Villeneuve Out Of The Picture At Roush Racing; Changes Coming at Yates?

Jacques Villeneuve will almost certainly not be a part of the Roush Racing lineup next season.

Villeneuve had been negotiating with the team about a possible 2007 Busch Series schedule, but Roush Racing General Manager Geoff Smith said Saturday that there is only a remote chance of the former Formula One champion joining the team. "We're nowhere in that regard," he said. "There are general discussions that are going on, but I don't see us being able to make an arrangement to pull together a program. It's possible, but it's an outside shot given the timing of the year."

Sources tell Sirius Speedway that Villeneuve’s representatives have also been burning up the telephone lines to Robert Yates Racing, which has yet to name a driver for its #88 Ford next season. However, speculation in the Nextel Cup garage says Yates may actually be negotiating to sell the #88 half of his operation to Dale Earnhardt, Inc.

Yates refused to comment on the stories this weekend, but DEI's Steve Hmiel confirmed that talks have taken place to have DEI purchase the #88 from Yates, along with the 2006 owner points earned by Dale Jarrett. Team Red Bull has also reportedly made an offer to purchase the #88 from Yates, but Hmiel said DEI’s offer is for the entire operation; not just the number.

"We've heard Team Red Bull has made an offer to buy the number,” said Hmiel, “but we're not looking to buy just the number. If we can have more capacity, the number would be a bonus.”

A number of obstacles remain to be negotiated – including conflicting manufacturer commitments to Ford (RYR) and Chevrolet (DEI), but if a deal can be struck, Yates would be left with only David Gilliland’s #38 next season. RYR has fielded two teams on a full-time basis since 1996. Yates refused all comment on the matter Saturday, saying only that he has four different options to choose from. He admitted that fielding a single car is on his list of options, and sources say a decision on whether to sell the #88 to DEI must be made by Tuesday.

Montoya To Make Cup Debut at Homestead Next Weekend

Sirius Speedway has learned that Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates will announce later this week that Juan Pablo Montoya will make his NASCAR Nextel Cup Series debut next weekend, in the season-finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Chip Ganassi told the media today that he has confidence in Montoya's ability to run the race, but wants to make sure the proper infrastructure is in place before making the final call. "Before we do this, I want to be sure we can get him on and off pitroad effectively. We need to have a team in place to prepare and service the car well. This whole thing has happened pretty quickly, and the last thing I want to do is embarrass Juan and ourselves by moving too fast."

Sources tell Sirius Speedway that two options are currently under consideration for Montoya at Homestead. The first would have him behind the wheel of a new #30 Dodge, while the second would be to have him drive the #42 Texaco Havoline Dodge usually wheeled by Casey Mears, with Mears moving to the #30.

Montoya has made three NASCAR Busch Series starts in recent weeks, including a 20th place finish yesterday here at Phoenix that saw him run in the Top-12 for most of the day, before a pitstop miscue and a late spin dropped him to 20th at the finish. On one of his final pitstops, Montoya appeared to stop too close to the pit wall, causing his team to struggle changing left-side tires. He then suffered through a slolo spin in the first turn, followed by minor damage in an incident that sidelined fellow Open Wheel star Sam Hornish, Jr.

After the race, Montoya was less-than-impressed with the backmarkers in the Busch Series, saying, "It's tough passing these guys -- they seem like they don't see you, they just sort of play dumb.

"When you run up front, the guys run a lot cleaner, a lot smarter. The guys in the back are just too dumb. I'm trying to keep the car in one piece and its very hard, because, yes, I am a rookie -- but no, I am not a rookie. I have probably more experience (than anyone) in this grade. I've driven more things than anybody here. I am being smart, I am trying not to cause any wrecks or anything, but it's got to stop."

Ganassi is also expected to announce that the William Wrigley Jr. Co. -- makers of Wrigley's Spearmint Gum -- will serve as Montoya's primary sponsor for three Nextel Cup races next season, and as an associate backer on Montoya's #42 Texaco Havoline Dodge in the other 33 events.

Force, Capps Talk About Funny Car Title Chase Today

Two of the NHRA's three Funny Car championship contenders will join us live today to talk about this weekend's season-ending "Auto Club NHRA Finals" in Pomona, California. Thirteen-time Powerade World Champion John Force and perennial title contender Ron Capps will appear in our second hour today, to talk about the season-long battle for the championship, the pressure of this weekend's race, and their mutual respect for one another.

Force comes to Pomona with a 71-point edge over Capps and a 73-point advantage over teammate (and son-in-law) Robert Hight in his quest for a fourteenth NHRA World Championship. A year ago, Force and Capps faced a nearly identical situation, entering the season's final race in a razor close, three-man battle with eventual champion Gary "Wild Thing" Scelzi.

