Stewart To Haas-CNC; The Plot Thickens

More information has surfaced on the story we first discussed yesterday; that two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart is working on a deal to jump from Joe Gibbs Racing to Haas CNC Racing next season. Both ESPN.com and Sports Illustrated’s website -- SI.com – say Stewart will be given partial ownership in Haas CNC Racing, in exchange for his agreement to drive for the team, beginning in 2008.

Stewart’s contract with JGR runs through the 2009 campaign, making a move before then extremely complicated, if not impossible. Stewart's PR spokesman, Mike Arning, admitted as much yesterday, saying, “He's there this year, and he's there next year. I know for a fact that JGR is interested in retaining Tony for 2010 and beyond. They'd like him to retire at Joe Gibbs Racing. As Tony's said many times, 'Nothing's broke. Why change it?'”

The reports persist, however, saying that Stewart has begun talks with JGR officials to obtain a release from the final year of his contract. Team President J.D. Gibbs made it clear that he expects Stewart to honor his contract to the letter, saying, “The reality is, he's racing here through 2009. There's no ifs, ands or buts about that one. Our stance is he's racing for us through 2009."

The reported deal has Stewart receiving as much as a 50% ownership stake in Haas-CNC Racing, while also being paid to drive one of their two Chevrolets. Haas-CNC General Manager Joe Custer admitted today that he has spoken with several parties about the future of the team, including Stewart's representatives. That admission contradicts the statements of Haas-CNC spokesman Ron Mench, who said yesterday that there has been no communication with Stewart. Custer said that no deal has been reached, but that he would be “interested in discussing a partnership with a driver of (Stewart’s) caliber."

If the move happens, Stewart would return to the Chevrolet camp after a year with Toyota. Many observers point to Stewart’s ongoing relationship with Chevrolet -– which supplies engines to his open wheel midget and sprint car teams -– as a major factor in his decision to bolt JGR. However, Stewart drove JGR Chevrolets for many years, while receiving Mopar engines and financial backing for his short track programs.

COMMENTARY: Sellers Ruling Means Nothing In The Cup Garage

NASCAR stripped Peyton Sellers of his victory in the Camping World East Series race at in South Carolina’s Greenville-Pickens Speedway Saturday night, and nobody seems to be sure what (if anything) it means for the rest of NASCAR.

Both Sellers and team owner Andy Santerre say the violation was unintentional, and Santerre told Sirius Speedway Wednesday that he sold the shock absorber in question -- as part of a set of four -- to a now-defunct Hooters Pro Cup Series team, then bought them back when that team folded a short time later. One of the shocks ended up on Sellers’ car Saturday night, and when NASCAR disassembled it in post-race inspection, they discovered it to be illegal.

“There are two things that could have happened,” said Santerre. “Either we built it wrong in the first place, or something got changed afterward.” Santerre said he does not dispute the fact that the part in question was illegal, but insists that the sanction is unfairly severe. NASCAR has handled similar violations in the past with monetary fines, point penalties and crewchief suspensions, allowing the victory to stand. ASM’s crewchief, H.C. Sellers, was suspended for three races.

The top-five cars in each Camping World East Series race have their transmissions, rear-end gears and shocks inspected, and Santerre said, “It would be stupid to do something that blatant intentionally when we know it will be checked.” The longtime driver and team owner was critical of NASCAR’s handling of the situation, saying, “The guys that make the decisions like this for our series are not the ones that are at the tracks every week seeing the competitors and how they cooperate. This has a big effect on me in this sport. We’re one of the only developmental teams in the series, and we know that we need to keep a clean reputation. I can’t stress enough how important it is to me to have legal cars that pass tech.” NASCAR has said that the penalty cannot be appealed.

ASM Motorsports Vice President Sue Santerre (wife of Andy Santerre) told Sirius Speedway today, “The decision to strip the win from Andy and Peyton was made by committee from the R&D Center. NASCAR will not reveal who is on the committee. Andy specifically asked (Camping World East Director) Lee Roy if Mike Helton was aware of this decision. Lee instructed us he was the final signature. It is our understanding that Lee Roy and Tech Director, Andy Mitchell have no say in the committee decision.”

The consensus of opinion across much of NASCAR Nation is that last weekend’s decision somehow sends a message to the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Craftsman Truck Series. In this reporter’s opinion, nothing could be further from the truth. My experience –- drawn from more than 30 years of racing at the local and regional levels -- is that NASCAR does not govern its grassroots series’ the way it governs the so-called “big three.” And as a result, the events of last Saturday night at Greenville-Pickens Speedway will likely have no impact on anything that happens this weekend at either Talladega or Kansas.

In a nutshell, NASCAR has one way of dealing with the little guys, and another way of dealing with the big guys. That’s not necessarily wrong, either, since regional racing is -– in many ways -– completely different from what's happening at the top of the NASCAR ladder. No one would argue that a short-track Late Model should be built according to the Sprint Cup rulebook, and the procedures used to govern Sunday’s race at Talladega would result in pandemonium at your local quarter-mile dirt track.

NASCAR’s decision will have wide-reaching impact at the local and regional levels of the sport. But at the top of the ladder, my expectation is that it will be business as usual.

NASCAR's Drug Policy Has It Half Right

NASCAR President Mike Helton was half-right this weekend, when he said NASCAR’s approach to substance abuse issues is working.

