Starr Searching For 2011 Truck Ride

David Starr told the Houston Chronicle that he has no ride for next season, despite having a sponsorship contract in hand for the 2011 season.

Starr drove for both Randy Moss Motorsports and SS Green Light Racing last season with sponsorship from Zachry, en route to 10th place in the final championship standings. But while his sponsor is set to return, the Texas native said he has been unable to finalize negotiations for a 2011. "We plan on (returning to SS Green Light Racing),” said Starr. "We are working on it now... to make sure the race team has enough funding.”

"This time of year is very critical and important, trying to get everything situated so the team can hire (people) and update some equipment," he said. "You are trying to get all your sponsors lined up and situated so that you can enhance your racing team. And that is what we are doing right now."

Randolph Tabbed By Rusty Wallace Racing

Veteran crewchief Doug Randolph will serve as crewchief for Rusty Wallace Racing's #66 5-Hour Energy NASCAR Nationwide Series Toyota driven by Steve Wallace. Randolph joins the team following stints as crewchief at Richard Childress Racing, Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing and Petty Enterprises. In his most recent Nationwide Series role, Randolph led RCR No. 29 team and driver Clint Bowyer to wins at Daytona and Dover in 2009.

"I'm really looking forward to working with Steve Wallace and the 5-Hour Energy team," said Randolph. "Steve's definitely been one of the most improved drivers over the last couple of years and has really developed into one of the best Nationwide Series guys out there. This team has a lot of potential, (and) I'm looking forward to continuing to build this program and hopefully being one of the contenders for the Nationwide Series Championship in 2011."

RWR General Manager Larry Carter said of Randolph's hiring, "We're very excited to add Doug to our organization. I've known Doug for a while and he's a really talented guy. He brings a lot of valuable experience to our team, including a lot of experience with the Car of Tomorrow. We're all looking forward to working with him."

Mayfield's Appeals To Continue

Jeremy Mayfield will continue his lawsuit against NASCAR over a failed drug test for methamphetamines in May of 2009. Mayfield informed the court of his intention to appeal the most recent decision by U.S. District Court Judge Graham Mullen last week, and now has 40 days to file his actual argument, along with any corroborating evidence.

Mullen ruled last May that Mayfield had waived his right to sue NASCAR by signing waivers included as part of his competitor’s license applications. The judge also said Mayfield had produced no evidence proving that NASCAR had unfairly banned him from the sport for testing positive for methamphetamines. Mayfield asked the court to reopen the case in June and again in August, claiming both times that he had new evidence. Both appeals were denied. In September, he claimed that NASCAR Chairman Brian France had ordered him black-flagged from the 2006 Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, citing testimony from France’s former in-laws. Mullen disallowed that appeal after France produced travel records proving that he was not with his former relatives on the day of the race.

Mayfield continues to deny using methamphetamines, saying his positive drug test stemmed from a combination of the prescription drug Adderall -– which he allegedly takes to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder -- and an over-the-counter allergy medication.

His latest appeal could be heard as soon as next May, but is likely to languish in the system until at least September.

Listeners' Holiday Cheer!

Colin Braun wasn't kidding! He IS the Clark W. Griswold of NASCAR!

The Fucile Family in Dania, FL proves you don't need snow to celebrate Christmas!

Listener Dave's electric bill is climbing as we speak! And check out his lazy neighbor on the right!

Here's a nice submission from Brett in Myrtle Beach!

Longtime listener "Pepsi Steve" and his lovely wife have their house turned out in style!!

Listener Ben takes his holiday cheer on the road!

Thomas and Julie Clark don't mess around when it comes to a Christmas tree. Don't fall, Julie!

Melissa in Michigan shares her NASCAR-themed Christmas tree!

The S.D. Ireland Concrete truck the Godfather talked about on Friday's show...

Shawn from Indiana does his house up right!

Brian in Greeley, Colorado sends along his holiday effort.

Send photos of your home, car or other holiday cheer to us at speedway@siriusxm.com and we'll post them here for everyone to see! Please no mass-distributed pics from the internet or YouTube. Make it your own!