We will also get an overview of the Top Fuel and Pro Stock Motorcycle championship pictures with NHRA.com's Chief Editor, Rob Geiger. Jason Line clinched the Pro Stock title two weeks ago in Las Vegas, unseating three-time consecutive titlist Greg Anderson.

Loyal listener Bill Rice spreads the word on SPEED. Thanks Bill, you're our listener of the week!

Notes From All Over

Capps Unhurt In Famoso Crash: NHRA Funny Car title contender Ron Capps was uninjured Saturday when a nostalgia Funny Car he was driving went out of control and slammed a concrete barrier at Auto Club Famoso Raceway.

Driving Ron Gaynor's Hard Times Dodge Charger, Capps launched into a spectacular wheelstand as he left the starting line, then slammed back to the ground and veered into the wall. Capps downplayed the crash, saying, “I'm just bummed for Gaynor. He's one of the pioneers in this class, and we wanted to get into the five-second club.”

Capps had run a 6.00 second ET in his previous pass. He trails John Force by 71 points with one race to go in the 2006 Powerade season.

No Appeal Of Curione Penalty: Valvoline Evernham Racing says it will not appeal the $10,000 fine and indefinite suspension handed down yesterday to crewman Craig Curione for pushing Kevin Harvick in the aftermath of last Sunday’s race at Texas Motor Speedway.

Designated Team Owner James Rocco announced the decision, saying, “After a comprehensive internal review of the post-race incident between Kevin Harvick and a member of the No. 10 team, Valvoline Evernham Racing supports NASCAR's decision to indefinitely suspend the involved crew member. We apologize to Kevin and DeLana Harvick, NASCAR, our partners and our fans for this incident. The behavior demonstrated by the involved crewmember was in violation of the Valvoline Evernham Racing Employee Code of Conduct and will not be tolerated. We concur with NASCAR's ruling and will not appeal the suspension or fine.”

Rocco did not say whether Curione will remain with the team.

Wimmer To RCR: Look for Scott Wimmer to run a combined NASCAR Nextel Cup/Busch Series schedule next season for Richard Childress Racing, with sponsorship from Holiday Inn.
Sources close to the team say Wimmer has signed to drive for the team in 2007, with an official announcement to be made at Homestead-Miami Speedway next weekend.

Holiday Inn’s official website currently includes a photo of the #29 Holiday Inn Busch car – driven this season by Jeff Burton – with a “mystery driver” silhouette and the words, "November 19: The Last Race, A Cup Debut, A New Teammate."

Wimmer has reportedly tested for RCR in recent weeks, and has watched at least one recent Nextel Cup race.from atop one of Childress’ transporters. You can check out the Holiday Inn website by clicking HERE.

Borland To Team Red Bull: Despite recent assertions by Penske Racing South President Don Miller that he expects to have crewchiefs Matt Borland and Roy McCauley back in-house next season, sources tell Sirius Speedway that Borland may already have accepted a position with the new Team Red Bull Toyota operation.

In fact, Borland may not be atop Ryan Newman’s pitbox this weekend in Phoenix. If he does not make the trip, he will be replaced by team engineer Mike Nelson.

Rahal Letterman Driver Announcements: Officials of Rahal-Letterman Racing will participate in an Indy Racing League teleconference Thursday at 2 PM Eastern Time, to make what they are calling “a team announcement.”

Rahal-Letterman has two empty racecars at present, in the aftermath of the departures of Danica Patrick – who jumped to Andretti-Green Racing – and Buddy Rice, who appears to be moving to the rival Champ Car World Series.

There has been some speculation that Thursday’s announcement will concern a move to the rival Champ Car World Series, but the press conference has been organized and promoted by the IRL, making such a move unlikely.

And On A Personal Note: Congrats to MRN Radio pit reporter (and amateur rental car stunt driver) Adam Alexander and his wife, Audra, who celebrated the birth of son Kade Ashton Alexander Tuesday afternoon. Kade took his sweet time arriving, but now joins big sister Kyla in the Alexander household. Both baby and mom are doing fine, Dad's a little shaky, as usual.

Riggs Crewman To Be Suspended Indefinitely For Harvick Push

Sirius Speedway has learned that NASCAR will announce later today that it has indefinitely suspended Craig "C.C." Curione, the front tire carrier for Scott Riggs' No. 10 Dodge, for his role in a postrace altercation Sunday night at Texas Motor Speedway.

Curione was identified as the member of Riggs' Evernham Motorsports crew who shoved Kevin Harvick from behind while he and his wife, DeLana, were walking to the infield media center following the Dickies 500. The Harvicks and NASCAR official John Sacco all fell, landing in the path of the No. 10 team's war wagon, which hit Sacco and left him with a sprained ankle. The Harvicks were not hurt.