NASCAR currently tests its athletes for banned substances only when it feels a need to do so, trusting the judgement of its officials and competitors to detect potential problems in the garage area. Erratic conduct –- on or off the racetrack -– can earn a driver or crewmember a mandatory invitation to be tested, and in Helton’s opinion, the system works.

“The community polices the community,” said Helton in an interview with The Associated Press. “We're different than other sports, where we have multiple layers of independence. We know of car owners that have random testing programs with their employees. Those elements are already there. There's a lot of ways to attack this animal, and a lot of ways to do it, but the shared responsibility between the competitors, the car owners and NASCAR, I think, works.”

Helton hailed NASCAR’s response to proven cases of substance abuse, calling it one of the most stringent in all of sports. "When we do…authenticate the abuse of a substance, it is a severe reaction,” he said. “It's not just a couple of weeks off, it's a very severe, career-changing reaction from us that I think speaks loudly."

On that point, Helton is absolutely correct. NASCAR deals with substance abusers more quickly, severely and publically than any other sport, and it should be applauded for doing so. Unfortunately, its methods for detecting substance abuse are not nearly so laudable.

The sanctioning body’s “If You Do It, We Will Know It” approach to substance abuse dates back to the mid-1980s, when driver Tim Richmond raised red flags from one end of the NASCAR garage to the other. Richmond’s playboy lifestyle, erratic behavior and frequent health problems prompted a number of his fellow drivers to complain to NASCAR about possible drug use, and after a life-threatening case of pneumonia caused him to miss much of the 1987 season, rumors of his alleged drug use ran wild. When he attempted to compete in the 1988 Daytona 500, NASCAR tested him for drugs, discovering high doses of over-the-counter medication in his system. NASCAR refused to let Richmond compete, even after he passed a second test.

Richmond died of AIDS on August 7, 1989, and since then, NASCAR’s substance abuse policy is virtually unchanged. As a result, the vast majority of competitors in NASCAR’s top series’ have never – ever -- been tested for banned substances. That’s an incredible statement in this day and age, and it is a fact that does not sit well with many drivers.

"In the 10 years that I've raced, I've never been drug-tested," said Kevin Harvick last week. "To me, that's not a proper drug policy for a professional sport. We haven't made any headway whatsoever on the drug-testing policy."

Tony Stewart agreed, saying, “I think it should be mandatory to have random drug testing. The (Aaron) Fike situation shows that as an organization, we're not doing a good job of seeing this before it happens."

Clearly, Fike’s admission that he used heroin daily in the eight weeks prior to his arrest – even on days when he competed on the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series – raises a warning flag about NASCAR’s ability to detect drug abuse in its ranks. Had Fike not been arrested in the parking lot of an amusement park with heroin and drug paraphernalia in his possession, he would have continued to compete, endangering himself and others for at least a while longer.

NASCAR never knew Fike had a problem. Neither did his Red Horse Racing team, which saw nothing to indicate the presence of a drug problem. Fike’s own family – the people who presumably know him best – had no idea that he had descended into the black hole of heroin addiction. If they didn't see it, NASCAR cannot reasonably be expected to have done so.

Yes, the system is antiquated, with loopholes big enough for a heroin addict to pass through undetected. But many of us share the blame, as well. At least two drivers -- Harvick and Kasey Kahne – say they have suspected a fellow driver of drug use in the past, but said nothing about it to NASCAR. Media members and fans have remained smug and secure for far too long, clinging to the misguided belief that drugs cannot invade our sport the way they have infiltrated every other facet of society.

We were wrong.

Aaron Fike’s recent admission proves that NASCAR’s current system of detection does not work. His revelations should shake all of us – Mike Helton included – out of the doldrums once and for all. If someone with a daily crank habit can escape detection while racing at the front of the NASCAR pack, someone with a recreational marijuana or cocaine problem will have no trouble doing the same.

NASCAR’s method for dealing with substance abusers is top-shelf. But its ability to find them needs an immediate and thorough overhaul.

“If I have to pee in a cup 15 times a year, I'm happy to do it,” said Harvick. “I want everybody in the world to know our sport is clean. I want fans and sponsors to know this garage is clean."

Harvicks-Vandergriff To Form Partnership

Kevin and DeLana Harvick will join with veteran Bob Vandergriff, Jr., to field a Top Fuel dragster on the NHRA Powerade Drag Racing Series next season.

Vandergriff confirmed the project this weekend, saying, “We want to offer the companies aligned with Harvick-Vandergriff Motorsports the chance to use the best of NHRA and NASCAR through the same program.”

He and the Harvicks will begin assembling the team within the next two months, with an eye toward a 2009 debut. The Harvick-Vandergriff partnership should be attractive to potential sponsors, offering exposure in the NHRA, NASCAR Sprint Cup, NASCAR Nationwide, and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series’.

Harvick confirmed the project this weekend, saying, "The response from the companies we've spoken to already has been tremendous," Harvick said. “The more we come to understand what is happening in the NHRA, the more attractive it's becoming as a whole.”

Bob Vandergriff, Jr., will join us today on Sirius Speedway to discuss the project.

Stremme To Penske? Published reports this weekend say that David Stremme will join Penske Racing as a test driver, a move that could put him in the drivers seat of the team’s #77 Mobil One Dodge for the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

That car is currently driven by former IndyCar champion Sam Hornish, Jr. But Hornish stands 33rd in points in his rookie season, prompting speculation that he may elect to bypass the Coke 600 in favor of driving Penske’s currently idle #77 IndyCar in the Indianpolis 500.