Bodine Bobsled Challenge Scrapped For 2011

The Associated Press is reporting today that the Bodine Bobsled Challenge will not take place next year. In each of the last five seasons, the event pitted drivers from NASCAR and the NHRA against each other at Lake Placid, New York’s Mt. Van Hoevenberg course to raise money for the Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project and the United States Olympic bobsled team.

The program was instrumental in designing and building the four-man bobsled that carried American Steve Holcomb to the gold medal in Whistler, Colorado last February; the second gold medal for the team since 2002. Bo-Dyn president Phil Kurze told the AP today that he hopes to continue the event in future years with a different format.

Ballew Merges With Vision Aviation Racing

Billy Ballew Motorsports has merged with Vision Aviation Racing, with the new combined operation continuing to field the #15 and #51 Toyotas in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

The team will compete under the Vision Aviation Racing banner, using the trucks, equipment and resources previously run by Billy Ballew Motorsports. Super Late Model and K&N Pro Series West drivers Justin Johnson and Dusty Davis will drive for the team this season, with continued factory support from Toyota.

Ballew commented on the move, saying, “Partnering with a winning and committed team like Vision Aviation Racing was a great way to keep the Billy Ballew Motorsports brand alive in the series. We've worked diligently since the season ended with Tom Davis and his organization to make this happen. Vision Aviation Racing is well positioned to be a top contender and continue the winning tradition of Billy Ballew Motorsports."

Ballew won two races last season with driver Aric Almirola en route to a second-place finish in the championship standings. The team will compete out of VAR's Mooresville, NC, shop, with additional personnel still to be announced.

Ballew told Sirius NASCAR Radio’s Sirius Speedway with Dave Moody that he will play a major role in the operation of the newly merged team. “I’m going to be very involved in the operation for at least the next 12 months,” he said. “I am also exploring a couple of options in the Sprint Cup Series for next year. I’m not going away.”

Ballew said 2010 sponsorship struggles played a major role in his decision to merge operations. “I needed help,” he said. “From a financial standpoint, I couldn’t continue to do it on my own. (A merger) seemed to be the best way to ensure that we continue on in the Truck Series. The biggest part of the puzzle was finalized last night, and we’ll take care of the minor details after the holidays.”

Wallace Signs With RAB Racing

Kenny Wallace has signed a new deal to run the full 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule for RAB Racing with Brack Maggard. Wallace will make his debut in RAB’s #09 Toyota Camry on Saturday, February 19, 2011, in the season-opening DRIVE4COPD 300 at Daytona International Speedway. The St. Louis, Missouri, native has made more than 800 career starts in NASCAR’s top-three divisions, including 488 Nationwide Series races with nine wins, 10 poles, 63 top-five and 159 top-10 finishes. He has also been voted NASCAR Nationwide Series Most Popular Driver three times, in 1991, 1994 and 2006.

“I’ve been nervous since the final 2010 Nationwide Series race at Homestead, trying to find the right fit for next year,” said Wallace. “Now I can finally sleep at night. My goal was to find a team with whom I could be competitive and I believe I have found that with RAB Racing. I have known Robby (Benton) and watched him grow his team for the past few years. Their relationship with Toyota Racing Development (TRD) is huge and will allow me to work with at least three other Toyota teams -- including my brother Rusty’s -- and gain valuable information that will help us with the Nationwide program at RAB Racing next year.”

Co-owner Robby Benton shared Wallace’s enthusiasm, saying, “Having our plans in place before the Christmas holiday is great for team morale and will provide us with ample time to prepare… for the upcoming season. We’ve made significant changes at RAB Racing over the last few months in an effort to elevate our program. Our alliance with Toyota, the relationship we have with TRD and now adding Kenny to the mix will bring depth to our program. It also helps tremendously having a driver with Kenny’s notoriety. People love him and hopefully we’ll be able to reinvigorate his fan base.”

The team currently has 16 races sponsored, with the University of Northwestern Ohio (UNOH) serving as primary sponsor at Daytona in February. Additional sponsors will include Federated Auto Parts and Family Farmers, a coalition of corn and soybean farmers. Benton said sponsorship opportunities are still available for the remaining 18 events, adding, “We have a lot going on within our marketing department right now, and I feel pretty confident about having all 34 races sold before Daytona.”