Spokesman Kerry Tharp said earlier today, "NASCAR has been looking into this postrace incident since it occurred. It's something we take very seriously. An announcement regarding a course of action could come as early as Tuesday."

A spokeswoman for Evernham Motorsports said the team has cooperated with NASCAR's investigation, and will have no comment until a final determination has been made.

Gordon Fined, Docked Points For Atlanta Debris Incident

Robby Gordon has been fined and issued points penalties for infractions during Sunday’s NEXTEL Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Gordon has been fined $15,000, penalized 50 driver and 50 car owner points, and placed on probation by NASCAR until Dec. 31. NASACR says Gordon violated Sections 12-4-N (intentionally causing a caution condition during the race) – of the NASCAR Rule Book. In addition, crewchief Greg Erwin has been fined $10,000 and placed on probation until Dec. 31. NASCAR’s Ramsey Poston.

First Look At The New Impala COT

Jimmie Johnson's new Chevy Impala SS "Car Of Tomorrow" saw the light of day for the first time last week at Atlanta. The Impala is being rolled out for COT duty, with the tried and true Monte Carlo sticking around for the other 20 races next season.

Photos courtesy of Motorsport.com

NASCAR Says Gordon "Padding Toss" Footage Inconclusive

Despite videotape footage that appears to show a piece of roll bar padding coming out of Robby Gordon’s Chevrolet 35 laps from the finish of yesterday’s race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, NASCAR spokesmen say they do not anticipate any penalties to be assessed.

NASCAR threw a caution flag on lap 291 of the race, ending championship contender Jeff Burton’s hopes of getting back on the lead lap, and prompting angry comments from Burton after the race. “We were going to be OK, and then they threw a caution because of a roll bar pad," said Burton. "NASCAR should stop every car on pit road and check for roll bar pads, and whoever threw it out should be fined 185 points and $100,000 because it was a huge impact on the race. It is starting to happen too often, and NASCAR gets on everybody when it happens. Well, they should find out who did it and penalize them.''

Nextel Cup Series Director John Darby said his inspectors were ordered to inspect every car for missing roll bar padding as they were loaded into the haulers, but cautioned that he did not expect to apprehend a culprit, saying, “We'll be going through every car as they load them, but that's not to say it might not have been under somebody's seat."

NASCAR ruled the NBC videotape “inconclusive,” with spokesman Herb Branham adding, “If (Gordon) did it, he did it. But looking at the video, it was inconclusive to the point we could not react to it.”

Gordon received a free pass back onto the lead lap during the caution, and ended up finishing tenth. After viewing the footage, Gordon said, “I definitely did not throw anything out of the window. It looks like it came out from under the back of the car. Maybe I ran over something, I don’t know.”

You can check out the footage and hear Gordon's comments by clicking HERE.

Notes From All Over

Hornish Jumps On NASCAR Bandwagon: IRL Indy Car Series champion Sam Hornish will race part-time on the NASCAR Busch Series next year.

He will begin by running at Phoenix and Homestead-Miami Speedways in the final two weeks of this season, before sharing the No. 39 Penske Racing South Dodge with Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman in 2007. Hornish said he still plans to compete full-time in the IndyCar series, adding, "I grew up wanting to be an Indy-car driver, but I have watched hundreds of NASCAR races. I always thought this would be something I'd like to try, and I feel this is the right time in my career. I still have a lot of questions in my mind as to how it's going to go."

Hornish joins fellow Open Wheel drivers A.J. Allmendinger, Juan Pablo Montoya, Jacques Villeneuve, Max Papis, Patrick Carpentier, Adrian Fernandez and Michel Jourdain, Jr. as recent converts to NASCAR racing.

Troxell On The Move: Evan Knoll confirmed yesterday that he will move Melanie Troxel and her Skull Shine-sponsored NHRA Top Fuel team to the Lucas Oil stables in 2007, running Troxel as a teammate to Morgan Lucas under the guidance of crewchief Richard Hogan. Knoll said of the Lucas team, "They've proven what they're capable of, and the fact that we're keeping the entire team intact should make for a very smooth transition."

Troxel's current team owner, Don Schumacher, said last week that he has Troxel under contract to drive for him in 2007, but, "wouldn't stand in her way if she wanted to go." Knoll also said that an announcement is forthcoming on the future of Mike Ashley's Torco Race Fuels Dodge Charger Funny Car.

Chevrolet Cutting (Bow)Ties: Chevrolet will end its full-time factory sponsorship of the Craftsman Truck Series next season, but will continue to provide technical and engineering support to teams.

GM Racing’s Truck Series Manager, Dayne Pierantoni said, "Things are tough in Detroit, and there is some cost containment in place. We are going to have some changes in the way we support our teams next year."