Penske’s three-car entry for the Indianapolis 500 shows Helio Castroneves at the wheel of the Penske Racing #3, with teammate Ryan Briscoe in the #6. The driver of Penske’s #77 entry is listed as "TBA," prompting speculation that Hornish could run the race on a one-off basis. That move would presumably put Stremme in the driver’s seat of Penske’s Spring Cup car at Lowes Motor Speedway.

Stremme has once again become a hot property in the NASCAR ranks, after being released by Ganassi Racing at the end of the 2007 season. He ranks 13th in NASCAR Nationwide Series points for Rusty Wallace Racing, and has played a major role in turning that team’s fortunes around. He finished tenth in Friday night's Bashas' Supermarkets 200 at Phoenix International Raceway; his third Top-10 finish in the last four races. Published reports say he has recently turned down at least two offers to return to the Sprint Cup Series.

Rest In Peace, Bree

NASCAR inspector Brienne Davis was killed last night in an automobile accident during rush hour on I-77 North near Huntersville, NC.

Her truck reportedly sideswiped another vehicle near Exit 23, and she was thrown from the vehicle when it overturned. She was airlifted from the accident scene to Carolinas Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. The driver of the other vehicle was not seriously injured.

Brienne got her start in the sport at age 22, working in the engine shop at Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Her initial goal was to become the first female over-the-wall crewmember in NASCAR Cup racing; a goal she had both the determination and physical ability to achieve. She eventually joined NASCAR as an official in 2004, working primarily in the post-race tech line, tearing down the engines of the top three cars.

She also worked as a corner flagger/spotter, and she and I spent plenty of time hanging off the back of billboards together over the last few seasons. She was a free spirit, always good for a laugh and totally at ease in any environment.

I last spoke with her a week ago Sunday, in the parking lot of our hotel in Martinsville. It was 6 a.m., barely 40 degrees, and Bree was firing up her Harley for the ride to the track, wearing just about every item of clothing she owned. She told me that three or four different teams had offered to haul the bike back to Charlotte for her, but that she was determined to ride it home because she didn’t want people to think she was a wimp.

As she spoke, it began to rain. I laughed, “Great idea, Davis, enjoy the frostbite!” She laughed, flipped me the bird and rode away. She was quite a girl, and she will be missed by so many of us in the NASCAR garage. Brienne Davis was just 28 years old.

Rest in Peace, Bree.

Fike Used Heroin On Race Day

Suspended NASCAR driver Aaron Fike has admitted that as part of his long-term addiction to drugs, that he sometimes injected heroin on race days.

In an interview with ESPN, Fike said that at the time of his arrest in early July of last year, he had been had been using heroin for eight months, and had been dependent on painkillers for six years. He said that in the weeks prior to his arrest at the King’s Island Amusement Park, he had used heroin daily, including days when he competing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

Fike and his fiancee were arrested on charges of possession of heroin and drug paraphernalia, and were were suspended indefinitely by NASCAR. Fike peaded guilty guilty to possession of a drug abuse instrument and a reduced charge of attempted possession of heroin in November of 2007, and was sentenced to two years of probation after agreeing to establish a non-profit anti-drug group.

He has returned to racing on the USAC Midget series, where he is tested upon arrival at the track each week. He said he has spoken with NASCAR officials about beginning the process of reinstatement, but admits that his stock car career may be over. He added that he hopes his admission of racing while under the influence of heroin will prompt NASCAR officials to rethink their drug testing policy.

NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter said the sanctioning body is looking at the more stringent, random drug testing policies recently adopted by Major League Baseball, NFL, NBA and NHL. In his words, "Our current policy has served us extremely well. We do have discussions from time to time regarding possible alternatives, so I wouldn't rule those out.”

"Cousin Carl" Got It Right

It’s not hard to find someone willing to complain about NASCAR’s new racecar these days. Shove a microphone under virtually any driver’s nose – sometimes even in Victory Lane -- and you’ll probably get an earful. They’re bulky, balky, reticent in the corners and difficult to handle. They’re demanding and finicky; either too aero-dependent or not aero-dependent enough, depending on who you ask. And the chorus of critics is becoming downright deafening.

"I can't believe how bad these things drive,” said Jimmie Johnson Sunday, just moments after recording the best finish of his troubling 2008 season to date. “These things are terrible to drive in traffic. You would catch people, (but then be forced to) run their pace. I really think we need to look at some changes to help these cars not be so aero-dependent; to have a little more downforce so…there is more grip in the car.”

Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon agreed, after finishing dead-last for only the second time in his career. "I can't remember the last time we struggled this bad,” he said. ”We tried every setup we could find. None of them seemed to work. I was just hanging on every single lap. There's some crazy setups going on in these cars right now.”

Kyle Busch, who set the tone by winning the first-ever COT race last season, then calling his winning mount “junk” in Victory Lane, was uncharacteristically closed-mouthed after Sunday’s race, saying, “I am not answering that question. Go to NASCAR to answer that question."

OK, we get it. Even some of the drivers who DIDN’T run like crap Sunday don’t like NASCAR’s new car.