Skinner Mum On Reported Split With Randy Moss Motorsports

Former NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Mike Skinner is saying little about published reports that he has been released by Randy Moss Motorsports with a year remaining on his contract. Skinner told Sirius NASCAR Radio’s Sirius Speedway with Dave Moody only that, “I still have a contract with Randy Moss Motorsports through 2011.” He declined to comment further, citing ongoing negotiations between himself and the team.

The 2010 season was disappointing one for Skinner, with an eighth-place finish in points and only two Top-5 finishes in 25 starts. His best finishes were a pair of fourth-place showings at Texas and Bristol Motor Speedways.

The 1995 Truck Series champion moved to RMM after Bill Davis Racing closed its doors on Christmas Day 2008. In 2009 -- his first season with RMM -- he finished third in the championship standings with a trio of wins. Skinner was unable to maintain that level of performance last season, however, after crewchief Eric Phillips left the team for a new position with Kyle Busch Motorsports. Veteran Gene Nead began 2010 as crewchief for the #5 Navistar/International/Monaco RV Toyota, but was replaced by lead engineer Stacy Johnson after the seventh race of the season at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

While clearly unhappy with his 2010 performance, Skinner attempted to put a positive spin on things late last season, refusing to place blame on any individual. "We can bad-mouth people and make excuses and do a lot of things, but that just creates more negativity,” he said. He said he urged RMM co-owner David Dollar to hire a more experienced leader for the team, however, saying, “I am jumping up and down and working with David… to hire some leadership. When Eric Phillips walked out of the building, we didn't realize what a huge loss it was."

While Skinner remains silent, sources within Randy Moss Motorsports say he is unlikely to drive for the team again in 2011. Multiple sources say the team is negotiating with former series champion Travis Kvapil about replacing Skinner, with an official announcement expected once the details of Skinner’s exit are finalized. Kvapil drove for Front Row Motorsports in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2010, finishing 35th in points.

Martin: Daytona 500 "Is Going To Be Crazy"

Mark Martin awarded high marks to all parties after Day One of a Goodyear tire test at Daytona International Speedway today. Speaking to Sirius NASCAR Radio's Sirius Speedway with Dave Moody, Martin said, “I think we ran six laps without even wearing the sticker off the left front tire. In fact, we could probably run the full 500 miles on the same set of tires. There will be zero tire issues during Speedweeks. The track is smooth, its fast and it's not wearing the tires at all. The grip is obscene, and I’m sure the guys from Goodyear are probably having a party tonight.”

Martin also offered his prediction for the upcoming Daytona 500, saying, “The race is going to be crazy. Everybody better start getting ready right now.”

Sources say speeds were in the neighborhood of 195 mph, with three-wide (and some four-wide) racing common. "we ran three-wide quite a bit," said Martin, "and toward the end, we got a little braver and tried four-wide. That's not going to work for very long before someone gets into the side of the guy next to him and causes a wreck."

Only one major incident slowed the day's test, when David Ragan crashed his Roush-Fenway Racing UPS Ford.

New 2011 Sprint Cup Cars Unveiled!

Denny Hamlin will have a new look to his Fed Ex Toyota next season!


Kasey Kahne's new 2011 Red Bull Racing #4 Toyota

Piquet To Steer Third KHI Truck In 2011

Kevin Harvick, Inc., is expected to announce today that former Brazilian Formula One star Nelson Piquet Jr. will drive a KHI Chevrolet in the full NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule in 2011.

Piquet made five Truck Series starts for Red Horse Racing last season, with three Top-10 finishes. The highlight of his year came at Daytona International Speedway in February, where he finished sixth. He will compete this season in a new, third entry out of the KHI stable as a teammate to former series champion Ron Hornaday, Jr. in the #33 Chevrolet. The team’s #2 Chevy will be shared by Harvick, Elliott Sadler and others next season.

Piquet told Sirius NASCAR Radio’s Sirius Speedway with Dave Moody that sponsorship is in place to finance the ride. “We have sponsors signed at the moment, and they will be announced all together at a later date,” said Piquet. “We want to close all the deals and announce them before Daytona. We’re handling the contracts and all the legal things, and we’ll have an announcement very soon.”