The team most dramatically affected by the decision will be Morgan-Dollar Motorsports, which has received factory backing for its No. 85 Chevrolet and driver Dennis Setzer, as well as its No. 46 entry, driven by a number of Nextel Cup Series drivers. Morgan-Dollar has already begun searching for new sponsorship.

Barney Hall, Maurice Petty To Be Inducted Into NMPA Hall Of Fame

One of the most successful engine builders in the history of NASCAR, and a legendary MRN Radio broadcaster make up the National Motorsports Press Association’s Hall of Fame Class of 2007.

Situated high above the racetrack, MRN Radio’s Barney Hall has been relaying the action of NASCAR racing to fans for nearly five decades. Maurice Petty, head engine builder for Petty Enterprises for more than 30 years, helped guide brother Richard to 198 of a series-record 200 career victories.

Halls’ distinctive voice is one of the most recognizable in all of motorsports, and he ranks as one of the most respected figures in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series garage. He got his start working for a tiny radio station in his hometown of Elkin, N.C., in 1958, before working as public address announcer at what was then Bristol Motor Speedway. Within two years, he was hired by Bill France, Sr., as an announcer for what would later become MRN; the Motor Racing Network. Today, at 74 years young, Hall continues to be a fixture for the network, and an inspiration for us “young bucks” fortunate enough to work with and learn from him.

Petty’s mechanical wizardry led to seven Cup Series championships, seven Daytona 500 victories and one incredible stretch that saw the Petty Enterprises team post 27 wins – including 10 in a row – during the 1967 season. In addition to his engine-building skills, Petty also made 26 starts as a driver at the Cup level, earning seven top-five and 16 top-10 finishes between 1960 and 1964. His best career finish was a third-place showing in 1961 at Spartanburg, S.C.

“I’ve been working on retirement for about 10 years,” said the 67-year old Petty this week. “But there really isn’t one date when I ‘officially’ retired. I guess when I turned 62 and started getting my rocking chair money.”

He stepped away from the sport in 1985, but continued to stay involved, working with Dodge and helping prepare motors for the manufacturer when it returned to the sport. Diagnosed with polio as a child, Petty says the disease “has finally got me to where I can’t walk. I stumble around with a walker a little bit, but get around mostly with the help of scooters. I finally used up all the good muscles I had, I guess.

“But you know what? I enjoyed every minute of it. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I don’t envy these boys that are out there right now. I think they have way too much pressure. We had a lot more flexibility. I always felt like the harder we worked -- and more innovative we were -- the further ahead you could get. But I don’t know about now.”

Barney Hall and Maurice Petty will be officially inducted into the NMPA Hall of Fame in January of 2007.

COMMENTARY: Shooting The Messenger

I expected the Open Wheel community to be upset over A.J. Allmendinger’s jump to the NASCAR ranks yesterday. I also figured my views on the rationale behind the move might ruffle a few feathers.

I was right on both counts.

I received a couple of angry e-mails from listeners after leaving the air last night, disagreeing with my contention that IRL and Champ Car are in danger of becoming Nextel Cup feeder series’, just like NASCAR’s Busch and Craftsman Truck Tours. Listener Dave Fothergill left little question about where he stands on the subject, writing, “You guys might as well make the switch to a full time NASCAR talk show and drop any discussion of the other forms of motorsports. Although some of the comments you guys made today were justified, the overall vilification of open wheel racing in North America has made it clear that Sirius Speedway really only cares about what's happening in the world of stock cars.

Hopefully, we open-wheel race fans will be given a radio voice that knows, and more importantly, cares about the state of Champ Car and the IRL, and is willing to discuss it without the requisite verbal put-downs.”

Mr. Fothergill, I feel your pain. But I also think you have a short memory when it comes to this show.

For the record, Sirius Speedway has covered Open Wheel racing – both Champ Car and the Indy Racing League – since our first day on the air. During the CART bankruptcy process, we kept listeners informed on the bidding war between Champ Car’s Kevin Kalhoven, Gerald Forsythe and Paul Gentillozzi, and IRL’s Tony George. We analyzed the means and motives of all parties, called in some of the most knowledgeable people in the business to get their take, and laid the facts out as best we could to let our listeners draw an accurate conclusion.

We have been on the front lines of the IRL/Champ Car “reunification” debate from the beginning, honestly assessing the chances for a merger, talking with Open Wheel insiders to get their informed opinions, and offering our honest assessment on what ultimately turned out to be much ado about nothing.

Over the past three years I have repeatedly stated my view that both Champ Car and IRL are slowly heading down the road to ruin, simply to satisfy the colossal egos of their respective owners. On that count, many of the sport’s most knowledgeable minds seem to agree with me. Now, with drivers like Allmendinger, Juan Pablo Montoya, Jacques Villeneuve, Paul Tracy, Max Papis, Sam Hornish, Patrick Carpentier, Adrian Fernandez and Michel Jourdain, Jr., all turning to NASCAR to one degree or another, it seems obvious that many of Open Wheel racing’s brightest stars have seen the writing on the wall, as well.

