCAR official, entered the racing surface without authorization and threw an object at another competitor’s car during the event. He has been fined $50,000, penalized 25 Driver Championship points and placed on probation until Dec. 31. The infraction also resulted in car owner Rick Hendrick being penalized 25 Owner Championship points. In addition, the #19 Dodge team was found to be in violation of Section 12-4-A, 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components and/or equipment used that do not conform to NASCAR rules) and Section 20-12.8.1A (roof height too low in post-race inspection). That infraction resulted in crew chief Chris Andrews being fined $35,000, driver Jeremy Mayfield losing 25 driver points and car owner Ray Evernham losing 25 owner points. Also, Don Richardson, crew member on the #5 Chevrolet team, has been fined $5,000 and placed on probation until Dec. 31. He violated 12-4-A, because of improper use of a NASCAR credential. (NASCAR PR)

• Smith looking at buying possible speedways: With NASCAR's traveling circus at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend, Speedway Motorsports Incorporated's Chairman/CEO O. Bruton Smith has restated his desire to purchase an additional speedway. Smith told a gathering of media at the announcement of the Trophy Towers high-rise condominium outside LVMS's Turns 1 and 2, that the owners of Dover International Speedway, New Hampshire International Speedway and Pocono Raceway had standing purchase offers.  Smith said he doesn't call Dover president Denis McGlynn, Pocono founder Dr. Joseph Mattioli or Bob Bahre, who built NHIS, daily; but that he did touch base with them "weekly." "If Pocono or any of the others came knocking, I'd open the door," Smith said. "They know I'm here and it would take me 20 minutes to write the check." And he renewed talk of his intention to use the purchase to get a second date for the venue located outside the world's gaming capital. Smith acknowledged that the value of a Nextel Cup Series race date was at least $200 million and up to as much as $250 million. (NASCAR.com)

• Jeff Gordon 450th start: Another milestone in a storied career is upon Jeff Gordon as he looks forward to making his 450th consecutive NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series start at Dover International Speedway.   Commemorating 73 wins and four championships is remarkable in that no other current driver can lay claim to that level of success. (HMS PR)

• Mayfield and Ky. Busch penalties expected today: NASCAR typically issues penalties on Tuesday, but today they delayed action on possible sanctions for both Kyle Busch and the Evernham Motorsports No. 19 Dodge driven by Jeremy Mayfield. Busch, who drew NASCAR’s ire earlier this year at Phoenix for ramming Casey Mears’ car during a red flag, threw his HANS device at Mears after the two collided Sunday night in the Coca-Cola 600. Mayfield’s car failed the postrace inspection in the same race when it came up one-eighth of an inch too low in the roof height measurement test. “The way we run these cars now, it beats these springs to death and they settle and you never know how much,” said team owner Ray Evernham. “They were low, no doubt about it. … The front springs gave up. It settled too much.” Mayfield finished 15th in the race. (SPEEDTV)

• COT day 1 testing complete: For the first time in its developmental stages, NASCAR’s Car of Tomorrow ran in groups of 6-8 cars with the aerodynamic wing attached to the rear, as the first of a two-day test session got underway Tuesday at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. The feedback NASCAR received from the drivers was positive and all indications are that the aero push in the group runs should make for some compelling racing. Teams from Hendrick Motorsports (Brian Vickers), Richard Childress Racing (Jeff Burton), DEI (Martin Truex, Jr.), Penske Racing South (Ryan Newman), Evernham Motorsports (Scott Riggs), Joe Gibbs Racing (Denny Hamlin), Chip Ganassi (Casey Mears), and MB2 Motorsports (Joe Nemechek) participated in Tuesday’s test. More (NASCAR PR)