Thank God, then, for Carl Edwards. In his post-race press conference, the Roush Fenway Racing driver stood his ground against the tsunami of COT criticism, saying he has grown tired of the incessant pit road bitching.

"Let me state my position very clearly,” said Edwards Sunday. “A lot of people say it is boring and want something to complain about, saying it's too hard to drive. The fact is, we have the 43 best drivers in the world going 200 miles per hour. That's spectacle. It's auto racing. It's not supposed to be driving down the interstate.”

“I feel like I can make a difference, lap-to-lap (in this car),” said Edwards Sunday. “I can pitch the car a little, and change what the stopwatch says every lap. That's cool. That's what I did on the local dirt tracks in Missouri. I’m tired of hearing people complain. If I was running 15th, I might have a different opinion."

Actually, “Cousin Carl” may be onto something there. Is it just me, or is the ongoing spate of COT griping coming mostly from drivers who are struggling? Johnson, Gordon and Tony Stewart -- who admittedly is focusing his ire more on Goodyear than the COT these days -– all hate to lose. It is uncharted territory for them, and after four hours of embarrassing themselves the way the Fabulous Hendrick Twins did in Las Vegas and Texas, they’re understandly looking for somewhere to vent their righteous anger.

They can’t light up the pit crew, since they’ll be needing them again next week. The same thing goes for the crewchief, the engineers and the fab-shop team. So when a driver needs to purge, there are only two convenient targets; tires and racecars. No matter who gets blamed at the end of the day, the basics of this sport never change. Somebody wins every week, and 42 others lose.

Some days you eat the bear, and some days the bear eats you.

“This is auto racing,” said Edwards Sunday. “There are going to be people that are faster. I like this car, and this type of racing. I have zero issues about it, (and) I'm tired of the media making up stories about how bad it is.”

Edwards is 100% right, except for the part about it being my fault. We media members are guilty of printing and broadcasting the disparaging remarks of disgruntled drivers. But we’re also happy to discuss the possibility that this new car might NOT be the greatest threat to humanity since the bubonic plague.

Some of us are happy to point out that Sunday’s race produced 16 lead changes among six different drivers, while last April’s Samsung 500 -- in the old-style, “twisted sister” car -- saw an almost-identical 14 lead changes among nine drivers.

Some of us are willing to point out that Stewart is traditionally a slow starter, and that his career numbers for February, March and April have never been anything to write home about.

We’re even willing to discuss the fact that Hendrick Motorsports –- which aside from Dale Earnhardt, Jr., can’t seem to find its ass with both hands these days -– was dominating COT competition less than a year ago.

Some of us are even willing to state unequivocally that if Carl Edwards and his currently suspended crewchief, Bob Osbourne, can make their COT run like Jack The Bear, Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus can, too.

You've just got to work a little harder, and get up on that wheel.

Notes From The Cup Garage

Those of us hoping for a Pony Car-based NASCAR Nationwide Series beginning in 2009 need to find something else to dream about, because it’s not going to happen.

General Motors Vice President of Sales Brent Dewar said this weekend that Chevrolet will not use the new Camaro body style in the Nationwide Series next season, since the brand is already projected to be a hot-seller with performance-mnded drivers. "We'll make an announcement later in the year of which brand we'll pick," said Dewar Sunday. "But it won't be Camaro, for sure.”

Ford Racing Technology Director of Dan Davis sang a similar tune earlier this year, saying that the Ford Mustang is also unlikely to see action in NASCAR’s second series. "(The Mustang) sells itself," he said. "If you've got a car that's sold out -- every one of them you make is sold -- why would you spend the extra money, time and effort to build up the brand? What you try to do is get vehicles out there that may not be as well known, and put those nameplates in front of the consumer."

GM’s Dewar said NASCAR’s need for common aerodynamic footprints between brands also works against the idea of using distinctived makes like the Camaro. "We've got a very iconic design with our Corvettes and Camaros," he said. "Based on the way the formula works (in NASCAR), we're not going to compromise our brand integrity."

Thumbs Up: Yates Racing put both its drivers in the Top-20 yesterday, with David Gilliland and Travis Kvapil finishing 15th and 18th; both in unsponsored cars.

He's No Knute Rockne: If Chip Ganassi thought a scathing, public rebuke of his underachieving race teams would inspire a better effort at Texas Motor Speedway last weekend, he was mistaken.

Ganassi laid his teams out in lavender Friday, after rookie Dario Franchitti failed to make the race, and teammates Juan Pablo Montoya and Reed Sorenson qualified 11th and 42nd. Ganassi told Sirius NASCAR Radio’s Steve Post, “Frankly, there are 46 cars there, and if you can't beat three of them, that's pretty pathetic. I have all the faith in the world in (Franchitti's) driving abilities. I don't think it's that. The fact of the matter is, we didn't give him a car that was capable of doing it."

He also criticized Sorenson's Target Dodge team, saying, “It's the same old things that take them out. One week it’s this, the next week it's that…it's a combination of all of the above. Everybody on the 41 team is going to have to take a good look in the mirror and ask themselves if they are prepared for what's coming down the pike."

Friday’s upbraiding resulted in only a 24th-place finish for Sorenson, who has just one Top-20 showing – a lukewarm 18th at Las Vegas – since starting the season with a fifth in the Daytona 500. Montoya was also never a factor Sunday en route to 19th, and now stands just 19th in points. Those performances won’t do much for job security, especially when the man signing the checks said during the off-season that his operation was out of excuses, and needed to perform in 2008.