Take a good, honest look at what’s going on, and tell me if most of the meaningful traffic in Open Wheel racing these days doesn’t seem to be heading out of town.

Robin Miller, one of Open Wheel racing’s most respected writers, wrote on SPEEDTV.com this week, “Besides being a PR disaster for Champ Car…it's an emotional blow, because a winning American is exactly what this series desperately needs to win back its fan base.”

I see it, and Robin Miller obviously sees it. Mr. Fothergill, what are you missing?

NASCAR’s television ratings regularly dwarf those of the Indy Racing League and Champ Car World Series. Most weekends, NASCAR’s Saturday afternoon Busch Series race draws more viewers than both Open Wheel events, combined! NASCAR recently signed a new eight-year, $4.4 billion deal with four different networks; FOX, TNT, ABC/ESPN and SPEED. Champ Car and IRL pay to get their races on TV, because nobody will air them otherwise. Roush Racing boasts more corporate sponsorship than the entire starting lineup at most Champ Car or Indy Racing League events, and more cars attempt to qualify for the average Nextel Cup race than for the IRL and Champ Car race, combined.

With all that said, I have just one question for Mr. Fothergill and his merry band of Open Wheel apologists.

Am I the one with the blind spot here, or is it you?

I do not speak critically of Open Wheel racing because I enjoy seeing it fail. On the contrary. I bemoan the current state of Open Wheel racing because I love all motorsports, and hate to see a once-proud group struggle so pitifully. I am old enough to remember the day – not so long ago – when if you asked a child to draw a picture of a racecar, he would draw an Indy Car. Today, he would break out the Crayolas and draw a picture of Jeff Gordon and the Dupont Chevrolet.

NASCAR has spirited away most of Open Wheel’s fan base, and most of its corporate support, as well. Now, it has begun the process of skimming the best drivers from the top of the Open Wheel pot. The series that gave us Andretti, the Unsers, Mears and Foyt has fallen from its lofty perch, and impact with the ground is fast approaching. Somebody needs to pull the rip cord, but unfortunately, the men that run both the IRL and Champ Car continue to insist that they’re flying, not falling.

We will continue to chronicle that story as it unfolds, and I will continue to criticize those who are selfishly allowing it to happen.

Shoot the messenger if you like.

Ragan Parked For The Weekend

Roush Racing has withdrawn the No. 06 Ford Fusion and driver David Ragan from this weekend's Bass Pro Shops 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, after Ragan failed to secure approval from NASCAR to compete.

The team announced last week that Ragan would run both the Craftsman Truck and Nextel Cup races at Atlanta, but he is presently only cleared to run on mile tracks (or less) at the Nextel Cup level. His only other start prior to Martinsville came at Dover, where he crashed twice in 46 laps and finished 42nd. NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp commented on the decision Tuesday, saying, "There is an approval process in place, and his status will continue to be reviewed on a weekly basis. We take a lot of things into consideration: experience, qualifications, that type of thing. There's a NASCAR committee that convenes each week, and they will continue to review any application that he makes regarding the rest of the series."

Ragan is still cleared to run this weekend’s Craftsman Truck Series race at Atlanta, but was not on the entry list Tuesday afternoon. That could change in the aftermath of his withdrawal from the Nextel Cup roster.

It's Official, Allmendinger Signs With TRB

A.J. Allmendinger will drive the new #84 Red Bull Toyota Camry for the 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series season. That announcement was made earlier today by Team Red Bull, and completes a 2007 driver line-up that includes Brian Vickers in the #83 Red Bull Camry.

Rick Viers, the crewchief who guided Allmendinger through two impressive NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series outings with Bill Davis Racing earlier this year, has left BRD to serve as Allmendinger’s crewchief at Team Red Bull.

Appearing on Sirius Speedway Tuesday, Allmendinger talked about his reasons for changing series, saying, “The money is nice, I'm not going to deny it," he said. "But to me, the big deal was the opportunity to race for Red Bull. This team is going to give me everything I need to compete and race for championships. I know it's going to be tough, but I'm really excited about this challenge in my racing career. "

Team Red Bull Vice President and General Manager Marty Gaunt said, “A.J. has the talent, guts and ambition to be successful in any form of motorsports. He has proven to be one of America’s top young race car drivers, and we are confident he can accomplish the same in stock car racing over time.”

AJ's Fiancee: "We're Going To NASCAR"

Drive another nail in the coffin of those clinging to the hope that Champ Car World Series star A.J. Allmendinger might find his way back to open wheel racing in 2007. Allmendinger’s fiancée was quoted telling friends last week, “We're going to NASCAR,” and my sources in the NASCAR garage say she knows what she's talking about.