• Indy 500 winner Hornish doesn't rule out NASCAR: Sam Hornish Jr. has always had a stock answer when asked about moving from open-wheel cars to the more popular and lucrative NASCAR series. He wanted to win the Indianapolis 500 first. So what about now?" I'm never going to tell you that I won't do that," Hornish said Tuesday, two days after winning the second-closest Indianapolis 500 ever. "But there's still a lot that I want to do as far as Indy cars go. I'd love to win another championship." (Indy Star)

• T. Stewart will race Sunday at Dover: Tony Stewart will not require surgery for the fractured right scapula he sustained in an accident during Sunday's Coca-Cola 600. Stewart's #20 Chevy suffered a right front tire failure on lap 33 of the 400-lap race, sending the #20 machine into the SAFER barrier on the outside retaining wall of turn one. Stewart was running in the 25th position when the accident happened. "Tony sustained a non-displaced fracture at the tip of his right scapula," said Dr. Jerry Petty, a neurosurgeon who has consulted with many NASCAR drivers. "It is a non-surgical injury that only time and rest can heal." While Stewart's fractured right scapula won't require surgery, it will limit his participation in this weekend's Nextel Cup event at Dover. Veteran NASCAR driver Ricky Rudd has been secured by Joe Gibbs Racing to serve as the relief driver for the #20 team this weekend at Dover. Rudd, a winner of 23 Nextel Cup races - four of which came at Dover - will practice and qualify the #20 Chevrolet while Stewart will start the 400-lap race. Rudd will be on standby in the pit area to relieve Stewart at any point during the event. By starting at Dover, Stewart will receive all points toward the Nextel Cup driver's championship.  (JGR/True Speed Communication)

May 30, 2006:

• COT testing today at LMS: Jeff Burton just finished two weeks of racing at Lowe's Motor Speedway, but his work isn't done yet. Burton is among at least eight Nextel Cup Series drivers who are expected to return to the track today and Wednesday for a NASCAR test of its "Car of Tomorrow," which will debut on the series' short tracks next season. This week will be the first large-scale test of the car, which will be utilized on the series' 1.5-mile tracks beginning in 2009, or earlier if the transition goes well. "I think (the) test is going to be very important for where the `Car of Tomorrow' goes with the (rear) wing especially. There is a tremendous amount to learn about the wing on the bigger race tracks," Burton said. "We've learned a lot about it on the small race tracks, but the big race track is where it needs to work well. It's going to be a huge learning tool." NASCAR is finalizing the design of the car, which will be 2 inches taller and 4 inches wider than current Cup cars, and could be several inches shorter in the rear. (Charlotte Observer)

• Nemechek honors servicemen: NASCAR used its Memorial Day weekend race to recognize the military, with representatives of all five armed services introduced to warm applause at the drivers meeting. Joe Nemechek took that one step further, presiding over the reenlistment ceremony of 27 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne who will soon be leaving for Iraq. (Miami Herald)

• Haas makes official announcement on Wind Tunnel: Gene Haas, owner of Haas CNC Racing, formally announced that he will locate a new $40 million wind tunnel project in Concord, N.C. Speaking at a press conference at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord on Sunday, Haas confirmed the tunnel will be constructed on a five-acre parcel of land off of Ivy Cline Road, adjacent to the Concord Regional Airport in Cabarrus County. Cabarrus County recently provided a three-year economic incentive grant for the project, and the city of Concord intends to provide a significant investment in the form of electrical infrastructure at the site. The city already had plans in place to build an electrical substation at Ivy Cline Road, but the timeline for that project will be moved up to accommodate the wind tunnel's construction schedule. Haas CNC Racing General Manager, Joe Custer, shared details of the wind tunnel and its unique rolling road system. "What makes this project so special is that there will be no other wind tunnel like this in the United States," Custer said. "It features a Single Belt FlatTrac Rolling Road system, manufactured by a company called MTS. The system uses a continuous steel belt running under the vehicle to simulate the road beneath a race car traveling on a speedway. It's the most accurate aerodynamic road simulation possible in the industry today. The system also offers repeatability, which is key to gathering valid, usable data. This will be the only wind tunnel in the world to feature this single belt rolling road system that will be available for teams and manufacturers to rent." Custer said the company constructing the wind tunnel, Jacobs Sverdrup, plans to break ground at the Ivy Cline Road site in January, 2007. Construction of the project is scheduled to be completed in late 2007.(GMR Live PR)

