NASCAR Notebook: Elliott's Driving Days Are Over

So long to "Awesome Bill"

Bill Elliott very nearly slipped under the radar last week, while quietly announcing his retirement as a driver. “I ran twice last year and that was enough for me,” said the 1988 Winston Cup champion and two-time Daytona 500 winner. “Now, all I do is try to keep up with (son) Chase and our Late Model program. I haven't had time to do anything else.

“It was fun to run that car at Daytona last year for Turner (Motorsports),” said Elliott of his final Sprint Cup start, a crash-plagued 37^th-place finish in July. “That was the best car I've been in since I don't know when. But the way I look at it, if I keep doing that, I'm taking away from somebody else getting in a car. So it's kind of a doubled-edge sword.”

 

Tyler Walker arrested

Tyler Walker’s NASCAR career ended in 2007 with a failed substance abuse test. Now, his continued freedom is in doubt, after he led Nevada, Arizona and Utah Highway Patrol officers on a high-speed chase through three states before being apprehended with methamphetamines, marijuana, drug paraphernalia and alcohol in his vehicle.

 

Walker and his female passenger attempted to evade law enforcement officials after their 2007 BMW 750 Li was clocked on radar at a high rate of speed. He stopped only after officials used spike sticks to disable his car, then fled on foot before being apprehended. Walker was booked on multiple charges, including drug possession, felony evading and fleeing by vehicle. Both occupants of the car were reportedly under the influence at the time of their arrest.

 A 62-year old former Business Manager at Bill Davis Racing was sentenced to 6-8 months in prison for multiple counts of embezzlement after she took more than $300,000 from the former NASCAR team over a four-year period.  Anne Winner of Summerfield, NC, accepted a plea deal in Guilford County Superior Court last week, pleading guilty to six counts of embezzlement and one count of obtaining property under false pretenses. Judge John O. Craig, III, also ordered Winner to pay $100,000 to her former employer.

Tommy Baldwin Racing reeled off a “seven announcements in seven days” media campaign last week, unveiling a number of 2013 sponsorships; both new and renewed. Among the backers announced for JJ Yeley’s No. 36 Chevy were United Mining Equipment (three races), Golden Corral (four races at Daytona and Talladega) and Accell Construction (six races). Dave Blaney’s No. 7 TBR Chevy will have support from SANY America in 14 Sprint Cup Series events and the Florida Lottery for the three races in the Sunshine State.

In other sponsorship news, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals moved quickly last week after reports that Dale Earnhardt Jr. is currently unsponsored for 13 NASCAR Sprint Cup races this season. The animal rights organization contacted Earnhardt by mail last week, asking that he give them advertising space on his No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet – free of charge -- to publicize their ongoing spay-and-neuter campaign. "I'm writing today… because I hope that you'll consider using the available space on your beautiful car as an opportunity to spread a lifesaving spay-and-neuter message that would spare countless dogs and cats in your home state tremendous suffering," wrote PETA associate director, Michelle Cho.