My sources in NASCAR-land say Allmendinger is being paid $200,000 a year to drive Champ Cars for Gerald Forsythe and Forsythe Championship Racing. I am told that Team Red Bull General Manager Marty Gaunt has offered Allmendinger a three-year NASCAR contract at three million dollars per year, plus percentages.

Allmendinger’s management team has reportedly given Forsythe an opportunity to match that offer, but Forsythe has declined and broken off negotiations, saying the gap between what Allmendinger wants and what he is willing to pay is insurmountable. Forsythe currently has no sponsors, and runs his two-car team out of his own pocket. Sources close to the team now say they now do not expect Allmendinger to return in 2007.

Team Red Bull announced late last week that Allmendinger will replace Bill Elliott in this weekend’s Nextel Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. They have made no announcement concerning Elliott’s final scheduled start with the team; set for Texas Motor Speedway on November 5th, but Elliott said he does not expect that he will drive the TRB car again this season.

D.J.'s New Ride

FIRST LOOK: Sources at UPS say this mock-up of Dale Jarrett's 2007 Toyota Camry is being circulated within the company this week. The car will officially be unveiled on UPS' website later today.

Proud Day At VJGC

President George W. Bush visited North Carolina's Victory Junction Gang Camp yesterday, meeting with camp co-founders Kyle and Pattie Petty, and “King” Richard Petty.

The Commander-In-Chief's visit included a fishing trip to the “Bass Pro Shop Catch, Kiss & Release Marina,” with the President joining campers Maddie Lee and Hank Grissom. Campers also challenged the President to test his skills on a NASCAR simulator. The "World's Most Powerful Ture Changer" also took part in a mock NASCAR-style pitstop.

The President toured “Adams Race Shop” -- a 9,000-square foot building in the shape of a racecar – where he was met by Victory Junction campers Paul Rader, Will "Cheese" Kwapil and Morgan Sagerman, as well as drivers Michael Waltrip and Jimmie Johnson. The final stop of the day was at the camp’s dining hall, where the President took a photo with the entire staff. Pattie Petty said of the visit, “I can't thank the President enough for taking the time to come visit Victory Junction. I hope this makes every child and parent that has visited the camp very proud.”

One more example of how it's good to have friends in high places!

Congratulations, Mel!

NHRA Top Fuel driver -- and Sirius Speedway favorite -- Melanie Troxel was honored by Billie Jean King’s Women’s Sports Foundation last night, as its 2006 Sportswoman of the Year.

She was chosen from among 10 Sportswoman of the Year finalists at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City, where she was accompanied by her ever-loving husband, Funny Car driver Tommy Johnson, Jr.

Past winners of the "Sportswoman Of The Year" Award include golfer Annika Sorenstam, figure skaters Sarah Hughes and Michelle Kwan, and tennis legends Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert. Troxel is the first racer to win the award. Earlier this year, she was nominated for ESPY Awards as “Best Driver” and “Best Female Athlete,” and also beat out NASCAR’s Jimmie Johnson and IRL’s Helio Castroneves to win the First Quarter Driver of the Year Award; become the first female winner in the award's 40-year history of the award.

Melanie will join us on today's show, to talk about the honor.

"Awesome Bill" Says NASCAR Fails On Safety

In his new book, 'Awesome Bill from Dawsonville: My Life in NASCAR,' former NASCAR Nextel Cup Series champion Bill Elliott sharply criticizes NASCAR for failing to address safety concerns. His comments have received heavy play in the racing media recently, and Elliott will join us next Wednesday (October 25th) to talk about the firestorm they have created. In advance of his visit, I thought it might be helpful to let you read some of what Elliott has said about NASCAR and its devotion to safety. The following excerpt is courtesy of HarperCollins Publishers.

"Dale's death uncovered some skeletons in NASCAR's closet. I thought the organization's emotional and forceful reaction to Dale's tragic death highlighted its comparative lack of concern for other deceased drivers.

Remember, in years prior to Dale's passing we'd lost Adam Petty, Tony Roper and Kenny Irwin. No one rang any alarm bells when any of these guys died. No one called for investigations or softer walls, or HANS devices when these drivers died. But when Dale Earnhardt died, NASCAR went full bore, head over heels on safety.

Whenever there is an incident on a NASCAR track, whom ever may be involved, the incident ought to be investigated so that it never happens again. We ought not only address incidents that kill stars. Shame on NASCAR for letting a handful of good men die before finally addressing the problem after Dale died.

NASCAR had been urged for years to put black boxes — data recorders such as the ones you find in aircraft — in the cars. This would allow them to study the causes of serious accidents and work to prevent them. Black boxes only went into Cup cars in the last few years. If Dale had survived, it's likely other drivers probably would have been killed and no one would have cared. We all hate to see anyone injured or killed in a wreck, on track or off.