• New GM engine? With the goal of having a new engine approved by NASCAR for next season, four Chevrolet teams are working in conjunction with GM engineers to develop the best power plant possible. (SceneDaily)

• M. Waltrip names new VP for MWR: Michael Waltrip Racing announced that Robert B. Brannan III (Bob) will be the Vice President of Licensing for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series multi-team operation, which will field Toyota Camrys in 2007. "I'm really excited to become a part of Michael's organization as they prepare multiple full-time Toyota teams for competition next season," said Brannan, who will begin his new job in mid-June. "Michael Waltrip Racing is set to help Toyota's seamless entry into NASCAR's elite division. I'm pleased to have the opportunity to be associated with Michael's company and be a contributing member to the teams." Brannan brings a wealth of financial and licensing expertise to Michael Waltrip Racing. He has a long list of credits and most recently was the President of Cabarrus Bank & Trust in Concord, N.C. (MWR PR)

• Haas: Couple more races for Sauter:  Haas CNC Racing had two cars competing in the Coca-Cola 600, but that won't become a regular occurrence on the Nextel Cup circuit this year The No. 70 of Johnny Sauter, who drives for the team in the Busch Series, joined the No. 66 of Jeff Green on the track for the race.   "I think we're going to run [Sauter] in a couple of more big races," team owner Gene Haas said Sunday. Indianapolis is likely to be one of those if the logistics can be worked out since Sauter also would be driving the Busch Series race at Indianapolis Raceway Park. "What you're seeing there is we're testing the waters to see if we could have a second team," Haas said. "We have a brand new facility that we're building. It's going to be a beautiful facility. I think that's going to leverage us to attract not only better sponsors but better employees. "We should have the ability to develop and put competitive cars on the track." (NASCAR Scene Daily)

May 29, 2006:

• NASCAR Tops Sunday Night Ratings: Fans of NASCAR may be fans year round, but when it comes to TV ratings, it doesn't hurt that the official TV season is over. The racing sport topped households on Sunday night with a 5.0 rating/10 share. CBS was second with a 4.5/9, followed by ABC, 3.9/8; NBC, 3.5/7 and The WB, 1.2/2. A 3.0 gave FOX the edge among 18 to 49-year-olds as well, followed by ABC's 2.0, CBS' 1.5, NBC'2 1.2 and The WB's 0.7. (Zap2it)

• Group collects signatures for NASCAR to boycott Ky. Speedway: As race fans made their way into Lowe’s Motor Speedway on Sunday, they were greeted by people wanting their autographs. The group, Unite Here, collected more than 10,000 signatures for a petition that urges NASCAR to boycott the Kentucky Speedway Kentucky officials have filed a lawsuit that, if successful, would require NASCAR to open its races to a competitive bidding process. (News14)

• Kahne to speak at NHIS Governor's breakfast: Kasey Kahne, former NASCAR Rookie of the Year and driver for the Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge #9 will be this year’s headline speaker at the annual Morgan Stanley Governor’s Breakfast at New Hampshire International Speedway in Loudon, on Friday, July 14, 2006. The Governor’s Breakfast, an annual event before the July NEXTEL Cup race, has, for the last 5 years, been a fund raiser for the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth (CHaD) and David’s House. In addition to Governor Lynch and his wife, Dr. Susan Lynch, past speakers have included Scott Wimmer, driver of the CAT car # 22, who spoke to a sold out tent of fans; NEXTEL, Busch North and Featherweight drivers; and CHaD families. Ray Evernham, owner of the Evernham Motorsports and Kyle Petty, driver of the Georgia Pacific car, have been past speakers and continue to be regular guests. Both Wimmer and Evernham spoke from personal experience of having a child with a chronic, life threatening illness, and the necessity of a top quality children’s hospital like CHaD. (NHIS PR)