He said he believes he will have the personnel and resources behind him to contend for race wins, the Raybestos Rookie of the Year title and potentially even the series championship. “I had good people behind me in my five Truck starts last season, and they allowed me to have success. I will have good people behind me again at KHI, and I can’t wait to get to the shop and see everything for the first time.”

Piquet is the son of three-time Formula One World Driving Champion Nelson Piquet, and drove a Renault F1 entry in 2008 and part of 2009, before being released.

Algaier Lands Sponsor For 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series Season

Turner Motorsports announced today that BRANDT will serve as primary sponsor of the #31 NASCAR Nationwide Series Chevrolet driven by Justin Allgaier next season.

Allgaier finished fourth in the 2010 Nationwide championship standings, and joins Turner Motorsports for his third full season of Nationwide Series competition. Located near Allgaier’s hometown in Illinois, BRANDT was founded in 1953 to help Illinois farmers implement new technologies for their operations. Today, the Springfield, Illinois-based company consists of three operating divisions: Specialty Formulations, Retail Agronomy and Dealer Support.

This will mark BRANDT’s first foray into NASCAR, and President and CEO Rick C. Brandt said he is enthusiastic about the company’s jump into Nationwide Series competition. “We are extremely excited to team up with Justin Algaier and Turner Motorsports for the 2011 racing season,” he said. “BRANDT is an exciting, aggressive and family values-based company. We feel we are teaming up with a driver who embodies these same qualities, and we are looking forward to seeing him exemplify that on the track. Coming from the small town of Pleasant Plains, Illinois and having the opportunity to team with such a great driver from nearby Riverton, Illinois adds to the excitement of the collaboration! Also, NASCAR’s upcoming transition to ethanol fuel embodies BRANDT’s leadership as a premier producer of environmentally sustainable products for agriculture. We look forward to representing American farmers on the track!”

Allgaier graduated to the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2009 after capturing the ARCA Series championship the previous seasobn. He claimed Raybestos Rookie of the Year honors on the Nationwide tour with three Top-5 and 12 Top-10 finishes. The 24-year-old scored his first series victory at Bristol Motor Speedway last season, en route to eight Top-5 and 20 Top-10 finishes.

Jason White Ride Shopping For 2011

Jason White told Sirius NASCAR Radio’s Sirius Speedway with Dave Moody that he has spoken to multiple teams about the 2011 Camping World Truck Series season.

White has driven for the GunBroker.com team since 2009, when GunBroker’s Dwayne Gaulding took the online firearms dealer from sponsor to team owner, purchasing trucks from the former Bobby Hamilton Racing-Virginia team and forging an engine deal with Joey Arrington. The team formed a partnership with SS Green Light Racing for 2010, campaigning in Ford, Chevrolet, Dodge and Toyota livery at various times en route to a 10th place finish in the championship standings. The team recorded three Top-5 and seven Top-10 finishes this season, highlighted by a pole position and a fourth-place finish in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway.

“I’m close to doing a deal for next year, but nothing’s finalized yet,” said White. “There are a lot of opportunities out there and I want to make the best decision possible. We may do the same deal next year, or we may do something different.

“We’re trying really hard to make a decision on a manufacturer,” he said. ”We ended up trying them all out last season to see what was best, but I want to go full bore with a single manufacturer next year. I’ve talking to a lot of people, and I’m willing to talk to anyone who’s interested in talking to me.”

Rette To Turner Motorsports, Lofton Shopping For Part-Time Truck Ride

Sirius NASCAR Radio’s Sirius Speedway with Dave Moody has learned that former Red Horse Racing crewchief Mark Rette has found a new home with Turner Motorsports. Rette will serve a crewchief for a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Chevrolet to be driven at different times next season by Reed Sorenson, Jason Leffler and Brad Sweet, among others. Rette formerly sat atop the pit box for Justin Lofton at Red Horse Racing in 2010.

Speaking of Lofton, my sources say he has spoken to a handful of teams about an eight to 10-race schedule of NASCAR Camping World Truck Series racing next season. In a radio interview last month, the 2009 ARCA Series champion said he had sponsorship in-hand for approximately 10 Truck races in 2011, and hoped to fill the remainder of his schedule with off-road racing.