I'm a realist — if it's your time, it's your time — but we need to do everything we can to prevent wrecks and to provide top-notch care for those guys who do wreck. Fans would be shocked to know how poor basic first aid is at many NASCAR tracks. Since emergency care is the responsibility of local track owners, the level of care is very inconsistent. I know of one serious wreck in recent years — I'll omit the track and the driver's name — where so many track workers crowded the car that the EMTs could barely get to the driver. It was mass confusion.

I've been in so-called safety meetings where all it is, is a Joe Blow local EMT who works that particular race because he gets a hot pass. This is a true story: I had a guy after a wreck one time, a paramedic, who was riding with me in the ambulance. On the way to the hospital he actually asked me to autograph my oxygen mask for him. When I got hurt at Talladega the EMTs pulled me out of the car like I was weed. With the injury I had to my leg they could very easily have torn my femoral artery and I would have bled to death in minutes. Granted they were trying their best, but there was so much confusion. I was begging for a little professionalism. In the June 2004 Busch race at Kentucky, Buckshot Jones smacked into the wall in turn 1 and it took forever for the rescue crew to get to him.

I'll irritate some people with all this, but I don't care. I'm at a point in my life and my career where safety is paramount. We should be on the leading edge of safety technology and be proactive about it. We could be the safest, most medically advanced outfit in sports. NASCAR should not delegate safety to track owners, when health care and technology companies would be lining up around the block to pay for the privilege of providing that care. No money would come out of NASCAR's pocket.

I know all this for a fact because after my crash at Talladega in 1996, NASCAR asked Cindy to join a committee that would examine medical care within NASCAR. She spent a full year on that project, and by the end of that year she had a doctor lined up who had agreed to take all the liability off NASCAR's shoulders. Furthermore, Cindy and the NASCAR Wives Auxiliary were going to fund a mobile trauma unit that would travel, a la IRL, to all Cup races. In addition to the latest diagnostic equipment, it would have the up-to-date medical files of every driver onboard. Amazingly it wasn't until 2002 that such records were even kept at Cup races. Until then, if a driver was in a crash and he had no family at the race, medical professionals had no insight into his medical history. There are known cases of drivers racing with shunts in their head from previous injuries. I know this sounds crazy, but it's true.

Clearly, the committee that Cindy was on had proven that we could easily have a unit like they have in Indy racing — a traveling team of a dozen or so trained specialists, including an emergency room physician — but NASCAR turned it down. They rejected both the doctor and the mobile trauma unit. We still don't know why. I think they felt that with such a unit there was still too much residual liability to NASCAR. That scares them. They simply don't want the liability of overseeing medical care, and as a result I think they want to mute the discussion on safety in general. If they brought in a fancy trauma unit, that would draw attention. They don't want to highlight the fact that racers are at risk or else they'd have to do even more. Instead they've been very successful at sweeping the risk under the rug. At each race every driver must sign a release form that waives NASCAR of any responsibility for injury or death sustained on the racetrack. As a result, no injured driver or driver's family has ever successfully sued NASCAR for damages.

In my opinion, if you can't afford safety, if you can't afford the little things that can save lives of drivers, crews, and fans, whether you're racing Saturday night jalopies or Sunday in Nextel Cup, you ought not be involved in the sport. The next step is knowing what to do and having enough trained professionals and an organization that can make the right decisions. That's why I think the concept of safety needs to be imbedded at the youngest possible level. We need young kids and the people running their tracks to cover all the angles. I'll give you an example. My son, Chase, is a budding go-kart racer. He was racing one night and a kid suffered a pretty bad broken leg. They didn't have an ambulance there. Fortunately the track got in a little trouble for it. They weren't open the next week.

I think NASCAR and the France family are sticking their heads in the sand. The IRL and CART have their own dedicated medical/rescue group that travels with the circuit; in fact, Cindy's proposal was modeled after the IRL plan. NASCAR leaves on-site medical care up to the individual racetracks. As a result you end up with a well-intentioned hodgepodge of local paramedics who have little knowledge of the specific safety and health issues that arise from 200-mph crashes and little personal knowledge of the drivers and their records.

NASCAR should have top-notch specialists who travel to every race. NASCAR has gotten better as far as driver history and medical problems and whether a certain driver was in a crash last week, but they're still dangerously short of their potential. In Indy cars, each car is equipped with cross-beam lasers that are beamed onto the driver's head. These beams monitor head movement as well as the amount of Gs endured in a crash. The medical technician sits in a rescue vehicle that's outfitted with dozens of TVs and computer monitors. The instant there is a crash, the technician knows which driver's head moved the most and which driver endured the greatest Gs. Before the rescue vehicle even gets to the victim, the emergency crew knows the likelihood and the severity of injury.