• Microsoft sponsors first NASCAR team, #66 Green: Officials from Microsoft and Best Buy announced the new Windows Live OneCare, a security service for personal computers, will be the primary sponsor on the No. 66 Best Buy Chevy driven by Jeff Green at this weekend's Nextel Cup Series race in Dover, Del. "I think it is a very exciting day for me as a driver for Haas Racing and what they have going on with Best Buy," Green said. "To have a partner come on like Microsoft is pretty awesome. For a guy from Kentucky (once) racing popsicle sticks down the gutters to get to hav ethe Microsoft car is pretty awesome." (Kannapolis Independent Tribune)

• Stewart factures scapula in accident: Joe Gibbs Racing driver Tony Stewart sustained a fracture of his right scapula in Sunday's Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race when a flat right front tire sent his No. 20 Chevrolet into the SAFER barrier on the outside retaining wall of turn one. Stewart was running in the 25th position when the accident happened on lap 33 of the 400-lap race. According to doctors at the Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, N.C., a CT scan revealed a minimally displaced fracture at the tip of the right scapula. Stewart is scheduled to meet with Joe Gibbs Racing's team physicians on Tuesday for further evaluation. An update on Stewart's condition will be provided following that evaluation. (True Speed Communications PR)

May 28, 2006:

• Kahne wins Coca-Cola 600: Jimmie Johnson's reign ended in frantic - but fruitless - pursuit of Kasey Kahne. There's finally a new Coca-Cola 600 winner, and somebody other than Johnson celebrated in Lowe's Motor Speedway's Victory Lane for the first time in six races. Kahne snapped Johnson's streak of dominance by taking the lead with 29 laps to go, then pulling out to such a huge lead that Johnson never had a chance to catch him. Johnson, the winner of the past three Coca-Cola 600s and seven of the last 10 races at Lowe's, finished second. He was well over 2 seconds behind Kahne, who stopped his car at the finish line to grab the checkered flag and celebrate with his team. It was Kahne's third victory of the season, and the first win for a Dodge at this track since Richard Petty in 1977. (AP/FOXSports.com - Results - Points)

• State OKs Kt. Busch wedding plans: The state has given its blessing to a 175-foot pier for the July 27 wedding of NASCAR driver Kurt Busch, with the promise the $24,500 structure overlooking the Chesapeake Bay will be torn down after ther ceremony. The conditional permit was granted to Dan Hoffler, a Virginia Beach real estate developer and Busch friend. Busch is marrying Eva Bryan, a former Old Dominion University student whose parents live in Chesapeake. They met on a blind date in July 2003. The wedding is scheduled for Hoffler's 125-acre Point Farm estate, just south of Eastville, according to Virginia Marine Resources Commission officials and Gary Bryan, father of the bride-to-be. The ceremony is slated for a remote, sandy spit. Besides the temporary pier, Hoffler will construct a 6,350-square-foot platform in sandy dunes at the southern tip of the spit. The plywood platform also will be removed after the ceremony, according to plans. (Daily Press)

• Haas unveils wind tunnel plans, to be NC's first: Car owner Gene Haas said Sunday he plans to build a $40 million wind tunnel on property adjacent to the Concord Regional Airport. Cabarrus County officials have approved a three-year economic incentive grant for the project and Haas said city officials will help with electrical infrastructure. The rolling road will be 10.5 feet wide and 29.5 feet long and can accelerate from zero to 180 mph in less than a minute. It will be the first wind tunnel in North Carolina, and the only one in the country with a rolling road system involving a continuous steel belt running under the vehicle to simulate the road beneath a car traveling on a speedway. (WCNC)

• Stewart wrecks, and taken to local hospital again: Driver of the #20 Home Depot Chevrolet, Tony Stewart was involved in a single car incident at lap 34.. After several minutes attending to Stewart, he was very slow to get out of his car and later taken to a local medical facility for further evaluation. (RaceCast)  Stewart was later released, and is expected to race Sunday in Dover..