Ganassi has every right to demand better results from his teams. However, he personally hired many of the personnel in question, making one wonder if his own mirror might be in need of a “good look” or two. It may also be noteworthy that Ganassi’s post-qualifying comments were delivered -- not from the back on a NASCAR War Wagon -- but from St. Petersburg, Florida, where he was busy overseeing his IndyCar operation.

Don’t be surprised to see a few shakeups at Ganassi Racing this week.

BAM To Sit Out Texas And Phoenix

One week after a seventh-place qualifying effort at Martinsville, BAM Racing has withdrawn its #49 Toyota from the next two races at Texas and Phoenix.

Team owner Tony Morgenthau explained the decision today, saying, "Switching manufacturers was a taller order than we initially realized. While BAM Racing has a very strong short track program, our intermediate track program needs some work. Since we haven't had time to adequately test the cars, (and) since historically we don't run that well at either Texas or Phoenix; our organization has decided to take the next three weeks to focus on the remainder of the racing season. This has been a very difficult, `big picture’ decision. By taking a little time to regroup now, we should be a much stronger team for the rest of the year. For all the naysayers who predict this to be the death knell for one of the few remaining independent teams in Sprint Cup . . . wait until Talladega, then tell us if we're dead or not!"

BAM is currently 42nd in owner points, after posting a 37th-place finish at Martinsville. They have qualified for just three of this season’s six races, with a best finish of 21st at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Their withdrawal leaves 46 teams on Sunday’s entry list, with 10 “Go Or Gome Home” drivers competing for seven spots. Bill Elliott is the only former champion outside the Top-35, and his Past Champion’s Provisional makes Wood Brothers Racing a guaranteed starter Sunday.

Hey, it could happen to ANYBODY!

UPDATE: Roush's "Proprietary Part" Was A Coil Spring...Or Not

Toyota officials now say that the Roush Fenway Racing “proprietary part” Jack Roush claims was found in the possession of a Toyota team was a simple coil spring.

Toyota Racing Development President and CEO Jim Aust told ESPN.com's David Newton today that the incident occurred during a post-race teardown involving several cars, and that the part was immediately returned to Roush Fenway Racing when the mistake was discovered. Aust said he does not know how the spring got onto a table filled with Toyota parts, or which team it came from.

“It's unfortunate it happened the way it did,” he said. “It wasn't anything intentional. There's no reason (for it) to be done intentional. I have no idea how it happened to begin with."

Roush Fenway Racing President Geoff Smith disputed Aust’s claim, saying the part in question was not, in fact, a coil spring. He declined to give further details, however, saying, "Jack is the only one to talk to at this time, and he presently doesn't want to make any additional comments.”

NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton said the sanctioning body has not been asked to intervene, and is not interesting in doing so. "Stuff like that happens all the time; some by accident, some on purpose,” he said. “Those guys need to fix it themselves. We don't get in the middle of team squabbles.”

Time For Roush To Step Up...Or Back

It’s time for Jack Roush to make a decision.

The Roush Fenway Racing co-owner triggered a firestorm of speculation recently, telling a reporter for ESPN The Magazine that a “proprietary part” had gone missing from one of his teams, and been recovered in the possession of a Toyota team. Roush declined to name the team, but said he was “considering legal action, or getting NASCAR involved.”

Sirius Speedway first reported the story on Monday, contacting Roush Fenway Racing to request an interview with Roush. That request was denied, but a team spokesman indicated that a statement on the matter would be released later that day. The following day -- with no further information provided – we contacted the team again, only to be told, “We are not commenting on this.“

Roush’s refusal to disclose the details of this story – including the identity of the team found in possession of the “proprietary part” – does a great disservice to everyone in the Toyota camp. By refusing to name the team in question, Roush tars Michael Waltrip, Bill Davis, Joe Gibbs, Hall Of Fame and Red Bull Racing with the same broad brush. And by refusing to provide the full details of his allegation, he casts a shadow of suspicion over teams that do not deserve to be second-guessed.

Jack Roush is one of the most respected team owners in NASCAR. His accomplishments – in stock cars, drag racing and road racing alike – make him a living legend in the world of motorsports. But his longstanding vendetta against Toyota, and his apparent willingness to say anything when it comes to the Japanese automaker, have begun to diminish that lofty standing.

This is the same Jack Roush who once bragged of paying an employee in Japanese yen, after spotting the man driving a Toyota to work one day. The same Roush who lobbied openly for Toyota’s exclusion from NASCAR, saying the Japanese automaker would spend the sport into oblivion. The same Roush who now accuses someone in the Toyota camp of industrial espionage (if not outright theft), while refusing to provide any of the pertinent details. Amazingly, the man who complains bitterly about being singled-out by NASCAR for sanctions or penalties has no problem slandering the entire Toyota contingent over the alleged actions of just one team.

Jack, you’re heading down an ugly road right now, and it’s time for you to either step up, or step back. If – as you claim -- someone in the Toyota camp is guilty of wrongdoing, there are a number of appropriate ways for you to proceed.

You can take legal action against the team in question.

You can go to NASCAR, requesting that they sanction the involved parties. NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said yesterday that he hasn’t heard from you, and knows nothing of this story.