Several years ago in Germany, CART driver Alex Zanardi's car was split in half after he was hit in the middle of a spin. Dr. Steve Olvey, CART's longtime chief medical technician, was on the scene as he has been at virtually every CART race for the last quarter century. Zanardi, whose legs had been sheared off and who was bleeding profusely, was nearly dead when Dr. Olvey reached the car. But Olvey, who has dedicated his life to the care of drivers and the study of their crashes, made a lifesaving decision to skip the infield care center and fly Alex directly to a trauma center in Berlin. The quick decision making saved Zanardi's life.

NASCAR also needs to do something to make the interiors of our cars roomier. They are so small and so cramped inside that it's hard enough to get into them. Try getting out during an emergency — even with the roof hatches, it's virtually impossible. The old cars from the 1970s and 1980s used to swallow me whole. Now I'm wedged in. They also need to do something to these cars to help minimize the left-side impact. We sit on the left side of the car. If you hit the wall or another car with your front, rear, or right, you're probably going to be okay. You take a car or a wall into your left side, or land on your left side as I did at Talladega, and all bets are off.

NASCAR will tell you that the use of restrictor plates is a safety measure, and without a doubt it does enhance the safety of fans who no longer have to worry about cars launching into the grandstands, but I think they're actually using the cover of safety to manipulate the field into three-wide racing and closer finishes. In fact, you can make a pretty compelling argument that restrictor-plate racing causes more accidents because it congests the field. But three-wide racing and congested fields make for great TV. Plates have also changed the brand of driving, the brand of racing we do. Stock car racing used to be about just that — racing.

Today it's far more about blocking, and that has given rise to all the bumping and grinding we see and to the heated tempers that are now on display virtually every week. The intended results for restrictor plates — cars that will stay on the track and out of the stands — have been great. The unintended consequences have NASCAR looking more and more like hockey. I expect the same thing from the new rpm rule that came in 2005. Under this latest rule, NASCAR engines are limited to 9,500 rpm. While NASCAR may say the rule is designed to reduce the advantage held by the wide-wallet teams, it's really just another way to crowd the field together. By the way, where was NASCAR in the 1970s and 1980s and when we were fighting all the big-budget teams? They were legislating against us!

To their credit, NASCAR's done a good job lately of trying to enhance the restraint system. They've made the HANS device mandatory. They've put up the soft walls, and have taken a lot of credit for them even though the soft wall was really an IRL innovation. For a long time now our tires have had an inner liner to prevent or at least delay complete blowouts. We've removed doors; back in the old days doors would fly open during crashes exposing the driver to further injury. Sometimes they'd fly off and act as projectiles. Flaps on the roofs of NASCAR cars flip up the moment a car gets out of kilter. These flaps produce down force to keep the car on the ground. There is no glass on a NASCAR car. The windshield and right side and rear windows are made of Lexan, which is shatterproof. In fact, the headlights and brake lights on our cars are actually just stickers; there are no lights on NASCAR cars. Our fuel tanks or "cells" use flame-retardant technology adapted from Vietnam-era helicopters, and NASCAR has opened a facility devoted to safety R&D.

There's been belated progress but we've got a lot further to go. You can express your concern, but unless the media gets behind you, you won't get any attention. Will it take another Dale Earnhardt? Will NASCAR continue to soft-pedal safety issues and then take a few baby steps every time a driver is killed or seriously injured? They can't hide now as well as they could in the past because the sport is under a much stronger magnifying glass. They'll respond as the circumstance dictates. But they never have been, and I'm convinced they never will be, proactive. If you go back in history and look at the way NASCAR makes decisions, you will see that virtually every major decision they've made on safety and plenty of other issues has been after the fact. They're reactive. It wasn't until I had the pit crew guys get seriously hurt in Riverside and a crew guy killed in Atlanta that NASCAR saw the dangers inherent in stock cars screaming into heavily populated pits.

If fans only knew how thin NASCAR's protective measures truly are, they would be surprised. NASCAR not only leaves emergency care up to the individual tracks, it leaves decisions on personal safety equipment up to each driver. As of this writing, there is no rule requiring drivers even to wear gloves, fireproof or otherwise. Maybe I'm a little too outspoken on this, but I don't think you can be too extreme when it comes to safety. I think NASCAR should be on the cutting edge. If you're a premier sport, that's where you ought to be.

Dale's death probably could have been prevented. As most fans now know, his seat belt broke. Initially many tried to place the blame on the seat belt manufacturer. Later we learned that the seat belt broke because it was not installed to the manufacturer's specifications. Odds are it was not worn to specs, either: Dale had a well-known habit of loosening his restraint under cautions. If NASCAR had been more stringent in seat belt inspections — checking the installation and security of the anchored end of the belt as well as the age of the belt — Dale would have stood a far better chance of survival.”