With Lofton Out, Red Horse Racing Retooling For 2011 Truck Series Season

Red Horse Racing co-owner Tom DeLoach told Sirius NASCAR Radio’s Sirius Speedway with Dave Moody that the team is strongly positioned for 2011, despite major changes in both its driver and crewchief lineup. Veteran Jeff Hensley departed for Kevin Harvick, Inc. recently, effectively swapping jobs with former KHI crewchief Butch Hylton, who will sit atop the pitbox for Timothy Peters at Red Horse in 2011.

“Timothy finished sixth in points last season, and that’s not bad,” said DeLoach. “But honestly, we have higher aspirations than that. I like Todd Bodine very much. But next year, we want to be where he is. We hired Butch Hylton to be Timothy Peters’ crewchief because those two guys are really in tune with each other.”

DeLoach revealed that driver Justin Lofton and 2010 crewchief Mark Rette have left the team. “It was all very cordial, with no hard feelings,” he said. “Justin is still not sure where he’s going next year, and I think Mark just looked around and decided it was time to go in another direction.” Former RHR Competition Director Rick Gay will replace Rette, serving as crewchief for newcomer Miguel Paludo. “Rick really missed crewchiefing and was ready to go back to it,” said DeLoach. “He worked a couple of races with Miguel last season and they clicked well together, so that’s what we’re going to do.” DeLoach has hired former driver Terry Cook to serve as the team’s new Competition Director, saying, “He’s done a little bit of everything, and he’s great on the interpersonal front.”

In stark contrast to 2010, DeLoach said the team is nearly 100% funded for next season. Paludo will drive a fully sponsored entry backed by Stemco Duraline, while Peters’ Toyota is already sponsored for 21 of the 25 races. “We also have an open slot for a third truck,” revealed DeLoach. “We ran a third truck last year at Daytona, but were unable to find the financing to have it continue. We’re talking to a few people about it and hope to run a three-truck team full-time in 2011.”

Gordon Sues Extenze, Says BAM Racing Is Next

Robby Gordon filed suit in L.A. County Superior Court late last week, alleging that Extenze and its parent company, Biotab Nutraceuticals, failed to pay at least $690,000 in sponsorship money owed from the final two months of the 2010 season. He also hinted that he may be back in court soon on another racing-related matter. “We got into a couple of bad deals this year; with BAM (Racing) and Extenze,” said Gordon. “You’re reading about this deal this week and you’ll read about the BAM deal next week.”

Gordon said the Extenze lawsuit involves races held in the months of October and November where he drove a Robby Gordon Motorsports entry with Extenze sponsorship. Extenze’s driver of choice -- eventual 2010 Sprint Cup Rookie of the Year Kevin Conway -- had driven the car in a handful of races after moving to RGM from Front Row Motorsports, but gave way to Gordon after the team came perilously close to falling out of the Top 35 in owner points.

“Kevin Conway made the phone call to get approval for me to get back in the race car,” said Gordon to Sirius NASCAR Radio's Sirius Speedway with Dave Moody. After giving that approval, however, Gordon said Extenze declined to pay for the races in question, alleging that RGM breached its sponsorship contract by not having Conway at the wheel. “They were already behind in their payments at that point,” said Gordon, “so it is what it is.”

The suit marks the second time this year that Extenze has been accused of not paying its sponsorship tab. In September of this year, Front Row Motorsports sued Extenze and Biotab Nutraceuticals for $2.754 million it says it was owed under the terms of Conway’s sponsorship contract. That total includes more than $734,000 in sponsorship, hard card fees, race licenses and other expenses, plus $135,000 advanced to Conway by the team as part of his base salary.

Asked if Extenze’s problems with Front Row Motorsports had been a cause for concern, Gordon said, “It absolutely was, but Robert Winter (of Biotab Nutraceuticals) gave me his personal word. He said, `You don’t need to worry about a thing, I pay my bills.' We had their corporate word and his personal word that things would be done right.”