You can take your case to the media and expose the involved team; providing all the pertinent details, chapter and verse, to avoid slandering any innocent, uninvolved parties.

Or, perhaps, you could have said nothing to begin with. It’s your call.

But make no mstake about it, there is no place in NASCAR for the kind of blanket accusation you have leveled against the Toyota teams. It is petty, unnecessary, and patently unfair. You chose to take this story to the media, knowing full well what would follow. Having made that choice, you now have a moral obligation to accuse only those involved, instead of casting a cloud over five car owners and 10 different race teams.

You’re better than that, Jack. And they deserve better, as well.

BAM Mulling Swap To Toyota This Weekend

Questions continue to swirl around the #49 BAM Racing team, which has been rumored to be merging with either Petty Enterprises or Bill Davis Racing.

A partnership with Davis would presumably require BAM to convert from Dodge to Toyota, and there are indications that the team may be doing just that. An announcement was made today that the BAM Racing #49 will carry sponsorship from Microsoft’s U.S. Small Business Team in the remaining races this season. The sponsor’s blogsite features an image of a #49 Toyota Camry, with Microsoft signage. BAM’s entry is still listed as a Dodge on this week’s Martinsville roster, but that could be changed anytime before qualifying on Friday.

Interestingly, driver Kenny’s Schrader’s Federated Auto Parts-sponsored NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series entry for Martinsville is also listed as a Toyota. Schrader has traditionally campaigned a Chevrolet in the past.

Sauter Defends Himself: In the aftermath of Johnny Sauter’s firing by Phoenix Racing last week, team General Manager Marc Reno said Sauter’s removal had been requested by the team’s sponsor; the Miccosukee Indian tribe. Reno said, “It was a sponsor request to take Johnny out of the car. This is the first time that they’ve ever disapproved one of our drivers. That’s why we took Johnny out.”

Sauter, however, says he should not be made a scapegoat for the team’s poor performance.

“I guess the Miccosukees are under the impression that the driver has the power to turn the organization around, and I respect that opinion," he said. "But to be perfectly honest, J.J. Yeley, Mike Wallace and Johnny Benson are all great drivers who struggled in Phoenix Racing equipment and were replaced. How many drivers do you have to fire before you realize that they're not the problem? "

Sterling Marlin replaced Sauter at Nashville Superspeedway last weekend, but is not interested in running the full Nationwide Series schedule. Reno said a search for another driver is under way.

Back To Work: Gene Nead has wasted little time finding a new job. Shortly after being released as crewchief for the #21 Little Debbie Ford by Wood Brothers Racing late last week, Nead is returning to Bill Davis Racing to lead the team’s research and development effort, and also help-out at the track on race weekends. Driver Dave Blaney confirmed Nead’s return during testing yesterday at Caraway Speedway in Asheboro, NC. Nead was with BDR before joining the Wood Brothers during the offseason.

BREAKING NEWS: Roush Says Toyota Team Found With "Proprietary Part"

ESPN the Magazine has an interesting and potentially explosive quote from Roush Fenway Racing co-owner Jack Roush as part of its 10th Anniversary issue, which is on newsstands this week.

Two weeks ago at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the magazine quotes Roush as saying, “We had a proprietary Roush Fenway part go missing from one of my race teams, and we recovered it from a Toyota team. I’m not going to say which team it is, but we are considering legal action, or getting NASCAR involved.”

If Roush’s allegations prove to be true, this could become NASCAR’s version of the recent spy scandal that rocked Formula One racing, in which the McLaren-Mercedes team was caught with confidential, proprietary test information belonging to rival Ferrari. We contacted Roush Fenway Racing today in search of further information – including team was involved and the specific part in question -- and we hope to have a statement from them later today.

"Fairytale Finish?" Not Likely.

At SceneDaily.com, Kris Johnson posted a blog entry today entitled “Fairytale Finish at Cup Level? Forget About It.” In that piece, he compares NASCAR to the annual "March Madness" NCAA College Basketball tournament, which tips off today.

He complains that the NCAA has it all over NASCAR when it comes to underdogs having a chance to win. In his words, “If there's one thing that NASCAR lacks these days at its highest level, it's a true longshot making it into Victory Lane. What we settle for is the excitement and novelty of a driver winning for the first time, as Clint Bowyer did last September at New Hampshire. (But) when was the last time a true underdog sniffed a victory in a Cup race?”

I disagree with Kris’ contention that Bowyer’s New Hampshire win was not an upset. It was. But he’s right when he says that underfinanced teams win infrequently -- if at all -- at the uppermost level of NASCAR. It seems like every NCAA hoop season features at least one March Madness bracket-buster; a team that pulls off a shocker or two on its way to an ignominious exit in the Sweet 16. But you’ve got to go back a long, long way to find a true “underdog winner” of the NCAA tournament.

In my opinion, Johnson’s comparison between the NCAA and NASCAR misses the mark.

You see, every NASCAR race is an All-Star Race, something that absolutely cannot be said of every NCCA Tournament game. It’s much easier to get pumped-up for next weekend’s race at Martinsville Speedway than it is for the opening round NCAA East Regional matchup between #1 North Carolina and #16 Mount Mt. Mary’s. In my view, rooting for the Mountaineers to knock off the top-ranked Tar Heels is like pulling for John Andretti and the #34 Front Row Motorsports team to win at Martinsville.

You hope, you pray, but you don’t really expect.