• Stewart cleared to race: #20-Tony Stewart has been cleared to drive in Sunday's Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., after crashing in Saturday night's Carquest 300 NASCAR Busch Series race at Lowe's. Stewart, driving for Kevin Harvick Inc., in the Carquest 300, spun in turn four and impacted the SAFER barrier on lap 10 of the 200-lap race. After being transported to the speedway's infield care center, he complained of discomfort in his right shoulder. As a result, NASCAR medical personnel dispatched Stewart to Carolinas Medical Center University for precautionary X-rays. Those X-rays proved negative. (True Speed Communication)

• Heat a factor at the speedway for fans, drink water: Hot, dry conditions may be perfect weather for Saturday night’s Carquest Auto Parts 300 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, but after a comfortable spring locals aren’t yet used to the high heat. With temperatures topping out in the low 90s, paramedics were on high alert at the track. “The biggest thing today, as far as sheer numbers, is going to be the heat,” said Lt. Justin Brines with Cabarrus County Emergency Medical Services. Paramedics said they expect to handle at least 60 dehydration cases before the end of the weekend. “People need to make sure they drink plenty of water,” Brines said. “They need to do that before they get thirsty; that’s the most important thing.” (News 14)

• Kt. Busch incident at Speedway: A vehicle being driven by Nextel Cup driver Kurt Busch allegedly made contact with a part-time employee of Lowe's Motor Speedway on Friday night at a movie premiere. Busch was arriving for the premiere of the Disney movie "Cars" in the infield of Lowe's. He allegedly made contact with a parking attendant. "Kurt's vehicle allegedly made contact with this person around the knee area," said Jerry Gappens, the senior vice president of events for Lowe's. "He continued working, then later had it checked out and everything was fine." The unnamed employee also was working at the speedway yesterday. No police report had been filed with the Concord police department as of yesterday afternoon. According to Gappens, Busch met with Lowe's President H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler to let him know what had happened. Busch had no comment yesterday. (Times-Dispatch)

• Robby triple-duty next weekend:  Robby Gordon, who is widely regarded as the world’s most versatile race car driver, will put that reputation to the test once again next week when drives three different race cars in two countries on the same weekend. Gordon will defend his title in the Baja 500 in Ensenada, Mexico, where he will drive two different vehicles, and will also drive his NASCAR Nextel Cup Series car in Dover, Del. Having pulled the famed Indy-Charlotte double three times, Gordon is accustomed to the difficult travel logistics necessary to compete in the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day, but the challenge of racing in the Baja 500 and Dover NASCAR races presents an even greater test. The 37-year-old driver will travel approximately 11,200 miles by air during the odyssey (nearly half the distance around the world) and more than 1,100 miles on the ground. Less than eight hours after the completion of Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, his journey will begin with his first cross-country flight to Ensenada where he will spend three days practicing (or pre-running) both a Red Bull/Toyo Tires-sponsored Chevrolet CK1500 Trophy Truck and a Jim Beam/Toyo Tires-sponsored Hummer H3. Gordon will make the 2,800-mile flight to Dover on Thursday evening before practicing and qualifying his Mapei and Menards-sponsored Chevrolet Monte Carlo Friday. Following Friday’s NASCAR sessions, he will again return to Ensenada where he will take the green flag in the Baja 500 at approximately 9 a.m. (PDT) Saturday. (More at Robby Gordon Motorsports)

• Fans injured in stands: Salem-Journal reports.. debris from a late caution went into the stands and hit two spectators. Track spokesman Jerry Gappens said the fans received only minor injuries.

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