In a related story, Gordon said he is close to resolving a lawsuit filed against RGM by Specialized Bicycle Products, alleging that the logo on Gordon’s new SPEED Energy Drink was virtually identical to theirs. “We’ve pretty much got the SPEED lawsuit resolved,” he said. “We’re in settlement talks to do something different (with the logo). I didn’t have a year and a half to fight it in court, so we decided to do something different.”

Evernham On RPM: "Hopefully, the Facts Will Come Out Some Day."

Former Gillett-Evernham Motorsports co-owner Ray Evernham told Sirius NASCAR Radio’s Sirius Speedway with Dave Moody that he wishes the best for the new owners of the team that once bore his name.

“It’s difficult, because things didn’t work out for me the way I hoped they would,” said Evernham, just days after Richard Petty Motorsports was purchased by Petty and new co-owners Andrew Murstein and Douglas Bergeron. “Some people I put great faith in didn’t live up to that faith. But I’ve got to move on and get past it.”

Evernham declined to speak specifically about former partner George Gillett, Jr., whose financial problems nearly caused the team to shut down last month. “I don’t really have all the information (about) what’s gone on and what has not,” he said. “So (I can’t) sit here and be critical specifically of George Gillett. I will only speak in generalities about the way our legal system works. It’s a shame that our legal and banking systems allow people to continue doing things that put them several million dollars in debt, but still fly on their private jets while others have to worry about medical insurance and paying for their kids’ Christmas. People’s track records and what they are. You can say what you want, but in the end, you’re not going to be judged by what you said you were going to do. You’ll be judged by what you did. Hopefully, the facts will come out some day and people will be able to draw their own conclusions.

“What you hope will be good for the sport sometimes turns out not to be,” said Evernham. “But that’s all in the past, and it’s not going to do any good to spend the rest of my life worrying about it. I’m going to go forward and so is Richard Petty. Andrew Murstein’s a straight shooter and he looks at things a bit more realistically. The sport’s getting healthy again, and hopefully he can bring in some new sponsors and continue to grow. The good news is that I am now free to look at what I want to be when I grow up.”

Evernham said he has had discussions with a number of parties – including ESPN and Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick – about the 2011 season, but has made no decisions about his plans.

Stremme Hoping For 2011 Nationwide Return

David Stremme told Sirius NASCAR Radio's Sirius Speedway with Dave Moody that he is working hard to assemble a NASCAR Nationwide Series team for 2011.

"I’ve got my own shop -- right next door to Rusty Wallace Racing -- and we’ve got enough room to run a good Nationwide team there. I purchased some Nationwide cars and have all the equipment I need to run them, but it’s all about the funding. I might own some of the operation, or maybe someone else will own part of it."

Stremme said he has already made a substantial investment in the operation, purchasing cars from "a very good Sprint Cup team. We’re changing them all over to Nationwide specs, and we’re working hard to make sure we do everything right. I don’t want to just be out there, I want to be competitive. And to do that, we need a sponsor. I’m working hard on it, and we’ve got lots of things working, but nothing’s done yet.”

Stremme will campaign his own Super Late Model in this weekend's Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida.

Truck Series Aero Test Set For Jan. 5

Sirius NASCAR Radio’s Sirius Speedway with Dave Moody has learned that NASCAR will conduct a “Spin Aero” test for the Camping World Truck Series January 5 at Dodge’s wind tunnel facility in Rochester Hills, MI. All four manufacturers are scheduled to take part in the test, as they and the sanctioning body attempt to learn more about how to keep race vehicles grounded as they are turned sideways or backward at high speed. Three similar tests were conducted earlier this year with Sprint Cup Series vehicles. Dodge’s facility the only wind tunnel in North America where a model can be rotated 360 degrees while at speed, allowing engineers to accumulate data on how cars and trucks react.

“We’re going to put a truck in the wind tunnel in high yaw,” confirmed NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Director Wayne Auton. “In laymen’s terms, that means `backwards.’” Auton said the test is unrelated to Ron Hornaday’s late-season crash at Talladega Superspeedway, which saw his Truck become airborne after turning backward, eventually barrel-rolling multiple times. “It’s just part of our normal winter house cleaning,” said Auton. “We haven’t run the (aero) numbers in a while, and it’s time we did.”