Could Mount St, Mary's upset the top-ranked Heels and advance to the second round? Perhaps, just like Andretti could pull off a Top-10 finish at Martinsville. Neither team has a snowball’s chance of winning the championship when it’s all said and done, though. In my view, winning a single game in the NCAA tournament is akin to finishing in the Top-10 of a single NASCAR Sprint Cup race.

Actually winning that race is like cutting down the nets in the NCCA Finals; an impossible feat for anything less than an elite power. With all due respect to Kris Johnson, that’s where the real comparison lies.

Labonte May Fill The Void In Petty #45

Officials of Petty Enterprises Racing say they are not anxious to swap owner points between Bobby Labonte and Kyle Petty. But another Labonte – two-time Sprint Cup Series champion Terry Labonte – may be waiting in the wings to help.

Petty Enterprises Vice President Robbie Loomis said this week that obligations to sponsor General Mills make a Bobby-for-Kyle swap unlikely. However, he said, "We could call on Terry. He might be willing to help us out a little bit. He's got championship status like…Bill Elliott and Dale Jarrett, so that's an option for us. But ultimately, we'd like to leave Kyle as the driver of the car, and have him make the race."

Labonte confirmed that he may be willing to help out, but only on tracks that he enjoys, like road courses and short tracks.

“The only way I'd be interested…is if everybody's onboard with it," he said. "'I don't want (Kyle) to think I'm trying to take his job, because the last thing I want is his job. If I could help them, I would."

If he takes over the #45 Dodge, Labonte’s status as the 1996 Cup champion would give him precedence over Elliott, who won the crown in 1988.

Labbe Out At BDR: A spokesman for Bill Davis Racing confirmed today that crewchief Slugger Labbe has left the team. Labbe had been working with the No. 27 Toyota and driver Jacques Villeneuve, before a lack of sponsorship sidelined the operation.

He has been rumored to be under consideration for positions at both Hall Of Fame and Red Bull Racing, but denied contact with either team yesterday. His resume includes crewchiefing stints at Dale Earnhardt Inc., MB2 and Ginn Racing, Robert Yates Racing and Evernham Motorsports. He won the 2003 Daytona 500 with driver Michael Waltrip.

Herm Parked, Finds New Ride: The Fitz Motorsports/Shark Energy Drink Nationwide Series team is scaling back its operations, effective immediately. Kenny Wallace drove the car in the first five races of the season, but team owner Armando Fitz said sales of Shark Energy Drink have not been strong enough to fully fund the operation.

Fitz said he will put his full effort into his #22 Supercuts Dodge, while Wallace jumps to the #28 Border Patrol Chevrolet for Jay Robinson Racing.

Sauter -- "It Stinks": Johnny Sauter says he understands why he was released by the Phoenix Racing Nationwide Series team, but that the move still hurts.

Sauter got his walking papers this week, despite ranking 17th in points for a team that is already on its third crewchief of the season. He said yesterday, “I understand that race teams have to do…what they have to do to improve their program. It’s a tough deal, I’m sure, and it’s a tough call to make. As far as me losing my job, it stinks.”

Sauter said he knows it will be difficult to find a ride at this point of the season, but is determined to fiind a competitive ride somewhere. In his words, “All you can do is call. All I’m asking for is to be competitive. You just want to run well. I want to be team player, and feel like I can make a difference.”

Phoenix Racing has not commented on the move, or annoounced a replacement driver.

Time To Close NASCAR's Owner Points Loophole

Petty Enterprises will decide this week whether to swap owners' points between Bobby Labonte and Kyle Petty, assuring Petty a spot in the field at Martinsville next weekend. Petty is currently 40th in owners’ points, while Labonte is 18th. Labonte would be guaranteed a position on the Martinsville grid as the 2000 Sprint Cup Series champion. Vice President of Operations Robbie Loomis said no decision has yet been made on whether to request the transfer, and that he might be comfortable with allowing Petty to attempt to qualify on speed at Martinsville.

Roush-Fenway Racing is also faced with a possible points-swap, with Jamie McMurray currently 36th in owner’s points, and former series champion Matt Kenseth in 11th. Roush has not commented on the possibility of making such a move.

Michael Waltrip Racing has succeeded in dodging the owners’ points bullet, at least for now. All three MWR cars are guaranteed starters at Martinsville, with Michael McDowell’s #00 Toyota ranked 27th in points, Waltrip in 30th and David Reutimann 34th. Sam Hornish, Jr. is the final guaranteed starter for Martinsville with a 35th-place standing in owners’ points, meaning that a much-discussed second swap with former champion Kurt Busch can wait for at least one more race. Busch still has five Past Champions Provisionals left to use.

Currently outside the Top-35 and on the “Go-Or-Go-Home” list for Martinsville are Jamie McMurray in 36th, Dave Blaney in 37th, Dario Franchitti, Regan Smith and Petty.

It’s one thing to swap points before the start of a season, so long as a team is forced to live with that decision for an entire year. But these midseason point swaps go against the spirit of NASCAR’s Top-35 rule. Deals like the one being discussed between Busch and Hornish – where drivers swap points before the season, then again after the schedule is partially complete -- are especially egregious, and allow team owners to exploit the system in a way that NASCAR almost certainly never intended.

If NASCAR chooses to leave this loophole open (and there are many who think they should not) teams should be forced to make an actual, physical change to correspond with the change in ownership.

Effective immediately, NASCAR should institute a new clause governing midseason point swaps. Rather than simply shuffling some inter-office paperwork, drivers wishing to swap points at mid-season should be forced to drive the car that is listed for that specific owner.

Simply put, require Hornish to steer the Miller Lite Dodge for the remainder of the season, with Kurt Busch inheriting the Mobil One car. Put Kyle Petty behind the wheel of the #43 Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge, with Labonte jumping to the #45.

That will cause a few headaches for sponsors and marketing departments, but it’s a small price to pay for a ploy that, in effect, gives drivers like Hornish a series of “free passes” to race at NASCAR’s highest level, without ever qualifying.

Humpy Proposes SMI/ISC Date Swap

Humpy Wheeler wants Speedway Motorsports, Inc., to swap dates with rival International Speedway Corporation, moving the Labor Day weekend race to Atlanta Motor Speedway, and shuffling Atlanta’s October date to Auto Club Raceway of Southern California.

Wheeler says the swap would benefit both venues.

“Obviously, NASCAR doesn’t want rainouts, they don’t want bad dates,” he said. “October…is a little bit better weather for (Auto Club Speedway). What we really want to do is try to run Atlanta at night. Everything changes at night. We could run it on Sunday night or Saturday night. It would make all the difference in the world."

In addition, Wheeler said he would like to move Atlanta’s other race to early June, from its current slot in mid-March.

“We would rather run that March date in early June, when we could run it at night,” he said. “That’s our ultimate wish list.” Wheeler said the Atlanta/California swap “looks more encouraging every day,” but admitted that the deal will be complicated to bring to fruition. In his words, “a lot of politics have to happen before that comes about. We continue to talk to ISC and NASCAR about this.”

Both Atlanta and California have struggled to sell seats in recent seasons, with weather a frequent issue. Auto Club Speedway battled inclement weather last month, with its Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series races both postponed to Monday by incessant rain. Last weekend’s “Kobalt Tools 500” at Atlanta ran under dry skies, but was preceded by two days of rain, snow and cold temperatures. Both tracks had plenty of empty seats throughout the weekend, with crowds falling far short of NASCAR’s official estimates.

This Week's "Sirius Speedway Legend:" The Ageless James Hylton

NASCAR veteran James Hylton sits down in front of the Sirius Speedway microphones Thursday for an all-new "Sirius Speedway Legends" interview. Hylton wasn't the biggest winner in NASCAR history -- just two wins in the Grand National/Cup ranks -- but nobody spanned more eras in the sport, or made more friends along the way. Don't miss this opportunity to spend some quality time with James Harvey Hylton, Thursday at 6 p.m. ET.

Gordon, Newman Say Stewart Overreacted

A day after Tony Stewart chastised Goodyear for what he called its “pathetic” tires at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Jeff Gordon and Ryan Newman say Stewart overreacted.

Gordon and Newman joined Greg Biffle in a Goodyear tire test at Darlington Raceway yesterday, and while they agreed that the Atlanta tires were a handful, they said Stewart went too far in his criticism of the tiremaker. Gordon said, "I think he went a little overboard. He kind of made it personal. I don't disagree with him as far as the comfort level in the situation we were in. But we have to look at all sides of this and try to give the folks that are doing their jobs the ability and constructive criticism to try to do it better."

While agreeing that the tires were hard to handle Sunday, Newman called the controversy, “a little blown out of proportion. There's a lot of things (Tony) said that were true…but I don't know of anybody who popped a tire, or had a tire issue to the point where we had tire problems. Is there justification in some of Tony's comments? Probably. Did Tony overreact? Probably. Obviously, he took it to another level. That's Tony.”

Goodyear is contractually obligated to continue supplying tires to every Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Craftsman Truck Series team – even Stewart’s – but some observers are pointing to Toyota's exclusion from yesterday’s Darlington test as a demonstration of the unhappiness with Stewart. Toyota invited three cars to the Darlington test; Gordon’s Chevrolet, Newman’s Dodge, and Greg Biffle’s Ford. Toyota Sprint Cup program manager Andy Graves said he asked for Toyota to be included in the test, but was rebuffed. Goodyear spokesmen said that only three teams were needed for the test, stressing that the teams were selected prior to Stewart's comments, and that testing invitations are rotated between teams and manufacturers.

GEM Denies Sale Of Gordon Team: Gillett-Evernham Motorsports has denied a published report yesterday that had the son of GEM co-owner George Gillett purchasing Robby Gordon Motorsports.

In a terse statement released today, Gillett-Evernham said, "On February 1, Gillett Evernham Motorsports and Robby Gordon Motorsports announced a technical, manufacturing and marketing agreement. Nothing has changed since that announcement."

Unconfirmed reports Monday had Alex Gillett purchasing the Gordon tea, with plans to operate it separately from GEM, while continuing the technological and marketing partnership. Gordon has not commented on the report.

Ratings Up Again: Sunday’s Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway earned a 5.6 overnight rating and a 12 share; Fox's top Atlanta race since 2003, and a 19% increase over last year's 4.7 rating and 10 share. FOX’s rating for the race nearly matched the ratings for ABC, CBS, and NBC combined, and when national ratings are released today or tomorrow, it is likely that FOX will beat the three-network total. For the season to date, NASCAR On FOX is averaging a 5% gain over last year.